As many of you already know, Mission Networking as we know it comes to a close at the end of October. It has not been an easy year with the uncertainty of the way forward for networking amongst our churches being widely discussed through the nationwide consultations. While undoubtedly some areas did experience difficulties, we however in the Southwest have enjoyed five years of fruitful co-operation between the churches and have seen a deepening commitment to engage in ongoing outreach within the local communities and the Southwest as a whole. This has resulted in a firm desire not to lose what has been enjoyed and established over this period and a proposed commitment to continue on a year to year basis is currently being considered.

We have sought to keep prayer for our churches as a foundation of encouragement through the distribution of this Southwest Focus news sheet. Linked to this are our Praise and Prayer evenings, where up to date information is given on each church and an opportunity to support and encourage each other through praise and prayer.

The annual Leaders’ Meal in February is an event which is a firm favourite when pastors and leaders along with their spouses come together to enjoy fellowship and a good meal. Over the years this evening has proved strategic not only for fellowship and sharing but for casting vision and this year was no exception when David Wotherspoon, Paul Coventry and Mark Bentham shared exciting news of what was happening in their areas.

What a joy and encouragement it has been to see the three churches of Cumnock, New Cumnock and Stranraer, all non union churches, not only supporting the networking concept but being actively involved in all of the activities in our area.

The Bourtreehill Church, one of our smaller churches as far as membership is concerned, continues to challenge us with their big vision and innovative outreach events. Using their Oasis café as a base, they are successfully reaching into their community with a good Mums and Toddlers group, lunch time specials for school kids, after school club for primary children and an extensive Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme during evenings. The Breakfast Church, which is now a monthly event, undoubtedly is an excellent means of reaching many more people both young and old alike who would not normally come to a church service.

Youth features large in outreach events in the Southwest and The Ark, our most successful venue for unchurched young people in Ayr, has had a good year. Not only at weekends but also lunch time mid-week and after school, young people can come together in an alcohol and drug free environment to enjoy themselves and where christian young people get opportunity to witness to their faith.

The Kilmarnock church continues to work closely with other churches to establish a Kilmarnock Youth Project which would be a safe place free from alcohol and drugs and run on similar lines as the Ark in Ayr.

Using sport as a tool in mission, the Southside Soccer and Golf outreach at the beginning of July was again an outstanding success in reaching many youngsters of all age groups. A number of churches are involved in this event as a strong team of helpers are needed to oversee the large numbers of children and youth that attend each morning, afternoon and evening. The vast majority of these young people come from an unchurched background and eagerly turn up each day not only for the sport but to hear the gospel shared in very relevant and meaningful ways. These events also give great opportunity for christian young people to witness to their peers as they help run and resource this terrific outreach to the community. Touch the World ministries also attracted a larger number of young people, who were trained, equipped and sent to various locations both at home and abroad to reach out to young people. To witness their enthusiasm on the night of their commissioning was truly inspiring as they prepared to go to places as far apart as Orkney, Bellsbank, Lisburn, London, Bulgaria and Portugal in order to speak of Jesus.

Networking between churches to facilitate new avenues for mission continues to encourage. The Ayr and Southside Churches have consolidated their vision for reaching a wide spectrum of need and to establish a strong credible centre for counselling and help. Along with members from the New Prestwick church, a popular weekly meeting of `Broken Chains` has been set up in Ayr where a meal is provided, help is on hand for those who need it and an actual church service is conducted.

Girvan continues to encourage us greatly as more new people join the fellowship that meets for their worship service on Tuesday evenings in the Community Centre with around 25 attending. Many of those who come have no real church background and because of others who have just come to faith we have started what we call a `Discovery Group` where we counsel and teach the scriptures at a basic level. This is proving very popular indeed. We also have monthly Sunday services which currently are at 6pm. These are informal with people sitting around tables as in a café, with music, songs and the sharing of the scriptures on real life issues. We are also currently praying about opening as a café one morning per week and another evening for a youth event. Our aim is to establish a fresh expression of church using the Centre and we now need to appoint someone to develop and consolidate this exciting work.

Church and Community Assessment is another great tool and I am currently concluding my `Findings` in a very profitable church assessment with the New Cumnock Church. They have a major task of sharing the gospel in a community which is struggling due to the demise of coal and lack of alternative employment. However they have vision and zeal to reach out and I look forward to working with them and their new Interim Pastor Foster Wright as they develop their action plan. I am also in talks with another church with a view to doing a similar assessment.

This has been a busy summer season with many churches involved in youth and children’s activities from a variety of single evening events to week long outreach.

The Ayr Church is planning their children’s outreach in the first week of August in addition to another youth weekend over in Arran later in the month. Such support and sharing of mission possibilities is to be encouraged and we trust that this link can be developed over coming years. New Prestwick’s children’s outreach will again be in September when the church seeks to attract kids through a well organised week of creative activities.

It is exciting to think, not only of the great number of kids but of the many families that are being reached through such events. Let us continue to support each other in prayer for every effort that is planned through the rest of the summer and autumn that much fruit will be harvested for the Kingdom.

The Arran church has invited Rev Willie Wright to work with them on a part-time basis which is exciting news for the island church. Being on an island presents its own particular challenges and opportunities and we pray that this arrangement, which involved the church providing accommodation on Arran for Willie, will be greatly blessed by God.

The Irvine Church is pleased to have Colin, their Pastor, back in the pulpit again after a prolonged period of illness. Pray that Church and Pastor will be blessed with fresh vision for the challenging work in Irvine.

The Saltcoats Church continues to find encouragement in their busy programme with their youth. The Alpha course is also encouraging as a steady interest from outsiders continues to be invited to look at the claims of the gospel message.

Continue to pray for the Maybole Church as they faithfully seek to maintain a witness in the town. Pray particularly for the Friday café outreach which has great potential but is dependant on the faithful services of a few hard pressed volunteers.

The whole purpose of networking is the Envisioning of churches and so I am involved in training and outreach events in local churches with talks and seminars on various subjects such as, `Mission today`; `Restructuring for mission`; `Thinking outside the box` and `Discovering your gifts`. Through all of this we try to envision, enable and encourage our churches in relevant mission thinking for today. Another aspect of the work which I love is the opportunities of offering support to pastors who may be struggling or simply need someone to talk to. We live in a changing and very challenging world where we desperately need to support and encourage each other as we constantly seek to communicate the unchanging truths of the gospel in meaningful and relevant ways.

Thank you all for the loving support and faithful prayers you have given to me over these past 5 years, it really has been tremendous and I sincerely thank the Lord for the privilege and honour of serving Him and the churches in this way.