|
|
Welcome
to the website for Kiltarlity and Kirkhill Churches!
The
purpose of this website is threefold.
Firstly, to keep you informed about the life and work of our churches.
Secondly, to be a useful tool in sharing news and letting you know how
our search for a new minister is going, and thirdly to be a source of
further facts relating to the mission of the Church of Scotland and its
related organisations.
Locum Minister
- The View from God's Little Acre
Dear ghosts and ghoulies, hobgoblins and foul
fiends, and all things that go bump in the
night…….,
 In
our reflections for the November edition, with Halloween ahead,
Remembrance Day before us and Advent approaching us, I would bid you
consider these words that are intended to describe Christians. A wee
excursion into history - with Emperor Constantine, the Christian Faith
was established as the religion of the Roman Empire. A year later,
Emperor Julian came to the throne, and he wanted to turn back the clock
and bring back the old gods that had been banished…. Why?
Because the old gods were much more fun ! Julian wrote of the
Christians:
“Have
you looked at these Christians closely? Hollow eyed,
pale cheeked, flat breasted all; they brood their lives away,
uninspired by ambition. The sun shines for them, but they do not see
it; the earth offers them its fullness, but they desire it not; all
their desire is to renounce, and to suffer, that they may come to
die.”
I suppose we
have all met Christians who fitted Julian’s
cartoon, but I suspect the vast majority of the friends of Jesus would
not feel that Julian had a very good grasp on what it is like to follow
Christ. For unless there is something about our life together as a
church that intrigues, provokes, or entices the
“seeker”, then all the evangelism in the world will
fall on deaf ears. Churches need to be provocative, arresting places
which make the casual visitor, the searcher, want to come back for
more. In other words, a community of people that live by
God’s ways, that has learned to place humility ( which
doesn’t mean thinking less of your self, but thinking of
yourself less! ), love, compassion, forgiveness and honesty right at
the centre of our life together, will make people begin to think.
To put it
differently, a church that lives out its life under the
Kingdom of God cannot help but provoke questions, and when it does
that, then is the time for evangelism – that is the time for
the simple explanation of the good news of Jesus Christ. For it makes
little difference what you believe, if what you believe makes no
difference. Be a joyful provocateur ! As someone has reported
“When the Father’s house is filled with the
Father’s love, the prodigals will come home”.
Yours aye,
Willis
Interim Moderator
Working quietly away in the
background the Vacancy Committee is continuing its search for a new
minister for Kiltarlity and Kirkhill. We are encouraged by the good
work that Willis is doing in building up the congregations and by the
work of the Deacons' Courts of both Churches in dealing with improving
the Fabric of our Churches and seeking to provide better facilities for
both congregations. It is very encouraging too to see a marked increase
in givings over recent months and more people being willing to get
involved in the life and work of our churches in various ways.
All these things lead me to believe that God has a real work in mind as
He equips and prepares His Church for even greater things to come. His
time is the right time. His will is the right will. His choice is the
right choice. We wait patiently therefore and trust in God both to
provide and to prepare us for what He knows is best and how He is to
take Kiltarlity and Kirkhill forward as He works out his mission in
accordance with His eternal purposes and to the glory of His name. No
one can say that serving God is not exciting. Indeed He promises to do
far more than we think or imagine is possible. So let's keep praying
and keep seeking His help such that we shall see His plan for
Kiltarlity and Kirkhill unfold beyond even our greatest expectations.
For our God is a great God and is ever true to His Word and to His will
to bless, and does give us reason to be ever thankful to Him.
Reg
Campbell (Interim Moderator)
Pat's Corner
It is good
to belong to the Church of Scotland Guild, and especially the Wardlaw
Guild in Kirkhill, which also welcomes and enjoys its sisters from
Tomnacross Church in Kiltarlity. It’s great to be a member.
However, I don’t consider myself at home because I wear sensible
shoes, or knit, or make a good cuppa. My sisters and I may do those
kinds of fine things, but they just skim the surface. The National
Guild of the Church of Scotland is considered a real cutting edge in
the Scottish Charities Scheme, raising thousands of pounds through its
local groups, for charities. The organisation has made a strong stand
on ethical issues affecting our Churches. It has often been a voice for
the voiceless.
The phrase “sense and sensibility” in the instance of the
Guild should be changed to “inclusive and involved”. As an
agent for baptised change for the good, the Church of Scotland Guild
has few rivals.
To take this closer to home, I would like to highlight our own Guild.
We meet regularly on the first Tuesday of the month at 2.30 p.m. in the
Guild Room, for song, prayer, a guest speaker, coffee and tea, and a
very good blether. Newcomers are always welcome. We hope it is a place
where “good neighbours become good friends”.
In November, Guilds from all over Scotland will be celebrating the
birthday of the Women’s Guild as a movement in Scotland. The
Guild is a very old lady, and still moving from strength to strength.
To honour the “old lady”, we want to invite all of you in
Kirkhill and Kiltarlity to a special event on Tuesday 4 November, from
2.30 to 4.00 p.m... This “open meeting” will feature an
afternoon with Rev. Ian Hamilton of Nairn. Ian is well known in the
area as a musician, radio presenter, writer, and frequent contributor
to the People’s Friend. Please come along, meet the Guild, and
have some good fellowship.
This invitation comes from the membership of our local Guild: Mary
Bell, Margaret Birkbeck, Sarah Cameron, Carol Grant, Mairi MacFarlane,
Elizabeth MacRae, Cath MacRitchie, Louise Monaghan, Nancy Paterson,
Rosemary Mortimer, Elma Rorison, Margaret Shiels, Margaret West, Wilma
Williamson, Mary Urquhart and Pat Jones.
Cheers!
Pat
|
