Prayer Topics

Prayer Topics Wednesday 28 Oct 2020

click here to download the prayer notes

Home Groups

Home Groups meet again in 'Zoom' Gatherings on

Wed 28th/Thu 29th October

click here to download the questions

dates after the October break

11th/12th & 25th/26th Nov,

9th/10th Dec

It's a chance to catch up and see each other and think more about the Sunday sermon.

Not part of a Home Group and would like to give it a try?

CONTACT THE CHURCH OFFICE 01463 226727

Farquhar's Midweek Message 21st October 2020

 

Finishing Well
Farquhar’s Midweek Message – Wednesday 21 October 2020

For a number of summers when I was growing up we had a young Dutch lad called Willem come to work on the farm. One summer his whole family came over to visit and I met his eldest brother who was called Asa. I’d never heard that name and being someone with a rather strange first name myself I asked him about it. He told me he was named after one of the good kings from the Bible – that made sense as the family are Dutch Reformed. I’d never heard of King Asa at that point but sure enough I discovered his story in 2 Chronicles 14-16 (it’s also in 1 Kings 15:8- 24).

King Asa was one of only a few kings ‘who did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God’ (2 Chr. 14:2) amongst a whole heap of the kings of Judah and Israel who did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He tried hard to get rid of all the idolatry in the land at that time (even deposing his grandmother because she made an Asherah pole!) and he urged the people to seek the LORD. He fortified all his cities and yet when foreign armies came against him he didn’t put his hope in his defences but prayed to God, ‘O LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you.’ (2 Chr. 14:11). The writer of 2 Chronicles says that ‘Asa’s heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life’ (15:17).

However, King Asa didn’t finish too well. In the last years of his long 41 year reign he made a mess of things.

First of all he stopped relying on God when faced with a scary new threat (He ran to a pagan king for help when an army came to attack him – 2 Chr 16:1-6)

Secondly, he responded in anger when he was confronted with his foolishness and then began to lash out at his own people (2 Chr 16:7-10)

Finally, he got sick but only trusted in doctors: ‘In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though the disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the LORD, but only from physicians (2 Chr 16:12). This is the last thing we hear about his life – in this most personal of sufferings he didn’t seek God’s help, but only that of the medical profession.

The message to you and me is clear: Don’t be an Asa!

• We’re all facing a scary new threat to our lives and society with Covid-19. Maybe it comes on top of other things we’re dealing with and we’re in danger of losing our nerve and forgetting to rely on God who has kept us thus far.
• Maybe someone has tried to speak to us about our foolishness at keeping God out of the picture; or about our reliance on things or people that don’t have our best interests at heart. Have we reacted angrily, pushing them away, trying to stay in control?
• Are we sick - acutely, chronically, terminally? Are we 100% relying on those pills, that next appointment with the doctor, a new therapy, to help us?

This last mistake of Asa’s really resonated with me because I’m in my 39th year (although of life not reign!) and have had something of a health crisis. So this was such a powerful reminder to me to seek the Lord in my illness and not to give in to the temptation to rely solely on the things of this world to help.

None of us knows if we’re on the final stretch of our lives because none of us knows the day or the hour of Christ’s return or our death. If we’re following Jesus then surely we want to finish well. None of us wants to have it said of us in the courts of Heaven that in our trouble we sought only human help not that of the Lord God.

The good news is that Jesus Christ has promised never to leave or forsake those who turn to him. Remember as Jesus neared the end of his earthly life he faced terrors untold & was tempted to turn away from His Father’s plan, but instead he sought him: ‘Not my will but yours be done.’ We have a Saviour who has laid down his life and taken up our sins on the cross. He finished well: ‘It is finished!’ And now in his risen power he will provide all that is needed for those he has redeemed to run their race & finish well too – he gives us himself. As Paul said, ‘I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me’ (Galatians 2:20). Seeking him is not hard as long as our hearts aren’t! As we turn to him humbly & gratefully and tell him of our pain & crises he promises to give us all the resources we need to face them.

The photo at the top of this message intentionally shows someone who has finished a gruelling, muddy obstacle course because that’s the kind of race we are in as followers of Jesus. There are just so many challenges and obstacles that scare us and confirm to us that we’re not enough on our own. But we must remember that Jesus goes round every stage of our life’s course with us, his Spirit empowers us every step, and most wonderfully, the finish line is not the end but a glorious beginning.

Pause if you can & take a moment to meditate on these truths, to tell God what’s on your heart.

If you need encouragement or feel like praising him then here’s a great song I came across recently, sung by Greg Lafollettte:

Jesus Never Fails https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBTWUzUhlwc 

The lyrics are:

Earthly friends may prove untrue
Doubts and fears assail
One still loves and cares for you
Jesus never fails
 
Jesus never fails
Jesus never fails
Heav'n and earth may pass away
But Jesus never fails

 Though the sky be dark and drear
Fierce and strong the gale
Just remember He is near
And He will not fail
 
In life's dark and bitter hour
Love will still prevail
Trust His everlasting pow'r
Jesus will not fail

Christianity Explored Online 2020

 

Christianity Explored

We are intending to run a Christianity Explored course (on Zoom) on Sunday evenings from 7.30pm on Sunday November 1^st. This course offers those interested the opportunity to consider the person of Jesus, who he is, why he came and what it means to follow him. Each Sunday one key element of the Christian message will be considered by means of online video presentation with the chance to listen to, think or ask about and critique what is presented. No prior knowledge is necessary, no question is off limits, no faith is assumed. If someone completes the whole course, it will take 7 Sundays but people are welcome to come to the first evening, November 1^st without obligation. An evening will last for about I hour. If you would like to come or would like to invite someone, please get int touch with myself david@insheschurch.org or Doris office@insheschurch.org

Truth Trackers Worksheets

 Truth Trackers Worksheets

for livestream Gathering 25 October 2020

Worksheets for older Truth Trackers - click here to download

 Worksheets for younger Truth Trackers - click here to download

Letter from Glen

click here to read/download

Booking for Inshes Church Sunday Gatherings 10.30am

Bookings for Sunday Morning Gatherings

We re-opened the Inshes Church Building for our Sunday Gatherings on Sunday September 13^th at 10.30am.   As per Government instructions, we can only accommodate 50 people in total in the building on the day and therefore as we indicated earlier, this & future Sunday Gatherings will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel and through our website so that those who cannot be present in person, will be able to watch it live at home from 10.30am.

We really want people to come but we also want people to be aware of what they are coming to and of medical advice relating to any health risk involved in coming. In regard to such risk, the Church of Scotland has put together an Assessment ‘Tool’ which you can read/download on this link, and which may help people in thinking through the issues involved for them. We would encourage people to have a look at this before booking.

Those who wish to attend will have in book their place in advance.  To book a seat please contact Doris in the church Office 01463 226727 or email office@insheschurch.org. You can book during office hours from Monday 9am to Friday 4pm prior to each Sunday. If we are oversubscribed those whom we are unable to offer a place for the immediate Sunday will be given first priority for the following Sunday, unless they do not wish it.

·        If allocated a seat, please come early as there may be queuing inside and out.

·        Your household will be allocated seats together and 2m from others

·        Signage will be in place and Welcomers will direct you to your allocated seat(s) and the toilet.

·        Hand sanitizer and the Accessible toilet will be available

·        Wearing a face covering is compulsory

·        The doors may be open to aid ventilation, so please dress appropriately

·        There will be no congregational singing (though we would intend to play hymns/songs to listen to)

·        We won’t uplift an offering

·        There will be no Truthtrackers or creche available (though the gatherings will take account of children present)

·        There will be no tea/coffee etc served – please bring own water if needed

·        We are required to keep a register, for a period of 21 days, of those who attend to support contact tracing as part of NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect programme

 If anything is not clear or you have any other queries of any kind, please do not hesitate to contact Doris in the church Office 01463 226727 or email office@insheschurch.org  

Mens Breakfast

Men's Breakfast

next meet 10th October 2020 

Alternate Saturdays hosted on Zoom 8.30 -10am

the link is on the Wednesday Update email or contact the church office

Coronavirus - Events postponed

Coronavirus - Church update 27th March
In light of Government advice the following church events have been postponed until further notice - 

• FAB, Wednesday
• Home Groups - Wed/Thu
• Sunday Morning and Evening Gatherings
• Inshes Teens, Sunday
• Tuesday Fellowship
• Prayer Time, Wednesday
• CONNECT, Friday 
• MOL Monthly Gathering, Sunday
• Women's Bible Study, Tuesday
• Men's Breakfast, Saturday
• T@5.30pm, Sunday 

Annual Stated Meeting 5th March 2020 - Minute

Annual Stated Meeting Tuesday 5th March 2020

Click here to read or download the Minute

Click here to listen to or download the audio file

MOL Monthly Gatherings

In light of the Government advice on the coronavirus

Monthly Gathering have been postponed until further notice

Inshes Church has been the parish for Milton of Leys since 2003, but MOL has rapidly grown since then and in many ways has become it's own distinct community.  For that reason our hope in the years ahead is to establish 'a church in Milton of Leys for the people of Milton of Leys'.
Our Associate Minister Farquhar Forbes (Chaplain at MOL Primary) has been tasked with helping to pursue this vision and for the past 4 years he and his team have run Holiday Clubs & other events in the school hall.

Since August 2019 we've been hosting monthly Sunday Gatherings in the school hall. These have proved very popular with families but we want everyone who lives in Milton of Leys to know that you are welcome too: whatever your age, background or belief.

The Gatherings are free and have a very simple format:
       4.00pm Craft time  with tea, coffee & home-baking
       4.45pm Service - including songs, a Bible reading & a short message
       5.30pm Dinner together

You're welcome to come for all or just part of it.

So far the Gatherings have proved to be a great space for folks to get to know each other and to build community in a relaxed environment.  Its also a safe place for people to come who may be unsure about faith & church but would like to explore it.

Why not pop along and check one out?

You'll get a warm welcome!