A message from Pastor Jimmy Botha
As we look back over 2022 in the Scottish Mission
The Scottish Mission has lost two of our good pastors this year due to their relocation to Newbold College in the summer. Pastors Rory and Ivana Mendez accepted two different roles, Ivana as a lecturer at Newbold, and Rory as the Director of the Ellen G. White Centre located within the Newbold College perimeter. We have fond memories of their time here, 9 years in total, and were sorry to see them go.
The loss of this couple meant a change in our staff and the first new employee to arrive was Pastor Wilfred Masih. Pastor Masih arrived in Scotland on the 1st of September having answered a call for a Global Mission Pioneer. The aim was to bring pastoral presence to the north of Scotland and to plant a church in the Inverness area where a small group of people have been meeting for several years.
As part of our strategic thinking, we want to bring about a permanent presence of our church in the northern part of Scotland, where we will be able to eventually have a sustainable way of reaching out to the islands in the north of mainland Scotland. We wish Pastor Wil and his family God’s richest blessings as they continue to work in the new area and endeavour to plant a new church.
The second new arrival is Pastor Ratko Risteski. Pastor Ratko effectively replaces Pastors Rory and Ivana Mendez who moved to England in June. Pastor Ratko is working in the west of Scotland, specifically in Irvine, Faifley, and Paisley district of churches. Pastor Ratko arrived along with his family on the 25th November 2022. This brings the staffing of Scotland to the same level as it was before the summer. Going forward we would like to see at least one more person join the team.
Many conversations are happening presently as we have our eyes on the far south-west of the country, a large area, where we have no presence either. We look forward to sharing more on this with you once these plans start taking shape.
The Scottish Mission has been blessed by the generosity of our members throughout the pandemic. The faithfulness of our members meant that our tithe figures stayed more or less on course, similar to pre-pandemic figures. However, as we enter the last quarter of 2022, it has become evident that our members are being affected by the sudden rise in energy prices and living costs in general. In our conversations about the 2023 budget for the Scottish Mission and also the British Union, provision will have to be made for an adjustment in energy expenses by our members and churches alike.
With many uncertainties ahead of us we believe the Lord will provide as He has always done. At the moment, the membership of the mission stands at 732, however I am confident that we will see this number grow throughout 2023.
Our pastors work hard and it is good to get positive reports of discipleship, Bible study, and prayer groups meeting regularly. Some of our churches are also heavily involved in their local communities. One effort worth mentioning is that two of our churches have put themselves forward to participate in the ‘Warm Spaces’ initiative. This means that once a week the churches are used as a ‘warm space’ and are open to anyone who would like to save on heating bills or find some company. Warm drinks and snacks are provided.
We also have many members who have welcomed Ukrainian refugees into their homes and are actively helping them find their feet again after fleeing the war in Ukraine. An influx of refugees means that our churches are now working towards being able to provide translation and it looks like translation is fast becoming a permanent part of our experience.
As we near the end of the year, it was good to have met with all of our Pastors and most of our voluntary departmental leaders in Stirling on the 11th December for our annual festive lunch. The team has not met like this for two years and everybody really enjoyed this get-together. A team effort led by Hellevi Walker, our administrative secretary, meant that all children received a colourful gift and all team members received a gift from someone within the team anonymously. With events as such we create space for the team to pause for a moment from the hard work of ministry and to laugh together as we take time to value friendships and family.
Myself and Hellevi wish all our members a very blessed festive time as you take time, this Christmas to be with family and friends. May the blessings of Jesus in our lives make for a wonderful experience of joy and fulfilment.
We have many exciting things planned for 2023 and we look forward to it. It is our prayer that the Lord will carry the Scottish Mission through this coming year and that by His grace we will see many souls come to know and love Him!
