From Barbara’s Desk 29-05-2020

Hello again Faith Pals!

I hope you are all coping with lock down.  It is teaching us patience, resourcefulness, prayer techniques, and building up our gratitude credit!  When we count our blessings, there are so many, aren’t there?  Yesterday, when I was speaking with a member of the congregation,  she said we live in the lucky country.  Compared to most of the world at the moment-that is so true.

Keep up your prayers for the world, and its inhabitants.

I have some poetry to share:

Janet Soo’s haiku this week looked at the return to school for some of the children, and the relief on both sides.

AFTER LOCKDOWN

Children return to school
Smiles on faces
Of mothers.

John Wallace sent me two; I will hold the other over until next week.  John sent this one last night:

The Garden of Friends As a garden is full of flowers So are our years full of hours Our lives are rich with many a friend On whom we may always depend But there is one thing we all need That is a friend who’s a friend indeed I have a friend who’s closer than a brother He’s not my brother or a lover He is Jesus who is with me wherever I go And there is one thing you must know That I love Him more than any other More than a sister or a brother Because of Him I have many a friend And if I need anything I can always lend He is my all sufficiency who will be with me From now until the rest of eternity He heals my body and takes my sin How to love Him I don’t know where to begin By John P. Wallace This is my contribution-no guesses about what inspired it! Raking creation. Leaves leap,whirling dervishes- more fun than dusting!

For those who are still working on the Bible quiz, you will be pleased to know that Jenny Longmuir’s Aunt Joan has supplied her with the answers!  I will publish them next week, so that gives you a few more days to tackle/finish it.

This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday.  I invite you to wear something red, or have something on display that is red.  Some call Pentecost the birth of the church.  You may wish to bake a birthday cake!  No need for the 2000+ candles though!  Be creative, full of the Spirit!

‘Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.'(Romans 8: 26)

‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.  This is the Spirit of truth…’ (John 14: 15-17)

Blessings and love,

Barbara Allen