No.154.   12th May

Hi,
Hope this finds you well...the sun is out again and it looks as if it will be a warm weekend...I know, I doubt it too.

Thanks again for all contributors as ever - lots in this week so it's on with the show!

Enjoy the mag!

MB
 

Sunday 14th May

       Jacob Ingleson
     Bible passage: 1 Peter 4.12-19 

 

A Busy Saturday!

Take a look below and see which of the events this Saturday (13th) you could enjoy supporting 
 

Plant Sale & Strawberry Tea

FOR CHRISTIAN AID
In Mearns Kirk Church Hall
10am - 12 noon - Tea ticket £5
 

Glasgow Phoneix Choir

fundraising for ACCORD HOSPICE 
at 7.30 pm in Paisley Abbey.
 

Scottish Reformed Conference 

Hamilton College School, 
Full details can be found on this link www.scottishreformedconference.org
Our speakers will be Kevin De Young  and Sinclair Ferguson. 
Registration opens at 9.15am with tea and coffee available on arrival. 
Tea and coffee will again be provided free at morning break time and at lunch. 
People should bring their own packed lunches with them.  
Adults: £5 - Students £4 - 17 and under: Free. 
There is an excellent book stall, creche and a young children's programme. 
 

Inspiration Orchestra Festival

Pitmeadow Farm, nr Dunning, Perthshire
The first Inspiration Orchestra One Day Festival!
Almost all 30 Orchestra members will be there with their carers and families.
In our big concert barn, there will be 4 different short concerts, each with 8 different players, AND different songs, and some very special musical guests.
In between concerts we have fantastic food tents, a Car Display paddock with some lovely sports cars to drool over, a petting Zoo with baby lambs to hold, and a face painting tent!
Ian White.
 

Open Doors - 'Standing Strong' conference

10:00 - 2.30pm
Ps& Gs church in Edinburgh, 46 York Pl 46 York Place Edinburgh EH1 3HP
MEET THE RISK TAKERS OF THE PRESECUTED CHURCH
You're invited to gather with Christians across the UK and Ireland to worship and pray with those risking everything for Christ.
Join us to find out how your prayers and gifts are making a difference and celebrate what God is doing in some of the most dangerous places in the world to be a Christian.
We will be joined by Hea Woo* from North Korea where she was imprisoned for many years. But she did not give up her faith, leading other women in the prison to Jesus. She was eventually released and escaped to South Korea. 

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From the Manse

Dear Congregation,
Please forgive me if I share something you might think too personal for a letter in the church magazine!
As this magazine is distributed I will be engaging in something very personal and a little daunting for me! 
Some of you will remember I shared in a sermon in January the unexpected death of one of my close friends, a fit, sporty man. He fell while skiing in Glen Coe and having been helicoptered off the mountain, died the following day in the QEUH.
This weekend, I will join a group of friends aiming to scatter his ashes on a Munro he enjoyed climbing. I believe it is called Ladhar Bheinn in Knoydart. I am eager to be part of this commemoration as we have been a close group since primary and secondary school. However, I would appreciate your prayers. I am neither a hill walker nor a camper.

As some of you know Ladhar Bheinn is quite remote. We will need to take a ferry, camp overnight and then in the morning walk about 4 miles to the base of the hill. I am led to believe the climb is not too arduous. We will then walk the 4 miles back to the campsite where we will stay a second night before returning by ferry to Mallaig the next morning.
Some of my friends are very comfortable with all of this, but it will be well outside my experience and full of “unknowns” for me. My friend who died had two sons and one will accompany us. I would appreciate prayer for safety and that I might bring something of the fragrance of Christ to this sad situation.

Warmest regards
Scott

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Appreciation & Prayers

 

With reluctance the Session accepted Stewart Martin’s retirement from the Kirk Session.

We have been grateful to God for Stewart’s service here at Maxwell for nearly forty years! Stewart has contributed to the life of our Session and Maxwell in so many ways. Let us all be prayerful for Stewart and Joanne as they move soon to the North of the city. We were also sorry to hear of the journey Stewart (and Joanne with him) will now begin in the diagnosis of a cancer.
Let’s pray for Stewart and Joanne as they go on that journey with the Lord also.
Scott

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Kirk Session & Presbytery Plans

As you already know, our local part of the Presbytery Plan includes the conclusion that Maxwell Mearns Castle Church need not be united or linked to any other local congregation.
However, that decision makes no reference to the amount of “ministry/minister” Maxwell may be permitted in the future or what buildings might be retained/disposed of in the Mearns. 
At the last Mearns Cluster meeting on 24th April, Broom, Mearns Kirk and Newton Mearns all reported that their Kirk Sessions have decided Maxwell should not be permitted a whole ministry position in the Plan. 
Put simply, if locked-into The Plan, the next minister of Maxwell would be part-time (perhaps as low as 0.5 of a full time minister). And, as indicated to us previously by the Presbytery Clerk, we would not be permitted to top that part-time ministry up to full-time from our own funds. The Kirk Session will not accept this decision.

General Assembly - 20th-25th May

The General Assembly releases a book of reports and deliverances in advance of the Assembly. It has an almost overwhelming number reports and proposals on the internal workings and beliefs of our denomination and what we are meant to believe theologically and morally about the social/political events in Scotland and around the world. You can find all the reports here.

The Theological Forum

“The Theological Forum” proposes a change to the basis of our denominational faith which The Church of Scotland has espoused for 463 years. I believe this will be hugely damaging to Church of Scotland and our biblical understanding of the faith. I will bring more detail about this in the coming weeks. You can read the Forum’s report here.
That same Forum reports on “The Calling of the Church”. While there are many helpful points made in this report, there are also alarming omissions. I will bring more detail about this in the coming weeks also.

Banning Conversion Therapy Practices:

I reported my concern in last week’s magazine about the advice being given to the Government by their expert panel on legislation relating to the banning conversion therapies (you can read it here). The Session shared this concern. While abusive and coercive behaviour is never acceptable, the legislation being suggested by the expert panel is so broad in its applications it could criminalize loving parental concern, criminalize church pastoral care, prayer and biblical preaching on matters relating to sexuality and gender. The General Assembly will hear an update from the Faith Nurture Forum saying that we had a former moderator of the Church of Scotland on that expert panel. The report simply brings this update. However, I am hugely concerned that no caution is being spoken of in regard to the expert advice and I have grave concern that the Faith Nurture Forum will advocate for this broad legislation in the future. Our Session is watching developments here.   

So what about all of this…?

Our elders have been busy in prayer. Please pray for the elders as they wrestle with these issues and how best to lead Maxwell through these times.
You should know that in addition to the praying of the elders, we have had numerous conversations at Session about these matters. We have also arranged meetings outside our normal Session time to discuss how to shepherd the congregation. We have set apart smaller groups of elders to look into various matters which we believe will be helpful in seeking God’s will for us. We have planned a special day for the elders to meet in early June when we will gather together to pray and reflect on what we have been learning and exploring. Please pray for discernment.
We believe as elders we have been charged by God with the job of leading the part of His flock here at Maxwell (Acts 20.28-30). We will share with you as soon as is appropriate, the conclusions we believe the Lord is bringing us to.
You are always welcome to contact your elder or me and let us know how you see the matters mentioned above (and others).  
Scott

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The Greatest Weekend Away

At the end of April 38 P5-7s from across East Renfrewshire descended upon Lendrick Muir for the weekend.

Eight of our Hizkidz were there and six of the team were also from Maxwell. Sandra and Sarah took up residence in the kitchen (the Board can expect some requests for mass catering equipment from Sandra soon!); Colin, Pauline and Cathy looked after groups, ran activities, led Bible times and bounced about with enthusiasm and Lucy did 101 different tasks! 

Our theme for the weekend was 'The Greatest' so we looked at the greatest friendship (our friendship with God), day (Jesus resurrection) and choice (to follow Jesus) during our Bible times.
We also took part in activities such as foot golf (like golf but kicking a football instead), inflatable bungee run and demolition zone, a very muddy adventure playground, beach volleyball, football, basketball and crafts during the day on Saturday as well as having a campfire, silent disco and wide game. Phew!



Weekends such as these are so valuable in the encouragement of the faith of our young people and for deepening relationships between the young people and also with their leaders. 
Thank you to everyone who prayed for us and baked for us! 
Pauline Forster

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Reflection

on Coronation of King Charles III

The Coronation of King Charles was remarkable. Like watching an episode of DrWho when everything is nice and modern and even futuristic...and then someone turns up in a Ford Cortina wearing a pair of flares!! 
It would have been quite understandable at one level if the Coronation service had included poems from the great and the good, some Shakespeare quotes, Elton John singing a dodgy ballad and a reading from the Koran and other holy books by the latest winner of Britain's Got Talent...ie. a little bit of something for everyone, taking into account the tapestry that is the UK and Commonwealth in terms of  groups of faith (and none) and every shade of community and background.
But no... this was a Christian service, undiluted by secular and cultural references and it stood out like the golden carriage going along the Mall... there was no hiding of the central beliefs of the Christian faith.
This was clear from the start with the call to worship and the words 'Alleluia - Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. He is risen indeed.'
This was followed by Bryn Terfel singing (in Welsh) Kyrie Eleison: 'Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.'
The Lord Jesus  and the acknowledgement of the need to rely on God's grace was front and centre throughout.  That sense of humility before the King of Kings was also shown as King Charles was shielded from view and divested of his royal robes as he was anointed -a king on his knees before his God.
An orb was placed into Charles' hand - a globe with a cross on it, a reminder that Christ is Lord over all kingdoms of this world.

There was also the sight of Rishi Sunak, our Prime minister,  with a Hindu faith, reading from Colossians - and what words to hear read out to the world!: 
In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

Archbishop Welby's sermon reminded us that Jesus had a throne, but it was a cross. He had a crown, but it was thorns. He had garments which were his scars, and he called King Charles to be a king who served as Jesus served ,with humility.

After all that I did expect we would hear complaints that it was too Christian, too exclusive. But it was actually other Christians I heard complaining... 'an opportunity missed' by Welby because although he spoke of Jesus as a servant King and gave a call for us all to serve there was no declaration of Jesus as Saviour, and no mention of WHY Jesus had to die. 
However, because of the reasons above, I still thought it was a God honouring service and we can pray that it wouldn't be merely an unusual 'drama' that has been witnessed but that those who took part and the millions watching  would ponder the words they have heard and the meaning behind so much of what was performed...and God would save the King as he repents and follows the faith of our late Queen.
MB

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Coronation Coffee Club 

At the Coffee Club on Tuesday we had our own 'street party' with delicious food and coronation themed decorations.
We had planned to have a coronation quiz but there was so much lively conversation being enjoyed we didn't want to interrupt it!




The Maxwell Message looked at the lineage of Jesus, the true King who has the right to rule in all our lives.
We noted that Jesus' family tree included those who were sinners, outcasts, despised by society. However by the grace of God they were included in his family. What an encouragement for each one of us to know that same grace extends to us. 
Elizabeth S

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Girlguiding East Renfrewshire

25th Anniversary Celebrations

In 1998 Girlguiding East Renfrewshire became its own County instead of being a Division of Renfrewshire.
This year marks our 25th birthday and to celebrate we held a Friendship Activity Day in Roukenglen Park. Nearly 600 members from 5 year old Rainbows to members of the Trefoil Guild in their 80s attended and we were joined by some of our ambassadors. 



The girls took part in a range of activities from scavenger hunts to crafts to traditions of guiding challenges which took many leaders on a trip down memory lane remembering badges they had earned as girls.

Our afternoon ended with some campfire songs (minus the fire!), renewing our Promises together and some words from our County Commissioner Louise Lightbody, MP Kirsten Oswald and Mary Montague.
We even got an Early Day Motion passed in Parliament! 
Pauline

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Saturday 20th May 7.30pm

The Glasgow Phoenix Choir are performing to raise funds for CHRISTIAN AID next week 
at the Wellington Church, Southpark Ave, in the West End.

Tickets details here.
Pamela M

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Praying for the YouthWork

On Wednesday at the prayer meeting we had a focus on prayer for Jacob and those who work alongside him, and for the young people.

Here are the prayer points we used to guide our thoughts...

· All the young folk taking exams, most about half way through
· Youth in transition phase of going up a school year. Can be quite busy/stressful.
· Sunday evening joint service at NMBC. Currently don’t have a speaker due to illness
· Pray for all the youth leaders. Currently coming to end of teaching materials, pray for wisdom as they plan next session
· Give thanks for some of the great chats the leaders have been having with some of the youth who have made a commitment to Christ. It’s been so encouraging to walk with them as they journey in faith.

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The New banner at the top of the road advertises the fact that when it comes to the gospel 'anyone can get in on it' as Ray Ortland once put it, adding 'if it's not too far beneath you!'
But it also reminded me of the rather blunt, but excellent song by Stuart Townend - Vagabonds...
Click here to listen...here is a snapshot of some of the lyrics...
Come all you questioners,
Looking for answers
And searching for reasons
And sense in it all;
Come all you fallen,
And come all you broken,
Find strength for your body
And food for your soul.

Come to the feast,
There is room at the table.
Come let us meet in this place
With the King of all kindness
Who welcomes us in
With the wonder of love,
And the power of grace,
The wonder of the love,
And the power of grace.

Come those who worry
'Bout houses and money,
And all those who don't have
A care in the world;
From every station
And orientation,
The helpless, the hopeless,
The young and the old.

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Batteries

Do you need AA Batteries... we use batteries for mics at church and they need to be fully powered  - this means we have batteries which still have life in them which we can't use for mics but could be used for other purposes... 
Confrollers for xBoxes, clocks, remote controls etc.
We will have a box at the back of church if you want to put these to good use.

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Greenview Celebrations

Our friends down in Greenview Evangelical Church are celebrating 150 years with an evening of praise - hymns and songs from across the decades -  choir, solos and community singing.

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Pray Now  is a WhatsApp group for Maxwell members

It sends out occasional requests for prayer. In particular those which might be regarding things more acute or immediate.
Speak with Margaret Boyd is you would like to be added to this important ministry at MMCC, or just to find out more.

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Car Parking

Can you help?
If you are able, please can you to start using the school car park again as we did pre-lockdown?
Numbers attending services are encouragingly high and it would be really helpful if those that are able could leave spaces in the main car park for those who have greater need.

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 Safeguarding at Maxwell Mearns