letter to the congregation
As a congregation we take seriously our commitment to discipleship. Together we are exploring what it means to be God’s people in Stockbridge and how to live our day to day lives as Christians.
Over the years God has been very good to us and we’ve been able to do interesting and challenging things. We’ve run the Church shop; started the Celebrating Age Project; supported Roy and Jane Dodman in Jamaica and made a real difference in the lives of some children in Malawi. We’ve also been able to support the Sunflower Garden at Simpson House to provide therapeutic support to children and young people affected by substance use in their families, and to help a project working with children in deprived areas. There are more things we would like to do. We’ve enclosed a prayer card which helps us to give thanks for God’s goodness to us and invites you to pray for future work.
A substantial legacy has meant that up till now we have been able to do all these things without approaching the congregation to ask them to review their giving to the Church. However, at a local level the congregation had a deficit of £47,000 in 2010 and whilst we have undertaken cost cutting measures and withdrawn our support from some projects, we would like to be able to continue to do the work to which God has called us.
The Presbytery Plan allows for Stockbridge to continue as a congregation with a full time minister in the long term but obviously this depends on us being financially viable. If we need Stockbridge Parish Church we need to show our support in money and time.
Also enclosed you will find a leaflet for the Church of Scotland National Stewardship Campaign which highlights the problems the Church is facing at a National level. Once again, as you read through this, you will see how much important work is carried out in your name and how desperately the Church needs your help to sustain it.
Over the next few months there will be opportunities, through the Bridge, through services, through the website and through a discussion group to consider what Christian giving and Christian living mean.
On Saturday 28th April there will be a Celebratory Event ‘Count Me In’ and a flyer giving details is enclosed. Even if you haven’t been much involved in recent years we would urge you to come along to that to hear about future plans and hopes and to think about whether God is calling you to play a special part. We look forward to welcoming you at this event.
(Rev Dr) Anne T Logan