26/05/2026
Facing the Future with Courage
Across the Church of Scotland, many congregations are facing painful change — buildings closing, ministries reshaped, familiar patterns shifting. It can feel as though the ground is moving beneath our feet.
But here at Prestwick Saint Nicholas, I see something different: resilience, calling, and a quiet, steady hope.
When Amanda and I came here, we prayed hard about why God might be calling us. To my surprise, the image that kept returning in prayer was from Revelation — the seven lampstands, tended and refined by Christ. Over and over, I sensed that Saint Nicholas is called to be a lighthouse church in dark and restless times.
Not a fortress to hide in.
But a lampstand Christ Himself sustains.
A lighthouse church means:
• Receiving refinement — letting Christ search our hearts and renew our witness.
• Keeping the flame tended — prayer, worship, and the Spirit’s oil keeping us bright.
• Standing visible in the storm — offering welcome and orientation to those whose churches have closed or are under threat.
• Reflecting the Lamb’s glory — shining with His light, not our own.
• Holding fast to first love — letting love for Christ overflow into love for others.
We cannot control the future of the national church.
But we can shape the future of this congregation — by the way we pray, serve, and love.
May Christ steady us, refine us, and lead us into the future He is preparing.
