Hear the hush as we bow low in prayer Communing with our Father In the name of Christ the Lord Our first-born Brother By the help of his Holy Spirit God speaks His Promise in the Word Through the speech of a plain man of flesh And His people respond with a fresh old pledge of faith Revived to serve Him in the whole of life We prise again and then depart In the grace and peace of the love of God Assured through Christ He takes pleasure in us We serve Him in family life Work and leisure Until the people of the covenant Gather again Holytown Kirk Our bond with God to pledge **************************************************** Now, though twenty years and six thousand miles away The covenant blessing of Holytown Kirk remains with him It helped to make me who I am in Christ And its peace and good are close to my heart Bill Steel 23 March 1987

Casting a shadow over the wall Across the avenue towards the manse The gray-stone kirk stands among the grave-stones A tower of strength There Waiting for our Lord’s return His own folk gather week after week And meet with Him who is Present in His community By His Word and by His Spirit To renew our joyful covenant As I wait for the service to commence I sit in a centre pew and watch The setting sunlight stream through the chancel window Patterning the ruby red carpet Paving the pulpit steps I listen to the airy sounds Of the pipe organ played by loving hands Which caress the console and call forth praise An offering to our Heavenly Father So few folk here on a spring Sunday even But the Saviours is present In his promise to bless To give HImself to all who receive HIm In the reading and preaching of the Word And I feel at home here with Him In the midst of a handful of faithful folk The vestry door opens and out strides The black-gowned minister Who mounts the pulpit on light-paved steps And calls the people to worship Almightly God The organ swells and voices raise A rousing Psalm of praise With a volume that belies the congrations size