maxwell magazine logo 2
No.68 - 13th August 

Hi,
There is a lot in the magazine - some of it for immediate attention and other items for your consideration looking ahead. Take a look, see which applies to you, which can be prayed about and how you can get involved.

Enjoy the mag!

MB


From the Manse

Dear Congregation,scott

Let me start this letter with a word of thanks to Martin Boyd for breaking into his holidays so that I could get this letter and all the information below, out before I leave for my holidays!

This summer some of you were reading, God of All Things by Andrew Wilson. How did you find it? Would you like to type a couple of sentences for our magazine – your own personal wee review? You could include the high points and the low points (if there were any!). Send it to the office and will include it in a later magazine.

why we pray

I recently read a short book by Willie Philip minister at The Tron Church, Glasgow. It is called “Why We Pray”.
I thought it was really helpful but I also identified with his honesty.
"As a pastor, I had often felt I ought to preach a series on prayer. But I have to confess that I had always been put off doing so because so many of the sermons I have heard about prayer have made me feel rather depressed.
You know the kind of thing: someone will tell you, with fervent emotion, about a great preacher getting up at four o’clock every morning and praying for six hours before breakfast…I’m afraid I just find that sort of thing disheartening. I discovered that as I focused the congregation on God himself, asking the most basic question of all – Why do we pray? – we found immense encouragement in our relationship with the Lord and real help in the chief expression of that relationship, which is prayer."
I have purchased 25 copies for us (£6 each). I would love to have to order more!
There are only four chapters in just a 102 pages. I believe reading this book will be a great encouragement to our individual and congregational prayer-life.
I will begin distribution of the books on my return from holiday. It would be great if you could email the office to have your copy on standby (maxwellmearns@hotmail.com).


On a different matter…

Some say that the church’s primary purpose is to serve those outside The Church. There is some truth in that, we must be a missionary church – that was the calling of the first disciples and we who follow in their footsteps have a similar calling (Matthew 28.18-20).
However, as we serve the Lord, we importantly do so for the sake of one another: His Church. We do this by leading one another in worship, praying with one another, studying the scriptures together, making and sharing food, caring for each other and supporting one another in so many other different ways. We are to build one another up as Christ’s Church.
Concealed in the expression above, “leading one another in worship” at MMCC are the activities of those who are unseen yet serve us Sunday by Sunday. Despite their invisibility, all that we see and hear (and especially online) is only possible because of their service for us (Daniel Clarke, Eilidh Hamilton, Ian Hailstones, Ian Little, Jonah McNicol, Martin Boyd, Ross Finlayson).

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Eilidh Hamilton is hoping to begin studies overseas shortly (we shall hear about this in worship soon). I don’t want to miss the chance of thanking Eilidh publicly on your behalf.
You will not know this, but as we developed recently our AV potential, I invited Eilidh to take up the significant responsibility of ensuring that all our audio-visual needs for worship were met Sunday by Sunday!
This would entail an administrative task (rostering the team for each week) a supervisory task (ensuring the team turned up and completed their required roles) and a technical task (ensuring software and hardware issues were remedied as they emerged).
Eilidh took on the job willingly and has excelled as we see and hear so clearly each Sunday. The fact that we are invariably unaware of what the AV team are doing shows how well they are doing it! (They weave together live speech, videos, the band, singers, Scripture passages on screen, different camera angles etc. and all seamlessly. Amazing!)
I cannot tell you how thankful I am to God for Eilidh’s technical ability, her organizational skills, her conscientiousness in ensuring the tasks are completed and all of this accomplished in a humble and delightful manner.
A number of you have been so complimentary of what we have be able to undertake in worship through these last eighteen months, thank the Lord for Eilidh and the team!

Let's find different ways to build each other up as Christ's Church!
Would you like to serve the Lord by serving through the AV team? Needless to say, training is given and you would not be thrown into any “deep ends”! There are two main foci: one involves the computer (and what is projected for us to see) and one involves the sound desk (what we hear both at home and in church). I believe it is a hugely rewarding ministry and certainly a crucial one.
If you would like to check out if you have the right gifts to be on the team, please contact Daniel Clarke or me.
Scott.

hoiday club
Summer Holiday Club

We are looking forward to hearing from those involved in this week's Holiday Club on Sunday morning.
Give thanks for all that has been accomplished and for the seeds sown through the teaching of God's Word.


Youth Weekend Away

The youth are going away 20-22nd August as a group to the SU centre called Gowanbank in Darvel. Let’s pray for the preparations and that while there, the Holy Spirit will make the Word alive to all and impact the lives of these young people in a great way. Pray for the leadership team of six and that all would have a great time together.
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AND alongside the prayers if you are looking to bless them practically, they would love to have home baking to take with them. Can you help? If so get in touch with Anna C on 07702303317.

Funeral Cover

Scott will be on holiday from 16th August and will return on 30th August. In Scott's absence the Rev Seoras Mackenzie will be available to lead any funerals during Scott’s absence. Seoras will be living at the manse and can therefore be contacted on the usual manse number, 0141 560 5603. You could also contact Seoras through Sue at our office 0141 639 5169.


Pulse logo

Prayer Meeting – The Pulse: Resumes weekly from 18th August

Thank you to all who responded to the possibility of changing both time and day of The Pulse. Your responses were very helpful. The outcome is that for the time being, we shall remain with our traditional day and time: Wednesday evening at 7.15-8.30pm.
We shall resume an in-person prayer meeting from Wednesday 18th August in the West Room.
We hope you can make it!



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Advance Registration For Worship

– No More!


(From 22nd August)

Gathering for worship through this pandemic has meant registering for worship in advance. Many of us have found this to be a pest!

Nevertheless, it has been necessary so that we could control the numbers gathering for worship when restrictions applied. (Do you remember that we were only permitted 20 and then 50 for a while?! ) Registration also meant we had the ability to “track and trace” should we have needed it. (We are so grateful to God that we were spared this need as no-one connected with worship at MMCC had to be contacted.)

To this end, Lorna Hamilton has done an exceptional job organizing this for us. I am delighted to be able to release Lorna from this role!
With the easing of restrictions, we shall put advance registration behind us from Sunday 22nd August.
However, we do still need to have a “track and trace” system in place for the short term.
So,
On Sunday 22nd August and thereafter, no advance registration for worship is necessary.  Just turn up – and we will love to see you! 
To ensure we have a record for “track and trace” we will have two mechanisms for recording our presence in worship (we keep this record for 3 weeks then destroy it). 

We shall invite the use of a smartphone to scan our own new “QR code” 

The QR code will be displayed at the entrance and inside the sanctuary so as not to have to queue. You can complete the registration inside.
The process is simple. Select the camera app on your phone.
When you hover over the QR code image with the camera app, an invitation pops up on your phone.
Select that invitation and it takes you to a web page where you can input your contact details.
This is a free Government service. The door team will help until we get familiar with this system. 

We shall also be prepared to manually record the presence of those who do not have smartphones with them or feel this would be an easier process for them.


Service of Profession of Faith

We are beginning to plan for a service of  profession of faith (and baptism if required). If this is something you would like to know more about, or have already been thinking and praying about this, please contact Scott or Daniel.


St Andrew's First Aid Course
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Saturday 4th Sept (9am-4pm or earlier) at Maxwell Mearns Castle Church 
Emergency First Aid  (certificated Emergency First Aid)
 
This course is designed for anyone who wishes to gain a basic insight into First Aid. (Bring a pack-lunch)
Course content includes: 
·        Managing an incident
·        Priorities of First Aid
·        CPR 
·        Disorders of the airway
·        Disorders of circulation
·        Control of bleeding
·        Burns and scalds
·        Miscellaneous conditions e.g. injuries to bones and soft tissue, poisons, hypothermia

 
The certificate for successful completion of this course is valid for three years.
There are places available at a cost of £55 per person (payable in advance via bank transfer).
Please contact Fiona Waugh (07795361752) or Sue at the office (0141 639 5169) to book your place. Places are limited (maximum of 12) so please book early.

Fiona Waugh

Ladybird Book of Maxwell