Friends,
My study is being decorated. The Property Team finally persuaded me that this is a good idea! I have taken down all the pictures from the walls and the books from the bookshelves, and I have removed the piles of papers from the floor. How did I manage to gather such clutter? Please feel free not to answer that question! For now, the clutter has moved, but it will not all be going back! I will have, not only a newly decorated study in which to work, but, for a while at least, a clutter-free zone!
We have been reading some passages from the Sermon on the Mount recently and I’ve been struck by Jesus clearing away the religious clutter that had gathered. Christian faith is really quite simple, but we make it complicated; Church life should reflect something of that simplicity, but we have at times cluttered it with all kinds of things that I’m not sure we need.
Jesus was once asked “What is most important?” He replied by two very simple themes: “Love God; love other people!” That’s it! That’s all there is to know. If you want to understand the basics of the Christian faith, and to be a disciple it is all there in these five words. These are the anchor points for life and when life is cluttered with all kinds of other things – activities that we enjoy but that distract us from church, or hard things in life that test our faith – then these are the anchor points to which we need constantly to return.
You will see elsewhere a piece about a Tearfund campaign to Renew our World. Part of the way in which the need for this campaign is highlighted refers to the fact that 1 in 6 people in the world have no access to electricity and people in poverty in Africa pay 80 times more for electricity than we do in the UK. How many gadgets do I have that are plugged in at night to charge? I use them all, but it illustrates for me something of the way my world is cluttered while other people don’t have even the basics.
As part of the building project, we have been looking in all the cupboards! Storage is an issue. We need a skip! There are items in the cupboards that are well past their useful date; there are items in the cupboards that we have not used for years and will never use again! There is something symbolic for me in that, because there are ways in which churches clutter up the life of the congregation by “the way we do things”. I once suggested that the Church needs to learn to travel much more lightly, to reshape the way in which we do things to reflect the simple faith of “love God, love other people!”
We’re going to embark on “Shaping the Future – the people” soon. That will give you the chance to “de-clutter” if you want. Hopefully, it will give us that chance, as a congregation, to re-focus our minds on what it means to love God and to love other people. In the meantime, I offer you the prayer from Tearfund that is in the box; here is a way to focus our minds on what really matters for ourselves and for others.
Jim
DOUGLAS BUCHANAN –
CHURCH TREASURER
At the February meeting of the Kirk Session, Douglas announced his intention to retire as Church Treasurer with immediate effect. He has an ongoing health problem that he hopes will be resolved in the next few weeks, but he decided that the time had come to step down from this role. We hope to say ‘thank you’ to Douglas publicly, later in the year. He has been Treasurer for around 35 years and his shoes are big shoes to fill; we are in the process of putting together a team of people who will look after the finances of the congregation; more news next time!
Jim Dewar
Weekly Freewill Offering Envelopes.
The new financial year begins in April and new sets of Weekly Freewill Envelopes (WFOs) will be distributed shortly. If you normally make your donations to the church this way, you should receive your new set of envelopes during March. Please contact me if they do not arrive.
Also, if you wish to start giving this way please ask me for a set of envelopes.
Lesley Grieve,
WFO Administrator.
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
Would you like to ally yourself, publicly, with the church? Is now the time for you to make a public declaration of your faith and your desire to be a disciple of Jesus? If you have been a member of another church before, then the way to do this is quite easy. If you have never been a member of a church, then perhaps you consider this is the time to make that profession of faith and commitment to Christ. As far as your relationship with the church is concerned, being a member strengthens your commitment to our church family, gives you a more certain access to our pastoral care network and makes sure that you receive our publications and communications. Wherever you are on the spectrum of answers to these questions, speak to Jim!
Jim Dewar
THE GREEN STROLLERS
The Strollers started off the year with our annual dinner. On Monday 6th February 29 strollersmet at the Kingsknowe Golf Club for what turned out to be an excellent social evening,great company and good food, was enjoyed by all.
With 2017 well underway, it is now time to plan our walks for the year. By the time you read this
article, all the walks will be planned and displayed on the notice board. Take time to check the board
and make a resolution to join us on as many walks as possible. New members always welcome.
Happy Strolling,
Jeanette Campbell
GUILD OF FRIENDSHIP
Our Guild membership now stands at 43 with new members joining last year. We meet alternate Thursdays in Hall 2 at 2 pm. Come and join us with friends, meet new people, listen to interesting speakers and before heading home stay for tea, biscuits and a blether. All welcome. We also have a sales table with proceeds going to help with the work of the Church.
As you will see from our syllabus, on the Guild noticeboard, that we have a wide variety of speakers with something for everyone. We started our new session this year with our Minister Jim Dewar leading us in Communion. This is always a popular meeting bringing us back together through our faith and fellowship. Elaine Wilson will be our last speaker for this session telling us about her adventures on her "around the world" cruise. We finish in May with our AGM and lunch. Many thanks to all our members who come along every Thursday and keep the Guild of Friendship going from strength to strength.
Riona McNaughton
RENEW OUR WORLD
Hunger and climate change steal security, but thankfully, the church gives hope. That is why we are joining with churches around the world in the Renew Our World campaign.
One in six people around the world have no access to electricity which means, no light for children to study in the evenings or women to go to the toilet safely at night and, no power for fridges to store medicine. But, we have an opportunity to put that right and do it sustainably. Now solar panels and large-scale batteries are cheap enough to bring affordable electricity even in remote places, a huge transformation is possible. There’s no need for a community to wait to be linked up to an expensive electricity grid powered by polluting fossil fuels. Children can do homework in the evenings, women can walk safely at night and farmers can irrigate fields with electric pumps.
This could be the first generation where everybody has electricity.
Our UK government puts funds into energy for poorer countries, but so far only a little of it goes to decentralised, clean power like this. We’re asking the UK government to rebalance their funding away from wasteful, polluting fossil fuels so that people in poverty get clean, efficient and affordable energy.
See more at
Watch out for cards that will help us take action on behalf of others; coming soon!
Jim Dewar
LEPROSY MISSION
Once again we have sent a good amount of money to Leprosy Mission Scotland which is based in Stirling. £435.17 has been collected at the Guild of Friendship meetings, from their friends and from the files in front of the Church. Our friends in St Margaret’s Court have also contributed to make this amount. Thank you all so much!
Please look at the Guild of Friendship notice board in Hall 2 and read the letters of thanks from the Mission and what has been achieved in helping those people who ate stigmatised by this dreadful disease.
There will be an update about what will happen to all your 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p and £1 coins when the bank closes. We will arrange something with the Post Office? Only time will tell.
God bless you all for your donations, you are a great group of friends.
Sheena Blair
SHAPING THE FUTURE
UPDATE
FEBRUARY 2017
The first part of the building project is moving forward quickly now after some unforeseen delays.
A small quantity of asbestos had to be removed from behind the radiators in Hall 1 and from the ladies’ toilet; a wooden beam in the gents’ toilet, rotting at one end, had to be replaced by a metal beam; also, drainage had to be installed at the ramp from Woodhall Avenue.
Within the building:
The toilet area has been stripped out and the ceilings lowered ready for the new toilets to be fitted.
Hall 1 has new heating and radiators and has been painted. The builder is hoping that the work in the toilets and Hall 1 will be completed during the week beginning 6th March.
Outside the building:
The ramp at the front of the church is almost complete, with the handrail being fitted as soon as it arrives from the blacksmith. A temporary ramp has been installed at the east door to enable easier access. The accessible ramp from Woodhall Avenue has been excavated; drainage and lighting cables have been installed and, by the time you read this, the ramp should have been completed. Once access is restored to the building via the west door the path from the Woodhall Avenue ramp to the front of the church will be finished. In addition, ramped accesses to the east side door and the side door to the vestibule of the church will be completed.
The next phase:
After discussions with the architect, builder and the Planning Group, the following work will be carried out. Behind Hall 1, work on the kitchen, accessible toilet, meeting room and storage areas will all be begun along with alterations to the emergency exits. In the church vestibule, an accessible toilet will be created and the ‘air curtain’ will be installed above the front door.
We reported in the Christmas edition of Church News that stages 1-3 (Toilets, Hall 1 and External Access) should be finished by March. This should probably now be revised to say by Easter. However, work on stages 4 & 5 (Church Vestibule and Back of Hall 1) will also have started.
There will be further updates on Sundays, along with an invitation to the first viewing of the newly completed refurbished areas.
Andrew Watson
On behalf of the Project Group
MEN’S FELLOWSHIP
The second Breakfast Meeting of Session 2016/17 took place on Sunday 27th Novemberwhen Ken Richards gave a talk on the topic “The Isle of Arran – God’s creation of Scotland in miniature”
Ken introduced his talk by telling us he has holidayed on Arran from his childhood to the present day. An island with a 56 miles road trip around it and a population of some 4000, which can increase by 100% during the holiday times. It has mountains, glens, rivers, beaches, and seas and outlooks to other areas of West Scotland and to Northern Ireland. On a clear day there are lovely sunsets to admire. God’s
creation to behold. He considered June best for weather as there are few midges then. Ken highlighted the attractions to a tourist of a wide variety of accommodation, of foods, of places to visit such as Brodick Castle and Arran Heritage, and of course different out-door activities with climbing and walking and a choice of 7 golf courses.
Finally he said there were 3 Church Parishes on the Island with 7 Churches to choose from. He has enjoyed summer services in Whiting Bay with young people joining in from local Scripture Union camps. He finished by sharing a prayer he found in St Bride’s Church in Brodick – “Heaven’s Grocery Store” by an unknown author reminding us all what we owe to Jesus. A copy has been put up on the Display Boards throughout the Church.
The third Breakfast Meeting of the 2016/2017 will take place on Sunday 12thMarch when the speaker will be Fraser Edwards.
The Nurture Team is also planning a Men’s Dinner for a date in April, likely to be the 20th.
Anyone wishing more details about the Fellowship Meetings or have suggestions concerning speakers or format please speak to Ian Aitken or Michael Merriman, both members of the Nurture Team.
Nurture Team
"Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”
Ephesians 1 v 3.
Girlguiding Juniper Green
Winter Update
Another new year means another new term at Rainbows, Brownies and Guides in Juniper Green. This term the Rainbows have been working on their craft skills, making Loch Ness monsters from pom-poms and Valentine’s Day cards. They have been learning about Rainbows around the world for Thinking Day which is celebrated on February 22nd each year. The unit has welcomed a new helper, Emma who joined in the New Year. We would also like to thank Irene Bruce who has decided to retire after over 15 years as a Rainbow helper – she’s been an invaluable help with the girls and will be missed!
The 74th A Brownies have made a start on GirlGuiding Scotland’s Rise to the Challenge badge. For this they have designed bunting and made fairy houses. They built the houses in the pouring rain but had great fun! They have been doing their Ocean Challenge badge learning about the sea food chain and learning about how to save energy at home as part of the Environment badge. Following on from their Farm to Fork visit to Tesco, they are fundraising to be able to buy food related gifts from World Vision.
74th C Brownies this term have been working towards earning their Brownie Traditions badge. For this they have made games of Snakes and Ladders, where they added quiz questions to the game based on the history of Brownies. They have learned how to fold clothes properly and learning what Brownies used to carry in their pockets – 10p for the phone was an alien concept!
The Guides this term have been getting to know each other better and welcoming lots of new girls to the unit. They’ve held a Newspaper Night where they made towers, clothes and lots of mess! They’ve held a Thinking Day Quiz and are looking forward to making pancakes as well as a trip to Currie Library as part of a Computer versus Books Challenge in March.
Thanks again go to all the volunteers who work really hard to give the girls a great time at their meetings!
Fiona Elliot
Harlaw Division Commissioner
Coffee at the Kinleith
This year: a new initiative within the congregation. From time to time a Coffee Hour is held at the Kinleith usually on a Tuesday morning from 10.45 am to 11.45 am. This informal meeting is for men and was started mainly for those men who have difficulty attending church owing to health or other problems. However, it also offers the opportunity for men of the congregation to meet over a cup of coffee or tea and, perhaps, make new acquaintances.
All men are welcome. Please watch the Intimations for the date of the next meeting.
If you know of anyone who has difficulty in getting out and who would appreciate help in getting to such a fellowship meeting, please contact the Minister or Gordon McFadzean.
Gordon McFadzean
BIBLE READING
Regularly reading the Bible is an essential part of anyone’s journey of Faith, reflecting daily on God’s Word. We continue to offer 6 Bible Reading options, including one for young people.