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We were delighted this week to hear some news from Gambia, regarding the church in Brikama, with whom we share a name and cause. This week, with a little help from our congregation in Aberdeen, they were able to purchase a suitable plot of land for the building of their own church, not far off one of the main highways the runs through the city. Brikiama, in the South East of the country, is a city of approximately 100,000 inhabitants, will God-willing now have a permanent witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have been glad to support them with the goal of obtaining a building, a matter close to our hearts. These are reminders to us that God uses our givings to His glory.  Some of the congregation on the plot of land they were able to purchase We are deligthed to resume public worship in our church building as off Sunday the 28th March.
The wider church in Scotland has been encouraged this week by the ruling of Lord Braid, supporting many of the pleas of the petitioners regarding the restrictions put on worshippers by the Scottish Government. The website of Christian Concern explains the ruling in full. We look forward to meeting together again in person, and resuming our fellowship. During recent months, we have however been thankful to God for the joy of sharing our platform with the congregations in Beauly and Dores. Midweek and Sunday services were shared by the three Ministers of the respective congregations, and it was a real blessing to all, including the Ministers themselves, who had the rare opportunity to sit under the Word, and enjoy a time to listen. The times of fellowship after the services brought the congregations together closer than could ever have been anticipated in a pre-Covid society. God is good! We were delighted earlier this week to see this post on the Mastrick Community Centre Facebook page! As a church, our calling goes out to helping our local community, particularly those in need. We reached out to the local food-bank midway through the first lockdown in the summer of 2020, to see if they would benefit from some support. A door was opened to us and we have been donating a box of food each week since, to the food-bank. We try to supply whatever specific shortages they have, and also add in a little extra that will be useful for those in need. The need is great, it is sad to say. The increased unemployment rates locally and nationally are a great concern for prayer. However on our own doorstep in Mastrick, we are thankful to God to be able to continue to do our bit, and seek to encourage those who need it. We remain prayerful for all those around our community, and in due course, with our God's guidance, hope to minister to their souls too.  With restriction again tightening in our country, we have taken a decision as a Session to again close the church, as advised by the Scottish Government.
We are of course, reluctant to do so, yet are aware of our witness as a church and our duty to our local community and the God-given authority of the Government. It remains a difficult time for our country. Zoom services have resumed - please see an update on the Home page. This continues to work as well as can be, but we prayerfully long to back together in church once the situation allows. Please remember all those affected in your prayers, as well as those in our health services and vaccination teams. After almost 6 months of church online, our first service in our church in Mastrick was held on the 30th August. It was a new church experience for us all, with spaced out chairs, face masks, and no singing, for now. However, amongst the highlights was being reunited with our church family, whose company and warmth we have all missed.
Last Sunday (6th September), we were able to gather for the morning and evening sevices - the closest to normal things have been. We were glad to be joined by a few visitors too. Over the lockdown period, both nationally and regionally, we've been immensely thankful for the provision of Zoom, and the way in which we suffered very little in the way of technical glitches. We are also thankful for the bond that has been established between our congregation and the congregation in Beauly. Rev Woods (Beauly) and our own minister shared preaching duties for most of the lockdown. Together, we've studied the Letters to the 7 churches in Revelation, The Parable of the Sower, Psalm 2, and are still studying the raising of Lazarus. Our faith in God's preservation of His church remains strong, and even increased. NOTE - Services will continue to be live-streamed from the church, via Zoom. If you wish to get the details, email us on info@grcaberdeen.org.uk |