We attended worship with Matt and Rachel at Crosspoint church, a church plant in Bathgate. They meet in Simpson Elementary School. It was so encouraging to experience the worship of God, and the movement of God's kingdom, in the worship of this small church.
I was deeply moved as we sang "Before the Throne of God we stand", a song we love to sing in our congregation in Indianapolis:
Before the throne of God above
I have one strong and perfect plea,
The Great High Priest whose name is love
Who ever lives and breathes for me.
A lay leader, Mark, introduced communion by reminding us that our names are written in the hands of God. He will never forget us or forsake us. We stand perfect before God in the beauty of Jesus Christ. Mark preached a simple but strong sermon on the Sinner and the Publican. He urged us not to trust in our righteousness, which is, after all, just filthy rags in the sight of the holy God; but, rather, to trust in Christ alone who is the Only Righteous One. In him, we are made righteous before God.
We had lunch with Matt and Rachel, and Rachel's parents. Kenneth and Janet MacKenzie. Rachel fed us Roast Beef, gravy, baked potatoes, broccoli and beans. For dessert we had sticky toffee pudding and apple pie with ice cream. Our conversation ranged from marketplace ministry (lunchtime preaching through St. Helens Bishopgates) to family worship (the decline of family worship and its impact in Scotland), to Thomas Chalmers and his ministry in Glasgow.
After this, we walked to the cave near the Rounds house where William Wallace hid from Edward the first's army after the battle of Falkirk in 1298. Julian and I took a quick braveheart dip in the Avon River next to the cave, and everyone build a dam across 1/2 of the river that we named "Braveheart Dike".
Rich Sabbath.
W
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