You say "I'm exhausted".
God says "Wait on me. I will renew your strength" (Isaiah 40v31)
You say "I can't go on".
God says "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Cor 12v9)
You say "I can't handle this".
God says "Give it to me. I will carry it for you" (Psalm 55v22)
You say "I don't know what to do".
God says "I will direct you" (Proverbs 3v6)
You say "I'm afraid"
God says "I didn't give you a spirit of fear but of power" (2 Tim 1v7)
You say "It's impossible"
God says "With me all things are possible"
You say "I'm not sure that God means me"
God says "I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31v3)
"Come unto me, all you who labour and are heavy laden and
you will find rest for your soul" (St Matthew 11v 28&29)
"Greater love has no man than this, than that a man lay down his life for his friends". Jesus words as recorded in St John's Gospel will, hopefully, be quoted often and pondered much as we approach and then commemorate Remembrance Day on 9th November. In Churches and at War Memorials throughout our land we will remember with gratitude the men and women who "For our tomorrow gave their today". And we will remember also those who are presently serving in situations of conflict and for whom war is a present reality.
In recent years we have heard voices raised in protest at what is seen as the glorification of war. We have been told that to remember "Old unhappy far off times; and battles long ago" is to perpetuate human divisions. We have been urged to cease our annual Remembrance Day Services. How has it come to be that the sense of duty that lies deep within the human psyche and that we call patriotism has such a bad press? Didn't Dr Johnston call it "the last refuge of the scoundrel"? Didn't George Bernard Shaw put it into the mouth of one of his characters "you will never have a quiet world until you knock patriotism out of the human race"? Who am I to quarrel with the weighty Doctor or the loquacious Dubliner, but wouldn't they have been nearer the truth if they had named nationalism rather than patriotism as the source of communal terror?
To heed these calls would surely be wrong and unchristian. Gratitude, expressed sincerely, blesses both giver and recipient. Ingratitude, as the Bard wrote, is a "marble-hearted fiend". The expression of gratitude, appreciation and indebtedness is an essential element of both Christian worship and Christian living. Gratitude becomes us as the recipients of the common and the special grace of God. The scriptures are replete with expressions of praise and thanksgiving to God for His numerous, gracious blessings and "mighty acts". Also they are full of injunctions that we should remember with thanksgiving all that God and our fellowmen have done for us and the sacrifices made on our behalf.
The late Professor John Baillie of St Andrews University once preached at a Remembrance Day Service a sermon on a text from St Paul's first letter to the Corinthians where we read "You are not your own. You are bought with a price". The Act of Remembrance underlines in a most vivid way, the truth of that text, that a price has been paid for all that makes our lives what they are and we ourselves have not paid that price. So let us this year, as we meet in remembrance and to lay our poppy wreaths, pay full and due tribute to all those who made the supreme sacrifice. Let us remember those who fought and died for peace and freedom and in the hope that the world would be a better place. And, because there is a spiritual as well as a human dimension to all the Acts of Remembrance and because many of us will be in Christian Churches as we pay our tributes, let us also remember Jesus Christ who for the sins of the world set his face to go steadfastly to Jerusalem there to give up his life. And finally let us remember St Paul's words in that first letter to the Corinthians, act upon them and show that what we do is not just a traditional outward act that is outdated and unnecessary in the 21st century. Rather it is our grateful and heartfelt tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for us and to Almighty God for His unfailing love and grace shown to us in Jesus Christ:
"Because God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself... You are not your own. You are bought with a price….Walk worthy of your calling as Christian men and women"
With warmest Christian wishes.
Yours sincerely,
Brian McDowell
On 29th November Elie Outreach Committee is holding a St Andrew's Night Ceilidh in the Church Hall starting at 7pm for 7.30pm There will be entertainment from George Harvey, Tom and Kayren Hall and David Bowers with a chance to show off your Scottish dancing and some singing as well. Hopefully, we will also be entertained by the older children from Elie School who will be demonstrating their dancing prowess. Ronnie Sinclair will be MC, making sure that all runs like clockwork. Stovies and oatcakes with tea or coffee and shortbread will be served. Bring your own bottle – glasses and openers supplied!. Tickets are available from Ian and Cath, in Elie Newsagents and also from Committee members, priced at £5. for adults and £2. for children. All welcome to what promises to be a super night.
Following the appeal for help to look after the grounds around Colinsburgh Church. The Colinsburgh Primary pupils, have taken on the task. We would like to thank them for volunteering and look forward to seeing that corner of the village brightened up.
The year 2008 has been another successful and busy year for the Christian Aid Committee, with a mixture of traditional fund raising activities and some-thing new.
Easter saw the annual quiz circulating around the villages, and for a few weeks it had local and visitors scratching their heads as they strove to work out the answers! There was only one winning entry this year. Many thanks to George Harvey for compiling it.
The main fund raising event around Christian Aid Week is the Coffee Morning in May. As usual both congregations and St. Michael's worshippers willingly gave time and money in a variety of ways to make it a great success.
Elders helped spread news of worldwide activities when they distributed the current issue of Christian Aid News around their districts with the summer issue of this newsletter.
Also in May the committee organised and lead worship at a joint service in Kilconquhar Church for Christian Aid week.
Then in July a bookstall was held at Elie Harbour during Fayre Day. This event plus the quiz, Coffee Morning and envelope collection raised £1511.80.
Both congregations will be aware of the tours to the Holy Land lead by Rev Iain Paton, during these tours participants visited the Al-Shurooq School for the blind in Bethlehem. Both staff and children struck a cord with those from our congregations so a fund raising event was again organised by the committee this year. It took the form of a photographic competition during the months of July and August. The entries were judged by Mr Duncan McEwan of Paisley Colour Club and over £600 was raised. The names of the winners are on the Church Notice Boards.
Retiring gifts at both churches in October (in Lieu of gifts for Harvest Festival), were made in aid of Christian Aid's "Harvest the Desert" initiative. Over £500 was raised.
As this newsletter is being prepared our churches, local people and schools are being invited to fill a shoe-box for Operation Christmas Child. These should be handed in before the 18th November, but if you wish to take part please hurry - boxes are not usually collected until December!