February 6, 2011
Our service on February 6th included an "informal communion." You might well ask, "What is the difference?" And the answer would be, "Not a lot." Principally, instead of the Elders being at the Communion Table for the whole of the service, the serving Elders only come forward to the table during the hymn before Communion. Somehow, that seems to be nmore relaxing without in any way detracting from the spirituality of the Sacrament of Communion.
Rev David Stewart, our Interim Moderator, took the service for us. His address to the children was amusing and effective. First David demonstrated his strengthg by snapping some lengths of wool. Then, he asked the children to choose three strong men from the audience and invited them to rip asunder a very attractive Aran knitted sweater. Of course, they couldn't which made the point that on its own a length of wool has little strength but when joined together with many, many others it had strength beyond breaking. This is comparable to Christians who join together, not just on a weekly basis for Sunday service but throughout life.
The sermon too used everyday images to proclaim God's message. David compared the hassle which travellers have with their luggage, their baggage, and compared the concerns we have with such worldly things with how little weight God imposes upon us.
As always, coffee and tea after the service was full of lively and friendly conversation. If you weren't there - don't you wish you had been?