Official Report 374KB pdf
Good afternoon. The first item of business is time for reflection, which will be led by the Rev Anne Robertson, who is minister at Danestone Congregational Church.
At the end of August, Danestone Congregational Church celebrated its 40th anniversary. That is 40 years of serving God in our community and beyond, and it was great to gather together and celebrate some of our achievements from the past 40 years.
Over the years, our church has run various groups for different sections of the community, and our building has been used by other groups to offer more activities. As the years have gone by, it has been important to adapt to new circumstances, such as the ever-changing demographics in the community, and to adopt new ways of doing things, reflected in new technology.
In years gone by, words and actions were all that there was. You mainly met people in person, and their memories of the meeting could be spread to others through personal reflections. Nowadays, technology has moved on and, as we all know, social media not only allows us to reach out to more people but is a permanent record of what is going on. It is not only the community that is watching; the whole world could be watching. That gives the opportunity to reach out to the whole world.
However, anniversaries such as our 40th anniversary are for more than just remembering the past. They are also about looking forward and exploring new ways to serve. They are about remembering the legacy of those who established the church and have been part of it, and about projecting forward to see what our legacy might be. It has been about thinking forward and ensuring that, when we reach the kingdom of heaven, we will be rewarded with those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” In other words, are we doing all that we can? Have you thought about what your legacy as MSPs will be and what the legacy of the current Scottish Parliament will be?
Christians are ambassadors for God, working for him, not making a name for themselves. As MSPs, you are ambassadors for your constituents; you represent them and you work for them. What will your legacy be? What will you be remembered for?
Psalm 133 begins with the words:
“How wonderful it is, how pleasant, for God’s people to live together in harmony!”
As you serve this country that we all live in, how can you ensure that you always lead by example, working together in harmony?
Amen. Thank you.