Laich of Moray Parish Church (formerly Lossiemouth Church of Scotland)

We were represented at the Church of Scotland’s Community of Faith Conference in Inverness on 23 April 2016, which focused on action for churches with ‘few or no young children and young people’.

This is our note of the Keynote speech by Suzi Farrant, Young People and Young Adults Development Worker with the Church of Scotland’s Mission & Discipleship Council.

As you will see, her ideas about rethinking Sunday School are challenging and thought-provoking. [Read more…]

This conference, which is being run by the Congregational Learning Team of the Church of Scotland, is now sold out – a good sign.

The venue is Inshes Church of Scotland, Inverness.

The intention is to concentrate on information, and development of skills, which will be useful to churches which currently have “few or no children and young people” in them.

There are several workshops available in 3 separate blocks throughout the day. These include:

• Creatively sharing the Gospel with primary aged children
• The First 5 Steps (to seeing more children and young people in your church)
• Mentoring Young People
• Spiritual Styles
• Messy Church

You can access the online handbook for the conference, which contains more details.

We intend to report back on our experience and learning from the conference.

4 Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the door-frames of your houses and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6: 4 – 9

Lossiemouth’s churches held a combined Sunrise Service at the East Beach on Easter Sunday at 6:30am.

It was cold and windy but dry – and sunny.

We wish you a Happy Easter.

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 “The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”’ 8 Then they remembered his words.

Luke 24: 4-8

Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in the service.  Thanks, especially, to Lossiemouth Baptist Church for hosting us all for bacon rolls, hot cross buns, tea and coffee afterwards.

There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
‘For whom am I toiling,’ he asked,
‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?’
This too is meaningless –
a miserable business!
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labour:
10 if either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:8-12 (New International Version) was one of the Bible readings which formed the basis of Rev. Alastair Gray’s (Keith: North, Newmill, Boharm, & Rothiemay) sermon at the Service of Introduction of Rev. Geoff McKee to the Congregation of Lossiemouth St James’ in the Pastoral Charge of Lossiemouth St Gerardine’s High linked with Lossiemouth St James’. [Read more…]