The Stirling Bridgebuilder - July 18, 2008
posted in Missions, Europe |
39 Wishart Drive
Broomridge, Stirling FK7 7TR
Scotland, U.K.
Tel: 011-44-1786-816259
Email: mitchvick@btinternet.com
Mid-Summer in Scotland
This is always one of my favorite times of the year in Scotland, whether it’s a hot summer or a cool rainy one. This year, so far, definitely comes down in the cool and rainy category. Our brilliant sunny weather of May has given way to showery weather throughout June, but it is still very pleasant. Days are long at this time of the year (the sun doesn’t set until around 10 pm), making it possible to be outside a bit more, as long as you take an umbrella with you!
Stirling Church News
The Stirling congregation is doing well. Our congregational meeting in early July was an informal “feedback session,” getting ideas and views from the church which the elders want to process and work with over the coming weeks. It was a good and positive time together as the church looks to the future and seeks better ways of reaching the lost of Scotland.
Our members are doing well, though many will be out of town in the coming weeks. John Renwick has been given an “all clear so far” in his follow-up scans and check-ups. His three month post surgery recovery time is almost complete now, and we are hoping to see him beginning to resume at least some congregational duties next month. We praise God for the continuing victory of his recovery. Our sister Maggie Campbell has experienced some ups and downs in health, and we continue to keep her in our prayers, praying that she might be as healthy in body as she is in spirit! We continue to study weekly with Pauline McGachy, and recently the church held its mid-week Bible class in her home, which was quite a step for her husband Stephen. We believe we are slowly building bridges to Stephen, who is a committed Roman Catholic and has been difficult to reach out to in the past. There have been several “extra” fellowship activities recently. In late June, a number of Stirling church members enjoyed a recent Saturday trip to Bamburgh Castle and Holy Island, an early center of missionary activity to the British Isles on England’s northeast coast. It was a great day of fellowship together.
Temporary FriendSpeak Changes
The summer holiday season is now upon us, and this has disrupted our regular Sunday FriendSpeak sessions with so many people out of town in the weeks ahead. Until the university resumes in August/September we will continue working with our 4 regular FriendSpeak readers, Jie, Danny, Ann, and Carey on Tuesday afternoons. We are thankful that Jie, who was baptized earlier this year, Danny, and Carey all continue to attend Sunday morning worship faithfully. We are planning a BBQ at our home soon for all involved in the FriendSpeak work, and several other special activities are also being planned for the near future.
Stirling’s First Youth Day
The Stirling church’s first ever Youth Day was a big success with over 25 young people attending from Morley, England, and several churches across the central belt. Tristan and Leslie Block, along with David and Emma McCready, put a tremendous amount of work and preparation into this excellent day, and the feedback from all who attended was extremely good. We certainly hope to be able to host other similar events in the not too distant future.
Family News
Isobel and I are doing well. We are enjoying having our son Robin and his wife Chrissy back in Scotland at the moment. They are visiting various congregations as they gather information and begin to make some decisions about what they would like to do when they finish their studies in Bible school next year. They are committed, God willing, to returning to the British Isles to work with congregations here and, perhaps, in time, to planting a new work somewhere. Please keep them in your prayers as they plan and prepare for this. The Stirling congregation enjoyed hearing Robin preach in Sunday worship on June 22nd. Hannah has now finished her first clinical placement, in ER, and has started a second, in family practice. She enjoyed being able to spend the 4th of July holiday with Laura and Clay in Dallas. Laura and Clay are also well and are busy with their jobs, as well as making plans for her graduate studies next year.
Brethren, we love you and appreciate your interest in Scotland so very much. We ask you to keep praying for us.
Yours in the Lord’s service,
Mitch and Isobel Vick