Double celebrations are taking place as Haddington Community Church marks its fifth birthday – and it’s now moved from being a church plant to being a fully established congregation within the denomination.
Rev Ali Sewell said: “This is a great opportunity for us to stop and give thanks to God for his faithfulness to us as a church over the past 5 years, and also through the prayer and work which went on before that. In some ways it won’t mean a huge change in the day to day life of the church, but it is a positive step forward as we continue to pray for God’s wisdom and guidance as we look to share the gospel with one another and the community around us.”
At the Commission of Assembly last week, commissioners received a Petition of the Presbytery of Edinburgh and Perth regarding Haddington Community Church. They granted the church the status of a fully sanctioned charge under the ongoing ministry of Rev Ali Sewell with immediate effect. The congregation will now also be able to appoint its own local office bearers to lead the church forward.
The Commission received a report from the Mission Board which said, “the work and witness of the congregation of Haddington has developed into being an established part of the community”.
Ali said: “We’re grateful that God has been building his church here in Haddington, and we’ve seen him bringing people to trust in Jesus for the first time, or bringing others back to church in surprising ways, as well as building up the faith of His people. But we’re also aware there remains so much more to do, and so many more people in our community as well as further afield who need to hear the good news about Jesus Christ. Becoming a ‘Fully Sanctioned Charge’ helps us as we consider our role in the wider denomination, and how we can play our part in working out the vision of ‘A Healthy Gospel Church for Every Community in Scotland’ here in East Lothian.
Haddington Community Church meets at Maitlandfield House Hotel, in Haddington, East Lothian, on Sunday mornings.