Family Fun Day: pictures & talks

On Saturday, we held our second ever Church Family Fun Day, with the help of a GO Team (short term mission team).

In the morning, the team organised activities (Bible talk, craft, games etc) for children while Rev. David McCullough gave two very helpful talks to parents (and others!) on the topic 'Leading little ones to God'. The talks are available to listen to and download here.

In the afternoon, there was a bouncy castle, face painting, and candy floss and popcorn-making for the kids, while the adults had a chance to sit around and chat.

We finished things off with a BBQ, though no-one was in a rush home and people stayed behind chatting for a long time! We are grateful to God for the good weather, sense of fellowship. We also appreciated those from Glasgow, Airdrie and North Edinburgh who made the effort to be part of the  day - it was great to have people from all the mainland RPCS congregations!

Church Family Fun Day

Our Church Family Fun Day will take place on 25th August. In the morning, Rev. David McCullough will be giving two talks on the theme 'Leading little ones to God' - worshipping God as families. During his talks there will be activities organised for children. Then in the afternoon we will have a bouncy castle, candy floss makers etc for the younger ones will the adults have a chance to sit and chat. For more details see the poster above - all welcome!

Girls' Adventure Camp

This summer nine young people from three RPCS congregations attended Irish RP Junior Camps. Hannah, from our own congregation, was at Girls' Adventure Camp for the first time.

You can read about how their experiences on the RPCS website. Here's what Hannah said:

The talks were on the book of James.  What was one thing you learned or remember about the talks?

Some of the topics we learned were: taming the tongue, submitting to God, and genuine faith.  We learned that there is no situation where prayer is not relevant, and that our quiet time is really important.

What was your favourite activity during the week?

My favourite activity was the powder paint fight – it was so fun; and the 500m zip wire was also amazing.

What was your favourite thing about Camp?

Overall I found making new friends and the talks were my favourite things about Girls Adventure Camp.

Jude Colhoun placement

As a congregation, we're looking forward to the arrival of Jude Colhoun on Friday. Jude is a member of Raphoe Congregational Church in Donegal, and is currently studying at the Irish Baptist College.

During his time in Stranraer Jude will be involved in many of the different aspects of the life and work of the congregation, including leading Bible studies and preaching through the book of Habakkuk over the next three Lord's Days.

We're glad that his wife Zara and son Micah will be able to be with us for part of the time.

Bible stolen from unsuspecting churchgoers

There was shock and outrage in June as a historic Bible was stolen from Kirkmaiden Old Parish Church near Drummore. It was an edition of the Bishop’s Bible from 1574, affectionately known as the ‘Treacle Bible’ for its translation of Jeremiah 8:22.

The Bible was taken from the church in broad daylight. Who would do such a thing? And yet, tragically, the Bible has been stolen from many churches without the people noticing. It’s not necessarily that someone has walked in and physically taken the Bibles out– but the message of the Bible is no longer proclaimed. Yes, the Bible may still sit on the pulpit, or even be ceremoniously carried in. Select parts of it may be read. But it doesn’t take much investigation to realise that the message of the Bible has long since been suppressed.

Key doctrines of the Bible, such as the virgin birth and the bodily resurrection of Jesus, have long been denied with impunity by many clergy in the mainline denominations. On the local level, the Bible’s teaching on who should serve as ministers and elders is overruled by human preference. Instead of being reserved for the children of believers, baptism is administered to the children of any parents who want it. New Testament commands to remove from church membership those living lives of unrepentant sin are never put into practice. And though the Bible may be read, its message isn’t preached. Jesus’ claim to be the only way to God (John 14:6) is silenced. Many church members today would be alarmed, just as Felix was, if their ministers began to speak of ‘righteousness and self-control and the coming judgement’ (Acts 24:25).

The church in many places has long been, to quote the 1980s sitcom Yes, Prime Minister, primarily a social organisation, not a religious one. And unsurprisingly, with the message of the church little different from the message of the culture, churches are in serial decline. Why bother going if you can get the same message elsewhere?

The great tragedy of it all is that the radical, life-giving, eternity-defining message of Jesus is no longer being heard.

The theft of a 450 year old Bible, while sad, won’t ultimately affect anyone’s life. But the silencing of the Bible’s message in churches which claim to believe it – that’s the real tragedy.

Published in the Stranraer and Wigtownshire Free Press, 2nd August 2018.