St James' Church of Scotland, Lossiemouth

For Christ, For You

Prospect Terrace, Lossiemouth, Moray.

Linked with St. Gerardine's High Church, Lossiemouth.

Minister: Rev. Geoff McKee.

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Days of testing and wrestling with God

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The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost is 02 August 2020.

In our journey through the Book of Genesis, we reach…

…the story of Jacob wrestling with God.

And getting a new name from God as a result.

Rev. Geoff McKee considers the trials and tribulations of various other people throughout history. He discusses different attitudes to ‘testing times’, including that of the Apostle, James:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,”

James 1:2

How should we face up to – and what should we take from – testing times?

You’ll find below the four Lectionary scriptures for this week, including the passage from Genesis. There’s also prayers and Geoff’s audio sermon and Kath’s musical selection.

[Read more…]

Why Schadenfreude is one of our favourite words in English

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26th July 2020 is the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost and this week continues our journey through the Book of Genesis.

Today’s it’s the story of Jacob, Rachel and Leah. As we’ve already seen, Jacob is a self-seeking schemer. Nevertheless, he seems to be favoured by God.

But things do not work out as he hopes here – in his quest to win the hand in marriage of Rachel. Instead, he gets his comeuppance. Is it retribution for deceiving his elder brother, Esau, out of his inheritance?

Schadenfreude – joy in someone else’s misfortune. It’s a German word. Some have said there is no equivalent word in English because there is no such feeling in the English-speaking world. Oh, really?

Read Genesis 29:15-28 (a wee bit further down this page) and see if you can avoid smiling at Jacob’s difficulties.

Below you will find today’s prayers, scripture readings, musical selection and Rev. Geoff McKee’s audio sermon.

[Read more…]

COVID-19 and the reopening of Church buildings – a letter from our Minister

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The Church of Scotland Manse, Lossiemouth, 23 July 2020

Dear Friends,

We have reached Phase 3 of the Scottish Government’s Route Map from Lockdown and I’m sure you are aware that church buildings are now permitted to re-open under certain strict conditions.

It is important to make the distinction between permissive legislation and the ability to open safely and it is clear that no church building may re-open unless Presbytery is satisfied that the church is ready to do so safely.

This will result in

  • a significant reduction in capacity for all church buildings,
  • thorough health and safety interventions which include a prohibition on singing, and
  • considerable demands on volunteers to ensure adequate disinfecting and cleaning.

The Kirk Sessions of St. James’ and St. Gerardine’s High have met independently…

…twice, in June and July, to consider if re-opening the buildings is possible at this time.

[Read more…]

A lesson in who ends up with the blessing from God

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19 July 2020 is the 7th Sunday after Pentecost and Rev. Geoff McKee continues his series of sermons from the Book of Genesis.

Today it’s the story of Jacob’s Dream.

Geoff draws our attention to some aspects of this story which might inform our understanding of significant places in relation to our worship of God. It also has relevance to God’s attitude towards the displaced – whether physically or spiritually – as compared to those in more comfortable or apparently powerful circumstances.

Below, you’ll find the Lectionary Scriptures for this week including Genesis 28:10-19. Also, prayers, Geoff’s audio sermon and a musical selection from Kath Robertson, Musical Director at St James’ Church.

[Read more…]

When God made a mysterious and scandalous choice

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Here is the virtual service for 12 July 2020 – the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost.

The main reading comes from Genesis 25:19-34. Rev. Geoff McKee continues his series of studies from the Book of Genesis.

This week it’s the story of Jacob and Esau.

Esau gives up his inheritance rights as first-born to his brother, Jacob, in return for a bowl of stew.

Did Jacob act on the spur of the moment to gain this advantage or did he – or God – have a plan all along? The story raises questions about freewill as against predestination.

It also provides a stark contrast to Jesus’ example to us as someone who himself had a birthright but chose not to give it up in the face of temptation.

Below, you will find the 4 Lectionary scriptures for this week, prayers, Geoff’s audio sermon and a musical selection from Katherine Robertson, musical director at St James’.

[Read more…]

Contact Us

We would be glad to hear from you. Feel free to contact our Minister, Rev. Geoff McKee, or attend one of the events or groups detailed on this website.

Our Minister

Our Minister is Rev. Geoff McKee.

St James' Church of Scotland, Lossiemouth, is a registered Charity No. SC000880.

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Our Mission

Our mission is to be a Christian community sharing the love of Christ, reaching out to the people in this area and encouraging them to worship God and grow in the knowledge of the care and love of Christ.

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