writes Jamie Griggs, our new assistant minister

“Your mission, should you choose to accept it....”

I wonder if you know the ‘Mission Impossible’ series: at the start of the story, a tape appears in the hand of the agent (Jim Phelps in the original series, Tom Cruise in the recent films) and, after passing on the instructions, it self-destructs.  (Something similar happens in ‘The Incredibles’, which just goes to show a good trick is always worth borrowing!).

Over the past weeks, we have heard once again those familiar stories; stories about individuals, events and life-changing journeys:  the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, the journey of the angels to the shepherds, and the journey of the shepherds to the place where a special child had been born. Perhaps for some of them, their mission must have been challenging, if not seemingly impossible.

The New Year brings us all new challenges and opportunities.  Most of all, it brings an opportunity to reflect on how we live, and how we relate to others.  Sometimes our ‘mission’ may even seem at first glance to be difficult, indeed, impossible, requiring us to move to new places, meet new folk and undertake new and challenging activities.  But this can also be very exciting!

I am very excited about the new ‘mission’ I have been offered, at the start of this New Year: being the Assistant Minister in Gladsmuir & Longniddry for the next fifteen months is an exciting and challenging opportunity, meeting new people, and sharing in the life of the community as we all journey on together.  I hope to have the opportunity to meet with many of you over the next few months. (I shall, however, avoid exploding tapes!).

In the meantime, all best wishes for 2010.

If you have kids and worry that they won't make it through the service, help is at hand!
Come along on Sunday mornings to the 9.45 service. After the children's talk (about 15 minutes into the service), the kids go through to the church hall.

For babies and younger children, a creche operates most Sundays. We take children from birth to round about 3 years old. Please note that there will be no creche available on February 14th or 21st due to school holidays.

Click here for more information about the groups. If you would like to volunteer to help with a group, please contact Beth Elliott (Sunday Club, JTYC, TYC) on 853423 or Ruth Couper (creche) on 852412.