A warm welcome to Pathhead Parish Church which meets at 11am each Sunday. On regular Sundays, we offer online worship via Zoom for those who cannot be physically present and this can be arranged by contacting the church office. Whichever way you meet us, welcome! At 6pm most Sunday evenings (except over the summer) we have an online meeting for those wishing to look at a Bible passage, chat about it and pray. Just contact myself to get on the email distribution list for the Zoom link. I can be contacted at minister@pathheadparishchurch.co.uk
We also offer Messy Church once a month and there is a Messy Church page on this website where you can find more details of its activities.
Lessons from sport… pressing on towards the goal (of our faith)
The Apostle Paul says to the Christians in the city of Philippi, “So I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God’s call through Christ Jesus to the life above.” [Philippians 3:12-14]
Modern Philippi is located in northeastern Greece, near the city of Kavala. So, it’s likely that when Paul wrote those words he was thinking of the Olympic Athletes of his day. Although Paul was not writing specifically about sport, he often borrowed images from athletics because his readers would immediately understand them. If Paul were writing today, I suspect he might draw illustrations from football and the World Cup, speaking about the dedication, discipline and perseverance required to reach the sport’s greatest stage.
Every footballer understands that talent alone is not enough. Success requires discipline, perseverance and a clear sense of purpose. The person who idles their time away, is unlikely to succeed in anything. Behind the success of a John McGinn or a Scott McTominay is the hours of hard graft in the gym and on the field. And it was Ben Gannon-Doak who said, “I pray before games and read the Bible on my own.”
The same is true for any athlete, be it football, tennis or athletics. The next Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow, from 23 July to 2 August 2026. It will be the second time Glasgow has hosted the Games, having previously staged them in 2014. Athletes from across the world will be competing for gold in many disciplines and often it is the running track which takes centre stage.
The Apostle Paul makes a number of observations about those sprinting to the finish line. He says…
- A runner does not keep looking over their shoulder at the starting line.
They focus on the finish.
- They don’t wander off track or become distracted by the crowd.
- They keep pushing forward, even when tired.
- Their eyes remain fixed on the prize.
Saint Paul applies this to faith. The “goal” is not earthly success, wealth or recognition. The prize is the best life, which we find in Jesus. It’s the best life ever to live with Jesus. It’s the best life ever to experience the love of Jesus. It’s the best life ever when we experience the forgiveness of Jesus. If you’ve become weary of the troubles of this life, why not come along to church and experience the joy it is to meet with Jesus, to have a goal in life, and to live with a sense of purpose all the days of your life.
Every blessing,
Andrew Donald
Minister
It will be a great pleasure to welcome everyone back to worship but for those not able to join us, we shall continue with the Zoom facility so that people can join us from home. Our 6pm Sunday Bible Study will continue on Zoom and if you wish to join the regulars you can find the details along with those of the morning Zoom meeting which is sent out by email.
