Notices - Sunday 12th June
Creche: 11.00am in upper hall for children up to age 2.
Volunteers today: Fiona, Catherine, Ruby.
Volunteers 19th June: Annette, Kathleen, Anne Mackenzie.
Tweenies: 11.00 in the main hall for children aged 3-4.
Volunteers today: Elizabeth, Anna, Lily, Christina.
Volunteers 19th June: ChrissAnne, Donna, Joanne, Kate.
Sunday School meets in main hall for children in P1-S2.
After Church Tea
Everyone is welcome in the main hall after the morning service for tea and fellowship. Eoghain and Dawn will be serving today.
Wednesday 15th June 7.30pm – English Prayer Meeting in the Seminary and on Zoom led by Mr Scott Macleod.
Thursday 16th June 7.30pm - Gaelic Prayer Meeting in the Seminary led by Rev James Maciver.
Friday 17th June 1.00pm - Ladies Bible Study on Zoom.
For more information contact Sandra Kennedy 07825 178629.
Saturday 18th June 7.30pm – English Prayer Meeting in the Seminary.
Services next Lord’s Day - 19th June
11.00am English Service (Church):
11.00am Gaelic Service (Seminary): Rev James Maciver
6.30pm English Service (Church): Rev James Maciver
Friday 17th June, 7.00-9.00pm - Healthy Gospel Church Youth Work
We would like to invite all those who work with children and young people in the congregation as well as parents/carers of children to come along to an evening to share ideas about the future of children’s work and youth work in our congregation. Any young people who would like to come along and input their ideas would be most welcome too!
The last two years have changed many things in our lives, and this has impacted families, churches and community life. We recognise there is no going ‘back to normal’ because change is always propelling us forward. We would like to take this opportunity to invite those with an interest in the children’s work and youth work of the church to come and share ideas together. We will be asking the question, “What does youth and children’s work look like in a healthy gospel church?” Gordon Macleod, Presbytery youth worker will be with us and help guide our time together.
We will meet in the M.A. Upper hall. Please pray for God to guide our thoughts and discussion.
Death
We were sorry to learn that Mr Donald John Macphail, Laxdale, had passed away. We extend our sincere condolences to his widow Mary, to the children Donald, Sheila and Mairi, and their families, to Donald’s remaining sister Catherine and brother-in-law Robert. We remember the seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren, as well as all nephews and nieces.
Our prayer is that God will comfort them all and will bless the clear Christian witness of Donald’s life to all who knew him.
Thank you
Murdo and Christine Macphail thank the congregation most sincerely for the generous gifts received on the occasion of Murdo’s retirement as congregational treasurer. We are very appreciative of the careful thought that went into the choosing of these gifts. We are thankful for the Lord’s help over these last 19 years. We pray that the Lord will richly bless you as individuals and as a congregation.
Sunday School Snippet
Last week the older children were taken through to the church just before the communion was dispensed. They were wonderfully well behaved as they participated in the service by sitting upstairs to observe and think about what they were seeing happening downstairs. Here are some of their thoughts:
I thought it was really exciting to see the Lord's Supper. I liked when he said the bread represents his body and the wine represents his blood. Kristen Pr.4
I thought it was very special seeing the people eat the bread and wine and I liked seeing the minister saying about the love of Jesus. David Pr.5
When I saw the bread, I remembered Jesus' body and how he died on the cross for us. The wine made me think of the nails going into his hands and feet and the blood he shed for us. Martin S1
Presentation to Rev Calum M. Smith and his family
As a congregation we are all looking forward to welcoming Rev Calum M. Smith and his family as our new assistant minister. They intend moving into the Constable Road manse on 15th June and the induction will be held on Friday 1st July. Over the weeks between now and then, an opportunity is given to contribute towards a presentation which will be handed over on the evening of the induction.
Contributions should be placed in an envelope clearly marked ‘Presentation’ and left in the collection plates at the church or Seminary. If contributing by cheque, please make it payable to ‘Stornoway Free Church’.
Please continue to pray for the Smith family as they move from North Uist to Stornoway and as they adjust to their new environment. Pray also for the congregation of North Uist, Grimsay and Berneray that God will provide a new pastor who will lead them in the work of ministry and outreach.
18-30 Discipleship Group
Following a survey carried out within the Presbytery amongst 18-30 year olds, it was identified that there was an interest among a number of people in the 18-30 age group, to have the opportunity to meet together for fellowship but importantly to support one another to grow in their discipleship in Christ.
The Free Church of Scotland has a vision for A Healthy Gospel Church for Every Community in Scotland, and part of this recognises that healthy churches ‘promote discipleship and are characterised by loving relationships.’
As such the first in-person meeting of this new group will be held at 6.30pm on Friday 24th June 2022, in the upper hall of the M.A. Hall, Kenneth Street.
All members and adherents in the 18-30 age group are warmly invited to come along for some food, fellowship, and discussion on what opportunities there are to support one another to grow as disciples of Christ. Anyone wishing to find out more can contact Gordon Macleod, the Presbytery Youth & Discipleship Support Worker: ([email protected] )
Christian Values in Education (Scotland) – Project Plan
The Presbytery and the wider Church community continues to be concerned about the inappropriateness of some of the resources provided by Education Scotland to support the deliverance of Relationships, Sexual Health, and Parenthood (RSHP), in the Health and Wellbeing section of Curriculum for Excellence used in our Schools.
The 2022 General Assembly approved a partnership with Christian Values in Education (Scotland) with a Project Plan to employ a worker on a full-time basis for a twelve-month period to look at the production of additional resources to support the deliverance of RSHP in our schools from the perspective of a Christian worldview. The Church’s Board of Trustees has made a significant financial commitment to support this worker and the production of additional resources. Further funding will be sought from other potential funding sources which are sympathetic with the work of CVE(S) in general.
Details of the post and the project plan are available on the CVE(S) website here: https://cve-scotland.org.uk/rshp-project-leader/
Please pray that the Lord will lay it in someone’s heart to take on this important post and role as we seek to support our parents in the education of their children and support our teachers in delivering education from a Christian perspective to equip them to live in our world today.
