Spring already?

It is hard to believe that it is already the middle of February. I nearly missed St. Valentine's Day, although my wife reminded me!

Life has been busy here. During the second half of January I attended a Presbytery training day at Dornoch, a friend's ordination in Glasgow (which was great!), a training day on prayer and prophecy in Lairg, and a church consultation in Inverness.

We also finished the Alpha Course, which we have been helping with since October, and we had our second all-age activity service at the end of the month.

A couple of weeks ago we had a big storm, which roared around the house through the night. In the morning one of the ridge tiles had come off the roof, but it was quickly replaced. I was astonished to discover that the windows were all coated in salt spray - and the house is 200 feet above sea level, and 750metres (about half a mile) from the seashore of the Kyle of Tongue. The wind has an awesome power. But the power of God's Holy Spirit is even more awesome!

February has been a little quieter, although we began it with the funeral of one of our older members. She had friends and family all over Scotland, and the Melness Church was full to overflowing. There must have been about 250 people there. The Free Church minister for this area was sharing in the service too, and it was good for folk to see us on the same platform together. It was the first time we had met each other, so it was a good opportunity for us to see each other in action!

This week we will journey with six folk through the basics of Christian faith and church life. I am pleased they have taken this opportunity to explore what is involved in becoming, and remaining!, members of the Church of Scotland. We look forward to welcoming them into full membership of the church of Jesus Christ in this place.

During this past week we have discovered some snowdrops growing in the manse garden. The snowdrop in the photo above is today's discovery, and it seems to be struggling to flourish. Perhaps the strimmer has been applied too diligently in the past. Or maybe its position at the front of the house leaves it too exposed to the wintry blasts that can sweep across the house even at this time of year. Spring may be in sight, but it is not here yet!

It almost miraculous that these beautiful plants remain hidden under the ground, and yet when the time and conditions are right they burst forth and surprise us with their exquisite beauty.

It seems to me like a metaphor for the workings of God through his people, the Church. It seems like there is no life, that nothing is happening, that the future is hopeless. But just when we least expect it, the new life appears, springs into sight, and bursts forth into bloom.

Jesus told a story about a man who went to sow his field. The seed which fell on good ground yielded as much as a hundred new seeds. God is calling each one of us in his Church to be fruitful and to prepare for harvest. (Luke chapter 8:5-15)