WRF Board Member Dr. Fegus Macdonald Requests Prayer for Edinburgh Festival Outreach July 26, 2015, Fergus Macdonald:

20 July, 2015

Fringe@Buccleuch Prayer Letter

The heading of this letter requires explanation.  ‘Fringe’ refers to the Edinburgh International Festival Fringe, which claims to be the largest arts festival on earth, featuring many hundreds of theatrical and musical shows in the month of August each year.  ‘Buccleuch’ is the name of the church to which I belong, and is a congregation of the Free Church of Scotland.  [NOTE: The Free Church of Scotland is a denominational member of the World Reformed Fellowship.]  Our church is strategically sited across the road from the University of Edinburgh campus in George Square where many Fringe events take place. 

Fringe@Buccleuch is registered as part of the Fringe programme, and will run for five days from 18 to 22 August, 2015, attempting to communicate the Word of God in the public square and to present the Gospel to the many thousands of people who throng the streets of Edinburgh during the annual Festival.  All our events are free of charge.

For the five days four specific programmes will run successively:

Students from Taylor University, Indiana, will perform a play entitled ‘Out of Darkness,’ featuring the graphic pictures of deliverance in Psalm 107 – rescue from desert, prison, mortal illness, and storm at sea.  These word pictures illustrate and anticipate what God can do for those who cry out to him for help.

A new play presented by Averill Associates, called ‘God’s Smuggler,’ featuring the life and testimony of Brother Andrew of Open Doors who smuggled millions of Bibles into closed Communist countries and now ministers to persecuted churches worldwide. 

Late Night Music when five Christian musicians will perform pieces inspired by their Christian faith. 

Street theatre.  Shorter pieces of each play will be presented on the streets both to challenge the throngs passing by to encounter the Gospel and to promote the longer evening performances indoors.

In addition, on the Friday and Saturday afternoons there will be a special programme for of children.  

The purpose of this letter is to invite you to pray for this imaginative Christian outreach venture.  In particular please pray that:

God might be honoured and glorified in every activity of Fringe@Buccleuch. 

Actors and musicians may be anointed by the Holy Spirit.

The powerful presence of the Holy Spirit may draw audiences to Jesus and extend an awareness of the needs of the persecuted church throughout the world.

Advertising flyers, to be distributed in the streets, will attract many Festival visitors to attend.

Many Christians in Edinburgh will invite their non-Christian neighbours and friends to Fringe@Buccleuch.

Arrangements to accommodate the Taylor students in church homes might be successfully completed.

I will keep you informed of progress.  Thank you so much for your prayers.

Yours in Christ

Fergus Macdonald                                                                               

Organiser, Fringe@Buccleuch