It's not easy, but we must go...

MINISTRY!!! Just felt like I needed to do that :) I am constantly being reminded that nothing stays the same! Just when you think things are finding some kind of "Normality" something is triggered that makes you sit up and scratch your head again. This past while we have been faced with a surge in new children aged between 10 and 12 (P6/7's). This has been pretty great and as a result both Monday nights and Wednesday nights have grown big time as a result :) On Monday nights the growth is manageable because of the class structure and the fact that it is all Primary school kids who come and the bible time is geared to that age group,. However, on Wednesday nights the structure is different and presents us with some growing pains. On Wednesdays we have mixed ages from Primary all the way through to young adult! The bible class time is split into three classes - P1-5's where there are up to 5 kids, P6-7's where there are up to 20 and the older ones where there are up to 20. Because we are not blessed with vast numbers of willing teachers, we are at breaking point! Things are tricky when you factor in that within this group you have a full spectrum of bible awareness ranging from zero to sound knowledge. Now, I mention this to highlight my last blog entry where I shared that we were beginning to look ahead to developing our older teen and young adult ministry in light of the group coming up to Friday nights. It now seems that in both cases there will need to be a great deal of consideration on how to continue the development of faith in their young lives. As I am typing this, (and hitting the spell check button) I am again filled with wonder at the opportunity we have been given! I am, if I am honest, also filled with fear and a sense of being overwhelmed. I know this is a time where God's grace and strength must be our refuge and I ask for your support and prayers that this will be the case. I hope you got a glimmer of what God is doing as I tried to, for myself, gain some clarity in writing this.

In light of this let me try to share why growth is happening. With the younger kids it is primarily due to the children themselves! They are exited about coming and they are taking their friends, simple as that! On Monday nights we continue to focus on two areas; play and worship. They enjoy connecting with new and familiar faces through team games and Tuck-shop and learn to engage in worship as we instill the values of prayer and bible. Wednesday nights follow the same principle, but have the added blessing and challenge of having the older teens there. On Wednesdays we broaden their worship experience with singing and the class time is more focused. Friday nights with the teens and young adults follow the same principles, but there is a heightened expectation and sense of respect in both the play and worship times. If I didn't make myself clear before, let me say it again, "It is NOT easy!" The constant juggling and adjustments that have to be made in order to be sensitive to the varying age and stage of their appreciation for things Godly is ALL important, but it is hard! Until a child is willing to give respect for you and the Godly values you are imparting to them, it will be a struggle, but when there is acceptance and trust built over time there is a channel for God's power to be poured into their life! You have probably heard it said many times, but the saying is true, "Consistency is Key!"  

Oops, got a bit side-tracked! Need to comment on some cool things it has been my joy to be part off these past weeks. I need to mention the East Kilbride Youth Weekend! In a sentence, "Reason to be Encouraged!" You can look at a youth weekend on two levels, it's impact on your group and then on the larger collective audience. On both counts there was plenty to be excited about. I loved the local involvement of the EK youth group and outside of the weekend itself it is obvious that God has some channels for imparting blessing on young lives searching for their true Home. Richard and Mary Harp are getting their hands dirty!!! I know the group we took down were impacted for good and came away challenged thinking they could do something similar. This is good timing as we start to get things going for our campaign in July - excited :) It was my joy to share in the teaching for the weekend with David Cope and Niall Scobie and together we were used to God's glory. I was able to share two lessons and loved being used to share good stuff with young people who have an open heart for the truths of God :) Loved the weekend and again loved the chance to get out and close with our older youth from Peterhead! 

 Over the past weeks I have been looking more intently at who might respond to the challenge of being able to take on responsibility for some of the organising that needs to be done for our campaign in July. We have a VBS planned for part of the time and we look to have some motivated to take up the baton! It is easy to get distracted when you are working with a bigger group and to forget to look for the ones who can share the joy with you. I tend to devote quite a bit of my time to meeting up with the older teens and listening to their lives. I do not confess to have all the answers to their needs and in fact many times I simply don't, but I have the chance, from time to time,  to drop in some seeds that will allow them to think higher and wider about their faith and their willingness to apply it. Going forward with our ideas for the campaign will be exciting and I know the journey will not be straight forward, but I am prayerful that for some the journey will add to their faith :)

Preparing for classes takes up most of my "Head" time. It is constant and relentless. Trying to share God in a relative and real way to minds that have every opportunity to turn their attention to worldliness. Add to this the "me" element. It all screams to me that God and His tinkering are responsible for anything good that comes from my heart and mouth! I am always taken aback when we stumble across a neat way to get the kids, especially the younger ones, engaged in discussion and expression in one of our bible times. Last Monday night we had one of those moments. We tried a new approach by using the "Scattegories" game idea as a means for getting the kids engaged. I would give them a category and they had to, in groups,  come up with an answer. An example would be; Can you tell me a parable Jesus taught? In their groups they would have to come up with a parable that none of the other groups can think off. The discussion in the groups is both excited and teaching! Those who have not been coming long learn and feel part of the group answer. If a group come up with an answer no-one else has they get a point for their team :) It is effective!

Our church building is now officially paid! April saw the last payment on our mortgage and so from now on we have no debt on our building :) There is no doubt that God has been instrumental in the whole process from start to finish and all the thanks is due to Him! There have been many along the way who have given so that we can have the building as a useful tool for ministry. God is good and in the future years we anticipate that the use of our building will result in glory for His name here in Peterhead. 

God bless.

Family Update :)

Where does the time go? I am sitting in our local coffee shop with my usual "vanilla Latte" and enjoying the moment to stop and reflect on the joys and strains of the past weeks. I want to begin with some family things. It was a timely break when the Easter holiday came, I must admit that I was so ready to enjoy time at home and focus the majority of my energies to the ladies in my life. It was precious to have all our girls home for a while and enjoy the blessing of our children. In fact when Amy and Beth left this past Monday, Fenella and I looked at each other holding back a tear, knowing how much we miss them when they are not home. Holly and Hannah shine when their big sisters are home and as parents we thank God that our girls have a deep and loving bond that ties them together. We were able to spend a couple of nights down in Edinburgh as we got to see Beth perform with the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra at the Usher Hall. I never tire of saying the same thing over and over again, that it is a blessing to see our daughter be part of something that sounds so beautiful. Beth had the added privilege of getting to know a lot of music students who will be starting at Glasgow this coming September. One of the "proud parent moments" was when Beth made the comment that she had found another like minded soul who does not drink and will not be engaging in all the "Freshers Week" worldliness that goes on at the start of university life. Yes, we are proud of Beth's musical talent, but more so of her heart to be holy :) We had the chance to go down and see Amy perform with both the Edinburgh University Chamber Choir and with the National Youth Choir of Scotland. The photo is Amy's solo with the Uni Choir and I don't need to say anything - you can see Amy's passion for singing. In my last post I had shared some news about Beth playing at the "PROMS" in London at the Albert Hall, Amy too will be singing at the proms with NYCOS! They will be performing within a couple of days of each other, so we are frantically trying to work out how we can get to London and find accommodation, bearing in mind it will be during the chaos of the Olympic games - happy days!

Holly is finding that she has talent in the field of baking :) She loves to make cupcakes and make them look nice. She certainly has an eye for beauty and this is evident in everything she does. It was Beth's 18th birthday on Friday and her request was that Holly make some cupcakes! Hannah helped decorate them too. Holly is growing and has a lovely friendly nature. She is very social and loves to be in company. Hannah enjoys playing piano and violin. She is never far away from a book! Hannah likes nothing better than to be snuggled up with a book in her hand :) Hannah is very considerate and never short on affection. It is hard for Fenella and I to grasp that they will be moving up to the Academy (high school) this year! We are proud of them both and going by their recent report cards they are doing very well in P7. They should do well at the next level of their education. In June they will be off on a school trip to Glenshee doing a bunch of active outdoor pursuits - they are excited!

Fenella and I are just about managing to hold things together. Fenella's mum has just finished her fifth in a course of six chemo treatments. Alexa is very much ready to be done with the chemo! We are touched by Alexa's ability to gracefully journey through this battle with cancer. In spite of the effects and devastating toll that the chemo has brought, we love Alexa's quiet strength and lovely character that is so evident in this time of extreme testing. I can't talk about Alexa's circumstances without instantly being aware of the support and love both Fenella and Jackie have been. From the time Fenella and I were dating, I can remember being in no doubt that there was no shortage of love in their home and this continues to be the case :) I have heard it said that it is in the times of deepest struggles that God is most clearly seen - amen!

My parents have been going through some changes and challenges these past weeks too. We had a scare when my mum was rushed to hospital a few weeks back and although we still don't quite know what is wrong, we sense that the doctors are taking things in hand and we are prayerful that the cause and indeed a cure can be found to bring some relief. My dad has just finished his second spell offshore on the stand-by boats. He seems to be settling into his new environment and career pretty well :)

As I take stock of what is going on with our nearest and dearest I am aware of how blessed we are! If it were not for the great evidence of faith on display I wonder what state our lives would be in? Let me encourage and let us be reminded again of the reality that, "God is good and His love endures forever!"