MINISTER'S MESSAGE
Kilsyth Burns & Old Parish Church is presently "vacant". Our Interim Moderator is Rev Stuart Irvin of Torrance Parish Church. Our most recent minister, Rev Bob Johnston was ordained and inducted back in 2017 and earlier on this year, he demitted. We are now carefully and prayerfully navigating Glasgow Presbytery's Mission Plan and how that relates to the Church of Scotland Parishes in Kilsyth.
A letter from Rev Stuart Irvin, Interim Moderator
I'd like to take this opportunity to intrduce myself. My name is Stuart Irvin and I am Minister at Torrance Parish Church. I have been Minister there since November 2021 and prior to that I was in Edinburgh.
I have been appointed as Interim Moderator at Kilsyth Burns & Old and I will be doing my utmost to help you navigate the vacancy process.
I look forward, in time, to getting to know you better. A lot of focus will be on how we progress matters with the proposed union. With this, can I give you some assurances:
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Firstly, together with the Session, we will do our utmost to communicate what is happening. Communication is really important, particularly as we look towards something new. With this, we of course welcome communication with yourselves. If you have ideas, questions or things you'd like to ask more about, please do not hesitate to be in touch.
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Secondly, I want to seek to bring unity and peace among this congregation and others. This, naturally, reflects the faith we share but also, it embodies our shared focus.
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Finally, I want to give you my assurance that I will be praying for you as we put our face towards these matters. I am excited to see how God leads you and calls you, both as individuals and as a church.
Rev Stuart
A letter from Rev Kenneth MacLeod at Anderson
I have been invited to introduce myself; here goes. I was born and grew up on the island of Lewis; the eldest of four, and given the name Kenneth Donald.
Following schooling, I worked for the family grocery business. However, after ten years, and following a conversion experience and call to serve the Lord Jesus within His church, I returned to full time education eventually graduating in 1987.
It was during my time in Glasgow that Kathleen and I were married. She was a student studying in the Glasgow Bible College and we have been blessed with a family of three: David, Mairi and Ruth; Ruth who is married to Luc and we were doubly blessed when wee Samuel, our grandson, was born.
In 1989 I was inducted to 'Lochs-in-Bernera' a small parish on the west side of Lewis, and in 2000 moved to Easter Ross, having received a call from the vacant charge of Invergordon . . . Ross County FC territory!
With retirement in November 2019 came a move to the central belt, initially Torrance, then Cumbernauld in November 2020. My plan was to take a six month sabbatical before thinking about Sunday supply or doing locum work.
However, Covid soon put a stop to that idea. The old saying 'If you want to make God smile, tell Him your plans' is so true. We never know what's around the next corner, but we know that God is sovereign in all things, and eternally faithful.
God, speaking to His people through the prophet Jeremiah, said "For I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart". Jeremiah 29: 11-13.
God's plans may be different to our plans, but we have to acknowledge that 'His ways are above our ways and His thoughts above our thoughts'. Isaiah 55: 8-9.
Jeremiah has to remind the people that God's ways are always best, for He knows what He is doing. God's plans offer safety, security, a hope filled and blessed and prosperous future; Trust Him.
That's easy to 'Trust and Obey' when the road is smooth, the weather is favourable and our strength is assured, less so when the road seems rugged and endless, the weather threatening, the challenges many and when our physical and spiritual strength is almost depleted . . . . But that is precisely what we are asked to do; Trust Him.
Your brother in Christ
Kenneth
Kenneth D MacLeod