Minister’s Letter Thurs 10th December 2020
Dear Friends,
It is with humility that I thank you most sincerely for the care towards other people which you have already demonstrated at this time of year.
Your amazing generosity to The Christmas Shoe Box appeal, to Boys Brigade’s efforts in aid of Tear Fund, and then to Storehouse and Walkway Hamper appeal, including Christmas Pudding and Turkey provision is nothing short of astonishing.
In addition, on behalf of our Treasurer, Session and Committee, may I also say a huge ‘Thankyou’ to everyone for so generously supporting our congregation during this past year.
Even though we haven’t been able to meet as normal, you have faithfully continued to keep our finances afloat for vital purposes at home and overseas.
This has been deeply, deeply appreciated.
A number of members have requested a further opportunity before year’s end to contribute to Free Will Offering and/or Building Fund and so for any who would like to, Committee have agreed to facilitate a ‘drive through’ offering drop off on Saturday 19th December 10.30am-12 noon at church. If this suits, please feel free to bring any FWO/Building Fund envelopes or contributions which have accumulated on that day.
But as ever, we recognize that the resources God has entrusted to us are also for sharing. Ordinarily our Christmas Day Offering goes to the ‘World Development Fund.’
Because of the peculiar circumstances, PCI have decided that this year, a Moderator’s Appeal should be launched to support people of fragile low income nations who have suffered greatly at the hands of Covid 19. If we have found things difficult here, imagine the enormous stresses faced by millions already suffering from poor health services, malnutrition, natural disaster and poverty.
All contributions donated to the Moderator’s Appeal will therefore be channelled through our partner churches in S. Sudan, Malawi, Indonesia, Nepal, Lebanon, Syria and Romania and also via the agencies Tear Fund and Christian Aid.
The Rt Rev Dr David Bruce has produced this short video to introduce the appeal.
You can access the video here
Any gifts which you might want to make may be placed in an envelope specified as ‘Moderator’s Appeal’ with indication whether the money is to be Gift aided, i.e. with Name and Address and Signature and brought to the ‘drive in’ offering on Sat 19th December or else they can be deposited on the offering plates in the foyer on departure from Sunday or Christmas Day services.
For many in our congregation, the Christmas offering is an indispensable part of who we are as believers, recognizing that the incarnation is all about ‘Our Lord Jesus Christ who was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, so that through his poverty we might become rich.’
2 Corinthians 8 v9.
Again, may I say a huge ‘THANKYOU’, as together we recognize that giving is spiritually an integral part of who we are as grateful, appreciative, forgiven people.
In Him, Frank