Pastoral Message from the Ministers
Beloved friends,
Your ongoing support of the gospel and of our ministry is greatly encouraging and much appreciated. We share your delight in being able to return to the use of our buildings for public worship. Even though some restrictions still apply in relation to the number we are able to accommodate and to congregational singing, we are thankful to the Lord for a reduction in Covid-19 infections and deaths nationally, thereby enabling us to gather for worship.
Although we have been thankful for the technology that has enabled us to maintain services virtually, it is important that we retain a sense of the importance Scripture attaches to the visibility of Christ’s Church in the world. The words kahal and ekklesia, used in Hebrew and Greek respectively to describe God’s people, literally mean an “assembly” or “a gathering”, with the idea of not only being “gathered together” but also being “gathered out from” the world. The visibility of the Church in the world is itself an aspect of the witness God bears to his love and grace as shown through his gathering of his people.
In the prayer of Jesus for his people recorded in John 17, an observable unity is clearly meant by the words “that they may all be one” (v. 21 and 22), because these words are closely connected to “that the world may believe that you have sent me” (v. 21) and “that the world may know that you sent me” (v. 23). The spiritual unity of God’s people is, of course, important, but it is through the visible unity of the gathered Church that God’s love is shown to the world. We have a similar emphasis in John 13 verse 35, “by this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one for another.”
Read more about 'Pastoral Message from the Ministers'...Gaelic Service - Friday 4th December
Rev James Maciver has recorded a Gaelic worship service at home to be aired on Facebook and YouTube at 7.30pm on Friday 4th December. The service will also be available on our sermons page.
Read more about 'Gaelic Service - Friday 4th December'...Midweek Meeting
You are welcome to join with us for our midweek meeting on Wednesday 11th November at 7.30pm via Zoom. Rev James Maciver will lead the meeting.
In our current pandemic situation it is important not only to pray but also to know that as believers we are within Christ’s intercession, which is integral to our security. John 17 provides us with an insight into that intercession, so it has always been a precious chapter to Christians in every generation. Over the next few weeks we will study this chapter so that Jesus may become even more precious to us and for our spiritual growth and comfort.
Please contact [email protected] if you require the meeting ID and password.
Gaelic Service - Friday 10th July
Rev James Maciver has recorded a Gaelic worship service at home to be broadcast at 7.30pm on Friday 10th July. This will be available on our sermons page as well as Stornoway Free Church's Facebook and YouTube pages.
Service Details:Readings: Psalm 122 and Ephesians 4 verses 1-16PrayerSermon: Psalm 122Title: Aoibhneas ann an IerusalemPraise: Psalm 122 v 7-8 to the tune Free Church Read more about 'Gaelic Service - Friday 10th July'...
Gaelic Service - Friday 26th June
Rev James Maciver has recorded a short Gaelic worship service from his home and it will be aired at 7.30pm on Friday 26th June. The service will be available on our sermons page as well as a Facebook Premiere and YouTube Premiere video.
Service Details:Leughadh: Romanach 8 v 1-21Ùrnaigh
Searmon: Romanach 8 v 1-4
Tiotal: Dia a' toirt air falbh ar dìteadh
Seinn: Salm 65 v 4-5
Am Beannachadh Read more about 'Gaelic Service - Friday 26th June'...
Gaelic Service - Friday 12th June
Rev James Maciver will preach on 'B' iad do reachdan mo cheòl ann an tigh mo chuairt' from Psalm 119:54 in a Gaelic Service recorded at home to be broadcast online on Friday 12th June at 7.30pm. The service will be available on Facebook Premiere and YouTube Premiere as well as on our sermons page.
Read more about 'Gaelic Service - Friday 12th June'...Gaelic Worship Service
We are very conscious that those who attended the Gaelic services have missed these since the Covid-19 restrictions were set in place.
The minister will be recording a short Gaelic service at his home for transmission on the congregation’s Facebook and YouTube pages on Thursday 28th May, at 7.30pm, the time at which the Gaelic midweek service was held prior to the lockdown.The service will be available on the sermons page of this website shortly afterwards.
