6th June 2021: letter from the Locum Minister Rev Marion Paton

Dear Friends,
Whatever happened to a pen and paper and face to face meetings? We are now living in a digital age which is supposed to make everything easier. And of course, contacting all of you in this way is much easier, as is sharing our services on YouTube and Facebook. I am very grateful to Ron and to John who arrange all this for us. But still there are so many who cannot be contacted in this way, and I am so grateful to those who deliver letters and services by hand and make it possible for many more people to join us in spirit.
But for those of us who do use digital technology, what happens when it doesn’t work? I have spent many hours trying to fill in important forms only to discover that the recipient’s websites are down. The stress and frustration this can cause can be very damaging. No matter how useful modern technology is, nothing is as effective as face to face meetings.
During the period when our churches have had to be closed, many people have said how much they have missed meeting in person. Human contact is a fundamental part of the human condition. Indeed, part of our worship is the fellowship we enjoy and the encouragement we receive from each other. We know we have been separated for very good reasons and whilst things are not yet back to normal, we are doing all we can to make it safe for people to come together on a Sunday, and numbers are now only limited by the size of the building.
However, during this period, we have all come to realise more than ever how important communication with each other is. What is more, many who had never thought about it have come to realise that spiritual communication with our God in worship is important too. So, we want to use every way we can to make sure that as many people as possible are able to join us in worship, whether it is in the flesh, on paper or by digital means. Everyone is welcome.
With love and blessings
Marion