Dear Friends,

October sees us begin to head once more into autumn; a season that invites us to make preparations as the days shorten and winter beckons.  It is a time when gardeners prune a bit, and tidy up, then retreat from the routine of spendings hours outdoors.  For me it is a time for feeding the bees before their long period of confined semi-slumber in the hive.

Recalling Andy Murray’s achievement as Wimbledon tennis champion, and memories of the Rio Summer Olympics seem so long ago now – as do the sunny days of seeing a crowded esplanade at the Largs Viking Festival.  Even our celebrating the brilliant silver winning paralympic victory of local girl Abby Kane itself will soon become a distant memory as winter comes.  Yet, the positive joy of these can help sustain us.

For the Church, this autumn and winter far from seeing us retreat into nostalgia and look forward to nothing but hibernation, actually seems to have us spring to life and action.

Our hall is used more than it has been for a long time by many community groups, and our congregation has much to look forward to, and be involved in, this month and in the months to come, as we join together to achieve the goals set forth in this year’s Mission Action Plan.

As, at the Harvest Festival, we thank God for all his goodness shown in the fruits of creation; so may we also bear the fruits of the Spirit in our love and service of the world.

Yours in the faith,

Gordon