1. religion and spirituality
2. islam

MONTHLY
MAGAZINE
January 2015
No. 5
170 Queen’s Drive, Glasgow G42 8QZ
Tel : 0141 423 3654
Church Office:- Mon—Fri 10am—12 noon
Website: www.qpp.org.uk
E-mail:churchofficeqpp@aol.com
2.
THE NEW YEAR 2015
He comes, he goes, his times are set
The New Year now has shown his face,
For time is here and will not wait
For dwellers all in time and space.
We sojourn here on this fair earth,
Just for a time so quickly gone,
Our lives just like a vapour spent
As we await another dawn.
There is a day God has ordained
When we will reach a distant shore,
Eternity our new address
Where time will cease and be no more.
Megan Carter
My dear friends,
3
Let me begin by wishing you all a very happy, healthy and
prosperous New Year. If you are anything like me you will be
bewildered by how fast the past year has gone.
Some folks say that ‘auld age does’nae come alone’ and that time
seems to speed up the older you get. Guess I’m hitting that stage
myself. Argh!!!!! Disbelief!!!!
Anyway, we carry on regardless!
Friends, how has 2014 been for you? Maybe for some the past year has been a very
good one with many happy memories. Yet, possibly for others, could it have been
that last year has been a year of pain and struggle: you have lost a loved one or illness
or unemployment has brought an unwelcome intrusion into your life. Perhaps many
of us as we begin the New Year of 2015 we will take a moment to reflect on such
events.
The end of one year and the dawning of a new one can provide an excellent
opportunity to wipe the slate clean and make a fresh start according to Henry W.
Beecher (1813-1887) when he offered good advice by saying, “We have passed
through one more year. One more long stage in the journey of life with its ascents
and descents and dust and mud and rocks and thorns and burdens that wear the
shoulders, is done. The old year is dead ! Roll it away ! Let it go! God in his
providence has brought us out of it! It is gone, its good remains. The evil has
perished and the good survives.”
Over 2014 there is so much good to give thanks for. Personally, I have had the
privilege to serve you as your Locum Minister and be part of the QPG church family.
I would like to thank you all for all your kindness and friendship that you have shown
to me. I have enjoyed so much getting to know you and also for the fun and laughs
we have shared together. Friends, however last year has been, may we journey into
this New Year with energy, faith and optimism and look to the God who sustained us
in the past to lead and guide us into the future. May we grasp all the new
opportunities ahead! On 21st January 2015 you will be welcoming your new minister
Rev. Elijah Smith into your church who will lead you forward into a new and
exciting phase of your journey of worship and faith, Maggie joins me in wishing
Elijah and yourselves God’s richest blessing as you embark together into this new
ministry and era in the life of Queen’s Park Govanhill Church. Our prayer for you is
reflected in Paul’s personal ambition as he shared it with the young Philippian
church, found in Ch3 v12 to 16. “ But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and
straining towards what is ahead I press forward towards the goal to win the prize
for which God has called me heavenward in Jesus Christ Jesus.”
Your locum Minister and friend…
Morris
4
At 170 Queen’s Drive, G42
Sunday
4th January
11.00 am Rev Morris Dutch
No evening service
Sunday 11th January
11.00 am Rev Morris Dutch
6.00 pm Club 170 Team
Sunday 18th January
11.00 am Rev Morris Dutch
6.00 pm Club 170 Team
Wednesday 21st January 7.00 pm Service of Induction of
Rev Elijah Smith
th
Sunday 25 January
11.00 am Rev Elijah Smith
6.00 pm Rev Elijah Smith
st
11.00 am Rev Elijah Smith
Sunday 1 February
6.00 am Rev Elijah Smith
SPECIAL PRAYER MEETING
This is a call to prayer for all Elders and Members
of the united Congregation.
There will be a time of prayer on
Tuesdays 13th and 20th January 2015 at 11.30 am.
On Wednesday 21st January the Rev. Elijah Smith will be ordained and
inducted as our minister of word and sacrament. Let us pray together
seeking the Lord's wisdom, guidance, strength and fortitude in the task
he has set before each one of his flock in this a new chapter of our church
life. Not only should we seek prayer for Elijah but for all ordained elders
and the greater congregation of this united church.
"Unless the Lord builds the house, it's builders labour in vain." Ps. 127:1
Come let us pray together, seeking the Lord's grace and mercy on our
minister, our congregation and our parish.
Ruby Smith Prayer Team Leader
5.
The Committee wish all our members A Happy
New Year. We continue our programme into a new
Session on alternate Wednesdays at 2pm.
The programme for January 2015
Jan. 7th - Spanish Tapas Morris & Maggie
Jan 21st - Guild Cancelled - Day of Induction and
ordination of Rev Elijah Smith
Do come and join us, a warm welcome is extended to both existing as
well as new members.
Ruby Smith (Secretary)
The annual Burns Supper is on Monday 26th
January 2015, 6.45 pm for 7.00 pm.
An excellent meal of magnificent Scottish fare
will be followed by superb entertainment from
our very talented performers and artistes.
Programmes, held at last year’s price, will be
available from Sunday 11th January and numbers
are limited so make sure you get in quickly.
Lindsay Macqueen, Secretary
Thursday Bible Study
During the autumn, while the Alpha course was running, it was agreed to
suspend the Thursday afternoon Bible study group.
Subject to a meeting space being available, It is now proposed that it should
resume, with the first meeting to be held in the church at 1.30 pm on
Thursday 29th January.
Each meeting will last approximately an hour. It is hoped that in addition to
the ‘originals’ we may be able to welcome new enquirers. The meetings are
completely informal. You will be under absolutely no pressure to contribute
to discussions if you’d prefer just to listen. We have usually made use of
booklets published by Scripture Union to help us in our understanding. Once
it is known how many intend to come along the next one will be ordered.
Please let me know by Sunday 18th January if you are interested.
M D MacSween
6
Living in an Islamic Country
I worked in Kuwait for a three-year period, employed by an engineering and transportation
company, and returned to Scotland last June. Some of my impressions of Islam are described
in the following article.
“Allahu akbar”, God is great. The cry blasts out from the speakers of the minaret of the local
mosque. I wake up, or at least turn in my bed; it is 3am and still hot – above 30°C outside,
and also inside as I like to sleep with the window open. That way you can hear what’s going
on, and right now it is the call to prayer.
The muezzin who began the call is joined in a few seconds by another muezzin from another
mosque, and then another and another until the air is filled with cries from all over the city.
The evocative chanting, unsynchronized and at different pitches, fills the night air and floats
over the city; no-one can say they have not been told to say their prayers.
“It is better to pray than to sleep”, the muezzin goes on. I can agree with this mentally as I lie
easily in bed. Many Muslims probably follow my sentiment and non-action, but many others
do get up and out and pray.
Nowadays the call to prayer comes blaring through loudspeakers while
the muezzin broadcasts from the comfort of an air-conditioned hall. In
the old days the muezzin would have climbed up the minaret five
times a day, got hot in doing so, and shouted out his message. I think
that would have been more subtle and picturesque, but the use of
loudspeakers seems to have been universally and uncritically adopted.
Prayer is one of the five pillars of Islam, and there are five obligatory
prayer times in the day - every day of the year (except for illness etc.).
I suppose the first prayer must be the toughest, for those who heed the
message and make their way to the mosque in the dark. Prayer times
are strict: the first is at first light, well before sunrise, and the last is at
last light, well after sunset. The prayer times thus vary from day to
day and are calculated for each city and published in the daily
newspapers.
Prayer is a very public activity and it is common to see individuals or groups laying out
carpets in the street or park for the required prayers. Praying appears to consist of posture
and words; if you have spoken and moved as instructed then you have prayed, otherwise you
have not.
Prayer is also highly visible at work. As in many workplaces, my office had a prayer room.
Praying there is probably not as meritorious as praying in a mosque but it is obviously
advantageous for the firm. “Where is Ahmed?” I might ask. “Praying at the mosque”, they
would say. I formed a (no doubt reprehensible) suspicion that going to the mosque provided
a convenient and sociable half-hour break for some employees.
Diligence and adherence to the prayer rules and times vary from person to person. One
colleague said more than once how he loved prayers; others appeared to comply more from a
sense of duty, especially during the fasting month of Ramadhan, but in both cases they made
a commendable effort which I can respect. It will be interesting to see how long this level of
devotion can withstand the all-too-evident onslaught of western comforts and consumerism.
Mark Edwards
7
INDUCTION AND ORDINATION : REV ELIJAH SMITH
Wednesday 21st January marks a very important day for our newly united
congregation of Queen’s Park Govanhill, when we welcome our new minister
Rev Elijah Smith.
That evening at 7.00 pm, the Service of Induction and Ordination, conducted
by representatives of Glasgow Presbytery, will take place in our Sanctuary. At
it both Mr Smith and ourselves as a congregation will make solemn promises
to be mutually supportive in bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to our church
and parish, and it is expected that as many members as possible will make a
special effort to attend.
Following the Service, a Buffet will be served in the Welcome Hall from 8 pm
-8.40 pm. Thereafter there will be a Congregational Social in the Sanctuary,
initially chaired by Rev John Whiteford ,the Interim Moderator during the vacancy.
Lexa our Session Clerk will extend a welcome to Mr Smith on behalf of us all,
and a presentation will be made of ministerial robes. Mr Smith then will take
the Chair as our new minister.
During the evening presentations will also be made to our popular Locum Rev
Morris Dutch, and of course to Mr Whiteford in recognition of his support
during the vacancy. Entertainment will be provided by the Praise Orchestra
and by our Choir.
It has the makings of a very happy night, not to be missed. We are looking
forward very much to meeting Elijah and to sharing in his ministry among us.
The challenges which will be faced in the new greatly extended parish are
daunting, but trusting in the grace of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit,
both Mr Smith and the congregation are looking to the future with confidence
and optimism.
Audit Of Organisations’ Accounts
Would treasurers of the Church Organisations please ensure that their
accounting books and records for 2014 are handed to the auditors as soon as
possible for checking and no later than Sunday 18th January. Income
and expenditure figures are needed for the church accounts which have a
very tight timetable to observe. The auditors are Dewar Flower and George
Gardiner .
Lindsay Macqueen Finance Team
8.
Club 170
What a very happy meal (not of the McDonalds variety!) was enjoyed by
forty-five folks who came along to Club 170 on Sunday 14th December.
Morag welcomed everyone, said grace and the meal was served at points
throughout the service with readings and assistance from Tracey and John.
Music was provided by the Praise Band while “Strictly” finalists Nancy and
Winnie took to the floor.
The team donned festive attire for the occasion and the evening was different
both in the venue – the Welcome Hall - and the meal was of a “knife and
fork” variety – obviously not for the trifle!
Of course the highlight was a visit from Santa with everyone receiving a bag
of goodies!
As usual the club will close for the two weeks over Christmas and New Year
and re-open on 11th January.
The team thank everyone for their support throughout the year and wish
everyone a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. Joyce McNae
FOOD AND CLOTHING BANK
On behalf of the Team and those who have benefitted from your
generosity, I would like to say a big THANK YOU for all donations
received over the past year, both monetary and food. Not all of the
donations came from the congregation, but also from those who use our
facilities, from other Churches and a Café in Shawlands.
Most of us have no perception of how much these donations have meant
to those in greatest need. With God’s help, 2015 will see a LESSER
NEED FOR Foodbanks – let’s hope so ! Meanwhile your continued
support is greatly appreciated.
Wendy Bradley
·
Wouldn't it be great if we could put ourselves in the tumble dryer for
ten minutes; come out wrinkle-free and three sizes smaller!
·
Last year I joined a support group for procrastinators. We haven't
met yet!
·
The day the world runs out of wine is just too terrible to think
about!
·
Old age is coming at a really bad time!
9
Totally Insignificant: Yet God still bothers!
Last summer a junior member of my
family asked me which of all the
many things I had seen on my travels
had impressed me most. A hard
choice.
of the sky of the Southern
Hemisphere, with star groups like the
Southern Cross which cannot be seen
north of the Equator. I was so
overwhelmed that I lay for a long
time on my back gazing upwards –
On later reflection I immediately
and marvelling. There were the
realised what it had been : not great
Magellanic Clouds I had read about,
works of man like the Pyramids, or
immediately recognisable - not just
the Alhambra or Agia Sophia in
constellations, but the nearest
Istanbul; not natural marvels like
Niagara or Rotorua volcanic park in galaxies to our own , whose light
New Zealand or even the High Andes takes 200,000 years to reach us.
From horizon to horizon the universe
in Ecuador, but something that one
was spread out like a huge dome.
should be able to see every night
Awesome.
right here in Glasgow, except that
our cloudy weather and the glare of
In Psalm 8, we read the following:
street lighting gets in the way!
“When I consider the heavens, the
work of your fingers, the moon and
the stars which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of
him, human beings that you care for
them.?”
The author of these words, King
David, spent much time in the desert,
marvelling at the skies of the
Northern Hemisphere. Like me, he
I’m talking about the glory of the
recognised his total insignificance in
night sky. In the 1990s in the Great
the immensity of space, a tiny speck
Karoo in South Africa, I was able to of matter, here today, tomorrow gone
walk out about a mile or two from
without trace. And David marvelled
the railway halt at Maatjiesfontein to that God had a purpose for him, that
experience for myself the emptiness He could even be bothered with such
and total darkness of the desert.
a microscopic part of His creation.
Above me was spread the immensity
10
We are reminded in his Psalm of the
great contribution that Judaism has
made to mankind’s understanding of
what the world is about. They came to
two conclusions. (a) There is one
God, creator of everything in heaven
and on earth; (b) That God has a
special interest in humans and given
us a privileged position.
In David’s time people struggled to
understand. There were many
questions. One God? - or lots of
gods , with each nation having its
own.? Are these gods unpredictable
and angry, demanding sacrifices to
keep them sweet? The belief in
monotheism, one God, was gradual,
as was the idea that humans were
marked out for His special favour,
with particular attention given to one
group of nomadic Hebrew tribes.
Now, we know today that David was
mistaken in believing that what he
saw was the sum total of everything
that exists. The Earth is not the
centre of everything as he thought,
but just another minute speck in the
cosmos. Yet he hoped, and we are
assured, that a Creator God knows
and cares about each one of us !.
Which brings us to the next
question. Where does Jesus fit into
all this? What would David,
marvelling at the night sky have
made of him? Surely he would have
been bowled over to learn that the
One God whom he believed to be
the source of everything would one
day enter the womb of a teenage
Hebrew girl: Mary, mother of our
Lord ? That was what C S Lewis
described as ” The Great Miracle”.
God who created everything out of
nothing gave us Jesus, the “ Word”
to live alongside us. He taught us to
address the Creator as Father, his
Father and ours. We are invited to
take his hand as our friend.
The way will be difficult. We cannot
walk it alone. The One who calls us
will help us to recognise all that is
genuine and true and aid us to see
where our real future lies in God’s
plan. This is the work of the Holy
Spirit within us. He has made us
“a little lower than the angels and
crowned us with glory and honour”.
In other words God does bother, He
loves us and wants us to be His
people even when we choose in our
pride to turn away from him.
MDM
Our planet
Earth
Twelfth Night : Epiphany
On 6th January we celebrate Epiphany,
when the wise men visited the baby Jesus.
(the word means “the displaying” or the
manifestation. But who exactly were these
mysterious ‘wise men’? No one knows for
sure. In his Gospel Matthew calls them
‘Magi’ which was the name given to a caste
of priests in Persia. Not until the third
century AD that they came to called ‘kings’.
We are not told how many there were – it
was later assumed that there were three,
corresponding to the number of gifts given.
The church came to see the gold as a
symbol of wealth and wisdom,
frankincense as a symbol of worship and
sacrifice, and myrrh as a symbol of healing
( and also of the embalming of a corpse).
Certainly the adult Jesus challenged and
changed the way the world looked on these
things. And gold was certainly an
appropriate gift for a king, frankincense
indicated that He would be worshipped as
our divine High Priest, and myrrh was a
symbol of his destiny to become a sacrifice
and die to save his people.
Where did the Wise Men come from, then ?
From the East, we are told – quite vague
really. We do know that they devoted
themselves to astronomy and to astrology,
which is the search for meaning in the stars.
They also interpreted dreams. East of
Palestine lay the great civilisation of Persia,
modern Iran, so it is highly probable that
they came from there. There is, however,
another possibility.
They may have come from what was called
Arabia Felix – the country we know today as
Yemen in the far south of the Arabian Peninsula. This was the traditional realm of the
Queen of Sheba, she who visited King Solomon in Jerusalem. No doubt she would have
become aware of the Biblical
prophecies about the coming of a Messiah to
rule over Israel.
In Matthew ( chapter 2) it is clear that the wise
men asked Herod, “ Where is the one who has
been born king of the Jews? We saw his star
in the east and have come to worship him.”
So it is possible that in Southern Arabia the
Queen of Sheba’s story of how a Messiah was
destined to appear in Israel had been
remembered over the generations. Many
legends connect Solomon’s Israel with
southern Arabia over the centuries. We can
imagine that the ancient stories of a Messiah,
linked to astrological studies, might have
prompted these intelligent, alert and godfearing men to realise from their study of the
heavens that something momentous was taking
place in Israel. They realised that at last the
prophecies were being fulfilled , the Messiah
true King of the Jews was about to be born.
If you study any map of Palestine at the time
of Jesus’ birth, you will find that all the old
caravan routes entered Palestine “ from the
East”
The wise men were the very first Gentiles to
worship Jesus . We are in a spiritual sense their
direct descendants. They were able to see
clearly far into the future. The prophet Isaiah
was able to foresee it also: “ Nations will come
to your light, and kings to the brightness of
your dawn.”
A footnote: Although the Establishment in
Jerusalem also knew about the prophecies ,
NOT ONE of the leaders bothered to go to
Bethlehem. It was just six miles down the
road !
MDM ( some material adapted from Parish
Pump)
11
12
.
S U DAILY BREAD NOTES
Making sense of life
Thur 1
Ecclesiastes 2:17-26
Fri
2
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-15
Sat 3
Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:2
Sun 4
Psalm 144
Mon 5
Ecclesiastes 4 : 13-5:7
Tue 6
Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12
Wed 7
Ecclesiastes 9: 1-12
Thur 8
Ecclesiastes 9: 13-10:9
Fri
9
Ecclesiastes 11: 1-10
Sat 10
Ecclesiastes 12: 1-14
Sun 11
Psalm 145
Who is he ?
Mon 12
Luke 3: 1-20
Tue 13
Luke 3; 21-37
Wed 14
Luke 4: 1-13
Thur 15
Luke 4: 14-21
Fri
16
Luke 4: 22-30
JANUARY
Who is he ?
Sat 17
Luke 4: 31-37
Sun 18
Psalm 146
Mon 19
Luke 4: 38-44
Tue 20
Luke 5: 1-11
Wed 21
Luke 5: 12-16
Thur 22
Luke 5: 17-26
Fri 23
Luke 5: 27-32
Sat 24
Luke 5: 33-39
Sun 25
Psalm 147
Politics power and God
Mon 26
1 Kings !: 1-13
Tue 27
1 Kings 11; 26-43
Wed 28
1 Kings 12:1-20
Thur 29
1 Kings 12: 21-33
Fri 30
1 Kings 15: 9-24
Sat 31
1 Kings 16: 23-34
WAY IN ……to Ecclesiastes
In the middle of the Bible we find some books ( Ecclesiastes, Job, Song of Songs) that
could sail through to the finals of any contest for “ Rarely Read” , “Difficult to
decipher “ or “ Hardly Heard” writings!
In Ecclesiastes the ‘Teacher, son of David’( 1:1) probably Solomon – explores the
age-old questions of life’s meaning. ‘Vanity,’ repeated some 30 times, suggests that
life is meaningless, pointless, insubstantial, like a bubble destined only for
nothingness. Yet the conclusion,’ All is vanity’ (1:2) comes with a crucial qualifier:
this deduction flows from an ‘under the sun’ perspective. Brief, yet telling references
to God expand these purely earth –bound conclusions. There is life above the sun . To
make sense of life ( often unfair, uncertain, unpredictable) we must evaluate it and live
in the light of another Son of David – Jesus. Ecclesiastes also teaches about managing
life in a godly way when we can’t make sense of it…. Ecclesiastes …demonstrates
that belief in God and honest doubt are not mutually exclusive. It underscores the
importance of providing God’s people with a safe place to express uncertainties ( like
Thomas who ‘doubted’ but remained within the community of believers.) Susan
Lenzkes expresses it beautifully: ‘ For we beat on his chest from within the circle of
his arms.’
13
A wee bit of fun at New Year !
BIBLICAL COOKING
If you can prepare this dish without looking up the Biblical
references, you should really be on Mastermind ! It is suggested
that you use the AV ( King James ) Version. If you have a
computer you can cheat a wee bit by looking up the verses quickly
via this website :www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/
The answers will appear next month – but perhaps we’ll see the
result of a cook’s skill before then ?
Ingredients:
1 ½ lb of Judges 5:25 (end)
2 ½ lb of Jeremiah 6:20
3 1 tablespoon of 1 Samuel 14:25
4 3 of Jeremiah 17:11
5 ½ lb of Samuel 30:12
6 ½ lb of Nahum 3:12 (chopped)
7 2 oz Numbers 17:8 ( blanched and chopped)
8 1lb Kings 4:22
9 2 Chronicles 9:9
10 a pinch of Leviticus 2:13
11 1 teaspoon of Amos 4:5
12 3 tablespoons of Judges 4:19
13
Preparation :
Mix 8,9 and 10 and set them aside. Beat 1,2
and 3 to a cream. Still beating, add 4, one at a time. Then add 5, 6
and 7 and beat again. Then add 12. Bake in a low oven for 1 ½
hours.
14.
How Other Christians Live
Sudanese authorities arrest 37 young people in church raid
As young people were praying and fasting
together on 2 December at a church in Khartoum
Bahri, Sudan, police forces stormed the gathering
with bulldozers and began demolishing the building.
Thirty-seven of the group were arrested, charged
with “breach of peace, public nuisance and
obstruction of a public servant during the course of
his duty”.
Pastor Yahya Abdelrahim Falo told reporters that
the police arrived at around 6 a.m. in nine vehicles.
In what he called “a humiliation of all Sudanese Christians”, authorities proceeded to
raid the Khartoum Bahri Evangelical Church and to demolish the exterior walls of the
building.
Two brutal attacks by Al-Shabaab on Christians in Kenya have
followed quickly on the heels of one another, with up to 64 people shot or beheaded because they refused to recite the Islamic
creed. Meanwhile Boko Haram’s attacks in Nigeria are so
many it is getting hard to keep up with the news, let alone tally
the number of dead. In both these contexts Christians are one of
the prime targets, as zealous Islamists seek to extend their rule,
believing that this is what their God demands.
36 non-Muslims, mainly Christians, shot and beheaded by Al-Shabaab at
Kenyan quarry
Al-Shabaab militants shot dead 36 non-Muslim stone quarry
workers just shortly after midnight on 2 December. Peter
Nderitu, who hid in a trench until the attackers left, reported
that around 50 armed assailants arrived at the camp where
the quarry workers were sleeping in tents. He heard the militants separate the Muslims from the non-Muslims as they
were asked to recite the shahada (the Islamic creed, which
many Muslims believe, once spoken, is sufficient to convert to Islam). The nonMuslims were ordered to lie on the ground and were shot in the back of the head. Four
of the victims were found beheaded in their tents. Another three are thought to have
escaped. Not all of the workers have been accounted for, sparking fears that some may
have been abducted.
The next meeting of the Support Group for Torture Victims is on Tuesday
13th January 2015, 7.30 pm in the Welcome Hall. Come along and help your
Christian family by writing and praying.
15
CRECHE
11th Jan
18th Jan
25th Jan
1st Feb
B. Roberts
M. Borland
F. McCall
P. Piper
M. Carvil
F. Campbell
A. Gardiner
M. Coubrough
As always if you cannot manage
please change or contact me (586
4294).
Wishing everyone a Healthy, Happy
and Peaceful 2015.
Betty Roberts
CHRISTIAN AID
As a church, we do extremely well in our efforts for
Christian Aid each year. The total raised for 2014 is
£2280.00 and this still changes month to month as I
receive donations and gift aid etc etc.
However, Christian Aid is not just for Christian Aid week each May, and with
that thought, you will see that there is a Christian Aid envelope in the December magazine this year. I realise that this is an expensive time of year but if
any or all of you could manage just a small amount, this would go a long way
to help. Please remember to gift aid your donation. That raises even more
money.
Watch out for the forthcoming events next year. We will be starting early in
our fund raising efforts. There will be the usual CA Café, delivering/collecting
of envelopes and jam jars. We may have another “come dine with me” experience in the welcoming hall in March and I have set the yearly challenge as
climbing Goatfell on Arran. This challenge will start from the second Saturday
in April and will hopefully be completed then, but if the weather is bad, the
dates will keep changing. Anyone wishing a lovely leisurely walk up the hill
should consult their doctors.
And lastly, 2015 will be my last year as CA Organiser and we will need to
have a willing volunteer to take over. If that someone is you, please come and talk to me.
Lynn Reid
CA Organiser
16
Counting Team Rota
The Team from Sunday 1st February2015 to Sunday 22nd February
inclusive is :
Lexa Boyle. May Queen, Peter Bell, A Watt
If you cannot manage any Sunday please arrange for a substitute or
contact Alan Watt.
Crossmyloof Care Home
It was understood that Crossmyloof Care Home would be closed at the end of
2014 and residents relocated to a custom- built building. Because of structural
problems it now appears that the move will not take place in the immediate
future. In order to keep the link between the Home and our church, it would
be appreciated if some of our members could help at the monthly afternoon
service (lasting half an hour). A rota can be arranged.
Morag Reid
Pathfinders Post
Over the three weeks the Post Office has been
open, an incredible number of cards have been
posted and delivered to the congregation. We
always mean to do a rough count but time
overtakes us! As always the middle week –
14th December - was the busiest with staff
working overtime!
We have raised a magnificent £274.26 which
includes a donation of £40 from a local
business swear box! Alas, this figure will not
be so good in future as the main culprit moved
to pastures new a few weeks ago! They wish
to remain anonymous and we have thanked
them for their generosity.
Moira, our Pathfinders Treasurer, will send this
on to CHAS the Children’s Hospice
Association Scotland at Robin House Balloch. This is the only charity in
Scotland for children and young people with life-shortening conditions.
They offer care and support for over 300 families at their two hospices
(Robin House and Rachel House in Kinross).
Thank you for your support.
DUTY ROTA
The following Members are asked to take up duty as indicated.
CHURCH VESTILBULE/BOOKS DUTY – SUNDAYS
MORNINGS
EVENINGS
18th January
Mrs. A. Neil
Miss M. Percy
Mrs. A. M. Gardiner
Mr. E. Percival
Mrs. M. Coubrough
Mrs. W. Bradley
Mrs. M. Brindle
25th January
Miss L. Boyle
Mrs. A. Coleman
Miss E. Gardiner
st
1 February Mrs. J. McCallum
Mrs. J. McNae
Miss E. J. Campbell
Mr. P. Brown
Mrs. E. McNicoll
OFFERING DUTIES
The following Members are asked to take duty on the
following Sundays:Sunday 18th January to Sunday 1st February 2015
Back Pews
Mr. G. Gardiner
Left Side Pews/Chairs
Mr. D. Flower
Right Side Chairs/Choir Mrs. J. McCallum
Evening
Miss M. Reid
Anyone unable to do the duty indicated should contact Marjory Percy
(Tel. 632 0363)
Please check Magazine or list on Welcome Hall notice
board to see if you have been asked to do a duty.
ATTENTION TEENAGERS !!!
Tired of being harassed by stupid parents ?
ACT NOW !
Move out….
Get a job…
Pay your own bills….
DO IT NOW WHILE YOU STILL KNOW
EVERYTHING
17
18
INTIMATIONS
1.
The Kirk Session will meet on Tuesday 27th January 2015
2.
Team Leaders will meet on Tuesday 17th February 2015.
3.
Cases of illness or urgent pastoral need should be intimated without
delay to the Session Clerk (427 3999).
Any person who would like to become a communicant member of the
church should speak to the session clerk or interim minister.
4.
5.
The next date for handing in material for the Magazine is
Sunday 25th January 2015.
TREASURER’S REPORT TO 28th DECEMBER 2014
Open Plate
Freewill Offerings
Gift Aid Freewill Offerings
Total
Average per Sunday
£ 2,993
£ 6,296
£ 48,521
£ 57,810
£ 1,112
Other Income
Donation for Lodging House
Collection for Suffering Church
From Lunch Stop to Church Funds
From Lunch Stop to Church House
From Guild to Church Funds
(corrections to last month’s Mag
Collected for Poppy Scotland £109.70
TTM for SE Carers £500.00)
£520.20
£267.10
£1,000.00
£1,000.00
£1,000.00
M. Borland, Treasurer
GENERAL FABRIC FUND
Balance at 1/1/14
£ 9,908
+ Income
£ 2,047
£11,955
- Expenditure
£ 7,080
Balance at 28/12/14 £ 4,875
19
JANUARY 2015
.Only the Lonely…..
Jackie Macadam explores the issues surrounding loneliness and considers
whether faith can play a part.
A Decade of Ministry and a Decade of Membership
The Rev Dr Doug Gray looks ahead to the proposed Decade for Ministry.
The Moderator offers a ten-year membership challenge to the Church of
Scotland.
Major Milestone for Churches
Housing Group
Thomas Baldwin looks at the history of
Scottish Churches Housing Action,
which celebrates its 20th birthday this
month.
Renewing Worship
Neil Gardner and Douglas Galbraith celebrate the 125th anniversary of the
Church Service Society.
Hidden Assets
The Rev Jim Jack reflects on the creative use of church glebes.
An Authentic Voice
The Rev Professor David Fergusson considers the challenges
of a passage from Luke’s Gospel.
The Mystery of God
The Rev Allan McCafferty outlines the artistic and spiritual
value of stained glass.
A Missionary Childhood
Jackie Macadam learns how Merryn Glover’s life as the child
of missionaries in Nepal influenced her latest noel.
PLUS : all the regular columnists, news, revie4ws, letters,
registers and crosswords – all for just £2.20
Online visit us at www.lifeandwork.org or find us on Facebook or Twitter.
20
INTERIM MODERATOR
LOCUM
SESSION CLERK
FABRIC TEAM
HOSPITALITY TEAM
PASTORAL TEAM
MISSION TEAM
PRAYER TEAM
MINISTRY TEAM
MUSIC & DRAMA TEAM
FINANCE TEAM
ADMIN / OFFICE TEAM
EDUCATION TEAM
OFFICEBEARERS
Rev John Whiteford
Rev Morris Dutch
Miss Lexa Boyle
7 Maxwell Grove G41 5JP
Mr. George Gardiner
Miss Morag Reid
Mr. Jo Gibb
Miss Lynn Flower
Mrs Ruby Smith
427 3999
810 5079
440 7406
638 5768
631 4964
423 7773
Mrs Lynn Gibb
638 5768
Mr Lindsay Macqueen
01655 332588
Mrs Barbara Irvine
423 1558
Mrs Brenda McGinnigle
424 0427
TIME TALENTS MONEY TEAM Mrs Joyce McNae
423 1897
YOUTH TEAM
Miss Lynn Flower
631 4964
CONGREGATIONAL
Mrs. Margaret Borland at Church Office or
TREASURER
mc_borland@hotmail.com
MAGAZINE
Mr. Malcolm MacSween
649 9405
EDITOR
4 Rosslyn Court, Lethington Ave., G41
MAGAZINE
Mrs. Barbara Irvine
423 1558
DISTRIBUTION
01/55 Nursery Street, G41
Christmas Eve Candlelight Supper