Welcome to Rev. Neil MacMillan, Minister of The Free Church of Scotland
World Day of Prayer. “I know the plans I have for you”
Thought for the Day: People, Diversity and Migration.
When I planted Cornerstone Church in Morningside, Edinburgh 8 years ago, we wanted to create a new church for our neighbourhood, which was local and walkable. One of the unexpected joys of planting this church is that we have become home to a good number of Latino families. Most of them are economic migrants from Latin America. This was not part of our plan but it was part of God’s better plan. Many of the Latinos arrive in Edinburgh without English, and without a job. Life is tough for them but they are determined to make a better life for themselves and their children. Now at Cornerstone we regularly worship God in English and in Spanish. As we sing songs in both languages at the same time we are being given a taste of the future – when people from every tribe, nation, and language will gather before the throne of Jesus to worship him. This is God’s ultimate plan and purpose for his creation. Our Latino brothers and sisters have enriched the life of the Cornerstone in so many ways.
God is the God of the nations and in his plan he sent Jesus to be a blessing to every nation. It is a joy for the Christians to see God bring people from all parts of the world to live in the United Kingdom. At the same time we grieve that many have arrived here fleeing from scarcity, danger and trauma. Loving our neighbour, being a good Samaritan, doesn’t come naturally to us. We need a growing experience of God’s grace in our own lives to sustain as we offer hospitality to those who have come to the United Kingdom from other countries.
We want to pray for those who have recently arrived in the UK from Afghanistan and Syria and those who came before them from so many nations across Africa and Europe. Our hope is that they will truly find a home here – not just a place to live but a place to belong and to be loved. It’s such a privilege for us as the church to welcome people from other nations and be a blessing to them. Let’s keep praying that we get to be part of God’s mission, that our churches will more and more reflect his great purpose – uniting people across languages, ethnicities, nations and cultures. Pray too for humility and love to shape how we move towards all those God has brought to live in the UK from around the world.
PRAYER
You are the peace of all things calm
You are the place to hide from harm
You are the light that shines in dark
You are the heart’s eternal spark
You are the door that’s open wide
You are the guest who waits inside
You are the stranger at the door
You are the calling of the poor
You are my Lord and with me still
You are my love, keep me from ill
You are the light, the truth the way
You are my saviour this very day.
Amen
Celtic Oral Tradition
