Page 3 - Contact Summer 2019 250th Anniversary.indd

“It is our responsibility to keep the fire burning and
to pass on the good news to the next generation.”
This will of course require substantial
resourcing if it is to work – would you be
willing to commit to this new church
service for the next church year? If so
please contact Keith. We are excited
by the possibilities this could offer.
YOUTH & CHILDREN’S WORK
Many people come to faith before they
reach age 18 – it is a key window for
mission and discipleship. We want to
invest more into this key stage of life and
the many young people we have on our
books. We want to prepare them in the
best way possible to live out their Christian
faith in an increasingly confused world so
we are investing in two full time posts
Associate for Children and Associate for
Youth. We are advertising currently and
would ask you to pray for these important
appointments.
SUNDAY WORSHIP
Our Sunday gatherings continue to be a
vital part of our church life and for many
are the centre of what we offer. During the
main church season through pressure of
numbers we continue to need two morning
services at 9.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m.
The Kirk Session believes that both
services should continue to be the same
and offer the same “menu” at both. They
have noted over the past couple of years
an increase in numbers at 9.30 a.m. and
a slight decrease in numbers at the 11.30
service and will from 1st September 2019
be operating the same policy at both
services of filling the ground floor before
the balcony is used as an overflow. A well
filled ground floor is more encouraging
for all taking part and is especially
encouraging to those leading worship.
We believe that our posture in worship is
important and that filling in the gaps will
enhance the worship experience for all of
us and we appreciate your co-operation
in this.
The evening services continue to be
a blessing to many and are also an
opportunity for those who may be gifted
in speaking to test their gifting but we note
that numbers of people attending evening
worship are not what they used to be
although still substantial.
I will be looking at this over the summer
and seeing if there are other creative ways
of using the Sunday evenings next winter
to help people grow as disciples.
PRAYER
So much of what we do needs prayer
behind it. No prayer, no power. We are
grateful for the different opportunities for
corporate prayer in our church: Monday
evening PUSH, Tuesday morning for the
elders, Open Space once a month, men
on Friday mornings in Toast and Saturday
morning in the Prayer Room. The Session
are holding a united prayer meeting the
third Monday of the month in the Birney
Room from September. That week we are
asking the other groups not to meet but to
join in that united prayer meeting with
others to seek the Lord’s face for blessing
on our church, our community and our
world.
PATHWAYS
Discipleship is a journey which never ends.
Keith and Norman will be putting together
a discipleship pathway which we hope
will be helpful for people in getting
established in their faith and then moving
along the four M’s of Membership, Maturity
and into Ministry and Mission. We want
to be a people on the move, not stale and
static. News on our discipleship pathway
will come in the autumn.
Will you join enthusiastically with Session
as we press on into what the Lord has
for us a church as we move on from this
significant birthday of 250 years? High Kirk
over those years has shown the capacity
to engage with our culture, reinvent itself,
push into new ventures and reach more
people for Jesus. Together may we press
on to win the prize for which God is calling
us heavenwards.
God Bless you
and happy birthday!
Norman