St James' Church of Scotland, Lossiemouth

For Christ, For You

Lossiemouth Church of Scotland

Prospect Terrace, Lossiemouth, Moray IV31 6JS.

The Union of the former Parishes of St. Gerardine's High Church and St. James' Church

Minister: Rev. Geoff McKee.

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You are here: Home / Archives for 2

How to get your life back (and live freely and lightly)

July 9, 2023 by 2

Sunday 09 July 2023 is the Sixth Sunday of Pentecost.

Today’s “How to” answer is, as you probably guessed, “Jesus”. As with many of these things, at first sight it may seem contradictory but Rev. Geoff McKee explains it all in his sermon. In the words of Eugene Peterson (from The Message, below), it’s about learning “the unforced rhythms of grace”.

Today’s main Bible readings

Matthew 11:16-19 (from The Message translation of the Bible)
16-19 “How can I account for this generation? The people have been like spoiled children whining to their parents, ‘We wanted to skip rope, and you were always too tired; we wanted to talk, but you were always too busy.’ John came fasting and they called him crazy. I came feasting and they called me a boozer, a friend of the misfits. Opinion polls don’t count for much, do they? The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”

Matthew 11:25-30
25-26 Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: “Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You’ve concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that’s the way you like to work.”

27 Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. “The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I’m not keeping it to myself; I’m ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.

28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Lossiemouth West Beach, looking west.

Order of Service

Welcome and Intimations
Call to Worship
Praise: MP 1000 King of kings, majesty
Prayers of Adoration and Confession
Children’s Address
Praise: JP 46 Follow me, says Jesus x2
Sing of the Lord’s goodness
Readings: Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 & Psalm 45:10-17
Praise: MP 266 I cannot tell
Readings: Romans 7:15-25a & Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Sermon
Praise: MP 1158 Beneath the cross of Jesus
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
Praise: MP 275 (ii) I heard the voice of Jesus say
Benediction & Threefold Amen

Video recording of today’s service from St. James’

Note that you can find a previous version of this sermon, with the full text set out, on this website here.

Filed Under: Sermons

Why Christians must be both care-givers and care-receivers

July 2, 2023 by 2

Sunday 02 July 2023 is the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost.

Rev. Geoff McKee continues his review of ‘hard teachings’ of Jesus, with today’s main scripture the following:

Main Bible Reading for today

Matthew 10:40-42 (from The Message transaltion of the Bible)

40-42 “We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God’s messenger. Accepting someone’s help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. It’s best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won’t lose out on a thing.”

3 Fish from ‘The Miraculous Draught’ – St. James’ Church, Lossiemouth

Video recording of today’s service from St. James’

(The “Simple Welcome”) is at the heart of Christianity. It is the most difficult of graces to offer because it cuts straight to the heart of our faith. We can only offer a welcome to the hungry and the thirsty and the abused when we have first received a welcome as people who are hungry and thirsty and abused. Our God has welcomed us first.

REV. GEOFF MCKEE

NOTE: You can find a previous version of today’s sermon, with downloadable PDF, on this website here.

Filed Under: Sermons

Having Courage to do what is Right despite obvious Risks

June 19, 2023 by 2

18 June 2023 is the Third Sunday after Pentecost and today’s passage from Matthew’s Gospel contains many well-known passages, such as “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” and “be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (from the New International Version of the Bible).

These seem simple enough phrases, on the face of it, but what do they really mean in practice?

Today’s Main Bible passage

Matthew 9:35-10:23 (from The Message Bible Translation)

35-38 Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!”

The Twelve Harvest Hands
10 1-4 The prayer was no sooner prayed than it was answered. Jesus called twelve of his followers and sent them into the ripe fields. He gave them power to kick out the evil spirits and to tenderly care for the bruised and hurt lives. This is the list of the twelve he sent:

Simon (they called him Peter, or “Rock”),

Andrew, his brother,

James, Zebedee’s son,

John, his brother,

Philip,

Bartholomew,

Thomas,

Matthew, the tax man,

James, son of Alphaeus,

Thaddaeus,

Simon, the Canaanite,

Judas Iscariot (who later turned on him).

5-8 Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge:

“Don’t begin by travelling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.

9-10 “Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don’t need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light.

11 “When you enter a town or village, don’t insist on staying in a luxury inn. Get a modest place with some modest people, and be content there until you leave.

12-15 “When you knock on a door, be courteous in your greeting. If they welcome you, be gentle in your conversation. If they don’t welcome you, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way. You can be sure that on Judgment Day they’ll be mighty sorry—but it’s no concern of yours now.

16 “Stay alert. This is hazardous work I’m assigning you. You’re going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don’t call attention to yourselves. Be as shrewd as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.

17-20 “Don’t be naive. Some people will question your motives, others will smear your reputation—just because you believe in me. Don’t be upset when they haul you before the civil authorities. Without knowing it, they’ve done you—and me—a favour, given you a platform for preaching the kingdom news! And don’t worry about what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words.

21-23 “When people realise it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family. There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate! But don’t quit. Don’t cave in. It is all well worth it in the end. It is not success you are after in such times but survival. Be survivors! Before you’ve run out of options, the Son of Man will have arrived.

Video of today’s Service from St. James’

Herring Gulls, Crow and Morven – West Beach, Lossiemouth

You can find a previous version of this sermon – with slightly different materials – on this website here.

Filed Under: Sermons

Holiday Club in Lossiemouth 24-28 July 2023

June 17, 2023 by 2

This year’s Club held at St. James’ Church of Scotland, Lossiemouth, will be Full Armour – 24 to 28 July 2023 – again led by Out of the Box (Scotland).

Last year’s Showstoppers Holiday Club was based on material published by Scripture Union but this time we’re going to use a theme devised by Out of the Box (“OOTB”), themselves (as for Navigate – in 2019).

Full Armour is holiday club material OOTB wrote based around their Full Armour short film.

It focuses on the Armour of God, with each day looking at a different piece of armour. Each day kids will also make armour, building it up until the end of the week when they get to take them all home.

OOTB have done this holiday club, and used the Full Armour video with a number of churches already.

They will be running this holiday club with four different churches this summer.

Apart from the craft element, the focus is really not on the weaponry but what it symbolises.

We will focus on Truth, Faith, Salvation, the Spirit and Peace.

Each day the craft will be elements of the armour. The children will leave their craftwork at the church each day as they build up their armour. After each craft, the plan is to take a photo of them as a group, then they take it all off straight away.

If you’re concerned this might be more of a “boys'” holiday club than a “girls'” holiday club, Chris Watt of OOTB’s comments are reassuring:

“My experience is the girls got into the designing of the armour as much as the boys, if not more, actually – as they create cool and creative designs etc..”

Chris Watt of Out of the Box

This seems to be borne out by the photos of previous Holiday Clubs on this theme which OOTB have kindly provided to us (see below).

These crafty activities will be in addition to the usual shenanigans involving action songs, puppets, Bible stories, games, challenges – and juice / snacks.

The club will be open to Primary school children.

At the lower age level, this means children who, by July 2023, have completed Primary 1 (it does not include children who will be starting P1 in August 2023).

The club will be open to any child (within the age range mentioned above) and free to attend.

It will run from 10:00am to 12:00 noon, Monday to Friday.

However, places may have to be limited. The room we use for the Club has a capacity of 60, including all the adult helpers. (From our previous experience with Holiday Clubs, we do not expect to be oversubscribed but you never know).

How do you register your child’s interest in attending?

If you would like to download a registration form for completion and return, here is a linked image of the form, below – i.e. click on it and it will (immediately) download the necessary Form in Word format (with the same appearance as the image below but better).

If you have any questions at all, please contact us via the website.

Filed Under: News / Events

A real-life example of the Parable of the Mustard Seed in action

May 15, 2023 by 2

Sunday 14 May 2023 is the Sixth Sunday of Easter and also Christian Aid Sunday.

Organisations such as Christian Aid and partners, have supported Esther Saizi in Malawi. Esther describes her small, but significant, agricultural work as ‘a tree’. The pigeon peas she grows are the trunk, and the branches are the many ways in which she is supporting her children and grandchildren. Esther has grown from a place of grief, loss and exploitation to financial security. She has built up a herd of goats, started her own tailoring business, and supported her daughter Ziwone’s dreams of being a carpenter by purchasing tools.

Esther bakes and sells pigeon pea bread and feeds her beloved grandchildren Nespo and Emmanuel food that is delicious and nutritious – and she often has enough to share with the rest of her community.

This week’s main scripture is from Matthew’s Gospel – the Parable of the Mustard Seed.

Perhaps Esther – and communities like hers in Malawi – understand the metaphors of Jesus better than the disciples who first heard them – or indeed better than many of us in Britain and Ireland today.

You can view the video which is played during today’s service about Esther and her circumstances – from Christian Aid TV – here.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Sermons

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Jesus Ascends to Glory

May 28, 2025 By 2

Sunday 25 May 2025 is Ascension Sunday.

Christians celebrate the time when Jesus ascended to heaven. Ascension Day itself is generally observed on a Thursday, the fortieth day after Easter.

Today’s Main Scripture

Jesus speaks to his disciples, following his resurrection at Easter and shortly before his ascension:

John 14 (from The Message Bible Translation)
The Road
14 1-4 “Don’t let this rattle you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live. And you already know the road I’m taking.”

5 Thomas said, “Master, we have no idea where you’re going. How do you expect us to know the road?”

6-7 Jesus said, “I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You’ve even seen him!”

8 Philip said, “Master, show us the Father; then we’ll be content.”

9-10 “You’ve been with me all this time, Philip, and you still don’t understand? To see me is to see the Father. So how can you ask, ‘Where is the Father?’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you aren’t mere words. I don’t just make them up on my own. The Father who resides in me crafts each word into a divine act.

11-14 “Believe me: I am in my Father and my Father is in me. If you can’t believe that, believe what you see—these works. The person who trusts me will not only do what I’m doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I’ve been doing. You can count on it. From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I am doing, I’ll do it. That’s how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request in this way, I’ll do.

The Spirit of Truth
15-17 “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!

18-20 “I will not leave you orphaned. I’m coming back. In just a little while the world will no longer see me, but you’re going to see me because I am alive and you’re about to come alive. At that moment you will know absolutely that I’m in my Father, and you’re in me, and I’m in you.

21 “The person who knows my commandments and keeps them, that’s who loves me. And the person who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and make myself plain to him.”

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said, “Master, why is it that you are about to make yourself plain to us but not to the world?”

23-24 “Because a loveless world,” said Jesus, “is a sightless world. If anyone loves me, he will carefully keep my word and my Father will love him—we’ll move right into the neighborhood! Not loving me means not keeping my words. The message you are hearing isn’t mine. It’s the message of the Father who sent me.

25-27 “I’m telling you these things while I’m still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught.

28 “You’ve heard me tell you, ‘I’m going away, and I’m coming back.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I’m on my way to the Father because the Father is the goal and purpose of my life.

29-31 “I’ve told you this ahead of time, before it happens, so that when it does happen, the confirmation will deepen your belief in me. I’ll not be talking with you much more like this because the chief of this godless world is about to attack. But don’t worry—he has nothing on me, no claim on me. But so the world might know how thoroughly I love the Father, I am carrying out my Father’s instructions right down to the last detail.

“Get up. Let’s go. It’s time to leave here.”

Sermon by Rev. Anne-Marie Simpson

To get straight to beginning of the sermon, click here.

Sermon Text

For 40 days after Easter morning, Jesus remained on earth.

We know of several occasions when he met with some of his disciples.

Mary Magdalene in the dawn Garden, the two walking the road to Emmaus. appearing more than once to those in the upper room. On the shore at sunrise, and now in this final time of parting.

We can only surmise how Jesus spent the rest of this time before his departure. How many others did he meet with, perhaps, who did not record the fact? How many lives did he touch in those final 40 days on Earth?

Just as it was vital for Jesus to prove his resurrection to his followers, so it was very important that he took his leave properly.

His appearances to them could not just stop suddenly. That would leave too much uncertainty in the minds of his friends. Nor could the story that we’ve heard today of this awesome ascension be omitted from the narrative.

People at the time needed to know this part most fully. Indeed, we need to understand exactly where Jesus has gone.

There have to be witnesses. There is much mystery to this story, ascending into a cloud seems, well, rather vague. We desperately want more detail.

Luke gives us a brief description in his gospel and another in the book of the Acts of the Apostles.

Yet, however brief this story is, it is so important for both the disciples and for us today.

The disciples needed closure for them. This is an ending, the end of their time spent with Jesus – i.e. the end of Jesus amongst them present here in this world.

Yet it is also a beginning. The beginning of a brand new chapter for the disciples.

Now they have been given final instructions. Wait here in Jerusalem and show you are empowered by the Holy Spirit, then go out and preach the good news of repentance and salvation to all the world.

They must continue Jesus’ work of justice and compassion, healing and acceptance, but now they must also preach their testament, make new believers and baptise them in the Holy Spirit, not just the people of Israel, but everyone, right around the world.

They are witnesses. They have a testament to share.

And if this work seems impossibly huge to undertake, so very difficult to achieve, then Jesus has promised them a helper. That will be given power through baptism in the Holy Spirit. And so the disciples are not overwhelmed by the task in hand, or cowed under the weight of their commission. Instead, they go back into Jerusalem filled with joy at what Jesus has promised. Filled with joy at what they have seen.

They know exactly where Jesus has gone. They’ve witnessed him rising to heaven with their very own eyes, and there is no room for doubt. Now they have a friend in heaven, a friend whom we believe presents our prayers at the throne of God and intercedes on our behalf. A friend who has sent them a helper, a friend who has always present with us, always available when we need help.

The human Jesus could only be in one place at any given time, but now as a heavenly being, Jesus transcends the spatial and the temporal qualities of this world.

He can be constantly with his disciples. He is constantly with us.

Furthermore, Jesus has promised them that they will follow where he has gone.

Before the crucifixion he has told them that he goes to prepare a place for them. Those words that we say at every funeral, I go to prepare a place for you. Now they understand what that means. One day they too will be in heaven, where they will see Jesus again and live in the presence of their Heavenly Father. They also know that Jesus is listening to their pleas and prayers. He might be out of sight, but he isn’t out of their hearing.

And Jesus has promised to return, to come back one day when everything will be put right, and the whole of creation will be restored to its original state of balance.

The early church watched patiently and diligently for the coming, believing it to be imminent.

But God’s time is not our time, as we are reminded in the second letter of Peter: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.

But we must keep watch and be prepared for this coming, for this event, so that we are ready to meet with Jesus on his return. Ready for whatever that will mean for us.

Jesus speaks of how his ascension has been written into Hebrew scripture in the laws of Moses, in the writing of the prophets, and in the Psalms, as we’ve heard in Psalm 93, and in Psalm 47.

The signs have always been there, but it would have been impossible for human minds to comprehend what was meant.

The story of death and resurrection and ascension is too full of wonder, too full of awe for us to fully understand. Jesus has ascended to sit enthroned at the right hand of the Father, where, as Paul tells us, he reigns supreme.

In the meantime, the disciples returned to Jerusalem in great joy to spend their time giving thanks in the temple, praying to God, knowing that they are heard, and knowing that whatever happens to them, Jesus awaits them with a place prepared.

And so what does this day of Ascension mean for us?

We’ve been promised everything that the disciples were promised.

We know that God, Jesus has gone before us, and we live in the hope that this and every other promise He has made will be fulfilled. that, through repentance, our sins will be forgiven, and we will go to take up that place, which He has prepared for us in his Father’s house, where we will live forever in the presence of God, reconciled and beloved for eternity.

And the second coming, what will that be like?

The angels in Acts have told us that Jesus will return in the same way as he left, descending from a cloud, perhaps, to the awestruck gaze of the people below.

Will you be there, as generations’-worth of prayers are answered, watching and waiting in joyful expectation, as your Lord and Saviour descends to bring the Kingdom that we pray for to come?

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

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We would be glad to hear from you. Feel free to contact our Minister, Rev. Geoff McKee, or attend one of the events or groups detailed on this website.

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Our Minister is Rev. Geoff McKee.

Lossiemouth Church of Scotland is a registered Charity No. SC000880.

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