1. Video:  Presbytery of Buchan – some congregational stories:

(Crimond and Lonmay represented by Mr Tim Barker)

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:

1. It is quite understandable and acceptable that some people feel unable to attend at this stage due to the continuing impact of the virus.
2. It is also understandable and acceptable that some people feel that they would rather wait until ‘normal’ service can be resumed.
3. 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:

1. The ‘Thought for Sunday’ will continue on the same basis.
2. 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 1 September 2024

Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. Psalm 116 v 2

A very warm welcome to the latest edition of Thought for Sunday. Here we are at the beginning of September – how time is flying by!!!

Out text for this week reminds us of a wonderful promise of God to each one of us. He is listening for our voice/prayer, and when we speak, He will listen and respond to our cry.

People today are overwhelmed with worries and concerns and understandably so. There are a range of serious issues taking place around the world, which cause us concern. As important are those in our own community and nation, and we sometimes reach a point of wondering if God is really listening to us, and why He is allowing such horrific acts to take place. In all the concerns and worries, the Devil loves to place them at the forefront of our minds, so that we fail to talk to God. If we are facing the concerns, then we are forgetting that God is in control, and we need to express our confidence and trust in Him.

The preceding words of verse one, states ‘I love the Lord for He heard my voice.’ The Psalmist has experience of crying out to the Lord and knowing that He hears and responds. Sometimes we are challenged to put our words into action. There is not always an immediate response to our prayers, and the Lord is testing us to see if we really do trust Him. How we respond will result in either a lack of confidence, or an assurance that the Lord does hear and in His own perfect timing responds. His timing is never wrong!!

As we consider the responses, we have experience from the Lord in respect of our prayers/cries to Him, we can appreciate that, with the Psalmist, He ‘Does turn His ear to us’ and listens to our requests. Then in His timing, He responds, so that we can confidently call to Him, knowing that He will respond. What a wonderful Lord we have in Jesus