Grapevine. This copy reserved for: Friends and visitors of St Andrew s Parish Church

Transcription

1 This copy reserved for: Friends and visitors of St Andrew s Parish Church Grapevine The Harvester at The Eden Project, Cornwall St Andrew s Parish Church Magazine Autumn 2010 Volume 10, Issue 2

2 CONTENTS In the Autumn 2010 issue you will find: Page Minister s Letter 3 Church News 4-7 Prayer Diary 8-9 Bobby McKean s Trip to Hong Kong Children & Youth: IQ Group / Youth Group 12 Children & Youth: R.E.S.P.E.C.T. 13 Children & Youth: 3 rd Blantyre Brownies & Rainbows Children & Youth: 6 th Blantyre Guides & Messy Church 16 Christian Aid 17 Materials & Money Action Group Updates Hall Refurbishment 20 Magnification Action Group 21 Community: Stroke Awareness 22 Blytheswood Care Appeal 23 Puzzle Pages: An Autumnal Wordsearch 24 A Good Read: 10 things they never told me about Jesus 25 Church Notices: Communions, Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals 26 Useful Information 27 And Finally Large print editions of The Grapevine are available. Please contact the Church Office to arrange this for future issues. Page 2 Autumn 2010

3 MINISTER S LETTER Dear friends, This summer the Johnstons enjoyed a holiday in Cornwall, somewhere we had never been before. One of the day trips we made as a family was to the Eden Project in South Cornwall. Within an old quarry three biomes have been created that allow you to travel through the plant life of Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and even the tropics. The Mediterranean and Rainforest Biomes are huge iconic structures looking like gigantic golf balls half hidden in the earth. These domes allow the creation of very different environments from that of the outside biome which follows Cornwall s natural climate pattern. Most impressive was the huge Rainforest Biome in which if you didn t look up too high to the dome s roof above and ignored the other people around you there was a real sensation of being within a rainforest. The variety of plant life, the sound of running water from a waterfall, the intense heat and humidity, the chirp of birds high in the canopy all created an illusion of being present in a rainforest. You will know that I am not much of a gardener, mowing the lawn and trimming the hedges is about my limit, but I certainly appreciate a good garden when I see one. The intense beauty of the Eden Project came close to awakening my previously dormant green fingers. When it comes to faith and church life, there are people who like to look on from a distance, even to appreciate the beauty of what they see within faith and within a community of faithful servants. Yet they don t allow themselves to be transformed by that appreciation. While the Eden Project didn t quite do it for me in releasing my inner Dimmock, I know that living out and working at my faith is the only way to fully appreciate and understand it. I suspect a good gardener would say the same about their gardens getting your hands dirty in the muck of the earth in order to create something beautiful is much more meaningful than the finished garden alone. A faith worked at, grown even amidst the challenges of life, brings a deep understanding of God s grace and love for it is tested by experience. As we come into harvest season remember that the harvest only comes because of the work done in the months and years before, in getting our hands dirty and involved. It is a simple and timely reminder that our faith also needs practise and opportunity to be expressed in all its fullness. At the beginning of a new session for many of the organisations here in St Andrew s Parish Church, please keep the leaders and members of these groups in your prayers, and I encourage you to find ways to become involved and get those hands dirty this autumn! The Grapevine Page 3

4 CHURCH NEWS New Church Directory Distributed with this copy of The Grapevine you will find your new copy of the Church Directory for 2011 with helpful information about St Andrew s and contact information for the members and adherents of our congregation. There is also information available about the various groups and organisations that operate within the church premises. Thanks are due to the companies and groups that have sponsored the production of the Church Directory. Beer n Bible Gents, feeling frazzled and in need of a break? Over the last year a group of men from St Andrew s has been meeting regularly on the second and fourth Thursdays in the month at the West End Bar from 8 p.m. until around 10 p.m. You are warmly invited to join the group. In the relaxed environment and over a drink or two the conversation ranges over issues of faith, current affairs, the Bible, or whatever happens to be on our minds... Questions are always welcome, though don t expect all the answers! If you want to find out more, please speak to Bobby McKean, Geoff Krawczyk or Peter Johnston. Autumn/Winter Beer n Bible gatherings at the West End Bar: th 10 and 24 th September 2010 th 7 and 21 st October 2010 th 11 and 25 th November 2010 th 9 December 2010 Page 4 Autumn 2010

5 CHURCH NEWS Sunday morning worship in St Andrew s is recorded and available on CD. If you are unable to attend worship and would like to receive a copy of the recording, please contact your Pastoral Team or the Church Office. This can either be for regular CDs or for one off recordings. Sunday Service Recordings Thinking about Church Membership? This autumn we plan to run a course for those thinking about joining the Church. The course will look at the basics of Christian faith and what church membership means. It is hoped that this will be done in partnership with Hillhouse Parish Church. If you would like to find out more, then please contact Peter Johnston or a member of the Membership Action Group. Alpha Course at Blantyre Old An invitation has been extended from Blantyre Old Parish Church to anyone in St Andrew s to join an Alpha Course that will be running at Blantyre Old beginning on 13 th September At an Alpha Course you can explore Christianity in a relaxed setting using DVD-based talks and discussion. If you would like more information please contact Ian Proudfoot (Tel ) or Mary Sutherland (Tel ). The Grapevine Page 5

6 CHURCH NEWS Juice Children s Event new event for Primary 4-7 A children was introduced for , called Juice, which proved a good success and allowed us to start to make contact with children and families from across Blantyre. Juice will continue in with a monthly programme of events on the first Saturday of the month. If you would like to join the team of volunteers who help to plan or on the day please contact Carolyn Johnston on Next Juice: Saturday 4 th September p.m. (volunteers from 4 p.m.) Nazarene Hall September Communion Service Our tradition over the last years in St Andrew s has been that the September Communion service is one that has a particular emphasis on all ages sharing together in the celebration of the Lord s Supper. We will do the same in the morning service on Sunday 5 th September. Why do we invite the children and young people to take part? Here are three reasons, amongst others, to think about: 1. It is an opportunity for parents and grandparents to talk to their children or grandchildren about what Holy Communion means to them. It is an opportunity to talk about our faith. 2. The Lord s Supper is a time to share in a special meal together. When family life often means that shared meals are rare occurences, this is a time where we can show that the church family is different. 3. It is a response to Jesus criticism of his own disciples when they tried to shoo away the children: Let the children come unto me... If participating in the Lord s Supper is for all who love the Lord Jesus, then how can we deny a child who says, But, I love Jesus? Page 6 Autumn 2010

7 CHURCH NEWS Jars of Grace Offering The Jars of Grace Offering for Spring was collected during March. It was be added to the monies already sent to the Haiti Emergency Appeal Fund. The total raised from the Jars of Grace was and this was added to the Special Collection of raised partially by the Sunday Funday Club. Allowing us to send a total donation to the Haiti Appeal of (See letter on page 17) If you do not do so already, why not keep a jar for your loose change we have a special offering every six months for different charities, local or global. Don t let that change accumulate under the cushions on your sofa; put it to good use instead! In September the Jars of Grace Offering will be collected and the money raised passed to the Disasters Emergency Committee to aid the people of Pakistan following the devastating flooding in that country. Blythswood Shoebox Appeal W hat a pleasure it is to give a gift to someone who would not otherwise receive one. A filled shoe box contains a variety of small gifts that really do make a difference to people. Even though the recipients have so little they often share the treasures they find with others in their families. Help us to spread some more happiness this year and bring joy and cheer to people in need. We will be collecting items for inclusion in September, please also look out any shoeboxes you may have available. See page 23 for further details. After checking your box, Blythswood Care will add a Biblical storybook for children, a book for teenagers or a calendar with Bible verses for adults. It will then be sent to someone in need in time for Christmas. Shoeboxes will be distributed to Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, India, Moldova, Pakistan, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine. The Grapevine Page 7

8 PRAYER DIARY This prayer diary is produced to encourage us as a congregation to join together in daily prayer for events in the church and for each other. Lord Teach us to pray Pray that as a new sesion begins, our minister and leaders will be given renewed strength and zeal to lead us forwards through the year and that we would be willing to play our part, whatever that may be. September th Juice -pray for the leaders and helpers, that at the beginning of a year they will come with renewed enthusiasm 5 th IQ Group - pray for those who lead that they may have the skills to keep the message relevant to our young people 9 th Beer n Bible- pray for those just having a quiet drink in the pub that their curiosity may be aroused by this group 19 th IQ Group - pray for a discernment in the young people of the importance of becoming disciples of Jesus 23 rd Beer n Bible-pray for a spirit of openness and friendship in the conversation and discussion tonight 26 th Youth Fellowship- pray for the leaders, that their love and enthusiasm for the youngsters will continue October nd Juice - pray for the youngsters who come that they might not only have fun but might learn about Jesus and His love for them. 3 rd IQ Group - pray for the youngsters that they may have a desire to know more about faith 14 th Beer n Bible-pray for the men who will meet in the West End bar to night 17 th IQ Group - pray for the continued building of friendships amongst all the members of the IQ Group 24 th Youth fellowship - pray for a good number of young people to gather in the Church hall tonight 28 th Beer n Bible - pray for insight and understanding for those who will meet tonight November th Juice - pray for the reltionships between leaders and children, that God s love may be shown Page 8 Autumn 2010

9 PRAYER DIARY 7 th IQ Group - pray for any friends who have been invited to join the IQ Group that they would feel welcome. 11 th Beer n Bible-pray for a deeper understanding and knowledge of how faith fits into everyday living 21 st IQ Group - pray that thoughts in turning to the Christmas season would reflect the glory of God s love come down to earth. 25 th Beer n Bible - pray for consideration and acceptance of other s views 28 th Youth fellowship - pray for a good number of young people to gather in the Church hall tonight At any time: Pray for the sick, the elderly, the lonely, the bereaved. Pray for the organisations which meet in the church every week. Pray for the minister, his wife and family. Pray for each other. Please remember that you can use the response slip on the back of the Order of Service at any time to let the Church Office and Pastoral Teams know of any prayer requests or to let us know of people you know who may be in need of spiritual or practical assistance. Prayers Are you burdened with care and feel nothing is going right for you? Then reach out your hand to God our Father and He will comfort and sustain you till life is worth everything again. When we close our eyes in prayer, God listens and is pleased; pleased that we are starting a new day by putting Him first, not only in the morning but always. Are we children of God? Then let us prove this by showing the world that we believe in Him and follow in His footsteps every day. Father answer our prayers and lift our souls that we may always praise and glorify your name. submitted by Marion Gebbie The Grapevine Page 9

10 Church News Bobby McKean s Trip to Hong Kong Peter Johnston, our minister, has followed in the footsteps of his grandfather The Rev J Horace Johnston. Peter s grandfather arrived in Kowloon, Hong Kong in 1923 where he was called to form a congregation in Kowloon parish, which he duly did and remained there till I am sure you can imagine travelling to Hong Kong in those days would have been a long and arduous journey. I happened to be telling Peter that I had the good fortune of going to Hong Kong and he set me the challenge of locating his grandfather s church, connecting to it and passing on a personal letter to the present minister. My journey, although 14 hours long, would be less arduous and more relaxing thanks to Richard Branson, but nevertheless I was excited about the opportunity to connect to the history of Peter s family. I had been to a meeting in the morning in Hong Kong city centre and decided to take a boat to Kowloon, I didn t intend to make connection first time I just wanted to locate the church. Kowloon was an incredibly busy area with all sorts of goings on, with people everywhere. The buildings are all very tall and dated and the noise of the area was loud. After tramping up and down the busy Jordan Road - which was the address that I had - I stumbled across the Kowloon Union Page 10 Autumn 2010

11 Church News Church. It was the only pre-war building in amongst all the tall typical Hong Kong buildings. When I approached the main entrance I noticed the church door was open so I went inside and there was a church secetary in her small office. I introduced myself to her but her English was limited and shewent and got the minister who was present in the church at time. Rev Phyllis Wong took me to her office where I introduced myself and told her the purpose of my visit. She seemed pleased to see me and I then passed on the letter from Peter. At this time we were joined by the training minister Maggie Mathieson who, believe it or not, came from New Cummnock. We had a good blether about our churches. Phyllis had retired to read the letter and came back 15 minutes later with a returning letter and a visitors book in which I signed and put an entry into it regarding my visit. Phyllis then took me a tour of the church and to the church boards that had all the previous ministers names embroidered on it. I must say when I witnessed the Rev J Horace Johnston on the board I would have liked to have changed places with Peter right at that point, I definitely felt his spirit about me. Phyllis had an appointment to go to but firstly she wanted to take me to lunch at a local authentic Chinese restaurant which I accepted and we continued to tell our stories and cement our relationships. After lunch we wished each other well and I returned to Hong Kong city. It really was an exciting visit and a wonderful experience that I hope one day Peter can experience for himself. Bobby Mckean The Grapevine Page 11

12 CHILDREN & YOUTH IQ Group / Youth Group oung people will be the Church of tomorrow, so goes the cliché, Ybut of course while that is self-evidently true, it does not tell the whole story. For young people within the church today are also a part of the Church today. Ensuring that they are given opportunities to grow as individuals and young disciples is a challenge placed on all of us both for the present and for the future. Last year the IQ Group met fortnightly on Sunday evenings and over the course of the year the group grew in number, but unfortunately the leadership of the IQ Group fell on my shoulders alone. This is not feasible for the longer-term. At the end of last year I began to ask the other congregations in Blantyre and also Hamilton Hillhouse and Trinity Parish Churches whether there might be a possibility of working together to form a team of leaders and a larger Youth Group. Before the summer, representatives from all these churches were invited to meet together and think about what we might do together. What did we think about? Here were some of the priorities we outlined as a group: We recognised that many teenagers can be very isolated within the church, perhaps the only person their age group. Being able to get together with other teens from other churches would go a long way to making young people feel more integrated into church life particularly when most of them will be attending Calderside Academy. A new group should be a place of Christian nurture and discipleship with an openness to young people with no church background. Choice will be crucial so that the young people have options in what they want to do, and to be able to open up and share both their faith and their doubts. The building of relationships between leaders and the young people, and between the young people themselves is crucial to this. There should be no sense of territoriality about a new group (i.e. these are St Andrew s young people and only expected to do things Page 12 Autumn 2010

13 CHILDREN & YOUTH in our church!) but rather that the group would have its own identity and be supported by all the churches, albeit with the young people having a tie back to their own church. As frequent as possible gatherings would be good, ideally weekly in order to help grow relationships. Less frequent meetings are easier on the leaders, but inevitably make it harder for everyone to get to know each other, which would be key to the success of such a group. Using the Calderside Academy catchment area as the selling point for a new youth group could be a very good idea. Most of the churches are already working well together through the chaplaincy team in the associated Primary Schools and Calderside Academy itself. Calderside Youth Group? Later in September a follow-up meeting will be held to discuss the next steps that could be taken. Please keep these discussions in your prayers. If you would like to get involved, then have a chat with me about this work. Peter Johnston R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Your rights? My rights? Aye, right! The Calderside Learning Community Chaplaincy Team will be delivering a week-long event for all the new S1 pupils at Calderside Academy in the week beginning 13 th September. During the week workshops will be held for all the S1 pupils looking at different rights from the UNICEF Rights of the Child document. This is an exciting new development and the first such event run in Scotland which it is hoped will be a useful step in the development of these young people. Volunteers are required for the daily Cosy Café held that week. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. will include assemblies and workshops using drama, music, art, storytelling and time to chill. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. will be led by members of the Chaplaincy Team as part of Calderside Academy s commitment to UNICEF s Rights Respecting School Award. Workshops will be available for all S1 pupils. The Grapevine Page 13

14 CHILDREN & YOUTH 3 rd Blantyre Brownies We cannot believe how quickly the Brownie year flew by and again we had to say goodbye to some of our girls as they move onto the Guides and we wish them well. We also hope to be welcoming some new faces from the Rainbows. Our final Brownie meeting was on 17 May, and then on 21 May we all headed off for the weekend on Pack Holiday to the Boys Brigade Headquarters in Falkirk. You may recall that we had a fantastic time at our Harry Potter themed Pack Holiday in the same place last year. The girls always are very excited and tried hard to find out this year s theme. It was a closely guarded secret but, as this won t be published until we have been, we will let you in on it! This year we had Christmas in May as our theme. Yes we headed to the North Pole for the weekend and absolutely everything from the leader s names to our meals, our activities and the rooms in the house all had a Christmas Theme. It has been entertaining, not to mention challenging, for the Leaders to source everything we needed for our celebrations but the girls had a wonderful time. As usual we took lots and lots of photos and we will share these in the next edition of the Grapevine. We hosted our Mother and Daughter Night in March and we hope that our guests had a good time. We played games, had a campfire, had some goodies and had a competition. Each Mother and Daughter team had to design an Easter Bonnet and then the Brownies had to wear them in the Easter Parade when a winnerwas picked. The centenary of Girl Guiding continues with lots of different activities and celebrations and we are looking forward to the major event which is being held at Hamilton Race Course in October this year. Finally we would like to congratulate the girls on all of their hard work this year. They have been working together as a Group towards a number of interest badges and on 17 th May they were presented with these badges at our closing ceremony. We would like to apologise to Mrs Alison Dick- Page 14 Autumn 2010

15 CHILDREN & YOUTH 3 rd Blantyre Brownies ie for the amount of sewing she will need to do over the summer break! As usual we are always looking for new members so if you know of any girls aged 7 10 years who would like to join us tell them to come along any Monday night between 6pm and 7.30pm. Finally, a big thank you to everyone from the Church for their continued support, you are welcome to pop in for a visit any Monday evening but be warned you will be expected to join in! Andrea MacDonald (Rudolph) & Lorraine Brown (Mrs Claus) 3 rd Blantyre Rainbows During the past session Rainbows have been kept busy with both Mother s Day and Easter. The girls all had to make easter bonnets to wear to Rainbows, made mainly from recycled materials. The bonnets were all wonderful and the girls and their mum s had put a lot of work into them. We also made Easter baskets full of eggs for each girl to take home. We finished for the summer on Wednesday 26th May and start back on Wednesday 1st September. We would like to thank all parents and friends who have supported us throughout the year. Wilma Dunn Autumn Start Dates Note that the new session for The 3 rd Blantyre Rainbows will begin on Wednesday 1 st September. The 6 th Blantyre Girl Guides will resume on Monday 6 th September. The 3 rd Blantyre Brownies will resume on Monday 4 th October. The Grapevine Page 15

16 CHILDREN & YOUTH 6th Blantyre Girl Guides With an average attendance each week of 36 guides, the volume level in the church hall on a Monday evening is extremely high at times! The gilrss have been learning new activities and finding out how to work as a team. With the wide age range of 10 to 15, it's a great experience for young and old, with the older guides learning how to take the lead. We had a fantastic response to our Thinking Day service on 21 st February. Thank you to all of you who told us how much you enjoyed the service. You are a very supportive and encouraging congregation. Some planned activites for us over the summer are a weekend to Stirling in May and guide camp in Ayr in July. We continue to plan for our huge Centenary celebration in October at Hamilton Racecourse. This should be a fantastic experience for the 2,500 Guides, Brownies and Rainbows in South Lanarkshire all renewing their Guide Promise together at 10 minutes past 8 (20:10) on the 20th Oct (20/10). Maureen Cochrane Messy Church E arlier in the year some of those who are involved in planning the Juice children s event, started thinking about an occasional gathering for families that would encourage families to come together for an activitybased afternoon or early evening: a Messy Church gathering! This would include many different activities based around a Bible story or character, time to share food and then to join together in a short time of worship. It would build on the very successful final day of the Easter Holiday Club in which parents were invited to come and share in the last part of the day. If you would be interested in getting involved, please speak to Carolyn or Peter Johnston ( ). Page 16 Autumn 2010

17 CHRISTIAN AID Letter of Thanks for Haiti Appeal Dear friends, many thanks for your kind donation of towards the work of Christian Aid. Your gift is enabling us to continue to respond to the devastating earthquake in Haiti and money raised from the emergency appeal is helping our partners deliver aid to vulnerable communities. Christian Aid partners in Haiti and the Dominican Republic are helping almost 150,000 people in nine communities. They are providing medical assistance, cash, food, daily meals, basic shelter, hygeine supplies, blankets and medical supplies to the survivors of the quake. The earthquake has posed exceptional challenges to aid agencies, but our main concern now is preaparing for the arrival of the rainy season. With your support our partners are working to make sure there is proper shelter and adequate sanitation, to avoid the possibility that disease will break out in overcrowded settlements. Once again, thank you so much for your continued support of our work with and for the poorest communities on earth. With your continued help, we can make a difference. Yours sincerely, Savia Droko Supporters Relations Assistant Christian Aid Week 2010 Update A letter of thanks has also been received from Kathy Galloway, the Head of Christian Aid Scotland, for our donation of 750 following Christian Aid Week. Thanks to all who contributed through the Christian Aid envelopes and for the organisers and helpers of this year s Christian Aid lunch. The Grapevine Page 17

18 ACTION GROUPS Materials Action Group The Materials Action Group has responsibility for maintaining and developing the church s property in order to meet the church s current and future needs and to facilitate the work of the other Action Groups. Contact: Geoff Krawczyk / David Simpson The numerous changes to the hall, kitchen and toilets should be complete by the summer thanks to a grant from Viridor. If you have not been in the hall or kitchen recently take a look. The changes are very impressive. There is now a lot more storage space too. This has been the largest project that the church has carried out since the new building was erected nearly 30 years ago. Special thanks should go to Geoff Krawczyk for undertaking the vast majority of the extensive work that the Materials Action Group has completed. If anyone is interested in joining, or helping, the Materials Action Group please speak to Geoff Krawczyk, Lorraine Brown, Ian MacKenzie, or David Simpson on Money Action Group Update The purpose for the Money Action Group is to provide the financial resources to enable the work of the other Action Groups. This includes promoting good financial stewardship, monitoring budgets, fund raising, and fund seeking. Contact: May Shaw W hen Gill approached me to write another article for the Grapevine magazine my initial reaction was I had no different news from the last magazine. All the Stewardship information, which is the responsibility of the Money group, was contained in an article on it s own.however Page 18 Autumn 2010

19 ACTION GROUPS Money Action Group Update as I started to write this article I realised that I did have some news. The S.A.W project is progressing at increasing speed due to the dedication of the material group members who are managing the project. This has allowed the money group to complete a progress report for Forward Scotland that resulted in us receiving an initial grant payment of 4,200; the remainder of the 30,000 funding will be paid gradually as certain stages of the project are completed. Our thanks to Dignity who are our local independent sponsor for this project, especially to company representatives Jack Leggate and George King who progressed this with the company. The project is highlighting additional, nice to have but not necessities, items that were not identified in the initial funding application e.g. Church signage and door graphics. The Money group is looking at other means to find funds to progress some of these items that will enhance the finished project. One way discussed was increasing the profile of the mobile phone recycling project and identifying an avenue for the revenue realised. To date 38 phones have been returned for recycling with over 50% of them realising a value, raising for church funds. This equates to an average of 1.84 per phone. The church door graphics will cost 95 therefore with an additional this could be funded. If you have an old mobile phone lying in a drawer please consider donating it to St.Andrew s church. After discussion with HMRC it was realised that the VAT element of the disabled toilet project carried out in 2009 should not have been paid. This month St. Andrew s received a rebate of 1033 from the company who carried out the work. I close this report with a reminder that the money group is still looking for volunteers to contribute to the welcoming rota. Should you want to be included please contact May Shaw or Margaret Crookston. Margaret Crookston The Grapevine Page 19

20 ACTION GROUPS Hall Refurbishment As regular visitors to our building will have noticed, there has been a great deal of work being carried out recently new Hall lighting, refurbished kitchen, new barge boards, new front entrance door, new projection facilities, complete redecoration, etc, etc. This has not happened by accident, but only through the hard work of a large number of people. First of all, none of this could have been accomplished without money, and the Money Action Group has worked very hard to source funds to assist us with this project. Once funding had been obtained, approval to proceed granted by the necessary authorities, and the work actually started, it all had to be carefully co-ordinated to ensure that it could be completed without too much inconvenience to all the various users of the Hall. Finally, when the works were completed, there had to be a major clean-up! Throughout all of this phase, Geoff Krawczyk and his Materials Action Group have been extremely busy. Our grateful thanks are due to everyone who has helped bring this project to completion -- whether through membership of one of the Action Groups, or simply as a volunteer. In addition to all those in our Church Family who have helped out, a huge debt of gratitude is due to Michael Cunningham and his colleagues at Forward Scotland who helped us with our application for funding, and the processing of our claim; also to Viridor for their Grant from the Landfill Tax Fund, and to Dignity Funeral Services (Smiths) for their kind donation and also agreeing to act as our Third Party Sponsors. Without the help of all of these groups and individuals, the refurbishment of our building could never have taken place, so a huge thanks to ALL!! This refurbishment will greatly enhance and modernise the building both for our own use and also by other Community Groups; hopefully these additional and improved facilities will attract further users and extend our contact still further in the town. Andy Williamson Page 20 Autumn 2010

21 ACTION GROUPS Magnification Action Group T he purpose of the Magnification Action Group is to develop the worship life of the congregation. Contact: Nicola Simpson or Peter Johnston Good Friday saw the return of our Easter Labyrinth service, this year reflecting on some of the characters surrounding Jesus at the time of the crucifixion, from Mary, Mary Magdalene and Judas to a bystander in the crowd. In previous years, our Labyrinth service had been attended regularly by a small group of our own congregation along with visitors from other churches, and we were pleased to attract some new faces this year. Many thanks to all those who stayed back to help Peter tidy up. Following on from the success of our Christmas café style breakfast service, the Magnification Group held an Easter breakfast service prior to the main service on Easter Sunday. Bacon Rolls, Hot Cross Buns, Salmon Mousse and Crackers were served along with tea, coffee and orange juice during an informal service focusing on John s Gospel chapter 21, verses 1-14 when Jesus appears to the disciples on the beach at the Sea of Galilee. During the service we decorated our eggs and wrote our hopes for Easter on the back. There also featured an Easter quiz and chick hunt for the young (and young at heart). The Magnification Group would like to express thanks to all those lovely people, without whose help and support these events would not be possible. If you would like to give feedback on any of our events, make suggestions for future events, or would like to join our group please contact Peter Johnston, Linda Lees, Tom Willis Jar, John Brownlee, Janice Brewster or Nicola Simpson. Nicola Simpson The Grapevine Page 21

22 COMMUNITY Stroke Awareness Every year, an estimated 150,000 people in the UK have a stroke. That s one person every five minutes. Most people affected are over 65, but anyone can have a stroke, including children and even babies. A stroke is a frightening experience for both the person who has had a stroke and their family. A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly cut off or reduced. The brain needs the nutrients and oxygen the blood carries, and without them brain cells can become damaged or die. The length of time between the stroke taking place and receiving treatment can make a huge difference to the outcome. If it is possible to get a stroke victim into proper care, diagnosed and undergoing treatment quickly it can greatly reduce the risk of long-lasting affects. You might be able to make a difference by knowing the steps involved in recognising the symptoms of a stroke, so read on! Recognising the Symptoms When a stroke happens it has an immediate affect on the mind and body which can be identified by you, so act FAST: F Facial weakness: Can the person smile? A Arm weakness: Can the person raise both arms? S Speech problems: Can the person speak clearly and coherently? Ask them to speak a simple sentence like It is a sunny day today. T Time to call 999 if they have trouble with any one of these activities. Further information about strokes can be found online from the Stroke Association. Page 22 Autumn 2010

23 BLYTHSWOOD CARE Shoebox Appeal 2010 During the harvest season this Autumn we will once again be collecting items to include in the Blythswood Care Shoebox Appeal. On the last occasion in 2008 we were able to provide over 150 shoeboxes and a financial donation to support the appeal. Please note the guidance below on what can be included in the Shoeboxes and start gathering items to bring to the church. Further details will be provided in the weekly church notices in the Order of Service and on the church website. The Grapevine Page 23

24 PUZZLE PAGE An Autumnal Word Search h e n a t s a p r i p e c a b a n o s e p t e m b e r e i a r i s n s h w r n o p s l p r v b a i g o e m f s f h e o l e m e t l b u e u a b o b c e s o s f o t s n r l f e r u y t c n t u t s m y e o b a n c e u c a i h n t i e o o t r r s o e v i i h h v k d x i o e t h a n k s g i v i n g o c a f l e p w r o t c a r t n t t i r m o h a r v e s t e r a i g u o e g n a r o a p p l e o p d w o r c e r a c s u p h n r e m r a f b o u n t y s w i apple autumn barley blythswood bounty celebration combine cornucopia creation farm farmer festival food gifts harvest harvester leek october orange pasta pumpkin ripe scarecrow season september shoebox sunflower sunshine thanksgiving tins tractor wheat Page 24 Autumn 2010

25 A GOOD READ 10 things they never told me about Jesus A beginner s guide to a larger Christ by John L. Bell Do you remember the long-running TV game show Mr & Mrs and the soundproof booth into which one spouse would be locked away while the other was interrogated with questions about their partner or domestic life? There were the stupendous prizes like the carriage clock, and of course the theme tune that really got under your skin! The show ran for years in many different guises, and still has a place on cruises and at cabaret nights. Mr & Mrs was themed, of course, around how well we know those who are closest to us. Some of the contestants who had been married for decades sometimes had a startling lack of knowledge about their spouses, while others got all the answers spot on. What if we had a show called Jesus & Me? Jesus was locked up in the soundproof booth while we were asked questions about the man who we had told everyone was our most important friend. How would we do? How well do we know Jesus? John L Bell, one of the Kirk s most prolific talents, goes some way to uncovering some of the things we may never have been told about Jesus in this short and entertaining book. Bell tries to overcome some of the burdens that have faced the Western Church in its view of Jesus for instance we usually see him as a passive person because of all the images we have got used to of an infant baby laying in a manger or a man hanging lifeless on a cross. These are powerful images for quiet reflection, but not so good at stirring action. Looking past the traditions to what we actually know about Jesus, the book is enlightening and stimulating. Drawing from Bell s experiences and rooted in the Gospels there is much to be challenged by in this book and much to learn from. 2009, Wild Goose Publications (ISBN: ) Cost: The Grapevine Page 25

26 CHURCH NOTICES Sacrament of Holy Communion Do this in remembrance of me. September th 11 a.m. All-Age Communion Service 5 th 3 p.m. Afternoon Communion December th 11 a.m. Communion Service 5 th 3 p.m. Afternoon Communion Weddings Let no one split apart what God has joined together. May nd Brian McGinn and Alison Morrison (24 Hazlewood Drive) Baptisms Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. May th Cayden James McArdle, parents: Edward McArdle and Claire Crowley June th Adam Simpson, parents: Dr David and Nicola Simpson Funerals I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever has faith in me shall live, even though he dies. May th Archie Kane, 69 Muirhouse Tower, Motherwell 10 th William Downie, 69 Waverley Terrace, High Blantyre 14 th Winnie Robson, Udston Hospital, Burnbank 21 th Martha Muir, 19 Houliston Avenue, Dumfries 30 th Chrissie Robertson, Greenlees Nursing Home, Cambuslang June th Hilda Burns, 61 Redwood Crescent, Hallside, Glasgow 21 st John Russell, 49 Douglas Crescent, Eddlewood, Hamilton Page 26 Autumn 2010

27 USEFUL INFORMATION Blantyre St Andrew s Parish Church of Scotland Church Street, Blantyre, G72 0NY Minister Rev. Peter Johnston 332 Glasgow Road Blantyre, G72 9LQ Tel: peter.johnston@standrewsblantyre.com Session Clerk Mr. Andrew Williamson 124 Craig Street Blantyre, G72 0NG Tel: andy.c.williamson@gmail.com Assistant to Session Clerk Mrs. Elsie Balneaves 321 Glasgow Road Blantyre, G72 9HN Tel: elsiebalneaves@hotmail.com Treasurer Miss May Shaw 88 Morris Crescent Blantyre, G72 0BZ Tel: may.shaw@btinternet.com Church Officer Mr. George Greenhorn 9 Jedburgh Street Blantyre, G72 0ST Tel: Blantyre St Andrew s Parish Church of Scotland is a registered Scottish Charity: SC CHURCH OFFICE Open Tues, Wed, & Fri 9:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Church Administrator Mrs Gill Fraser Tel: office@standrewsblantyre.com OTHER CONTACTS Brownies (3 rd Blantyre) Andrea MacDonald, Organist Susan Menzies, Guides (6 th Blantyre) Maureen Cochrane, The Guild Margaret Scullion, Youth Fellowship Jim & Lorraine Brown, IQ Group & Juice Rev. Peter Johnston, Ladies Group Helen Finnie, Rainbows (3 rd Blantyre) Wilma Dunn, Sunday Funday Club Catherine Williamson, Traidcraft Stall Carolyn Johnston, Tuesday Tea Room Isabelle Menzies, The Grapevine Page 27

28 AND FINALLY... The Church Garden Like any garden the Church needs to be planted with seed to produce a good harvest: First, plant 5 rows of Peas Presence Promptness Preparation Purity Perseverance Next plant 3 rows of Squash Squash gossip Squash Criticism Squash Indifference Next 5 rows of Lettuce Let us be faithful to duty Let us be loyal and unselfish Let us be true to obligations Let us obey rules and regulations above all else: Let us love one another No garden is complete without Turnips Turn up with a smile Turn up with new ideas Turn up with the determination to make everything count for something good and worthwhile. Now that s food for thought! Page 28 Autumn 2010