Dear Friends,
We have now reached the Season of Pentecost, that time when we traditionally celebrate the birthday of the church. Today was to have been a special celebration with all the Church of Scotland charges in the St Andrews Cluster coming together to share the Sacrament of Holy Communion. However, that clearly cannot be at the moment. But we are all invited to share with the whole of the Church of Scotland in a service led by the Moderator of the General Assembly. This will be streamed and will be on Facebook. If you have access to neither of those things, you can receive it by telephone by dialling 0131 378 7895.
As I write, we are promised that some of the restrictions on our movements are about to be lifted. What a relief that will be. However, there is still a long way to go and we must try not to be impatient and jump the gun, for we know that all is being done in our best interests.
What is clear is that it will take a while to rebuild confidence. Our Pilgrimage to the Holy Land has been postponed at present, but I am hoping that we may be able to go sometime later in 2021. That means that there will be an opportunity for anyone who did not sign up in the first instance to join us, all of course, depending on the situation by the time we need to commit ourselves. What is important at present is that we do our best to follow the guidelines for our safety, and that the church and businesses are enabled to open up again when the time is right, to serve the community and the country.
And most importantly, for we who are the church, it is important that we are sensitive to the needs of those around us, for it is our neighbours, both near and far, who we are called to serve in the name of Christ.
With love and blessings
Marion