autumn tidings from killearn kirk · favourites on the piano and a sideshow game of valuing unusual...

Autumn Tidings from

Killearn Kirk

September 2015 Volume 18 Issue 2

Over 230 visitors crushed into Killearn Kirk Halls on 5 August to listen to what Anita Manning and her team had to say about the value of all the antiques and valuables that they had brought along. People travelled from many of the Stirlingshire churches and from Bearsden, Milngavie, Helensburgh and Rhu and there were 90 in the queue as the doors opened at 10am. By lunchtime an additional valuer had to rush out from Glasgow to reduce waiting times.

Anita founded The Great Western Auctions in 1989 in Glasgow and has built up the business and her reputation for obtaining the very best prices – particularly for artefacts from Scotland- in GWA’s regular fortnightly auctions. Anita has also established a separate career as an immensely popular TV personality on UK programmes such as BBC’s Bargain Hunt and Flog It.

The successful formula for their ‘Road Show’ event is that Anita and her team of highly experienced valuers help in fund raising for many charities and churches by hosting well-publicised ‘Valuation Days’. Visitors are charged £10 for having up to three items valued and a good proportion of them are then consigned to GWA for auction.

Killearn Kirk organised a good reception in both the Halls and the Church with teams of bakers, ushers, stewards and general helpers. Tables groaned with goodies and there was plenty left over after five hours of activity.

Local artist, Marion Drummond kindly put on a dramatic display of painting a still life with her unusual technique of using her fingers and rags to apply paint and a lucky person from Glasgow was delighted to win the finished work of art for a fiver!

Helen Barclay played music hall and showbiz favourites on the piano and a sideshow game of valuing unusual objects attracted attention and pound coins.

All in all a wonderfully friendly community event contributing net funds for the Church of £2,500 with everyone feeling very welcome.

Dates for your DiaryBeetle Drive Friday 2 October 6.30pm-8pm Killearn Kirk HallsHarvest Thanksgiving Service Sunday 4th October 10.30am Killearn KirkRemembrance Service Sunday 8th November at War Memorial at 10.45am followed by a service in Killearn KirkJumble Sale Saturday 14th November 2015 Killearn Kirk Halls

Bargain Hunt in Killearn

Autumn Tidings from Killearn Kirk

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

EditorialThe next edition of Killearn Kirk Tidings will be published at the beginning of December and will contain details of our Christmas activities.

Articles are always welcome and can be on any aspect of Church life. In particular a note of humour is always welcome.

Killearn Kirk People Minister Rev. Lee Messeder 2 The Oaks 550045 [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

Baptisms Ayla Ferguson daughter of Tyne & Barry Joseph Leeman son of Helen & MatthewRobyn MacColl daughter of Scott & Lauren Blessing Katie Hopkins daughter of Karen & Doug

Deaths Mrs Caroline Cuthbert Mr James Main Mr Daniel McDonald Mrs Elizabeth Smith Mrs Dorothy Pattenden Mrs Margaret McQueen Mrs June Todd

Weddings Jenifer Beck & Richard Kantharia Lyndsay Broom & Graham Eccles Catherine Weir & Andrew Chalmers Alison Logan & Gavin Lamb Megan Austin & Danny Bolton

Abbeyfield HouseA short church service is held on the last Sunday of the month in the Abbeyfield at 2pm. This service is also open to members of the community who are unable to attend the Church Services in the morning.

Pastoral Care Team“I appeal to you to be shepherds of the flock that God gave you and to take care of it willingly as God wants you to” (1 Peter 5:2).

As many of you will know, a Pastoral Care Team has been established in our Church. At present we have five members who are part of this Group and we will visit the elderly, ill and housebound members of our congregation. These members are Carole Young, Teresa Prescott, Doreen Snadden, Lynne Bouchart and Richard Drew. The minister is available for more urgent pastoral visits.

If you know of anyone in the community who you feel would benefit from a pastoral visit then please contact the team leader, Carole Young, Session Clerk. (550994).

We have a duty of care for one another and to spend time with someone who has been ill or may be just lonely, not only shows compassion but also helps the person to know that the church cares about them. The team will offer practical support, be a listening ear and offer prayers. Pastoral care visitors must always honour the stories and experiences they share with the church member and confidentiality is a must in every respect.


From The Interim ModeratorThe Manse of St Ninians Old Parish Church.

Dear Friends,

I am grateful for the opportunity given through this newsletter to convey to you my good wishes and the good wishes of the Presbytery of Stirling.

I am pleased to know that your minister, Lee, is making steady progress following his operation and I join with you in assuring him of our prayers for his continuing recovery and well being.

The Kirk Session has appointed the Rev Dr Valerie Allan to be Locum for the foreseeable future. Valerie is an experienced minister and I know she will be a real blessing to you in Killearn Kirk in the coming months.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues who have conducted services since the beginning of June. I am particularly grateful to the Rev David Clark for his conduct of worship and of funerals. I know bereaved families have benefitted greatly from his pastoral care.

We are now embarking on a new session in the life of the Church. It is a time to commit ourselves afresh with renewed zeal and strength to the work of God’s Kingdom and to give of our best in His service.

St Paul in the New Testament portrays the Church as the Body of Christ, the people of God joyfully worshipping and working together and being faithful witnesses in the World. It is a picture which ought to encourage and inspire us today for of this we can be sure – the World needs to hear what we have to share and by worshipping and working together we will succeed in the task given to us by our Lord and Saviour, which is to ‘go and tell’.

I assure you of my support and commitment as your Interim Moderator.

Every blessing,

Gary J McIntyre

Just a ThoughtCan a book from 2,000 years ago still have any relevance to our lives today?

An Instruction manual for life:

• The Bible is a big book, but it’s exciting – it’s the story of God, his love for the world and the humans who live in it. In fact, there is sex, romance, war, revenge, love, sacrifice and murder!

• God has designed the Bible to be like a compass for us – it provides us with direction in life.

• It’s not an ordinary book. We talk about being ‘God-breathed’, meaning, even though humans wrote the words, it was God who inspired them to know what to write. (2 Timothy 3: 15 – 17)

A way to relationship:

The Bible is the main way that God Speaks to us and guides us.

“By your words I can see where I am going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path” (Psalm 119:105)


Catherine Weir and Andrew Chalmers were married in Killearn Kirk on 19th June 2015 at a service led by Rev. Lynn McChlery. The reception was held at Cameron House, Loch Lomond. Andrew hails from Dundee and Catherine is the daughter of Andrew and Chirsty Weir and was brought up in Killearn. The newlyweds are now living in Glasgow.

On Easter Saturday, 4 April 2015, Jennifer Beck, an associate solicitor in Edinburgh and Lt Richard Kantharia, a submariner in the Royal Navy, were married in Killearn Kirk by Jennifer's uncle, Rev. Robin McAlpine. They celebrated their wedding with their families and friends in Killearn Village Hall.

Congratulations


Girlguiding in Killearn

Girlguiding is the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK with volunteers leading units to help create amazing opportunities for girls.

In Killearn we have Rainbow (girls aged 5 – 7) Brownie (7 – 10), Guide (10 – 14) and Senior Section (14 – 25) units all run by volunteer leaders. The units give girls space where they can build their confidence, raise their aspirations and have fantastic fun. The programme is exciting and relevant for each age enabling the girls to grow in a fun environment. Some recent activities have been a visit to Green Aspirations to experience woodland life in an evening, attending the Tartan

Gig pop concert in Glasgow, learning more about the village through exploration. Guides and Senior Section enjoy camps and trips to international camps at home and abroard whilst Rainbows have sleepovers and Brownies can go away overnight or longer. They have all been involved in community based activities.

If you wish to find out more please go to www.girlguiding.org.uk and click on “about us” to find out more about each section or “get involved” if you wish to register your interest for your daughter to join or if you, as an adult, wish to help.

PS: The Guide Unit in Killearn starts the year off with just 2 young members. Do you know of a girl aged 10 - 13 who might be interested in joining the unit? Please contact Sue on 01360 550485 or [email protected].

Girlguiding in Killearn

Boy’s BrigadeIn April I was invited along to the A.G.M. of the Glasgow Stedfast Association, (for ex B.B. officers). The Patron is Mr. John Niel O.B.E. and he travels to countries all over the world, supporting the B.B. During the previous year he had been to New Zealand, Singapore, Malawi and China. He spoke about the welcome he had received and the people he met and explained that when Hong Kong reverted back to China the Chinese allowed the B.B. to continue as the boys were so well mannered and disciplined. After three weeks he came home having helped to start up 12 B.B. companies.

This made me think. In 1883 William Alexander Smith was a Sunday School teacher in Maryhill, Glasgow and the boys were ‘unruly’ so he started up a boys club and called it the B.B. It was the first organisation for boys in the world. The B.B. started in Killearn in 1953 and closed in 2013/14. It seems sad that in China and other parts of the world the Boy’s Brigade is flourishing but in the country where it all started, Brigades are closing down because there is no one willing to give of their time to help.


Kirk Kids and Kirk YouthThis summer the Sunday Morning Youth Group have been working from a Youth Alpha type structure to explore some of the key questions in Christianity, such as “Who is the Holy Spirit?” and “Why should I read the Bible?”. Each week we meet and have some snacks, games and an open time for young people to ask any questions they may have. Some great questions have been asked, and there have also been really good responses as we have looked to find answers in scripture. This programme will continue to run until mid-September.

There has been a break from Kirk Kids over the summer, with an exciting new programme being prepared for when the children return to school after the summer holidays. Some fun worksheets and toys have been available for those who have been in church, exploring the life of David.

Kirk Kids started back after the summer holidays on Sunday, 23rd August. All children aged 4 years to 12 years are welcome to join us. Families can bring the children along to church with them and the children will leave to go to their own activities about 10 minutes after the service starts. The first part of the Church service is for the children. There is a crèche available for children under 4 years.

The Church Youth (secondary school) also meet on Sunday mornings.

Contact Katy Withers or Carole Young for more information.

It has been really good to see so many coming through after the service to have a cuppa and blether. Over the year you have donated £420. Thank you. We have been able to donate £450 to Traidcraft who supplies the tea, coffee and sugar enabling us to remain a FairTrade Kirk. We are always open to giving the money to other causes so if you would like to suggest we will consider.

We have a great group of volunteers who work in pairs on a rota so they are only doing the coffees about once every four months. I would like to thank them for their time and support. If anyone would like to join this group please contact me.

Sue Beck

Cuppa and Blether after Church


Children/Youth and Family Worker

After three and a half years Amanda our Children/Youth and Family worker decided that it was time to move on to pastures new. Her contract now complete she felt that God was telling her that it was time to move on and work on new initiatives to assist other churches in progressing their family work.

Sunday, 21st June was Amanda’s last day and Killearn Kirk held a small tea party for Amanda and her family where she was presented with a gift and flowers on behalf of the congregation.

Amanda was committed to the work she did for Killearn Kirk and the community. She lead the volunteers working with the children and youth groups in the church , assisted with the teaching of the word of God at the schools and mums and toddlers will remember the fun times at Messy Play as well as all the other activities that she as involved in.

Amanda had a great personality and was fun to be around. We wish our blessing on Amanda and her family as they all move on to the next chapter in their lives.

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert”. (Isaiah 43:18-19)

Calendar of Bible ReadersSeptember 2015

6th Sue Beck13th Isobel Shaw20th Hannah Williams27th Alasdair Brown

October 2015

4th Lynne Boutcher Harvest Thanksgiving11th Evelyn Messeder18th John Shaw25th Madge Kennedy

November 2015

1st Catherine Frew8th Minister Remembrance15th Doreen Snaddon22nd Bob Ballantyne29th Lavinia Drew

December 2015

6th Carole Young Communion13th Minister20th Brenda Pell27th Teresa Prescott

If you would like to serve in this way, please contact John Smith to have your name added.

The minister informs the reader of the passage on the Tuesday/Wednesday prior to the service.

Killearn Kirk is actively looking to appoint a new children/youth and family worker.

We would hope to have more information on this appointment by the next edition of our magazine.

Transport to ChurchYou may not be aware that Killearn Kirk will organise transport for anyone unable to make their own way to Church.

If this would be of help to you, please contact Bob Ballantyne at 550310 or the Fellowship Committee members: Teresa, Jenifer, Alison Robinson, Hilary or Margaret Harrison".


As many of you will know, Chris and Debbie Drew are now working out in Nepal with their family of four children.

They went out to Kathmandu in October 2014 and Chris started his new job as National Director with INF (International Nepal Fellowship) in March this year and not long after Nepal suffered a severe earthquake with a further strong aftershock in May.

So this was a testing time not only for Chris but the whole family. INF provided aid to especially remote places and they also have a team of neurosurgeons who specialise in trauma injuries – particularly those of the spinal cord.

So the organisation is concentrating on this area and launched an earthquake appeal for this purpose.

In their house they had a specially reinforced ‘earthquake’ bed and the whole family sheltered under this for several hours before it was safe to go outside.

They then had to spend some nights camping in the basketball court of the children’s school KISC until it was safe for them to return to their house. They also had to spend some further nights outside with the aftershock a few weeks later.

Life is now slowly returning to normal but there is still a very real threat of further eruptions and there are continuing aftershocks which is quite unsettling particularly for the children.

Chris and Debbie Drew in Nepal


Save the dates for these family and community events Killearn Kirk is holding a fun-filled Beetle Drive in theKirk Halls on Friday, 2nd October from 6.30pm until 8pm. Cost is £4 adult, £2 child and light refreshments will be served. There will also be a raffle. Come along and join in a game that is suitable for ALL ages- the young and the young at heart. It's educational and great fun. You could win some fun prizes.

Book a table for four- bring your family and friends. Look out for posters and flyers. Hope to see you there. For more details contact Anne O'Neill (550605) or Katy Withers (449358) The Golden Years Club are holding an exciting ,fun evening, playing "Bingo" in the Kirk Halls on Friday, 30th October in which tea and baking will be served. The cost is £4 adult, £2 child and the games start at 6.30pm until 8pm. This is a game for ALL ages, so come along as a family, with friends, young and old and take your chances at winning fun prizes.

You are guaranteed a friendly, number-calling time Look out for posters and flyers. For more details contact Peter Rea (550432), Bob Ballantyne (550310) Anne O'Neill or Doreen Snedden. Killearn Kirk is holding a Jumble Sale on Saturday,14th November in the KIrk Halls from 10am until 1pm. Entry is £1 and lots of "Goodies " will be sold. Clothes, toys, books, bric-a-brac, CDs and DVDs, household goods, furniture, "nearly new " items, jewellery,hand-bags accessories, garden and sport equipment as well as miscellaneous items will all be accepted ( no electricals, please )

Donations can be brought to the Kirk Halls on Friday, 13th November from 5.30pm until 8pm . More information can be obtained from posters, flyers or contact Richard Drew (440544), Anne ONeill (550605), Helen Gee (550831) and Katy Withers (449358). Many thanks, Anne

In view of these events, it was particularly fitting that the Traidcraft stall was able to make such a generous donation of £1000 to INF shortly before the earthquake. Little did we know how at the time how helpful this would be.

Earthquakes permitting we are looking forward to going to Kathmandu at the end of September.

Lavinia Drew


Finance - Gift Aid

Despite the generosity of many members, recent interim accounts show that we are losing about £250 a week in the day- to- day running of the Kirk. This is largely due to the high costs of the building and the contribution to the wider work of the Church at home and abroad through the Ministries & Mission run by the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh.

However, our income is down but if we could get more of our members to join our Gift Aid scheme by signing a Gift Aid declaration that you pay tax, we can get 25% tax recovery on all your offerings back from HMRC -at no extra cost to you.This could be a great help.

The Gift Aid scheme is open to anyone who pays tax and we do this using the Freewill Offering envelopes or if you choose to contribute a fixed amount each month, through the bank”.

Please contact Helen Gee or Bob Ballantyne if you would like to help.

Over the year so far, we have continued to maintain the Kirk buildings and manse as well as dealing with unexpected repairs.

The main projects this year have been upgrading the kitchen at the manse with a new worktop and some new essential appliances. The Kirk Hall kitchen has also received new worktops and sink, which has been turned round making it easier to wash, dry and put away without falling over everyone in the process! The sliding doors into hall 1 has been repaired by placing a wooden beam above the doors from which they can hang.

The hearing aid loop system in the Kirk has been fixed and according to most users it is working well. No excuses for nodding off now! We are considering the reactivation the loop systems in both the Session House and Kirk Halls.

The Kirk car park extends from the end of the Village Hall to the Kirk on the tarmac area and the blocked paving area. While we are generally happy to allow free access to all, the use of our car park by village hall users and others has, on occasion, created some problems for kirk users.

We are working on a method where it will be possible to indicate when we require our car park for our exclusive use, if we anticipate a number of people attending an event in the kirk or our halls.

The grass continues to be looked after by James MacDonald. Autumn, which is also known as the fall, is fast approaching. So the leaves will fall. It would be good if as many people as possible could come and help on 31 October to clear the first bit of the leaf fall from the main areas around the Kirk. We will meet at the Kirk at 10am and should be no more than a couple of hours fun. Children welcome.

Property 2015I am grateful to all the committee who continue to work quietly behind the scenes. Do you have an expertise or interest that would enhance the well-

being of the property of the Kirk? Please contact me at [email protected] if you can.

Sue Beck, Property Convenor.


Christian Aid 2015

The door-to-door collection in Killearn raised almost £4000 again this year including gift aid so very many thanks to all who contributed as well as all the collectors. With all the various fundraising activities Christian Aid Week in Scotland is expected to raise £1.5 million.

The idea of distributing the envelopes in advance and collecting them later is to give people the chance if they pay tax to complete the GIFT AID panel in the envelope.

Gift Aid is a very generous scheme from HMRC which allows Christian Aid and other charities like the Kirk to add 25% to any such donation.Our £4000 donation could be worth many times more in the countries where Christian Aid operates and it is a privilege to contribute to such a worthy cause.

For a woman like Adi ,for example, owning a cow gave her enough money to set up a small business buying and selling tea and coffee. She can now feed her family. A cow gave them milk, status and money. She said “ When I got my cow I felt like a conquering hero returning from war…..it was the day I was given a chance”

You have helped to transform lives –thank you again and again.

The Shed That Fed A Million Children

One of the good things about a holiday is relaxing with a good book.

This is certainly one - a book which tells the story of MARY’S MEALS which Duncan Bannatyne says is a must-read for anyone wishing to see how one person can change the lives of millions.

Born in Aberdeen in 1968 Magnus MacFarlane-Burrow started his career as a fish farmer before setting up Scottish International Relief, a charity that later became Mary’s Meals. He is married to Julie, a nurse, and they live together in Dalmally in Argyll with their seven children.

After watching a news bulletin about war-torn Bosnia-Herzegovina Magnus and his brother took a week’s leave from work to help. Neither of them expected it to be a life-changing experience but what began as a one-time road trip in a beaten-up Landrover grew to become Magnus life’s work –he left his job, sold his house and directed all his efforts to feeding thousands of the world’s poorest children.Magnus tells how a series of miraculous circumstances and an overwhelming display of love from those around him led to the creation of Mary’ Meals, an organisation that could hold the key to eradicating child hunger altogether. This humble, heart-warming yet powerful story has never been more relevant in our society of plenty and privilege. It is an extraordinary testament to the impact one person can make ,and will give hope to all who read it.

Today, Mary’s Meals provides nutritious daily meals to more than one million children across four continents, encouraging them to attend school where

the meals are served. Support is global, with fundraising and a w a r e n e s s -raising groups springing up across the world –all from a small shed up in the wilds of Scotland.

This a great book and all royalties from the sale of the book go to Mary’s Meals.


The Probus Club of StrathendrickWe are looking for new members. If you are no longer fully employed then here`s something you can enjoy.

You are never too old to learn or to meet new friends.

We meet on the 1st and 3rd Thursday mornings of each month (10am for coffee and 10.30am start) at Killearn Church Hall.

The speakers for the autumn session are as follows:

September3rd Meg Duckworth A career in newspapers. A woman in a man’s world17th Alasdair Eckersall Behind the scenes of Ben LomondOctober1st Stephen Shirres Supporting those who serve.15th Roger Bilcliffe Visiting Charles Rennie MacIntoshNovember5th Prof Sir Kenneth Calman Scottish Literature and Medicine19th Prof Peter Kennedy Sleeping Sickness in sub-Saharan Africa. December3rd Scott Grier The History of LoganAir17th Members Day

We also arrange outings to places of interest and golf matches.

If you need further information about our activities or wish to join please contact our Secretary - Russell Kirk (01360 550260), Speakers` Convener - Alasdair Brown (01360 551715) or myself.

Yours sincerely,Ian Swann (Chairman) 01360 770650 [email protected]

Guild

As you read this the Guild committee are putting the finishing touches to the syllabus for 2015-2016.

We have many interesting evenings planned.

All meetings take place on the first and third Tuesdays of the month in the Church Hall at 7.30pm unless otherwise stated.

6th October - with Linda Moor who will entertain with music and song followed by a light supper of sandwiches and baking.20th October - A talk about the work of the Salvation Army.3rd November - we have our Project Evening with a talk on the Glasgow Street Pastors.17th November – Guild Week when we are delighted to welcome General Secretary of the Guild, Iain Whyte.1st December – we have our second Project Evening when Sandra Humphries will talk about the work of Feed the Minds .Christmas Coffee Morning - Saturday 6th December in the Church Hall between 10am – 12 noon15th December – Christmas Dinner supplied by Table 13 and then after dinner entertainment organised by Ann MacKay.

We look forward to seeing all our old friends and hopefully some new friends, everyone is welcome to any, or all, of our meetings.

autumn tidings from killearn kirk · favourites on the piano and a sideshow game of valuing unusual...

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