No.175. 22nd December 2023
Sunday 24th December 10.30am Morning Service with Rev Dr Alister Bull

Welcome,

TEA AND COFFEE!

Thanks so much to all who have helped with tea/coffee over the past few weeks. You are much appreciated!

And a special thanks for all the home baking provided.

The tea/coffee rota is still on the flip chart in the Sanctuary. If you feel able to add your name for a week that would be grand. We need 2-3 people per week to serve the tea/coffee and tidy up. All you need to bring is milk!

Please note, NO BAKING IS REQUIRED!!! After Christmas we are going back to the biscuits!
 

A challenge for everyone

It would be better for the environment if each individual bought a reusable cup (Some of you already do this) which could be brought to church and take home every week. This is one practical way we could all contribute to reduce our Carbon Footprint as a Church.  In addition to the reduction in wastage, with the ever increasing cost of the recyclable cups, this would also help our church finances!

Jackie Mackenzie
 

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FELLOWSHIP LUNCH

 

On the first Sunday in January we are all meeting in the Maxwell Hall for a meal of fellowship and fun. On Sunday 7th January we shall enjoy a simple meal in the hall after the service. Everyone is welcome. Let's all opt in and get to know our Church Family a little better. CASTLE TODDLERS Monday morning toddlers are having a well - earned break over the Christmas period. They will open again on Monday 8 January from 10am – 11.30am. Any help with the refreshments or putting out toys and tidying up would be gratefully appreciated. Thank you Margaret Campbell

 ALISTER BULL WRITES:

It has been a privilege to return to Maxwell Mearns Castle Church and conduct Sunday Morning worship during December 2023.
Some have asked what I now do. Well over six years I have been working in the anti-slavery charity sector. I am the Training Manager for Hope for Justice, a global movement that aims to change lives and end slavery through learning. I lead the Great Britain remit to deliver world-class training on modern slavery and human trafficking to a wide range of agencies and professionals including the police, social services, healthcare, embassy staff and community groups. My mission is to translate the amazing work we do through Hope for Justice into learning opportunities so other professionals are empowered to respond to victims of trafficking in a trauma-informed way, upholding the human rights of the least the last and the lost.
The training world changed drastically since the pandemic, so I have adapted my skills to include digital learning whether online or virtual live sessions. I have trained in Europe and Cyprus and Norway.
There are nearly 50 million slaves in the world and an estimated 122,000 in the UK. Tragically, these are often the most vulnerable who are targeted by serious organised crime. They take advantage of those seeking a better way of life. They are deceived and then threatened with violence against them or their loved ones. They are trafficked into forced labour, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, criminal exploitation, or organ harvesting. If you want to change lives and end slavery you can take two steps to do so
Step 1 – Take our free 30 minute foundation eLearning course Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking in the United Kingdom: Know It, See It, and Respond...and click here
Step 2 – Support the work of training in Hope for Justice and donate here
This is a challenging job and topic so I look for beauty in the world  and fill my mind with what is good in this world with family and friends. Also, I am also a keen artist and photographer and my work can be found here, and I’m an author of a book on how healthcare professionals connect with children in a paediatric setting. Find our more here.  
I wish you well for 2024 and that God will reveal a way for  you as a congregation and in your own lives.

 
Thanks for such a warm welcome
 
Alister

MAXWELL PRAY NOW GROUP Pray Now is a WhatsApp group for Maxwell members

This group sends out occasional requests for prayer. In particular those which might be regarding things more acute or immediate. At present there are 17 of us who, when we receive a request for prayer, stop what we are doing and pray for whatever has been asked.

Are you on the Pray Now WhatsApp Group? If you want to be added to the group to receive prayer news then simply ask Denise 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 Denise Lowson and she will organise for news to be sent out.

GETTING TO CHURCH

Should anyone require a lift to Maxwell Mearns Castle Church, then please do let us know. Please email: maxwellmearns@hotmail.com

SAFEGUARDING AT MAXWELL MEARNS