Welcome

There are a number of upcoming events in and around the church that are detailed below.
If we do things together it strengthens our church family bonds.

Because life is all about learning how to love, God wants us to value relationships and make the effort to maintain them. A significant amount of the New Testament is devoted to teaching us how to get along with one another

Looking at parts of our world we can see how broken it is. Israel and Palestine have had  a difficult relationship for years. Innocent people are suffering as leaders rain down bombs everywhere. Jordan, Iran , Syria, Lebanon - the middle East is a mess. Looking at the pictures in the media, where people live in fear among rubble, we feel helpless seeing all this death and destruction. What can we do? Well we can pray that this senseless killing stops.
It's not just the Middle East - the war between Russia and Ukraine rumbles on and what can we do - again we can pray.
How much better would our world be if the focus was on helping others and getting along with neighbours instead of arguing, fighting, land grabbing or killing?  We feel overwhelmed by world situations such as these and we feel for the innocents caught up in such conflicts. We know in the grand scheme of things we can do very little to influence these situations so we do what we can - we pray.

We are playing a very small part bringing a little comfort to some of the people of Ukraine with the gift of a shoebox filled with what we would call essentials. There is a network of people in halls and churches all over the country doing the same thing.
Thank you for supporting the Blythswood Christmas Shoebox Appeal. Please pray that we get enough volunteers to help with checking the boxes, that we keep fit and healthy and that we have fun. 

Denise 

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Session and Board Meeting

The next meeting of the Kirk Session and Congregational Board will be held on
Wednesday 16 October in the West Room at 7.30pm.

Elders and Board Members Conference -

9.30am to 12.30pm on Saturday, 16th November 2024. 

The purpose of this morning conference is to discuss Maxwell adopting the Unitary Constitution of the Church of Scotland and to discuss and hopefully form working groups that will report to future Kirk Session meetings. 

Refreshments will be served and we promise to be finished by 12.30pm. 

Please speak to Mike for further details. 

Christmas Choir 

I am pleased to report that our Christmas Choir is up and running (well, singing actually) and having a bit of musical fun on Monday evenings. 
There is still room for some more singers so why not come along and give it a try.  We meet at 7.30 on Monday evenings in the Sanctuary.   
You don't need to read music (although that would of course be helpful) - we'll do lots of note bashing!!

Ian G

Musicians 

Thank you to everyone for the support they give to our musicians on Sunday mornings. 
We enjoy leading the music for our services – working with Mike, Norman and others.

It would however be great if we could call upon some standby musicians – especially a keyboard player – so that we can take holidays without having to resort to ‘canned’ music.  If you know of anyone who could step in – please see Ian G after a morning service.

Ian G

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Isobel has a special birthday soon and has invited us all to help her celebrate this coming Friday

All the information can be found on the poster on the left.

It would be helpful if you could let Isobel know if you may be coming  along  









 

Castle Cafe  

The next meeting will be held on  

Thursday 10 October at 2.00 pm. in the West Room.

It's a great way to get to know members of our Church family and to strengthen relationships.

We will also be entertained by a golf competition.

Everyone is welcome so please come along and enjoy the chat and a cuppa

Jackie and Norman

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Flower Rota 

Thanks to those who have provided flowers over the last few months.

Please find the rota for October below.

FLOWER DONORS
OCTOBER
6th          Margaret Campbell
13th        Myra Scott
20th        Liz Gillis
27th        Heather Russell

Should something crop up you can always change with someone.
Liz Gillis

Eastwood Ecumenical Peace and Justice Forum

The Forum has been in existence for 30+ years with members from a range of churches in Eastwood. Recently active membership has been dropping so that we have only 5 or 6 attending our bi-monthly meetings. This letter is an attempt to gauge the extent of support for the Forum.

The areas of discussion and activity of the group have been varied over the years - fair trade, support for asylum seekers, child poverty, ethical investment, response to conflict, waste management and of course climate change issues. The response to these has involved open public meetings, consultation with East Renfrewshire Council and correspondence with MP, MSP and individual companies where appropriate. We have perhaps been recognised most specifically for the hustings held before each Westminster and Holyrood election. These have always been well attended and appreciated by both candidates and public.

In a lot of this we have described ourselves as representing Eastwood churches - an obvious point of potential concern if our numbers do not justify that! So we would be grateful if you could consider whether your church would wish to be associated with the forum and if so whether any member(s) would be prepared to join us.
With many thanks for considering this.

Duncan MacIntyre, Eaglesham Parish Church
John Seenan, St Joseph's Church

Blythswood Care 

At the end of this month the garage area will be a hive of activity.
Filled shoeboxes will be delivered to us and we will check the contents of each and every one.
This is in reality a customs check and also to make sure nothing is leaking.
Once we are happy all is right we add a bible story book for children up to the age of 12, a book suitable for teens or a calendar for adults plus a compliments slip in the native language. Finally the box is secured with tape and placed in a large carton.
The cartons are then taken to the storage unit in Hillington. They are then loaded on to a big lorry ready to travel to the final destination which this year, for our group, is Ukraine.
As with most things "Many hands make light work."

If you are able to spend an hour or two helping check the boxes, that would be marvellous.
We have great fun and it's a great way to get to know each other better.
If you would like any more information please speak to Lesley, Ann B, Helen, Lynnette, Karen or me - apologies if I've left anyone out.

All volunteers will be made very welcome. 

There is a selection of jams, marmalade ( thanks Janette) and chutneys 
(best left until Christmas for optimum taste) at the back of the church.

If there is a particular flavour that is not available just ask me after the service and I will try
to accommodate the request.

Any donations will be used to purchase goods for the boxes.
Denise and Lesley

PRAYER GROUP 

The prayer group next meets on

Thursday 10 October at 7.30 in West Room and all are welcome. 

You may pray aloud or in silence.

"Where two or three gather in my name there am I with them" Matthew 18:20

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place."

Norman

Tea and Coffee Rota

6 Oct - Sheila R. Sandy + Gloria L.
13 Oct - Alison + Raymond M, Lorna McN

A massive thank you for those who've added their name to the Sunday Service, coffee/tea rotation.
This is very much appreciated, as the more helping out, the less frequent we'll be on the rotation....apologies if I've missed anyone out, please just let us know and we'll be happy to add your name.

Going forward, I've assigned names for December and for 2025.

Please would everyone check the rota and should your name be showing against a date that doesn't suit, if you can either arrange a swap or reach out to myself or Lorna and we'll ensure that day has enough cover.

After our Sunday service we all enjoy a coffee/tea and make the most of this time to catch up with each other. The response has been amazing and as the saying goes - "Many hands make light work"

Thank you all once again

Shona L and Lorna McN

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 and she will organise for news to be sent out.

Getting To Church 

Should anyone require a lift to Maxwell Mearns Castle Church
or to the Castle Cafe, then please do let us know.
If you are willing and able to offer a lift please speak to Norman or Denise or
Please email: office@maxwellmearns.org

Safeguarding At Maxwell Mearns 

Safeguarding – Ensuring a Safe Church for All 

If you suspect or witness harm or abuse, or it is reported to you,
you must immediately report it to one of the Safeguarding Coordinators:

Rev. James Gemmell
email: jgemmell@churchofscotland.org.uk

May Walker
email: safeguarding@maxwellmearns.org