The Airdrie Go Team occurs each Easter in order to help the congregation distribute 15,000 invitations for their annual mission. The team that arrived into the on Wednesday 31st March and those arriving with me at “Glasgow” Prestwick were Beverley Nesbitt, Emmaline McCollum, Philip Aicken, Chris Caron and Alanna Carson (although after some luggage confusion back in Belfast she nearly came with the clothes of a 40 year old man). Leader Stephen Steele awaited us in Scotland and we were helped by many involved with the Airdrie congregation including Stephen McCollum, William Johnston, the Fishers, Megan McAleese and C.Quigleys. The horrendous weather that had preceded the team had thankfully subsided and in an answer to prayer God granted us conditions that allowed us to get all the leaflets given out. There were only a few light flakes in the air as distribution began straight after lunch.
Despite never appearing in the prayer emails Andrew Morrison arrived on Wednesday evening followed by Willy “Dennis Bergkamp” Tate in time to help with leaflets after a great dinner (the food was excellent throughout the week). All team members got an opportunity to attend one of Airdrie’s METs (Bible studies in small groups- Mutual Encouragement Time) and I went on the first night before returning for Phil Aicken’s surprise birthday party which perhaps surprised Andy most of all as he didn’t have a clue who’s birthday it was. The night concluded with some pretty funny April Fool’s pranks which indicated a dramatic change in the RP blogosphere and many congratulations!
Throughout the team different guys led our Bible Studies examining the Epistles of John and we spent time in prayer each morning before heading out for leaflet distribution. One lesson I nearly learnt the hard way is that the answer to the question “Rangers or Celtic?” should always be neither no matter which shirt a person’s drunken friends are wearing. The final team member to arrive was Sam “James May” Peilow who arrived on a Friday morning train from Stirling and was the fourth ex-Foyle boy on the team.
On Friday evening we got to spend more time with the Airdrie CY as we made some horrific DIY pizzas as a challenge to create the most interesting one with only £5 led to the inclusion of Ox tongue and one with a pancake base. On Saturday morning we completed the leaflet distribution before setting up the Church on the Street stall in the town centre and giving invitations to passers-by. In the late afternoon we went to the “Portstewart of Scotland” – the seaside town of Largs. Along with some of the CY we enjoyed a walk down the coast, a nosy round the Church of Scotland, eating out in a restaurant with an interesting back wall and the town’s famous ice-cream.
Sabbath was the highlight of the team and a source of real spiritual refreshment and encouragement. Prayer meeting, Worship and and Church lunch (with the 25th best Irish dancer in the world!) were followed by hearing the testimonies of two church members. Before the Evening service we wrestled with 1 John 5 in the team Bible Study and afterwards there was the traditional Quigley schooling at the Manse where many issues were discussed including the future of the RPCS.
On Monday we were given further heart for the church in Scotland by a Covenanter Tour which allowed us to visit many famous sites including the grave of Alexander Peden and the area in which Richard Cameron was killed by the King’s Dragoons. Connor provided great amusement by one ridiculous stunt though sadly the most controversial Reformation site of the last Go Team was not repeated!
Connor Fail
We arrived back to discover the existence of a great collection of old Messengers in the church building and have the traditional trip to Mr. Kebab before the first night of the Mission. It was very encouraging to see several visitors present at the meeting please keep praying and use the Go Team prayer email to keep updated, the latest one said:
“Please continue to pray for the Airdrie Mission which runs till Friday. Give thanks for a good number of visitors at the 3 evenings so far, some from church backgrounds and some not. Give thanks for good conversations with visitors and pray that they will keep coming back. Pray that the Holy Spirit would work through the preaching of the word to save bad people – which is all of us by nature.”
After some hilarious last night banter we got a few hours of sleep before leaving for the airport in the morning. At the boarding gate a couple of team members were over the weight limit (their baggage, not themselves) and one decided that discarding a psalter was the most efficient choice. An incident surely highlighting the need for a pocket-sized Norris version!
In the past two years the Airdrie Go Team has greatly encouraged me to pray for the work in Scotland and to give thanks for God’s blessing there. Please remember the Mission this week in your prayers, God has used previous Missions to bring many to faith and ask that He would do so again, and please continue to pray for the work in Airdrie, that God would continue to build up the church there so that in the future they would be able to church plant for God’s Glory.
AnotherKing 
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