Joe Petrie. Yvonne Pearson. Meg Anderson. Rev. Andrew Robertson

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2 Who s Who Hall Lets T.O.F.M. Messy Church Young Church & Tic Tacs Thrift Shop Church Officer St Margaret s Hall Caretaker Tea Rota Organist & Choir Leader Stewardship and Finance Group Convener Fellowship Group Convener Outreach Group Convener Worship Support Group Convener Pastoral Visitor Church Magazine Editor Roll Keeper Carol Eccleston June Taylor Shirley Robertson Fiona Cumming Helen Fordyce Margaret Murray Joe Petrie Moira Lawson Evelyn McHattie Yvonne Pearson Meg Anderson Sheila Silvestri Rev. Andrew Robertson Donna Grant Elsbeth Jackson Kathleen Collins

3 Minister letter Christmas is a time for giving and receiving we give joyfully to others and experience the pleasure of seeing them receive. One of the things I miss about our boys growing up is the excitement of Christmas morning as they ran from their bedrooms into the living room to see what gifts lay under the Christmas tree and looking at the joy in their faces as they tore of the wrapping paper to find the toys and other gifts. If you ever need proof that it is better to give than receive (Acts 20:35) Christmas morning with young children is the worked example. Those of you that are parents and grandparents to young children I encourage you this year to savour that moment as the little ones soon grow up and Christmas morning can become a somewhat more pedestrian experience. It is also special to receive a gift, knowing the thought and the sacrifice others have put into that deciding what to give. In the story of the birth of Jesus, I have no doubt the Magi, the wise men from the east had put great deal of thought into the gifts they brought of Gold, the Frankincense and Myrrh - they had seen the star in the east and brought gifts fit for a king. It s a challenging thought for us to think what gift we could give to God in celebration of the birth go his Jesus who is the King that sacrificed everything of us. We might not have the resources of wealth that the Magi from the east had for their Christmas giving, but there is something we can all give to God, the last verse of the Christmas Carol In the Bleak Mid- Winter provides the answer to what we might give to celebrate the birth of Jesus and it s a gift that we all can give. What Can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part; yet what I can I give him; give my heart. May you know the joy of giving Jesus the greatest gift you can for the greatest gift that the world has ever been given. May you know joy and peace this Christmas. Rev Andrew Message from Editor Thank you for your comments on our autumn magazine. Time seems to have flown past. Here we are approaching December My thanks to those who sent us articles

4 for the December magazine. My thanks to all those who help me prepare the magazine, print, collate and deliver the magazine. The magazine can also be downloaded from The next magazine will be in April May I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year. God bless you all, Elsbeth Christmas Services: Friday 18 December pm Carol Concert in the church Christmas Eve pm Carols and Cake - St Margaret's Hall, Urquhart Christmas Day am Family Christmas service in the church Session Meetings: The scheduled dates for the rest of the session are: 24 November; 26 January; 22 March;14 June. We will almost certainly have another "Talkabout" in the spring/early summer and may also have an occasional additional meeting. Christmas Carol Concert. On Friday 18 th December, the Fellowship Group are hosting a Carol Concert in the Church. As you arrive, you will receive a warm welcome. The concert starts at 7pm, and should end around 8.30pm. The programme for the evening will provide an opportunity for the singing of a lovely selection of well known carols. This will be interspersed with seasonal readings, and the Church Choir and others will provide musical entertainment with a Christmas flavour.

5 Refreshments will be provided in the Church Hall afterwards. Do come along, and bring your friends. There is no entry charge, but, if you should wish to make a donation in appreciation of the evening, there will be an opportunity for you to do that. Meg Anderson. (Convener) The Outreach Group is organising a fun morning to do Christmas activities at the village hall on Saturday 12 th December from noon. This will be aimed at primary aged children and will be advertised in Lhanbryde Primary School but if you know of any family, neighbours or friends children in this age group who would like to come along please speak to Margaret Murray or Sheila Silvestri for a form to enrol them. We would like to know numbers in advance for preparing craft materials etc. The Outreach Group are planning another Souper Sunday following the great success of last winter. All donations go to Church of Scotlands HIV programme which works in several countries with vulnerable sufferers. Those who come along get a lovely choice of vegetarian soups with fresh bread or oatcakes and enjoy a chat after the service in the big hall. So a date for your diaries is 7 th February All offers of soup making, serving, washing up and collecting money will be gratefully received! Envelopes to gift aid your donation will be available on the day. Fellowship After Church A big thank you to all the ladies and GENTLEMAN who serve our teas and coffees after the service on Sunday mornings. It is always a good time to share our news and concerns with one another, and there is always plenty of laughter. If anyone would like to join our team, I would be delighted to hear from you. It works out about one duty in ten weeks with two people sharing. Moira Lawson.

6 December st Tuesday Thrift Shop am 2 nd Wednesday Praise Group Church Hall pm 3 rd Thursday Thrift Shop 4 th Friday TOFM Christies, Fochabers am 5 th Saturday 6 th Sunday Church Communion Service Messy Church am pm 7 th Monday 8 th Tuesday Thrift Shop Guild Church Hall am 9 th Wednesday Praise Group Church Hall pm 10 th Thursday Thrift Shop 11 th Friday 12 th Saturday 13 th Sunday Church Service Prayer Meeting am 7.00 pm 14 th Monday 15 th Tuesday 16 th Wednesday Praise Group Church Hall pm 17 th Thursday 18 th Friday Carol Concert 7.00 pm 19 th Saturday 20 th Sunday Church Service am 21 st Monday 22 nd Tuesday 23 rd Wednesday 24 th Thursday Christmas Eve 5.30 pm Carols and cake in St Margaret s Hall 25 th Friday Christmas Family Service am 26 th Saturday 27 th Sunday Church Service Evening Service, Urquhart 28 th Monday 29 th Tuesday 30 th Wednesday 31 st Thursday am 7.00 pm

7 January st Friday 2 nd Saturday 3 rd Sunday Church Service am 4 th Monday 5 th Tuesday 6 th Wednesday 7 th Thursday 8 th Friday TOFM Evelyn McHattie am 9 th Saturday 10 th Sunday Church Service Messy Church Prayer Meeting Manse am pm 7.00 pm 11 th Monday 12 th Tuesday Thrift Shop am 13 th Wednesday Praise Group Church Hall pm 14 th Thursday Thrift Shop 15 th Friday TOFM Church Hall am 16 th Saturday 17 th Sunday Church Service am 18 th Monday 19 th Tuesday Thrift Shop Guild Church Hall am 20 th Wednesday Praise Group Church Hall pm 21 st Thursday Thrift Shop 22 nd Friday TOFM CLAN, Elgin am 23 rd Saturday 24 th Sunday Church Service am 25 th Monday 26 th Tuesday Thrift Shop Session St Margaret s Hall am 27 th Wednesday Praise Group Church Hall pm Thursday Thrift Shop th Friday TOFM June Taylor am 30 th Saturday 31 st Sunday Church Service Evening Service Urquhart am 7.00 pm

8 February st Monday 2 nd Tuesday Thrift Shop rd Wednesday Praise Group Church Hall pm 4 th Thursday Thrift Shop 5 th Friday TOFM Elgin Youth Cafe th Saturday 7 th Sunday Church Service Messy Church am am pm 8 th Monday 9 th Tuesday Thrift Shop th Wednesday Praise Group Church Hall pm 11 th Thursday Thrift Shop 12 th Friday TOFM Church Hall th Saturday 14 th Sunday Church Service am Prayer Meeting Manse 7.00 pm 15 th Monday 16 th Tuesday Thrift Shop Guild Church Hall am 17 th Wednesday Praise Group Church Hall pm 9.00 pm 18 th Thursday Thrift Shop 19 th Friday TOFM St Margaret s Hall th Saturday 21 st Sunday Church Service am 22 nd Monday 23 rd Tuesday Thrift Shop th Wednesday Praise Group Church Hall pm 25 th Thursday Thrift Shop 26 th Friday TOFM June Taylor th Saturday am 28 th Sunday Church Service 29 th Monday Evening Service Urquhart am 7.00 pm

9 March st Tuesday Thrift Shop nd Wednesday Praise Group Church Hall pm 3 rd Thursday Thrift Shop 4 th Friday TOFM St Margaret s Hall th Saturday World Day of Prayer Church Hall am 7.00 pm 6 th Sunday Church Service Messy Church am pm 7 th Monday 8 th Tuesday Thrift Shop th Wednesday Praise Group Church Hall pm 10 th Thursday Thrift Shop 11 th Friday TOFM Church Hall th Saturday am 13 th Sunday Church Service am Prayer Meeting Manse 7.00 pm 14 th Monday 15 th Tuesday Thrift Shop Guild Church Hall am 16 th Wednesday Praise Group Church Hall pm 9.00 pm 17 th Thursday Thrift Shop 18 th Friday TOFM St Margaret s Hall th Saturday 20 th Sunday Church Service am 21 st Monday 22 nd Tuesday Thrift Shop rd Wednesday Session Meeting St Margaret s Hall Praise Group Church Hall am pm 9.00 pm 24 th Thursday Thrift Shop 25 th Friday TOFM Good Friday St Margaret s Hall th Saturday am 27 th Sunday Easter Service am 7.00 pm Evening Service Urquhart 28 th Monday 29 th Tuesday Thrift Shop th Wednesday Praise Group Church Hall am pm 31 st Thursday Thrift Shop

10 Members who died in 2015 GEORGE KYLE, LHANBRYDE. DIED 11/1/15 ERNIE CHRISTIE, ELGIN. DIED 30/1/15 DENNIS THOMSON, LHANBRYDE. DIED 13/2/15 DANNY MURRAY, LHANBRYDE. DIED 24/2/15 WILLIAM SUTHERLAND, LHANBRYDE. DIED 26/3/15 DOROTHY NORRIS, LHANBRYDE. DIED 10/5/15 WINIFRED THOMSON, LHANBRYDE. DIED 8/6/15 SHEILA THOM, LHANBRYDE. DIED 20/6/15 AGNES JOSS, ELGIN. DIED 19/7/15 WALTER LOGIE, LHANBRYDE. DIED 27/7/15 MARGARET GILBERT, LOCH- HILLS. DIED 27/7/15 Messy Church celebrated harvest in October with the story of Ruth. What great fun we had as Sheila told the story through drama involving the children and the adults. November saw us celebrating the miracle of Jesus feeding the We celebrate Christmas at Messy church when we meet on Sunday 6 th December when there will be lots of games, singing, crafts, bible story and of course food! Messy Church dates for 2016 January 10 th February 7 th March 6 th April 3 rd May 1 st June 5 th September 4 th October 2 nd November 6 th December 4 th All take place on Sunday afternoons from 4-6pm in Lhanbryde Community Centre. Everyone is welcome and children must be accompanied by an adult.

11 Praise Group We meet on Wednesday evenings in the small hall from pm. We are a small, informal but enthusiastic group and would love to have some more musicians join us. If you think this could be you please speak to Shirley. Doris I think we are just about there. Jam,jelly,marmalade and toffee. Thank you all for your support has been sent to Mission Aviation. Stamps the money raised throughout Scotland was 4,623 which went to Refuge Home for abused women with their children in "Milotopos" in Northern Greece The money raised will go to the AIDS Project. So please save all your stamps. Thanks, Doris. THRIFT SHOP The Thrift Shop, located on St Andrews Road continues to raise substantial amounts of money and is only open twice per week. Tuesdays am and Thursdays pm. At other times, the Thrift Shop has stalls at various events bookstall outside Keystore or at the Primary School events. Over the Christmas period the shop will be closed after Thursday 10 December and reopen on Tuesday 12 January. The Blythwood Care Shoebox appeal meant 147 boxes were collected on 9 November Church 46 boxes, Thrift Shop 85 boxes and Lhanbryde Primary School 16 boxes. Thanks go to all who gifted filled boxes. Helen Fordyce would like a big thank you to go to all who contributed in any way to help her cover and fill the 85 boxes from the Thrift Shop. We have a good number of volunteers but one, Rosemary Merson, has been there from the start so a stalwart for 33 years. She is now retiring from volunteering but is to be congratulated on her work done over the years. Well done Rosemary, you deserve a break!!

12 TOFM (Together on Friday Mornings) Can you believe we are in Advent? nearly Christmas! As always TOFM has been fun, challenging and at times, noisy! A highlight was at the end of September when 13 of us spent 3 days at Kincraig. Now we look forward to 2016 (10 am to am on Fridays) Coffee and Chat will be on 8 January at Evelyn s 5 February at Elgin Youth Café 4 March at St Margaret s Hall Our Wellbeing will be catered for at the Church Hall on: 15 January when we will dance with Sheila 12 February relaxing with Susan and yoga 11 March when Moira will get us going with games Look out for a new banner in church! At Share we have been busy creating a new one, led by Yvonne. Now we look forward to more sharing and welcoming at St Margaret s Hall on 22 January: Volunteers from CLAN 19 February: choosing/singing our favourite hymns with Evelyn 18 March: Street Pastors It is important for us to talk about and Discuss our faith. Working our way through In God s Hands we have had some lively chats about Desmond Tutu s thoughts We are created for complementarity for togetherness, for family I need other human beings to help me become human Each one of us is utterly unique We continue to meet at June s home on: 29 January: chapter 4 You are loved 26 February: chapter 5 It s all of Grace 25 March: Good Friday when everyone is welcome at St Margaret s Hall for a time of reflection, meditation and quietness with the help of words and music. It s so good getting together, and being together. Welcome!

13 THE GUILD WHOSE WE ARE AND WHOM WE SERVE This year's theme is 'Go in Peace' The meetings in the New Year should be interesting and please feel free to join any of them. On Tuesday January 19 th, we have David Millar, the Youth Worker in Lhanbryde and Tim Betts, the Community Warden coming to speak to us. The theme is 'Working Together' On Tuesday February 16 th we are using our discussion topic ' Let s talk about working through conflict' On Friday March 7 th it s the World Day of Prayer written by women from Cuba and the speaker is Rev Morris Smith Put the dates in your new diaries and come and join us. Yvonne Pearson Guild Convenor

14 Kincraig What do you call a few days at Kincraig with 13 women? Answer? Lots and lots of fun and laughter. This was my first time with the ladies to Kincraig so I did not know what to expect. However, I was looking forward to having a great time and I wasn't disappointed. We set off on a glorious sunny day with the wonderful autumn colours of the trees all along the road. Everyone met up at the Speyside Heather Centre for tea and cakes (bang went the diet - again!) and a look around the shop for a bit of early Christmas shopping. Then on to Kincraig to get settled in before supper with time to relax with knitting, or crocheting, a jigsaw or simply catching up on with one another. Meals were a shared effort, the fridge was filled with all sorts of nice things and we all had our jobs to do so that there weren't too many cooks in the kitchen. Apart from eating, which we did quite a lot, we had quizzes and tried to keep fit to burn off the calories we had put on at the Heather Centre, and at our lovely meals. Most of all I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere which made me feel very welcome, the warmth of friendship and the laughter, of which there was a great deal. We were also very blessed with the weather as the sun shone all the time we were there and gave us the chance for wonderful walks in the woods, by Loch Insh, or to visit Aviemore. A few of us also visited the gin distillery at Inshriach, purely educational you understand, and the Inshriach Gardens where we had yet more delicious cakes. It was also wonderful to see the many varieties of wild birds that visit the site. Sadly the time to leave came all too quickly and we shared a relaxing worship time at Insh Church in which Chelsea sang a very moving song for us. A very special time. Then it was on to the last stop. Muckrach Hotel (very posh) where we had a final calorific feast of cream scones and coffee. Would I go back again? The answer must be yes. I had a great time despite the extra inches! Jan.

15 ABERNETHY TRIP 2015 Back in mid- September eight teens and three leaders spent an amazing weekend at Abernethy. The weather could not have been more perfect for flying through the trees on the zip line, negotiating the hazards of the obstacle course and paddling around Loch Morlich in Canadian canoes. When asked to sum up the highlights, here are some replies: photobombing a wedding party who were at the side of the loch; filming the ducks David Attenborough style with Chris s GoPro; the bonfire on Sat night in grounds of the centre; singing My Lighthouse by Irish band Rend Collective at church hearing the incredibly moving story during Nethy church service of the guy who became a Christian in prison, and shared his faith with others and who, despite many appeals was condemned and went to his execution singing Bless the Lord, o my Soul If you d like to find out more about their experiences, do speak to any of those who were at the weekend and you ll learn all about photobombing and GoPros! As well as

16 enjoying a great time away together, everyone learned lots about the challenge of living day as a Christian. Many thanks again, to the whole congregation for all their support. Do you ever need to phone directory enquiries? If so please consider using Why? Because the 2 main 118 numbers have increased their prices by up to 50% in recent years so you can save money but MUCH more importantly every time you use the service 9p will go to Crossreach, the Church of Scotland s services provider for those who need support of all kinds. So you can save up to 75% on other 118 services AND help others. As a well- known advertising animal would say simples! Use Fiona Fraser s article I am a member of The Western Front Association, Chairman for North of Scotland is Derek Bird. I joined in 2014 having read Derek Birds book The Spirit of the Troops Is Excellent. The book is about the 6th Morayshire Battalion Seaforth Highlanders in the Great War My Uncle Charles was 1 of 3 brothers who served in WW1, he was in the Seaforth s 3/6. Uncle Charles did not return, I wanted to know what happened to him, this question was answered in Derek's book. Next I had to visit his memorial in France which I did in I was caught unawares of the deep feelings of sadness and mix of pride and joy I felt. This was the beginning of my journey to bring this terrible War to friends and family notice what these young men and women went through for us. The story continues...

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19 Meg Anderson Article Evacuation In October 1943, my maternal Grandfather, who farmed Wellhill, which is adjacent to the Culbins, near Kintessack, received a visit from three men from the Admiralty, to tell him that he and other farmers whose homes were within a mile of the coast would have to leave their homes and give up the land they farmed for wartime uses. My parents were also affected, as their farm, called Lingieston, was just across the bay from Findhorn. We know now that this strip of coastland, stretching from near Nairn to about Roseisle, was chosen because it was the most like the terrain in Normandy that there was in this country. It was here that the planning and practising for the Normandy landings was to be done. They were given three weeks to get out. Of course, at that time, there were no combine harvesters, and very few farmers even had a tractor. The oats and barley crops were cut by a binder, (in many cases drawn by horses), and the sheaves built into stacks until the men with the threshing mill came. In these three weeks, they had to thresh all their

20 grain, harvest potatoes and sugar beet etc., and sell all their cattle. My aunt was given leave from her teaching job in Nairn to help at home. The house had to be completely cleared of their belongings. All the extra hands, including eighteen prisoners of war, who were helping to deal with the work that had to be done on the farm, had to be fed. It was a huge amount of work for everyone involved. In the meantime, all the evacuated families had to find somewhere to live for the time they were to be out of their own homes. My Grandparents were offered a cottage by a neighbouring farmer, whose farm was just outside the area to be evacuated, and an elderly neighbour, a widow, took my Mum and Dad in. I was born while they were out of their own home. Of course, all this activity had to be kept secret, and only those involved, or living just outwith the affected area were aware of what was going on. Even in the nearby town of Forres, amazingly, very few people knew of what was going on just a few miles away. Whenever the three weeks were up, and the area had been cleared, things began to happen. Diggers moved in to widen corners on the narrow country roads to allow tanks to move around. The army was in the Black Isle, and they came across the water to invade the evacuated area. The landing craft rolled over farmland, through fences and dykes, and damaging drains. Gunfire could often be heard, and several unexploded land mines were found, and disposed of, when the land was checked, prior to people being allowed back to their homes. During this time, the Highland area was out of bounds to all except those who had been issued with a passport. My father had one, so that he could travel to Inverness and Dingwall to buy the cattle he needed to carry on his cattle - dealing business. By the beginning of June, the Army had set off for the south, and Normandy was invaded on 6th June Those who had been evacuated knew then, that, in a small way, they had helped in that particular initiative. Meg Anderson.

21 Financial Report cumulative to 16 November 2015 In general terms, total receipts cumulative to 16 November amounted to 59,652. Of that figure, Regular Giving amounted to 42,001 made up of 3,582 from FWO, 4,134 from Open Plate and 34,284 Gift Aid donations. Gift Aid represents 81% of our Regular Giving and we are fortunate that so many are able to donate in this way. Up to 30 September, 7,525 has been reclaimed from HMRC and over the years, we have become dependent on this source of income to meet our general expenses. Giving Day donations amounted to 3,120. Total payments amounted to 57,203 resulting in a surplus to date of 2,449. This figure is mainly made up of Ministries & Mission Payments to Edinburgh 32,400, staff costs 5,524, fabric expenditure 4,277, heat & light 3,074, council tax 2,052, Insurance 1,940 and bus costs 1,430. From the figures above it would appear that most members are already in the Gift Aid scheme but if you are currently paying UK Income or Capital Gains Tax and are not already doing so, please consider donating by this method. 66% of Gift Aid donations are currently received through the banking system via regular Standing Orders. This method of giving has become more convenient as people have become more dependent on electronic forms of payment. Offering Cards are available for members who donate by this method which can be put in the offering plate as it is passed round so that their donation receives a blessing along with other cash donations. Contact Glenn Morison (842455) or myself for more information. John Third,salu.treasurer@gmail.com (843341)

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24 Steve Jobs Last Words - I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others eyes, my life is an epitome of success. However, aside from work, I have little joy. In the end, wealth is only a fact of life that I am accustomed to. At this moment, lying on the sick bed and recalling my whole life, I realize that all the recognition and wealth that I took so much pride in, have paled and become meaningless in the face of impending death. In the darkness, I look at the green lights from the life supporting machines and hear the humming mechanical sounds, I can feel the breath of god of death drawing closer Now I know, when we have accumulated sufficient wealth to last our lifetime, we should pursue other matters that are unrelated to wealth Should be something that is more important: Perhaps relationships, perhaps art, perhaps a dream from younger days... Non- stop pursuing of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me. God gave us the senses to let us feel the love in everyone s heart, not the illusions brought about by wealth. The wealth I have won in my life I cannot bring with me. What I can bring is only the memories precipitated by love. That s the true riches which will follow you, accompany you, giving you strength and light to go on. Love can travel a thousand miles. Life has no limit. Go where you want to go. Reach the height you want to reach. It is all in your heart and in your hands. What is the most expensive bed in the world? - "Sick bed" You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear the sickness for you. Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost "Life". When a person goes into the operating room, he will realize that there is one book that he has yet to finish reading "Book of Healthy Life".

25 Whichever stage in life we are at right now, with time, we will face the day when the curtain comes down. Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends... Treat yourself well. Cherish others. Blessings and regards Andrew