Weekly Update - 30th September
Dear sisters and brothers
Last week my phone pinged with a message from an old friend who I hadn’t had contact with since before the pandemic. Did I have time for a catch up, he asked – maybe even within the next hour? Well I was about to start our daily prayers broadcast, but after that was lunch-time - so why not. Half an hour later we were chatting by video call and what a joy it was.
Why had he called? Because I had come to mind and he thought it might be a ‘prompting’ from God. How glad I was that he was obedient to that prompting because not only did he lift my spirits but he gave me some real encouragement. And I heard some of the difficult things he and his family had been going through: things with which I have some experience and so I was able to both listen with sympathy and give some, hopefully helpful, advice. Now I’m able to pray knowledgably for him and I know that he is doing the same for me. That 30 minute catch up after more than 3 years continues to give me strength and joy.
Psalm 17:17 says that a friend loves at all times. The proverb is referring to true friends not being ‘fair weather’ ones, but sticking with you through the hard times. The proverb goes on to say that sisters and brothers are born in adversity. But the truth that a ‘friend loves at all times’ also means that time does not need to dim friendship. Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica that they should encourage one another and build one another up (5:11), and the Bible is full of such urging. Certainly it’s rare that a phone call out of the blue from an old friend – or even a sometime acquaintance – is not welcome.
We have two choices. To sit and wait for the phone to ping or ring – or to make it ping or ring for someone else. “I was just thinking about you”, “you popped into my mind”, “something gave me a nudge to see how you are doing” – perhaps that will lead to a quick three minute call or a much longer chat, but it will almost certainly be welcome. And because we are filled with God’s Spirit, we can ask the Lord to prompt us, and we can be confident that God will enable us to bring encouragement and joy.
On another note, you may remember that over the last few years we have tried to bless our neighbourhood over Christmas by producing decorations and other things to put around the area. Fiona Douglas has been the driving force behind this and she’s already had her thinking cap on for this year. So please read what she has written in the attached letter and see if you would like to get involved.
Please also have a good look at the enclosed notices which will let you know some more of what is going on in the church. This Tuesday evening (4th October) is the next of our joint meetings with the other churches in our Presbytery Grouping. We are hosting this one, so it would be great if you could join us at 7pm in Cairncry Comunity Centre.
If I can be of any help at all, please let me know. And please remember that I am praying for you as I ask you to pray for me.
With love from Sarah and myself
Ian
Rev. Ian Aitken
52 Ashgrove Road West
ABERDEEN
AB16 5EE
Tel. 01224 686929
iaitken@churchofscotland.org.uk
www.stockethillchurch.org.uk
Aberdeen: Stockethill Church of Scotland
Scottish Charity Number - SC030587