Letter from Australia 121 – Small Beginnings
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
It’s been a long time since my last letter (Nov 3rd – https://theweeflea.com/2023/11/03/letter-from-australia-120-a-new-beginning-in-newcastle/So, I thought I would give you a quick update with a couple of thoughts.
The work here is not easy. Revitalising a small congregation in an increasingly post Christian society, with a divided Church (I am speaking in general) is not easy! Especially when you have limited gifts! But we believe the Lord is able. We have made some small progress – along with the usual setbacks….but the opportunities are increasing – and I am beginning to love both the place (Newcastle is very different from anywhere I have lived) and the people….The people in the congregation seem encouraged – and they have been very warm and welcoming to us.
One of the great things about Newcastle is the second hand book scene – we have four shops near the Church. I managed to pick these up in the one nearest us – they had no idea what a treasure they had!
Believe it or not I can sometimes be too apologetic – this great wee clip from Alistair Begg, recounting the advice he was given from the indefatigable Davey Paterson, one of my predecessors in Brora, is a really helpful reminder that it is the Lord’s word not ours.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etsjduK4rTM&ab_channel=MatthewCliff
Speaking of those who have moved on I was sorry to hear today of the death of Rev. Murdo Macleod (affectionately known as Murdo Wellie because of the rumour that he even wore his dog collar when gardening!). When he and Ishbel moved to Dundee they became valuable members of the congregation and Murdo was an elder. Murdo and I didn’t always see eye to eye on everything, but I loved his zeal for the Lord and his compassion for people. There are so many Murdo stories – but for me the following sums him up beautifully.
One Sunday I was standing at the door with Murdo (sometimes he would just shout out to strangers…’come in and meet the bride – and we will do you good!) when a Norwegian punk with the full punk regalia walked in. Murdo warmly welcomed him and asked him how his soul was. His response? He looked at his shoes and said he thought they were fine! I thought this was a great example of two people speaking the same language but not getting one another at all.
The following week he was back, and I was speaking to him. To my astonishment he asked where ‘the old man’ was. “Why? Why do you want to know?”. “Well, last week he asked me about my family, and I told him about my grandmother being ill. He said he would pray for her and today as soon as I came in the building, he came up to me and asked how she was and told me that he had been praying for her”. I have no doubt he had. I guess the language of love often overcomes cultural differences! Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, their deeds follow after them!
We are certainly going to need to show plenty of that love here. Every day I step out of my office there are needy people – in so many different ways. One Sunday I was out on the street, and I heard one of the congregation saying to the man on the door – ‘tell David the pulpit is in here’! To which my response was ‘yes, but the people are out here’. And therein lies the question. I have no interest in just getting people into a building, or to come to a service. I want them to know the Christ, whom to know is life indeed.
I am inspired by the ministry of my friend Bob Akroyd. Another friend, Kevin Mckenna wrote this great artist about him- 📸 Look at this post on Facebook https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0ijpRFdLFnZwJmuz9xmyP8UmKsU984zwGVkpBDDbEwegKUsxtK7dusFQpxq4uowv7l&id=771655947&mibextid=cr9u03
Discombobulation!
There is so much uncertainty – and to use Annabel’s favourite word’ discombobulation’ that at times it is hard to take it all in. We are still waiting to hear about our visa. The Christmas and New Year that have just gone were a perfect example of that – we had a lovely time with Becky and her family – but we also greatly miss our other children and my mother, and the rest of our extended families. But we believe the Lord has called us here – for how long we do not know. But we have learned the wisdom of James “13 Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’ 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” (James 4:13-17)
Continue to pray – and may the Lord send renewal and revival to all our churches and countries….
Yours in Christ
David
PS. I am rethinking how I do media – a few new things are in the mix, and I am tidying up the older ones…. watch this space!
One example is that we are putting up the sermons from Scots on to our YouTube channel…. here is last Sunday’s….
Hi Pastor David,
I would lie to send you Michael Phillips’ new book, Endangered Virtues. He’s a George MacDonald scholar, and my writing mentor, but that’s a long story.
The point is, you would resonate with his book – a rather a-political book about the moral decline in the Western World, something of which you warn of in all your WeeFlea podcasts. I’ve been a listener since 2018.
Michael has been a guest speaker on Janet Parshall as well. That is where I first heard of you. I had planned to hear you preach in Scotland in 2019, but had learned that you had JUST retired and moved to Australia.
Can you send me an address or PO box where I can send the book? Or can I send it to your new church in Newcastle? Could I please have your address?
Many 1000 thanks! Keep up the good work! Your sister in Christ,
Lora
Would love that – thanks – 6 Evans Road, Adamstown, NSW 2289 – Australia….
PS. I havn’t retired!
Lovely to read your update. Thank you. 🙏