Hi, 

Hope this finds you well. 

A few weeks ago we had a link to the Barnabus Fund book for Lent which focussed on praying for the persecuted church. One of my friends has been using it and sent me the following earlier this week: 
"'Worship without danger' -  It has been sobering to read of persecution around the world alongside my daily readings of the story of the exodus, another group who asked to leave to go into the desert to worship, and the wilderness years. I'm struck again this morning that our churches are closed for safety, but will eventually reopen and we'll all return for public worship, whilst many have their churches closed by bombings, fire raising, arrests, threats and unjust laws."

I think that is worth considering as we get ready to meet at Maxwell once again.  All the details you require for booking are found below. Remember you need to wait until you get a note confirming you are included in the number that are allowed to attend. Whether attending or watching online Scott has given us something to look forward to below.

Enjoy the Mag.

MB

Clocks go forward this weekend so that's an hour less for you. On a positive note if you are fed up at having to stay at home at least you have to do it for an hour less. (I think, that's right?)
For a bonus point where would you find this clock?

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From the Manse

Dear Congregation,

Thanks to all who attended last week’s Stated Annual Meeting. It was encouraging to hear all that had been happening over the last year despite the many restrictions in place. We shall have the draft minutes up shortly on the website and also distributed by email to the congregation. If you think there are any errors or omissions please contact Lorna Hamilton to suggest changes. This process means that when we agree next year that the minutes are an accurate record we can do so with integrity.

It was quite a landmark ruling by the courts against the Scottish Government this week. A group of Christians asked the courts to judge whether the Scottish Government had overstepped its authority (and breached the European Convention on Human Rights). The court found in favour of the petition and affirmed that churches could reopen immediately. Though the immediate benefit was limited, this ruling has set an important precedent for the future. We are indebted to those who took this case forward. However, we now need to pray that with the freedoms granted we all act with responsibility.

I look forward to seeing forty-nine of you with me on Sunday - and especially those of you who can now legally cross Local Authority boundaries! We will of course continue to stream our services live also. There is a note below about registration. I can hardly believe we are here again. Daylight Saving Time will once again play havoc with our sleeping patterns as the clocks jump forward an hour on Saturday night / Sunday morning. Will any of our fifty worshippers arrive an hour late for worship?

On Sunday we shall be thinking about the “Triumphal Entry” of Jesus into Jerusalem. For Jesus, there was no jumping forward to a different time! The hour had to be just right and it was. John 12.23 “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Jesus went onto say, Now, my heart is troubled and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.” That glory Jesus spoke about here was not the acclaim of the cheering crowds on the road into Jerusalem, but the hour of jeering crowds witnessing his death on the Cross of Calvary.
Such was the prospect of Jesus's death under God’s wrath, that Jesus’s heart was “troubled”. “Troubled” is the correct word, but I wonder if it is just too lame a translation to express how Jesus's heart felt? Jesus was thoroughly shaken. We might even say, he was “quaking”! But what love? Knowing all that was about to happen and the enormity of it (physical, emotional and especially spiritual pain) Jesus would not ask to stop the clock or fast forward. Rather, he simply continued. The Triumph of Jesus would not be found in any misplaced adoration on the road into Jerusalem, but rather on the cross. In fact, even more so incredibly and spectacularly three days later at an empty tomb where God the Father vindicated him at that time!

In a completely different way, the Easter Gospel should trouble us. It should shake us awake to the grace, mercy and love of Jesus for us. Is it time to commit (recommit) ourselves to Jesus?

Warmest regards,
Scott
 

Reminders about worship in the Sanctuary from Sunday 28th March

• From Sunday 28th March, places for in person worship in the Sanctuary are restricted to 50 each week (including Scott, the door team, the AV team and any others involved in worship) in accordance with the Scottish Government’s guidelines
• The cut-off for registering for places on Eventbrite for Sunday worship each week is 11pm on the Thursday before (with the exception of Good Friday – see below);
• If there is space for you to attend in person, you will receive an email from Eventbrite on the Friday morning immediately prior to the Sunday (this is in addition to the original Eventbrite confirmation email that you have registered for places);
• Please do not attend if you have not received this second email;
• One exception to this is the Good Friday Service on Friday 2nd April at 7pm – the cut off for this is 7pm on Wednesday 31st March and the email to confirm attendance will be sent later on that evening;
• If services are oversubscribed, places will be allocated as fairly as possible on a rota basis, and you do not need to worry that you are taking a place away from someone else;
• The services will continue to be livestreamed on YouTube.

It is very encouraging that registrations for Easter Sunday are already over the limit of 50 and we will be looking to see how best to allocate the places across Good Friday and Easter Sunday so please look out for and check your Eventbrite emails carefully as they will be coming out within days of each other.

If you have any difficulties with the booking process or have any questions, please contact Lorna Hamilton on 07736 420564 or the Church office.

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Easter Hizkidz

Our Hizkidz families have had delivery of an Easter pack with resources to help celebrate Easter at Home.
Please get in touch if you would like some ideas for grandkids etc. mmcastlefamily@gmail.com


We are going to be using an SU Scotland and SU Ireland resource called Colour in Easter and there are reflection sheets, PowerPoints and quizzes available on their website.

We will have our usual slots in the Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday services but there will also be an additional extra video appearing on our YouTube channel from 3pm on Good Friday. (2nd April)

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Let’s Offer More Refreshment and Less Shame

I've mentioned Scotty Smith's online prayer which you can have delivered to your inbox daily. There are occasional gems...and this week had one such.  If you want to subscribe click here.

May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome, he searched for me earnestly and found me. 2 Tim. 1:16–17

Dear Jesus,  Onesiphorus is a member of our forever-family we’ll have to wait till heaven to meet. But we’d love to imitate, long before we meet him in the new earth. He entered Paul’s pain, and brought refreshment. He wasn’t ashamed of Paul’s weakness. He gave encouragement, not shame.

Jesus, make us more refreshing in the way we relate to others. Fill our hearts with your kindness, and our hands with your mercy. Give us Gospel eyes to see others as you see them. Sensitize our spirits with your Spirit. May our “to-love lists” always take precedence over our “to-do lists.” For “the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love” (Gal. 5:6).

If we’re too busy to care, then we’re too busy. If we’re more irritated than merciful, in view of people’s various “imprisonments,” then we are more in chains than they are.

Jesus, you searched for us and found us. You broke our chains, bore our shame, and set us free. You are quintessential Refreshment. May we love others as you love us.

So very Amen we pray, in your loving and liberating name.

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News from Kikuyu

Catch up with the latest from Rebecca Dodds as she serves (and hangs about with orphaned giraffes) in Kikuyu, Kenya - her newsletter No.2 is here

UPDATE:
Since Rebecca wrote the newsletter, there has been some disappointing news as Kenya has entered into a new period of lockdown for the next 4-6 weeks. Work will continue as normal of course, however the schools and churches are  closed and Rebecca's plans to be on the team for an Ambassadors in Sport residential in April won't be possible anymore.

If you are wondering about any lessons Rebecca might be learning in Kenya we are already seeing a 'new' attitude. This week, on hearing what was obviously a rat in her bedroom she just had to ignore it and go to sleep...and clean up the droppings the next morning! This from a girl who in Glasgow has been known to ask for spiders to be dealt with which were in the room next to her bedroom!
 

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Social Media influences

This extract was from a longer article...but for those of us who are in the habit of engaging with social media (esp Twitter) it has  clear advice and a warning for us.

We make our way more difficult when we give our hearts and minds to what is discouraging instead of encouraging. Though we are called to carefully ponder whatever is honourable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable, our minds often focus instead on what is corrupt, wrong, polluted, hideous, and reprehensible. Instead of focusing on what is excellent and worthy of praise, we focus on what is evil and worthy only of condemnation.

We are so often drawn to bad news more than good, to evidences of depravity more than evidences of grace. Why then should we be surprised that our feet grow heavy, that our pace begins to falter? What else could happen when we load our minds with all that is awful and forsake all that is good, when we choose to ponder in our hearts those things that are too shameful to speak with our mouths?

Careful little eyes what you see, careful little ears what you hear, careful little fingers what you click.
 

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Who Am I

You are not defined by your job title.
You are not defined by your role.
You are not defined by being full-time.
You are not defined by being part-time.
You are not defined by being a volunteer.
You are not defined by the expectations of others.
You are not defined by the expectations you place on yourself.
You are not defined by how much you earn . . . or how little.
You are not defined by who you know . . . or who you don't.
You are not defined by which conferences you attend . . . or which you don't.
You are not defined by how busy you are . . . or how much free time you enjoy.
You are not defined  by a full diary . . . or an empty one.
You are not defined by how many young people turn up . . . or how many don't.
You are not defined by the praises of people . . . or by their harsh words of criticism.
You are not defined by these things.
This is not who you are.

You are . . . 

A child of God (John 1:12)
Reconciled to God (Romans 5:11)
Tenderly loved by God (Jeremiah 31:3)
Christ's friend (John 15:5)
A joint heir with Christ, sharing his inheritance with him (Romans 8:39)
A child of the light (1 Thessalonians 5:5)
Made right with God (Romans 5:11)
A saint (Ephesians 1:1)
Chosen by God and dearly loved (Colossians 2:7)
The dwelling place of  God (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Firmly rooted in Christ (Colossians 3:12)
Born of God and the evil one cannot touch you (1 John 5:18)
A prince / princess in God's Kingdom (1 Timothy 6:15)
Free from any condemning charges against you (Romans 8:31)
Inseparable from the love of God (Romans 8:35)
Able to do all things through Christ's strength (Philippians 4:13)
Made clean (Hebrews 2:11)
United to the Lord, one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17)
A member of Christ's body (1 Corinthians 12:17)
At peace with God (Romans 6:1)
Completely forgiven (Colossians 1:14)
Made complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10)
The salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13)
The sweet fragrance of Christ to God (2 Corinthians 2:15)
Holy (Hebrews 3:1)
Created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27)
Fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)
Free from condemnation (Romans 8:1)

In the midst of a challenging time, as we slowly move towards more face to face ministry it is so easy to compare and contrast - how am I doing compared to others? The "Peter response" to God's call on OUR lives. Jesus loving restores Peter, gives him work to do - "feed my lambs" . . .  how wonderful! Peter responds by looking at John and saying to Jesus, "What about him?" - Oh Peter! 
Don't look at others - that is where that first set of thoughts stems from, look at who you are in Christ, cherish those promises from scripture and step in to what is next knowing God - in his mercy and love - goes before you.

Author - Ali Campbell

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Glasgow City Mission

Glasgow City Mission are one of the charities who will benefit from the Virtual Kiltwalk on 23-25 April. As this is a virtual event you can tailor your challenge, or activity, to you or your family and friends as long as it’s within the Covid guidelines.

As this is 2021, one of our volunteers is walking 21 miles, cycling 21 miles and then swimming 21 lengths of his local baths. If this doesn’t suit you why not climb a mountain, trampoline, walk, jog, run, have a family treasure hunt or play 21 games of chess. Whatever suits you.

All those who participate and raise funds for the Mission will have 50% added to their total by the Tom Hunter Foundation, what an incentive! In addition each participant will receive a bespoke Glasgow City Mission Kiltwalk t-shirt.

If you are interested in fundraising for Glasgow City Mission please follow this link - where details of how to get involved and register can be found. Remember when registering to select “Glasgow City Mission” as your charity.

If you have any questions please contact Jack Geddes 07714 983075.

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Wednesday at 7.15pm - 8.30pm

 

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Wonder Walks #7

The Scottish Bible Society have created a Wonder Walks series for Lent and Easter. Click here 

As we lead up to Easter use these to help you focus on God when you are out for a walk or in your garden. On each map you will find something to read from the Gospel of Mark, questions to think about, games to play, and ideas to pray about. You don’t need to prepare anything in advance, just download your map and head off for your weekly Wonder Walk! 

Vsit the SBS website. 

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SPRING HARVEST 2021 - 4th to 8th April,

It will be strange again this year not to be sending our team to Spring Harvest with David Cameron as Chief Steward as in a normal year!
 
SH will be going online with ‘Unrivalled: Why we worship’ and will be exploring why we worship, which starts with who we worship. Every new challenge we face brings a new opportunity to tune into God and join in with his mission. Whatever comes our way, our God is unchanged, our God is unshakeable, our God is Unrivalled and we will worship him. It’s the perfect time to consider how and where we worship, whether on our own, together, all the time and everywhere, in singing, in silence, in service and in the soundscape of our whole lives. If we need to discover some different ways of worshipping together, we will!
 
Spring Harvest Home is far more than online teaching and worship. Using a new platform, it's the first Christian event of its kind in the UK. It's exciting, interactive, family-friendly and a brilliant shared experience!

Tickets at £55 from the Spring Harvest web page will access all the brilliant content online, both live and on demand until the end of April. You can access Spring Harvest Home on two devices (laptop, desktop or smartphone)

Sue