The Covenanter
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The Covenanter March 2015 Fenwick Parish Church Community Magazine no 456 THE COVENANTER March 2015 CHURCH SERVICES – SUNDAYS 10.30am JUNIOR CHURCH and Ycam – 10.30am MINISTER: Rev Geoff Redmayne BSc. B.D., M.Phil, the Manse, 2 Kirkton Place, Fenwick KA3 6DW Telephone 01560 600217 E-mail : [email protected] Session Clerk: Mrs Nora Shanks,12Skernieland Rd, Fenwick Telephone: 01560 600202 E-mail : [email protected] Gift Aid/Freewill Offerings: Mr A.Crosbie Telephone: 01560 322229 4 Campbell Street, Darvel, KA17 0DA Email:[email protected] Church Treasurer: Mrs Tracy Geddes,1 Skernieland Rd Fenwick Telephone 01560 600374 Roll Keeper: Mrs Nora Shanks,12Skernieland Rd, Fenwick Telephone: 01560 600202 E-mail : [email protected] Organist: Alistair Peter, 37 South Hamilton St Kilmarnock, KA1 2DT Email : [email protected] The Covenanter: Production/Distribution: Jean Bowes, 2 Rysland Drive Fenwick Telephone: 01560600259 Convener/ Advertising: Bill McNab, Avrilea, Kingsford, Stewarton . KA3 5JS Telephone 01560 482468 Email:[email protected] Please note new Email address The Covenanter can now be found on the internet as part of the Church website at www.fenwickparishchurch.org.uk/covenanter. All copy for the magazine should be received at least two weeks before the first Sunday of the publication month. Fenwick Parish Church (Church of Scotland) Registered Scottish Charity No SC010062 Covenanter Page 2 A Church invisible? I have recently had one of those conversations that has sparked a line of thought. The conversation was with a group of folk some with connections to the Church and some without. Three things came out of that conversation that I would like to discuss in an open forum and hear what other folk think. The first was that Fenwick Parish Church is a “church behind walls”. This is purely in a physical sense. The Church building is surrounded by a solid six foot wall. It was built with good reason in the early 19th Century to deter grave robbers from digging up newly interred bodies. That reason is largely lost to folk who walk or drive past the church on their daily business. The impression is that the church is closed off! Come Sunday the folk disappear in, do what they go to do, and come back out. Meanwhile the folk who pass by not knowing what goes on behind those walls. Alongside that is the notion that the walls actually deter folk from even thinking about exploring what might happen behind them on Sunday or at other times. So what do you think? Do the walls that surround the Parish Church create a barrier between Church and the wider community? Secondly was the notion that that the Church is seen as outdated, perhaps dry and boring and even irrelevant to the 21st Century living. The “church” has probably not been its best advert over the years often cast in a “Thou shalt not” light and somewhat judgemental. The impression of folk who have no connection to the Church is that the Church does not have anything to say of relevance to 21st Century living. Here is not the place to argue the point. Is Fenwick Parish Church a white edifice, a monument to the past? Does this resonate with your view? If not what is your impression of Fenwick Parish Church? Thirdly was the notion that Fenwick Parish Church is invisible in the community. If I were to ask Church members the same question they would probably refute that statement and run off a long list where they are actively involved in running or helping to run various groups around the community. In some ways that is good folk just getting on with it, doing the stuff that they are supposed to do. Being good neighbours, being a friend to the person in need, and getting involved with a group here or there. Covenanter Page 3 It is also good that folk do these things without seeking personal or corporate accolade. Yet, while many of them are motivated by faith it is not obvious to other folk that that is their motivation. So short of putting Church folk into a “church uniform” somewhat like the Salvation Army what is the answer? How does the Church communicate the central message of the Gospel that God is love and he loves you without hitting you over the head with a Bible? Should we have a more obvious project that somehow puts that central truth into action? The question would be what? Every pastoral situation you can think of is present in the parish. The traumas of life don’t just pass by those living in our semi rural location. There will be a family living a haphazard life because of alcoholism or drug abuse, there will be someone dealing with the emotional mess of a marriage breakup, there will be someone in an abusive relationship, there will someone struggling with bereavement, there will be a lone parent struggling financially and emotionally and there will be folk struggling with long term or terminal illness. All of these and more are present but none in sufficient numbers to warrant a group to help. So what should the Church be doing to demonstrate the Gospel in action? I can’t promise that we will have the resources to leap into action but I would love to make a start by hearing your views. So let’s have a conversation. If you use social media nip over to the Churches Facebook page (www.facebook.com/fenwickPC) give us a wee like and leave a comment. If social media is not your thing send me an e-mail, drop me a line or ask me round for a coffee! Blessings Geoff Redmayne Funerals 27th Jan Bobby Davidson, Fowlds View, Fenwick Covenanter Page 4 TINA EDGAR School of Motoring Fenwick Patient and friendly female instructor Block Booking Discount! MOBILE: 07590 017560 ALLAN ELECTRICAL SERVICES LTD Family Business Est. 1969 All Domestic, Industrial & Commercial Work . Energy Efficient Lighting Advice . Inspections & Safety Checks/Reports . Landlord Certification & PAT Testing Free Estimates Telephone 01560 322161 Fax : 01560 323178 Or Call Stephen 07762 765609 Ian 07971 432088 Email: [email protected] Covenanter Page 5 FENWICK CHURCH YCAM WHIST DRIVE IN AID OF OUR TRIP TO TEENRANCH FRIDAY 13TH MARCH @ 7.30pm ANYONE WISHING TO TAKE A TABLE OR JUST TO COME PLEASE CONTACT NAN TIVENDALE ON 01560 600789 This is a catered event £16.00 per table RAFFLE PRIZES WILL BE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED Covenanter Page 6 GORDON’S General store 96 Main Road, Fenwick Tel:01560 600418 For All Daily Newspapers and General Groceries PLUS + PLUS + PLUS GORDON’S EXTRA SPECIAL – FRESHLY MADE FILLED ROLLS BUY THEM – TRY THEM – THEY’RE GREAT ONCE TASTED YOU’LL BE SINGING THEIR PRAISES… …IF IT’S NO A GORDON’S IT’S NO GOOD FOR ME IF YOU WISH, CALL US – THE ROLLS WILL BE READY WHEN YOU WANT THEM OPENING HOURS---- MON-FRI 7AM-1.30PM SATURDAY 7AM-12NOON SUNDAY 8.00AM – 11.00AM (PAPERS & ROLLS) POST OFFICE COMING SOON Covenanter Page 7 ACTION PLAN: FENWICK VILLAGE Progress to date: you will recall that last year there was an Open Day display in the Church Hall showing what you liked and didn’t like about the village, and what improvements you would like to see. Your voting that day provided the basis of the ‘Fenwick Village Action Plan’, delivered to every household. At the Open Day a number of people expressed interest in being involved with delivering this plan. You will have noticed that some of your suggestions for improvements in the village have already been implemented – regular litter picks, bus stop improvements to name a couple. The Steering Group is now ready to start the next stage - which is the formalising of the process to take forward the Action Plan with interested groups, who will identify our priorities for action within the Plan. All of you who are interested are invited to a short (7 – 8.30pm) Open Meeting in Fenwick Church Hall. The actual date is still to be decided but it will be some time in late May. We would ask that everyone interested in improving our village comes along, even if you didn’t register at the Open Day – it’s your village and your ideas count. members of the Action Plan Steering Group: Bill Craig (600645); Mike Beith (600398); Kim Donald (600239); Irene Couper (600520 Please watch out for further details coming soon! Bill Craig (On behalf of the Action Plan Steering Group) Covenanter Page 8 NORTH GLASSOCK BOARDING KENNELS AND CATTERY BY FENWICK KA3 6ER – TELEPHONE 01560 600246 (just off theA77 on the road to Waterside) GEORGE LESLIE, B.V.M.S, M.R.C.V.S. NANCY LESLIE We are looking to set up a satellite club in the Fenwick/Dunlop/Stewarton/Kilmaurs general area. For some time now we have been active with Stewarton Academy - funding pupils to visit the European Parliament under the Euroscola scheme, inviting contestants for our Young Musician contest, sponsoring the Stewarton Interact Club, sponsoring Youth Exchange students etc., and at the Primary Schools with our annual Primary Schools Quiz, planting crocuses and telling the pupils of our efforts to eradicate the terrible disease of polio from the world. It therefore made sense to establish a Rotary Club in the area and we are doing this by forming a satellite club initially. The Club members will decide on how often they meet and what activities they get up to but essentially, as with all Rotary Clubs, it will be about helping improve their community while having a little fun.