www.rosskeenfreechurch.co.uk

Rosskeen Free Church is a welcoming church for all ages, located in Easter Ross, between Alness and Invergordon. Their vision is to be a community that loves God, loves one another, and loves our community. They strive to be a church that seeks after the Lord.

Whether you are seeking a new church home, just visiting, or curious about life’s big questions, you are warmly invited to join them - Check out their new website. Rosskeen also livestream their services on Youtube check them out at: https://www.youtube.com/@RosskeenFreeChurch/featured

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 Are you a senior citizen seeking fellowship and good conversation? The "Silver Strands" fellowship is a new gathering starting in 2024, offering you a chance to enjoy talks and testimonies within a Christian setting.

Here's what "Silver Strands" offers:

Fellowship and Conversation: Each meeting gives you the opportunity to hear a talk or testimony and enjoy a chat over a cup of tea. It's a welcoming space to meet peers and engage in enriching conversations.

Dates for the Year:** The fellowship meets on Fridays from 2 pm to 3 pm on the following dates:
- 26 January
- 23 February
- 29 March
- 26 April
- 31 May
- 27 September
- 25 October
- 29 November

Location: All meetings are held at Thurso Free Church in the hall, situated at Millbank Road, KW14 8PS.

The "Silver Strands" fellowship is an initiative of Thurso and North Coast Free Church,

Northern Presbytery: 2023 Year in Review
A Year of Community Engagement, Growth, and Service

As we close another year, the Northern Presbytery, encompassing congregations from Rosskeen to Wick, has experienced a dynamic period of community engagement, and meaningful activities. Here's a look back at the key events and milestones that shaped the last  year.

Festive Celebrations and Community Activities
Christmas Events Churches like Tain and Fearn Free Church hosted 'Christmas Unwrapped' events, while Capstone Christian Centre held its first 'Cafe Noel' event. Carol services were held across the Presbytery, bringing together congregations in celebration.
Regular Activities: Throughout the year, our churches organized coffee mornings, fundraising events, and quiz nights, fostering a sense of community and engagement.

Outreach and Service
Holiday Clubs Many churches, including Dornoch and Helmsdale Free Church, hosted holiday clubs during the summer, providing activities and support for children and families.
Warm Spaces In response to the cost of living crisis, our churches offered warm spaces during winter, extending support to those affected by the crisis.
Fundraisers Events like the Golspie Free Church Baking Fundraiser were held, supporting various missionary endeavors and community causes.

Leadership and Worship
Rev Jerry Taylor's Induction
December 2022 saw Rev Jerry Taylor begin his ministry in Thurso, bringing new leadership to Thurso & North Coast in 2023.
Bettyhill Services: After several years, Thurso & North Coast Free Church resumed monthly Sunday services at Bettyhill, reconnecting the community in worship.

Celebrations and Milestones
30 Years of Ministry A significant celebration was held for Howard & Christine, marking 30 years of their ministry in Castletown.
Church Growth: The Capstone Community Church, a plant from NP Connect, saw remarkable growth, expanding from a core team of 10 people in January to 70 regular attendees by the end of the year with many new people responding to the Gospel and seeking to know Jesus.

Digital Innovation
The launch of the NP Connect website and app in February marked a significant step in digital outreach, attracting over 3500 users by December and enhancing gospel connections via digital media across the Globe

Looking Forward
The Northern Presbytery has had a year marked by active community engagement. As we step into another year, lets pray for new opportunities for growth and service.

The following  artical first appeared on the Free Church of Scotland website

Six new members, 7 new office-bearers ordained & extension of permission to have an Assistant Minister for a third 3-year term.

Tain and Fearn Free Church is rejoicing after welcoming six new members at its recent communion in Tain. The additions have come shortly after the congregation ordained seven new office-bearers.  In addition, this week’s Commission of Assembly agreed to extend the congregation’s permission to have an Assistant Minister for a third three-year term.  Rev Andrew MacLeod has been assistant minister there since 2017.


The three elders that were recently ordained are Marcus MacIver, Angus Macleod and Fin Macrae.

Four deacons have also been appointed. They are Duncan MacDonald, Samuel Robertson, Will Ross and David Skinner.  

The new members range in age from fifteen to ninety-seven.

Rev Alasdair MacAulay said: “It’s been an encouraging few weeks in the congregation. We lost a lot of people after Covid and that has been challenging, so we are delighted to see evidence of the Lord at work among our young and not so young.”

The congregation of Tain and Fearn is situated in an area with a population of around 9,500 people. In addition to regular services held in Tain and Hilton, a host of other events take place including weekly prayer meetings, Bible Studies, Lunch Clubs, youth-work and outreach into a local housing scheme. It is expected that the plans for a new church building for Tain will go out to tender shortly.

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Looking for something for the Kids to do over July?
Dornoch Free Church will be hosting a Bible based Holiday Club!
- It is for kids in P1-P7
- from Monday 10th to Friday 14th July
- 10am - 12:30pm
- Family events on 14th & 16th July.
Come for the whole thing, or just sign up for the days you are free!
To book a place at the club visit: https://forms.gle/o7TNYKiS9NMSJg6u8

The following article fist appeared at https://freechurch.org/monthly-sunday-services-resume-at-bettyhill/

Thurso & North Coast Free Church is thankful to God for the opportunity to resume, after a number of years, a monthly Sunday morning service 30 miles west of Thurso at Bettyhill.

Rev Jerry Taylor, minister at Thurso & North Coast Free Church, said: “In April and May, between 20 and 25 people – from a variety of backgrounds – met for worship, coffee and chat.  The service is currently monthly (the 4th Sunday of every month, so the next service is Sunday 25th June at 11am).  We’d love to be able to increase the frequency!”


He said the congregation has plans, God willing, to introduce other meetings in the area midweek from August/September, ranging from coffee mornings through prayer gatherings to evangelistic events.  “We hope also to increase pastoral visitation,” he added.

Mr Taylor said: “Please do join us in prayer that the Lord would send workers and use those of us already here to live out and proclaim the gospel of Jesus along the North Coast.”

If anyone would like to find out more about ministry from Thurso towards Durness to the west, or even offer help and support for the work, contact Rev Jerry Taylor, on ministerthursonorth.fc@gmail.com or 01847 893351.

The weekend of May 12th to 14th provided a wonderful opportunity for local people to come together and connect over Gospel fellowship.

On Friday night, NP Connect hosted the sixth "My Story" event, featuring singer-songwriters Ruth Campbell and Susan Stirling. Ruth, a talented musician from Scotland, shared her passion for expressing God's love through her music. Attendees were treated to an evening of uplifting testimonies and beautiful melodies. It as a wonderful evening and left a very positive impact on those who were present as Jesus was honoured through song.

Sunday morning saw the continuation of Gospel outreach services in collaboration with the Capstone Community Church Plant. These services are  designed to create an informal setting, welcoming individuals who are new to the faith or curious about Christianity. Starting at 11 am, the Capstone Christian Centre opened its doors to provide a space for connection and reflection.

As Sunday night approached, the Fisher Folk Festival in Ballintore joined forces with us to organise a Gospel Praise evening. The Highland Harvest Band and friends took to the stage at the Seaboard Centre, offering a delightful musical experience. The event provided a chance for the Seaboard Villages to come together and enjoy an evening of uplifting music. Rev Iain MacAskill shared a short gospel message and It was an enjoyable celebration of faith and camaraderie.

NP Connect is all about connecting people with the Gospel. The power of coming together around God’s word and sharing in meaningful experiences is something that shouldn't be missed. We extend our gratitude to everyone who participated and helped make this weekend memorable.
We hope to see you at the next event!

The story of Pinocchio is full of rich symbolism that has been interpreted in many different ways. At one point in the story, Pinocchio runs away from his father Geppetto, and ends up in the belly of a great whale called Monstro. This scenario comes about because of his own choice to squash his conscience (represented by a talking cricket) reckless behavior and disobedience, representing the consequences of his rebellion.

In the Bible, Jonah also finds himself in the belly of a great fish due to his disobedience to God. Both characters are trapped and lost in what seems like a hopeless situation, symbolizing the consequences of their choices and disobedience.

Prayerful Repentance: Jonah's Example
In the midst of his distress, Jonah turns to God in prayer, acknowledging his disobedience and pleading for mercy. He expresses his faith in God's power to save him, saying, "When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple" (Jonah 2:7). Jonah's prayer reaches God, and in response, God causes the fish to spit Jonah out onto dry land.

When we find ourselves in difficult situations or facing the consequences of our choices, we must remember the power of prayer to change circumstances. Prayerful repentance is essential for renewal and transformation in our walk with God. Jonah's prayer of repentance is a model for us to follow when we need to turn back to God and seek His forgiveness.

God's Love and Forgiveness: Always Available
Jonah's story is a reminder that no matter how far we have strayed from God, His love and forgiveness are always available to us when we turn to Him in prayerful repentance. Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection demonstrates the lengths God is willing to go to save and forgive us. In the story of Pinocchio, Gepetto Pinichios's father and creator goes looking for Pinicho and ends up in the whale himself. God in the story of Jonah does not get swallowed by a whale but forgiveness of Jona's sin will come at great personal Cost. The Bible tells us that just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days so the son of man was in the heart of the earth. Jesus came looking for lost sinners, he suffered the penalty and consequences of humanity's sin allowing death to take him, but death could not hold him. As Jesus rose from the grave triumphant so Geopetto and Pinochio escape from the whale.

The stories of Pinocchio and Jonah teach us valuable lessons about the consequences of our choices, the power of prayerful repentance, and the amazing grace that comes from a relationship with God. No matter how far we've strayed or how hopeless our situation may seem, God's love and forgiveness are always available when we turn to Him in prayer. Let us embrace this amazing grace and strive for renewal and transformation in our walk with God.

Life is full of storms, both literal and metaphorical. Regardless of the cause, these storms can be overwhelming and frightening, causing us to question our faith in God and wonder if He truly cares about our well-being.

Storms of Obedience and Disobedience:
Sometimes, storms come as a result of disobedience, such as Jonah running away from God's calling. Other times, they come because we are obedient to Jesus and following His path for our lives. Regardless of the cause, storms are inevitable and the world is a dangerous place. Life following Jesus can be stormy at times, and it is essential to remember that He will help us through it.

Weak Faith and Fear:
During a storm, the disciples' fear was due to their weak faith. They questioned Jesus, asking if He cared about their well-being and if He saw the stress and chaos they were experiencing. Jesus responded with a rebuke and a question, asking them why they were so afraid when they had such little faith. The danger was real, but their faith was weak because they hadn't fully grasped the significance of who was in the boat with them – Jesus, the one with divine power over the wind and waves.

Using Storms to Test, Redirect, and Teach:
God often uses life's storms to test our faith, redirect us when we're going in the wrong direction, and teach us essential lessons. Just as Jonah's disobedience caused a storm, our disobedience and sinfulness can also bring about storms in our lives. However, if we're willing to turn to God, repent of our sins, and trust in His mercy and grace, He can use those storms to bring about good and fulfill His purposes in our lives.

An Anchor in the Storm:
The question isn't whether storms will come, but whether we have an anchor in the storm. Is Jesus in the boat with us? Trusting in Jesus and relying on His amazing grace allows us to face the storms of life with confidence, knowing that He is in control and will guide us through the chaos. As we cling to Jesus, our anchor in the storm, we can experience peace, hope, and strength in the midst of life's challenges.

Life's storms are inevitable, but with Jesus as our anchor, we can navigate through them with faith and confidence. By trusting in His amazing grace and divine power, we can emerge from the storms stronger, wiser, and more committed to following His path for our lives. So, when the storms of life come, remember to anchor yourself in Jesus and trust that He is with you, guiding you safely through the chaos.

*From Thurso Free Church*
We're thankful to God that after some years, we're able to hold Sunday services at Farr Free Church, Bettyhill.
These services will be monthly initially, on the 4th Sunday of every month.  The first will be this Sunday, 23 April at 11.00am.  Everyone is very welcome - please help us spread the word!
If you pray, please ask the Lord to bless us with good relationships and that, if it's His will, He would enable us to expand the work.

Last Weekend Sunday 16th of April Rev Iain MacAskill preached on the Road to Emmaus where Jesus revealed himself to two of his followers.

Have you ever wanted to be a fly on the wall so you can hear what people really have to say when you aren’t around? There is a long-running reality show that does just that.  In Undercover Boss,  big company bosses work undercover as regular employees to get a proper insight of what it is really like to work for their own company from the perspective of a newbie. The really interesting part,  is when they get to hear conversations about "the boss" giving them an idea of what their employees really think!  Only at the end of a number of conversations and tasks does the employee reveal their true identity to the shock, dismay and sometimes delight of the employees. After his resurrection, Jesus did something very similar with two of his followers.  The one they were having conversations about was the one who was walking alongside them!  
 

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Rev Iain MacAskill recently preached on the Road of Suffering, also known as the Via Dolorosa, the phrase itself is not mentioned in the Bible, but all four Gospels narrate Jesus' journey along this path to his crucifixion. Today the path has landmarks called "stations," each representing a different moment in Jesus' journey and showing a different aspect of his suffering, such as carrying the cross, falling under its weight, and being nailed to it. Jesus' journey along this path reminds us that we are not alone in our suffering and that our suffering can have meaning and be offered up to God.

The Via Dolorosa is a story of hope, as Jesus' suffering was not in vain. He rose from the dead, conquered death and sin, and his sacrifice allowed us to be reconciled with God. Reflecting on this path can help us grow closer to God, deepen our faith, and become more like Jesus. As the Prophet Isaiah said, He was pierced and crushed for our transgressions and iniquities, and his wounds bring us healing and peace.

We must not belittle or make light of suffering, nevertheless Paul reminds Christians "For I consider our present sufferings and momentary afflictions are not worth comparing with the Glory that is to be revealed in us"  (Romans 8:18).

Churches in the Northern Presbytery have been busy this week sharing the Good News of Easter with local schools and youth groups. "Many good questions were asked, please pray for all those volunteers, staff and students involved." 

Date for your diaries! Our friends at Rosskeen Free Church will be hosting a fun and fellowship afternoon on Easter Sunday (2nd of April). There will be an Easter Egg hunt,  and light lunch at 1pm after their morning service.  See details below.

In the opening chapters of the Bible we read of a paradise garden, A garden called Eden where Adam and Eve were said to walk with God in perfect fellowship.  Adam was given a choice to love God by not eating from the tree of knowledge which God had commanded him not to eat. Of course, we know the story, encouraged by a serpent Adam and Eve disobeyed God leading to the Fall. Death entered the world on account of Adam's sin, and they were banished from God’s Garden.  But despite their rebellion, God did not abandon them.  

He promised a saviour would come, the offspring of Eve who would come and do what Adam had failed to do. He would come and crush the serpent's head but not before the serpent had first bruised his heel.

Here at the decisive moment in Human History, Jesus the Messiah, (The second Adam) comes to a garden to pray.  Why is he there? Well, he is about to make atonement for Adam’s sin, for my sin, for your sin. He is about to bear the weight of God’s wrath against all wickedness, and in his humanity, he is fearful, frightened, sorrowful, and overwhelmed.  

He prays, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will"

Knowing the barbarity of Roman execution, We often think of the Cross of Calvary as the supreme example of Christ’s suffering, but Christ’s suffering began in Gethsemane, blood-sweat pouring from Jesus' face (a rare condition known as hematidrosis) something only experienced under extreme duress.  

Yet despite his excruciating sorrow, even to the point of death, love conquered all in that garden!
Where the first Adam carried out his own will in the Garden of Eden seeking to serve only his Glory.  Jesus as the Second Adam did what the first Adam failed to do. He aligned and submitted his will with to that of his Father, “yet not my will but your will be done”  even though it would result in death.

The garden was the decisive moment when Jesus said yes to God, yes to love, yes to you, and yes to me. That cup was the cup of the Father's wrath against sin and he drank it all.

Why would he do it?   Because he loved the Father, he loved you, he loved me.

Rev Roddy Barvis of Helmsdale Free Church will be part of a team being sent by Mission International to Haiti on the 20th of March.

Mission International Director hugh Henderson writes: 
“Mission International are sending a team out to Haiti on 20th March to continue the work there with Trinity Church and Pastor Rolex Poisson.  Over the last few years, we have been blessed by the completion of the Trinity School, however more space is needed there for more children to attend and there is need for classrooms at another site in Beyotte a short distance away.  Haiti is facing some really significant challenges at the moment, so your prayers for Ross, Vic, Roddy and Richard would be much appreciated as they travel and if you can also spare some money to support the building of the new classrooms, you can donate at www.give.net/haitischool - Thanks and God Bless"

This column was featured in the February/ March 2023 edition of The Record and subsequently on the Free Church of Scotland Website.

by Rev. Ben Fiddian

In December I attended the funeral of an Associated Presbyterian minister called Alex Murray, who died recently at the age of 97. We had met only once, shortly after I moved to Sutherland. He was a fascinating man with many interesting stories. One in particular struck me. Alex had served in the RAF during World War II. When I was young everybody’s grandparents had lived through the war. The generation which fought those battles has mostly gone now. Apart from Rev Murray, it is many years since I spoke with anyone who could tell such stories from personal experience. We might read them in books or online but they are passing rapidly from living memory.

I experienced similar emotions whilst watching the first ever televised meeting of the King’s Privy Council on 10th September 2022, shortly before the ceremony proclaiming our new monarch. One of the talking-heads made this remarkable statement: ‘The last time this happened the Prime Minister was Winston Churchill and most of the people in the room would have known Queen Victoria.’ Like a series of stepping stones, each generational ‘jump’ moves us back in time – from King Charles, to Queen Elizabeth, Winston Churchill, Queen Victoria. How far back does living memory take you?

What about the remarkable saving works of God in our history? How long are they remembered? A parish minister serving in the Hebrides during the 1980s, recalls a godly, elderly lady in his congregation who had lived through no less than four genuine revivals. Growing up in Wales, I knew ministers who had experienced unusual spiritual blessing locally and missionaries who had experienced revival in places like Indonesia. The kind of widespread revival that shook the whole nation was a generation further back – their grandparents had lived through it, mine had not.  

Some older readers of The Record will relate to being influenced by Christians who experienced revival. They may even have tasted the ‘aftermath’ of revival themselves. What a tremendous privilege! For many young people in Scotland today, even the memory of their ancestors’ nominal church-attendance has disappeared into the mists of time. Of the children growing up in Christian homes and gospel-believing churches today, how many will have any contact with the living memory of these widespread works of God?


There are several reasons why these revivals should not be archived in the recesses of our collective religious memory. Firstly, as it passes from living memory, history can be distorted and re-written. We see this in secular history, for example, in the scourge of Holocaust denial in judging men and women of the past by today’s socio-political standards, and ‘cancelling’ of those deemed to fall short. The same is happening with the history of the Holy Spirit’s mighty works. Recently I came across a book that presented an extremely charismatic and mystical understanding of the Holy Spirit’s work using an entirely fictional novel, full of made-up, fantasy miracles. There are various movies that take a similar approach. Far from encouraging the work of the Holy Spirit, the existence of supernatural religious fiction only proves that we are not in a time of revival. Make-believe miracles are only interesting to people who have never experienced real miracles.

Through the prophets and apostles, the Holy Spirit wrote His own book. It is a work of truth not fiction. He energises it with life and dynamic power. In times of true revival people are drawn to this Sacred Book. They read it in their homes and come to church to hear it explained. As they do, they encounter the authentic power of the Holy Spirit as He wields Scriptures like a sword, piercing human hearts with sin-convicting precision, performing the miracle of regeneration, drawing people to put their faith in the Christ of Calvary, and transforming lives for eternity.

Churches and ministers must work together in gospel partnership to ensure that the Word is preached ‘in season and out of season’.
Of course, these are things which the Holy Spirit is doing right now! Even when the church is at its lowest ebb the Holy Spirit adds His blessing to the ordinary means of grace: preaching, prayer, sacraments, Christian fellowship. The smallest things God does are really big things! This means an attitude of ‘sit back and wait for revival’ can never be right. Churches and ministers must work together in gospel partnership to ensure that the Word is preached ‘in season and out of season’. What happens in true revival? The Holy Spirit takes these same means of grace and turns the dial up to 10, causing them to have greater effect in the lives of believers and unbelievers alike.  

This points to a second reason for keeping the reality of revival in our memories. If you have only seen the beach at low tide, you might believe things were always like that – you might struggle to imagine the beach at high tide. It is important to know that greater things are possible. As well as saying ‘thank you!’ one of the ways we can show appreciation for what the Holy Spirit is doing now is by asking for more – just as you show your appreciation of the cook by asking for another helping or a bigger portion. Sinclair Ferguson explains that the basic meaning of the Hebrew word for Spirit,  ruach, is ‘the expulsion of wind or breath, the idea of air in motion.’ ‘Spirit’ expresses, in its most fundamental form… power, energy, and life.’ This divine ‘breath of life’ was breathed into the church at Pentecost and has never been withdrawn. Ferguson argues that though ‘Pentecost is not repeated… a theology of the Spirit which did not give rise to prayer for his coming in power would not be a theology of ruach!’ In other words, whenever the church honours the ordinary means of grace the wind of the Spirit is present as a gentle heavenly draught of blessing; as we give thanks for this, we should ask Him to blow through these same means of grace like a mighty storm.

whenever the church honours the ordinary means of grace the wind of the Spirit is present as a gentle heavenly draught of blessing; as we give thanks for this, we should ask Him to blow through these same means of grace like a mighty storm.
Thirdly, remembering revival puts our own context in perspective. God revived HIs church in the past. Why was that needed? Because things have been at a low ebb before! In 1650, the Commission of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland produced a report entitled ‘Causes of the Lord’s Wrath Against Scotland’. Translated into modern language and with the addition of a few references to Netflix and social media, it could easily pass as a description of Scotland in 2023. South of the border in England and Wales, the early 1700’s were marked by widespread spiritual and moral darkness. Then, as now, societies ‘were formed with the express purpose of making the people a pagan nation’ (See chapter 1 in The Calvinistic Methodist Fathers of Wales: Volume 1, Banner of Truth, 2008). The stories of how God turned these situations upside down is exciting reading!

The history of humanity has never been a steady march towards ‘progress’, as some would have us believe. Sin abounds wherever there are people, for the simple reason that people are sinful. Apart from the uplifting interventions of God’s redeeming grace, the constant tendency of a sin-fallen world must be towards death and decay. Our hope is not rooted in these ups and downs but on the once-for-all work of Christ at Calvary and the unrepeatable-outpouring but continuous-effusions of the Holy Spirit who is Sovereign to save few or many according to the electing grace of God. We keep preaching Christ in the power of the Spirit, rejoicing in what He does and praying for more.

Rev. Ben Fiddian, of Bonar Bridge and Lairg Free Church

One of the t.v shows my wife and I like to watch is called The Apprentice: where candidates prove to Sir Allen Sugar that they have what it takes to be his next business partner. Self-exaltation is the name of the game, often at the expense of genuine competence and proficiency all the while belittling the achievements of other candidates. It doesn't matter how worthy of being Sir Allen's business partner you are, it's a dog-eat-dog environment. Go in with humility and you won’t last long.
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Some groups provide assertiveness training to help people climb the career ladder faster and get a better-paid position or promotion in their chosen careers. Never mind acquiring the necessary skills, experience, and competence to do a job well for your boss, as long as you can play the role, appear assertive, appear confident, be authoritarian, and take command over others, you can climb the ladder, that is how the world seems to work.

The request of James and John
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

James and John want to be great, they want to be exalted, and they want status but are they able to do the necessary things that would lead to such a status in God’s Kingdom to sit at the left and right hand of the King of Kings in his Glory?
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Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
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The question is of course rhetorical as it points to Jesus' atoning sacrifice that he will make on behalf of the nation, but they miss the point because their vision of "greatness" is skewed. They want the Glory of militaristic martyrdom, but Jesus’s Glory would be supremely displayed through his suffering on the cross.
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So what is it that makes a person great in the Kingdom of God? What does Jesus teach about greatness?

Matthew 18:3–4 NIV
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

January and February saw some very fruitful growth at NP connect's outreach gatherings with over 40 new people regularly attending our Sunday meetings. Many of these people have come through connections made at our weekly drop in sessions and some have had no former connection to a church.

On Sunday 5th of March Rosskeen Free Church held a special service to pray over the core team and formally set them apart as they go about planting a new church out of the Capstone Christian Centre and among the unreached of Alness.  

Rev Calum Macmillan reminded the team of God's great promise in Matthew 28, "lo I am with you always even to the very end of the age."

On Sunday 5th of March at our Capstone Church plant we asked the question “why did Jesus enter Jerusalem on a donkey? One of the reasons given highlighted how Jesus’ entry on a lowly Donkey demonstrated humility and meekness. This is in contrast to the military processions of Roman governors that expressed greatness through pompous displays of power and might.

His kingship is not like the kings of the world. He comes as one who serves, the donkey leads him to his death, and his power is displayed through weakness. Jesus was certainly subverting expectations of a militaristic Messiah, that is what the crowds wanted. Jesus knew ultimately his peaceful visitation would be rejected.

And it's here that we must pause for thought - Perhaps there are times in life when Jesus does not live up to our expectations, he does not do or act as we thought he should, and our priorities it turns out are not his priorities.

In those moments Will we turn from singing psalms? Will we still receive him as King and Lord? Trusting that he is attending to our greatest need.

In Luke for Everyone, N.T Wright asks the question, “Are we going along for the trip in the hope that Jesus will fulfil some of our hopes and desires? Are we ready to sing a psalm of praise, but only as long as Jesus seems to be doing what we want? The long and dusty pilgrim way of our lives gives most of us plenty of time to sort out our motives for following Jesus in the first place. Are we ready not only to spread our cloaks on the road in front of him, to do the showy and flamboyant thing but also now to follow him into trouble, controversy, trial, and death?”

^{Tom Wright, Luke for Everyone (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004), 230.}

Brora Free Church are hosting a lunch and listen event in the Church Hall on March the 4th.  Starts at 12.30pm with free soup and sandwiches and cakes followed with a short talk by Rev Roddy Macrae from Helmsdale.  

1 John 4:7-21
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

This is a powerful passage of Scripture that speaks to the essence of Christian love. In these verses, John teaches that love is the defining characteristic of true Christianity and that God is the source and essence of this love.
The passage begins with John urging his readers to love one another, for love comes from God. John asserts that everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God, while those who do not love do not know God, for God is love. This is a bold claim, but one that is foundational to Christian belief. Love is not just a nice sentiment or a feeling, but rather the very nature of God Himself.
John goes on to describe the ultimate demonstration of God's love - sending His only Son into the world to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. This act of love is the ultimate proof of God's love for us, and the reason we can love one another.
John then makes an important point about fear. He writes, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." Fear and love are incompatible. When we live in fear, we are not experiencing the fullness of God's love. It is only when we trust in God's love that we can be free from fear.
The passage concludes with a powerful exhortation to love one another. John writes, "And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister." Love is not just a suggestion or a preference, but a commandment from God Himself. As followers of Jesus, we are called to love one another, not just in word, but in deed and truth.
In summary, 1 John 4:7-21 is a powerful reminder of the centrality of love in the Christian faith. Love is not just an emotion, but the very nature of God Himself. When we love one another, we are demonstrating our knowledge of and connection to God. We are also fulfilling the commandment that God has given us. As we seek to live lives of love, may we be continually reminded of God's great love for us and the ultimate sacrifice that He made for us on the cross.

Helmsdale Free Church are running a Kids club for primary school kids on Feb 26th. Spread the word!  Craft, games and snacks!