Ministers page
Minister’s Letter for May
People OFTEN say to ministers around Christmas time, “ This is your busy time of the year.” Yes, there are extra services and events at Christmas, but Holy Week and Easter have even more services! Outwith these great Festivals of the Christian Church we acknowledge that ANY TIME OF THE YEAR can be busy – because of special services (like weddings, baptisms and funerals) and special events (like fairs and galas) and regular and extra committee meetings!
May is another busy month in the Church’s year. Christian Aid Week and Pentecost are celebrated by the Church at large. The Church of Scotland has its General Assembly. Kirn Church has its ‘Summer Fair’.
May therefore brings us a variety of levels of commitments:-
local fun and fundraising (and we’ve a lot of fundraising to do for our Church tower and new Centre);
wider responsibilities as part of a Presbyterian Church to support sister congregations across Scotland in their worship, pastoral and outreach activities;
even wider social and ethical challenges to live out our faith in relation to those who struggle with issues of poverty and injustice across the world;
and at every level to remember that it is Christ who calls and empowers us to serve.
At our General Assembly we welcome visitors from other churches world-wide. I have always found this to be an inspiring part of General Assembly Week, reminding us that we have many brothers and sisters in different countries and cultures, faithfully worshipping and serving God in many different situations and environments.
Some come from very poor communities, from places like Gaza, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Iraq and Sudan. Some experience political oppression or religious persecution. Some astound us with the depth of their faith, joy and hope, despite many sufferings. ALL challenge us about our own commitment to Jesus Christ.
The ‘world dimension’ of the General Assembly prepares us well for our celebration of Pentecost, when we remember the Spirit coming upon the first disciples, strengthening and inspiring them for a new chapter in mission beyond the boundaries of Galilee and Judaea. At Pentecost we seek a fresh infilling of the Spirit to bless, guide and encourage us as we seek to share the Gospel in our day.
This year we are also looking forward to a celebration on 6 June of the centenary of the World Missionary Conference of 1910 held in Edinburgh, when Churches came together to think about mission and co-operation between different branches of the Universal Church.
May is therefore and important month of the Church’s Year, encouraging us to look beyond ourselves and our little corner of the world:-
to remember our brothers and sisters in urban, rural and island communities across Scotland;
to remember our poor and disadvantaged brothers and sisters in countries spread across the continents;
to remember our calling to be Christ’s witnesses from where we are out towards the ends of the earth.
Let us use this month of May as an opportunity to reflect on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, a member of the Church of Scotland, a congregation and denomination within the world Church ‘scene’. Let us pledge ourselves to a life of compassion compatible with the life and teaching of Jesus Christ.
With every blessing, Sarah Nicol.
