Who's Who in Lossiemouth Baptist Church?

Home , The Fifth Man (Numbers)

www.lossiebaptist.org

Contents 2

Pastor’s Page 3

What’s On? 4

Bits & Pieces 5

Children and Young People in LBC 6

Fellowship News 7

Holiday Club - Kate Wakeford 8

Miller Update 9

Gap Year for God 10

Deborah James Blog 11

BMS News 12

Who’s Who in Lossie Baptist Church 13

Who Is God?

In an ancient village, a parable tells, all the people were blind. One day while walking on the road, six men from that village came upon a man riding an elephant. The six men, who had heard about elephants but had never been close to one, asked the rider to allow them to touch the great beast. They wanted to go back to their village to tell the other villagers what an elephant looked like.

The rider agreed and led each of the six men to a different part of the elephant. All the blind men touched and stroked the elephant until they were certain they knew what the animal looked like.

In great anticipation they returned to their village to report their experience. The villagers gathered around to hear about the elephant. The first man, who had felt the animal’s side, said, “An elephant is like a great thick wall.”

“Nonsense,” said the second man, who had felt the elephant’s tusk. “He is rather short, round, and smooth, but very sharp. I would compare an elephant not with a wall but with a spear!”

The third man, who had touched the ear, took exception. “It is nothing at all like a wall or a spear,” he said. “It is like a gigantic leaf made of thick wool carpet. It moves when you touch it.”

“I disagree,” said the fourth man, who had handled the trunk. “I can tell you that an elephant is like a giant snake.”

The fifth man shouted his disapproval. He had touched one of the elephant’s legs and concluded, “An elephant is round and thick, like a tree.”

The sixth man had been allowed to ride on the elephant’s back, and he protested, “Can none of you accurately describe an elephant? Clearly he is like a gigantic moving mountain!”

To this day, the men continue to argue, and no one in the village has any idea what an elephant looks like.

The Bible describes God in many different ways-because He is experienced in many different ways. He is the Creator of the Universe, but He is also the faithful friend. He is the righteous judge, but He is also the forgiving Father. For us to understand God, or for us to understand the Bible, we must carefully study the Word of God in its entirety. Whenever we perceive only one view of God, or one view of the truth, we are likely to be misled.

One of the reasons that so many people still don’t understand the Gospel is because Christians can’t agree on what it is. As Christians, we must strive to find the common ground between us and to pre- sent a united front to the world. Jesus prayed that all of us may be one: “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:23b).

Blessings,

Rae

SUNDAY 9.15 am Morning Service

10.15 - 10.45 am Tea/Coffee (except 1st & 3rd Sundays of each month)

11.00 am Morning Service Crèche/Junior Church

Bible Class

6.00 pm Evening Service

7.15 - 9.00 pm Sunday Night YF @ Lossie Baptist Church

Communion is held after the Morning Services on the first and third Sundays of the month and after the Evening Service on the second and fourth Sundays.

MONDAY 2.00 pm Ladies Together at LBC (Sept - Mar)

TUESDAY 9.30 am - 11.00 am Coffee Morning

WEDNESDAY 7.30 pm Fellowship Prayer Meeting (1st & 3rd Wednesdays of month)

THURSDAY 6.30 - 8 pm Kids’ Church 8.00 - 9.45 pm Lads’ & Dads’ Football

FRIDAY 9.30 - 11.30 am Little Acorns, Parent & Toddler Group

Mon 4 - 15 Sept CHARITY SHOP

Mon 4 Sept 2.00 pm Ladies Together restart Rhona Cruikshank, Tujia Project, China

7.30 pm Pastoral Care Team Meeting

Wed 6 Sept 7.30 pm Combined Prayer Meeting (No Small Groups)

Thurs 7 Sept 8.00 pm Lads’ & Dads’ Football restarts

Mon 11 Sept 2.00 pm Ladies Together, Book Recommendation

Sun 17 Sept 9.15 am Morning Service 11.00 am Harvest Thanksgiving Service Newcomers’ Lunch (following service)

Mon 18 Sept 2.00 pm Ladies Together, Alzheimer Scotland

Wed 20 Sept 7.30 pm Fellowship Prayer Meeting

Sat 23 Sept Naked Truth Event (details to follow)

Sun 24 Sept Speaker: Ian Henderson, Naked Truth

All Items for October Magazine

Mon 25 Sept 2.00 pm Ladies Together, Dennis Slater

Mon 2 Oct 2.00 pm Ladies Together, Benaiah (Teen Challenge)

Thur 5 Oct 9.00 am - 4.00 pm Flu Clinic in Church Hall

Sun 8 Oct October Magazine

Offerings Charity Shop

July 2 £2722 It is that time of year when LBC has the July 9 £1663 Charity Shop in Queen Street, Lossie-

mouth, from 4-15 September.

July 16 £1440 If you have any items (clothing, household articles, July 23 £1299 toys, books, bric a brac etc) for sale, these can be July 30 £1244 taken directly to the shop from September 2. Alter- natively items can be brought to the Church from Coffee Mornings today, 21 August. Please put them in the back hall, clearly labelled “Charity Shop” so they will not be Jun 20 £105 confused with items for GLIA. There is a list of

unacceptable items on the notice board in the Crush Jun 27 £ 92

Hall. Jul 4 £ 86 Helpers are needed on Saturday 2 September to set July 11 £101 up the shop and throughout the fortnight, we need

July 18 £ 99 help with transport to refresh the stock and remove unsuitable items. Also volunteers to serve in the July 25 £124 shop are required. If you would like to help, please

Aug 1 £107 sign up on the list in the Crush Hall.

Aug 8 £117 Further information from Georgeanne Blackwood

The Coffee Morning is held on Tuesdays from (Tel: 01343 812773). 9.30 - 11.00 am. You are assured of a warm wel- All the proceeds for the Charity Shop go to the Ex- tension Fund. come. Why not come along and bring a friend?

The Coffee Morning Team welcomes donations of baking, books and bric-a-brac.

Seafest 2017

Saturday 8 July proved to be a very busy day for Ladies Together at LBC those who helped to man the tea tent at Seafest. It The autumn programme for the ladies in the proved to be a very popular attraction and the vol- Church begins on Monday 4 September. The unteers were rushed off their feet for most of the meetings will be held on Monday afternoons at day.

2.00 pm. The programme is almost finalised A huge thank you to everyone who helped in the with an interesting variety of speakers and activi- setting up, serving and clearing up. Also to our star ties, hopefully something to suit everyone. bakers who provided a mountain of lovely pan- At our first meeting, Rhona Cruikshank from cakes, scones, tray bakes, cakes and biscuits. Spe- Burghead will give a presentation on her work cial thanks go to Lily Mulholland who was the mas- with children in the Tujia area of China. This will ter organiser. be followed by tea and coffee. This was a great opportunity for LBC serve the This promises to be an interesting start to our ses- Lossie Community and raised a commendable sion so The Steering Group invites all ladies to £1198 for the Extension Fund. join with us for stimulating speakers, friendship Seafest was rounded off on Sunday afternoon with a and fellowship. We do hope to see some new wonderful Songs of Praise service faces and assure you of a warm welcome. in the marquee. This was a combined churches event. I’m reliably informed that the rousing singing of well known hymns could be heard all along the Prom. What a witness to our community!

Sundays (during 11.00 am Service) Thursdays Junior Church Dads’ and Lads’ Football 3 years — young teens @ Lossie Community Centre 8.00 — 9.45 pm Sundays (during 11.00 am Service) Open to all teenagers, young men and the young at heart! Crèche 0 — 3 years

Sundays (after Evening Service) Thursdays Youth Fellowship Kids’ Church P3 — P7 Year S 1 — upper teenagers @ the Church from 6.30 — 8 pm

Featuring messy games, singing, Bible Wednesdays (Hythehill School) dramas, and loads of noise! Boys’ Brigade Anchor Boys (P1 , 2 & 3) 5.30 - 6.30 pm Junior Section (P4, 5& 6) 6. 30 – 8.00 Fridays pm Little Acorns in the Hall Company Section (P7+) 8. 00 – 9.30 9.30 –11.30 am Parent & Toddler Group

Letter from Jhojan, our Compassion Child in Ecuador

Dear Ladies of the Baptist Church, Lossiemouth,

Receive greetings from my family. May our eternal Father bless you.

I am very happy and thankful for this opportunity to write to you again and tell you that I am fine and full of blessings and love from God through my parents who are my guardian angels. I love them very much and I have good grades and they are proud of me. It is true that there are some subjects that are more difficult but I make an effort not to fail the year.

I want to thank you for everything you do for me. Thank you for your prayers and letters.

I have an older brother called Bryan and he is 16. We both study in the afternoon. We do some homework and we help with some household chores. We started exams and and then we will have vacations after all the work.

I would like to go to Quito because there are very nice places there and I like the weather and the food. People are educated. My aunt lives there. She is from the coast and she cooks similar food.

My cousins are very nice.

Please pray for my parents to be together and loved by God and for all the families affected in my country.

With love, Jhojan

6 c Crèche Rota Bereavements

Sept 3 Maria & Vicky Our sincere sympathy, love and prayers are extended to Pat Campbell & Family on the sad loss of her sister. Sept 10 Lily & Ruth “God is close to the broken-hearted and saves those Sept 17 Lorna & Mel who are crushed in spirit.” Sept 24 Carol & Iphthime

October rota unavailable

Birth Announcement

Door Rota Love and congratulations to Alex & Jennifer Camp- 9.15 am 11.00 am/6.00 pm bell who have recently become great grandparents.

Sept 3 Caroline Forster Mike Mulholland

Combined Fellowship Prayer Meeting Sept 10 Ian Williams Brenda Franklin The next combined Fellowship Prayer Meeting will be Sept 17 Brenda Stewart Sandy McLeod held on Wednesday 6 Septem- Sept 24 Mike O’Shane Janet Farquhar ber at 7.30 pm. This is a time

Oct 1 George Campbell John Paterson when we join together as a body

Oct 8 Fred Last Dennis Slater of God’s people to pray for the Church, Lossiemouth, the local area and the world. There will Flower Rota be NO Small Groups that week and everyone is encouraged to attend. Sept 3 Bella Hutcheon/Isobel Smith

Sept 10 Margaret Fiske Harvest Thanksgiving

Sept 17 Mary Garden Sunday 17 September, Harvest Sept 24 Joan Fraser Thanksgiving will be celebrated at the Many thanks to those who have recently provided 11.00 am service. The 9.15 am service the flowers for the church. will be held as usual.. The focus will be this year’s BMS Harvest Appeal Please sign up for a date of your choice. Speak to entitled Wonderfully Made. Janet Farquhar if you would like more information. Wonderfully Made is BMS World Mission’s new harvest resource, focusing on children who are being Baptismal Service helped by BMS nurse Judy Cook at Hope Home in On Sunday 25 June at the 11.00 am ser- Chiang Mai, Thailand. vice we were delighted to welcome the Special offering envelopes will be made available in family & friends of Fiona McKay who the pews the week before the Harvest service and went through the waters of baptism. should be placed in the offering bags on Harvest Sun- day. Fiona’s moving testimony of God’s goodness and faithfulness was an inspiration to all. May God bless her in the days ahead. Scottish Baptist Union Assembly

Newcomers’ Lunch This year at our Assembly will be held in Motherwell

If you have started coming to the church in the last from October 26-27. We are asking churches to think six months, you are invited to a Newcomers’ Lunch of the people they send as messengers rather than del- on Sunday September 17. There will be an oppor- egates! People whose primary role will be to share an tunity to meet with some of the church leaders and encouragement, challenge, story or opportunity that flows from the ministry of your local church. Messen- to find out a bit more about the Fellowship. gers who can also return to your church with news, For catering purposes, please sign up on a sheet challenge and opportunities that have been discovered which will be available on the notice board in the during our time together. Crush Hall.

The Big Top Holiday Club

The last curtain call was made and the Big Top finally came to a close after a week of fun and games at LBC. An amazing number of children attended and we enjoyed every moment of every day, even the tidy up wasn’t that bad!! So as I sit here and reflect on the week, I smile and have to thank God so much for going before us and equipping us all with the right mix of skills and energy to get us through.

Even before the club started I was a little “concerned” shall we say, at the number of teens who had offered their services for the week. At the final count I had 23, (yes you read that correctly) which was amazing but also a challenge. I really wanted them to have fun, after all they were giving up their first week of the hols to work but I also wanted to stretch them by offering opportunities in which to step out of their comfort zones and use their gifts. So I did what any good children’s worker would do and I worried! I know I shouldn’t but I did! My inner thoughts were... will they all get along nicely? Will they all feel included? Will they be happy or just smile to my face whilst not enjoying it? And on it went in the run up to the club! But as we stood and prayed together my fears melted away and I knew they were going to be amazing!

Let me set the scene: early Monday morning the team had all arrived on time and we gathered together excited to get going, as the Big Top was ready and preparations were complete. The minute hand clicked to 10am and we opened the doors…. and in flooded the children, all 109 on the first day!! Gulp!

Worrying about 23 teens is one thing but as you are mobbed by over 100 children, things changed in an instant and a new set of “concerns” began! As I tried to count all the heads as they bobbed by, my inner voice piped up again, only louder! You would think that after ten years of doing holiday club I would be calmer, wouldn’t you? But I wasn’t!! You see you never really know exactly how many children will come through the door so it is always with apprehension that I start the week!

Let me explain a little about what is really going on in my head whilst I welcomed the children. Firstly as the doors opened I had already clocked the size of the queue which was disappearing around the corner into James Street. This, one may say was very encouraging! But at that moment it was none other than alarming! “Are the teens going to manage? Have we enough crafts prepared? What about snack time… do we have enough biscuits and at some point this morning I need to show them all how the juggle, arrgh!”

Hopefully as the children and the team looked at me they saw a calm Kate smiling politely and welcoming the children, nodding courteously and saying “Hello, hello, welcome, great to see you again, come in, come in” but inside my stomach was doing somersaults and mild panic was giving way to moderate hysteria!

In hindsight I would like to have been able to say that during this tense time I could sense God’s presence calming me down but in reality I’d gone into full blown panic! However I would also like to add that whilst I have no doubt God was with me all the time, I just I couldn’t hear Him over the screams of my inner voice!

I may jest now that the dust has settled but seriously there really is a lesson in there for me and perhaps you also. God is always with us in everything and God knew what he was doing sending me 23 teens plus over 10 adults to help! HE went before us so why was I surprised? God had already prepared a team of helpers that could cope with the number of kids we welcomed. Why did I ever doubt and why did I waste time worrying?

Note to self, I must strive to muffle the inner voice of panic and listen out for God more!

So with the circus music playing and the ringmaster ready to crack the whip (Gordon not me!) we threw back the doors at 10am and welcomed the gorgeous children of Lossie! We were off – the first performance had begun! It was so lovely to see familiar faces and great to catch up with the parents too.

We juggled our way (literally) through the week and had an amazing family service on the final evening. We spent time getting to know the families as we played classic carnival style games like “hook a duck” and

“hoopla”, while happily munching on hotdogs and doughnuts. It was a great time of fellowship.

Besides spending time with the kids, one of the highlights for me this year was heading up a fantastic team of teenagers who have such great potential. They are amazing individuals who make you laugh so much! Hang- ing out with them was really fun and it was wonderful to see them step up to the mark and grow in their faith.

It was a huge privilege to work alongside our fabulous adult volunteers (one I know of booked time off work especially to be involved! I shall name no names, eh Fiona?) who faithfully turned up early, full of enthusi- asm and energy and served in this ministry. Without volunteers and the prayers and support of LBC this club would not function. Gordon and I are forever grateful. Running holiday club is exciting and exhausting in equal measure and this year was our 10th Anniversary!! We are so thankful to God for the opportunity of being able to share our love for Jesus with the children in this community. Roll up, roll up for the next 10 years, eh Gordon? Kate Wakeford

8 Miller Moments

At the beginning of the summer, James, Katy, Ed & Anni Miller left Moray & LBC to start a new life at Heb- ron School in South India.

Well it’s fully official - we're here with passports stamped. We arrived to Ooty around 1.30pm Indian time and are steadily getting orientated in this town and school site which is much bigger than we thought.

Things start at 9am officially tomorrow and we're getting used to meeting a lot of people but not always re- membering everyone's name. Folks have been really helpful and I can genuinely say that South India is far more like Africa and far more friendly than my previous travels & experience in North India. One of the big- gest treats for us today as we drove here was seeing an elephant in the national park we had to travel through.

This made Anni's day :-) & was very welcome as the children found it tricky to sleep on the flight.

I'm sure it won't take much for them to sleep now in their new homely rooms so hopefully things can start getting back to normal. We've all enjoyed opening our suitcases at long last. We moved on 11 July - so you can imagine the joy some familiar items have brought. ( Ed's playing Risk with Anni, and Anni has set up her space with a few of her Lego things which survived the trip - yes her ship did, and both have started on the decorating with flags, bunting and familiar posters.

Apologies for brevity - tomorrow is coming when Gables dorm arrive to Selborne and school starts for real on Thursday. We're trying to be in bed early - but please would you add us to your submissions - please understand my language in view of things.

Give thanks for Ed not hurting himself and not even a hair of his head being hurt when he had an amazingly spectacular fall akin to a stunt fall off Mission Impossible on the way from Selbron to the main site.

Give thanks for the lovely Ronalds who have helped us get orientated with things and prepared for tomorrow

& how our kids and theirs have just got on and had a fab few days here playing whilst we all get on.

Give thanks for us having to make a home from a shell we inherited from a previous A level dorm. A fridge is soon to arrive which is fab and I have a wee oven which whilst not fitting the cake tins we were given, now fits the dishes from kind Sue O -the principal’s wife.

Give thanks for how well the children have settled in. Anni still finding the smells and noise something when we walk over to the main site - but both have travelled in a rickshaw and had much fun. Please submit them to our dad for the next few days when starting afresh and adjusting to our lives now, due to involve 17 other girls and 4 day girls - ie a large dorm group of 21 with 7 new girls arriving tomorrow.

Give thanks for all sleeping well thus far despite the siren call at 6am but thankfully no rooster or cockerel yet.

Give thanks for the fabulous food over at Selborn - Miss Lily is awesome. Its the best mazungu food I've ever tasted away from home.

Give thanks that we've adjusted to the washing facilities and 3 mins showers.

Give thanks for being able to get quickly orientated around the town.

Give thanks for a good staff retreat.

Please remember us as we meet parents and students tomorrow; for James getting his head around HOD - & that his boil on his face clears up; that Anni remains well - a wee cough has started. For Katy as she is PD 13 tutor and gets her understanding around the university applications and curriculum for General studies and PD, whilst also working out her role in the health centre.

I better go as was meant to be in bed at 11pm - just wanted to submit the necessary. PS Thanks for the bagpipes which arrived well and were played yesterday and made us all smile. PPS Thanks for the amazing links - for the family tie that is there between Ian Mc and Rae - it’s for real and there is a familiar look. For having met the husband of a girl I had the opportunity to be with in my first ever YF at The Round (- Schluter related for those receiving this) - couldn't believe it. Thanks for all our things arriving safely. PPPS No monkeys in the house yet apart from the family - although James nearly had one in his de- partment meeting, making a teaching challenge other than that of a bee.

THANK YOU.

The Millers

Gap Year for God

Imogen Spencer

Knowing I wanted to take a year out for God after leaving school, I started searching for gap years before Soul Survivor 2016 but nothing really jumped out at me. During a worship session at Soul Survivor last year I prayed that God would really show me His plans for me, as I’d made the decision not to apply to university and leave my future in His hands. I immediately heard this verse in the worship song, For the Sake of the World…This passion in my heart, this stirring in my soul, to see the nation’s bow, for all the world to know,

I'm living for your glory on the earth.

These words spoke directly to me, my passion for worship immediately grew stronger and I knew what I wanted most was to bring people to God through music. I remember feeling as though I wanted to do something completely out of my comfort zone for God. I had heard of Soul 61 on the main stage that week and that they offered a worship stream within the course and immediately knew it was where God wanted me to be. After returning home I filled out an application form, bought myself a guitar and started learning a few basic chords as I knew it was a very useful instrument for worship leading! I was invited for interview in London where I met this year’s students, the course leaders and had an audition for the worship stream of the course which was quite scary as I’d only been playing the guitar one month! A couple of weeks later I found out I was successful in both my interview and audition and would be a Soul 61 student for the 2017/18 session.

Looking back on my life so far, I can now see where God has been working to prepare me for what I am about to do, and I’m so excited to see how He will work in the future. I would greatly appreciate support in prayer, as I move out of home to live in London and raise funds towards the cost of the course. I have a total of £6500 to pay by mid-September which is rather daunting, but I am just about half way there thanks to people’s generosi- ty! The actual course costs are kept to an absolute minimum and this money nearly all goes towards the cost of living in a house in London which I will share with 3 or 4 other girls. I’m trying my hardest to raise money with my part-time job, but any financial support would be incredible.

Rhiannon Cleghorn

"God doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called" is a truth that has challenged me particularly over the past few years. Although my calling was never really clear to me until recently - looking back I can see how God was before me, preparing me for the adventures He had planned. When I was around eight or nine years old I learned wonderful stories at Kids’ Church of leaders who went to help young children in other countries who didn't have the nice things I was privileged to have; things as basic as a toothbrush. These stories stayed with me as I grew and God continued to show me more heart-breaking realities all across the world and put these inequalities close to my heart. Fast forward to today and I am now in the final stages of preparing to move across to Mozambique through BMS World Mission on a gap year before I head off to university!

Whilst out there, our team will be engaging with the local church by getting involved and using our musical giftings to help lead worship in the services, sharing testimonies and preaching. A lot of our time will also be spent with the youth where we will be leading Bible studies and interacting with them through games and sports which I'm super excited about! It is also anticipated that we will be spending two mornings a week in a preschool for disadvantaged children and planning lessons for this. We will be involved in teaching English and helping with homework clubs in addition to this. It is also hoped that we will be involved in social outreach during our time there.

God has changed my life dramatically over the past few years and I'm so thankful for everything He has done for me to get me to this point. Thank you so much for all your support; this wouldn't be possible if I wasn't part of such a loving and generous church. If you would like to know more about what I'll be doing or how you can help support this project please feel free to ask and speak to me about it! Thank you.

Rhiannon & Imogen thank everyone who supported their recent Cake Sale which raised £521.88.

10 NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

THE WAIT IS O V E R August 22, 2017 Dear supporters, friends, family, I hope you can share in my excitement when I tell you that I am writing this blog at the end of my second week in Madagascar. After months of training and preparation I have arrived at the final destination. I have really appreciated your prayers and en- couragements on the journey so far. There have been ups and downs in the journey but, when I finally got here and looked back I knew it was all worth it. Zambia helped me to grow and mature as a person; it also provided me with amazing friends that became like family and at the end made it difficult to move on.

I left Zambia on the 08/08/2017 on the 29 hour journey from the OM base in Kabwe Zambia, to my new home in Tana Madagascar. The journey was long and desperately lacked sleep, but, it gave me time to prepare myself for the arrival I had waited for, for one year. Thank you to everyone who prayed for me as I travelled, everything went smoothly with no complications. I was accepted into Madagascar on a 72h visa which again was another answer to prayer (a common theme in this blog). I left the airport to be greeted by 3 of the 4 members of the OM team in central Madagascar. The team were so kind and welcoming and seemed as excited to meet me as I them. This helped me to relax straight away and has helped me to settle quickly into my new home.

I live with two of the OM team members on the top of a hill. At the bottom of the hill I can catch as bus which, in typical African style, involves being squeezed into a small space. This bus can get me into the centre of the city, which takes about 20 minutes if there is no traffic.

I am blessed to live in a nice house with beautiful views from my window. I must admit it is nice to have my own room after spending 6 months living in a dormitory. It is also a blessing to be able to cook for myself. However, I have to laugh when I go food shopping as everything seems to be backwards compared to the UK, for example fresh food even meat is always cheaper then tinned or frozen. I enjoy going to the street market about a 10 minute walk away to get my vegetables as here I try out the Malagasy I am learning on the locals.

My first day involved going to the Foreign Affairs Office to start the process of acquiring a long term visa and work permit. This is where my first lesson on culture started. The office should open at 9am so we got there at 8:30am in case there was a queue. However, the office didn’t open until 11am and closed at 11:30am. During these 30 minutes, we had to run around finding a photocopy of a file they gave us. We had to run to a porta- ble caravan outside the government offices doing photocopies, arriving back in the office at 11:27 just before the office closed. I have now obtained a one month visa whilst we work on getting my work permit accepted.

I spent the majority of my first two weeks getting used to the way of life and taking buses to and from government offices. I can now find my way around the area where I live making my way to the bus stop, supermarket and vegetable market.

On Monday the 21/08/2017 I travelled to another area of Madagascar called Antsirabe where I am attending a language school for the next 4 weeks. I have 4 hours of classes a day and live in a dormitory at the school. I have only had a few classes so far but feel I am learning a lot – and quickly. My teacher, Mr Henrii, is very kind. He comes from Madagascar and can explain the language in very simple ways. I know that God is at hand here as he says that I seem to have a natural talent with languages and those of you who know me will know that has never been said before. It was a great treat to take the 4 hour journey through Madagascar after such a short time here and I was amazed by God’s creation in the views I saw.

Thank you to all those who have participated with me on this journey so far. I am already falling in love with this country and its vibrant community and have no doubt it will feel like home in no time. For those of you who are wondering when will the ministry begin? To be effective in the work God has set for me in Madagas- car I need to know the language well as the Churches here only accept what missionaries have to say when they speak the language of Malagasy. It is also important that I understand the culture I am working in. . Prayer requests:  please join me in praising and thanking God for the answers to prayer I have already had on this journey  continue to pray for my work permit and pray for guidance as the OM team work on it whilst I am away at school  pray that God will give me an amazing memory as I concentrate on learning the language

 pray that God will give me guidance as I start to look into starting the Ministry of Hope on the streets Madagascar

Thank you again for your faithfulness in prayer it gives me the strength to keep going, and helps me to know that I am not on this journey on my own.

Deborah James

ONE MILLION LIVES TRANSFORMED: BMS STRATEGY 2016 TO 2020 BMS WORLD MISSION HAS A PLAN. ONE MILLION LIVES TRANSFORMED BY 2020

Reaching a million people is easy, relatively speaking, in today’s world. Transforming the lives of a million human beings is something very different. Particularly when you are aiming for people in places and situations that are hard – really hard. With your help, BMS aims to bring Christ’s transforming love to the world’s most marginalised people and least evangelised communities, with a special focus on fragile states and desperate, often dangerous, contexts.

In short, we’re intentionally going where others can’t. We believe God is leading us into places at the bottom of the Human Development Index, and to people who have had the least opportunity to receive and experience the good news of Jesus Christ, in places often closed to Christian influence. Over the next five years, this will see us growing our work in such countries. Countries where churches, on their own, with fewer resources, simply cannot go.

We are doing the hard job, because we are called to, because we can. Because being born in Afghanistan, or Chad, or Guinea should not determine that you live a life of suffering, without help or the hope of Jesus.

We have targets – numbers of people we want to see touched and changed by our work.

And these are bold, faith-stretching and measurable. But this is not a numbers game. If it were, we’d do the easy thing. Focus on the easy places. Do the easy work. With integrity, excellence and love guiding us, we’re aiming at lasting transformation, not box-ticking or headline-grabbing. In this, we have faith that God will hon- our our work in ways we had not even imagined.

WE HAVE A PLAN: TO TRANSFORM ONE MILLION LIVES IN GOD’S STRENGTH BY 2020, THROUGH SEVEN MINISTRIES. THROUGH WORKERS, PARTNERS AND GRANTS.

The focus will be on seven ministries: Church planting, Development, Education, Health, Justice, Leadership and Relief.

For further information about this vision, log on to bmsworldmission.org

Millions of South Sudanese people are in danger of starving. The devastating effects of the armed conflict in the country, that has been ongoing for over three years, have been exacerbated by poor harvests and rising food prices. Now, almost two million people in South Sudan face emergency hunger levels, and a further six million are at risk of starvation.

BMS is already meeting the needs of as many hungry South Sudanese people as we can. We’ve been working in the country since 2015, and have recently given £26,400 to two partners on the ground to provide food, seeds and agricultural tools to more than 1,200 Internally Displaced Persons in two locations. We’re also working with South Sudanese refugees in northern Uganda.

According to a senior UN official, the world currently faces its largest humanitarian crisis since the end of the Second World War. Twenty million people are facing starvation in South Sudan, north east Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen.

South Sudan has been plagued by war for years, resulting in tens of thousands of people dying and millions more being forced to flee their homes. Extreme hunger is making fragile lives even more precarious.

Please help us to respond in love, providing food and help for people in dire need: give to our South Sudan appeal today. Thank you.

To keep yourself informed about the work of BMS throughout the world, visit their website:www.bmsworldmission.org where you can also sign up for their weekly email update.

12 WHO’S WHO IN LOSSIEMOUTH BAPTIST CHURCH? ELDERS: Peter Butcher (Tel: 810748) PRAISE TEAM: Andrew Gault (Tel: 813258) Worship Coordinator & Leader:

Chris Gault (Tel: 813103) Brian Gray (Tel: 01340820587) DEACONS: Worship Leaders: Peter Butcher (Tel:810748) Lesley Butcher (Tel: 810748) Neil Jepson (Tel: 209002) Mark Easton (Tel: 545462) Brian Gray (Tel: 01340820587) LADIES TOGETHER AT LBC: Chris Holloway (Tel: 830651) Steering Group: c Sandy M Leod (Tel: 813130) Maureen Donaldson Anne Gault Alistair McQuaker (Tel: 547030) Kate McKenzie Leonora Paterson John Paterson (Tel: 814447) Irene Rose Claire Stewart Margo Thomson

HEALTH & SAFETY OFFICER: EVANGELISM, MISSION & OUTREACH George Campbell Coordinator: Peter Butcher (Tel: 810748) Evangelism: Andrew Gault (Tel: 813258) PVG - Protection of Vulnerable Groups: Coordinator: Chris Gault (Tel: 813103) CHURCH FLOWER ROTA: Deputy Coordinators: Janet Farquhar (Tel: 813697) Kate Wakeford (Tel: 813963) Lesley Butcher (Tel: 810748) COFFEE MORNING: Anne Gault (Tel: 813103) CRÈCHE (0-3 years): Carol Reid (Tel: 830735) PASTORAL CARE GROUP: Lily Mulholland (Tel: 813787) Leader: Chris Gault (Tel: 813258) Church Admin Office (Tel: 810463) JUNIOR CHURCH (Pre-school - Teens): Judith Patterson (Tel: 810336) PASTORAL VISITOR: Chris Gault

KIDS’ CHURCH (P3 - P7): MAGAZINE: Andy Peacock (Tel: 812144) Claire Stewart Editor (Tel: 812557) Kate Wakeford (Tel: 813963) email: [email protected]

SUN YOUTH FELLOWSHIP (S1 up): Michelle Mackenzie (Tel: 812062) Gordon Stewart Matthew Payne Erica Davidson Lauren Harper

LITTLE ACORNS: Vicky Holloway (Tel: 830651) Daphne Thomas (Tel: 815009) LADS’ & DADS’ FOOTBALL: Matthew Payne (Tel: 07825082877)

TECHNICAL TEAM: Neil Millward (Tel: 831363) Lizanne Fraser Patrick Millward SMALL GROUPS: Coordinator: Mark Easton (Tel: 545462)

WEBSITE: Neil Millward (Tel: 831363) email: [email protected] 13

LOSSIEMOUTH BAPTIST CHURCH

Pastor: Rev Rae Mackenzie Tel: 01343 812062 E-mail: [email protected]

Secretary: Mr Chris Gault Tel: 01343 813103 E-mail: [email protected]

Treasurer: Mr Alistair McQuaker Tel: 01343 547030 E-mail: [email protected]

Family & Children’s Co-ordinator: Mrs Kate Wakeford Tel: 01343 813963 Mob: 07729496744 E-Mail:[email protected]

Youth Worker: Mr Matthew Payne Mob: 07825082877 E-Mail:[email protected]

Church Administrator: Mrs Lesley Butcher Tel: 01343 810748

Church Office: The Ministry Centre Lossiemouth Baptist Church James Street Lossiemouth IV31 6AD Tel: 01343 810463 E-Mail:[email protected]

The Church Office is open from 09.00 am - 12 noon each Tuesday and Friday. Non urgent messages left on the telephone answering machine will be dealt with promptly.

Tel: 01343 810643