Pastoral Letter
Dear friends,
 The "Pilgrimage" on Palm Sunday was attended by over three hundred people. It received good publicity in "The Herald" and "The Hamilton Advertiser" and also "The Sun" - although I did not see the article in the latter. The value of this event was in the publicising of our unity, not the beginning of it. The Larkhall churches were having joint services when I came to Dalserf in June 1982. This however happens relatively quietly without the community necessarily being particularly aware of it despite occasional posters intimating the joint services.
Some may be concerned that in having joint events with the Roman Catholic Church we are in danger of denying the Reformation and its insights. That may well be a danger in some ecumenical initiatives and inasmuch as that danger exists it must be recognised and guarded against. There are major theological stumbling blocks to unity which it is hard to envisage being removed without at the same time obliterating the distinctive elements of Protestantism on the one hand or Roman Catholicism on the other. Nevertheless if you ask me "can a Roman Catholic be a true Christian?" My answer would be a firm "yes" because salvation is not a question of membership of a particular religious grouping but faith in Jesus Christ. Was the thief on the cross beside Jesus to whom he said "today you will be with me in paradise" a Protestant or a Catholic. I realise the question is in one sense meaningless because the distinction did not exist then but even now with the existence of the Church in its many and varied outward forms salvation is surely still through faith in Christ and not in the Church far less a particular expression of it. Could you imagine Jesus having said to the thief on the cross "unfortunately there’s no hope for you because there is no time to have you baptised and admitted into membership of (whatever) church" It is surely still true that "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" ( Rom. 10:13 ). The Church may be invaluable in leading us to Jesus Christ and enabling us to develop and properly exercise our faith but is not the source of our faith. We trust in Christ alone and not in the Church.
In the eyes of the World at large we are simply Christians. We cannot expect the World to be understanding with regard to our theological distinctives but one thing they will pick up on and understand only too clearly is our behaviour. Our public show of unity serves to counteract for both sides the damning accusation of bigotry and hatred which is the opposite of what Jesus said will inform the world that we are his followers. "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35)
Yours sincerely,
D. Cameron McPherson
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