Pastoral Message from the Minister
Beloved friends, we are in a situation none of us would have chosen, but God has chosen it for us, and we must acknowledge this and continue to trust in him. As you know, like most other churches, our Kirk Session decided to suspend all church worship services, groups and activities until further notice. We have also suspended pastoral visits to private homes, care homes, hospice and hospital. None of us knows how long this may last; we must simply proceed on a day-to-day basis.
Only a situation of the utmost gravity, such as we now have, could have made us decide to do this. We have a duty of care which includes taking all lawful measures to preserve life and in this instance we have acted on advice from experts in the medical field who have insight and experience of dealing with a pandemic. Everyone must take precautions to maintain their own health, but also to minimise the risk of passing an infection to others. That inevitably means as much isolation as possible.
However, it is important to keep a positive outlook. This crisis will eventually pass! We can do much in the meantime even if in ways different to the usual. For the ministers and elders our pastoral care continues as far as possible. Each visitation team will arrange to make regular contact with homes in their own district 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 you. The women’s visitation team will do the same for those they regularly visit. The ministers will produce regular videos and text of a pastoral nature and these will be posted on our congregation’s website, Facebook page and YouTube channel. We are working on using technology to connect as many people as possible for times of worship and prayer both Lord’s day and midweek.
If you know of anyone belonging to the congregation who does not have access to online facilities, please consider contacting them to ask if they would like messages like this to be read to them over the phone.
Our treasurer and deacons are dealing with the impact on the congregation’s finances of services being suspended indefinitely. While finance is by no means the most important of our concerns, it is nonetheless needed in order to meet the bills and commitments to the Church’s central funds. The Board of Trustees is also dealing with this and will no doubt issue information in due course. Meantime, if any of those who usually contribute by envelope wish to change this to a Standing Order, this can be done quite easily. The congregation’s treasurer will issue information and forms will be available on the congregation’s website.
Sunday 22nd March has been designated as a day of prayer by the Free Church, with 7.00 pm as a focal point when as many people as possible may take time to pray. The local Presbytery has set a time of prayer for its members at 8.00 pm each Monday from next Monday 23rd.
The worldwide crisis caused by this pandemic is a call to prayer and provides us with more time for prayer than is usually the case in our normal busy routines. Jeremiah knew a thing or two about crisis and catastrophe. In chapter 33 of his Book he tells of a time when he was imprisoned and under guard. God spoke to him, reminding him first of God’s own unchanged greatness and then,
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”
God went on to speak of the disaster he was to bring upon the city, in which many would die. But then this, which we can take as God’s answer to the prayer he had called for,
“Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first. I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me. And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it. Thus says the Lord: In this place of which you say, ‘It is a waste without man or beast’, in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man or inhabitant or beast, there shall be heard again the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord:
‘Give thanks to the Lord of hosts,
for the Lord is good,
for his steadfast love endures for ever!’
For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the Lord.”
By God’s mercy, and in answer to our petitions, may this also be our future.
James Maciver, Minister
