Longniddry Church is proud to be a public place of worship. Our doors are open for many acts of worship, weekly and monthly, as well as being home to lots of other groups (both church and non-church). Please join us at sometime - you, your family and your guests are very welcome indeed. |
With this being the first update of the year, I would like to wish all our visitors a peaceful 2012. Also, this new start to another annual cycle offers me the chance to try something new: to use this space each month to tell everyone just a little about a minister’s life and work throughout the year. So here goes with the first instalment of “Through the Year with Robin”.
One great thing about ministry is that no two days are ever the same. As someone who doesn’t particularly warm to the same old routine over and over, this suits me just fine. That said, with all sorts of unexpected ministry duties coming my way as they do, I find it very important to plan ahead as much as I can for those aspects of life I know to be “firm fixtures”.
So through this January, I have been busy working with many friends and colleagues to plan out Sunday worship, organ rotas, midweek services, home Communions, adult education groups, Film Club screenings, events for Fair Trade Fortnight and Christian Aid, youth work, concerts, coffee mornings, talks to a variety of different gatherings, Souper Sunday, and more besides, whether in Gladsmuir, Longniddry or beyond. Here, of course, teamwork is very much the name of the game, and that crucial teamwork is deeply appreciated by me.
In addition, I have been looking ahead to Lent and Easter, and (would you believe?) even to next Christmas, because if I don’t do the necessary planning at an early stage, then I have to wonder when it would ever get done. This is a busy job, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Another great thing about ministry is that it is has two key points of focus to it: God and people. This means that it’s my job not only to lead worship and preach in church, but also to go out of our building and into the community to work with people wherever they are to be found: in homes; in hospitals; in schools. And yes, in those inevitable committees too!
What term sums all this up? Perhaps “etcetera”, because ministry is about all sorts of things all at once: engaging with the reality of life and faith in its many joys and sorrows, day by day. That can be tough at times, though even at its toughest ministry remains a real privilege.
In the months to come, I hope to be able to tell you a little about how my role in Christ’s ministry is shaped throughout the year. I hope you find my story as engaging as I find my work.
Robin Hill
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Longniddry Church has four groups aimed at our varied age groups of young people: YCG for S1 age upwards, JTYC if you are between 9-12, Sunday Club if you're between 3 - 8 and creche for anyone under 3. New members are always welcome so please just come along at the first service (9.45am) and see what we have to offer.
We are always in need of extra helpers (and it doesn't have to be every week!!)
If you would like to volunteer to help with a group, please contact Beth Elliott on 853423.
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