Govan and Linthouse

Parish Church

Magazine

December

2011

G and L Mag nov11

Sidelines

My sister was recently in New York, staying with a friend who works for the

Guggenheim Museum, and they attended one of these panel discussions, we’ve all seen

them, only this one was about art. Or so it said. In fact it was about art markets, where

next in the world can artists sell their creations, where is the big money? The answer is

Asia. Collectors are currently spending half their time in remote villages in China or

Tibet to snap up the art works for their galleries. And in China itself, the newly rich

middle classes are beginning to put together their own private collections.

Neither you nor I object in any way to artists earning a fair living. And if it takes six

months or a year to complete a painting, then it should sell at a cost of six months or a

year’s wages. But when it comes to art that changes hands for a fortune, or art that is

designed to shock us - not into a new way of thinking, that would be valid - but to shock

us with its meaningless frivolity, or to impress us with the jewels that are embedded

into it – art for money’s sake, then I, for one, think the artist’s gift is being betrayed.

This was the reasoning behind the Kandinsky in Govan conference which took place in

the Pearce Institute between the 21st and 23rd October. Kandinsky was a Russian

painter, whose centenary was this year, and who said that art had to speak to your soul,

not just paintings, but sculpture and music, and any other artistic expression.

People came to the conference from all over the world. There were Swedish town

planners and social workers, American activists and artists, as well as interested local

people. In all, about three hundred people came, including Professor Harry Burns, Chief

Medical Officer for Scotland, who gave the keynote address on how spirit-filled music or

paintings encourage our health and well-being.

We hear so much, in poor communities, about our lifestyle being all wrong: poor diet,

smoking and alcohol related death. But there are things we can do that enrich living

experience and raise people’s health, interest and happiness.

In the church we are part of that enriching process. Life is a gift and shouldn’t be just a

gruelling battle against misery. Life is a gift of God, and should be touched with

moments of beauty, reflection, and the homecoming of familiar things. We can take a lot

of things for granted in the church: the richness of an ‘inner life’; the friends and

community that everyone else is trying to manufacture. We know it isn’t perfect, but it is

where the Spirit lives among us.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.

Moyna

Dear friends

I hope that you have enjoyed the so far sunny and colourful autumn days. I think

autumn is an exceptional season. I love the beauty of the yellow and red trees, the warm

and tasty pumpkin soups and harvest celebrations. Apparently many of you dressed up

in very creative ways for the Guild’s Annual Halloween Celebration – I’m looking

forward to see the photographs of this joyful occasion.

I hope that this season will be not only a time of harvest but also seedtime in the life of

our church. As you may know we started a new pilot project in Linthouse: a family

breakfast and a short time of worship from 9:30-10:30am. We hope that despite this

relatively early start, families of the Linthouse area will come along and explore this

time of fellowship.

During the simple but tasty continental breakfast, people had an opportunity to get to

know each other and to strengthen their already existing relationships. After this

informal time of arriving, eating and mingling among people, everybody was welcomed

and we learned a short song together. While singing this song we processed into the

sanctuary of the church.

The time of worship is based on a story telling approach or in other words “reading the

small book” (a children’s story) and “reading the big book” (Bible and the book of our

life). There is a wide range of beautiful children’s books available, which often have a

simple but profound message. For each service we are planning to choose one children’s

story and link it with a verse from the Bible. The first service is based on a story called

“Can’t You Sleep Little Bear”; it is the story about fears, darkness and light,

companionship and the comforting presence of a caring person. The Bible verse is

which aims to underline and expand the massage of the book is based on Psalm 36

verses 6&9:

How precious, O God, is your constant love! We find protection under the shadow of your wings. You are the fountain of all life; And because of your light we see the light. This verse illustrates that we may not always be able to rely on the caring presence of

another person, but we always at anytime and in everyplace can rely on the caring and

loving presence of God.

On one hand this family service will aim to be as child friendly as possible, on the other

hand it will try to address the adults and parents with a short reflection on the story, the

verse and our role in relation to the families who journey with us. The service will

include modern children’s, as well as more traditional adult, hymns. During this

reflection the children will have an opportunity to unfold their creative potential. In the

first service the children decorated little jumping bears.

I’d like to take this opportunity and thank everybody who has been involved in the

preparation of this service. Your input, help and support has been much appreciated!

I hope that this type of family breakfast and worship will enrich young and old people.

May our hospitality and worship be a witness for God’s omnipresent love in our

community.

The other services are on 4th December and 8th January it would be wonderful to see

you there with your families.

Now I wish you all a colourful autumn time and light filled winter months,

Many blessings, Judith

What’s your Story?

Project We want to gather together individual stories from the congregation of their church lives so far. The reason for doing this is that every story matters. Together, individuals have contributed to the life of the church and every contribution has worth and value. It is important therefore, that we value the past and affirm it as part of who we are now as a congregation. We will ask people to contribute their stories of being part of the church over the years so that people know that where they have been is very important.

Questions The questions asked will, in the first instance, be ones which try and get a sense of what activities people have been involved in through the years. They will include questions such as; how long have you been coming to church? What organisations have you been involved in, as both a child, and as an adult? What changes have you seen in the organisations you have been part of? What difference does coming to church make to your life? These are just a few questions which will give us a flavour of where people have been and how they got to this point in their Christian journey. Method People will have two options. There will be questionnaires available and they can fill these out and put them in a box. Or folk can have a member of the team visit them and ask the questions either at home or at the church. The first option has the advantage that people who want to be anonymous can be, but the second option allows more flexibility to ask supplementary questions. In addition to the questions, people visited may agree to being recorded either on video or audio but no pressure will be put upon them to take this option. The advantage of video or audio is that it can be kept and used in the display which will take place at the end. Once all those who wish to have been interviewed, we will collate responses and publish them in some form. The project will then end with copies of this publication being made available and a display of pictures or other items people have kept will be established for a short period of time. Once all this is complete there will be a service of thanksgiving for the past life of our church. Timescale November - February - interviews/questionnaires gathered. February - March - Collate information April - Responses published, display of pictures etc, service of thanksgiving. The point It is imperative that we affirm the past so that we can shape the future. The church can only be built from where we are now, so we need to know where we are now, and how we got here. No church goes through life without its difficulties and we know this only too well, but we need to make sure that we are celebrating what was good about the past and being thankful to and for those who were part of it. Otherwise all the good stuff gets lost and we lose something valuable and precious to us. Any strategy for the future needs to recognise and value the past, and to take from the past any good practice and traditions which people faithfully served to build as our inheritance. Just like so many who came before us, our present will become future generations past and we are charged with their inheritance. It is essential then that we do not lose the past but grab hold of it and use it to build our future. This project seeks to affirm not only the works of the past but the workers themselves.

The Guild

The Guild’s new session began on 18th October. The committee met early August to

discuss the New Syllabus. We feel that it is exciting and challenging. It has a good

variety of new and old (not in years) visitors who give up their time to share our

meetings with us. After our Annual Meeting in Dundee, where we prepared for our final

year with the ‘What does the Lord require of you’ theme, we also examined ’Called to

walk humbly with God’, this was an inspiring day as we listened to special guests.

Our opening night was a mixture of discussing items on the syllabus, enjoying a couple

of short plays following our theme and a general catch up.

On our second meeting we had the pleasure of listening to Matthew Ramsay, a

remarkable young man with a great voice who is a life time member of the Salvation

Army and a key member of all the singing groups in Govan. He had a full programme of

secular as well as spiritual songs. Matthew explained between songs, the origin and also

led us through his own personal walk in faith.

This week we enjoyed our Annual Halloween Party, where many entered into the spirit

of the night.

We had seven of our ladies who gave up their time to work in the kitchen in the Lodging

House Mission. The kitchen has been renovated to a higher standard. However carrots

and all vegetables still require the personal touch.

We will be looking forward to great evenings together leading up to Christmas, on 28th

November the Guild will be opening the Church to hear the Clydebank Male Voice Choir.

This will be an open meeting. We will be having one meeting per month in the Church

which will help our members who find the stairs to the hall difficult.

Our Annual Guild week service in the Church is on Sunday 20th November where we will

explore our theme.

Our syllabus is on the wall in the hall, please feel free to join us at anytime. You will be

most welcome.

Every Blessing for a Peaceful Christmas

Elspeth

Sunday School

We are delighted to have a few new children join us on a Sunday morning, but we have space for more! This session we have talked about the Prodigal Son, Samson and how we are an important part of The Church. I am sure some of you have seen our friezes on the wall including our most recent – ‘You are the vine and we are the branches’. On Halloween Sunday a carved pumpkin showed that we too can be a light to shine brightly for all to see. In the next few weeks we will start to rehearse for our Nativity Play which will be on Sunday 18th December. Our performance will show that the time spent rehearsing will have paid off!! On Sunday 11th December, after the service, the children will be having their Christmas party. The Sunday School will be having a tearoom to raise funds next year. The date will be announced later. As always thank you to everyone for their continued support. The staff and children would like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful 2012.

A CHRISTMAS BLESSING

Wilda English, n.d.

God grant you the light of Christmas, which is faith;

the warmth of Christmas, which is purity;

the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice;

the belief in Christmas, which is truth;

the all of Christmas, which is Christ?.

34th Glasgow Girls’ Brigade

The session is now well underway and one of the subjects we are covering is about Glasgow. So far Netta Carruthers has kindly given us a guided tour of Govan Old which we thoroughly enjoyed. We have been on the open topped bus tour of Glasgow seeing lots of interesting places and stopping at the Peoples Palace where the children really enjoyed seeing the old house, the prison, the Anderson Shelter and many more things.

On 12th October we had an officer from Glasgow who taught circus skills to the children. Some of them seemed to have a talent for spinning plates, juggling with scarves, walking on stilts and riding a little bike. Look out for something like this at our Display!

On 29th October we headed for the Kelvin Hall with Explorers and Juniors. This was a fun morning with a Gladiator inflatable, the Animal Man, Puppet Theatre, Circus Act, face painting, parachute etc. The balloon man was a hit with the girls coming home with some great balloons, a monkey on a tree, a penguin, a crown, dogs, umbrellas and lots more.

We have a group of older girls and two officers having guitar lessons this session. They are getting along quite well and hopefully it will not be too long before they play some tunes for us.

The 3rd December is our Christmas Tearoom and Fayre. Santa will be coming along so if you know any children please bring them along. There will be gift stalls and lots of other things on the day.

On Saturday 17th December we have been asked by Virgin Trains to do carol singing on the train to Carlisle. We hope it will be better weather as we were snowed off last year.

Many thanks to Karen Stevely for co-ordinating the Shoe Box Appeal for Blythswood Care. The total number of boxes filled this year is 213. A big thank you to everyone who gave donations for this, without your help we would never have been able to achieve this number.

The officers and girls of the Company would like to wish the congregation and friends a very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.

Sandra MacDonald

Festival of Trees

Any of our Church Organisations are more than welcome to put up their own tree for

this. Over that last few years the Guild, Sunday School, Saturday Tea Room, Boys

Brigade, Sunday Canteen and 34th Girls Brigade have all taken part. You are more than

welcome to think up your own theme for the tree – have fun and thanks again to all who

take part. Jean McFarlane

10th Glasgow Girls’ Brigade

The new session is well underway and our numbers are well up on last year in all

sections.

October was a busy month with the annual Halloween Party on 26th October which was

a great success as always and our Explorers and Juniors joined others from across

Glasgow at the Kelvin Hall on Saturday 29th October for a party which was organised by

Glasgow Division.

November saw us begin our Crafts for Christmas with the Explorers and Juniors while

the Brigaders had fun giving each other manicures. They also enjoyed an evening with

former member Kirsty Dutch who is now a Hairdresser. Kirsty shared her best kept

secrets on how to take care of and style your hair. We are also holding a Coffee Morning

on Saturday 19th November from 10.30-12.30 in Govan Old and hope to see you there.

And finally before we head off for the holidays the Brigaders have a visit to the SECC

pantomime on 19th December to see John Barrowman in Robinson Crusoe.

On behalf of the 10th Glasgow Girls’ Brigade Company I’d like to wish you all a very

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Margaret Grieve

Captain

10th Glasgow Company

Church Flower Calendar for 2012

This is now available in the Church Vestibule for anyone who would care to place

flowers in our Church for the Sunday Morning Services and then the flowers are sent

out to our members and friends who cannot attend church. Could I just thank all who

contributed so readily and frequently to the Flower Calendar, your help is very much

appreciated. May I take this opportunity to say if anyone has a Special Anniversary,

Birthday or Special person they would wish to remember by donating flowers just put

your name in the diary. I would like to wish everyone a Very Happy Christmas and a

Healthy and Happy New Year.

Jean McFarlane.

Derek Neilson

Derek Neilson was a Govanite born and bred, his funeral was in Govan Old Parish

Church on 15th July and was attended by his family and friends as well as those from

Grand Lodge, County Lodge and Govan No 42 District of the Orange Order, who knew

him best and valued his unique contribution. Derek had been a member of Govan Old

Parish for over 20 years and taught in the Sunday School. He also served as a city

Councillor, convener and magistrate, was Chairman of the East Govan Community

Council, a member of the Central Govan Regeneration Steering Group, Chairman of the

Govan Fair Association, Chairman of the School Board of Copeland Primary School and

one of the enthusiastic Friends of Elder Park. He will be sadly missed by all the people

whose lives he touched.

Weddings.

Michelle Stillie and Gary McAvoy Govan Old 22nd October 2011.

Baptism and exchange of Vows.

8th September Baptism of Alexander McKenzie &

Exchange of Vows. Alexander McKenzie and Lesley Livingston

Baptisms.

10th September Lacey Lynn McKenzie, daughter of Lesley and Alex.

25th September Mia Alexandra McKinnon, daughter of Elaine and Craig.

25th September Meghan Janette Crosbie, daughter of Anne-Marie and Mark.

Deaths.

13th September Mrs Joan Steen, dearly loved member of Govan Cross.

Action Aid and Mary’s Meals

I hope as you read this you are all ready to enjoy the Christmas Celebrations. I cannot

thank everyone enough for all your hard work in supporting these two charities and

even more so since I was “missing” for a good few months – but your boxes still kept

coming in – it was a real boost to me. And a big thanks to everyone who brought the

boxes along to me.

I hope everyone has a Wonderful Christmas and a Very Happy New Year.

Thanks Rose McLoughlin

Here is a copy of an article I got from the paper.

Gift Shop in Govan Old

I just wanted to say a Huge Thank You to everyone who supported the gift shop. I know

it was extra work and I know I didn’t go about organising it the best way possible but all

things considered we did very well. We sold £400 worth of stock and as you can see

from the previous letter and certificate, it has made a big difference to the people and

communities it supports.

Your hard work was very much appreciated and I look forward to the Spring, when we

can get it back up and running and continue to raise awareness of Fair Trade products

and help support them.

Kind Regards

Gillian

Sunday Canteen Rota

Yet again Ladies and Gents it is time to make up the rota for 2012 and any new faces

would be made most welcome. I am sure you all appreciate the ‘Wee Cuppa’ after our

Sunday Morning Service and a huge thanks goes out to all the people who are already on

the rota but we can always make room for more. If you are interested just talk to any of

the team on a Sunday Morning.

Jean McFarlane

Thank you

To Carol Mills for her help with the flower vases – much appreciated.

To Isobel Purves for helping to deliver flowers when necessary to our members who are

either sick or housebound – and she never complains – Well done Isobel.

To Willie Brown and Iain MacDonald who without being asked to every Sunday after

our Moring Service pick up all the hymn sheets and notices left on the pews.

To May and Marion for all their help – much appreciated.

Jean McFarlane

Saturday Tea Room

Okay so you can’t bake or you’re not too sure about baking but that doesn’t stop you

being able to help us on a Saturday at the Tea Room – we can always do with help to

wash up the dishes (and there are plenty of them) help serve on the Stall, clear tables,

make up sandwiches, the list is never ending but if you think there is any way you can

be of help please see the Ladies. You don’t have to commit to every Saturday and take

hours that suit you and you will be made to feel very welcome. You could even be part

of the very Happy Team of workers for the Tea Room starting up after the Winter Break,

mind you the wages are rubbish but the companionship is second to none (and so is the

patter).

Hogmanay Ceilidh

Well folks the time is running by fast and our tickets will be available for sale in the

beginning of December for the Hogmanay Ceilidh at Govan Cross Building. It’s a

fantastic evening which includes dancing, quizzes, fun and a delicious buffet.

Tickets are £4 per person and are available for purchase from Karen or Sandra, get

them in early to avoid disappointment.

Christmas Services.

Christmas Eve, Saturday 24th December

6.oopm Childrens’ Watchnight Govan Cross

7.oopm All –Age Watchnight Linthouse

11.15pm Watchnight Govan Cross

(mince pies, tea and coffee from 10.30pm in the halls)

Christmas Day, Sunday 25th December

10.ooam Communion Govan Old

11.ooam Family Service Govan Cross.

New Year’s Day Sunday 1st January 2012

11.ooam New Year Service Govan Cross

School Services

The Pirie Park Primary School Christmas service will be on

Wednesday 21st December @ 10am in the Linthouse Building

I Sam. 22.1-13 Outlaws. 16th October 2011.

It is always very difficult for individuals to see when it is time to move on: politicians, as

this week, who try to ride out an event which is escalating beyond their control; owners

of businesses who hang on too long, until the inspiration they once brought to it, the

reason for its success, is stifled.

Some of you can remember Neville Chamberlain’s piece of paper, the non-aggression

agreement signed by Adolf Hitler, which Chamberlain waived as he left the plane. You

can understand his desire to believe in peace, if you look at it in context. It was only a

generation since the Great War, when so many young men had been slaughtered on the

battlefields of Europe. You can understand why no prime minister would wish to put

the country through such an experience again. The policy of appeasement, of peace-

broking, makes perfect sense looked at from that perspective. It was too late, of course,

for that -and Chamberlain’s inability to see the build up of the German war machine as

something sinister, something being planned which was quite different from that

worthless signature on the peace treaty, meant that he, Chamberlain had to be pushed

out. ‘For God’s sake go’ Churchill is reported to have said to him.

Churchill, as we know, was one of the few politicians who never flirted with the idea of

doing business with Hitler. What made him so clear sighted on this issue is hard to tell,

he wasn’t always. At the end of the War he was un-electable and the truth is he would be

un-electable now. But for that moment, in 1938, after the Munich Agreement was

signed, he saw what was around the corner, and we should be very thankful that he did.

The rest is history, as they say, Chamberlain resigned, and Churchill became prime

minister, the man needed for the hour.

The problem in the situation in our passage from I Samuel is similar, except that it

wasn’t possible to say to an anointed King that he must go. Saul, vigorous and clear-

sighted at the beginning of his reign, holding the tribal federation together and inspiring

them with his leadership, had managed to inflict severe damage on the Philistines and

the other surrounding nations who encroached on his territory. Saul, making rash

decisions and mentally ill, unable to keep his armed men from slipping away to protect

their own lands, locked in self-pity at their disloyalty, should have gone long before it

reached that stage. Had it not been for the loyalty and courage of his son Jonathan, who

with a small force had routed the Philistine garrison in the strategic pass of Michmash,

Saul would have been penned in on Benjaminite lands and the Philistines would have

made deep incursions into the Judaean hills. It was a dark hour.

We said, a couple of weeks ago, that there was a fairytale element to the Saul’s promise

that whoever rid Israel of the Philistine, Goliath of Gath, would get to marry the king’s

daughter. Of course, in our stories, the woodcutter’s son who slays the dragon always

turns out to be a prince. David was not a prince, nor was he warrior caste, he was the

son of a local country sheikh, and more importantly, he was from the tribe of Judah not

Benjamin which, under Saul, had become the royal tribe. The fairy-tale is about to end.

When Saul offered his daughter in marriage, he expected that one of the warriors of his

court, related to him, from his own clan, would be the champion and his son-in-law. He

had no intention of giving away any power by marrying his daughter to David, and

while David was away fighting, the girl, Merav, was married off to another man.

But David was beginning to make himself a reputation. And we know from the rest of

the story that he was the man of the hour, the king Israel needed. The women who came

out of the towns after his victories, singing and dancing, invented a ditty:

‘Saul has killed his thousands and David his ten thousands’ which put the king in the

shade. Also David’s abilities in the field of battle won other admirers too. Jonathan, who

laid his armour before David, as we heard last week, his bow, his sword and his belt,

conferring kingship, and Michal, Saul’s younger daughter who loved David and wished

to be his wife. Her marriage to David brought him into the centre of Saul’s family and

court, and a potential successor to the crown.

It is perhaps small wonder that Saul was suspicious and jealous of David’s reputation. In

one of his more rational moments, Saul explains:

‘I know that you surely shall be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established

in your hand. Swear to me therefore, by the Lord, that you will not cut off my

descendants after me, that you will not wipe out my name from my father’s house’

Yet in his irrational moments he told another story to his relatives and kinsmen:

‘ Hear now you Benjaminites, will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and

vineyards? Will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of

hundreds? Is that why all of you have conspired against me? No one tells me when my

son makes a league with the son of Jesse, none of you feel for me.’

Eventually, David was forced to leave and take shelter in a cave. It is no longer safe for

him to remain at court. He returned to the wadis of the Judaean hills, an area he knew

extremely well. His father and his brothers went out to join him. They wouldn’t have

been safe either, serving Saul. And then others came: people with all kinds of distresses

and grievances, people who owed debts they could never repay and who were trying to

avoid the ruin of their families, perhaps even people who had been dispossessed of their

lands so that they could be given to Saul’s Benjaminite tribe. Many were discontented,

over the course of the war, over injustices, blood feuds, some were out and out villains

or mule-headed men who had brought their misfortunes on themselves. But they

banded together, and David became their captain.

It is a moment which does not seem very important. Four hundred or so outlaws and

renegades hiding like bandits in the hills. But it is important, for they represent two

important things. Firstly, they identify with the nation of Israel, made up of slaves,

political hotheads and petty crooks, being drawn out of Egypt and suffering in the

wilderness when God forged them into a nation.

Secondly they point forwards, to another King born into David’s house. After a long

spell in the wilderness, he will also gather together political hotheads, small tradesmen,

woman of dubious virtue, hated tax collectors in collaboration with Roman government,

and he will become their captain.

It would seem from this story, and other stories that we know, that God always

indentifies his people from among the edges of other societies, from the raff and scaff

that don’t quite belong anywhere, in situations where they are displaced, angry, or

unable to make a living, or unwilling to serve where they might make a living, or broken

and in darkness. It is among such as these that the Spirit comes - and unexpected

outlaws are the citizens of the kingdom of God.

Dear Lord,

We know this. We have heard all the stories. Yet we still insist on our own

respectability, and want to be in churches with respectable people, important people,

people of influence. So remind us again, in your grace, that we are not the choosers but

the chosen, we are not the masters but the servants. Gather us together and be our

captain, and lead us forward to the ends of the earth. Amen.

Kids Corner

Contacts: Rev Dr Moyna McGlynn Minister 0141 419 0308 07532412496 moyna_mcglynn@hotmail.com Rev Judith Breakey Associate Minister 07858507282 Rev.judith.breakey@gmail.com Paul Cathcart Youth & Children's Outreach & Development Worker 01355 243970 07708396074 paulcathcart@msn.com Rev Andrew Thomson Pastoral Assistant 0141 641 2936 07772502774 thethomsons@hotmail.co.uk Elsie Donald Session Clerk 0141 883 0995 e_donald@ewkd.freeserve.co.uk Frank Brown Treasurer 0141 892 0283 frankbrown697@btinternet.com Gillian McIlreavy Communication Co-ordinator 07811332632 Church Office Tel: 0141 445 2010 glpcglasgow@googlemail.com

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