Many of us have travelled on holidays this summer, sleeping in caravans,
hotels and tents! We have perhaps visited sites near and far and have enjoyed the fair

weather and sunshine. But it is often said there is nothing like coming home. Dorothy

in the Wizard of Oz reminds us 'There is no place like home'. When we are away from

home for too long we miss it. Though I had wonderful holidays this summer I was happy

to return home to all of you, my family, Libby our dog, the manse and even Peterhead.

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I do really love Peterhead even though I complain about its weather! Home is where

we feel most comfortable and it is where we feel we belong. I wonder if you have been

away from home this summer? Perhaps some of us are no longer in the habit of coming to church. Maybe that happened not just this summer but a long time ago. Please know that church can feel like home, we can miss being a part of such a great community and it is a family that is always here for you!

We had a 'Back to Church Sundae' on the 31st of August. Yes I spelled that correctly! We had ice cream sundaes in our coffee time after church and had prize giving for our Children's Church. This was a great opportunity to join others in remembering our spiritual home. We all need to feel grounded and loved. Yes we have family and friends but knowing that we are loved by the family of God is also important. When we gather for church on Sundays we do not come
to put on a performance of to show our neighbours we are Christians. We gather to meet with Jesus, to remember we are forgiven, to give praise to the king of kings, to listen to God speak to us, to share our hearts with the Lord and to meet with others who love God too.

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Meeting together gives us an opportunity to encourage one another, to grow in our faith together and to support one another in the challenges and joys of life. We are a family that is always expanding! I hope you will feel a part of that family and come along to join us. If you are already joining us on a Sunday, I hope you will choose to get more involved. We need each and every one of us on this faith journey! While church can feel like home and returning to our physical home after the holidays can feel great, our true home as people who follow Jesus is not in this world. The reason we might feel a bit out of sync with the world is that God calls us to follow him and his way of love. The Lord wants us to remember that our true home is with him in etemity.

 

Scripture reminds us of this reality in Philippians 3:20 'But our citizenship is in heaven And we eagerly await a Saviour from
there, the Lord Jesus Christ ... ' None of us are orphans in this world when we belong to God. 1 John 3:1 tells us this truth ' See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!'
You belong to God and are a beloved child of God. You belong in God's family! When you are away from home, there is a missing piece in your life and in the life of the church. We need each other to thrive! Even if you watch online, please be in  touch and let us know that you are participating. We want to connect with you even if you cannot physically come into the building.

The church is community not a building, so if you are joining us virtualy you are a part of our family too! Even if it has been years since you attended church or Sunday School, you will always be a part of our family at Peterhead New Parish! We look forward to seeing you on Sunday and hope to welcome you back home soon!