Ignite

Souled Out has a new name - Ignite! Read all about the next event here

Lesotho bound!

I haven't had time to do much in the way of blogging this week. Leadership meetings for the Church and Light house, team training, meetings in Perth and a whole host of things which need to be attended to before I depart for Lesotho. Rod MacLean and I are flying out to visit Robyn Hammond on Monday.

Tomorrow Katie Walker who is aged 12 is being baptised. Young people taking this kind of public step of professing faith in Christ publicly is quite rare in my experience. I have been working on my sermon for Sunday today, and that fact alone has got me thinking. Why do so few young people publicly profess faith in Christ? Do we need to be more proactive as a church in this realm? I've just read this blog article which gives some food for thought.

Tomorrow we have our first youth led service at 6.30pm. This is a concious attempt to give young people a greater voice within the life of our worshipping community. Hopefully some of those involved in leading it, will blog about it next week.

Well, that's my last blog for a while. On the return leg from Lesotho, I am going to attempt to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. It stands at nearly 20,000 feet, so there is a distinct possibility that I may struggle a bit with the altitude. Look forward to telling you all about it on my return. I think we'll use the Cafe Service in March to tell the story of our experiences in Lesotho. Bye for now!

THANK YOU

I just wanted to say thank you so much to all the people who supported Colin and I on Sunday 25th January 2009 at our daughters baptisms. We have only known you all a short time and yet your warmth and friendship have been amazing. I was so proud of Florence and Olivia on Sunday and to have you, our friends, there with us made it a very special day.

Thank you and God Bless you
Jane & Colin Murton-Armer

CAIRNGORMS IN SUNSHINE

For those of you thinking about ski-ing at Cairngorm this winter, the slopes looked very inviting yesterday. I spent the day walking in the Kincardine Hills which look across to the Cairngorms. I could have gone ski-ing for the day, but I decided with a trip to Africa coming up, I could do without a major injury, given my lack of skill on skis!

EMPTYING AND FILLING SPACE!

A major challenge in any home or church is where to store everything. We have a multitude of groups using the buildings and are therefore constantly struggling to find a place for new equipment like the bowling green which was kindly gifted to us by the Community Centre recently. Steve Wetherall has been busy this past week emptying out one of the sheds in the garden. It has been full of chairs and other equipment which we nolonger use. They are being gifted to various other groups across the city, so for a little while at least, we should have some new capacity for storage.

BURNS CAFE SERVICE

On Sunday evening, we had a really special time at Hilton Church reflecting on the life of Robert Burns. I didn't count, but I'm told we had 110 plus at the cafe, with around 25% of those present being there for the first time. The Burns theme clearly appealed to a new constituency, and it was so encouraging to have several people from the congregation actually volunteering for the first time to take part in the cafe through poetry and song. David Shepherd gave a short reflection at the close of the evening on the theological dimensions of Burns poetry which gave us all food for thought. The Burns theme has set me thinking about other people or themes which we can use at the cafe to engage the interest of other people and groups who perhaps wouldn't ordinarily come along.

Perhaps the Christian volume is the theme,

How guiltless blood for guilty man was shed;

How He, who bore in Heaven the second name,

Had not on earth whereon to lay His head:

The Cotter’s Saturday Night

WORTH WATCHING/READING?

I was struck over the last week by two questions which frequently came up in conversations at Hilton Church. Have you seen "Slumdog Millionaire" and have you read "The Shack"? Last night I went to see Slumdog Millionaire at Vue. It's certainly not a feel good film, as some have reported. It's a gritty account of life in the slums of Mumbai. It's not for the faint hearted, but I would highly commend it. It's the best film I have seen since Crash. I will be surprised if it doesn't get an Oscar for Best Film.I haven't read The Shack yet, but I hope to read it in the next couple of weeks.

Lectionary Readings

1st. February 2009
Fourth Sunday After the Epiphany

Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Psalm 111
1 Corinthians 8:1-13; Mark 1:21-28

Worship Team Event

Elaine Watt does an outstanding job of co-ordinating the many and varied aspects of worship within Hilton Church. On Saturday, she led a morning for the worship bands and all the teams linked to the sound desk and av. There was some very positive feedback about the day from many of the people participating. Below are a few reflections from Elaine related to worship.

My simple aim in worship is to come and meet with God.

This meeting with God involves a two way communication. We speak or minister to God and our desire is that He would, in return, speak or minister to us.

With this simple aim over-arching our thoughts, many of the folks involved in leading worship Sunday by Sunday met together today to consider how we as a whole church can do this better. We considered what the essential elements of leading worship are spiritually and practically, what we currently do well, what needs more work and how we might do things differently to address the things that need more work. We spent some time in prayer with God and then playing and singing to God.

We have such a wealth of talent in Hilton Church and I for one am so grateful for every one of the very committed people who serve week by week. I am so encouraged by the level of thinking about our worship that everyone contributed from the youngest teenager to the oldest musicians and singers.

So, the key question that we must come back to week by week is does our leading of worship allow everyone, including us, to meet with God?

And for all of God's people reading this, perhaps the following story that we considered today offers something for us to think about. Click here to read story

Elaine
Saturday, 24 January, 2009

Light house presentation

Crown Church are launching a cafe in the Kingsmills area in the near future. Their Kirk Session came to the Light house today for a day conference, and as part of their programme they invited Iain Ross, Gwen Barlow and myself to tell the story of the development of the Light house. Our presentation was well recieved and it was good to be able to encourage another church looking to launch out on a venture like this. It was a first for the Light house in terms of hosting such a gathering. The kitchen also served a lunch for the first time as part of the conference.Last Sunday, we hosted a baptismal party, so we are slowly getting experience in a variety of different events. Next week, we hope to be able to appoint a deputy manager, and this we expect will lead to lunches being served and longer opening hours. Iain and Gwen's presentations were a reminder of the massive amount of work which has gone into getting the Centre this far. It's great to see the Centre beginning to gather momentum in terms of many different groups and individuals beginning to use it regularly.

PRISON CHOIRS AND POETS

In a recent post Jim Gordon highlighted some quite sublime poetry written on a cup by a prisoner in Guantanamo Bay.

Is It True?
By Osama Abu Kadir

Is it true that the grass grows again after rain?
Is it true that the flowers will rise up again in the Spring?
Is it true that birds will migrate home again?
Is it true that the salmon swim back up their streams?
It is true. This is true. These are all miracles.
But is it true that one day we'll leave Guantanamo Bay?
Is it true that one day we'll go back to our homes?
I sail in my dreams. I am dreaming of home.
To be with my children, each one part of me;
To be with my wife and the ones that I love;
To be with my parents, my world's tenderest hearts.
I dream to be home, to be free from this cage.
But do you hear me, oh Judge, do you hear me at all?
We are innocent, here, we've committed no crime.
Set me free, set us free, if anywhere still
Justice and compassion remain in this world!

"Shortly after 11 September, Osama Abu Kadir travelled to Pakistan to perform charity work in Afghanistan with the Islamic missionary group Tablighi Jamat. The US claims Tablighi was providing fighters for jihad in Afghanistan and arrested Mr Kadir near Jalalabad in November 2001. In his native Jordan, he was known as a dedicated family man who worked as a truck driver. In Guantanamo, he is known as prisoner number 651."

Yesterday on the BBC news website, there was a link to a choir of prisoners who are on death row in Uganda. I don't know anything about the background to these prisoners crimes, but what a beautiful sound they make.

The African Prisons Project is the brain child of Nottingham University student Alexander McLean. In 2004 he visited prisons in Uganda during his gap year. What he found was truly shocking.
Prisoners in Africa are kept in the most appalling conditions. Many are ill with AIDS and TB. Diseases prevail due to malnutrition and a lack of hygiene, clean water and adequate health care. The overcrowded prisons are controlled by brutal regimes and gang rape is rife.
This project aims to alleviate the suffering of the hundreds of men, women and children imprisoned in Africa.

HELPING WITH YOUTH WORK

I see that our youth worker Chris has been highlighting various opportunities to help out with youth and childrens work at Hilton Church. The cartoon by Dave Walker highlights the variety of ways in which you can get involved!

HTC and East Church

I have received a letter from Inverness Presbytery today confirming that Andrew McGowan, Principal of HTC is to be inducted as minister of the East Church on Friday 30th January at 7pm. We are delighted to note that Hector Morrison has been appointed acting Principal and Jamie Grant, acting depute Principal.

WINTER BEAUTY

Driving north this morning on the A9, I was struck afresh by the beauty of the area we live in. It always feels good to be heading home.

VINE TRUST DINNER

The Princess Royal this evening attended a Dinner for the Vine Trust at the Roxburghe Hotel, 38 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, and was received by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh (Councillor George Grubb, the Rt Hon the Lord Provost).

I've recently joined the Board of the Vine Trust, so last night I was down in Edinburgh for the above event. The Princess Royal has been a very strong supporter of the Vine Trust. In 2007, she visited the projects in Peru.Last night she made an outstanding speech, full of humour and displaying a clear interest and understanding of the work of the Trust. The event raised around £30,000 for the Vine Trust.

MYC - Monday Youth Club

21 young people in Primary 6 and 7 came around to the church on Monday night for MYC. Myself and Jonathan watched on as the young folk played snooker, badminton, table tennis and some team games. It was a great night. Would be good to have a few more helpers though. Please speak to me if you feel you could help.

Thanks
Chris

imagination is more important than knowledge

Jonny Baker has one of the most readable blogs around. Today he was reviewing a book which I will be purchasing on the strength of his recommendation. I think I'm a heretic too!

lost horizons

The other day I posted a report from the BBC on the controversy regarding the bus advertising“There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and get on with your life.” Simon Varwell has posted a very stimulating response to this in his blog. “It’s clearly just an advert. Now stop worrying and get on with your faith.“

ALEXANDER GOUDIE

We're hoping to have an epic Impact Cafe next Sunday evening. We've invited everyone to bring along some Scottish fare, and we are assembling a number of people to sing and recite some of the Bard's songs and poems. I've just recieved a link from Dot Walker to the work of Alexander Goudie (late uncle of Dave Goudie.) The paintings have been inspired by Tam O'Shanter.It is a truly magnificent body of work which you can feast your eyes upon here.

HOMELESS SHELTER

There is an urgent need for drivers to help with the runs to the Homeless Shelter with clients in the first two weeks of February. From our understanding, all that is required is an ordinary driving licence as a people carrier is available as transportation. If you feel you can help, there is information about who to contact here

Lectionary Post

Sunday 25th January 09

Third Sunday After the Epiphany
Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Psalm 62:5-12
1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20

Raasay fire

Sad to read of the fire which has caused severe damage to Raasay House. Many of us have great memories of a very special weekend there in 2005,celebrating Laurence and Mairi's wedding. It was a wonderful venue with quite magnificent views of the Cuillins. In the summer of 2007, Peter and I climbed Dun Can, and finished off by having lunch at Rassay House. Hopefully we'll be able to do it again some day.

Hyphop...Friday 16th Jan

Our first Hyphop after Christmas brought 40 children into the church. They were all so excited to be back at Hyphop, it was great to see. We started off in the large hall and played some games with them for about 20 minutes, then we headed through to the church for some singing and story telling. Our theme these past couple of months has been Moses and friday was the fourth instalment of Moses's story, when he headed back into Eygpt to ask Pharoah to set God's people free. It's amazing what the kids remember from previous weeks. We then split into groups where the leader asked them some questions based on the Bible story, followed by some juice and biscuits. We finished with the song God Loves Me, handed out some prizes to the best boy and best girl and sent them all home. A very enjoyable night.

We do still have a need for more helpers, so if you would like to get involved then please speak to me. Thanks

Chris Watt

finishing touches

I'm just putting the finishing touches to my preparation for Sunday morning. I am really enjoying the discipline of preaching from the weekly lectionary readings. Tomorrow we are looking at John 1 (Jesus' call to Philip and Nathaniel), 1 samuel 3 (God's call to Samuel), Psalm 139 (I hear on the grapevine that we may have accompaniment from the Northumbrian pipes for singing from this psalm tomorrow) and finally 1 Corinthians 6. This is a passage which has some pretty direct teaching from Paul on sexual morality. The main focus of my sermon will be on the call of God from Samuel and John, but the reading from Corinthians is something that we can't afford to ignore. Living as we do in a very sexualised culture, we need to think very seriously about these issues in terms of biblical teaching.I think I'll try and come back to it soon. I have baptisms on each of the next 3 Sundays. Tomorrow, Erica, daughter of Laurence and Carolyn Cload will be baptised.

New post at the Light House

Hello, Gwen Barlow here to announce that as the Light House moves into the next stage of its development there is a need to employ a manager to attend to the daily running of the café. This post will initially be for a 3 month period with possibility of an extension. Salary is £6 per hour and working hours are 7 hours a day, 5 days a week. If you are interested in applying for this post please come and speak to me or Iain Ross or contact me on the following details: tel: 01463 224477 mobile 07786022567 email: gwen@hiltonlighthouse.org
Details of the post are also available to take away from the table in the church foyer.
Blessings!

Gwen

Man refuses to drive 'No God' bus

An interesting article in the media today about a bus driver who refused to drive a bus with the sign above.

fully booked

As well as the Men's Event in Glasgow, there is also a major gathering for Women in March called Women Walking with God. Around 20 from Hilton Church have signed up. Over 1000 women are meeting this year in the EICC. If you haven't got your ticket, its too late, as the event is now fully booked up with a waiting list.

GLOBAL MISSIONS GROUP

Starts again 8pm on Mon 26th Jan, 27 Grigor Drive

and then last Mon of each month (venue TBA).
To support & learn from
Robyn H (Lesotho), Matthias & Sabine (Congo),
Ramesh (Malaysia), Amazon Hope and others.

All welcome.

On the Move with God - 7 Feb - Glasgow

The Commission working in partnership with Christian Men Together for Scotland is hosting a day conference for men only (sorry ladies) in Glasgow on 7 February entitled Presence, Promise, Possession. The speakers are Steve Brady and Tommy MacNeil and the worship is being led by Stuart Townend. I attended this event last year and it was superb - a really worthwhile journey. If you would like to come with me this year there are still lifts available. Cost for registration is £20. More info at http://www.thecommission.org.uk/ . Contact Murray McCheyne for more info.

Murray

Gaza petition

Here's an email being circulated by Laurence Phin asking if folk will sign a petition for a ceasefire in Gaza.. For an up to date report on Gaza here is a daily diary by the BBC's Jeremy Bowen.

Hello,

This is not something I would normally circulate. I think though that this very imprtant. I've just signed this emergency petition calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, you might want to do the same. Already over 600 people have been killed and the death toll is climbing daily. Read the email below to learn more...

Dear friends,

The bloodshed in Gaza is escalating −− the death toll now stands at over 600 people and rising, almost half of them civilians and over 100 children dead.[1] As Israeli tanks, airplanes and artillery bombard targets in thickly populated urban areas, thousands more have been injured and 1.5 million terrified civilians have no escape from this prison−like enclave −− the borders have been sealed. Hamas continues to fight and fire rockets deep into Israel, killing 5 Israeli civilians. Our worldwide call for an internationally−guaranteed ceasefire to protect civilians on all sides has begun to ring out loud and clear, winning the support of leaders in Europe, the Middle East and beyond: hopeful outlines of a deal are emerging.[2] But Israel is rejecting a truce for now and escalating its offensive, while US President Bush is opposing a fair UN ceasefire, trying instead to impose a skewed alternative that could legitimize Israel's suffocating isolation of Gaza.[3] Enough is enough: these civilian deaths can't go on, and we can't let Bush and co block a fair, negotiated ceasefire. 250,000 of us have signed the ceasefire petition, let's make it half a million −− we'll publish it in a hard−hitting ad in the Washington Post and deliver it in meetings with UN Security Council members −− follow the link below to see the ad, sign the petition, and forward this message to all your friends and family: http://www.avaaz.org/en/gaza_time_for_peace/98.php?cl_tf_sign=1 Our efforts really can make a difference −− Israel's own foreign minister admits that international pressure, if intense enough, could ensure a ceasefire. As the international community debates and delays, civilians are dying by the day. The top UN official in Gaza says, "There's nowhere safe in Gaza. Everyone here is terrorized and traumatized." Opposing a United Nations resolution, Bush reportedly proposes to exclude Hamas from any ceasefire deal and leave Israel a free hand, something that would guarantee that the violence continues. That's why we're targeting incoming President Obama and US decision−makers, as well as the European Union and other international leaders, to pursue a fair and stable resolution. To be lasting, a ceasefire must protect civilians and end all attacks −− Israeli bombings and incursions as well as the rockets Palestinian factions fire into southern Israel. International supervision is desperately needed at the borders, to reopen Gaza's borders and crossings for food, fuel, medicine and goods, to prevent weapon−smuggling which has only grown under the blockade, and to monitor and enforce the ceasefire on both sides.[4] Hamas, which won elections in 2006 and now runs Gaza, suggests it will agree to such a ceasefire.[5] It should be challenged to live up to its word just like Israel. There is no military solution for either side −− it's time for world powers to step in, advancing a fair deal to protect civilians on all sides and let them live their lives in peace and security. Sign the petition now at the link below and send this message to everyone you know −− we'll publish it in The Washington Post and elsewhere, and seek face−to−face meetings to deliver the petition with the Obama team, the UN Security Council and European leaders: http://www.avaaz.org/en/gaza_time_for_peace/98.php?cl_tf_sign=1

With hope and determination, Paul, Graziela, Ricken, Luis, Alice, Brett, Ben, Iain, Paula, Veronique, Milena and the whole Avaaz team

THE GARAGE

After a lengthy period of having a mobile office, with many of my books being stored in my car boot, my new office in the former manse garage is beginning to take shape. Eddie Morrison has put up some shelving for me, and in the period over the Christmas holidays I had some time to get all my books and papers sorted. It's good to have a base next to the Light house which has people coming and going from it during the day. The area around the church has changed so much over the past few years. There are literally hundreds of people using the shops across the road every day. Hopefully the Light house will give this hub a better social dimension to it, as peoples awareness of its facilities increase.

COLOUR CO-ORDINATED

Now that we are following the Lectionary, I am learning that colour is important. We are now in Ordinary Time, so the colour green is used. You'll notice that I have altered the colour of the blog accordingly! You can read more about the meaning of the various colours here.

MEETINGS

Tuesday is generally a key day for meetings at Hilton. Last night we had our Congregational Board. We also had the Light house management team meeting. Since some of us are involved in both, we had a maximum of 60 minutes for the Board. We have excellent leaders within the Board with Scott Jeffrey as Treasurer and Alan Brown as Property Convenor, so we were able to get through all the business very smoothly, finishing with about 2 minutes to spare!

After a quick coffee at the Light house, we were straight into the next meeting. We are still at an early stage in the establishment of the Centre, so it's not possible to contain the meeting to 58 minutes, but with Iain Ross' leadership we were on our way home shortly after 10pm. Our next scheduled meetings for the Board and Light house are on 24th March, so we can't be accused of spending to much time in meetings!

My overall sense of the meetings last night is of many people working hard together to ensure that everything is done at the highest standard possible. The meetings are an opportunity to catch a glimpse of what for us is an exciting time within the Church.

ON THE SIDE OF THE CHILD

I have highlighted the on going crisis in Gaza on several occasions recently. Still the bombing and the killings go on. The Ministry of Health in Gaza today said 1,010 people have died in the conflict which started 19 days ago. More than 300 of the dead are said to be children and about 4,700 people in Gaza have been injured. Jim Gordon sums up some of my feelings far better than I could ever express them.

Living Wittily has highlighted a number of major challenges which immediately face President-elect Obama, not least the appalling breaches of human rights which continue in Guantanamo Bay.

He writes,

As a Christian, a citizen of the UK, a beneficiary of a democratic way of life which for all its shortcomings confers certain rights and privileges, and as a representative of "the West", I look on Gunatanamo with deep shame, and a deep felt urge to repentance.

His posts here and here on the issue are really worth reading.

The BBC website today contains a very disturbing article in which the woman charged with convening the military commissions at the Camp speaks out about the torture which took place during the Interviews of detainees.

She said: "If we tolerate this and allow it, then how can we object when our servicemen and women, or others in foreign service, are captured and subjected to the same techniques? "How can we complain? Where is our moral authority to complain? Well, we may have lost it."

PURPOSE DRIVEN INAUGURATION!

Bush has given his last press conference and leaves office in 1 weeks time. There has been quite a stir in the US regarding Obama's invitation to Rick Warren to participate in the Inauguration ceremony next Tuesday in Washington.

BUS ADVERTS & LETTERS

Buses across Scotland have donned a controversial slogan – as part of a month-long atheist advertising campaign. As part of a £140,000 publicity project, buses bore the slogan: “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”You can read the full article here.

Stephen Hutchison has written a very good letter to the P&J in response to the campaign which you can read here.

Another Evening with Moody & Sankey

An Evening with Moody & Sankey
Crown Church, Inverness
Friday 16th January at 7.30pm

Come along and enjoy an evening of story and song about the life music of Moody & Sankey with Stuart Frizzell. Join us in singing some of the well known Moody & Sankey hymns.

There is no charge for admission but we would appreciate donations which will be given entirely to Highland Hospice and the Maggies Centre.

Coffee, Tea and Biscuits in the hall after the performance, which will finish around 9.30pm. Off street parking is available in the Crown School.

Lectionary Readings

January 18, 2009
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20); Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
1 Corinthians 6:12-20; John 1:43-51

STOP THE KILLING

If you wish, you can make your protest via Asbo Jesus.

Health officials in Gaza say more than 800 Palestinians have died. Israel says 13 Israelis have been killed. Leaders of all major faiths in the UK have joined Christian Aid today in calling for an immediate ceasefire and unfettered humanitarian access to Gaza. You can read more here Robert Fisk is one of the most highly regarded journalists in the Middle East.He has written some very powerful articles in The Independent, which give a good background to the current crisis.

JOHN FERGUSON

I was back in my home church in Portree on the Island of Skye yesterday. I was there to attend the funeral of John Ferguson who was the minister there from 1980 until 2002. John gave me a great deal of support and encouragement as I began to take tentative steps towards entering the ministry in the early 1980's. My whole family - both my parents and my 3 sisters and brother- became Christians during these years, so John was a very important person for us all.

The church was absolutely packed with many people listening to the service from outside. John left a message for the gathering encouraging us not to be too sad because his death meant that he was going home. A journey of faith which began in N Uist in the late 1950's had reached its fulfilment.The service was very uplifting. John, a man of great grace and humour had a massive influence in the lives of so many people, and I for one am so thankful that I knew him. The highlight of the service for me was a gaelic psalm sung by the congregation. With relatively few gaelic speakers around these days, this kind of congregational singing is quite rare. I found it very moving. John retired to Beauly and in the subsequent years, he was a great help to me, providing pastoral support for the Parish when I was away. Today the family are travelling to North Uist where Johns remains will be buried. The day was a reminder of the brevity of life and of the joy of being able to share it with great people like John Ferguson.

Bulletin Notices

All notices for the Bulletin should be passed to me by 9am Friday morning (at the latest)
e-mail at: bulletin@hiltonchurch.org.uk
Or telephone me on 01463 233310 (9am—12noon, Mon - Fri)
Notices can also be left in my pigeon hole at the back of the church. (top, left hand side)
Thanks, Sandra

BURNS CAFE SERVICE

25th January is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns. We are planning a cafe service that evening in which the songs and poetry of Burns will be celebrated. A great deal of Burn's work was linked to themes which were often very critical of the church and it's hypocricy, a label which is still often cited. We'll look at this and see whether there are any abiding and relevant messages from Burn's work for us in the Church today.We hope that the evening will have a wide appeal to people of all ages, and we are also hoping that the cafe menu that evening will have a Scottish flavour to it. To that end we are asking if you might be able to bake and bring along something with a Scottish theme to share, and we'll supply the Irn Bru and Tea!

Renovation of the heart

Over the past 3 months I have been slowly reading through one of the books which Roy Searle and Philip Noble recommended at the LIFE WITH GOD weekend - Renovation of the heart by Dallas Willard. The book presents a radical challenge to be transformed to the likeness of Christ in every dimension of life. I'm now half way through the book, and each time I read it I am struck by some phrase which speaks powerfully into our life experience.

"Civilisation, we sometimes realize, is a thin veneer over savagely competing wills"

The death toll in Gaza is now in excess of 600.

Scripture Union group at Hilton Primary

The SU Group at Hilton starts back next Wednesday. Myself and Gillian Oates (auxiliary in the school) lead the group, which runs every Wednesday from 12.45 till 1.15. We generally get around 20+ kids coming along. Its a great time to tell the kids a little bit more about Jesus and the love He has for them.

This term I will be encouraging the group to think about going on an SU Camp, and particularly the camp that I will be at during the first week of the Easter holidays. Camp is such a great experience for children and for the leaders too. If you are keen to help at an SU Camp then please speak to myself or Elaine and we will happily give you more information, or check out http://www.suscotland.org.uk/about.aspx

Chris

BAPTISM

We are going to be having baptisms on three successive Sundays this month, so the lectionary readings this week with their focus on water and baptism are very timely.

Genesis 1: 1-5
Psalm 29
Acts 19: 1-7
Mark 1: 4-11

Good News about Money.

The good news about money, according to The Observer, is that only a small percentage of people end up in the disastrous position of going bankrupt or having their home repossessed. People who survive the downturn in the economy are often those who see an issue before it becomes a crisis and deal with it. The difference between keeping afloat and going under can start with something as simple as a change in attitude towards money.

The Money Secret – a 6 week, fortnightly course on handling finances.
Starts: Jan 14th 10 am @ The Light House. (Creche available)

Contact: Colm Black if you wish to come. families@hiltonchurch.org.uk
07746 770 695.

Speaking as an athiest!

Before travelling to Peru for the first time I read Inca Cola by Matthew Parris. Today I have read a quite outstanding article in The Times by Parris. His observations about Africa are all the more remarkable given the fact that he is an avowed athiest!

Those who want Africa to walk tall amid 21st-century global competition must not kid themselves that providing the material means or even the know how that accompanies what we call development will make the change. A whole belief system must first be supplanted.

Where is your wealth?

Another really excellent New Year address by the Archbishop of Canterbury, which you can access here.

ROGIE FALLS

Rogie Falls, about 20 minutes drive from Inverness offers a variety of good walks. I have been meaning to go there for years, and eventually got round to it today. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, despite the extreme cold (-6 degrees) and look forward to returning again soon.

Matthias & Sabine Holmer

Today we were saying au revoir to Matthias and Sabine Holmer who are going to be working with Christliche Fachkrafte International in the Democratic Republic of Congo . Matthias is a GP and Sabine is a mid wife.They have spent the last few months in Nice learning French prior to taking up work in a Congolese village called Nebobongo close to the Ugandan border. It's been great to have them sharing at Hilton during the past 2 years, and we look forward to sharing with them from afar as they embark on this new venture of faith.

The International Association for the Study of Youth Ministry

Jonathan Fraser is currently in Cambridge at the anual conference for the The International Association for the Study of Youth Ministry.He was presenting a paper this morning. If you want to see what the programme for the conference is, you can find it here.

an eye for an eye?

ASBO JESUS has a telling series of images related to the current crisis in Gaza. The images portray the mismatch which has led to the appalling loss of civilian life. For from condemning such barbaric activity, President Bush hasn't even called for restraint. We prayed for the situation today in our worship. May a way be found which enables a peaceful and just outcome for both sides. The following article from the Guardian gives a more detailed analysis of the situation than you will find on TV.

Linne Bheag

Peter Neilson has written about a day he is running at Linne Bheag in Fife, a centre he has established along with his wife Dorothy. More information about many different courses are available here

Journaling as a Spiritual Discipline
Saturday 31 January 2009

We live life forwards but can only understand it backwards, So said Soren Kierkegaard many years ago. And it is just as true today. Journaling is one way of tracing the hand of God in our lives.

On Saturday 31st January we invite you to come to Anstruther, notebook in hand, prepared to write or draw yourself to a clearer understanding of where your life is right now, how it got there, and where it seems to be taking you. The day will be a balance of teaching, talking, writing and discovering – as busy or as quiet a day as you choose.

Schools back

It's the last weekend before the schools go back. All the activities will begin in earnest again on Monday. Over the past few months I have grown to really appreciate GET OUT OF JAIL FREE. Here is a post from Anne Droid which has a ring of truth about it, especially the second utube clip. At first glance, I thought it was Sarah Palin!

sustain:if:able kiwi

Steve Taylor has given himself a new blogging title, and he has a very thought provoking blog on sustainable spirituality to begin 2009

GOOD NEWS FROM ROBYN.

Good news at Robyn's blog . The pesky rats have been eliminated! This is good news for Rod MacLean and myself as we hope to visit Robyn in February. I don't know about Rod, but I have had my fair share of rats in developing world situations, and I wasn't relishing a repeat performance.

A REASON TO GO ON

I've been reading the lectionary passages for Sunday. The passage from Isaiah 60 has particularly struck me. Light in dark places. God's glory appearing in the dark places.

See, darkness covers the earth

and thick darkness is over the peoples,

but the LORD rises upon you

and his glory appears over you. (v2)

The readings are:

Isaiah 60:1-6;

Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14

Ephesians 3:1-12;

Matthew 2:1-12

I found this short piece which I think touches on the hope we have, even in the dark times.

The Spirit is breathing.

All those with eyes to see,

women and men with ears for hearing

detect a coming dawn;

a reason to go on.

They seem small,

these signs of dawn perhaps ridiculous.

All those with eyes to see,

Women and men with ears

for hearing uncover in the night a certain gleam of light;

they see the reason to go on.

(Dom Helder Camera, Its Midnight, Lord)