May 2016 Magazine

Transcription

May 2016 Magazine
ST TERNAN’S SCOTTISH EPISCOPAL
CHURCH MUCHALLS
May 2016
Sunday Service 10.30a.m.
Scottish Charity No. 023264
Peter Smart writes …
The Joy of Team Ministry
One of the many joys of being your Interim Ministry Co-ordinator is the team
ministry that operates at St Ternan’s (and at St James’ and at my ‘home church’
in Montrose). I know that there will always be someone deputed in the roster as
deacon, and to read the scriptures, to lead the intercessions, to administer the chalice, and so on –
as well as to undertake all those unseen tasks, like making the coffee and cleaning the church. I
know you have a long history of LCM and the involvement of so many members of the congregation
in one way or another makes for a very collegiate church.
All this takes a heavy burden off my shoulders, and the shoulders of visiting clergy who conduct our
services on an occasional basis. It means, amongst other things, that I have more time during the
week to concentrate my thoughts on the preparation of my sermon. And thinking of sermons, please
read on!
The Preacher’s dilemma
Those of you who were in church on 10 April may recall my ‘going off script’ for a few minutes
during my sermon – and telling you that I was doing so. Why? Because, in preparing for the
sermon, I had come across a number of ambiguities between the commentaries to which I had been
referring. I guess, in fact, that I come across such ambiguities most weeks as I prepare for
preaching. This is what I call ‘the preacher’s dilemma’. Let me give just a couple of examples from
the sermon for 10 April.
The Gospel reading was John 21:1 – 19: the tail end of John’s Gospel, his account of Jesus
appearing to seven disciples on the shore of the Sea of Tiberius. But was this account actually
written by John? Or was it written by one of his followers as a post-script or coda to what John had
written up to the end of John 20? Some scholars have suggested that the latter is the case,
because John 20:30 – 31 may be taken as a natural ending to the Gospel. And some scholars claim
there is a change of writing style in John 2
Then there was the reference to the 153 large fish that the disciples had caught in their net, after
Jesus had told them from the shore to cast their net on the starboard side. Why was the number of
fish so specifically recorded? Was it a metaphor for Jesus’ abundant love for his followers? Could
the large number of fish, caught after the disciples had not landed even a minnow all night, fed up,
despondent, be a message for us today, who worry ourselves about the decline in numbers in the
pews? In God’s good time, shall we have a resurgence of membership, an abundance of fish? Or
was it simply John, one of those in the boat, being pedantic and factual in his reporting?
How should the preacher deal with such ambiguities? How do I know which of the commentators is
likely to be more accurate in their interpretation? Should I shrug my shoulders and say, ‘does it
really matter who wrote that part of the Gospel?’ Do I need even to suggest that there is possibly a
sub-text to those 153 fish? Am I being too clever for my own good, if I become too forensic in my
sermon preparation? What, dear reader/listener, do you think? Please feel free to give me some
feedback – on this, or on any other aspect of my preaching.
May the peace of Christ be always with you.
Peter
Great faith is not the faith that walks always in the light and knows no darkness, but the faith that
perseveres in spite of God’s seeming silence, and that faith will most certainly and surely get its
rewards Fr Andrew SDC
Making sense of the Ascension Paul Hardingham
This month we celebrate Ascension Day. Although somewhat neglected, as it takes place on a
Thursday, it is still an important Christian festival. The New Testament tells us that Jesus
ascended to ‘God’s right hand’ (1 Peter 3:22). But how should we understand this?
Sitting at God’s right hand
Jesus occupies a position of power and authority at the 'oval office' of the universe, ‘exalted
to the right hand of God’ (Acts 2:33). This position was secured by his death and resurrection
and enables us to experience the life of heaven ie eternal life, forgiveness, healing and the
power to transform lives and communities. Is this our expectation and experience?
Standing at God’s right hand
Our experience of heaven is only partial, as we also know the reality of suffering and
disappointment in our lives. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, saw Jesus ‘standing at the
right hand of God’ (Acts 7:56) as he was being stoned to death. Do we recognise that Jesus is
on the throne and has a purpose for our lives, when we are in the middle of setbacks and
difficulties? As a result of Stephen's death, the Church grew and the apostle Paul was
transformed. Where is the fruit of the suffering in our lives?
Praying at God’s right hand
Finally, we are told that Jesus is ‘interceding for us’ at God’s right hand (Romans 8:34 &
Hebrews 7:25). Jesus is on our side at the heart of the universe and fully knows our needs
when praying for us. He is on our side, even when we feel defeated by the wrong things in our
lives.
So where has Jesus gone? Because He is in heaven, the Ascension opens up the possibility that
we can experience the life of heaven, both now and in eternity.
The top 10 Bible stories: Daniel in the Lions’ Den Paul Hardingham
This month’s Must Know Story is Daniel in the lion’s den (Daniel 6). The leaders in Babylon, under
King Darius, wanted to get rid of him. However, Daniel was a powerful person in the kingdom,
because he was committed to God. How did Daniel respond to the opposition?
He chose Character over Comfort
Although his opponents tried to find fault with Daniel (4), they were unable to do so, because he
was ‘trustworthy, neither corrupt nor negligent’. Are there things in our own lives that fail to please
God and spoil our witness? Let’s bring them to God and ask him to help us overcome them.
He chose Discipline over Distraction
A law was passed that declared anyone praying to a god, apart from King Darius, would be thrown
in the lion’s den. As soon as Daniel heard this, he went to his room to pray (10). He consistently
maintained a discipline of prayer three times a day. Like Daniel, do we maintain such a daily
discipline of prayer and reading the Bible, especially in the difficult times?
He chose Love over Life
When Daniel was found praying to God by his opponents (11), he was reported to the king, who
threw him into the lion’s den. However, Daniel chose love for God over seeking his own comfort and
security. He trusted God, who shut the mouths of the lions! As a result, King Darius issued a
proclamation that everyone in the whole kingdom should worship the God of Daniel. Because of the
choices he made, Daniel prospered (28). In what ways do we see our choices for God resulting in
blessing?
As the song challenges us, ‘Dare to be a Daniel! Dare to stand alone! Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known!’
Marking Our Way Lester Amann
Anyone used to hiking and climbing mountains will be aware of cairns - collections of small
stones heaped upon each other. Cairns are markers along a route and ensure that walkers don’t
head off in the wrong direction or succumb to danger.
Cairns have been used as trail markers for thousands of years, and exist not only on mountains
but also on many kinds of terrain. They can vary in size from a low pile of pebbles to elaborate
stone monuments and large sculptures. Sometimes they are specific landmarks or memorials to
some historic event.
Cairns are mentioned in the Bible usually as ‘memorial stones’. Jacob made a small mound at
Bethel and Moses ordered a more decorative construction on Mount Ebal. These were markers
so that people would remember the blessings God had given them in the past. Joshua’s twelve
stones at the River Jordan was a marker commemorating God’s miraculous demonstration, and
in generations to come it would make people stop and think about His almighty power.
Today, we have markers to remind us of God’s provision and love and these are presented as
the Liturgical Year. This consists of the cycle of seasons, feast days and celebrations of
saints. Alongside these, some churches use distinct liturgical colours to cover the altar as a
visual reminder of a season or a day on the Christian Calendar.
Of course, not all churches use a liturgical calendar and perhaps miss out on seasons such as
Lent, to spend some time for personal reflection and spiritual growth. We may not all observe
Maundy Thursday, Ascension Day or Trinity Sunday, but in one way or another we all observe
Christmas, Easter and Pentecost.
In the Bible narrative, the Israelites and later the Jewish nation, were often forgetful of
God’s counsel and care. They needed visual markers of stones and their year of festivals to
constantly remind them that God was always with them.
The principle is the same for us. We can be forgetful, neglectful and negligent of God as we go
about our busy, daily lives. What then are our personal markers? What can we use to help us
stay on the right path with Him? Let’s identify our markers so we do not stray from God’s
guiding and protective hand.
Walking out
"I hope you didn't take it personally, Reverend," said an embarrassed woman after a church
service, "when my husband walked out during your sermon."
"I did find it rather disconcerting," the preacher admitted.
"It's not a reflection on you, sir," insisted the church-goer. "Ralph has been walking in his
sleep ever since he was a child."
FROM THE BISHOP
Ascension Day and Scottish Election Day fall together on Thursday 5 May.
Raising our aspirations is one way of thinking about Ascensiontide. If politics is the art
of the possible then we need politicians of integrity and conviction and a Scottish
government with the imagination and humility to listen and to harness the insights of
those of different viewpoints. We need opposition parties who hold those in power to
account. And we need to exercise our right and responsibility to vote.
I will be presiding at a special Ascension Day Service for the central and northern areas of the
diocese at 7.30pm at St Andrew’s Church Brechin with the Reverend Roderick Grahame, Minister of
Brechin Cathedral preaching. There are refreshments afterwards and I hope some from St Ternan’s
Muchalls might enjoy an evening out.
Christian Aid Week falls 15-21 May. The current migrations of so many millions of people fleeing
from violence, discrimination and poverty are an abrupt reminder of Jesus’ challenge to recognise
our neighbour in the stranger, and to respond with heartfelt generosity. Christian Aid has many
projects around the world which deserve our financial support and our prayers.
On Sunday 16 May we keep the major Christian festival of Pentecost. We celebrate the coming
of the Holy Spirit to the first Christians. The Babel of voices becomes a single message and
Ezekiel’s dry bones are clothed in flesh and rattle into life. Wind and fire touch the apostles in
Jerusalem and Jesus promises that the Spirit will lead us into all truth. Pentecost breathes new life
and excitement into our faith and Church life – or at least it should. Sadly this is not always
apparent, it is as if the lights are on but no-one’s in. The words of the Pentecost hymn are so much
more inspiring:
Like fireworks in the night, the Holy Spirit came; Disciples’ fears took flight when touched by
fronds of flame: And suddenly the world was young as hope embraced a Saviour’s claim.
I have a mischievous episcopal picture in my mind of the diocese as a box of fireworks full of
unpredictable noise, colour and swirling movement, and insatiable energy! May the Spirit be with
you always.
Prayer of thanks for promises kept By Daphne Kitching
Generous Father,
Life is such a complex journey, with its ups and downs. We can easily go off course, or even feel
lost. But you gave us Jesus to be our Way and our guide, and you promised never to leave us or
forsake us. And when Jesus came back to you Lord, after His life on this earth, you promised even
more wonderfully to send the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts, exchanging our fears and anxieties for
your power and peace – a peace which we can’t explain, but can experience when we trust you.
Thank you Father, Son and Holy Spirit that you keep your promises, and that in your strength we
can move forward, confident in your reality and sovereignty, one step at a time. In Jesus name.
Amen.
St Andrews Church Brechin
Ascension Day Service
7.30pm Thursday 5 May 2016
Followed by refreshments
Led by the Rt Rev Dr Nigel Peyton Bishop of Brechin
Preacher the Rev Roderick Grahame
Minister of Brechin Cathedral
The silent sermon
A member of a certain church, who had previously attended services regularly, stopped going.
After a few weeks, the minister decided to visit him. He found the man at home all alone,
sitting by a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his minister's visit, the man welcomed him
awkwardly, and led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.
The minister made himself at home, but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated
the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, he took the fire tongs,
carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone.
Then he sat back in his chair, still silent.
The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and
diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and
dead.
Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. But now the minister chose this time to
leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead bit of coal and placed it back in the middle
of the fire. Immediately it began to glow once more, with the light and warmth of the burning
coals around it. With that, the minister smiled at his host, and quietly let himself out.
Minutes of Vestry Meeting - Monday, 21st March 2016
1.
Matters arising from Vestry Meeting Monday, 21 st March 2016
 Rectory
The new tenant is in residence All utilities have been notified.
 Disabled Car Park
Work has commenced today.
 Baptism
George has been in contact with the baby’s parents. Personalised candles to be
presented to the infant and Godparents. Irene awaiting Baptismal forms from Bishop
Nigel.
 Quiz Night
Posters and tickets now printed for the evening 23 rd April in the Skateraw Hall, Newtonhill
at 7p.m. Cost £5
Supper and Quiz being organised by Colin,
 Charity Giving.
A generous total of £317 was collected for Spinal Muscular Atrophy from collections and
Soup and Sweet lunch.
 Remuneration of Clergy
Completed form returned to Synod Office
2.
Treasurers Report.
 Income for February £2022.75 Expenditure £1974.69, giving surplus of £48.06.
 Current value of funds for February 2016 is £39,253.03.
 Final Statement received from Strutt and Parker re Rectory. They will hold £250.
Awaiting confirmation re Synod’s contribution of £2K towards the Disabled Car Park
 Diocese Contribution for 2016: quota set at £3492 - Standing Order put in place for
monthly payments to cover the amount.
3.
Property Convenors Report
 Rectory
Maintenance and essential work all completed, New Tenant appears to be very happy in
Rectory.
Reports/certificates waited from Electrical contractors, PAT testing of equipment, and
Architects Meter to measure electricity supply to boiler house to be installed, and allow
charging of allocated costs of power between church and rectory Quinquennial
Inspection of Rectory completed. Report awaited. Grants may be available for work
required once report is obtained

6.
Church and extension:
Electrical Periodic Inspection of Church and extension completed.
Architect and the timber specialist have surveyed the church, loft space and under floors.
Reports awaited.
Some external painting and cleaning to outside of extension and repair and painting of
Vestry ceiling still to be done.
AOCB
 Synod Meeting. Colin’s report will be in the Church Magazine this month.
 Mothering Sunday. A letter of thanks has been sent to Tesco for donating the Daffodils
for Mothering Sunday
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Peter has had a meeting with David and Anne Geldart. from St James Church. They
have indicated that they wish to retire from active church involvement from May next
year.
George has been approached by Rev Mel Griffiths regarding starting a Bible study group
in Chapelton.
Should we show more/another film in church following the success of the last
performance.
George understands a family from Chapelton would be happy to give an evening concert
of gospel music should we wish them to do so. It was decided to explore other groups for
a Gospel Evening
The church census form is to be completed in May this year.
Queen’s 90th Birthday Celebrations. Vestry discussed the North Ecumenical Service at
Blairs to be held on June 5th. It was agreed that we would also have a celebration at our
morning service on that day.
Rhona Vassilikos
John and Charles Wesley - evangelists and hymn-writers
John and Charles Wesley were the founders of Methodism. Two of nineteen children born to
Samuel and Susannah Wesley of Epworth Rectory in Lincolnshire in 1703 and 1707, their father
was the local rector, while their mother was a spiritual inspiration to her many children.
Both John and Charles went to Christ Church, Oxford (1720 and 1726). John was ordained, and
Charles and some friends formed a “Holy Club” while still at college. It consisted of men who
dedicated themselves to Bible study, prayer, fasting and good works. Such regular disciplines soon
earned Charles the nickname ‘Methodist’. The name stuck.
Both Charles and John felt called to the mission field, and so in 1735 they sailed to Georgia. Their
time among Indians in America was not a success – they struggled for any real spiritual authority in
their ministries. Feeling failures, they returned to England in some depression. John summed it up:
“I went to America to convert the Indians; but, oh, who shall convert me?”
Then the Wesleys made friends with some Moravians. They stressed that salvation cannot be
earned, but must be received by grace through faith in Christ. Charles was the first to experience
this ‘true’ conversion, when on Pentecost Sunday, 21st May 1738, he wrote that the Spirit of God
“chased away the darkness of my unbelief.”
Only three days later, on 24th May, 1738, it was John’s turn. As he wrote in his journal: “In the
evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s
preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was
describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt
my heart strangely warmed.”
John and Charles Wesley then devoted the rest of their lives to sharing the Good
News of Jesus Christ – and turned England upside-down. When the established
Church threw John out, he took to the fields, preaching to coal miners and
commoners. His itinerant evangelism took him 250,000 miles on horseback and to preach over
40,000 sermons. His small “societies” attracted some 120,000 followers by the time of his death.
Charles became the most prolific and skilled hymn-writer in English history, writing hymns that are
sung widely today, such as “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.” In all, he wrote nearly 7000 hymns.
The legacy of the two brothers lives on. As well as Methodism, their teaching has widely impacted
the holiness movement, the Pentecostal movement, and
Baptism 17th April 2016 conducted by Bishop Nigel Peyton
Congratulations to Ava Grace and her parents Eliot and Victoria
"For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." [Galatians 3:27]
The unstoppable power unleashed at Pentecost
The Rev Roger Roberts, former senior pastor of International Baptist Church in Brussels,
Nine days after the Ascension of Jesus, and 49 days after his crucifixion, the Jews were doing what
they always did this time of year, preparing for the Feast of Ingathering, or Harvest. It was held 50
days after the Passover, and with it, life in Israel looked set to return to normal, with Jesus well on
the way to becoming just a memory.
So no one paid any attention to a small group of Jesus’ disciples who had gathered in a house in
Jerusalem. There were only about 120 of them, and they were quiet and kept to themselves. The
Jews, if they thought about it at all, would have assumed they were still grieving their lost leader.
But the disciples, far from grieving Jesus’ death, were eagerly awaiting for him to send them a
present…. Though they did not understand exactly what it might be.
All they knew was that Jesus was alive, and that before He had ascended to heaven, He had told
them to go to Jerusalem and wait there together for “the gift my father has promised” (Acts 1:4) He
had said: “stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)
These disciples, though they did not know it then, were already acting as the future church – the
ecclesia, which literally means ‘called-out ones’. For those disciples stuck together, together they
waited for God’s blessing.
As with them, so with us today: even though each conversion is intensely personal, we are not
converted to be alone in our faith. Far from it! We are not saved to solitude, but to a life in the
fellowship of the Church. Jesus has ordained that His followers, TOGETHER, be His family on
earth, His witness to the world.
But it has never been a family built on likeness – the believers in the house that day came from
very different backgrounds – from right-wing conservatives (Matthew) to radical left-wing zealots
(Simon). There were some straight-forward fishermen and even women, for good measure. From
the day of its birth, Jesus’ family would include all kinds of people who would find their unity in Him.
The first thing the disciples did was to get down to the business of praying. They did not try and
unite themselves by long discussions with each other. It was the “joining together constantly in
prayer” (verse 14) that brought them together.
The 19th Century London pastor FB Meyer expressed well what awaited those disciples “The task
that awaited that little group was one of unparalleled difficulty. …They were to disciple all nations,
speaking different languages, scattered over the vast Roman Empire, which extended from the
Atlantic to the Far East. … They were to substitute Christianity for paganism, as the foundation of a
new type of civilization. …In fact, humanly speaking and without exaggeration, it depended on that
tiny group of unknown and ordinary men and women, whether the Incarnation and Death, the
Resurrection and Ascension, of the Son of God would obtain the audience and acceptance of
mankind.”
Today the Christian Church faces the same challenge – of making Christ known. We can do
“business as usual” in our strength and by our resources. But great manifestations of God’s saving,
healing and restoring power come only as God’s people “stay for the Spirit” and “wait for the gift” as
Jesus commanded (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4).
Each of us would do well to “ask, seek and knock” for God’s fullness day by day, if we are to enjoy
His full anointing of power on our lives and ministry. We all ‘leak’, and need the continual in-filling
that comes from abiding, persistent prayer.
It was out of the context of prayer that this incipient church in Jerusalem was preparing for the
coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. For God’s fullness in our lives and awakening in
our church today we must believe that He is able and willing to fulfil His highest purpose for us. He
wants to give us His “good gifts,” namely, His Holy Spirit in fullness.
That day in Jerusalem, when the Holy Spirit arrived in all His fullness, Peter stood up and preached
the first ever Christian sermon to the astonished Jews in the city. So - the Jesus their rulers had
crucified at Passover was not dead after all! That Jesus WAS the Messiah, and He was alive!
3,000 were converted that same day. In the power of the Spirit, the Church was born – and growing
fast!
A Christian may not always be conscious of the Holy Spirit’s presence, but he would not even be a
Christian in his absence. John Blanchard
CHRISTIAN AID WEEK
This is the week we love every neighbour
Jesus calls us to love our neighbour as
ourselves, and not just the ones next
door or at the end of the street.
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy
and beloved, compassionate hearts,
kindness, humility, meekness, and
patience, bearing with one another and, if
one has a complaint against another,
forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must
forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together
in perfect harmony.
(Colossians 3:12-14)
The Trinity – when God comes near! Rev Richard Bewes
For through him, we both have access to the Father by one Spirit (Ephesians 2:18)
Access – at last! This is one of the most stupendous sentences in the Bible. Try and think back to
the world of pagan prayers – which had to work frenziedly to gain the reluctant attention of god or
gods - with different names – and believed to be touchy about being addressed properly.
Then in ‘monistic’ belief systems that hold to a single Divinity, God can be perceived as immense
and transcendant, certainly – but aloof and unknowable. Gigantic, yes – but you can’t get near
him!
There was also the traditional animism of Africa, where I was born and brought up. There God was
very much identified with nature; true He might have had His dwelling on Mount Kenya, but He was
also to be found in the rivers, in the rocks; or associated with some special tree. In this pantheistic
mindset, God is actually conceived as being quite close to the worshipper – but, oh – so small!
But while Trinitarian belief declares the Lord to be the great God of all the universe, it is the
historical event of His becoming human among us that has brought Him within tangible reach… and
strangely, without shrinking Him!
When we come to the Trinity, we come – for the first time - to an attractive God of self-disclosure
and self-giving. Here is the God who historically has acted - in the making of Himself KNOWN; in
the suffering for our SINS; in the bestowing of His POWER. We read in Titus 3, verse 4 that ‘when
the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, He saved us.’ Were any
other supposed deities noted for their ‘kindness,’ in putting the interests of a
race of rebels above their own – to the point of naked crucifixion before a
jeering crowd?’
That’s it. When the true God – Father Son and Holy Spirit – occupies the life
and prayers of a fellowship, its members may not be aware of the power that’s
flowing out from their gathering – but newcomers will feel it instantly - on entry!
Children’s exam papers The following real life answers to various exams explain why teachers
need long holidays…
What is a nitrate?
Cheaper than a day rate.
What was Sir Walter Raleigh famous for?
He is a noted figure in history because he invented cigarettes and started a craze for bicycles.
What did Mahatma Gandhi and Genghis Khan have in common?
Unusual names.
Name one of the early Romans’ greatest achievements.
Learning to speak Latin.
Name six animals which live specifically in the Arctic.
Two polar bears. Four seals.
Assess Fashion House plc’s choice to locate its factory near Birmingham. Is Birmingham the right
location for this type of business?
No. People from Birmingham aren’t very fashionable.
How does Romeo’s character develop throughout the play?
It doesn’t, it’s just self, self, self, all the way through.
Name the wife of Orpheus, whom he attempted to save from the underworld.
Mrs Orpheus.
Where was the American Declaration of Independence signed?
At the bottom.
What happens during puberty to a boy?
He says goodbye to his childhood and enters adultery.
State three drawbacks of hedgerow removal.
All the cows will escape. The cars drive into the fields. There is nowhere to hide.
What is the meaning of the word varicose?
Close by.
What is a fibula?
A little lie.
Why would living close to a mobile phone mast cause ill health?
You might walk into it.
What is a vibration?
There are good vibrations and bad vibrations. Good vibrations were discovered in the 1960s.
Where was Hadrian’s Wall built?
Around Hadrian’s garden.
The race of people known as Malays come from which country?
Malaria.
May 16 – June 16 National Smile Month
National Smile Month is 40 years old this year. It is the UK’s largest and longest-running campaign
to promote good oral health, aiming to encourage people to brush twice a day with fluoride
toothpaste, to cut down on sugar, and to visit the dentist regularly. Organised by the British Dental
Health Foundation.
Some fun facts about your smile that you may not know:
- It takes 43 muscles to frown, but only 17 to smile.
- Some people admit to picking their teeth with keys, earrings, bank
notes and even screwdrivers!
- The going rate given by the tooth fairy these days is £1
- 61% of us have been attracted to someone by their smile alone
- 24% of us would share our toothbrush with our partner.
Promise of the Father By Daphne Kitching
(Lk24:44-53, Heb 11:1-3)
Blessing led to leaving,
and leaving to a new coming,
a coming in power and joy
to worship and to witness
to God’s plan fulfilled
in the reality of Jesus, living.
This is the promised day,
the day of clothing
with power and presence,
and a fresh sending
of those with opened eyes
in every generation,
releasing hope and faith-filled certainty,
making sense of everything.
Come Holy Spirit, clothe me, send me.
Ministry Team
Interim Minister: Bishop of Brechin Right Rev’d Dr Nigel Peyton
Tel: 01382 562244 (office)
George Masson Tel: 07711393725
ROTA ---- MAY 2016
Date:
CELEBRANT/
Readers/
Pastoral Assistant/
Intercessions:
Readings:
Sidesperson
Cleaning/
Teas
Address/Chalice
01/05/16
PETER SMART
Sheila Usher
ACTS 16: 9-15
SIXTH
Irene Butler
Carl Nelson
REVELATION 21: 10,22-22: 5
Carol Masson
JOHN 14: 23-29
SUNDAY OF
EASTER
08/05/16
Sunday after
Ascension
Day
John Usher
Muriel
Hargreaves
PETER SMART
Jan Horn
ACTS 1. 1-11
Katie Gill
EPHESIANS 1: 15-23
Ken Tonge
LUKE 24: 44-53
Irene Butler
Bob
Mathewson
Sheila Usher
Jan Horn
Kathleen Northcroft
Carol Masson
Peter Hall
Sue Selway
15/05/16
GEORGE MASSON
PENTECOST
Irene Butler
22/05/16
REVD MICHAEL
PATERSON
TRINITY
SUNDAY
Irene Butler
T.B.A
T.B.A
Carl Nelson
Sue Selway
Audrey Smith
George Masson
PROVERBS 8. 1-4, 22-31
Sue Manson
ROMANS 5: 1-5
Carol Masson
JOHN 16: 12-15
Bob
Mathewson
Rhona Vassilikos
Jan Horn
Muriel Hargreaves
Peggy Tonge
Muriel
Hargreaves
ST
29/05/16
BISHOP NIGEL
Sheila Usher
1 KINGS 8 22-23, 41-43
PENTECOST 2
Irene Butler
Ken Tonge
GALATIONS 1: 1-12
Carl Nelson
John Usher
Rhoda Nelson
LUKE 7: 1-10
Sue Selway
05/06/16
GEORGE MASSON
Jan Horn
PENTECOST 3
Sheila Usher
Carl Nelson
Di Driver
Sheila Usher
ST
1 KINGS 17: 17-24
GALATIONS 1: 11-24
LUKE 7: 11-17
Carl Nelson
Kathleen Northcroft
Carol Masson