WELCOME

Moderator
Rev. Toby McIntosh
0428 862 962
Minister
Rev. John Brennan
(03) 5334 2199

MORE ABOUT US

ABOUT US

We are a parish made up of 2 congregations - Scots in Ballarat North and Smeaton Presbyterian.

Our Mission:
  • To share our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, with others, so that we all grow in the wisdom, knowledge and love of Christ.
  • To live godly lives, bound together into a family by His love.
  • To teach Biblical truth.
Our Vision:
  • To be a place where people seeking a more purposeful and fulfilling way of life may find peace, joy and rest.
  • To be a place of welcome and nurture for people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities who wish to follow Christ, the Son of God.

FROM THE MINISTER

God’s Word for a Time of Change

|   Posted:
2nd Nov. '25

The Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land. It was a time of change, and so Moses was warning them of potential dangers.

Life is full of changes and new environments for us as well. Deut. 8 has important things to say about God's people in a time of change.

Forgetfulness is a danger. Believers must remember God's instruction, His generosity, and His sovereign demands. We must remember how God has helped us in the past.

By His Word, God presented great unchanging spiritual realities. The Lord Jesus never doubted God's Word. In the wilderness, at the start of His ministry, Jesus foiled Satan with the word, “It is written . . . ”

When we are facing a new situation, or adverse circumstances, we need to remember that these testing events may well be to show us that we are in spiritual danger, by:

  • Relying too much on our own resources, ignoring the Lord
  • Neglecting our prayer life
  • Becoming too materialistic

For the Israelites, widespread prosperity led to gross ingratitude. They became self-sufficient and proud. They fell into the trap of worshipping idols and also worshipping themselves, rather than God. This is stealing from God the glory which is His alone.

In 21st century society these 2 perils are especially predominant - pride and idolatry. We must be on our guard against these 2 sins.

Hold fast to the Word of God. It is eternal and unchanging. Those who obey that Word will experience calm and inner strength in the upheavals of this life, and will live forever in eternity.

NEWS

After considerable investigation and planning, maintenance work to repair the spire of Scots Presbyterian Church in Lydiard St North has recently been carried out. Over time (Scots Church is now 134 years old) the gutter at the base of the spire and the top of the brick tower, which collects rainwater from the spire, has deteriorated. This has led to water damaging the timbers at the base of the spire and the spire developing a lean to the north.

The repairs have involved:

  • fitting a reinforcing ring near the base of the spire.
  • jacking the spire back to vertical and replacing any deteriorated timbers.
  • installing a new copper gutter.
  • checking the whole spire and carrying out repairs where necessary.

A remaining task is to reinstate the cross on the top of the spire.

These works should ensure that the Scots Church spire will continue to be a prominent feature on the Ballarat skyline for many years.

Scots Church has been fortunate to have obtained the professional services of Gestalt Engineers of Ballarat and Spire Australia of Melbourne to plan and carry out these works.

Funding is being provided by Scots Church and the Presbytery of Western Victoria.

A plan for ongoing maintenance and refurbishment is being developed.

IN OUR PRAYERS

Prayer for the Persecuted Church

|   Posted:
2nd Nov '25

Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.

O Lord,

We uphold to You, our brothers and sisters experiencing persecution for their faith.

We pray for pastors and evangelists who are witnessing for Christ, and pray that they may see Your Holy Spirit at work. We pray too, that they will have the courage to stand firm when they encounter opposition.

We pray for believers who face discrimination, isolation and violence and ask for Your ministering presence to provide comfort, strength and Christian fellowship.

We pray for the families who have a loved one imprisoned, or a loved one who has been martyred, and we pray that You will bring comfort and provide for their needs.

We intercede on behalf of those who persecute Christians, that many will be moved by the faithful witness of Your children, and have their own encounter with Christ.