February Magazine. The Scottish Episcopal Churches of. All Saints St. Andrew s Drymen Road Park Road Bearsden Milngavie

Transcription

1 February Magazine Rector Revd Kirstin Freeman, 67 Stockiemuir Avenue, Bearsden, G61 3JJ Phone Number Rectory revkirstin@freemanhome.co.uk The Scottish Episcopal Churches of All Saints St. Andrew s Drymen Road Park Road Bearsden Milngavie 1 Lay Readers Fraser Gold Mike Graham All Saints Vestry Secretary Christine Smith, 2 Cluny Drive, Bearsden Treasurer Susan Gray, 63 Kessington Road, Bearsden Lay Rep. Rob Smith, 2 Cluny Drive, Bearsden Members John Brooker; Graham Bryson; Jim Craig; Margaret Dunn; Mike Graham; Andrew Long; Sheena Macdonald; John Sherwood; Philip Thompson. Property Jim Craig, 23 Whittinghame Drive, Glasgow, G12 0XT St. Andrew s Vestry Secretary Freda Anderson, 19 Craigdhu Road, Milngavie Treasurer Gordon Rutherford, 82 Crawford Road, Milngavie Lay Rep. Robin Milne, 9 McGrigor Road, Milngavie Minute Sec. Sue Clarke, 1 Kirk Wynd, 3 Hillhead Street, Milngavie People s Warden - Steve McVey, 7 Forrest Drive, Bearsden Members Freda Anderson; Annette Carson, James Carrick; Angela Rigg; Gail Ullrich; Wilma Williams. Children and Vulnerable Persons All Saints Louise Melia St. Andrew s Freda Anderson Web Site Web Site Co-ordinator Janet Stack janet.stack@btinternet.com St. Andrew s James Carrick jimcarrick@virginmedia.com All Saints is a registered charity in Scotland SC St. Andrew s is a registered charity in Scotland SC The picture on the front cover is by Fra Angelico, ca , Presentation in the Temple, reproduced under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial ShareAlike 3.0 License - Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.

2 Pastoral Letter Fraser Gold Dear Friends, How much do we think about what we are doing and saying when we come into church, or indeed what is distinctive in being a member of a Christian congregation? We often are asked the question; Where do you stand on that? Frequently that applies to a political, moral or social issue which is being currently debated. In that case your stance has the backing of many other people who have discussed the matter already, so that your opinion is expressed with the confidence that you do not stand alone. Of course, you should have the courage of your convictions, whilst feeling that there is a solid and authoritative backing for the stand you take. Isaiah and the other prophets frequently told their people to take a stand for what was right in looking after the poor, resisting false accusations etc. Isaiah says that in so doing they would be enjoying Jacob s patrimony, i.e. stepping in the footsteps of Jacob and all the good men who had gone before. In that way, they would be strengthened and find joy in the Lord. (See Isaiah Chapter 58) There is another sense in which we can become aware of where we stand, and that is when we are in a site or building of historic or spiritual significance. We can be aware that over many years, even centuries, people have trodden on those stairs, or we can imagine what it must have been like to be there when people lived and worked or prayed there in the past. The recent TV series on Cathedrals featured Wells Cathedral where, each hour on the hour, visitors are invited to stand still and join in a short act of prayer. A number of people visiting the building, or even working nearby, felt that it had a very special atmosphere. Having been there, I could vouch for that, and the same could be said for Lindisfarne, Iona and a number of other places. People visiting or worshipping in some of our local Episcopal churches have expressed similar feelings, of calm, prayerfulness, or even in the case of the old St.Andrew s by the Green that at the Consecration as the sun streamed in through the east window, it was like being caught up into heaven. If this seems very fanciful, then accept the challenge of the words in Hebrews 12 which speaks to Hebrew Christians at a particular time, but surely is meant to apply to all Christians as they gather to worship. Here we are told that we can enter directly into the presence of God, into the presence of Jesus, through whom we live in a new covenant relationship with God and also in the presence of the 1 spirits of good men made perfect. That means that we are not just inspired by stories we read about them, but are strengthened and encouraged by their presence. If we are taken out of the dimension of time, then also separation by distance is of little significance, so our intercessions for others in other places have potentially so much more power. Perhaps this still seems fanciful and remote from our experience, but we say, sing or hear words every week which affirm that this is so, and yet through familiarity we may miss the point. Remember that in the Eucharistic prayer are the words spoken by the celebrant; We offer you our praise, with angels and archangels and the whole company of heaven, singing the hymn of your unending glory; Then we all sing Holy, Holy, Holy etc., the hymn of praise of the heavenly host. Then at the end of that section of the service, we all say together...at last, in your new creation, we enter into our heritage in the company the Virgin Mary, the apostles and prophets, and of all our brothers and sisters, living and departed. In 2014, let us take nothing for granted, but really think about the words we say. Look again at Hebrews 12 if need be, and think what it would mean for our spiritual development, our involvement in the services we attend, our intercessions, and the practical outcomes that might follow. Fraser Gold Falstaff A deeply felt thank you to all the many volunteers who put in so much work both before and during the evening of November 29th, to ensure that the concert performance of Verdi s opera Falstaff was such a resounding success. A cast of ten soloists plus an orchestra comprising twenty players under the experienced baton of Michael Bawtree, all of whom perform regularly with Scottish Opera, were enthusiastically received by a packed church with splendid singing throughout. We were treated to a splendid rendering of the soloist roles, in particular by Jonathan Sedgwick for his spirited interpretation of the ever pleasure-loving Sir John Falstaff. A couple of cameo roles added to the evening s enjoyment, that of Falstaff s page, played by Scott Mackillop, who rescued a live fish from his master s clothing following Falstaff s dousing in the Thames, and Mike Graham who put in a last minute performance as 2

3 the Barman, who produced a tankard of ale to restore Falstaff after his rough treatment. We were greatly privileged to have so many talented musicians from Scottish Opera to come to give their time and skill in our church and their efforts were hugely appreciated. As a result, 1200 has been donated to Sistema Scotland, a charity set up in the belief that children can gain huge social benefits by playing music in an orchestra. We were delighted that Alan Govan, Project Manager of the Sistema project Big Noise Govanhill was able to join us. He expressed his great enjoyment of the concert and thanked the performers and organisers profusely for their efforts in support of the Big Noise project. Mary Darke A message from Richard Holloway, Chair of Sistema Scotland Unfortunately I am not able to join you for this exciting event but I am extremely grateful to you for planning it and I hope it is a wonderful evening. Please convey my gratitude to All Saints for mounting this imaginative event. Warm regards, Richard Holloway All Saints Prayer Group The Prayer Group continues to meet at 6.45pm on the 2nd and 4th Monday's of each month. We meet for half an hour and anyone, or everyone, is most welcome to join us for this short time of prayer for our church, or other areas of concern. Christine, Rob and Louise Ash Wednesday This year Ash Wednesday falls on 5 th March there will be a service with Imposition of Ashes at All Saints at 11:30am and a Sung Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes at St Andrew s at 7pm. St Andrew s Events for your Diary. The Milngavie Churches Prayer Breakfast will be hosted by St Andrew s at 8.00am on Saturday 1 February. The breakfast is followed by a period of prayer completing by 9.30am. Please note that on 1 March the hosts will be United Free. It would be nice if a few more of our congregation were to stumble out of bed to support us!! 22 February sees our first effort at singing along to the music well known to Maria and the von Trapps in St Andrew s hall starting at 2.00pm. The cost for refreshments will be 5. to include hot dogs, pop corn and ginger!! Please come along to support us in this exciting venture being arranged by Kirstin. Words will be displayed on screen for those of you who have forgotten them!! Tickets will be available on Sunday and from members of the congregation. HATS HATS HATS Gordon will again be presenting his interesting talk on his collection of Hats at the invitation of United Free Women s Guild on Monday 24 February at 7.30pm. If you missed the first exhibition, here is an opportunity to see the full collection displayed once more. At you will see the potential involvement of our churches by means of Sports Quiz, Holiday Club, Hospitality and Milngavie Churches are considering how we can work together to take part in supporting this venture to bring the love of Christianity to the Commonwealth Games. Helen Wright as representative of More than Gold will be returning to a future meeting of Milngavie Churches to give further advice on how we can become involved. Any ideas contact Gordon who will present them to the next meeting on Friday 31 January. Christianity Explored is being launched once again by Milngavie Churches with the first meeting on 17 February in the Loft in the Lane in Allander. Ramsay Shields from St Luke s will open the first evening. There are still slots available in St Andrew s hall both during the week and at weekends for Community Groups and Anniversary Parties contact James at or WGR. 3 4

4 All Saints Nativity Play Christmas Eve 2013 With three able narrators to keep us informed, and the action moving, we started this year's nativity play in a tenement flat in Patrick. It was 2013, and Mary and Joseph were bemoaning the weather and wondering how they would get to Bearsden the next day with no taxis or buses available. Luckily Thomas the donkey sorts the transport problem and they settle down to sleep. While sleeping the angel Gabriel visits and explains to Mary about her baby son being born soon. Switch to the dragon's den and a young entrepreneur trying to interest the dragons in an all singing, all dancing Christmas tree. "Just what the world needs". As the three dragons scramble to invest in this business, the very busy angel Gabriel reappears, and tells them in no uncertain terms, that Christmas is not about making lots of money, and to find the true meaning of Christmas they should follow the star and visit the baby Jesus. "Have you heard the one about the taxi driver from Bearsden who gave a lift to One Direction? Apparently he took them the wrong way!!" This amusing scene with Roach's taxi at Bearsden cross showed us our preoccupation with current celebrities, and not the most important celebrity of Christmas. Mary and Joseph make it to Bearsden in time for the baby Jesus to be born, and in true tradition, the shepherds, the now 'wise' dragons and the angels all arrive to complete the scene. With lots of carols, some lovely solo singing, including Stille Nacht sung in German, and all accompanied by the Sunday School orchestra, the congregation were given a real treat. It is a challenge to present the nativity in a fresh way, but I think Jonathan gave us all something to think about, as well as a lovely start to Christmas. Kate Ross Jonathan Sedgwick s time as Sunday School organiser at All Saints Jonathan Sedgwick has been a fantastic Sunday School teacher for the last few years. Putting together a curriculum for a group of boys and girls aged from four to 14 is challenging, yet Jonathan has succeeded on a weekly basis. The best teachers enable rather than dictate and with Jonathan the children have found the Christian elements in Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean, composed touching prayers and created vivid montages of the symbols of Christ. At various times the Sunday School has been converted into a production line for biblical weaponry, tee- shirts, temples or cakes for the congregation. My children take particular satisfaction from their tee-shirts and helping to make the cardboard structure which was allowed to disintegrate in the West of Scotland climate, a reminder of the transience of earthly things. On the completion of his years with the Sunday school, I would like to thank him on behalf of all the parents. Andrew Roach E Group plans to get cooking! E Group members continue to enjoy one another s company both socially and in our study of the Bible. We ve blown away the January cobwebs by sharing in a meal out at Brasserie 19 at Bearsden Cross. Our next meeting is planned for Thursday February 20 th at 7.30pm at Jean s home, 21, Kelvin Crescent. The SEC Provincial Overseas Committee, in conjunction with Christian Aid, have produced a different kind of Lent book, based round a cookbook, to give congregations food for thought as well as food to enjoy. Any female members of All Saints would be most welcome to join us as we share the Bible studies and prayers, whilst also trying the recipes and enjoying food fellowship. We d be delighted to see you! Christine Smith Stamps for the Sudan A big THANK YOU to those who bought stamps from me over the Xmas period - I sold 750 stamps which was great. Thank you also for those who have given me stamps over the year (remember to leave a border around the stamp). I especially like receiving your postcards (WITH STAMPS LEFT ON) - this brings in the most money. I also like receiving your unfranked stamps. Many thanks. Jane Lowis 5 6

5 The Meaning of Candlemas Candlemas falls on the 2 nd of February and marks the completion of forty days since the birth of Jesus, when Mary and Joseph took the child to the Temple in Jerusalem. The requirement in Levitical law was for Mary to be cleansed the completion of her purification following childbirth. Until that day, she could touch no holy thing nor enter the sanctuary. Also echoing the story of Abraham and Isaac, a sacrifice was to be offered for the first born son, for a poor family like Mary and Joseph it was a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Of course in Jesus' case this sacrifice was to be proved redundant as he became the Lamb of the Abraham and Isaac story and the sacrifice for the sins of the world. When the Holy Family arrived at the Temple, Simeon, on seeing them, praised God and acclaimed the infant as the light to enlighten the nations while the prophet Anna gave thanks and proclaimed him her Redeemer. This image of Light redeeming darkness began during Advent as week by week another candle was lit. On Christmas Day itself and throughout the Christmas season, the celebration of the Light of the World finally arriving climaxes with John in his glorious first chapter telling us how the darkness of the world was overcome by the Light of the Word. Candlemas marks a pivotal point in the Christian year; Simenon and Anna turn our faces away from a birth and towards a death. Although we continue in the season of Epiphany for a few more weeks, the readings and themes move away from celebration and towards contemplation once more, this time of our humanity. For Simeon and Anna, getting on in years, it was a reminder that death follows life, but now for them it wouldn't be something shrouded in darkness but rather bathed in light. For Jesus it is an early reminder that he was born to die; for Mary it is another wonder to ponder in her heart. Sophronius of Jerusalem and Egyptian monk wrote; 'The God-bearer, the most pure Virgin, carried the true Light in her arms and brought him to help those who lay in darkness. In the same way, we too should carry a light for all to see, and reflect the radiance of the true light as we hasten to meet him. 7 The stable is left to the ox and ass once more as the Holy Family have moved on and so must we. Candlemas is an encouragement for us to be Christ s lights in the world for His is a light that can never be put out. Like Simeon and Anna our time on earth is limited we don t know when it will come to an end, but like them we can rejoice that we have seen the Light of the World. We know that God has Redeemed all people; like them we should treasure that Light and hold it high for the whole world to see. This is part of an ancient hymn was written by Ephrem of Syria Praise to you, Son of the Most High, who has put on our body. Into the holy temple Simeon carried the Christ-child and sang a lullaby to him: You have come, Compassionate One, having pity on my old age, making my bones enter into Sheol in peace. By you I will be raised out of the grave into paradise. Anna embraced the child; she placed her mouth upon his lips, and then the Spirit rested upon her lips, like Isaiah whose mouth was silent until a coal drew near to his lips and opened his mouth. Anna was aglow with the spirit of his mouth. She sang him a lullaby: Royal Son, despised son, being silent, you hear; hidden, you see; concealed, you know; God-man, glory to your name.' This year Candlemas falls on a Sunday and it will be marked in both congregations at the main morning service. Kirstin How to Say Goodbye Advanced notice that on Thursday 22nd March at 2pm in St Andrew s there will be another opportunity to explore how to plan your funeral and take some of the pressure of your loved ones when the time comes. The afternoon takes the form of looking at some of the options that are available so that your own funeral can reflect your faith. You will be given a pro-forma which will allow you to record your preferences so that when the times comes those left behind will know just what you wished rather than having to second guess what you might have wanted. 8

6 All Saints Christmas Flowers The Twelve Days of Christmas We all know the song the 12 days of Christmas and like me you have no doubt sung it quietly as you try and recall on just what day did those swans arrive a swimming or the pipers piping. However the flower ladies at All Saints have also now wondered just how to incorporate them into flowers; for Christmas the church was decorated with flowers following the theme Day 1 of the song. From the swans swimming in a picture that Louise Benson drew many years ago, to Sheena's array of hens being plundered for the French hens, calling birds hung from the pillars and Lord's leapt around the door. Ann Caie and her ladies rose to the challenge and did a wonderful job. At the back of the church the ladies danced while geese laid eggs, pipers piped and drums beat out the message, the turtle doves cooed at the choir stalls while the gold rings dangled in the south aisle, with the milk-maids pail and cows and swimming swans turning the north aisle into a pastoral idyll. Not forgetting, up at the altar two pear trees flanking the ombray, a symbol of Jesus' presence in the church the whole year round and the partridge of the song. If you read the last magazine you will have read how the song contains a message and the ladies incorporated those too. Faith, hope and love on a gift card; the Old and New Day 12 Testaments on scrolls; the Gospel names hanging like banners. Each and every display echoing the song, the season and the message beneath. The 12 days of Christmas are over but the memory of the glorious display that was produced will live on in our memories for a long time to come, thank you ladies. 9 Kirstin All Saints (Family) Quiz Afternoon January 3 rd 2014 Okay, so, maybe we were a little too laid back, and yes, we only came fourth, but I have to say I had NO idea how competitive a congregation we were until Friday afternoon. It may have been billed a family quiz, and certainly there were a good number of families and an age range that spanned 2 92 years, but if you think family means friendly then think again. This was hotly contested, make no mistake. Quiz master Kirstin (ably assisted by the lovely Paul) had organised the afternoon very effectively for the forty odd contestants. All the nine teams Fergus Flyers, The Black Queen, The Simpletons to name but a few, were given instructions: there were 6 rounds each with 10 questions, each team could play their joker once and thus double their points for that round, and the points were displayed on a screen after each round. The title of each round included the obvious e.g Christmas Music and the more obscure e.g Christmas Squares. The latter consisted of photos of different squares around the world which were displayed on the screen and had to be named. It quickly became apparent that playing your joker wisely was of paramount importance. Thus Fergus Flyers stormed into the lead with 18 points, after boldly playing their joker in the first round. Those less seasoned in pub-quiz culture (for example my team!) bombed badly by playing their joker in the Christmas Cracker round which consisted primarily of jokes found in Christmas crackers. Yes, obvious, hindsight is a glorious thing. After a break for food and drink which was kindly provided by Kirstin and Paul, we re-convened and things heated up. There was some gentle hectoring of the quiz master before we entered the final round Christmas Leftovers, which was not all about food but more general Christmas knowledge e.g What was the most watched TV programme on Christmas Day A nail biting count ensued and a tie was announced between Larch and Simmons Plus One and a Half Both teams put forward a representative who were given a tie break question based on John s Gospel. Dave answered fractionally before Rob and it was all over. Simmons et al took possession of some sweets, Brookside were given wooden spoons, and the room relaxed. All in all the afternoon was a great success and participants agreed that further quizzes would be a good thing. In addition to having fun, we raised approximately 200 and saw a couple of new faces. Many thanks to Kirstin and Paul for organising the event. Celia Fisher N.B. The next quiz will be on Saturday 22 March at 7 pm. Put a note in your diary. 10

7 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Bearsden You may not all know that the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is celebrated every January throughout the UK. The Association of Bearsden Churches (ABC) organise the 2 annual events here in Bearsden: the Unity Supper, always held in New Kilpatrick Halls, and the Unity Service, which rotates around the different churches. Although the 9 churches in the ABC conduct their worship in different ways, we all share the same core belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. The Unity Supper is always a great opportunity to share, with those from other churches, a good meal with a speaker. It was held this year on 15 th January. This year the outside caterer gave us a great meal, with a choice of chicken or salmon for main course, followed by rhubarb and ginger crumble with ice-cream or banoffee pie for dessert. Lynne Patterson, director of Tearfund Scotland spoke about her own faith journey, and how God took her from a high-powered job with Royal Mail via time in the United States to head up the work of Tearfund (The Evangelical Alliance Relief Fund) here in Scotland. Along the way God showed her just how precious she (and each one of us) is to Him, and how she needed to just sit at His feet and listen, to become less like Martha and more like Mary (Jesus s friends in Bethany). She then shared with the 100 or so present the work Tearfund are doing in Ethiopia with 1200 self-help community groups, focussed around a small savings bank, where each member (mainly women) gets the opportunity to take out a loan which enables them to start small businesses, and to take control of their own lives. This is largely done with the backing of the Ethiopian church, but Lynne asked for supporters from Scotland to provide funds to help train facilitators, in order that an additional 500 such groups could be set up, lifting 42,500 more people out of poverty. Ten of us from All Saints were there, and maybe this is a project we could support through our Mission Giving fund? Five Scottish clergy, including John Craib (Bearsden Baptist), Ian McEwan (Baljaffray) and David McCarthy (St Silas Episcopal Church) have recently visited some of the projects there. Ian and John were present at the Supper, and added their own comments about their experiences whilst in Ethiopia, and what members of the groups had shared with them. The United service was held in Bearsden Cross Church on Sunday 19 th January. Fr. Joe Mackie from the Bearsden Catholic Church gave a reflection on the theme of the week Is Christ divided? based on 1 Corinthians 1, and led prayers of Approach, Confession and Intercession. The main speaker however was Helen Wright from the organisation More than Gold This is a successor organisation to others held to accompany previous international multi-sport 11 events including the London Olympics. Its avowed aim is to help our Churches make the most of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. It looks for local Church involvement in the three areas of service, hospitality and mission and is backed by essentially all the Churches in Scotland. Particularly noteworthy under the hospitality theme is the Athlete Family Homestay programme which is seeking to accommodate in local homes 500 families of athletes, who cannot afford burgeoning hotel costs,. Full details of the work of More than Gold 2014 can be found on their website ( A retiring collection was held for Tearfund, whose work in Ethiopia we had heard about at the Unity Supper. 12 Christine Smith and Andrew Long East Dunbartonshire Foodbank Many thanks to everyone from All Saints who has contributed to the Foodbank box at the back of the church. As of 5th January I have taken two full boxes (recycling box size) to the current Bearsden distribution point, for onward delivery to Kirkintilloch. At a recent meeting it has been agreed that the distribution point for Bearsden and Milngavie will be at St Joseph's Church in Milngavie. A start date of 3rd February has also been agreed, and there is much to be done before then. The foodbank will be open every Monday and Friday afternoon from pm and we plan to have tea and coffee available for the clients who will attend. 3 volunteers will be present to oversee the food bank activity. Clients will be referred, and given vouchers, by specific agencies e.g. GP's, Social Work, Citizen's Advice, local Mental Health groups etc., but this list is not exhaustive. To get the food bank up and running St Joseph's have agreed to co-ordinate the distribution centre and Killermont Church and All Saints will co-ordinate the uplift of food (from the churches and Asda) and onward delivery to the main distribution centre in Kirkintilloch. The main distribution centre will then provide the food items for the small store and distribution centre at St Joseph's. All procedures and processes follow the guidance of the Trussell Trust, which is a Christian charity. We plan to advertise the food bank as widely as possible, but in order for it to be effective, we need more volunteers from within the church and local communities. If you are interested in offering to help with either the uplift of food or helping at the distribution centre please do not hesitate to contact me. At this stage we anticipate that the commitment would be a few hours monthly. Louise Benson

8 The Wednesday Lunch - Organisation The Wednesday lunch at All Saints at noon has been going for 6 weeks. Numbers have ranged between 23 and 29. The format is developing into chat with the occasional input either a talk or demo or music or in house exchange and activity. Many members of the congregation have offered to help. Areas of help are wide, shopping preparing soup and sandwiches, setting up clearing up meeting and greeting and any others you can think of. The aim is to provide a focus and occasion for the congregation to meet midweek and to provide company especially for those who live alone or who are retired. We also aim to reach from our lovely central church halls out. into the community. So Church members are welcome to bring along friends and neighbours. At the moment we do not have a fixed charge so ask for a donation to cover costs. It is proving to be a happy and most worthwhile exercise and thoroughly enjoyed by those who come. A warm welcome is extended to anyone to join us. Sheena MacDonald The Wednesday Lunch An Appreciation The initiation of the weekly lunch at All Saints has proved to be a great success. It has attracted a steady and varied number of the congregation and their friends over the few weeks that it has been in operation. An opportunity to meet in such an informal manner and, if wished, to attend the foregoing Wednesday morning Said Eucharist has made it a well-timed event. The format of the lunch itself leaves plenty of opportunity for chatting in small groups during the consumption of tasty home-made soup and sandwiches and does not inhibit a wider development of fellowship between the participants seated at neighbouring tables. The meal over, some entertainment has been provided to complete the event and I mean entertaining entertainment. Andrew Long s short slide show and discourse showing photographs taken on his recent holiday in India and Nepal was most informative and was appreciated by all. The pre-christmas lunchers were entertained by a well presented outline by Susan Gray on making seasonal Christmas decorations. This was followed by seasonal carols accompanied by John Harrington and Sarah Sedgwick and an exuberant recitation by the Rector of the Wassail Carol. In total, A good time is had by all. The members of the congregation who have attended find the opportunity for a weekday meeting in fellowship rewarding. Our thanks for initiating the event must go to Sheena Macdonald and no less to her helpers who prepare the sandwiches and make the soup. Can you hold back from joining the group? Come along - bring a friend if you like Margaret and John Sherwood. The Wednesday lunch group of 8 th January enjoying their soup. Stewardship Update for All Saints It s February surely September is for Stewardship, not February? So can t we forget all about Stewardship until later in the year? We listened to the sermons throughout September, read the literature, thought and prayed about ways of giving when we received our pledge cards, bearing the rather nice photograph of the church, at the Harvest Thanksgiving Service. That s true, but stewardship is an all-round topic since it is an integral part of the way we respond to all the good things we receive from God through His Son. We need to re-assess regularly and joyfully and so here is your February update. The good news is that, despite being far too early to know exactly what effect the September Campaign has had at All Saints, a snapshot comparison of the income received from our giving in the last quarter of 2013 shows an increase of nearly 7.5% compared to the similar period in Two new monthly Banker s Orders have been set up which is good news too as these will help to ensure that the church receives income in a regular fashion and can plan more effectively how to meet monthly expenditure. Thank you. There are still other ways to maximize our giving and thereby ensure God s Work in Bearsden continues for generations to come. If you are a tax payer who does not currently Gift Aid, you might like to consider signing a Gift Aid declaration (for further details see the Ways of Giving notes from Ian Mackie, our Gift Aid Secretary, which can be found at the back of church). Even for those who already do Gift Aid there may be ways to ensure that wherever possible their donations to All Saints are made through the appropriate channels in order that the extra 20%

9 can be claimed back from HM Revenue and Customs. For instance, we are investigating ways in which the money collected through the Sunshine Bags could be attributed to you if you do Gift Aid, and you may make other donations which, if they were made through your regular giving, would be eligible for a Gift Aid refund. Finally, we hope of course that you are around to worship with us for many years to come, yet we are all aware that our time on this earth is but brief. It is a delicate question, but have you considered All Saints in your Will? Over the years many have left the church a legacy in gratitude for God s abundance love for them. Their generosity has secured our place at the heart of Bearsden up to now, is this a way you could make sure our Christian mission here will continue into the future? It goes without saying that Stewardship is not just about financial giving, but also how we use our time and talents in our response to all that God gives us. These will be our focus in 2014 it may only be February, but here s looking to September Rob Smith, Convener of the Stewardship Group Update on Bishop's Working Group on the future of All Saints and St Andrew's Both Vestries have agreed the remit of the Working Group which is as follows: To review as necessary the process so far. To consider the viability of the present proposal from St Andrew s, Milngavie. To consider the proposal from the Vestry of All Saints, Bearsden and its rejection by the EGM in September To consider the financial position of each charge and to project that forward for at least 3 years. In the light of these considerations, to review all options and formulate clear proposals for the future. Any proposals for the future to be presented to the Vestries at a special joint meeting. The proposals to include a timetable common to each Vestry for subsequent action. The Group met on 16 th December when the following procedure was agreed: To work through the six points of the remit, two per meeting. The first meeting therefore covered a review of the process so far and consideration of the viability of St. Andrew s present proposal. The Group met again on Tuesday 14 th January when it discussed the second two points above. All Saints Vestry Report Copies of the Minutes of All Saints Vestry are kept in a folder at the back of the Church, where they can be read by any member of the congregation. However they are not lodged in the file until they have been formally adopted and this means that they are over a month out of date before they can be read in detail. In order to bridge this gap, we are intending to put a brief report on the major subjects discussed in the Magazine. There follows such a summary for the January meeting held on Monday 13 th January. The following points were discussed:- The Vestry reviewed the progress of the Joint Working Group on the future of the two charges and the topics to be discussed the following day. The Treasurer had prepared a written report on the congregational giving over the first three months of the financial year (see the item on Stewardship on p12). A short written report from the first meeting of the new Fund-Raising Committee was presented, outlining the events it was hoped would be held over the next year. The recent failure of the Church heating on the preceding Sunday was discussed and measures which might be taken to ameliorate the consequences were debated. The meeting discussed the possibility of housing a defibrilator for local and community use at All Saints. The draft of a new Constitution for the Church was considered and approved, conditional on the correction of a couple of points. This would be presented to the Congregation after the future relations with St Andrew s have been agreed. Next meeting : Monday 10 th February. Social Convenor for All Saints Andrew Long The Vestry and the Social Group are looking for a new joint Social Convenor to succeed Mary Stott and work with Jane Joy. Anyone interested should speak to Mary or Jane in the first instance

10 All Saints Valentine s Dinner Friday Feb 14 th at 7.30 pm Diocesan IT officer A position is available for a part-time (15 hours per week) Information Technology Officer for the Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway in the Scottish Episcopal Church. The closing date for applications is 31 January Details are available from the Rector or from the Diocesan Office. March Magazine From February the magazine has reverted to the old pattern, monthly issues apart from July/August and December/January. Also a team, made up of members of both congregations, has taken over producing it. If you would like to join them please speak to Janet Stack in All Saints or Steve McVey in St Andrew s. In future all items for the magazine should be sent to Andrew Long andrew.long200@ntlworld.com. Copy for the next magazine should be sent to Andrew by Sunday 16 th February at the latest. Diocesan Training Events For your information: 'The Word is Very Near You' Accessible Bible Study methods for use in the local parish setting. Workshops will be offered from 10.00am to 3.00pm on Saturday, 1st February and Saturday, 22nd February A free lunch will be offered at these trainings and participants are invited to note their interest by registering with the Diocesan Centre. Both days will take place at Bishop Court, the halls of Holy Trinity & St Barnabas, Moss Street, Paisley. Also: 'Music for Small Congregations'. A day of resource sharing and music ideas am pm, Saturday 17 May The training will take place at the church of The Holy Name, Cumbernauld. A free lunch will be offered at this music day and participants are invited to note their interest by registering with the Diocesan Centre

11 All Saints February Service Rota St. Andrew s February Service Rota Date 2 nd February Candlemas 9 th February Epiphany 5 16 th February Epiphany 6 23 rd February Epiphany 7 2 nd March Transfiguration Sidesmen 11 a.m. J James A Long A Ayoub J Harrington P Thompson A Long J Sherwood C Fisher P Waugh M Stott Eucharistic Assistants RH Susan LH John RH Andrew LH Mike RH Celia LH Hanan RH Catriona LH Louise RH Smiths LH Graham Readings Reader Intercessor TBC Luke 2:22-40 Isaiah 58: Corinthians 2:1-16 Matthew 5:13-20 Deuteronomy 30: Corinthians 3:1-9 Mathew 5:21-37 Leviticus 19:1-2, Corinthians 3:10-11, Matthew 5:38-48 Exodus 24: Peter 1:16-21 Matthew 17:1-9 All Age Worship Ann Wheatley Sheena MacDonald Gillian Kingslake All Age Worship TBC John Duncan Celia Fisher Michael Graham TBC Coffee Name in bold to bring milk Sheila Gray J Lowis A Wheatley M Pollock M Campbell M Dunn J James K Ross J Stack P Waugh F Hemple A Stirling K Stewart Susan Gray E Perrett Date 2 nd February Candlemas 9 th February Epiphany 5 16 th February Epiphany 6 23 rd February Epiphany 7 2 nd March Transfiguration Depute Warden Pamela Mark James Clare Robert Eucharistic Assistant Fraser Steve Wilma Robert Fraser Readings Reader Intercessor Coffee Malachi 3:1-4 Hebrews 2:14-18 Luke 2:22-40 Isaiah 58: Corinthians 2:1-16 Matthew 5:13-20 Deuteronomy 30: Corinthians 3:1=9 Mathew 5:21-37 Leviticus 19:1-2, Corinthians 3: Matthew 5:38-48 Exodus 24: Peter 1:16-21 Matthew 17: 1-9 James Caroline Sue & Nan Irene Gail Clare Caroline Angela Gail Sue Fraser Pamela Ruth Liz Margaret Evening Prayer E.P. Readings Leader Isaiah 61: Thess. 2:17-3:13 Robert Psalm 107 Leader Genesis 12:1-9 Jude 1-25 David W Psalms 30,31 Music 2 nd February 9 th February 16 th February 23 rd February 2 nd March Hymns HTC 77, PFS 24, HTC 214(ii) 92, 542. HTC 329, 110, 146(iii), Taizé: The Lord is my Light, 334 CH4: 669,198, 502, 662, 656 (Tune HTC 408) HTC 62, 110, 539(296), 468, 217(i) 266, 454(356), 545,117, 528

12 Contact Numbers All Saints Alternate Lay Rep. David Simmons Bible Study Kirstin Freeman Church Flowers Ann Caie Church Hall Bookings John Brooker/Eric Horton Creche Jean Stirling Deed of Covenant & Free Will Offering Ian Mackie E-Group Christine Smith Monday House Group Janet Stack NW Reg. Council Rep. Christine Smith Organist & Choir Mistress Susan Harrington Sidespeople Andrew Long Social Group Convenor Mary Stott Jane Joy Sunday Coffee Rota Jean Stirling Sunday School Jonathan Sedgwick Fair Trade Pauline Waugh Contact Numbers St. Andrew s Alternate Lay Rep. Steve McVey Church Hall Bookings James Carrick or Gail Ullrich Covenant Secretary Liz Macdonald Flower Convenor Clare McVey National Bible Society Rep. Freda Anderson NW Reg. Council Rep. James Carrick Organist Gordon Rutherford Social Convenors: Sue Clarke Clare McVey The Fellowship Mary Finlayson February Services Date All Saints St Andrew s 2 nd February Candlemas (White) 8am Said Eucharist 11am Sung Eucharist Wednesday 5 th 11.30am Said Eucharist Thursday 6 th 9 th February Epiphany 5 11am Sung Eucharist (Green) Wednesday 12 th Thursday 13 th 16 th February Epiphany 6 (Green) 11.30am Said Eucharist 11am Sung Eucharist Wednesday 19 th 11.30am Said Eucharist Thursday 20 th 23 rd February Epiphany 7 11am Sung Eucharist (Green) Wednesday 26 th Thursday 27 th 2 nd March Transfiguration (White) Wednesday 5 th Ash Wednesday (Violet) 11.30am Said Eucharist March 8am Said Eucharist 11am Sung Eucharist 11.30am Said Eucharist with the Imposition of Ashes 9.15am Sung Eucharist 3.30pm Evening Prayer 10am Said Eucharist 9.15am Sung Eucharist 10am Said Eucharist 9.15am Sung Eucharist 10am Said Eucharist 9.15am Sung Eucharist 10am Said Eucharist 9.15am Sung Eucharist 3.30pm Evening Prayer 7pm Sung Eucharist with the Imposition of Ashes Contact Numbers Drumchapel Secretary Jackie Walls Treasurer Jean Kerr