No.130 18th November
Hi,
Hope this finds you well.
The magazine moves effortlessly from the sublime to the ridiculous, (eg from things to be remembered through to things forgotten) and as ever I'll leave it to you to work out which is which. If you are unsure speak to your elder.
Enjoy the mag.
MB
From the Manse
Dear Congregation,
I want to encourage you to take a good look below at the magazine and do so with diary in hand. Also, watch for more details emerging over the coming weeks.
We have a pretty packed season coming up and I would love you to take the opportunity to enjoy the fellowship, the praise, and the ministry. And, I would love you to invite your families and friends to these occasions.
We shall have a “Fun Day” on 26th November. This is organised by the Playgroup, but the aim is that young and old from the community and from the church come and enjoy the day. There will be various activities and you can see more detail below. Please pray for this day because it is an occasion that might bring new infants to our Playgroup in the New Year.
That very same evening of the 26th November, come back and enjoy a Ceilidh. It may be too early to call it a “Christmas Ceilidh” but it will be a great evening with a live Ceilidh band. As ever, we shall have someone talk us through the dances!
Advent begins the next day on 27th November and with King Charles beginning to make his mark on public life in the UK our theme this year will be about kings in general and “The King” in particular. The young people will lead us on the 4th Sunday in Advent (18th December) with a Nativity Sunday and a drama called “A New King”.
Also on the 18th December, we shall have an evening gathering called “A Very Musical Christmas”. We shall have the opportunity to sing carols as congregation. But more specially, we have created a Christmas Choir for that evening and we shall have various pieces of Christmas music performed. Thanks to Ian Gillis for putting our new choir through their paces each week in preparation. Pray for that evening, come along, and bring someone with you!
Then on Christmas Eve, we shall have All Age “Christmas Messy Church” in the afternoon and then a Christmas Watchnight service in the evening.
Christmas Day is a Sunday and so we shall have a shorter service of worship that day.
Wow…busy…that is why you need your diary out! But what an easy way to invite family and friends into our church life! If you have ever wondered what to include in your prayers, the above is a good prayer list for you.
And, many thanks for the huge number of congregation involved in organising these occasions. All the details are in the magazine below, are on the front page of our church website and also in the website calendar.
On a different matter…
I met this week with Ministers from our cluster and the Interim Moderator of Eaglesham to begin considering how the reduced number of three Ministry posts in the Mearns / Eaglesham cluster should be distributed. (Remember, it has already been agreed that the three congregations of Broom/Mearns Kirk/Newton Mearns will form one congregation, Eaglesham and ourselves are to remain as individual congregations.) I was asked not share the discussions yet with our congregations until the group had more time to reflect and pray on the suggestion presented. At this stage therefore, I would only say, we need much prayer on this at MMCC. I will fill in details as soon as possible.
Warmest Regards,
Scott
In what was the busiest Prayer Meeting for sometime (since Acts ch2?) it was great to have MSP John Mason along to outline some of the more prickly/challenging/controversial issues currently being dealt with at Holyrood.
Most recently, John went against the whip and voted against the SNP govt in the Transgender debate. There are literally a handful of evangelical MSPs who meet to pray regularly. Let's keep them in prayer. John reminded us of the scriptures that call us to pray for all those in authority - even when we don't agree with them!
Ladybird Book of Maxwell
BLYTHSWOOD BOXES
A remarkable 3248 boxes were checked by Thursday evening this week!
We look forward to an update on Sunday.
Denise writes:
Thanks to all who have given so generously of their time checking the boxes. We still need to continue checking particularly as Blythswood are in temporary accommodation this year and do not have the space for checking boxes.
The main areas checking, apart from us, are in Irvine and Perth. We need to check another couple of thousand boxes before the lorry can leave for Moldova,
Items we are running short of are: men's toiletries particularly deodorant, shaving gel and razors. Also men's and boy's gifts such as a pack of playing cards, dominoes etc.
We are also short of pencil sharpeners, erasers(rubbers), facecloths and felt tip pens.
Please continue to pray for all involved in this ministry and the recipients in Moldova.
Thank you.
If you have a free hour/afternoon/ full day please do get along.
Further information email maxwellmearns@hotmail.com
Remembering Those We Love
Joe Kavanagh has written to remind us that Mearns Kirk have an annual service for the Bereaved.
Remembering Those We Love : A service for the Bereaved
Mearns Kirk
Sunday 27th November 6 30
Countdown has started!
Countdown to our Playgroup Family Funday….NEXT SATURDAY
Thanks for everyone’s donations towards our Funday.
Can any home baking donations be brought on Friday morning please.
AND ...do you have any unwanted china cups and saucers that you could donate?
We’d like to use them to make scented candles to be sold at the Playgroup fun day, to help raise funds.
If you do, please see Liz Geddes or Fiona Waugh, or leave any items on the bench underneath the pigeon holes in the first floor foyer where we’ll collect them. Thank you
Fiona Waugh
Well Remembered
It was very good to see so many visitors at church last weekend, many of them with the young people from the various uniformed organisations.
Here is the craft some were involved in making.
Thanks to Pauline for leading part of our reflection - here are the words we sang together.
See in the fields, red poppies grow
Signs of new life, letting us know
Time to fall quiet, for all who died
Time now for hope, time now for life.
See in the fields, red poppies grow
Signs of new life, now let peace flow.
To the tune of Lavender's Blue
Last week at the Prayer Meeting we had a visit from UFM Worldwide's Leonardo Moraes from Lisbon, along with Ruairidh MacLean the Scottish area director.
Ruairidh dropped Scott a line this week...
My thanks again for the warm welcome extended to Leonardo. We enjoyed our visit, and Leonardo really appreciated the warmth of the reception he received.
Here is the link for donations: https://www.ufm.org.uk/support/how-to-give/donate-uk/
(add Sete Rios Refurb Project to support that project or Leonardo Moraes for direct support for Leonardo himself.). Although the button says Give by Card there are other options other than card payments.
Alternatively you can send cheques to the Glasgow office payable to UFM Worldwide and you can write the designation of the back.
Blessings.
Ruairidh
LOST PROPERTY
Last Sunday a carrier bag was found under a seat at church. It contained the above spectacle case and face cloths, shaving gel, razors, deodorant, and sweets.
Perhaps it was for the Blythswood boxes and the glasses case has been accidentally left as well. Or perhaps the person came prepared for a particularly long service?!!
If you are looking for the glasses case speak to Denise. The other stuff is probably heading for Moldova, sorry.
Ceilidh - for your diary!
The weekly prayer meeting is now on a Thursday!
7.15pm - 8.30pm
All welcome.
Are you on the Pray Now WhatsApp Group?
If you want to be added to the group to receive prayer news then simply ask Margaret and she will add your number to the list.
If you have a matter that you would like to be prayed about in this way, you can contact Margaret Boyd or Scott and they will organise for news to be sent out.