Outreach May 2018
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ABERLADY CHURCH 31ST MAY 2018 OUTREACH You are warmly invited to join us in the SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION Aberlady Parish Church Sunday 27th MAY 2018 11.15am All welcome SC004580 Church of Scotland 1! ABERLADY CHURCH 31ST MAY 2018 Some dates for your diary SUNDAY THIRTY A short, informal All Age Service led by the Aberlady Worship Team in Aberlady Kirk Stables at 8.45am on the third Sunday of each month, followed by coffee/tea, a chat and something to eat. Dates for your diary are: May 20th, June 17th, July/August – no Sunday 30 September 16th Christian Aid Week 13th-19th May 2018 Donation envelopes will be available in church on 13th May. The Church of Scotland Heart and Soul – Sunday 20th May 2018 Come and celebrate the life and work of the church in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh from 12.30pm – 6.00pm. It is free to attend and you are most welcome to come along and join in the friendly atmosphere as you explore the event from east to west – and back again! At 5.00pm we gather in our thousands for a massed worship service. Come and join us for a unique experience. If you know of someone who is ill at home, in hospital or in need of a pastoral visit - Please fill in one of the cards at the back of the church on a Sunday and let your District Elder or Session Clerk know, in order that a visit can be made. !2 ABERLADY CHURCH 31ST MAY 2018 Your Glory and Strength Dear friends, In our February magazine I encouraged you to be praying Paul’s prayer from Colossians 1:9-10 and to keep abiding in Jesus, particularly through the reading of Scripture. As I thought of what to share in this edition I was reminded of something that I was struck by in my own daily devotions. Recently I read these words from Psalm 89:17 – ‘For you are their glory and strength’ (NIV). The Psalmist writes (vv.15-18) of the impact that a deep and true relationship with God (who is described in vv.1-14) can have on the individual, even on a nation. Sadly, Israel all too often failed to live out these words. Indeed, as I read through the book of Judges at present I begin to wonder what might have happened if God’s people had more fully learned to find their glory and strength in the Lord: might they have found greater peace and resources for the struggles they faced? Might they have been able to prioritise better and chart a better course for their communal life, and in doing so, live up to their calling to be a blessing to the nations (Gen. 12:2-3)? We all find our glory and strength in something. Linked to that, we all find our identity in something too. These could be our jobs, our positions of influence and responsibility, our relationships, our national or geographic roots, our abilities, wealth, passions and interests. I wonder what would be on your list of adjectives or names to describe your identity? What would be on mine? How far up the list would something relating to God come? It might be Christian, or disciple of Jesus, or child of God – there is a plethora of choice (because our relationship with God is so rich!) – but how far up the list would you and I place it? Recently, I was at a preaching conference, wherein one of the speakers was Revd Dr Sam Wells of St Martin-in-the-Fields, based in Trafalgar Square. Sam is an excellent pastor, speaker and leader (search online for his ser- mons). In his session, one of the key things he communicated was that the Church today needs to boldly own and share the Christian faith – and to be passionate about the Good News we have in Jesus! If we are not, then no one else will be and fewer people will give church/faith/God a second thought. In my experience, when we increasingly find our identity (our glory and strength) in God, and so learn to enjoy Him, then our lives are positively impacted and this overflows into the lives of those we encounter. Could a deeper identity and joy in God encourage others to reconsider the value of the Christian faith? 3! ABERLADY CHURCH 31ST MAY 2018 Could a deeper identity and joy in God encourage others to reconsider the value of the Christian faith? This year we are all being called to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ – to make Him a priority and to put our roots deep down into our faith – and I am finding that God is graciously and gently leading me in that. I hope and pray that you are too, and that together we may know a fuller experience of the Lord being our glory and strength, our identity and joy. Scott Burton * * * * * * STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN 2018 Dear all, We recently issued a Giving with Grace Leaflet and have only had 12.3% of responses to date. We are delighted to have received these responses but there is still a considerable number of people who have not replied. Can I ask, if you have not returned the response form, please have another look and think how best you can help Aberlady Parish Church continue to survive, thrive and plan for the future. There is no final date for replies but from a planning point of view the earlier the better. If you have mislaid your form there are more available in the Church. A very big thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to reply. Your cooperation is much appreciated. Hazel Phisatory: Stewardship Convenor !4 ABERLADY CHURCH 31ST MAY 2018 TREASURER’S REPORT Church Finances-Treasurer's update The Annual Accounts have been approved both locally by the Kirk Session and the auditor and at Presbytery level. The Annual Stated meeting will be held in May/June when there will an opportunity to have the accounts explained. They will be sent to OSCR (the Scottish Charities' regulator) for inspection and approval soon. The current financial situation is reasonably healthy. There has been some expenditure in the removal of the shed, which belonged to the Parent and Toddlers group in the courtyard. This is now a better space which we hope to improve in the future,. Other expenditure has been on aspects of annual maintenance in both buildings. With the closure of our bank branch in Gullane, I am trying to use the village Post Office to deposit money received. Cheques have to be presented separately from cash and are proving an issue. At present any written to Aberlady Parish Church are returned by the Cheque receiving centre in the south of England. It would help me if all cheques for the church were made payable to Aberlady Kirk Session with immediate effect. This is the name on both pay-in slips and cheques. This will make my job a little easier and save me time. I would be grateful for your help with this. Kaye Macaskill Treasurer * * * * * * Fellowship and Outreach We hope that by the time you receive this, the Plant Sale will have been very successful. There will be a Wine and Cheese for everyone on Friday 8 June. This will be an informal opportunity to meet socially with Scott, our assistant minister who leaves us at the end of August. There will be no charge for this. There will be a sheet in the church for you to put your name down, if you wish to attend, so that we can have accurate numbers for catering. Hopefully there will be a barbecue in the summer, probably 19 August. Look out for information on the Order of service and on posters. The Annual Bridge Afternoon will be on 3 October. For more details or to book a table contact Val Barrie. We shall hold our Christmas Fair in early November Kaye Macaskill 5! ABERLADY CHURCH 31ST MAY 2018 TREASURER’S REPORT Recycling of Ink Cartridges and Mobile Phones I am happy to say that the reintroduction of this has been well supported by members of both churches and I have sent off lots to the recycling centre. I have sent a number of batches over the last couple of months The money raised goes to Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, my special charity. The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign does fantastic research into a number of muscle-wasting diseases, including Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy which affects boys, helps to find potential treatments and provides support for individuals and families, financial, information, support groups and family care officers. The charity is doing work not currently funded by the government. This is important for people, their carers and families who are dealing with moderate or severe, progressive physical disability. Please continue to put your used print cartridges (apart for EPSON) and used mobile phones in the baskets in each church. I am very happy to do the posting, Thank you very much for your continued and ongoing support. Kaye Macaskill April 2018 !6 ABERLADY CHURCH 31ST MAY 2018 AFTERNOON TEA AND CONCERT Gullane Parish Church Junior Choir is hosting an Afternoon Tea and Concert in Gullane Village Hall on Sunday 27th May, 2.30pm, in support of a charity which Jackie and Mike Mackie have chosen in memory of Jess. Jackie & Mike have set up a Memorial Fund in Jess's name where all funds raised will be allocated specifically to provide music therapy at Edinburgh Children's Hospital (Sick Kids) which currently has an initiative alongside Tinderbox, a collective of musicians, providing music therapy for children attending or admitted to the hospital.