Minister’s Message 25 October
Dear Friends
When anonymous surveys are taken and the question is asked whether we ever pray,
the overwhelming majority of people will say 'Yes' (and that goes for as many of those
who would not claim any allegiance to the church as for those of us who are active in
the church). And yet if you ask that question face to face many of us get very coy.
Perhaps we are afraid that we will be asked to pray aloud in someone else's presence
and we are anxious that we would stumble over our words or not use what we perceive
to be the 'right' words.
If a meeting for prayer is advertised, most people run for the hills and to many it sounds
dangerously spiritual that the Church of Scotland is holding a National Day of Prayer
this coming Saturday (31st October) and encouraging all of us to come together for an
hour of prayer. Together? An hour! You've got to be kidding!
Well, I want to encourage you to step out of your comfort zone for once and take a risk
on Saturday.
We are setting up a prayer space for an hour in each of the three main worship centres
on Saturday (at Fossoway from 10.30-11.30am, at Kinross from 2.30-3.30pm or at
Orwell from 7.30-8.30pm) where, for example, you can just sit quietly or write a name on
a card and hang it on a branch, light a candle, stick a dot on a map to indicate your
prayers for a particular place. As you do so you will be joining not only with others here
in Kinross-shire but with ordinary people all over the country who are praying – take a
look https://cos.churchofscotland.org.uk/worship/prayer/day-of-prayer
at the lights on the map where gatherings are being held.
If you are not able to get out to pray alongside others in person, then you can join a live-
streamed prayer service from West Kilbride Parish Church at 11am or join a national
online prayer gathering led by the Moderator of the General Assembly at 4pm (details on
the link above)
When the first Temple was built in Jerusalem, the Lord said to Solomon: “if my people,
who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and
turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and
will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers
offered in this place.” (2 Chronicles 7:14-15)
It was Tennyson who wrote: “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams
of.” I wonder what may be accomplished on Saturday when we take time to humble
ourselves before God locally and nationally and simply ask a blessing on those for
whom we pray? We will never know until we try.
In Christ's name,
Alan
Rev Alan Reid