I t's finally happened. On February 18th, after months of discussion and planning, Melville South and

Inchbrayock congregations united to form the new church Montrose South and Ferryden.

There's something exciting about a new start. It's not that everything that has gone before is discarded - far from it. The two congregations have lots of positive features which will be retained and developed. The fact that this first magazine from the new congregation has retained the title Bridge is a reminder that our task

is still the same. We have the opportunity and responsibility for reaching out to two communities, the south of Montrose and Ferryden and its country area, which are linked by the bridge. But a new start gives an opportunity to take a fresh look at what we are doing, and what we could be doing, and that's what's happening just now. There's lots of activity and the main purpose of this magazine is to let you know:

about things we have done - like the Saturday morning meeting we held to discuss the future of the church, the new website, the

social get-togethers. about things we are doing - like

the options study to help us decide the best solution for the buildings, and the search for a new minister

about things we are going to do - most importantly the tackling of all the issues raised at the Saturday meeting .

We hope that you will be interested in what's going on but most important of all, we hope that you will want to be part of it. As we go forward, there’s a role for everyone. Please feel included, and welcome.

New church - new future

2

Planning for the future It's not often that a church gets the chance to plan a new start and so we have

tried to make the most of this opportunity. A group of about 60 members accepted the invitation to come to our Saturday morning meeting to discuss 'What kind of church would you like our new church to be? ' After a light breakfast, everyone divided into eight groups to discuss :

What kind of church would you like us to be? How can we help build up our relationship with God? How can we reach out to and care for others? How can we strengthen and support each other?

There were really good discussions in the groups and lots of comments – 4 A4 pages of them! The comments were all collated, printed and issued to the congregation. The next step, which has already started, is to tackle the areas raised in the discussion using the suggestions made. That will take some time but we hope that there will be steady progress. You will read about that progress in future editions.

On Christmas Eve, I went with family to a service in their church. It was a gloomy day and, although there was daylight, little penetrated into the church.

Before the service, we were all given a candle. I wondered why but did not find out till the service was almost over when we sang “Silent Night.” The lights were dimmed and the pastor lit his candle from another on the chancel. From his candle he then lit those held by two others. They shared with others who lit the candles of the people at the end of rows and from there the light passed from candle to candle.

As I stood with my candle in the balcony of the church and sang “Silent Night”, I looked around. Within two to three minutes at most, the church had changed from gloom to one covered by the lights of hundreds of candles, all stemming from the light of one candle that passed from one person to the next.

And as I watched this

transformation, I was moved by the thought of another that could be. What if every person who believes in the light of Jesus was to pass that light on to someone else whose candle has not yet been lit and then that person did the same for someone else? Think what a transformation we would see in Montrose and Ferryden, in Scotland and elsewhere.

Perhaps, as you read this, you are thinking that you cannot do that because you cannot speak in public. That does not matter. Recently, I heard the testimony of James who came to Christ because of Bill’s lifestyle. James did not like Bill because of the way Bill led his life until Bill became a Christian. Bill

completely changed his lifestyle and the two of them became great friends. James became a Christian because of the change that he saw in Bill. So even if we cannot speak, we can bring others to Christ by the way we lead our lives and by allowing Christ’s light to be seen in our actions. These sentiments are

echoed by the words of Charlie Landsborough, well know singer and devout Christian, in his song “Shine Your Light”:

“Shine your light against the dark Stand upright and make your mark Do your best wherever you may be And shine your light for me”

As the new congregation looks forward to bringing Christ’s light to the community, are you willing to play your part?

FROM THE EDITOR

This will be the last issue edited by me. I have enjoyed the journey over

the past 14 years and have appreciated the opportunity to serve

in this way. My good wishes and prayers are with you all, the

congregation and the new editor.

What’s been

happening?

3

Communication One of the things stressed in the Saturday discussion was the need for better communication. At the last session meeting, a small working group was set up to look at all aspects of this. One area where more information was required was the business of the Congregational Board and Kirk Session. The Board is an open meeting where minutes can be seen, but the Session is a closed meeting. It was decided that, wherever possible, news from the Session should be published in the magazine.

Search for a new minister The search for a new minister began as soon as

possible after the union. The first step was to choose a nomination committee who will have the responsibility of carrying out the search. Once the committee had been elected by the congregation and had met with the Presbytery Advisory Committee, it set to work. It can be reported that the vacancy has been advertised but this is one area where better communication cannot feature - in fairness to any ministers interested, the whole process

has been completely confidential until a sole nominee is announced to the congregation.

What’s been

happening?

Dear members and friends, How speedily things move once

they move and right now there are significant changes in Montrose South and Ferryden. The congregation is demonstrating that it is possible to come together with warmth, joy and purpose.

Very soon we’ll be wrestling with important decisions, not only of where the main worship services will take place, but how we are going to be organised, pastored and taught. All this the Kirk Session has on its agenda for next week and will go on thinking through in the next few months. Meantime the Nominating Committee goes about its work in seeking out a new minister and seeks your supportive prayer.

If you’ve been with us the last few weeks you’ll know that since Easter we’ve been looking at Jesus’ parable of the sower and I can’t but think that it has been guided by God to consider this important teaching at this time.

This week, we’re thinking of the rocky ground and asking about how it is possible that what begins in an encouraging way can end shrivelled up and useless. In terms of Jesus’ parable it happens because there is

rocky resistance under the surface which stops the roots developing.

I wonder if you dare think about that at this crucial stage in the congregation’s life. I wonder if some of the reasons might be.....inability or unwillingness to let the word of God do a deep work in us. We are content, it may be, with a certain level of Christian commitment....church every month, putting in an offering, behaving kindly towards others, you can choose where your level is...but there it stops. There is no felt need to go deeper, to discover more of God’s grace; more of God’s enabling power, more of His transformation of life and community. The question is not about where we draw the line of our commitment, but whether there is a line at all. And if there is such a line, then full growth is impossible and in terms of His parable, the promising plant simply withers and dies and is as much use as the seed which was whipped away by the birds of the air.

To take another similar analogy. The height of a building depends on the depth of its foundations!

I wonder if this is a time to take a look at how deep the roots are

going, how solid the underlying foundations in our own personal life and in our life as a member of the Christian community of Montrose South and Ferryden.

Please use these precious months to go deeper with God.

Your temporary pastor, Alastair Alastair Morrice Interim Moderator

Very sincere thanks For the last 14 years, Ian

Davidson has been the magazine editor – even after he moved to the USA! You may not be aware of it, but during the last eight years the articles for Bridge have been emailed across the Atlantic to be put together into the highly attractive and professional looking magazine we have all enjoyed.

With all the changes taking place at present, Ian now thinks that this would be a good time to hand over to someone else. We would like to give him our very sincere thanks for all the dedicated and skilled work he has done on our behalf. We look forward to staying in touch.

From the Interim Moderator

4

Growing Older, and Better ‘I shall not die, but live, and declare the

works of the Lord.’ Psalm 118:17

Today people are living longer and enjoying better health. Given that fact, it would be wise to glean from their wisdom and value their talent. You may have noticed that television advertisers are targeting younger and younger people. Why? After all, isn’t a tube of toothpaste sold to an eighty-year-old just as profitable as one pitched to a kid? The idea that life should be winding down at sixty or seventy makes no sense. Immanuel Kant wrote one of his best philosophical works at the age of seventy-four. Verdi penned his classic ‘Ave Maria’ at eighty-five. Alfred Lord Tennyson was eighty when he wrote ‘Crossing the Bar’. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes set down some of his most brilliant opinions at the age of ninety. Titian painted his famous Allegory of the Battle of Lepanto at the age of ninety-eight. President Ronald Reagan was one of the most powerful men in the world at seventy-five. Noah was over six hundred years old when he came out of the ark and helped to start the world all over again. David the psalmist wrote two things worth noting about getting older: 1) ‘They shall still bear fruit in old age’ (Psalm 92:14 NKJV); 2) ‘I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.’ When the spotlight moves from you to the younger generation, don’t be discouraged. Just serve faithfully in the shadows, knowing that one day God will reward you openly for all you have done.

This appeared recently in “The Word for Today” . Word for Today notes are produced by United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) and can be received, free of charge, from PO Box 255, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 8YY (Tel: 01782 642000; email: ucb@ucb.co.uk or visit www.ucb.co.uk)

1 pound ground beef salt and pepper to taste 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 teaspoons dried thyme 2 tablespoons butter 1 small onion, sliced into thin rings 16 oz sliced fresh vegetables 3 large potatoes, thinly sliced 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken

soup Cream crackers, crushed 1 pinch paprika, for garnish 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 2. Crumble the ground beef into a large skillet over

medium heat. Season with salt, pepper, cumin,

garlic, poultry seasoning, and thyme. Cook, stirring to crumble, until evenly browned. Drain, and transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish, or large casserole dish.

3. Arrange 2 layers of sliced potato over the ground beef, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper. Melt butter in the skillet over medium heat, and saute the onions and vegetables until tender. Spread over the top of the potatoes.

4. Stir just enough water into the soup to make it pourable, and spoon over the top of the casserole, making sure to spread out evenly. Scatter the cracker crumbs over the top, and sprinkle with paprika. Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake for about 1 hour in the preheated oven, until the potatoes are soft. Remove the aluminum foil, and return to the oven to brown the top, about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Budget Delight Empty Wallet Casserole

What about the buildings?

On the advice of trustees of the Church of Scotland, an option study, 50% funded by the Church of Scotland, is being carried out on all the buildings. An architect's firm from Aberdeen has been employed to examine all the buildings and to answer these questions :

What is the condition of each building? How could each building be adapted to serve as a more modern church? If each building were to be put on the market, how sellable would it be and what would be its value?

It is likely that this study will be completed by the time you read this. The next step will be to consider all the information and to come to a final decision.

What’s been

happening?

5

A New Website We’ve a new website. You’ll find it at www.montrosesouthandferryden.com Our website is a set of pages of information on the Internet about our church, published by several members of the congregation, available to be read by any-one in Montrose / Ferryden and …..around the world.

It was originally set up in May 2015, with Inchbrayock and Melville South being the last churches in the town to have an online presence. Because there is no limit to the size of our website, we are able to display everything you might ever wish to know about the church and our activities, well beyond the bare times of services and names of office bearers. There is

a news page with forthcoming activities within the church, and the parish. a profile of, and aims for, our new church, the history of the two buildings and congregations (with

more in the pipeline) maps to help visitors find our buildings, church activities, including activities with Montrose Churches Together and of course, where our services are, month by month. (no mean feat in itself!)

A media page (a bit pretentious) with previous issues of “Bridge” to download, as well as the opportu-nity to listen to any Sunday morning sermons you may have missed, or wish to listen to again

As our Nomination Committee begins the search for our new minister, they have a very powerful weapon in the Vacancy page, which hopefully contains the answers to all the questions a prospective applicant might have about our church.

The news announcements, and sermon will usually be on the website within 24 hours, as the site is normally kept right up to date. (a benefit of being maintained by several members).

In fact, there are so many interesting and useful things on the site, you would be better just logging on and checking it out for yourselves. www.montrosesouthandferryden.com And while you’re at it, check the “Contact Us” page. On that form, just put in your own details, email and home addresses, phone numbers, and press send. The more members we can contact electronically, the better will be our communication within the church.

One of the webpages

What’s been

happening?

6

Scottish Bible Society

"Healing through hearing"

T hroughout secondary school I have always been decisive about what I wanted to do in the future. For the most part I

wished to go abroad on a Christian gap year as travelling is something that really appeals to me. I had my heart set on going to India after a four week holiday in 2014 with the family. Around this time I began to hear about a Christian gap year organisation called Youth For Christ (YFC) which I put off on more than one occasion as it is UK based and I was determined on going abroad. I was so determined on going abroad that nothing was changing my mind. Well nothing except God. A quote in my Word 4 u 2day bible notes said, “A missionary isn’t someone who crosses the sea, but sees the cross.” I became very aware that God has a plan for my life which included postponing the option of travelling abroad. Throughout the next couple of weeks I began to hear even more about YFC through what Alan Fraser would call “Godincidences” and I knew it was what both God and I wanted.

I applied for YFC in December 2015 and have been accepted. I will be placed somewhere in Britain where I will be staying with a family for a year from September

2016. The gap year, which I am really looking forward to, offers training on theology as well as a practical placement doing youth work in areas such as schools and churches. It also offers a level three youth work qualification. An additional part of the gap year is musical worship, an area where I am able to express my love of music. I am very appreciative of the support I have been given throughout my years in church; Sunday school, bible class, 10:10 and more recently I was overwhelmed by the support given when I joined the Church in September 2015. I would like to use this opportunity to request that you continue to support, guide and encourage me for this upcoming gap year. The total cost of the gap year comes to £3000 and I

would be very grateful for any financial support in assisting me to raise this money. I am planning on having a couple of fundraising events between now and September which will include a car wash and a concert. I would also value your prayer support leading up to and during my gap year. Anna Linton

Gap Year

"Healing through hearing" is how Groum Pale, a street kid from Ethiopia, describes the power of the Proclaimer device. Groum says, 'Getting to know God's Word changed my life.' He and his sisters were rescued by Hannah's Orphanage - a Christian-run home for street kids. As well as providing a home and improving their health, the orphanage shared God's love with them, using the Proclaimer Bibles provided by the Bible Society of Ethiopia.

Groum says, 'Some people can't read and others find it boring - but we all love the Proclaimer. We are so much more at peace now and we see hope for the future. Thank you so much for giving us this amazing gift.'

The total raised in Montrose towards the Proclaimer project was £1043.63, of which £299.85 came from our united congregations. Many thanks are due to all those whose support made such a splendid total possible.

What is the Proclaimer? It is a black box. Inside, a computer chip holds the recorded text of the entire New Testament. The Proclaimer is compact enough to be portable. It’s solar-powered, or you can wind it up by hand, so the whole community can hear – even where there’s no electricity. How do you use a Proclaimer? Every week, communities in Ethiopia gather together round the Proclaimer to listen to God’s Word. They are used everywhere from prisons, orphanages, hospitals and throughout rural communities. Groups discuss what they’ve heard and consider its meaning for their lives – exactly how the Bible was meant to be experienced.

Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.

Psalm 119: 34-35

7

Dear friend There was a problem at the

Church at Ferryden earlier this year. After heavy rain, water from the field behind the Church found its way through a retaining wall, poured across the car park and ran down Church Road. Drainage from the fields is a notorious problem in Ferryden; but this threatened to bring down the wall and ruin the newly laid tarmac.

Some careful digging has shown what the matter was. A long time ago a pipe was laid to take water from the field into a nearby drain. However, tiny thread-like roots from a sycamore tree had found their way into the pipe. It must have taken years, but gradually they choked the pipe so completely that the water could only go back and find another way out – through our wall!

I wonder if there is a lesson here for us, about our connection with God? Are all the channels open? Or, over the years, have little things come in so that there is no longer a free flow? It could be busy-ness, at

home or at work; or a time of trouble or suffering that has made us doubt. If we are not careful these individual obstacles can choke our spiritual life. One day we may wake up and realise that we’re just not getting through any more. (Can you remember a time when prayer came easily; when you opened your Bible at home and read from its pages; when Sunday worship was something that you looked forward

to?) God is ready to hear us when we

call to him. (In fact, he may have been calling for some time but not had much response.) Clearing choked connections is his business. He can renew our spiritual lives if we allow him to.

Why not turn to him now? Put out of the way whatever may have been coming between you and him. Let your fellowship be renewed. “Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will answer you. You will seek me and you will find me because you will seek me with all your heart.” (Jer 29:12) Let’s unstop the connections and make the most of the fellowship that we are privileged to have with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Yours sincerely

P.S. Coming to church can help!

From the Manse

From the Magazine Ten Years ago

I was brought up in a loving family. I never lacked. My mum and dad scrimped to make sure I had all I wanted.

I had ADHD and was always get-ting in trouble. I took that behaviour into high school where I kept getting disciplined and expelled. I started using drugs. Despite my parents try-ing to steer me on the right path I kept rebelling. I got involved in the gang culture.

By 17 I was selling drugs and my life took a turn for the worst when I started injecting amphetamines. It wasn’t just the drugs I was addicted to, I was addicted to the act of inject-ing itself.

When I ran out of drugs I would

inject alcohol, even night nurse. It wasn’t long before I started heroin.

My drug use impacted my mental health. I saw what heroin was doing to my mind and my body. I wanted to get off it but I couldn’t.

I overdosed over 30 times. I was in such a dark place. I couldn’t see a way out. I was lonely because I had burnt bridges with my family. I couldn’t reach out to them for help.

One day, I passed a charity shop. I went in because I needed to chat to someone. The woman running the shop told me that there was hope and that God had a plan for my life.

These words broke my heart. They instilled in me new hope. I started believing that there was a way out.

Soon, I got accepted into Teen Challenge. This was life-transforming that made me free from drugs. After coming out of Teen Challenge I did a couple of jobs that were ok but they were not my calling.

Career-wise things took a turn for the best when I got a job working for Bethany’s winter Care Shelter.

Because I have struggled with homelessness and addiction I could identify with people who came to the Shelter. One of my strengths is to motivate people without hope.

After working at the Shelter I got a full-time job with Bethany Christian Trust in Bathgate. It is a privilege to use my past experience to help young people see change is possible.

My Life Transformed Brian’s Story

8

At the Session meeting

The main part of the last Session meeting was taken up by a meeting with the Presbytery Vacancy Advisory committee who spoke to the elders about the process of seeking a new minister.

In the time remaining, the Session discussed:

How to refer to the buildings:

(South Church, Castle Street, and Ferryden Church and Hall) Membership of Montrose Churches Together (membership to be applied for) How to organise the Districts (discussion to be continued) Children and Young People’s Work, and Communication (working groups set up) The Parish Profile for the Vacancy (agreed, with the inclusion of the statement ‘The Kirk Session has voted

to uphold the traditional view of the Church of Scotland in relation to marriages and civil partnerships.) Representatives to local groups : Presbytery – Gordon Paterson with Allan Duncan as a freely elected elder:

Parish Grouping – Alan Fraser : Montrose Churches Together – Allan Duncan Alison Duncan was appointed safeguarding coordinator.

It has been another busy time for the Youth Work project. At Christmas we welcomed around 100 children from three primary schools (Ferryden, Lochside and Rosemount) into our churches to take part in Bubblegum n Fluff. This is the second year we have run Bubblegum n Fluff which celebrates the true meaning of Christmas.

In the New Year I attended the Deep Impact conference in Aviemore which is a conference for Christian youth workers. I was introduced to lots of different projects and people who will benefit our project in the future.

I have recently completed a Bible Alive course with P4 in Ferryden primary. We looked at various Bible stories in chronological order

starting with Creation and finishing with Easter. This was a great opportunity and the children particularly enjoyed looking at Jesus' miracles which they presented to the rest of the school at their end of term service.

We are still actively involved in the Fairtrade groups from the various schools and take part in a

(Continued on page 9)

From Our Youth Worker

What’s been

happening?

The Deal A young boy had just gotten his driving permit. He asked his father, who was a minister, if they could discuss the use of the car. His father took him to his study and said to him, "I'll make a deal with you. You bring your grades up, study your bible a little and get your hair cut and we'll talk about it." After about a month the boy came back and again asked his father if they could discuss use of the car. They again went to the father's study where his father said, "Son, I've been real proud of you. You have brought your grades up, you've studied your bible diligently, but you didn't get your hair cut!" The young man waited a moment and replied, "You know Dad, I've been thinking about that. You know, Samson had long hair, Moses had long hair, Noah had long hair, and even Jesus had long hair...." To which his father replied...."Yes, and they WALKED everywhere they went!"

9

Getting together

A strong suggestion made by the Saturday morning meeting was that members of the

new congregation should have the opportunity to meet up to get to know each other better. 10:10 club offered to put on a

Scots night and an evening of music and dancing was enjoyed by more than 50

people.

Verse 1 When I wake up, Well I know I'm

gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who wakes

up late for church! When I get there, Well I know I'm

gonna be I'm gonna be at Ferryden in the

wrong month, When I’m praising’, Well I know I

wanna be I wanna be the one who’s praising

next to you When I’m welcomed , Well I know I

wanna be I wanna be welcomed at South

church by you

Chorus And I would walk 500 miles And I would walk 500 more

Just to be the man who walked a thousand miles

To sit down in oor pews

Verse 2 In our new church, Well I know

we’re gonna be, We’re gonna be the dos-ist church

in all the land We’ll be praying, we'll be singing

songs of praise We'll keep smiling, praising,

laughing all the time When I worship Well I know I

wanna sit I wanna sit down in a South church

pew wi’ you When I’m fed bread In the church at Ferryden

I wanna be the one who’s fed the bread by you

Verse 3

‘Ken oor Andy Well I know he’s gotta be,

He’s gotta be the slickest organist in toon

And the praise band Well I know they're gonna try

They're gonna try to teach us all

some new tunes Reverend Ali Well we know he's

gotta be Gotta be the hardest worker that's

for sure But I know he, must be looking

forward to A bit more time spent playin gawf in

Kirriemuir more time playin gawf in

Kirriemuir -

Chorus Brendan, Fraser - - Elyse, Heather

Anna, Zoe - - John, Michaella Da da da la da da la da la da

10:10! Charlie, Rachel - - Carsten, Sophie

Linzi, Megan – John & Chloe Da da da la da da la da la da

10:10!

500 Miles 2 Proclaimer lookalikes Pete Cowan and Ken

Linton wrote a Proclaimer-like song to celebrate the union and performed it at the

Scots night .

number of activities throughout the town including a Fairtrade event with the Montrose Rainbows, Brownies and Guides.

As many of you know I will be off on maternity leave at the end of June but there is a lot happening before

then. I am hoping to run "Popcorn and Cake" in May for Pentecost with the P7 classes and will require support from members of the congregation. If you feel you would be able to help then please contact me, Alan Fraser, Ken Linton or Roy Nelson. Also if anybody has any ideas for our project please let us know.

Thank you. Emma Duncan

From Our Youth Worker (Continued from page 8)

Useful Contacts Interim Moderator/

Locum Rev. Alastair Morrice ambishkek@swissmail.org or 1575 574102

Joint Session Clerks Mr Roy Nelson Mr Alan Fraser

26 Provost Mitchell Road, Montrose Tel 672873 Highcroft , Montrose, DD10 9SD Tel: 671879

Joint Clerks to the Board Dr Douglas Craig Mrs Rosemary Nelson

Hornblower7@btinternet.com or 01674 958285 26 Provost Mitchell Road, Montrose Tel 672873

Treasurer Mr Allan Duncan Balgove House, Craig, By Montrose

Rollkeeper Mrs Tessa Shearer 100 Castle Street, Montrose

Editor Mr Ian Davidson Email:mail@idavidson.co.uk

This year the Stamp Appeal will support the Church of South India's Othara Eco-Spirituality Centre. 'God created all living and non-living things to coexist in a rhythm and equilibrium, which we often call ecological balance. Ecological disasters befall us when this balance is lost', Bishop Thomas K. Oommen, Deputy Moderator of the Church of South India. The Church of South India (CSI) has recently opened the Othara Eco-spirituality centre near Thiruvalla in Kerala. It is a place where people can come to learn about climate change and the importance of conserving

the earth God has given us. This year the Stamp Project will support some of their ecological innovations including the harvesting and re-use of rain water, the establishment of a biogas plant to power the kitchens and the development of a small dairy and chicken farm for native breeds. Through retreats and conferences, CSI hopes that the knowledge people gain at

the centre will inspire them to live sustainably and encourage others in their community to do likewise. They want to encourage people to appreciate and understand that 'caring for the earth is not only a calling, but a lifestyle.'

Bridge is the official publication of Montrose South and Ferryden Church of Scotland (SCOO9016, a charity registered in Scotland .

Used stamps needed

Please collect your used stamps and place them in the bin in either church entrance.

These are sorted and sold, the money raised helping the World Mission Council to support the work of the Church of South India's Othara

Eco-Spirituality Centre.

Sunday 15 May:

Sponsored ramble to

Northwater Bridge and back

Meet at Old and

St Andrews Church at 2pm

Wed 18 May:

Music and song by Redeemed

Christian Church of God

Baptist Church

at 7.30 pm.