POTTERGATE NEWS - Alnwick, St James

Today both Church and Country are self-governing and the Presbyterian
Church of Taiwan continues to play and active part in society. But as in all
so-called "Tiger-Economies" the ever-expanding economy has brought with
it many problems.
As part of its continually changing challenges the Church now has to seek
ways of dealing with the 200,000 children involved in prostitution, those
using Taiwan as a drug-traffic haven and the highest divorce rate in Asia.
They ask for our prayers for those dealing with these problems and for our
help to seek for justice, peace and security with mainland China.
Elders' Training Day
On Saturday 20 th June, the majority of the
Elders spent the day on Holy Island at St
Cuthbert's for a Training Day with Revd David
Peel and Janet Turner. We all felt it had been
most worthwhile.
After a time of worship, David asked us to
consider how we considered the congregation
of St James's in the light of 1 Corinthians 12,
where Paul describes the church as a body
where all parts have their special role. Many of
us had not appreciated that in this passage
there is no 'head', which in itself made us think.
Janet challenged us as to how we would cope
on a desert island as regards setting up and
running a church. What were the essential bits
of 'furniture'? How would we make decisions?
What sort of decisions would we have to make?
An added hazard was the fact that termites ate
anything made of paper!
After lunch we considered what we would have
to consider, and take greater responsibility for,
when we no longer have 100 % of a minister.
As most of us know, we are one of the very few