Kirk Matters Monymusk Church Newsletter: Issue 6 From the Manse Having been around for so long I am now at the point of marrying those I baptised early in my ministry, and even baptising their children. I have also shared with, and seen people at times of trauma and real sadness when a loved one has died or been diagnosed with a serious illness. It is a precious time for me helping in any small way during such sad times in people s lives. By the time you read this Easter will have come and gone. For many people nowadays Easter is a holiday with chocolate eggs or some other family tradition. For me, Easter is the reason I can share sad times with people. I know that thanks to Over the course of my ministry here in Monymusk, now entering its twenty third year, I have shared in many joyous family occasions as folk have had little ones baptised, and young or not so young people have been married, cementing their love for one another. It s a great honour to be part of those lives even if just for a few months in the planning and preparation. the sacrifice that Christ made on a cross, when he died and then rose from the dead, that there is a life to come. In times of tragedy belief in the risen Lord and the place of heaven does not immediately bring comfort, but in time, once the shock of loss is over, many come to understand the real meaning of Easter: God so loved the world that whoever believes in him should not perish but live forever. The church is here to share the love that God gave to us in sending his only Son to die. I or any of the elders would be happy to share in your journey through good times or bad. If you need company on your journey please do not hesitate to contact me or any of the church elders. Euan Glen CONTACT US: In this Issue: Minister: Rev Euan Glen The Manse Email: euanglen@aol.com Tel: 01467 651470 26 St Ninians www: http://monymuskchurch.weebly.com Inverurie AB51 7HF News: kirkmatters@live.co.uk JUNE 2014 Presbytery News 2 Social & Fundraising 3 General Assembly 3 Church Music through the ages 4 Church Family News 6 Children s Competition 7 Church Noticeboard 8 WANTED Labelled photographs of local views and characters for the Monymusk and Cluny churches 2015 calendar. Please send to Euan or any committee member before the end of August. Calendars will be on sale at the Craft Fayre in Millbank Hall in November.
Presbytery News Page 2 EDITORIAL There is a musical theme running through this summer's edition, with mention of Ian White's performance at Howe Trinity, a Midsummer Concert, mainly music, the forthcoming 'Praise in the Park', and a feature about how Sir Archibald Grant of Monymusk changed the history of church music in Scotland. We learn also of new commitments in Readership from Simon Crouch and Noel Mack and how Janet Wilson is progressing in her journey to ministry. Presbytery Report At the May meeting of Presbytery it was announced that on Sunday June 8 th at Howe Trinity church there is to be an all age event at 6.30 pm with Ian White. Ian will perform some of his children s songs during the evening. His new CD, Reach Across, will be available at this event. Simon Crouch, an elder at Upper Donside who spent some time with us during his training, has been approved as a Reader. In addition Dr Noel Mack has now completed her training for the Readership and the next stage is in the hands of the Moderator and Clerk. Both have our congratulations and best wishes. Church Open Day: Sunday 8th June, 2-4pm. Talk on the History of Monymusk Church Guided tours of the church and tower. Refreshments. All welcome. And there's plenty going on in our congregational life; read all about it! To receive future issues by email please contact the editors at: kirkmatters@live.co.uk Newsletter printed by Timepieces, Kemnay Letter from Janet I would like to let all the wonderful friends I made at Monymusk know that I was successful at my Local Review interview and have got through to the next stage of the Assessment Process. I now have to go to an Assessment Conference at Coatbridge near Glasgow on 2nd May. I would like to thank everyone for the support they gave me and to say how much I enjoyed joining you for worship. I will let you know how I get on and hope to meet up with you again soon. Many thanks Janet Wilson
Social and Fundraising Events Page 3 Monymusk & Cluny churches family ceilidh and stovie supper, Mother s Day, 30th March. GENERAL ASSEMBLY Thanks to all who donated plants or manned the plant stall at the Playgroup spring fayre on 26th April. 117 was raised for Church funds. Monymusk Scottish country dancers led the dancing, Peter Fraser entertained on his mandolin and Anne Ross recited doric monologues. 131 was raised for each congregation. Church display and children s activities at the Monymusk Hall official opening on 10th May. Stated Annual Meeting and World Vision coffee morning. The Stated Annual Meeting was held in the Village hall. The cinema equipment was used to present the annual report and accounts and slides showing World Vision projects in Yilmana Densa, Ethiopia, where we sponsor a 9-year old girl called Anguach. At the close of worship Sunday School hosted a coffee morning which raised 94.50 for the World Vision fund. Moderator, Rt Rev John Chalmers, has served as Principal Clerk of the General Assembly since 2011 and previously held key roles within the Board of Ministry and Ministries Council. He is also a beekeeper, who sold hundreds of pounds of honey in aid of the organ fund at Palmerston Place in Edinburgh. On the opening day the Assembly Arrangements committee agreed to consider whether meetings should be held every other year in order to release resources for deployment at Presbytery level. On Tuesday the special Referendum debate heard from 4 speakers before the session opened for contributions. For details of the week s proceedings go to: www.churchofscotland.o rg.uk/about_us/ general_assembly
Music in Monymusk Church... Page 4 TV STAR Monymusk Church featured in Phil Cunningham s BBC2 documentary on the history of church music. A choir from Aberdeen demonstrated the postreformation style of singing with a precentor singing the line and the congregation repeating it. The program, Grace Notes, aired in February 2009. Midsummer Music 4th & 5th June, 7.15pm Great Hall, Castle Fraser Monymusk and Cluny choir and Cluny church children s choir along with other young musicians from the parish will perform in 2 concerts in aid of Cluny Church funds. Refreshments will be served. Tickets 10 for adults and 5 for children are available from the Minister. HOW IT ALL BEGAN Let us now worship God by singing.. Music is one way in which we can express our emotions. Paul said that we can sing with the spirit just as we can pray with the spirit but the former we share with others. Music was an integral aspect of Christian worship hundreds of years before the establishment of our own church at Monymusk, a church which played an important part in the history of church music in the early 18 th century. In 1690 there were three main Christian churches in Scotland: the remains of the pre reformation Roman Catholic church, the Scottish Episcopal church (prominent in north-east Scotland), and the Church of Scotland. The latter had set its face against the appointment of bishops, unlike the others. The post reformation Church of Scotland had music sung by a precentor singing the line with the congregation repeating it. The Roman Catholic and Episcopalian churches had music led by choirs. Sir Archibald Grant persuaded some English soldiers, stationed in Aberdeen following the 1745 rebellion, to come to Monymusk to introduce congregational psalm singing after the style gaining popularity south of the border. One of their number, Ensign Thomas Shannon, came to Monymusk at the behest of Sir Archibald. The Aberdeen Intelligencer of 26 th November 1754 reported a method of singing the church tunes has lately been introduced into several churches in this neighbourhood. The person who teaches it goes from one parish to another, and carries some of the best singers with him. By his skill in vocal music, and the use of a small instrument called a pitch pipe, he has made great reform. These singers were the Monymusk boys church choir. John Wesley found on his first visit to Monymusk in 1761 a choir of thirty or forty sang an anthem after the service with such voices as well as judgement, that I doubt whether they could have been excelled in any Cathedral in England
...moving with the times Page 5 In these days it was unacceptable to sing the words of the psalms at choir practices outwith Sunday, so How lovely is your dwelling- place became: How lovely is your dwelling-place, Sir Archie Grant to me; Your Home Park and your Policies, How pleasant, Sir, they be Another well known substitution was Oh for a thousand tongues to sing which became : There was an auld Seceder Cat, And it was unco gray; It brocht a moose into the hoose Upon the Sabbath day: It might be fun to try some of these sometime! Thus it is claimed that Monymusk had the first church choir in Scotland, or more accurately within the Church of Scotland. Shannon s singers had a repertoire which included tunes entitled Fintry, Monymusk, Paradise, Kintore, and Rayne. Familiar? They practised at Monymusk House under the guidance of Sir Archibald Grant who had had an organ installed around 1760 one of the first in Scotland. It was rebuilt and probably extended when transferred to the new Episcopalian Church in the village, in the early 1800s. It is this same organ that we enjoy listening to today in the Arts Trust. Presumably our church had an organ or harmonium before the present one which dates from 1932. It was a gift from John R. Smith of Pitfichie who initially gave money for the restoration of the spire. This project failed for technical reasons and so we have our organ. I wonder what Sir Archie the First would think of our digital hymnal? Our Guild Room was originally a gallery for the laird and his family, but equally likely shared by a boys choir. When we have a choir singing in the church, come and listen, and listen to the echoes from the stones. INTO THE DIGITAL AGE Whilst it is always a pleasure to welcome organist Elizabeth Sudder on the second Sunday of each month, our 800 year old church is now firmly ensconced in the modern age through the purchase of a digital hymnal. This neat little box holds 3000 tunes, including the complete CH4. It comes with a remote control and allows a bewildering number of arrangements to be played. It can be used for regular worship or indeed any church occasion. The remote however doesn't do anything about the volume of the congregation's singing; that's up to us! This state of the art electronic device is impressive but we're always pleased to hear the pipe organ each month.
Church Family News Page 6 ANNOUNCEMENTS Weddings Louise and Mark Susan & Derek Baptisms Chloe Reid In Loving Memory Elsie Urquhart David Craik A Marathon Effort Former Sunday school members Tabitha, Harriet and Fergus Baird and Mark Lane ran in the Edinburgh Marathon on 25th May in memory of the Baird s Dad, Tom, who died very suddenly in May last year from hydrocephalus caused by an arachnoid cyst. They want to help others by raising awareness of this rare neurological condition and raising funds for the Brain and Spine Foundation where donations go towards research, patient information and support and training of specialist nurses for neurological conditions. www.brainandspine.org.uk Congratulations from all at Monymusk church! Sunday School News It has been great to re establish the Sunday School this year. Our small group of younger children have taken their special part in the celebrations in church at Christmas and Easter, We really enjoyed the musical contributions from Kelly and Clara. We were very pleased we were able to carry on Sunday school's commitment to Anguach in Ethiopia with our fund raising tea in March. We would like to thank the families for their support and for keeping in touch by e mail, and the congregation for their enthusiasm and support. This term we have been learning about God as a caring Father in the parable of the shepherd. We hope you enjoy doing the puzzle on the next page. We will hold our end of year service on June 15 th when we look forward to telling you about some of the stories we have heard and what we have learned about God and Jesus. This service will be very informal, with children's songs, including one from the mainly music songbook. The children will help Mr. Glen to tell us a little more about God. We invite all the children to bring their Dads to join us. We will celebrate Father s Day with coffee and special cakes after the service. mainly music mainly music is an international organization which originated in New Zealand. It is gaining popularity in churches throughout Scotland, and our group in Monymusk is one of the newest. The mainly music calendar has 4 important dates: Christmas, Easter, Mother s day and Father s day. On Mother s day we recognized and celebrated the important roles of Mums and Grannies. The songs were chosen to fit the theme, the children made gifts for their Mums and Hilary made us a special cake. There are still spaces for preschool children - contact Susan for more information.
Children s Competition Page 7 LOST SHEEP COMPETITION Can you help the shepherd in the picture find his 12 lost sheep? Colour them in and send to Susan: Prizes will be awarded!
Noticeboard Page 8 Sunday 1st June Sunday 8th June Sunday 15th June Sunday 22nd June Sundays in July: Sundays in August: Sunday 24th August: 10am Joint Family Service in Monymusk Church 2-4pm Open Day Monymusk Church Sunday School Prizegiving Inverurie Bike Race teas 10am Joint Family Services in Monymusk Church 10am Joint Family Services in Cluny Church 11am Praise in the Park, Sauchen, with Granite City Brass Band Saturday 7th June Millbank Hall 10am 12noon Cluny church plant sale with all the usual plant and homebaking stalls. Tea, coffee and scones available SENIOR CITIZENS BUS TRIP SATURDAY 28TH JUNE As always the destination of the Senior Citizens summer bus trip is a mystery. The day out includes a bus run, lunch, and afternoon visit before high tea on the way home. The trip is open to anyone over 60 who lives in the parishes of Monymusk or Blairdaff. There is no charge for senior citizens but carers or others going with them are asked to pay. If you are interested in going please contact Euan Glen. Monymusk Parish Church of Scotland: Scottish Charity No. SC0 04525