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Kirk Reflections 30th August 2026. Revd Erick du Toit brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland. THE GREAT RESCUE PLAN"But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”"(Exodus 3:11) I once had a dream that I was lost at sea on my paddle board. It was terrifying: dehydrated, sun-scorched, and surrounded by circling sharks. The end felt inevitable. What a relief it was to wake up safely on dry land. Most of us will never experience being truly lost at sea, but we have all found ourselves in situations where we needed help — the support of another person to set us free and help us move forward with hope in our hearts. From the very beginning, God set in motion the greatest rescue plan: to save humankind from darkness and bring us into a life of light. The great Exodus story — the Hebrew people being led out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership — points us toward what Jesus came to accomplish on the cross: liberating us from the bondage of sin. But every rescue has to start somewhere — and with someone. God commissioned Moses through a supernatural encounter at a burning bush. How amazing that God could use someone like him — and someone like you — to help others find their way back home.

Kirk Reflections 23rd August 2026. Revd Erick du Toit brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland. TROUBLES"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life."(PSALM 138:7) U2, the famous Irish band, wrote thought-provoking lyrics on ‘the troubles’ in their song, ‘Sunday, Bloody Sunday’. Troubles? ‘“The Troubles” tells a bloody tale of a three-decade conflict, which took place between Irish nationalists and Irish unionists from the 1960’s till the 1990’s. Although this bloody conflict was ended with the “Good Friday Agreement”, its legacy was so traumatic that it helped influence some of the biggest protest songs to have come out of the music industry.’ (http://medium.com/@thelegendsofmusic/sunday-bloody-sunday-the-story-behind-u2s-most-political-song-f3fd719e1009) I don’t know about you, but compared to ‘bigger’ world problems like civil war, poverty, slavery, unemployment, ecological crises (add your own!) - my issues often feel ‘unimportant’. With so much going on… is my little world of any real significance…? When reading Psalm 138, we come to this deep realisation that the God of ALL Creation is intimately involved in our everyday life. He’s not only aware of all our ‘stuff ’, but he cares for our worries and concerns and ‘troubles’. This week, we explore this more in depth.

Kirk Reflections 16th August 2026. Revd Erick du Toit brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland. THE GREAT BANQUET‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’(Luke 14: 21b) The Jewish tradition held the belief that there would be a massive feast following the resurrection of all God’s people. Jesus affirms this in his parable about the great banquet; but there’s a twist… the guest list will be much longer than expected! Join us as we seek a deeper understanding of what this could mean for us practically.

Kirk Reflections 2nd August 2026. Revd Erick du Toit brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland. A FREE MEAL LIKE NO OTHERCome, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.(Isaiah 55:1)  In Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, we encounter suitors who have long overstayed their welcome in Queen Penelope’s palace. Eager to win her hand—and with it, a chance at the throne—they spend years attending evening banquets, enjoying free meals while waiting for the ultimate prize. Convinced that Odysseus is long dead, they grow increasingly impatient. Yet, in time, the king returns—disguised as a beggar—to reclaim his kingdom. There are many similarities, but also striking differences, between Homer’s famous epic and the Gospel’s vision of hospitality.

Kirk Reflections 26th July 2026. John McPhee brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland. LIVING WATER “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” (John 7:337) We have been blessed with great weather (for Scotland!) but it’s a reminder of how much we need water to survive… The Bible uses the imagery of “living water” often to explain what the “with God life” is like. Does your life satisfy you and bring you joy? Maybe we all need reminding that the Holy Spirit within us can give us what the world is desperately looking for! We will explore what Jesus said about that from John 7:37...

Kirk Reflections 19th July 2026. Revd Erick du Toit brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland. LOST OR LOTS TREASURE “When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” (Genesis 28:16) Have you ever been on a treasure hunt? When I was growing up, our little fox terrier loved burying scraps of bone in the backyard. When his “supplies” ran low—or perhaps when boredom set in—he would sniff around, hunting for buried treasure. Somehow, he always found what he was looking for: tail wagging, broad smile on his face, ready to tuck into a half-decomposed chicken leg. Yuk! When it comes to the Gospel of Jesus, we do not have to hunt for truth and meaning. It is already there, freely offered to us. In our passage this week, Jacob unexpectedly stumbles upon the greatest treasure he could ever imagine: a treasure trove filled with hope, forgiveness, and restoration.

Kirk Reflections 12th July 2026. Rev Stanley Brook brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland. ALIVE BECAUSE OF CHRIST“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”(JOHN 11: 25-26) This week, we welcome Rev. Stan Brook to share a message of hope and restoration from this encouraging passage.

Kirk Reflections 5th July 2026. Revd Erick du Toit brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland. MY BIGGEST STUMBLING BLOCK“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do.”(Romans 7:15) You might expect those words from a “big” sinner—but who would have thought that Paul, of all people, struggled to do what was right? When I see that others wrestle with the same inner conflict, I find it a little easier to show myself grace. I often know exactly what I should—or should not—do, and yet I still get it wrong. Perhaps you can relate to Paul’s words later in chapter 7: “What a wretched man I am.” Yet here is the beauty in our brokenness: we have a Saviour in Jesus, who came not only to rescue us from the evil one, but also to save us from ourselves. Join us as we continue this journey of self-exploration through the Word of God.

Kirk Reflections 28th June 2026. Revd Erick du Toit brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland. GOD’S PROVISIONAbraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt -offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.(Genesis 22: 8) The Bible contains some startling stories, and Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son Isaac is surely one of the most challenging. Could you have obeyed God’s command with that kind of faith? Abraham had already left his past behind in response to God’s call. Now, he was being asked to place his future in God’s hands. Would he go through with it? It is easy for us to comment because we know the ending—but pause for a moment and imagine the horror, the fear, and the weight of that moment. For centuries, Jews, Muslims, and Christians have debated the meaning and significance of Abraham’s extraordinary faith. He trusted that God would provide, even though the ‘how’ and ‘where’ were not his to know. So, what should followers of Jesus in the 21st century make of this story?

Kirk Reflections 21st June 2026. Revd Erick du Toit brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland. SERMON SERIES ON EPHESIANS #10 (6:10-20) The Full Armour of GodThis week, we conclude our 10-week series on Ephesians by exploring Paul’s powerful image of wearing the full armour of God. Many of us know the picture of a Roman soldier ready for battle. Paul uses each piece of armour—the belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, and sword—to remind us that, for those who are in Christ, the battle has already been won. Our calling is simply to stand firm. That is a relief—especially for those of us who see ourselves more as peacemakers than warriors.

Kirk Reflections 7th June 2026. Revd Erick du Toit brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland. SERMON SERIES ON EPHESIANS #8 EPHESIANS 5: 15-21 To be filled with the Spirit…? What does this entail and why is it important? For Paul in this passage it’s non-negotiable. To be filled with the LORD’s life-giving Presence is AS IMPORTANT as drinking your daily dose of water… In the Greek we refer to this command as an ‘imperative’… this means we don’t really have a choice if we want to follow Jesus in obedience – I’ve never noticed that before, to be honest! Here’s the good news if this is news to you… we all have free access to the joy and life of abundance flowing from a life in the Spirit! Want more of that? Listen as we explore this theme a bit more!

Kirk Reflections 24th May 2026. John McPhee brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland. SERMON SERIES ON EPHESIANS It’s our annual Pentecost Heritage Sunday! This week, we celebrate the outpouring of God’s Spirit on all nations, tribes and languages! Our worship service had people wearing something that shows their heritage – and the sanctuary was colourful and vibrant and bedecked with flags of all nations as we celebrate our ONENESS in Christ Jesus!

Kirk Reflections 17th May 2026. Revd Erick du Toit brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland. SERMON SERIES ON EPHESIANS And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Eph. 3: 17b-19) Looking into the distance, What do you see? Do you see His great love for you? Can we comprehend the width thereof? What is humankind that You are mindful of us? What a mystery to know OF this power. But what if we could FULLY know this power? Do you want to - would you like to experience it? His all-compassing love is sweeter than wine. Nothing could compare…. Nothing. This week, we explore the meaning of Paul’s prayer and if it still applies to us today.

Kirk Reflections 10th May 2026. Revd Erick du Toit brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland. SERMON SERIES ON EPHESIANS But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility (Eph. 2: 13-14) Walls are meant to keep folks in, and/or out. Some have developed an obsession with walls… I’ll you let you fill in the blank. This isn’t new. Even before Paul spoke and wrote about the importance of Christ bringing down the walls of division it was a way ‘to be’ superior. In the Jerusalem temple you couldn’t enter certain areas if you were a gentile or female… Paul continues to affirm certain truths about the ‘saints’’ new identity in Christ. There’s no more ‘us’ and ‘them’ based on ethnicity, culture, language, nationality, etc. We have become a ‘new humanity’ thanks to the blood of Jesus. The barrier, the dividing wall of hostility has been destroyed by Jesus on the cross… We’re all ONE in Christ…I know that doesn’t sound too radical, but it is the very reason we believe in equality (till this day!) … we’re all equally valuable and important to God. There’s not favouritism when it comes to Jesus – he gave himself for the WORLD…

Kirk Reflections 3rd May 2026. Revd Erick du Toit brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland. SERMON SERIES ON EPHESIANS For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph. 2: 8-10) How big are you on zombie apocalyptic horror films? Perhaps you’ve seen ‘World War Z’ starring Brad Pitt or Will Smith’s ‘I am legend’. These movies often share a similar plot. There’s an outbreak of a virus resulting in a worldwide pandemic where people are infected by a disease that cause them to ‘live’ without truly being ‘alive’. All they do is steal, kill and destroy… These stories all end on a similar note. A hero finds an antidote for those numbed ‘former humans’ and bringing them back to life… I like these films because they remind me so much of the Gospel and it’s potential for us ‘to be made alive in Christ’: the only antidote to and for sin… Listen as we further explore the fascinating book of Ephesians!