december 2014 volume 17 issue 3 christmas tidings from ... · sunday 7 december 10.30am &...

Christmas Services and EventsSunday 7 December10.30am & 6.30pm Communion Services (Killearn Kirk)Friday 12 December7.30pm Strathendrick Singers Christmas Concert (Killearn Kirk)Sunday 14 December10.30am Christmas Gift & Family Nativity Service, the children of the Church will be performing a Nativity Play followed by tea/coffee & mince pies. All villagers are invited to come along to this festive occasion (Killearn Kirk)Tuesday 16 December7.30pm The Guild Christmas Meal (Killearn Kirk Hall)Saturday 20 December6.00pm Christmas Concert in aid of Maggie’s Centre & Killearn Kirk (Killearn Kirk)Sunday 21 December10.30am Morning Service (Killearn Kirk)Wednesday 24 December Christmas Eve11.00 pm Carol Singing followed by Christmas Eve Watchnight service (Killearn Kirk)Thursday 25 December Christmas Day10.00 am Informal Christmas Day Family Service. (Killearn Kirk) Children are invited to bring one of their presents to show the Minister

We wish everyone a happy Christmas. If you are not a regular Church-goer we extend a special welcome to you

to come along to one of our informal services, joining in the celebrations of the message of Christmas.

December 2014 Volume 17 Issue 3

Christmas PostThe Killearn Youth organisations/groups and their supporters will again take up the challenge of operating a Christmas Post within the Village speed sign boundaries. Last year you donated almost £840 to send to Children’s Hospice Association Scotland. Please help us to send another donation this Christmas by supporting the Christmas Post.

The Collecting boxes and Donation boxes will go out on Monday, 1 December at the Killearn Pharmacy and Killearn Butchers. Collections will be made daily. Deliveries will be made during the week commencing 8 and 15 December. There will also be a box sited in the Church on Sunday mornings. Sue Beck (550485); [email protected]

Christmas Tidings from Killearn Kirk


Minister Rev. Lee Messeder 2 The Oaks 550045 [email protected] Worker Amanda McCall [email protected] Clerk Carole Young Killearn Home Farm 550994Treasurer Bob Ballantyne Kilmorie Cottage 550310 Church Officer Iain Sinclair 18 Crosshead Road 550204Roll Keeper Kirsty Smith 26 New Endrick Road 550654Church Office (ansafone when unstaffed) 550326

Personalia

Killearn Kirk is a Charity Registered in Scotland No SC012140Killearn Kirk Tidings is edited by:

Scott Macintosh (tel 550794) - [email protected] printed by The Macintosh Partnership

Visit us online at www.killearnkirk.org.uk or visit our Facebook page:www.facebook.com/pages/Killearn-Kirk/116334885136784

EditorialAn early Happy Christmas and best wishes for the New Year from the Editor. Thanks to all who have contributed to any of our magazines this year and again to Iain Sinclair for permission to reproduce one of his excellent paintings on the cover of this edition.

The next edition of Killearn Kirk Tidings will be published in time for Easter and will have details of the Easter services.

As always articles on any aspect of our Church life are encouraged, and there is always room for more photos to be squeezed in so keep snapping. No need to be an expert photographer or have an expensive camera, better to catch an interesting moment on your smartphone!

Please eMail contributions to the editor in plenty of time. Text should if possible be a Word document attached to an eMail. Pictures & graphics should also be separately attached, please do not embed pictures and graphics within documents or eMails, it can be difficult or impossible to extract them. If in doubt contact the editor beforehand. Thank you.

Sermon RecordingsIf you can’t manage to Church, or indeed you wish to hear them over again, the weekly Sunday sermons are recorded and can be listened to or downloaded from the Church website. If you’re not able to do this they can be brought to your house on a portable player.

Killearn Kirk People

Baptisms:Emily SunderlandJennifer TollandHeather Stephenson

Weddings: Laura Turner to Donald HansomPaul Watson to Gemma GraceyAnne Young to Nick Rudd

We are saddened to report the passing of the following, who were members of Killearn Kirk or whose funeral was taken by our minister. Obituaries can be found in the Killearn Courier: www.kcfc.co.uk/courier.html.

Jim BrownMrs Rose BrownMrs Eileen ScottMrs Hannah ArnoldKen KendallMrs Laura Leven

Thursday ClubThe Thursday Club meets every Thursday afternoon from 2pm to around 4pm in the Church Hall. If you are of pensionable age living in Killearn and are free on a Thursday afternoon, why not come and join us?

Volunteer helpers drive members to our meetings and home again afterwards and you can be assured of a warm welcome. You will have the opportunity to relax and enjoy activities such as card games, dominoes and scrabble with time to chat over a cup of tea. Various events and outings are also planned for the current session including a joint meeting with the Guild and a festive lunch in Drymen.

If you are interested in joining the group, please contact me and I will be able to give you further details.

Volunteers are always needed to drive members to and from meetings or to help prepare refreshments at the meetings and if you feel able to make a commitment in this respect, please contact me.Peggy Gardner (01360 550558), President

Tea/Coffee and CakeWhy not come through to the hall after the Church service and enjoy some friendly conversation with a cup of tea or coffee and a biscuit, sometimes there is even cake. We look forward to seeing you any, or every, Sunday.


Readings and PrayersShould the Minister conduct the entire service each Sunday? Sing the hymns, read the scriptures, lead the prayers, preach the sermon, speak to the children?

In some churches this is what happens but not in Killearn Kirk.

Our Minister, Lee Messeder, encourages us to grow in faith, not by just listening to him but by taking an active part in the service. As well as those involved in teaching the children or singing in the choir, some 40 members took part this year in reading the lesson or leading the prayers of intercession. Others spoke on issues of particular interest.

The contribution of Amanda McCall, our youth and family worker, is of significant importance as she leads enthusiastically those who teach the children and encourage the youth in their journey of faith.

But there is much more that could have been done and many more could have participated.

We live in times when many churches are linked, with one minister covering more than one charge. In Killearn we are fortunate that our Minister can devote most of his time and effort in leading what is a very busy parish, albeit he is temporarily acting as Interim Moderator of Kippen and Norrieston Churches while this linked charge is looking to find a new minister.

At this time new rotas are being prepared covering readings and prayers so if you are not already committed to taking an active part in leading the services give this some thought. It would be really good if one or two younger members came forward.

John Smith (550900)

Nepal one month in Though at the other end of the Himalayas from Kabul, there have been many reminders of what we love about Asia… kind people with time for others, spicy food, mountains, the way that, through the chaos, things kind of work (like the wiring on this lamp post). And the privilege of helping some of the poorest people in the world. There are some things we don’t love so much about Asia… pollution, houses with an endless list of things to fix, power cuts, the patience that is needed for daily life. Thankfully on balance we’re glad we’re here. The children had a fantastic start to school and we are enjoying learning Nepali. We moved into our own home and are starting to enjoy this unique country, Nepal.

Our new postal address is: c/o INF, PO Box 1230, Kathmandu, Nepal Thank you for supporting us in prayer and friendship. If you would also like to give money to BMS towards our support, click here to arrange that or ask us for more details.

Praying for Us - We’re so thankful for the strength God

gave us to get through the last month, with its many challenges

- That little Josh would settle more - For Chris’ first trip away for meetings

(10-13/11 to Pokhara) - That we would get stuff more sorted in

our house! Still a bit chaotic.

D r e w s ’ N e w s

Rebekah on her recent school hike

Remembrance

The annual service of Remembrance was held on Sunday 9th November commencing at the War Memorial thence in the Kirk.

At the after service coffee time there was a cake to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first world war.

Leprosy MissionYour used stamps are still very necessary. In today's world of text, eMail, FaceBook, etc, they are becoming scarcer and their value is increasing, and they can be used to relieve the suffering of leprosy - please pass them on to me. Thanks to all who help in this way or with monetary donations, including the recent anonymous donation of a significant sum.Jim Fallas


CATCHING UP SINCE AUGUST….

I can`t believe how quickly the time has gone since August till now when I wrote the last lot of articles for the Kirk magazine. Wow we really have crammed in a lot!

HARVEST

Suddenly the children were back into the swing of school life here in Killearn and they were preparing for their Harvest Assembly at Killearn Primary. I was very honoured to be asked by the P2/3 teacher Mrs McLean to help. We had great fun working with the older and younger children making BIG PROPS including a mega plate of spaghetti and meat balls, aubergines, apples, rain clouds, sunshines, strawberries and even a 3D recycle bag version of Earth.

The Harvest Service was brilliant and all the children who took part were so enthusiastic and it was great to hear their songs and poems and even to learn some actions to great Harvest songs with the Nursery children. The Scripture Union group from P5-7s did a fantastic job re-enacting the story of the Good Samaritan for modern day, including props such as police hats, peppa-pig buggy’s and even some forged cash their performance was especially good as they had no idea I was going to pull them out of the Assembly to do this. What a great bunch of kids!

The School are such a good support for the Harvest Service at the Kirk and the parents and children donated a couple of cars worth of groceries for Glasgow City mission, as well as some fresh items that were later distributed amongst the older members of the Village. A big thank you to all of you who donated not only through the School but also at the Kirk Harvest Service in October also. We received a lovely letter of thanks from Glasgow City Mission.

RURAL MUSIC & TFNT

Through our liasons with those at Killearn Village Hall and Stirling Councils Norrie McCulloch we were fortunate enough to have serveral Thursday nights in the Basement with the Rural Music Project for those attending TP7T and TFNT. A creative time was had by all and the finished result was several tracks written and performed by the young peole themselves. Their masterpiece can be heard via the link on our Youth and Family Facebook page or with the following link https://soundcloud.com/rural-music-project/sets/killearn-rural-music/s-pJ1sQ It`s been great to see Stirling Council working alongside the youth of Killearn and heres hoping for some more fun together in the future.

Families & Young People


HAWAIIANOWEEN

With the month of October flying past we were suddenly facing our first ever TP7T and TFNT to fall on October 31st. So the children and young people dressed themselves up and came down to the Basement for a Hawaiian Cocktail Night.

Between the 2 groups we had the Queen of Hearts, Minion, Skeleton or 2, Unicorn , Boxer and numerous other costumes….check out our Facebook page for a few pics:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Killearn-Kirk-Youth-and-Family

We also managed to make some really nice cocktails, join in a Halloween Quiz, eat a lot of sweets and go home with our “loot-bags” full. We sure squeeze a lot in.

. . . . . . . . at Killearn Kirk


MESSY PLAY

We are sti l l having great times at Messy Play every other Thursday for the pre-school children of Killearn and surrounding Villages. We`ve been fol lowing the Bible Alive plan we are running through Scripture Union and Kirk Kids, so we have looked at Creation, Adam and Eve and that pesky snake and even Noah. We`ve gloo-ped, printed and made t-shirts as well as sung, munched and played our way from Autumn to Winter and we finish off the year with our Christmas Party on December 11th but we`ll be back in the New Year to look at Abraham and Joseph and Moses and follow them on their adventures with God.

PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN

Often I think I have the best job here in the world as the Killearn Kirk Youth and Family Outreach Worker, but that is only because of the fantastic people who I get to work with, and none more so than the wonderful ladies at Killearn parent and Toddlers who do the most fantastic job entertaining the babies and toddlers while their mummys and carer’s get some adult conversation and a cuppa as well as some great shopping opportunities brought to the comfort of the Kirk halls letting them fill their Christmas stockings without dragging little ones round the shops.

The very lovely ladies make me feel most welcome every time I pop in for a cuppa and a catch up and it was great to be able to spend some fun time with the children making firework pictures in November. Thank you again ladies for making my job so much fun, it wouldn`t be the same without you all. If you’re a new mum, or new to the village or just haven`t been before please pop along to Killearn Parents and Toddlers, Wednesdays in the Kirk halls 9.30-11.30am.


The other great thing about getting to know so many parents in the village through Toddlers and Messy Play is that when the opportunity to pay them back for their kindness to me comes up I get to do some nice things for them. So its been really great to put out teas and coffee for them while they have been waiting for their children at Active Stirling’s Wednesday afternoon sports club. Active Stirling have had a 4 week taster session for pre-school children in the Kirk Halls and although they have finished for 2014, they will be back in 2015, and I will continue to put the kettle on and put out the toys for the parents and siblings waiting around for them especially in the cold Winter months.

HIGHLIGHTS

It has been brilliant once again to share the work of Operation Christmas Child with the congregation here in Killearn. We had aa awesome response from all who took the time to fill shoe boxes with toys for boys and girls as well as the generosity of those who gave money to have a shoebox made up on their behalf and to

cover postage. And with noise and excitement at our Tuesday Scripture Union group at Killearn Primary we filled the 6 remaining shoe boxes on November 18th before I headed through to the distribution Centre in Lennoxtown with my little car bursting with 57 wrapped and packed boxes to make some little ones smile this Christmas. Many thanks on behalf of Samaritans Purse and Operation Christmas Child.

AND FINALLY

And finally I have to say a massive thank you to everyone for all the lovely cards and gifts I received on my big birthday in November. And also I want to wish all the volunteers, Kirk Kids teachers , the staff and children at the schools I visit and all who attend Toddlers, Messy play, and everyone in the villages who make my days so much fun a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.


WOMENS GROUP

We`ve been having a great time on Thursday afternoons at Lynnes home chatting, cake eating, drinking coffee and squeezing in our study book “The Essential 100” from Scripture Union. Just like all the children in our groups we have been looking at Creation, Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham , Issac, Jacob, Joseph and we`ve paused for the Christmas break with Moses and the Israelites on the other side of the Red Sea. It`s been good to be reminded that God always has a plan and often we only see it falling into place as we look back. So if you feel like fun on a Thursday join us, 1-3pm alternate Thursdays for the quickest 2 hours of your life….the chat makes the time fly!

THE NATIVITY

Well as we look towards Christmas our church calendar would not be complete without the boys and girls from crèche to youth at Kirk Kids taking part in our Nativity Service. So as I write my head is filled with Camels, Mary and Joseph, Innkeepers and King Herod not to mention the lack of donkey and the Wiseman with the oozie (yes that’s what he would like to carry and I`m really hoping it’s what the baby Jesus wants). We`ve dusted off our favourite carols and thrown in the twinkly one about the Star and we know it`ll all be a big rush, but as usual it`ll be all right on the night. And all and one are welcome to join us, young and old on Sunday 14th December at 10.30am for our Nativity Service. And we hope you will maybe even bring a gift for a boy or girl to place under our tree for St. Rollox Church toy collection, and we really hope you`ll stay for some tea, mince pie and a chat with old neighbours and friends after the Service and get into the true Spirit of Christmas.

Boys BrigadeIt is with regret that we have to announce the suspension of our BB company due to a lack of registered leaders as required by child protection legislation. After being in operation for 61 years, this was a difficult decision which had to be made by the Kirk. If anyone reading this knows of someone who has the necessary experience and qualifications and would be willing to help, please contact the undernoted. Carole Young (550994); Neil Evans (550715); Jim Fallas (550618)

Leprosy MissionYour used stamps are still very necessary. In today's world of text, eMail, FaceBook, etc, they are becoming scarcer and their value is increasing, and they can be used to relieve the suffering of leprosy - please pass them on to me. Thanks to all who help in this way or with monetary donations, including the recent anonymous donation of a significant sum.Jim Fallas


Malawi Projects Group - Muyang'anira Water ProjectWater! We take it for granted that when we turn on a tap water will flow. Every house has a water supply and a sewage system. Imagine then the plight of the inhabitants of Muyang'anira who have little access to safe water. Every drop of water must be fetched in large water containers and carried long distances. The burden for this falls on the shoulders of young people especially girls. Every day in life they walk 1.5 kilometers to the nearest borehole and wait in a queue that may take 2-3 hours for their turn to come round. They carry 5 gallon containers back home and repeat the whole process in the afternoon. At every point in time including late into night and very early in the morning, one will see long queues (averagely 150) of people (mostly women & girls) lining up at the boreholes. No wonder then girls in particular have a low attendance at school and levels of illiteracy are high.

This also means the community members are exposed to the dangers of water borne diseases like cholera, diarrhoea and dysentery which are not uncommon in the area. In the dry season particularly, community members end up using unsafe water from stagnant water sources.

The plight of Muyang'anira was brought to our attention by Ken Allen who had worked there as a teacher many years ago. One contact in particular was Kwondani Chidziwisano who had studied at Strathclyde University and was keen to do something to help his village.

Muyang'anira village, under the Tradition Authority of Ndamera, is located at the southern tip of Nsanje district. Nsanje district itself is at the southern tip of Malawi. Being the last village in the southern part of Nsanje, it shares boundaries with Mozambique. Muyang'anira village has a total population of 1400, of which 19% of them are children under five years old. There are 714 females and 686 males. The main economic activity is subsistence farming, with some cash crops, groundnuts and sweet potatoes. In the main this area is neglected and little international aid reaches it.

The Killearn Malawi Group felt that by providing further access to clean safe water the girls in particular would benefit and would perhaps be better able to attend school. The general benefits to the community were also recognised in that more time could be devoted to growing crops instead of waiting in queues for water. It was agreed that we would fund two new wells. The villagers created a Water Development Committee and opened a bank account. This was a very new process to all of them. They then asked three companies to tender for the work. There were difficulties in getting companies to tender because of the distances involved. Eventually one was chosen and work began. The first drilling found water and a new well was made. Unfortunately the next three boreholes were dry despite going down 60 metres. The cost of this was born by the company and so they decided to cut their losses and depart. The villagers were in tears at the loss of their opportunity to get a second well. Because the rainy season has now begun, further drilling will not be possible for a few months but we still hope to get a second borehole drilled eventually.

In the meantime every time you turn on your tap think of the people of Muyang'anira and pray that next year we will be able to throw the valuable lifeline of water to them.


The GuildFor our open meeting on 7th October Jenny Wilks organised a Guild Cabaret with readings, some funny some serious, a song or two, and even a (sort of) Can-Can by a few of the members followed by a light supper of sandwiches and cake. On Oct. 21st Mr Len Murray from Mary’s Meals came and spoke to us about their work in Liberia. Parents will only send their children to school if there is a meal provided leaving them without the worry of another mouth to feed. This has been so successful that they are starting this in other countries. First World War memories, was the subject of our next meeting on 4th Nov. exactly 100 years from the start of WW1. Peter Smith and Robert Hunter spoke of their research into the names on the War Memorial and Joan Davies showed slides of the remembrance service at the Menin Gate where the Last Post is played at sundown every evening. On Nov. 18th the Gargunock Songsters entertained us with a variety of songs in the Church. This was an open meeting with visiting local Guilds, followed by tea and home baking.

As I write this we are working hard for the GUILD SALE. We hope that it will be as successful as always. In previous years we have raised from £1800 – to over £2000 and by the time you read this the sale will have taken place. We look forward to our joint meeting with the Thursday Club on 4th December at 2.pm and our Christmas meal served by Table13 followed by entertainment led by Anne MacKay, on 16th Dec. We have a full calendar starting in the New Year with speakers from Robin House, Talk on the Scottish Islands, Health Care, Befriending the Homeless and Street Pastors. If any of these are of interest to you then please come along and join us, we meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday in the Church Hall at 7.30pm, unless otherwise stated, and everyone is very welcome.

GUILD SALE

This year the Sale made almost £1400 and there is still a little more to come. We take this opportunity to thank everyone who worked so hard to make this a success. As you will see from the photos setting up the sale is organised chaos which somehow always ends up looking wonderful. Every stallholder worries about whether there will be enough goods. This year at the Book Stall we considered that we might have to remove two of the tables as we didn’t have enough books to fill them however on Saturday morning books appeared ‘as if by magic’ . Marie Macdonald raised almost £300 for the Marie Curie Cancer Fund, at Stobhill, in memory of Moyra Bogie, from the sale of her book ‘A Trotternish Childhood’. The Guides served delicious Cream Teas and Sue Beck made all the lovely scones on the morning of the sale. Thanks go to the Village Hall for the loan of some of their tables, which we couldn’t have done without, and to Peter Wilks for putting up the bunting, and taking it down again, and also to those helpers who brought the tables from the hall and put them up, and down. This is a team effort involving not only the Guild, but many others.

When I came to Killearn (43 years ago) there was a very active Young Wives and Mothers group and the Guild ladies (Aunties) looked after the children while we had our meeting in the afternoon. Come Sale time we were invited to help at one of the stalls and Mrs Ina Carrick suggested to Jess Christie that I could help on the Unwanted Treasures stall and the rest is history as I helped, then was convenor until a few years ago. A few of those young women who helped then are now stall conveynors, elders, Guild Presidents, Treasures and Secretaries, past and present. So, once again thank you to all who came and helped to make the Sale such a success. - Elizabeth Mathieson


A large turnout is expected on Saturday 20 December in the Kirk at 5.45pm for a dramatic opening at 6.00pm prompt with the solo voice in Once in Royal David’s City. Our charity partner for the evening, Maggie’s Centre, Glasgow will be fielding a contingent of supporters, bucket shakers and helpers suitably logoed up in Maggie’s T-shirts.

The programme will be popular in content and is particularly aimed at young families (Free admission for under 16’s). There are some lively pieces, striking solos and a degree of audience participation and fun. The Concert will last for a brisk 60 minutes without an interval before a drinks and mince pie reception in the adjoining Halls.

Top performers include Robin Versteeg who used to be Organist and Choir Master here in Killearn (see www.vocali3e for recent reviews), the soprano Emma Versteeg, our Church member Dr Paul Boutcher of Robin House on trumpet, the award-winning actress Joanna Tope well-known to audiences at the Royal Lyceum, Citizens & Oran Mor together with two young talented stars from Balfron High whose identities will be revealed on the night. Please book your tickets early and come and join in our musical celebration of Christmas!

Robin Versteeg: Organ/PianoEmma Versteeg: SopranoPaul Boutcher: Trumpet

Killearn Kirk (Church of Scotland), Balfron Road, Killearn, Glasgow, G63 9NL. Registered Charity Number: SC012140

in Killearn Kirk onSaturday, 20 December 2014

Entry by ticket only, at £8.00 eachunder 16s free

Maggie’s Centres offer free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and their families and friends

Drinks by donation

6.00–7.00pmaudience to be seated by 5.45pm

in aid of MAGGIE’S CENTRE, Glasgowand KILLEARN KIRK

An outstanding hour of Christmas music and entertainment featuring

Ticket Sales: Lavinia Drew T: 01360 440544email: [email protected]

mince pies

Registered Charity Number: SC024414

KILLEA

RNKIR

KWARMLY INVITES YOU TO SUPPORT

december 2014 volume 17 issue 3 christmas tidings from ... · sunday 7 december 10.30am &...

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