  Your dream home?
something closer to nature? Fiona and Alison sing
Doug McGavin reads Psalm
Anne Thomson reads John
Rev Graham Astles request
The congregation
|
| | | Joint Church of Scotland Service - 1 March 2020 |
Christian Unity & New Housing
Penicuik north Kirk Praise Band leads the singing.
St.
Mungo's congregation hosted a joint Church of Scotland service on
Sunday 1st March, welcoming members from Penicuik North Kirk,
South & Howgate Church, and Glencorse Church to the morning service.
Leading our service was Rev Peter Wood, Pioneer & New Housing
Co-ordinator for Lothian Presbytery, and locum minister at Penicuik
South and Howgate Church. Leading our praise for the service were the
praise band from Penicuik North Kirk, Rev Graham Astles on drums,
singers Fiona and Alison, Eunice and Ricky on guitars, and Malcolm on
piano, together with St. Mungo's resident organist
Eileen Marchant.
The Rev John Urquhart welcomed everyone to
St. Mungo's and opened the service with our Call to Worship, leading us
into the first praise, 'Hymn 159 Lord, of the years'.
 The
'opening prayer' led by Rev John Urquhart was followed by an 'All Age
Talk' from Rev Peter Wood. He talked of the new house building
programme in and around Penicuik, making the town much bigger.
He showed new houses in Penicuik, Bellwood, Haddington, then
different types and styles of houses. He asked us what type of house would we like to live in?
Various examples were displayed, from modern, to eco style. We all have
our own ideas of the perfect house. Warm, open plan, bright. most of
all shelter.
What does the bible say about houses? Did Adam and Eve
have a house? No, they were in a garden!. Did Jesus have a house? He
lived with his mother and father until a young man. 1st Peter goes on
to say, this world is not our home. Jesus told us of his Fathers
house, having many rooms, where we can be ourselves with our God.
The
praise band led us in the Stuart Townend arrangement of 'The
Lord's my Shepherd', which was followed by our Old Testament
reading 'Psalm Chapter 8' read by Doug McGavin of Peniucik South and Howgate.The New Testament reading was from 'John 16: v12-15', read by Anne Thomson of Penicuik North Kirk.
 Rev
Peter Wood called Sheila Anderson from Glencorse Church, whom many of
us know as one of the leaders of Messy Church, and Hope4Penicuik, to
talk about what is happening with the new housing around Penicuik. 'How
can we, as a church, engage with this new community'. Sheila told us of her prayer
walking activities, taking the gospel to the new areas. Sheila shared
several notable episodes from her recent contacts in the new projects.
She also told us that she and the team were not in control, God was
taking them to places they would not have thought of, which is a real
challenge. An open invitation to join the team was left for all the
congregation.
The praise band returned to lead us another Stuart Townend / Keith Getty hymn
'In Christ alone'.
 Peter
opened the sermon by asking us to bless someone in the congregation
from a different church, that we had not spoken to already. It was good
to be together. He developed the act of moving that we had just
done, to the trials of moving house, which Peter has just
completed, moving into a new house. He then talked about what is
precious to us as Christians? Today we live in a society wher
the individual is the centre of everything, is king! As Christians we
are family, we need one another. Discipleship is not a solo
performance. 'Peter's sermon'.
Peter presented a video clip of the church working with a
new housing development near Aylesbury and how that helped
the new community thrive.
Watch the video (first 3 minutes) www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV4jhA7mCQw
The praise band led the
congregation in 'This is amazing grace' , after which Bill Webster led the
'Prayers for others'. Our offering and prayer of thanksgiving was
followed by Graham Astles request and our closing hymn 'O Breath of life'. John closed the service with the blessing
A bread and
soup lunch in the church hall, after the service, attracted most of the
members from this joint church service.
Eunice | 
Neil Cape | 
Sheila Anderson |
Published - 3 March 2020
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