The mountains in the East of Scotland have a peculiar beauty that is all their own. Lacking the spires, pinnacles and great sea lochs of the west-coast ranges, and maps without the word "Sgurr" to be found - they nevertheless have a wild, open, and enthralling excitement, that draws the explorer in with the promise of wide views, deep glens and robust walking.
High in the Perthshire Hills is the Compass Christian Centre, an outdoor centre, just south of the Spittal of Glenshee (3rd picture from the end). A whole crowd of guys from church had hired it for the weekend, and dashed off there on Friday night, for a weekend of fellowship, activities, talks, and a hillwalk too. It's only the second time we've done this - and I think it was even better than the first!
Ironically, I suppose given the location, the theme of the talks this year was on living and serving in the city. The speaker, from Aberdeeen, has spent many years with his church serving people in some of the city's areas of most acute need. He challenged us to think about how as a church we can become more faithful to Christ in our calling to serve those in both spiritual and physical need; and told us some inspiring stories from his own ministry about people who have been freed from all kinds of imprisonments, such as sin, drug-addiction, doubt, rebellion against God, alcoholism; and how the church's calling today is to break out of the cosy-huddles we have built for ourselves and to really serve! Strong stuff this - delivered with some passion too. I am sure that everyone on the weekend will want to work out how we an respond to this - which may take some time.
In addition to the serious stuff, we enjoyed good banter over food or round the fire, on the golf-course or up the Munro, and as we scratched furrowed brows over a fiendishly obscure quiz-night! This was a great weekend - well worth investing time in, thanks to all those who organised it.
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