Pastoral Message from the Ministers
Beloved friends,
As your ministers we want to thank you for your continuing support and encouragement. It means so much to us. As the congregation continues to experience restrictions associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, we regret that it has not been possible for us to return to our church buildings for public worship. Although we are glad for the online facilities that enable us to maintain gospel services, and greatly encouraged and thankful that so many are participating in these, we long for the day when we can return safely to meet in our church buildings. While some congregations have decided to return to the use of church buildings, in our own case the logistics of doing so are challenging, to say the least. In any case, it would be imprudent for us to return given the sharp increase in Covid infections over the past few weeks and with an outbreak also in the Western Isles currently being dealt with.
Thank you also for your generosity in contributing to the funds of the congregation by weekly freewill offering envelopes, Standing Orders, BACS transfers and cheques. At a time of reducing income, with all the negative consequences it has for our own congregation and the wider work of the Free Church of Scotland, your generous support is much appreciated as together we endeavour to reach our cities, towns and rural communities with the gospel.
It is a source of sadness and frustration to us that we are presently prevented from pastoral visitation, particularly at times of bereavement, serious illness, and hospitalisation. The Covid restrictions are also the reason why freewill offering envelopes cannot be distributed to your homes by the elders and deacons as in previous years, provision being made instead for these to be collected from the Hall as intimated last week.
Unfortunately, it appears that these restrictions may continue for some time yet, but we continue to pray that God would uphold us all meantime and open a way out of the crisis in due course. At the same time, we have a duty of care to protect life, so precautions as recommended by the health experts are necessary along with prayer.
For us as ministers and elders our pastoral care must continue as far as possible. The visitation team for each area will endeavour to make regular contact with homes by telephone, especially those they know to be most vulnerable and isolated. If you need prayer for yourself or others, please contact your district elders who will be pleased to help. We will continue to produce regular video and audio recordings of services, pre-recorded and livestream, as well as scriptural and pastoral messages for our congregation’s website, Facebook page and YouTube channel. For those known to have no access to online facilities, CDs and DVDs are being produced weekly for distribution to them.
Next Sunday, 25th October, was designated a day of prayer by the General Assembly, so the focus in both services will be on prayer. This worldwide pandemic is a crisis that calls for prayer. Our human sinfulness, our weakness in the face of this virus, and our need of God have been made clear to those who view providence from a biblical perspective. When there is so little evidence of this conviction in the statements of our political governments, it is all the more crucial that we are seen to appeal to God for his intervention and help.
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121 v 1-2)
James Maciver, Minister
Kenneth I Macleod, Assistant Minister
