- Video: Presbytery of Buchan – some congregational stories:
(Crimond and Lonmay represented by Mr Tim Barker)
https://youtu.be/k-GhD1vh_Gk
Lonmay Newsletter 24
Welcome to this edition of the Lonmay Newsletter.
It is fantastic news to share that, God Willing, next Sunday 30 August, we are able to meet at 12 noon for a service. Your district Elder will be updating you with all the details, so I will not duplicate them here. There are three points to share with you:
- It is quite understandable and acceptable that some people feel unable to attend at this stage due to the continuing impact of the virus.
- It is also understandable and acceptable that some people feel that they would rather wait until ‘normal’ service can be resumed.
- To those who are contemplating coming to church please be assured that the working party have and will continue to do all in their power to follow the government and Church of Scotland regulations and guidelines to provide a safe environment in which to worship the Lord. There will be changes but these have been made to meet the requirements and should not detract from drawing near to the Lord in worship and prayer.
At a recent Kirk Session following the agreement to seek re-opening of the Church the following was raised:
- The ‘Thought for Sunday’ will continue on the same basis.
- The Lonmay News will cease to be weekly but will be used to update people on important news.
Tim will produce the texts and ‘Thought for Sunday’ and will pass to David who will place them on the Lonmay Church Web site.
It has been a very long five months of ‘lockdown’, and your support, prayers and encouragement during this period has been really appreciated. Please continue to pray as we move into the next stage and ask the Lord to continue to lead and guide decisions which have to be made.
Just to let you know that Sunday School will NOT be re-opening on 30 August due to new regulations from the government and Church of Scotland.
Blessings.
Crimond and Lonmay Thought for Sunday
11 May 2025
If my people…, will humble themselves and pray – 2 Chronicles 7 v 14.
Good to have you join with us today for the latest edition of Thought for Sunday.
This is a very well-known text, where God is explaining to His people their need to return to Him. They had turned away from God and sought to worship idols and adopt lifestyles which were clearly against God’s teaching and commands. However, we might have simply rejected them and told them to go their own way, but not for God. His love, mercy and grace for the people meant that He could not walk away, without giving them an opportunity to return to Him. The task seemed straight-forward, but, as we know from our experience, it is not easy to ‘humble ourselves’ and to seek God’s forgiveness. We can find it hard to say ‘sorry,’ but it is an essential part of reconciliation. We are then told to pray. Prayer is so much more than producing a list of requests, it is spending quality time talking to God and building up a meaningful relationship with Him. We need to join with the disciples of the past in asking ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’ Without spending time with Jesus, we can never know His will and way. Thankfully, there is a ‘way back to God from the dark paths of sin,’ and He is always willing to respond to our humble cry. Our nation needs to rediscover the power of the love of Jesus. Please pray a renewal in our personal lives, and an outpouring of the Spirit on our land.
Recent research has indicated that it is the Gen Z generation, the 18–25-year-olds, who are purchasing Bibles, and attending church. This is by far the most significant finding, and with a level of understanding. After all, it is this age group who missed out Sunday School and daily assemblies in school, to hear the events which older people discovered in their youth. We rejoice that so many are hearing the Gospel, and we pray that many will come to know Jesus as Saviour and Lord. Be encouraged, the Lord is at work, and the start of revival may well lie in the hands of Gen Z. Pray for them today, please.