September 2016 Letter

Dear Congregations,

We had a very special, yet really busy summer.

First, South Africa, where it was nice and warm and sunny through the day, and you only knew it was winter once the sun set; and then we came back to lovely Scotland where we enjoyed a few trips to the Edinburgh International Arts Festival regardless of the weather(!!); and then it was time for the Holiday Club where we cooked up a storm at Rocky's Plaice!

While in South Africa, we one day went to an old railway station, that not too long ago was starting to fall into complete disrepair. Most people drove by and thought that it was a shame that a once busy and loved station was becoming a ruin. But one day someone drove by and saw potential in that old building. So that person bought it, built it up again and changed it into a museum and coffee shop. and once again it is heaving with people there!

And you know, that made me think... I often hear that people think that the church as an institution is past it's best days, coming closer to it's "expiry date", so to speak - just like that train station. But we should never look at the church like that. We should always look for the potential, for what the church has to offer in our society. And we might just be surprised!

On one of the walls at the train station people are allowed to write down "words of wisdom". And I read a quote there that said: "I aspire to inspire before I expire." If we make that our motto as a church this year, we'll no doubt go from strength to strength - for a long time to come!

May God bless you all,

Nanda