- Sunday 19 Nov
Services will be at 9.30 am and 10.30 am (also live-streamed) with Creche, Junior Church and YF returning to their usual time at 10.30 am. The passage is Psalm 85 and the theme, Why not here? Why not now? Why shouldn’t God pour out his Holy Spirit in North Berwick? Why shouldn’t this happen in 2023?
Guild Lunch
At about 12 noon the Guild will serve a lunch of soup and puddings. You are invited to come. The food will be wonderful, the conversation rich and you will be able to give money which will go to the projects the Guild is supporting this year.
2) Day of Prayer Sat 2 Dec
The questions Why not here? Why not now? are a stimulus to pray. We pray for God to pour out the Holy Spirit. Since most people find it difficult to pray as much as they want, a day to pray is being organised. It will be in the church building on Saturday 2 December from 8.30 am to 3.00 pm. Come for it all, for an hour, for 30 minutes, or for 5 minutes. Come for as much as you can. During the day there will be lots of prompts for prayer. You can pray out loud or silently, on your own or in a group. You can pray while sitting or while walking around the town. There are many ways you can pray. Come and be part of the day in a way that fits you.
3) Ife Bible
Funds were raised through Gift Day 2023 to help towards the completion of the translation of the Bible into Ife, a language spoken in Togo which is non West Africa. You gave generously. Thank you. The money was sent to Wycliffe Bible Translators in October.
Wycliffe acknowledged and sent thanks for your gift … and then discovered a complication. During the period when St Andrew Blackadder was raising money for this project another donor gave an incredibly generous gift. This donor covered the entire costs of the project for the next three years which will see the translation completed. Wycliffe accepted this gift and only when they received St Andrew Blackadder’s gift did they realise things had become complicated.
Wycliffe offered to return the gift to St Andrew Blackadder. They also mentioned that there is another Bible translation ongoing in Togo known as the Flame Project. 500,000 people speak this language. In the last decade the New Testament has been translated into this language and work has started on the rest of this Bible and funding is needed to ensure this continues. Wycliffe wondered if St Andrew Blackadder might be willing for their gift to be used for this.
The Operations Committee decided that your money was given to fund Bible translation in West Africa and that the Flame Project offers the best way to do this, and have given Wycliffe the go ahead.
If you have any questions, concerns or would like more information please speak to me, to Niki (Session Clerk), Keith (Treasurer) or David Robertson (Chair, Operations Committee).
4) Sustainability
Keeping you Informed. The six Action Groups are developing plans and turning these into action. To share what is happening and invite your input monthly updates will be posted on the StAB website. Alerts for each update will be included in other places – weekly news, Kaleidoscope, and Sunday service sheets and announcements.
Information is also posted on WhatsApp and Facebook. Are you receiving these? If you’d like to, contact Ken Reid.
Short Course. The University of Edinburgh is offering a short course, Learning for a Sustainable Future, with a completion certificate. This course normally costs £40, but for anyone possibly interested who signs up before December 14th, it will be free – further info at https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-for-a-sustainable-future?utm_source=edinburgh&utm_medium=institutions&utm_campaign=coursera_sustainability_email_25oct23
5) Conflict in Israel and Gaza
A month ago I shared some words with you penned by Rev Muriel Pearson. Muriel is Stephen’s sister and works for the Church of Scotland in Israel. This week she blogged about what is happening and how it is affecting different people. You can read it at https://murielpearson.com/
6) Prayer Gatherings
Prayer Gatherings
Every Monday in Room 1 between 10 and 11 am.
Every Wednesday on Zoom between for 30 minutes starting at 7 pm. Please contact the office for log in details.
Neil
Rev Dr Neil Dougall
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