Connect

September 2013

Sharing Gods Ongoing Story

with the young people. This is always a powerful thing as the stories connect and great conversations often follow. Many of the young people who have done Step Out for several years and have evidenced leadership potential helped lead teams for the first time this summer. They all did an excellent job and it's encouraging to see them grow in their skills and gifting. Our partnership with DNA was also key this summer, as five of their gap year apprentices led teams and were amazing examples to the places they served and the young people they worked alongside. If you, or any of the young people in your church, are considering a gap year in the UK we thoroughly recommend checking DNAUK out. As I said though, blink and it's all over. As I write this, we're nearly at the end of week 6; only the Reunion Weekend in September remains before Step Out is complete for another year. Ask any of the young people and they will give examples of what has been their highlight. They'd probably range from telling you about a great conversation they had, to when they stepped out of their comfort zone and tried something new, to times of worship and devotion, or even just the act of travelling to new places and meeting new people. If you were to ask me, this would be my answer: hearing them tell their stories. In youth groups, or sitting around in small groups, or in team times, hearing them share about what Jesus has done in their lives and the transforming grace they've experienced is what I love to hear about. Why? In those moments

they display even more brightly an extraordinary radiance and passion that is both beautiful and compelling. My prayer as Step Out finishes is that they continue to share their story with that same enthusiasm they have had this summer in all they do for the rest of the year as they continue connecting with others, inviting them into God's ongoing story and all that means!
Mo Gibbs

Want a Step Out Team for 2014?

If your church wants to be considered for partnering with a Step Out team in 2014 wed ask for your assistance right now! In November, Mo Gibbs will start maternity leave and it would be appreciated, for forward planning, if your church was in touch with Mo as soon as possible certainly before the end of September -to start the ball rolling. Contact her at our BUS office or mo@scottishbaptist.org.uk Many thanks in advance!
The Cornton Team Makes a Splash!

Starship Alloa Step Out! It feels a bit like you blink and it's all over! All the meetings, the planning, sorting through applications, training and supporting ... and suddenly not only is summer here, but it's done! Six weeks fly by, but our prayer is always that the relationships that are built and the messages that are shared last a lot longer. This year we had almost 30 young people from various churches across the country apply to be part of the Step Out programme. While many were coming for the first time, others were returning with some stepping up into leadership roles. Over the space of the six weeks we were able to partner with 11 churches, although more asked for a team. Teams this year went to: Alloa, Brechin, Carnoustie, Castlehill, Coatbridge, Cornton, Ellon, Galashiels, Inverkeithing, Knightswood and Wigtown. While team sizes at times were small, the impact didn't seem to be. Many of the children's clubs used John Hardwick's Starship Discovery holiday club material, which over the course of the week told the story of Peter's encounters with Jesus. Add to the sharing of the Biblical message some songs, games, crafts, quizzes and group time and you have some tired leaders and excited children by the end of the club! This year we experimented with the Table Talk for Blokes resource from the Ugly Duckling Company in the youth material. Alongside writing some additional material to go with it. The Step Out teams had opportunities to share their testimonies, their stories,

The Galashiels Team Takes Time Out

Drama at Castlehill Baptist

Published by the Baptist Union of Scotland, 48 Speirs Wharf, Glasgow, G4 9TH, admin@scottishbaptist.org.uk. Charity Registration No:SC004960

Connect

September 2013

You Wont Return the Same!

BWA 1 6th W orld Y outh Conf erence 16th World Youth Conference
Heather, Mo and Justin in Singapore

deals with all aspects of life, even the difficult and messy things. J: One thing was the level of commitment and passion that Christians in other parts of the world - particularly Asia - had. Many I met really seemed to walk the walk and talk the talk and had such a vibrant and living faith and a hunger for Gods word.

was amazing to share together and pray with/for each other.

M: You were also involved in a mission in Indonesia before the Conference. Tell us about that.
J: Stewart and Jean Moulds are a missionary couple our church supports. They have been in Indonesia for 18 years with WEC and came to our church last year. Speaking about their work, they ended by saying come to Indonesia. The way everything worked out just had to be of God. This summer teams from the UK and the USA helped run Bible clubs in schools on Indonesian islands and, the week before the Conference, the team happened to be in Batam - only an hour from Singapore by ferry! H: Our team contained people from the USA and the UK. We ran a 4 day Bible Club in the school with large group worship sessions in the morning, then English classes, missionary stories, games sessions and music classes. Working with the team was quite an experience as we literally arrived the afternoon before the Bible club started, knowing only Jean and Stewart. It was an exercise in faith, as we had no idea what we would be required to do and knew wed be relying on God every step of the way. It was such a blessing

M: With so many different speakers and people from around the world, was there anything that stood out in particular?
J: What really stood out was how much we have in common with people all over the world. We have brothers and sisters anywhere because of Jesus. Its one thing saying that but another thing experiencing it! I loved the diversity of the main speakers: it reinforced the message and helped me

his summer myself, Justin Richards and Heather Major (of Fort William BC) attended the Baptist World Alliances 16th World Youth Conference in Singapore. It was a real privilege to represent our Union among 64 different nations, from many different Unions and Conventions, with the diversity that brings. Justin had been at a BWAYC before, finding it encouraging and powerful, but for Heather and I it was a first. Recently I asked them about their experience in Singapore.

man from the Ukraine and 12 men from India. It was incredible hearing what God is doing in their countries and fascinating to discover that we all had the same needs, desires, problems, and prayers in our churches and communities. Creating

M: How did you fund your trip?

H: We packed bags in Oban Co-op and planned a fund-raising dinner and silent auction in March. As our building was unavailable due to extension work, the Faith Mission workers in Fort William (Justin & Carol Cummings) generously donated their facilities, the electricity and even made a donation to our trip. We received donations of food, items for the auction, and several people rolled up their sleeves and pitched in. People also made private contributions. Every bit helped! J: Many people gave generously, not just financially, but of time too. Along with the grant from the Union, we raised nearly the exact amount we needed to go God was so faithful!

International Worship lasting friendships and enjoying fellowship with people from all over the world was my favourite. H: For me, it was the amazing people I met at the conference! The speakers in the main sessions were all so different from each other, but each one was a blessing and many of the seminars I attended were challenging and encouraging. understand things in a fresh way. H: My family group [small groups discussing the morning Bible study] was amazing, with delegates from Myanmar, Nagaland (India), South India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and of course Scotland. It Mos Family Group

M: Would you encourage others to think about attending the next BWA Youth conference?
J: Yes, yes, and YES! If people think they may be too old think again. It is interesting how other countries define a youth! Go to see, hear, and experience what God is doing across the world. You wont return the same!
Mo Gibbs

M: What did you sense God saying to you?

H: There were many things, but I think they could be summed up in one word: Discipleship. Am I living my life as a complete and total soldout disciple of Christ? Several times during the conference we were reminded to go and make disciples, not just converts, taking time to build relationships, accountability and honest communication that

M: What were some of the conference highlights?

J: For me, these included meeting and befriending people from all over the world. I shared a dorm with a

Published by the Baptist Union of Scotland, 48 Speirs Wharf, Glasgow, G4 9TH, admin@scottishbaptist.org.uk. Charity Registration No:SC004960

Connect

September 2013

Credit Unions
I got there before Justin Welby!

by Gordon Stewart of Stirling Baptist Church

I escaped from an international Dave Bookless jet set lifestyle in my mid-50s, having determined that I wanted to use my business and financial skills to serve my local community as part of a portfolio of interests in my actively retired years. Back in early 2011 I had not heard of Credit Unions but that soon changed, and before long I was interviewed and joined our local Credit Union in Stirling as a Director. Two years later I am in it up to my neck! Credit Unions are now getting much more press and television limelight than ever before but there are many confusing and confused messages about what a Credit Union actually is. Lets get the basics straight Credit Unions have been around for over 100 years. They are a significant part of the financial (and social) fabric of many countries, including Canada and the United States where there are credit unions with tens of thousands of members from all income groups A Credit Union is a financial services cooperative: it belongs to its members, who own a share of the business, share its governance, they share (by dividend) any profit Membership of a Credit Union is open to everybody in the community, without distinction Directors of a Credit Union may not (by law) receive compensation or other benefit: they therefore act only in the best interest of the

members not for external shareholders nor for themselves Credit Unions are legislated by law and regulated by the Bank of England through the PRA. Members savings (up to 85,000) are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in the same way as ordinary bank or building society deposits. Credit Unions encourage members to save on a regular basis and, based on demonstrated ability to save regularly, offer loans to members at lower interest rates than they may find elsewhere: I think Credit Unions may be the only mainstream financial institution to have maximum interest rates capped by law! The Credit Union loans for members who save business model has caught the attention of politicians, the press, and the church as an ethically acceptablealternative to Pay-day Loan companies. Many Credit Unions also offer a pre-loaded Visa (or other) Debit Card that helps members avoid Credit Card debt and provides a very effective way for parents to provide cash via a card to students. I carry my card to use for treats and incidental spending rather than carry cash. Other, typically larger, Credit Unions may offer additional financial services such as current accounts, life insurance, and even mortgages. Many people already face difficulty managing their personal budgets; as welfare reform goes fully live from October this year there are likely to be many more in our communities who will be in this position. Credit Unions can offer basic budgeting accounts where regular bills like rent, council tax, heating, etc are paid by standing order, weekly spending money is put onto a debit card, and a little is put into savings for a rainy day. A personal call to action: why should you get involved? The world is watching Christian behaviour and looking for inconsistencies. How are you investing your funds? For maximum return, measured only in the benefit

to you? Dont you have a responsibility to your community? How are you borrowing? Paying interest to a financial institution whose sole motive is profit maximisation for shareholders many hundreds or thousands of miles from were you live? What do you teach your children or grandchildren about sound money management? About saving before spending? About not running up credit card or store card debt? About repaying debt because it is a moral obligation to the community? A personal call to action: how can you make a difference? Me? An activist? / You? An activist? Can you invest some funds so that others in your community can get access to low cost finance? Can you open savings accounts for members of your family and deposit pocket money or put student allowances there instead of a high street bank? Can you volunteer to answer phones, help with lending advice, do secretarial work, enter computer transactions? Or volunteer board level skills and experience? Can you influence friends, church, your business to get actively engaged, promoting and supporting your local credit union? The Bible has much to say about wealth, money, use of resources, and most of all about social justice. Some Christians are actively engaged in addressing local issues through the work of Citizens Advice Bureau or Christians Against Poverty. Your local Credit Union is another way in which you and your church can make a difference. Looking back over the last two years, my commitment to the Credit Union has consumed more hours than I ever imagined it would. The more I engage in the whole topic of financial inclusion and sound money management, the more I am motivated to do more. Credit Unions present me with a very clear opportunity to engage in my community by how I invest and use my money, by my example, and by volunteering my time and skills. For more info, contact me on jg.stewart@btinternet.com

Prayer Requests for September

JACQUELINE PRIMROSE: Please pray that I and the rest of the National Team can support and encourage churches as they appoint representatives for Council. JOHN GREENSHIELDS: I would value your prayers for our third Board of Ministry session of the year and the follow-up work with the five candidates who will be interviewed; combined with attendance at the National Settlement Team and leading two retreat days for ministers, it promises to be a full and exciting month. ALAN DONALDSON: This month sees significant changes in our family life as our two oldest children, Amy and Paul, begin University. Please pray for us all as we adjust to the new scene at home. At the end of this month, Rev Brian More, of Newton Mearns Baptist Church, and I will be at the European Baptist Federation Council. Please pray our contribution will be helpful to the wider Baptist family and that we also learn from the input of others. This month I will be preaching in Kings Park and East Mains churches, as well as at the International Christian College commissioning service. MO GIBBS: Give thanks to God for all that took place over the summer, please pray for the Step Out Reunion that takes place at the end of September. JIM PURVES: I would value prayer for contacting and networking with God's people in the BUS, visiting and speaking this month in churches in Edinburgh, Lothian, Glasgow, Aberdeen and the Highlands. There are also meetings with colleagues; our 'regional' pastors who help support colleagues; planning of Conflict Resolution training; a prayer retreat for pastors; a conference on the Authority of Scripture to attend. Thanks for a refreshing holiday; and please pray God's blessing on my elderly mother, as she settles in to stay with Jennifer and I once more over the winter.

Reaching and Discipling Children and Families in the 21st Century

East Mains Baptist Church, East Kilbride. 26 October, 10am- 4pm. Cost 7.
Lynn Alexander

A training and envisioning day with Lynn Alexander - a member of East Mains Baptist Church who has been on staff in Queens Park and Morningside (now Central) Baptist Churches. She is author of Children, Families and God and leads the Baptist Lynns enthusiasm for supporting Union of familes and churches in discipling children is infectious. Her training Scotland Family days are a great investment of time. Alan and Ruth Donaldson Assembly,

this year, for the second time. The day promises to leave participants greatly encouraged and envisioned with a fresh prespective on developing children as young disciples - as well as with a variety of fresh ideas and new resources to enable the development all church ministries to children. Lunch and refreshments provided in East Mains Village Centre. To book, see

www.eventbrite.co.uk/event/7701171411

Published by the Baptist Union of Scotland, 48 Speirs Wharf, Glasgow, G4 9TH, admin@scottishbaptist.org.uk. Charity Registration No:SC004960

Connect

September 2013

Prayer Link September

Sunday 1st
David Middlemiss: Army Chaplain. Chris Withers: Chaplain to 1Rifles. Please pray for continued wisdom and discernment in dealing with varied pastoral issues specific to armed forces; for fruitfulness in the Wednesday evening Bible study for soldiers and for growing opportunities in ministering to families. Praise God for His faithfulness too, as He blesses Mary and the boys in my absence.

Christianity Explored courses; for a number of people coming forward for baptism; for good opportunities to participate in local school chaplaincy teams and for encouraging ministry opportunities in local care homes. Please pray for Gods guidance as we seek to clarify our vision and so be more effective in setting priorities for future mission and ministry; for planning for some redevelopment of our premises; for the working group exploring how to implement a more thorough Christian discipleship model within the Church family; for the launch of a Christians Against Poverty project by a group of churches in Dundee, in which we are participants; for sufficient staffing for the wide range of ministries in the church for the next church year.

Broxburn: Rev Frank Murray. We appreciate the prayers and thoughts of the Baptist family in Sunday 8th Scotland and ask you to join with us in praising God for what he has done, is doing and can do in Bridge of Don: Rev Jarod Meenan. This year Broxburn. In particular please remember: our church agreed to focus on being a Missional the children who attended the Holiday Club Church. Pray that we continue to commit and the parents who joined us on Sunday for a ourselves to God's desire to bring the good news family service and barbecue. of Christ to all whom our lives touch, including children who attend our weekly BBC KIDZ, one another. We thank God for many increased that they might respond to the gospel message opportunities to share with others in the local the teens group, that we may see the noncommunity and beyond. church young folk in the group coming to faith Preparations are beginning in earnest for the the monthly P7-S2 games night, that this Aberdeen Passion 2014 to be held over the Easter brings opportunities to discuss our faith. Weekend. The writer/director is a member of our the work of the Pastor in the local schools church and we have been greatly encouraged by the monthly Coffee@BBC, that those who how our own and an increasing number of other attend regularly might enjoy the fellowship and Aberdeen and Shire churches have supported this want to find out more about what motivates us ministry. (Around 2,200 people attended three the monthly Cafe Church no preaching, performances the first time it was staged, in 2012.) praying or singing but still church, aimed at nonPray that God will provide creativity, strength, church folk but enjoyed by all who come and deep unity of purpose for all involved and the Food Bank running in cooperation with draw both Christians and others to the other local folk church and non-church but performances. Then all will see more clearly how operated from our building 2 afternoons per week the Lord Jesus achieved our salvation. Pray that the Pastor and deacons. May they provide our church will be encouraged by this dynamic positive leadership in a challenging situation as we focus to faithfully live out other ongoing aspects fully grasp that We have a God who can! of our fellowship's missional way of life. In seeking to be more Missional as a church, we Sunday 22nd are in the process of calling a second Pastor to work alongside Jarod Meenan and have a strong Buckhaven: Rev Peter Carr. The fellowship is focus on Discipleship and Bible teaching, helping in good heart. With the recommencement of the us become more equipped to live out God's school term the Children's work, for which much mission in Bridge of Don and beyond. Pray that we and the new Pastor will experience God's clear prayer is requested in this needy area, has begun. Weekly Sunday and Tuesday clubs draw a good leading. For the glory of our great God! number of children with the monthly Messy Church proving a very valuable outreach tool as Bristo, Edinburgh. all ages enter the premises. During the coming weeks our Women's work Sunday 15th will commence and prayer is requested for the salvation of souls in this department. Broughty Ferry Rev. Brian Talbot. We give We are currently planning the annual calendar praise for the appointment jointly, with our distribution when 1000 homes will be presented neighbour St James Church of Scotland with with a scripture verse calendar and the Services whom we work closely on youth ministry, of offered by the Fellowship. Gary Torbet as youth-worker; for high numbers Pray for Peter and Shirley Carr who have been attending our outreach activities to pre-schoolers accepted to adopt 3 children and, over the next and their families; for the blessing of good numbers months, Peter will be on Adoption leave. of children and young people in our Sunday As we look to the Lord to provide our every School and JAM (Bible Class) age-groups and in need we thank you for your prayers. our Girls Brigade company; for regular

Buckie. Give thanks for the ministry of Vincent MacDougall and his wife Sadie, who retired at the beginning of June after blessing us with their ministry for seven years. Give thanks too for the encouraging and challenging speakers leading our worship since then: we are being blessed even during this time of vacancy. Outreach work to the community continues at The Well, despite difficulties earlier this year when a non-church voluntary organisation we worked with was wound-up. We are encouraged by good attendances at both weekly services: we ran out of communion glasses one morning recently! Please pray that we would continue to work together as a fellowship of believers, aware of God's leading as we seek a new pastor and that, as we begin another session in all the church organisations, we would be aware of God's protection surrounding us. We give thanks for very good numbers at our fortnightly T-time meetings for older folk over previous years and for good attendances too at our Women's Fellowship. Please pray that we will see a further increase in those becoming involved in the work and witness of the church family in our community and for those who feel weak through age and infirmity, that they might know God's blessing even in their weakness. And please pray for the ongoing work at The Well.

Sunday 29th
Burra Isle: Rev Derek Conabeer. We give thanks to God for our Soccer School run for the 4th year this summer. 16 'coaches' from various churches on the mainland assisted in the running of the school, teaching 'football skills' and leading sessions from the Bible and discussion groups. Almost 80 children enrolled from Burra & other parts of Shetland. Pray for us as we follow up family contacts made through the Club. It is just over a year since the renovation of our Church Hall in Hamnavoe. Please pray that the Lord will continue to guide us as we seek to use it for the benefit of the Church and the community. Calderwood, East Kilbride: Rev John Mackinnon. Pray for the ministry opportunities that our Coffee Shop, Conference Room and Counselling room are creating within our community. As a busy season of ministry begins, pray for the work amongst the families of our community, a thriving Carers and Toddlers Group, midweek childrens ministries and discipleship work through small groups. We are also launching a series of new initiatives including Mainly Music, The God Question, an Evangelistic monthly proclamation event titled First Wednesday and our ever popular Acoustic Coffee events which take place monthly.

Scottish Baptist Womens Fellowship

Pray for the SBWF leaders, meeting on 9th September, and for the National Forum on 21st September.

Published by the Baptist Union of Scotland, 48 Speirs Wharf, Glasgow, G4 9TH, admin@scottishbaptist.org.uk. Charity Registration No:SC004960