The Link. The magazine for the linked congregations and community of the West Kirk of Calder and Polbeth Harwood

Transcription

1 The magazine for the linked congregations and community of the West Kirk of Calder and Polbeth Harwood

2 Rev David A Albon BA MCS The Manse, 27 Learmonth Crescent West Calder EH55 8AF theminister@west-kirk-polbeth-harwood.co.uk Session Clerk Stewart MacRae West Kirk 23 Westmuir Road West Calder EH55 8EX sessionclerk@westkirkofcalder.co.uk Session Clerk Marian Kinsman Polbeth Harwood 12 Langside Crescent Polbeth EH55 8UW sessionclerk@polbethharwood.co.uk Treasurer William Calder Harburn Road West Calder EH55 8AJ treasurer@westkirkofcalder.co.uk Treasurer Tom Griffin Easter Bankton Murieston Livingston EH54 9BE treasurer@polbethharwood.co.uk News Editor Colin Dempster Staunton Rise Dedridge West Livingston EH54 6PA thelinkeditor@west-kirk-polbeth-harwood.co.uk

3 A Word From Our Minister The Manse 27 Learmonth Crescent West Calder EH55 8AF Thursday, 12 October 2006 Here s your copy of the issue of. There was a problem with the printing of the October Link, which is why you didn t get one (no one did!). This month I want to write about a couple of things that have happened in the mean time. On Sunday 1st October we had a united all age service of both churches to celebrate Harvest at the West Kirk. Cyril the Squirrel made a special appearance as a guest on Ready, Steady, Cook. When asked what he d brought along to cook, Cyril produced a bag of Bananas! Fortunately, other folks had brought other kinds of fruit, so Cyril (with some assistance) was able to make a fruit salad, which was very good because of its variety (just like our churches!). There was also a special Harvest Offering for Christian Aid and we had a Harvest lunch in the West Kirk hall after the service, which was very well supported by both churches. The donations from that were added to the Christian Aid offering and I believe we raised a good amount. West Kirk members and friends will have already received information about the Project to redecorate the inside of the West Kirk and the related Gift Weekend that we held on the 7th and 8th October. A number of people came along and completed pledge and donation cards on the Saturday and Sunday of that weekend. If you or anyone you know hasn t received the leaflet or cards and would like to do so, please contact the West Kirk Treasurer, Bill Calder. I m looking forward to taking holidays in October, as it can often be a wonderful month to be out in the hills. Rev David A Albon Minister of the Parish Churches of the West Kirk of Calder and Polbeth Harwood Youth Evening The next youth evening event will be held in the West Kirk hall on Sunday 5th at 7 pm. The theme will be 3D: "Light Up The Fire?!!" All young and young at heart - welcome. (Fireworks supplied) Louise - 3 -

4 West Kirk The Church Family (Parish Record) Weddings 6th October Amanda Gowans to John Pruett Funerals 16th September Donald Gallacher, Harburn Drive Polbeth Harwood Funerals 9th September Betty Hastie, Langside Gardens 13th September Bill Fairley, Langside Crescent 12th October Christine Burnside, Lenzie Avenue, Deans Worship in the Linked Congregations Sunday Morning Worship will take place in the West Kirk at 9.30 am and in Polbeth Harwood at am unless stated otherwise. 12th Remembrance Sunday Did anyone see the old Village Well? The older residents of West Calder will be familiar with The Cundy that amazing underground river which flows underneath West Calder and down the Cleugh Brae to the socalled Yellow Burn at the bottom of the brae. For many years there have been problems with flooding various parts of the village due to this river not being able to cope with the sheer volume of water passing through. West Lothian Council have replaced part of the largish pipe, which carries the river underneath the village. The firm carrying out the replacement of the old pipe reached the eastern end of King s Crescent or the Flanagan s Yard part of the old Union Street and uncovered the remains of the old Village Well which could be seen very clearly at the excavation site. Unfortunately, due to printing issues with the October issue of The Link some of you may not have heard about the village well. However, hopefully many people did have had the chance to see the village well before the site was in-filled

5 Prayer Bites Included in this issue of is this contribution from Louise that should have appeared in the October issue. Here it is now for you to enjoy. Instead of a prayer corner, I thought it might be fun to have prayer bites from time to time. After all, TV and radio have sound bites and often our lives are so busy that we haven t got time to cope with much more than that. I prefer bites that I can eat rather than sound bites so here are a few which came to mind as prayer biscuits. Feel free to include your own to munch over. Digestive Dear Lord, thank You for the services we have Sunday by Sunday, week by week. Please bless David with all the preparation involved (and help us remember people in countries where there is no freedom to worship or hold meetings). Rich Tea Father thank You for the many different activities in our churches. For those we know about, for those we don t. For all those who are involved, especially behind the scenes such as the tea and café rotas. Help each person to feel valued for what they do. Chocolate Chip Cookies Jesus, thank You that You welcomed children and we want to value and welcome young people in our churches. Please bless the new Sunday Sofa youth evenings being held fortnightly in the upstairs room at Polbeth. Thank You for so much enthusiasm of folks at Polbeth who have been very generous in encouraging the use of the hall and of the young folks who have come along. Harvest Crunch (oops, not quite a biscuit!) Lord we pray for the special activities which colour our church calendars, such the dinner dance at Polbeth and the Gift Weekend at West Calder. Help us think about how we should be involved or contribute. Thank You too for our annual harvest thanksgivings which help us appreciate how much we have to be grateful for, as well as remembering those who have very little. Happy chomping! If you have a Prayer Bite that you would like to be included in a future issue please send an to louiseholden@tinyworld.co.uk or contact Louise by phone on Louise Holden

6 Reflections Nation will not lift sword against nation nor ever again be trained for war. Come people of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord. Isaiah 2: 4-5 In April 1988 the better half was celebrating his 50th birthday. We planned to hill-walk, tackling our first Munro, Schiehallion, in Perthshire. I still remember the shock as we motored along the A9 and I looked up from the map to identify the place. I m not going up there! I announced. That s not a hill; it s a ruddy great mountain! I still remember the long tiring trudge to the base of that mountain. I still remember the lung-bursting agony as I struggled, shattered and sore, up three quarters of the way. I still remember the relief when we met a friend on her way down. Can I go back down with you? I pleaded. I just can t go another step. You certainly can, she smiled sympathetically, but I strongly advise you to go on to the top. The visibility is perfect up there today. You will never get this chance ever again. Don t miss it. So I forced myself onwards and upwards, grumbling all the way, slithering and slipping over the scree near the precarious summit. Then oh then the breathtaking beauty of the river, glinting and gleaming like a silver ribbon in the sun-soaked glen far below as it flowed gently and ever- widening into the smooth, peace of the Tummel and Rannoch lochs. Here was a vision well worth my effort, an unforgettable experience of our lovely country. That day of punishment and pain, of pleasure and pride, of awe and admiration has warmed my heart for many years, especially since it was my first and last Munro climb. There are other, far more important walks to be remembered. Mahatma Gandhi s walk to the sea to gather salt in defiance of taxes imposed on this crucial commodity inspired others with dreams of freedom. Influenced by Gandhi, Martin Luther King organized many peaceful marches to win racial equality in America. Nelson Mandella s autobiography, The Long Walk to Freedom, describes the harsh struggle against apartheid in South Africa. A million people walked in London, concerned about the impending Iraq invasion. Thousands gathered to walk in Edinburgh to influence the Gleneagles G8 meetings to Make Poverty History. And just a few weeks ago the Moderator of The Church of Scotland led the walk from Faslane to the Scottish Parliament, concerned about the nuclear threat and the mind-boggling cost of upgrading the Trident missile while we condemn North Korea for testing nuclear weapons. Then there are the fun-filled walks and marathons to raise funds for a myriad of charities in desperate need of resources. Three things are common to all of these walks. Firstly, they are never easy. They are physically and mentally draining, demanding courage, strength and commitment, often in the face of danger. Secondly, their purpose is the love of fairness, justice and dignity for fellow human beings. Thirdly the sense of fulfilment is immeasurable for all of those taking part. In Isaiah s great vision, so many centuries ago, our weapons would be turned into farm implements to till the soil and feed the hungry. We would not take up arms against each other. We would not even be trained to go to war. He asked us instead to walk in the light of the Lord. What a wonderful vision! An unguarded, undefended country is unthinkable; but then, even more so is an unguarded, undefended world. Families have worries enough without the constant fear of nuclear war. Is this not a good time to take a chance, to fulfill a dream? In the 20 th century, Gandhi proved that pacifism was a greater force for good than weapons. On Question - 6 -

7 Time recently, A Scottish politician said it was now time to give up Talking the Talk and start to Walk the Walk towards ending all nuclear weapons. Would it not be good to do both - to talk and walk in the light of the Lord, to realize that vision of Isaiah to make our lovely country and our lovely world truly safe for all of our children? Can we afford, in the dawn of this century, to miss this chance? Ann Life & Work Issue The Editorially Independent Magazine of the Church of Scotland An Ethical Dilemma The debate over the use of embryonic stem cells in medical research was one of the biggest talking points at the 2006 General Assembly. A range of commentators this month offer their views on this sensitive area of science. A Silent Tribute In his regular monthly column, the Moderator, the Rt Rev Alan McDonald reflects on Remembrance Day and also contributes a special prayer for Remembrance. Christians in Scotland Laurence Wareing concludes his three-part analysis of the main Christian denominations in Scotland. This month he outlines the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Methodist Church and the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). The Child in the Midst In a new series of reflections, the Very Rev James Simpson reflects on the impact of war on children. And more. monthly columns for elders and young people; book reviews; travel, finance, lively letters; news from far and near; monthly prayer; prize crosswords all for Lydia Fellowship International (Scotland) All ladies are invited to the first Borders/Lothian Day Apart. This will be held on Saturday 11th between 9.30 am and 3.15 pm in the Faith Mission, 548 Gilmerton Road Edinburgh. The subject of prayer and meditation is "Are We Prepared": Psalm 24, Isaiah 43:1-19, Isaiah 61, Isaiah 62:10-12 Further details from Anne Stewart

8 West Kirk Guild Report The Guild started its new session on Monday 2nd October, when Convenor Evelyn Paterson welcomed our current members and also some new ones. It was good to see so many there. The speaker for the evening was our Minister, Rev David Albon, who spoke to us about this year s Guild theme, Lets Live Body, Mind, Soul, with emphasis on the Body as this year s part of the theme. He gave us plenty to think about. On the 16th October Christine Sloan told us about the project she undertook whilst her husband was minister of Crathie Kirk. She saw the potential in refurbishing old cottages beside the manse. This would provide accommodation for people with special needs to enjoy a holiday with friends and family. She showed us slides of the cottages, which have been fitted and furnished, to the highest standard. She well deserves all the national awards that she has achieved. Dates for your diary: Monday 6th Monday 20th Tuesday 28th Tuesday 12th Blythswood Boxes Speaker: Rhoda Lawton Guest Night Speaker: Jim Wylliie Local History Visit to Mackinnon Mills Christmas Meal Catering by B Grindlay We look forward to welcoming current and new members from both congregations. Do come along and enjoy an evening of fellowship and fun. Jill Murray (Joint Secretary) West Kirk Fundraising Group Report The October Candy Bar staffed by the Kirk Session and friends raised the excellent total of 557. Thanks to all who helped in any way. By the time you read this we will have held the Annual Whist Drive, thanks to all the hard work of Margaret Lamb and friends. After the Guild Coffee Day in, we have our major fund raising event of the year with the Christmas Candy Bar from 10 am on Saturday 2nd. Lunch is by ticket only, priced at 7 ( 3 for under 12 years). There are two sittings at am and 1 pm when delicious festive fare will be served. Tickets can be purchased from Margaret Greenhorn. The organisations are preparing amusements and stalls and donations of home baking, Christmas gifts, tombola and lucky dip prizes will all be gratefully accepted. Please give to any member of the Fund Raising Group, your elder or come on Friday 1st from 6.30 pm to the Church hall. Your support is much appreciated and we look forward to seeing you for morning coffee or lunch or both on 2nd. Jill Murray (Convener) - 8 -

9 Redecoration of the West Kirk of Calder Interior It is now some considerable time since the interior of the church was painted and the next year promises to be an exciting one for the West Kirk. There is no doubt that this project will be one that must involve every single one of us in rising to the challenge of raising 10,000 towards the cost of the redecoration. Since the last redecoration, costs of materials and labour have risen dramatically and it is difficult for many of us to grasp the enormity of the sum required to carry out the job. We in the West Kirk are fortunate to have sound investments to fall back on, but at present the realising of any capital does not make sound financial sense. It is far better if we can raise the money ourselves by various means. Already since the beginning of this year all the income from the Candy Bars has been put into the Capital Projects Fund from which the cost of the redecoration will be met. At present the balance in this fund is some 14,500. The estimated cost of the redecoration is somewhere between 25,000 and 30,000 and that is why the Session has set the members the task of raising 10,000 towards the cost. It might help members to understand the contents of the Redecoration Information Pack, received with the September issue of, with this short synopsis: 1. A card giving information about the project and details of one of the major fund raising schemes, the Gift Weekend which was held on 7th and 8th October. 2. A Donation Card to use to make a single donation. 3. A Pledge Card to use if you feel that you would like to pledge to give a sum of money over the period from 1st October 2006 to 1st June 2007 either by making a single donation (other than on the Gift Weekend) or to make donations weekly or monthly. 4. An envelope to use if you wish to post or hand to the Treasurer your Donation Card or Pledge Card. Members and Friends of the West Kirk are asked to think about this project and to decide whether or not they wish to help meet the challenge of raising 10,000 by 1st June It is a long time since the congregation was challenged to raise such a large sum probably when the hall was built but to put the task in perspective we should consider that if every member were to donate 30 over the period, the target would be reached. 30 is a lot of money one may say, but if it is broken down into a weekly sum of money then it would come to less then 1 less than a loaf of bread, less than the price of four fruit scones, less than a litre of petrol, less than the price of a cup of coffee in a restaurant, about the price of a cup of tea and toast at the monthly Candy Bar and so on. Our Church is our heritage passed on from previous generations and we must keep it in good condition to pass on to those generations still to come. In closing might I quote some words written by an American Adlai Stevenson. They refer to our planet but if you take them slightly out of context they may well describe our church. We travel together passengers on a little spacecraft dependent on its vulnerable resources of air and soil; all committed for our safety to its security and peace preserved from annihilation only by the care, the work, and, I will say, the love we give our fragile craft Bill Calder, Treasurer, West Kirk of Calder

10 West Kirk Rota Information West Kirk Crèche Rota West Kirk Flower Rota Kathy Black Mary Calder Louise Holden Margaret Farquhar Melanie Dickson Val Occardi Rhoda Lawton Olive Gibson Arrangers: If you will be on holiday on your rota date, please arrange a swap, and if this proves difficult, please contact Margaret Greenhorn ( ) for help in finding someone. 5th Given Arranged Delivered Margaret Greenhorn Rosanna Rabaeijs Moira McRae West Kirk Tea Rota Contact Olive Gibson Note: Tea Makers, please bring milk. 12th Liz Dyer Craig Rennie c/o M A Smith Alison Baxter Katie Albon Rosanna Rabaeijs Margo McEwan & Margaret Douglas Evelyn Paterson Ivy Johnstone Irene Grindlay Kathleen Black Moira McRae Liz Dyer Jill Murray Olive Gibson Alison Baxter Janice Cooper Moira McRae Isobel McChesney Alison McNaught Lorna Graham Katie Albon Ivy Johnstone Collation Rota West Kirk Duty Rota Door Duty Stewart Munro Evelyn Paterson Jim Allan Angus Baxter Jill Murray Alison McNaught Juanita Allan George Stott Jim Milne Christine Nicholl Hazel Tod May Arnott Car Run Richard Bryce Hugh Clarkson Robert Hawes Beryl Henderson Meet in Polbeth Harwood at 4 pm Friday 1st (Issue 14 Dec) Katie Albon Frank Mabbutt Shirley MacRae Stewart MacRae Rosanna Rabaeijs Isobel Young

11 Polbeth Harwood Rota Information Stewart Court Taxi Rota Polbeth Harwood Cleaning Rota Charlie Sturrock David Prentice Kenneth Mackay Margaret Marr Laura Carroll Reeta Griffin Christmas Fayre Christmas Fayre Petrona Carroll Tom Griffin Polbeth Harwood Duty Rota Door Duty Collation Rota Meet in Polbeth Harwood at 4 pm Marian Kinsman Chrissie McCormack Anna Muirhead Lilias Fairley Betty Macauley Esther Hamilton Tom Walker Jenny Doyle Janet Russell Moira Mushet Betty Upton Janice Davidson Allan Mercer Margaret Dempster Friday 1st (Issue 14 Dec) Katie Albon Frank Mabbutt Shirley MacRae Stewart MacRae Rosanna Rabaeijs Isobel Young Polbeth Harwood Café Rota 15th 22nd 29th 6th 13th Maisie Baird Effie Halliday Gordon Erskine Wilma Dickson Frank Mabbutt Janet Russell Grace Peace Chrissie McCormack Jessie Kelly Betty Upton Esther Hamilton Janet Walker

12 Suffering A hermit was on ten years probation to join a silent order. At the end of a decade of monastic isolation, he was called to an interview with the chief hermit. He was allowed only two words to sum up how he felt about his progress over all that time. So he said, Bad food. His superior said that they would try to improve the food but further probation was required. He sent him away to pray for ten more years. When the time was up, he was recalled for further discussion. He had thought long and hard about how to make the best use of his two words, so he said, Hard bed. The superior was a sympathetic man, so he offered more help. But again, he felt that more time was required before he could fully be admitted to the order. Ten years later, the novice found himself before the chief hermit again. This time his words were even more abrupt: I quit. The chief hermit replied, We decided not to accept you anyway you ve done nothing but complain ever since you arrived! Polbeth Harwood Christmas Fayre The Polbeth Harwood Christmas Fayre will be held on Saturday 25th. Donations will be gratefully received, including cooking for the everpopular home baking stall! Contributions for the next edition Contributions for the next edition of Magazine should be submitted by the first Sunday after the 15th of the month. For the /January issue, this will be Sunday. Thank you to all the contributors to the magazine. Contributions can be sent via , or handed in person to either Rev David Albon or Colin Dempster. Paws for thought Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe. Saint Augustine