SCAPEGOAT HILL BAPTIST CHURCH NEWSLETTER – JULY 2022

Dear Friends

As I guess most of you know, I had a couple of weeks in Israel at the end of May. The Lord was very gracious to us – we flew with easyJet and from being dropped off at the airport, we had cleared security in under 50 minutes!  In Jerusalem we walked through current excavations at the Western Wall, had a Virtual Reality experience of going up to the Temple where we could look around and watch all that was going on, listening to the Levites singing the Psalms and visited our favourite places. 

In Galilee it’s easier to have a sense of walking in the Lord’s footsteps as the hills, the lake and shoreline haven’t changed.  The village where Mary Magdalene hailed from has recently been excavated.  It was an important port and fish salting town (exporting to Rome), with an ornate synagogue.  Jesus regularly preached in local synagogues so at some point He would have been here. 

For the first time there was the opportunity to walk on Mount Hermon – and there was still snow up there – as well as two nice young Israeli soldiers who posed for a photo!

But my favourite spot is to sit in the new area they have opened up at Capernaum.  Now you can sit in a garden right on the shoreline, where Peter, Andrew and the other fishermen would have pulled up their boats or mended their nets.  One can sit there in the quiet, listening to the lapping of the water on the shore, looking out over the lake and watch the boats still fishing.  It doesn’t take much imagination to visualise a boat heading in to shore carrying Jesus and the disciples.  There was usually a crowd waiting for Him, to ask for healing, to listen to Him speak.  What would you and I ask Him to do for us today?

Frances shared this lovely meditation at one of the recent Deacon’s meetings

Lord, if I am to be my best for you, I must rest in you.

Lord, if I am to shine for you, I must give all that’s mine to you, my time to you.

Lord, if I am to show the way to you, I must pray in you – give each day to you.

Lord, if I am to tell of you I must dwell in you.

Lord, if I am to achieve for you, I must receive from you.

Lord, please grant me grace, let me give you space.

Marilyn Dougan

With Christian love and affection

Liz