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He is able to do IMMEASURABLY more than all we ask for or imagine. From Ephesians 3:20

You are invited to pray with fellow Presbyters every Wednesday at 12 noon

Lord, keep us under the shadow of your mercy in this time of uncertainty and distress. Sustain and support the anxious and fearful, and lift up all who are brought low; that we may rejoice in your comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love.

Lord God during these unprecedented and unsettling times we pray for the church as it tries to adjust to circumstances that run counter to the existence of communal worship and fellowship. As we reflect on times past when we have been able to meet in familiar and sacred spaces with friends and acquaintances who shared our love of the Christian faith, we find ourselves yearning for those precious times again which we often took for granted. Now that those spaces and experiences are denied to us, we painfully realise what we no longer have but our faith is not just for the past and the present but also for the future.

For the present we give grateful thanks for the innovative ways in which the church has adopted to different ways of worship and fellowship and to different ways of offering care and compassion albeit at a distance. We offer thanks for the technology that has allowed Ministers and Worship Leaders across Argyll to continue to offer opportunities for worship and to reach new audiences who have found online worship reassuring and comforting during challenging times. We especially pray for those people whose dormant or non-existent faith has been re-ignited during these times and we pray that this will produce a re-awakening of their spiritual life in the longer term. We pray for all Ministers and Worship Leaders that their message remains fresh and relevant for these challenging times.

Lord, we pray too for congregational office bearers who are concerned with fabric and finance. As church buildings remain empty, we pray that they remain in a safe and good condition and we are thankful to those who keep a watchful eye on our buildings at this time. We also bring to mind congregational treasurers as they try to balance the accounts against a falling income when bills continue to need to be paid. We pray that in time, our finances will return to a healthier situation without adversely affecting the work and outreach of the local church in the future. Lord we give thanks for all the unsung heroes found in local congregations who lend support to those in need in a variety of capacities. We pray that in the course of all that they do, they are properly protected and stay safe and well.

We pray for the work of Presbytery which continues quietly in the background albeit in a different way from before. We give thanks for the diligence of our Presbytery Clerk, Stewart Shaw, who has to adapt to working in a different way, whilst still ensuring that the business of Presbytery continues. We give thanks for all of the Convenors who are ensuring that their committees continue to function online so that vital and important matters are still dealt with in a timely and appropriate manner. We pray that the meeting of the Business Committee due to convene in the next week or so will proceed smoothly as plans are determined for the continued functioning of Presbytery within ongoing policy guidelines for social distancing and safe practices.

Lord, we pray for our Presbytery staff who have been furloughed at this difficult time. We give thanks for the important work that they have been involved with in the past and we pray that circumstances will permit their quick return to continue with this in the future. We remember too our vacant congregations who without a Minister now have the additional burden of dealing with the pandemic. We give thanks for the work undertaken by Interim Moderators who are now compelled to undertake their work from a safe distance.

Lord our past and present are important but so too is our future and as we progress through these times and see glimpses of the future beginning to emerge we also need to begin to think about our future as a church and as witnesses to that glorious vision. You remind us that you are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and so we look forwards to tomorrow with a soaring hope in our heart and a determined view that once the pandemic is brought under control and normality returns we will take up our places again in those sacred spaces and determine never to take them for granted again.

We are not people of fear: we are people of courage. We are not people who protect our own safety: we are people who protect our neighbours’ safety. We are not people of greed: we are people of generosity. We are your people God, giving and loving, wherever we are, whatever it costs For as long as it takes wherever you call us. Amen

‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast’. Ephesians 2:8-9

Douglas Allan, Interim Moderator for Tiree Parish Church, invites everyone to pray with him at 12noon every Wednesday. Below is the prayer for this week:

Lord, keep us under the shadow of your mercy in this time of uncertainty and distress. Sustain and support the anxious and fearful, and lift up all who are brought low; that we may rejoice in your comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love.

Lord, we have just been on an extraordinary Lenten journey unlike no other we have ever experienced before, and an Easter morn spent physically apart but united by the encouragement and hope of the Resurrection. More than ever we need to sustain a hope in the future despite ongoing fears and concerns for our health and wellbeing. Many of us are fortuitous in our circumstances even in these trying circumstances however not all people are so lucky. Today, as we pray together as a Presbytery, we bring to mind those on the margins of society who are in danger of being pushed further towards the margins as a result of the pandemic.

Lord today we pray for those whose limited budgets and family circumstances mean that they need to prioritise whether to stay warm or eat and who in the current situation are pushed to ever more desperate decisions especially when there are children involved. We pray too for those who through social circumstances live on their own and whose isolation has now become more acute. We think too, of those who live on the streets enduring freezing cold nights and are exposed to personal danger that a pandemic imposes on a vulnerable population. We bring to mind the prison population, both prisoners and staff, who are at greater danger of infection due to the difficulties of implementing social distancing in circumstances that impose separation from families and friends. We especially remember those who experience mental health issues particularly those who find life challenging and who in these straightened circumstances, will find the lack of normality and routine especially challenging. We remember too, those people who live in remote and rural parts of Scotland and in particular the remote islands of our Presbytery where day to day living can be a challenge with an, at times, fragile dependency on tourism, crofting and fishing along with reduced transport links. Lord, in a society that purports to be all inclusive there are so many parts of the community who live on the margins and are particularly exposed to danger at this time. We pray that you reign your blessings upon us all at this time that they feel and keep safe as possible in these circumstances and that they will experience the protection that you can offer them through your love and compassion.

We pray too for all those who work to protect and care for the marginalised at this time. We bring to mind those whom we know whose job takes them into direct contact with those most in need and for the army of volunteers who care for those who need it most. We remember today the increased workload experienced by food banks and we pray that they won’t be overwhelmed by demand and that donations will continue to be plentiful. We pray your protection on those involved in handling goods and in their delivery to doorsteps. We pray for those striving to find a safe indoor space for the homeless and the ability to keep all those at risk safe and for those whose responsibility it is to oversee the prison population, a task that presents a daily danger to staff without the need to maintain social distancing. We pray too for all those involved in caring for mentally challenged people in our community; a task that depends on direct and personal interaction with clients now becomes so much more difficult and thus places both carer and client in increased danger. In the fragile economy of remote and island communities we give grateful thanks for crews of ferries, buses, trucks and planes who strive to maintain vital and essential links and supplies to those communities; keep them all safe and well at this time.

Lord, Eastertide is a time of hope and renewal but for many it is difficult to feel this at the moment, sustain us all and those we worry about so that we can lift our eyes to the horizon and see and experience the hope that your sustaining love and care holds for us.

We are not people of fear: we are people of courage. We are not people who protect our own safety: we are people who protect our neighbours’ safety. We are not people of greed: we are people of generosity. We are your people God, giving and loving, wherever we are, whatever it costs For as long as it takes wherever you call us.

We ask all this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

In the midst of the current pandemic there is much fear and anxiety and it is good to remember verses from God’s word which give us hope and encouragement. ‘The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid;do not be discouraged.’ Deuteronomy 31:8

Presbytery is having a weekly time of prayer at 12 noon each Wednesday. It would be good for us to join in prayer at this time.

The prayer for this week is below.

kind regards, Pat

Lord keep us under the shadow of your mercy in this time of uncertainty and distress. Sustain and support the anxious and fearful, and lift up all who are brought low, that we may rejoice in your comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love.

Lord we seek your protection for all those who still need to travel to engage in essential tasks to keep the rest of us safe. Today we bring to mind all those front line staff working in hospitals, testing stations, ambulances, police and fire stations, supermarkets and pharmacies.We give thanks for their dedication and hard work and we pray that they stay safe at this time. We remember those too who maintain our mail delivery helping us to maintain contact with others and for delivery drivers and local shopkeepers who bring essential goods to our doorsteps. We give thanks and acknowledge the willingness of local volunteers to look after the vulnerable in our communities and we are all reminded at this time of the importance of looking out for our neighbours.

Lord we are challenged to maintain our faith in these difficult times having been deprived of the sense of community worship. Lord we give thanks for the sterling efforts of all those who have endeavoured to learn new digital skills so that corporate worship of all sorts can continue throughout Argyll and beyond. We pray that those who have embarked on this form of ministry are able to sustain us all through these difficult times. We especially pray for our ministerial colleagues who strive to maintain pastoral care at a distance, an alien concept in a world where personal interaction and presence are crucial but now no longer possible.We pray too for those times when they might be called upon to conduct funeral services, help them to find ways of consoling the bereaved that is meaningful in these difficulties.

We are not people of fear, we are people of courage. We are not people who protect our own safety, we are people who protect our neighbours safety. We are not people of greed, we are people of generosity.We are your people God, giving and loving, wherever we are, whatever it costs for as long as it takes wherever you call us.

We ask all this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Morning Worship at Tiree Parish Church will be suspended until further notice. If anyone wishes to speak to an Elder about any matter, please feel free to do so.

“If people humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land ” 2 Chronicles 7 v14

During WW2 when Britain was on the brink of defeat, King George VI called for a National Day of Prayer. This was on 26th May 1940 when millions of people flocked into churches and prayed for deliverance. This led to the miracle of Dunkirk when 335,000 soldiers were rescued from French beaches using small craft.

In view of the severity of the coronavirus it is not only national prayer but global prayer that we need.

Let us all pray.

The Church of Scotland and Tiree Baptist Church will hold a number of services over the Christmas period – please read on for further details…

Sunday 23rd December

11.00 am at An Talla – Morning Service (Baptist Church)

11.30 am at Heylipol Church – Morning Worship led by Douglas Allan

Monday 24th December

4.30 pm at Heylipol Church – Service of Nine Lessons and Carols followed by hot chocolate and mince pies

11.30 pm at Baugh Church – “It came upon a midnight clear” Joint churches service

Christmas Day

11.00 am at Heylipol Church – “Celebrating the Birth” Joint churches service

Sunday 30th December

11.00 am at An Talla – Morning Service (Baptist Church)

11.30 am at Heylipol Church -Morning Worship led by Rev Dave Slater

Mr. Douglas Allan has been appointed Interim Moderator for Tiree Parish Church. Our thanks go to Rev Dr Iain Barclay for his support, pastoral care and ministry over the last couple of years. Douglas is looking forward to taking up his role and has asked that if anyone would like a home or hospital visit, to please inform their elder who will pass the message on.

The Tiree Parish Church profile is now available to view.  Please click here to learn more about the Church, the island and the community of Tiree.