- 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:
- 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 12 January 2025
Do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing – Isaiah 43 v 18.
Welcome to the latest edition of Thought for Sunday, which we pray will be helpful.
At both Crimond and Lonmay we will be holding our Annual Dedication Services, where we re-commit ourselves to the Lord, to each other and to the local community. It is both challenging and uplifting as we focus on what the Lord wants to do with and through us in 2025.
We all ‘have a past,’ and it is sometimes really good to recall some of the great events in our lives, with particular reference to the Lord’s leading, guiding, providing and protection. But we also can carry previous regrets, and God, speaking to Isaiah, reminds us that we cannot change the past, nor should we try to live ‘in the past.’ By trying, we do not allow the Lord to reveal to us new aspects about Himself and His work that He calls and equips us to undertake.
We face potential changes in our fellowships, with the prospect of formal unions, or stepping out in new ventures, and this can be both terrifying and exciting. What the Lord asks of us is whether we really trust Him? We know that He has promised to be with us, and that He has plans to help and encourage us, but until those plans are fully revealed, it is like stepping out in the dark and unable to see clearly. This is faith, trust and confidence, and Jesus wants us to place our hands in His hand and allow Him to lead us along the way He has carefully planned for us. This is NOT easy, and Jesus never promised us a life of ease. His ways are not always our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts, but undoubtedly, He loves and cares for each one of us and will not harm us. As we place our confidence in Him, He grants us His amazing peace which is beyond words and is to be experienced.
Whether in our personal lives, in our families, in our places of work, with our friends and in our fellowships, let us be determined that in 2025, we will step out confidently with our Lord, and allow Him to do marvellous things in our lives and in those around us.