Page 3 - Summer 2016 Contact issue 38

Changing
Lives
God uses ordinary people to carry out His
extraordinary plans.
As we are at the start of a new era in High Kirk with
many of the congregation thinking about the future
plans we have for the expansion of our buildings, I
would like to talk about my experience of how the last
extension, The Oasis, helped me.
At the time the congregation were donating money
to build The Oasis (in 1998) I was ill and was not
attending church. The legacy and foresight of many
of you, and some who are no longer with us, has
helped me and many others immensely.
I did not contribute anything towards The Oasis, but
I greatly benefited from it. When I felt able to come
back to church, I was too nervous to come to the main
services, so I started, with Lorraine’s help, by com-
ing to ladies tea and coffee on a Friday morning in
The Oasis. Over the coming months and years I was
able to go to Christianity Explored and Discipleship
Explored courses, first of all in Winnie’s house in our more rooms. Isaiah chapter 49 v 20 says;
estate and then in The Oasis.
My confidence was slowly restored and the Lord drew
me back into the family circle of High Kirk. On the
20 April 2013, I gave my life to the Lord. Thank you
for The Oasis.
Your generosity continued with the opening of Hope
House in our estate. Through this ministry I have had
the privilege to witness many lonely people, who felt
hurt and unloved, blossom. They have made many
friends, both in the estate and in the church.
Many have come down to Café Church and they now
attend church regularly and many have given their
lives to the Lord. Thank you for Hope House.
I would also like to mention everyone who is involved
in the Adult Language and Children’s Homework
Classes, for making people from many countries feel
welcomed and loved. What a blessing you are to these
people’s lives.  Thank you for the Adult Language
and Children’s Homework Classes.
The church also reaches people who have never come
through the doors of High Kirk by using our Bags
of Blessing ministry. Your donations every week have
enabled us to fill and send out 1200 bags in the past 2
years. These have been distributed to Social Services,
Simon Community, Lighthouse, Women’s Aid, Ethnic
Forum, Triangle Housing and others. Even though
sometimes we do not know the individuals who are
receiving the bags, God knows them. Thank you for
Bob’s Store.
Many churches today are struggling with dwindling
numbers, but what a blessing from God that our
church is overflowing and we need more rooms.
Why is this? Â In Numbers chapter 7 v 9 we read
how the Kohathites carried the sacred objects of the
tabernacle on their shoulders because they were so
precious to God. Who are the precious ones we carry
on our shoulders for God? The hurting, the lonely,
the unloved, those who feel unworthy, the displaced
in society and the hungry. Â I believe God is honouring
High Kirk with the safe keeping of His precious ones,
but He is sending many more and that is why we need
“The generations born in exile will return and
say “We need more room! It is crowded here!” Â
Do you remember at Easter we were all asked to come
to the choir room, paint our hands and place them
on a blank canvas? Many people came and did this.
If only one or two had turned up it would not have
worked, but because so many people came and did
what was asked of them; large hands, small hands,
red, green, yellow and blue hands were on the
canvas. Â When the masking tape was peeled away,
Christ was in the centre. He will always be in the
centre of this church, if we all come together and
do as He asks. Â
God uses an ordinary congregation to carry
out His extraordinary plans. Amen. Â Â Â
Joan McClelland