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December 2012

Clearer Christmas Calling

expected of me. Matthew makes it clear I am expected to make disciples, to participate in the mission of God, call all people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world and teach and baptise them in His name: be committed to the ongoing ministry of developing those who receive salvation to grow in Christlikeness and the understanding of what it means to live under Christ's rule. I think I see that clearly although doing it continues to be a daily struggle. John in his commission, "as the Father sent me, so I send you," does not give me the comfort of telling me what I need to do but does call me to discover in the Christmas story, how I am to do it. I am sent to make disciples in the same way that Christ was sent to live and die in this world. Like Christ we are sent ones, no longer choosing selfishly our own destiny but surrendering our will to that of our Saviour, for whom we are ambassadors. But the question that challenges me most remains, How are we sent? What is the nature of our sending? What are the key words that should captivate the way that we carry out this great commission as ambassadors of Christ? What in the Christmas story directs the way I am meant to be as I do the activity of disciplemaking. It's all in the story: he is born in the town of Bethlehem and after a period of time living as a

Photo courtesy of Chris Duffett

or the last 2 years I have been gradually increasing the font size on the sermon notes, delighted at the Kindles ability to change word size on the screen with ease and I have begun to use a larger computer monitor screen. I have been fighting against the reality that I no longer have 20/20 vision and it is time to put on a pair of glasses when I want to read or write anything, including this article. As Christmas approaches, my prayer is to see Jesus more clearly than before. I want to grasp the nature of his coming into this world with a new clarity that I might seek to grow in his

likeness as a disciple, follower and imitator of Christ. My text for reflection this Christmas is John 20:21, "as the father sent me, so I send you," the words of Jesus at Easter but about Christmas. This is John's great commission, shorter than Matthew's and differing quite starkly in content. Matthew tells us that Jesus calls us, "as we are going, to make disciples." Matthew tells us what we are to do. I like knowing what I am meant to do. I like to know what is

"As the father has sent me so I send you."

refugee moved to Nazareth in Galilee. He lived among the people, mostly the displaced and rejected people, the looked down upon people, those that others chose not to see, not to care for, not to raise up. The guests who welcomed his arrival were the rejected Jews (shepherds) and the rejected foreigners(Magi). He found life amidst rejection, suffering and pain. God sent his son to those who were devalued by others, who were deemed without worth by those in power. He was sent to those who were shamed. And he was numbered as one of them. His later nickname expresses the nature of his coming with potent transparency: "friend of sinners." The story speaks of humility, sacrifice and compassion. These are not new sights for me or for you but I pray that we will have a new clarity this Christmas. It is not enough to do what we are commissioned to do if we will not be what we are called to be. He was sent as the humble friend of sinners with good news to share, visibly demonstrated in the compassion and sacrifice revealed on his birthday. "As the father has sent me so I send you." Heavenly father, give us a clear vision of your Son this Christmas and enable us to live out that vision in our lives among the people of your world. Amen.
Alan Donaldson

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Published by the Baptist Union of Scotland, 48 Speirs Wharf, Glasgow, G4 9TH, admin@scottishbaptist.org.uk. Charity Registration No:SC004960

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December 2012

Finding a Better Way

Introducing the Baptist Union of Scotlands new Mediation Team
The fellowship at South Beach Baptist Church has been celebrating 68 years of church life and work in Saltcoats and the surrounding towns of North Ayrshire. To coincide with 400 Years of the Baptist Church in Great Britain and our anniversary the fellowship used the month of November to celebrate and give thanks to God for his goodness, mercy and love. The anniversary celebrations started on the weekend of Friday 2nd November with a fun filled evening and fireworks display. It was an encouragement to welcome over 100 people to this event, a large proportion of which are not regular 'Sunday attenders'.
In the spirit of discovering the past, a number of people dressed in themed costumes and shared stories relating to the work and achievements of Baptists over four centuries. The topics covered were: c17th Religious freedom and liberty; c18th Baptists and their hymns; c19th The life of children; c19th The Haldane movement; c20th Time line of South Beach A selection of old and new songs were also sung. When you are hurting to the extent that it affects your lifestyle and relationships you usually involve someone from a medical team to improve the wounds or disability. Unfortunately when relationships in church groups or individuals deteriorate, help is not often sought for healing and reconciliation. The hurts linger and the joy of life, worship and effectiveness of service are hampered and for some faith is thrown away. Nearly all of us on the mediation team, which has recently been set up for the Baptist Union of Scotland, have been wounded by conflict in churches or have seen the results of such conflicts. We have all sought the answer to there must be a better way and so we have all pursued training in mediation. We are happy to help in mediating (within a strict confidentiality code) in whole church conflict, leadership conflict or personal differences, following the Biblical principles, so that the hurts have a better chance of being healed. Reconciliation can take place, emotional turmoil be acknowledged and proper function restored to individuals and congregations. Mediation does not involve disciplinary matters. Too many people, from pastors to regular members have left the church because of issues which have not been addressed. The outsider looking at the conflicts which tear people apart, asks Where is love in all this? There is a better way which has helped many. You can receive advice over the phone initially or the parties (if both agree) can have direct advice to resolve the relationship. There are always two mediators involved. We can be in touch with the network of mediators in Scotland if members of our own team are not available. The team members are even more happy to be invited to teach Biblical principles to encourage healthy attitudes in conflict (it is, after all, part of daily life). Following good procedure can avoid serious consequences. It is our desire to major on the preventive methods rather than the resolution methods so the church can concentrate on core issues. We can do this teaching as part of worship, seminars with the membership, pastors or deacons. Churches should be models of conflict resolution to each other and the people round about us. In the first instance, please contact Jim Purves, Mission and Ministry Advisor or Alan Donaldson, General Director, who will put you in touch with the Team.
Ken Russell

On the Saturday morning we met for a time of prayer and reflection followed by a traditional Scottish breakfast. The Sunday evening service was entitled, 'Looking back, moving forward'. The epilogue was based on the Baptist Union's 'Invitation to a Journey' where the vision of Intentionally Relational, Unashamedly Missional and Creatively Rooted was interpreted locally to the hopes and aspirations of the on-going work of a community focussed ministry within the Three Towns of North Ayrshire. The church family retreated to New Lanark as the penultimate to the anniversary celebrations, focussing on the theme Intentionally Relational. In concluding our month of celebration, 12 people were welcomed into membership. In God we trust and we press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called us in Christ Jesus.
Andrew N Swanson, Church Secretary

Notice Board
Simply Church
Are we making things too complicated? This one day event takes place on Saturday 19th January, 2013, from 10am - 4pm at Erskine Church of the Nazarene, Rashielee Avenue, Erskine, PA8 6HA Trainers include: Stuart Murray Williams (Urban Expression) and Trevor Hutton (Momentum UK). Cost is 20 if waged (12 if unwaged) and includes lunch and coffee/tea.To book by e-mail: admin@momentum-uk.org To book by phone call 0782 591 5092.

Bathgate Notice
Just a brief notice that for an experimental period Bathgate Baptist Church has changed its meeting time to 4pm on a Sunday afternoon, including tea together, to make it easier for families with young children to attend. Visitors are welcome, but are advised to check our website (www.bathgatebaptist.com) for any further alterations. We continue to meet in the URC hall in Marjoribanks Street.

Lossiemouth Secretary
The Secretary of Lossiemouth Baptist Church, is having to demit office unexpectedly and so former Secretary, Mr John Simmonds, 21 Kinnedar Street, Lossiemouth, IV31 6AS, 01343 810089, johnssimmonds@aol.com, will be reassuming the role on a temporary basis.

Published by the Baptist Union of Scotland, 48 Speirs Wharf, Glasgow, G4 9TH, admin@scottishbaptist.org.uk. Charity Registration No:SC004960

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December 2012

Children course. Pray too for our new Youth Worker, that God will bless his ministry with young people in and around the Church and through partnership ministries with local secondary schools. We are continually looking to God to help us identify ways to engage with our Sunday 16th Sunday 2nd community in order that we might share our faith Rev Chris Withers: Please pray for Chris in his Peebles: Rev Ian Gray. We ran out of seats last in relevant and supportive contexts. Pray too for Sunday! The Victoria Park Centre was crammed Gods continued help and blessing as we work as Chaplain to 1 Rifles, Chepstow. to capacity, as three people affirmed their faith in fellowship and learn from His Word together. Jesus and were baptised. Throughout this year, Oban: Rev Ian McFarlane. We are celebrating a weve regularly been overwhelmed with gratitude Sunday 23rd new season in the life of the congregation as Rev to God. Just some of the more obvious signs of Ian McFarlane and his wife Rosamund join us Peterhead: Rev David Wilson. Like every life and growth: steadily rising attendance at after 21 years leading a church in Surrey. Ian will Sunday services; increasing membership; a regular church today we face real challenges as we attempt be with us for about 3 years to help us consolidate nucleus of young children, clearly enjoying being to communicate the unchanging message of the our membership and develop vision and Gospel to a fast changing society. Recently we part of church; more (and very gifted) people momentum so that we can move towards willing to roll up their sleeves, to contribute to started a breakfast club in partnership with one of establishing solid leadership for the future. We Dave Bookless our local primary schools. Pray with us that this would value prayer for a number of current needs. established activities like Vickys Tearoom and will lead on to other opportunities to share the Mens Group, as well as to support new Clear vision, especially regarding our Christs love in our community. Pray also that we initiatives such as summer barbecues, Kingdom contribution within the town and will take every opportunity this provides to share CafChurch, and (in partnership with other wider locality. the message of the Gospel churches in the town) the imminent launch of Grace and wisdom to deal with some of the In the coming months we have some big Messy Church. fractured relationships from the past. decisions to make: the appointment of a new Lots of activities, and numerical growth, More people with musical gifts to help childrens and youth worker; and what to do with arent the whole story. We also give thanks to client! support worship. An appreciative God for clear, compelling, biblical teaching every our building to make it a real resource for 21st The breath of the Holy Spirit to revitalise Century ministry. Pray that we will have the Sunday, and for faithful pastoral care. Three prayer, bring a desire to live naturally housegroups reflect a widespread, genuine desire vision to see Gods way, and the faith to walk in it supernatural lives and provoke us to be within the congregation to learn, pray, serve and intentionally missional. Pitlochry: Rev David Barrie. We have much to grow together. Better communication of our presence celebrate in the life of those called to be part of our The last year has also seen deepening especially to the many visitors through the family in PBC and in which you can stand with us relationships between local clergy, and the new web site. in thanks and praise: for those coming to faith or Development of discipleship opportunities. potential for a number of new co-operative recommitting their lives to God; for a growing and ventures. The possibilities seem many please Thank you for remembering us before the Lord. pray that we will be given discernment, to engage deepening of faith amongst those who are joined together in our family; for those contemplating only in those areas of service to which God is Sunday 9th calling us. Wed value prayer, too, for continuing whether here is where God calls them into community and fellowship; for the growing youth good relationships with the staff and servicePaisley Central: Rev Graeme Clark. We are involvement in our ministries, where friendships users of the Victoria Park Centre, as our need to blessed by an increasing number of Africans in are being forged and maturing of faith through use their premises increases. our church and are challenged to look at how we discipleship is evident. But we dont want to We are very grateful indeed to the Baptist develop our worship and how we integrate our settle for that. And so we ask you to stand with us Union for its continuing support. leadership. too in all our needs, struggles and difficulties as we Work with overseas students had a strong seek what God is calling us to today. And in that start this year. This week we began a Christianity Perth: Rev Charles Young. We are grateful to we find no better, surer way forward than prayer. God for every opportunity given to us to serve Explored group mainly with Chinese students We know what it means to fail and see no way of Christ on the western edge of Perth. Following and are praying that these students will come to dealing with our difficulties. We are learning to lift completion of a two stage building project, the know Christ for themselves. We continue to be deeply involved with the Preshal Trust in Govan, extended premises now allow our congregation to our eyes to God, cup our ears to listen, believing that He will provide for us as He sees best. This is meet together at one time for worship and to through May Nicholson, who is one of our where we are as a church leadership and family, reach out more effectively to our community. members, and are encouraged that more people The building is well used daily, with a wide range and it is this that undergirded our recent sermon from that work are becoming part of our series and the theme of our November church of activities including Mother and Toddler congregation. Pray for our work in engaging the community groups, weekly Caf and Friendship lunches. We weekend away at the Abernethy Nethybridge Adventure Centre. are hugely encouraged by the number of young through the Community Council that meets in Continued overleaf > people around our church especially attending our community hall and through the ministers involvement in the Education Committee, Paisley the Area 1 youth group. For many of these young people, Area 1 is their first contact with Vision Board and other community projects. Christians. Over the past two years we have developed a Partick, Glasgow: Rev Gordon Jones. Please team who run the CAP (Christians against give thanks to God for His ongoing ministry here 1 The National Team is involved in a Poverty) money course. People contacted through the activities of the congregation, such as Journeying Together weekend, meeting with through our regular weekly ministries have been our recently formed youth group, and the various church leaders in the Dunfermline area. able to benefit from this. Recently we have external Christian ministries we support by 3 John Greenshields joins the Tayside ministers providing accommodation - Torch Fellowship and formed a team working with Bethany Christian as they have lunch together. Trust Pass the Baton project which involves Telephone Prayer Chain Ministry among them. 5 Our Unions DNA group meets this afternoon. We are grateful that non-churched children are support and help for people setting up home 6 The National Team meets. again after a period of homelessness. enthusiastically attending the youth group, 8 The joint BUS/Scottish Baptist College Summer holiday clubs and Activity days run reading God's Word and praying regularly. Please Initiate training course meets today. on in-service school days have now become a pray that they grow in faith and knowledge of 9 John Greenshields preaches in Buckie Baptist the Lord Jesus and are able to make the transition regular feature in the life of the church and today. into the church fellowship. Pray too for members provide a valuable contact with families. Pray for the Church as we explore the who have recently experienced significant ill 20 The National Team meets today. possibility of running the Holy Trinity Parenting health and members who have been bereaved. The minister and deacons ask for prayer that they receive an abundance of wisdom so that they might effectively and faithfully serve the congregation and the Lord Jesus.

Prayer Link for December

Engagement Diary for December

PLEASE NOTE: The events metioned in our publications or on our website or social media can cover the wider Christian scene in Scotland and do not necessarily reflect the involvement or endorsement of Baptist Union staff nor any specific knowledge about content.
Published by the Baptist Union of Scotland, 48 Speirs Wharf, Glasgow, G4 9TH, admin@scottishbaptist.org.uk. Charity Registration No:SC004960

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December 2012

Prayer Link continued Please pray that with courage we will find the right steps to take on our journey together as a family. We are not the family that met 40 years ago, nor are we the one that will be there in 40 years. So we need to find afresh the purposes of God for our family in Pitlochry. We desire to focus on the activities that we are called to today. We do not want to sit back, settling for the wisdom and decisions made in the past and just enjoying the fruits of those labours. Making and maturing disciples, reaching those in our communities and further afield yes, absolutely. But practically engaging in those ways that will be unique to us as a body in the Pitlochry of today. We are also aware that this means being responsible stewards of all of our land and resources, making radical changes where necessary. We desire the boldness and commitment that, whatever the cost to ourselves, we will indeed grasp that vision for us, in these days, and so lay down anything not consistent with Gods purposes for us today. Please pray with us that we will be daring in love, willing to take risks and not afraid to look foolish in the eyes of the world and for those who perhaps may not understand.

The Forfar Files...

The church foyer - with prayer tree in the corner and ... red balloons!

Sunday 30th
Pollok: Rev Harry Thomson. We are experiencing a lot of encouragement. Folks have been saved on the Christianity Explored Course and we are embarking on the third one in the New Year. Our weekly outreach team are having great conversations on the doors. Quite a few people contacted have come into Church and are now attending regularly. They see the Church as part of their community. Our Kids work is blossoming and our Breakfast Bar and 'Wardrobe' continues to cater for needy Pollok people. Valuable contacts are being established every week. Pray too for the annual full house on Christmas Eve! Portobello: Rev Andy Scarcliffe. Give thanks to God for: a steadily growing congregation; our first wedding, and plans for our first baptism (since Andy came); God's provision for renewing the frontage of the church; the new-look cafe, situated strategically on the High Street and drawing many interested people to ask questions about faith and our church; a sense of anticipation in the church as to what God is going to do. Pray for: guidance, as there are so many needs to which we could respond; for protection as we engage in turning around a previous decline; guidance as to how we use the refurbished cafe; creative, innovative ways in which we can reach the community and make disciples of those who have started to come along; a planned open day for the community to come in and see the historic church building that this will give new contacts and visibility in Portobello. Balloons, balloons, balloons! As we went into the opening week for the new building we decided it would be good to have balloons big red ones with love hearts and welcome on them. It was a time to celebrate, a time to party, a time to welcome others to join in with what was happening. and early twenties, On the Tuesday we had a family fun day with bouncy castle and face painting to which a good number of families came and a great time was had by all. People contributed prayers to the Prayer Tree we had set up and several people were touched by the stories they read of some of our lives and how God had transformed us. This theme of transformation is one which we pray will continue as we live out our lives in the community of Forfar. Alan Donaldson reminded those at the dedication of the building, that wherever 2 or 3 are gathered Jesus is present be that in the new building or perhaps more importantly the local cafe, sports centre, or school. We give thanks that, in that presence of Jesus, transformation of lives and so a community will take place. Thank you for all of your prayers and support its great to be in this together!
From all at Forfar Community Church

On Saturday, November 10th, we had the official opening by Isobel, Chairperson of the Community Council, who also lives next to the building! Inside the building local people had contributed to displays of photographs and memorabilia from the old life the building had as a school. During the following week the doors were open for people to come and have a look around and see the changes that had happened. A good number took advantage of this including those now in their 70s who used to go to the school and those in their teens

The crowds gather!

Published by the Baptist Union of Scotland, 48 Speirs Wharf, Glasgow, G4 9TH, admin@scottishbaptist.org.uk. Charity Registration No:SC004960