Dear Friends,
How many different congregations are there in St. Andrews? There are three kirks – and if you include Dunino, Cameron and Strathkinness which belong to the St. Andrews’ Cluster, there are six.
In addition, there are two Episcopal congregations, a Baptist Church, a Free Church and a Roman Catholic Church. There is also the Gospel Hall, Vineyard and Cornerstone.
The latter is a congregation which grew out of a division within the worshipping community at Holy Trinity. It is now affiliated with the United Free Church.
Is that fourteen? I am not sure I have counted them all. There is, of course, St. Salvator’s Chapel and St. Leonard’s Chapel for the University staff and students. Members of the town worship there too.
These sixteen different churches all witness to the different patterns of worship and belief systems which have emerged over the centuries. But this variety also witnesses to the Church’s inability to love as Christ loved us.
Within congregations, there are people who consider their point of view to be so atuned to the mind and heart of God that they are unwilling to let go for the sake of a love which transcends all our differences.
But the Church does not have a monopoly on love. This is an attribute which is evident within all peoples, all religions, all denominations, all secular and sacred institutions. The Gospel may have something unique to say about it but it doesn’t possess it exclusively.
And so, we realise that this is the very thing which has the power to unite us all – not just different denominations nor religions but the whole earth. And rightly so for Christians believe that God is Love!
Yours aye,
David D Scott, Interim-Moderator
Categories: Minister's Blog