On a bright Saturday morning 25th March, the Elgin SDA Church hosted a District Day of Fellowship, inviting fellow believers from Inverness, Strathdon, Aberdeen and Edinburgh as well as the wider community to come together for a day of worship, learning, and friendship. The church had prepared a programme of activities, including prayer, singing, Bible Study, and Holy Communion. The event aimed to foster a sense of unity and togetherness among the different SDA churches and community members in the region.
As people arrived, they greeted one another with warm smiles, as if they had known each other for years. Some people came with their families, while others came alone, but they all shared the same desire to connect with others and to deepen their faith. The atmosphere was filled with joy and anticipation.
The day started with Virlyn Bowie warmly welcoming everyone and thanking them for coming after which there was an interactive Bible Study session led by three Elders, Garry Bowie, Lucas Machado and Robert Sullivan. The uplifting music was led by Lucas and Jordana Machado assisted by Mavis Bojovic and her children.
After the Bible Study followed the family worship session where Pr Wil Masih shared a message from the Bible about “The Communion Table”. Everyone was invited to participate in the Holy Communion Service.
Following on from the worship and communion session, the congregation gathered for lunch, which was jointly provided by the district churches. The food was delicious and represented cuisine from several different countries. As people ate they were surrounded by an atmosphere of conviviality. People talked and laughed, and they shared stories about their lives and their faith. It was clear that the event was bringing people together and creating a sense of community.
After lunch, the group gathered again for a health presentation by Veronika Van Jaarsveld Setaffy. She spoke on the topic of hay fever with questions and comments from the audience.
At the end of the day, everyone came together again for a final prayer and singing. Pr Wil Masih of the host church thanked everyone for coming and being a part of the gathering. Everyone would be invited to come back for future events and to continue to build relationships across different churches and communities.
The District Day of Fellowship was a resounding success with more than 50 attendees. It brought together people from different churches and backgrounds, and it provided an opportunity for them to learn, worship, and have fellowship together. The event demonstrated the power of faith to bring people together and to create a sense of community. It also showed that the barriers that sometimes separate different churches and people can be overcome through love, unity, and mutual respect. There were people representing diverse ethnicities including the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Romania, Bosnia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Brazil, the Fiji Islands, Jamaica, India and of course Scotland.
In conclusion, the District Day of Fellowship was an inspiring example of how churches can come together to promote unity and togetherness. It demonstrated the importance of building bridges across different communities and of celebrating our shared values and beliefs. The event left a lasting impression on everyone who participated, and it inspired them to continue to work towards demonstrating how to create a more united and peaceful world.
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