What’s happening with the church?

We hope you have been keeping safe and well while we have been unable to see you at

church on a Sunday morning.

At the time of writing, we still remain unable to reopen for regular services and do not know

when this will be permitted, though there is some talk of perhaps late August or early

September. The following items tell a little of what we are doing to maintain church life under

the Covid19 restrictions.

Crosshouse Sunday Services online

Since Easter week, early in April we have been producing ‘Sunday Services’ in video form

and making them available through our church website www.crosshouseparishchurch.org

which was refreshed and relaunched at the beginning of April. If you are able to access online

material, we try to keep the website updated with any news which we have.

Other worship sources - You can find worship services, reflections and prayers on the Church

of Scotland website www.churchofscotland.org.uk Also remember to check BBC

Schedules for their broadcast services and other religious programming.

Keeping in touch

I know many of you are keeping in touch and encouraging each other by telephone and other

means. If you or anyone you know would benefit from on the ground assistance, or just a

friendly call from the minister, please let us know.

Rev. Gillon's contact number is 07490 495936 email charlesgillon21@gmail.com

If you or your contacts would like to be added to our email list, please let us know. Contact us

by email: email crosshouseparishchurch@cpcteam.org.uk

For this, or any other assistance, you can also call Robert, Session Clerk tel 01563 538720

.

Dear Friends

I was anxious to say a few words to you all, now that your June magazine has appeared, being my first opportunity to

put pen to paper!

First of all, I do trust that you are keeping well, especially during these scary corona virus days, this pandemic affecting

not only people like you and me in our part of the world, but all over the world causing such fear, pain and death for so

many. We do trust that better and healthier days lie ahead.

My official time with you all began on the 1st February, having been asked (commanded?!) in October last year by our

Presbytery Clerk to take up this post.... to be truthful, I hesitated to accept it as I was still recovering from Lumbar

Spinal surgery, performed in September, and I was not feeling at my best!! Apparently though, there was one else

immediately available. However, by the time February came I was “on the mend” albeit slowly. Many thanks to so

many of you for your kind words and action during my early 6 weeks with you in person, and the further 3 months or

so via telephone conversations and the Online Sunday Services! It’s certainly been an interesting and challenging start

for me, greatly aided and abetted by your Session Clerk, Robert Pollock, and other Elders and Board Members.

A quick background!! - I was born a son of the Manse, in Montrose, I spent my early years in various towns and cities

in the East, basically school educated at Morgan Academy, Dundee and George Heriots, Edinburgh. I then spent about

15 years in Librarianship in Edinburgh before moving to study for the Ministry at Glasgow University. My first Charge

was at Kilbarchan East for 5 years, then at a new triple union congregation called Ibrox Parish Church, where I

remained for 27 years. After my “retirement” in 2007, I helped out at an Easterhouse Church, then I was asked to be

Locum and Interim Moderator at Girdle Toll Church, in Irvine, where I spent about 10 happy years with them.

Family wise, my first wife, Patience, and I had 3 children. Tragically she died of ovarian cancer, at aged 42 (Eddie and

Florence will probably remember) and I remarried, Linda, a few years later (I’m constantly reminded that she’s a bit

younger than myself!!) and we also have a family of 3, all grown up now.

So..... enough of me!! I’m looking forward to meeting you all in due course. I had met some during my first 6 weeks

with you prior to the pandemic, and to sharing your challenges vis a vis the likes of congregational linkages or unions

or whatever else comes our way. It will not be easy especially as you are now a Vacant Charge. What will the future

hold? Well, God knows and we must try to tap into His wishes for us all, to assist us in our parish and community

mission, to work together in faith and prayer, to look to the future with hope, in mutual love.

For my part, I shall do my best for you and with you and alongside your Elders and in conjunction with our Presbytery

(which is also currently likely to see immense changes, unions etc in the not too distant future). Once we get back to

“normal”, to our regular worship in our building, to our various fellowship and fundraisers, even though you are

probably an older congregation, may you be filled with Gods guidance and blessings.

In closing, then, I bid you farewell. My contact information can be found above.

May God be with you and yours, and in every way that you serve our God.

Yours , Blair

Rev. C Blair Gillon, BD

Interim Moderator and Locum, Crosshouse Parish Church

Address: East Muirshiel, Dunlop

Email: charlesgillon21@gmail.com

A Message from Eddie & Florence

Dear fellow members of Crosshouse Parish Church,

That’s right folks, you ain’t seeing things, we are still members of the congregation! When we left you for

Paisley, we probably thought that by now, we would have found a local church to settle in and requested our

lines, but due to events beyond our control, namely the Coronavirus and Lockdown, we have kept our

membership with the congregation and like many of you, we have been tuning into the weekly service video

since they started and it has been nice, albeit in not so nice circumstances, to be ministered to by our minister

of 40 years ago, the Rev. Blair! (Not sure that Blair will welcome us stating that timespan!)

It has surely turned out, in these early days anyway, a retirement with a difference. People will be asking, “are

we settling into our new home?” The answer is, “Yes! We have settled in nicely and we are keeping safe and

well during these very troubled times.” But as to what retired life is like it is much too early to tell what

things Florence and Eddie will get up to in the ‘New Normal’!

We very much hope that you are all keeping safe and well yourselves. It is very strange that we are not going

through this with you in a pastoral way, although the extent of our pastoral care and outreach is at the moment

limited to family members and close friends. I am very glad to say that all of them are well as we hope are

yours. While mostly unaffected by the virus, our nearest and dearest are all a bit anxious and each in our own

ways are finding the lockdown restrictions to be strenuous.

We miss you, our church family, a great deal because for twelve and a half years we have been living among

you, meeting you and sharing with you spiritually, having fellowship and worshipping together at services,

joining you in meetings and at events and enjoying visits to you in your homes; now we are lucky to have

occasional phone messages, texts and emails and we are not only socially distanced from you, but we are also

at a distance. However, to our Lord there is no distinction between 2 metres and 20 miles and therefore we are

still united with you in His love.

We will leave you for now with our prayers that you keep healthy and able to count your blessings, and that

with God’s help and grace, we will soon be able to worship together in much less fear of those things that

presently hang over us.

In Jesus’ love,

Eddie and Florence Marshall

Crosshouse Foodbank

There is now a new Foodbank up and running in Crosshouse. It is operating from the Church Hall on Tuesday

and Friday from 12 - 3pm. Donations can be handed in at the door during these times. Our thanks go to East

Ayrshire Vibrant Communities, Crosshouse Community Council and Crosshouse Action Now for facilitating

this.

Praying During This Lockdown

Psalm 42 V 1 – 6 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts

for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night,

while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember as I pour out my soul:

how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise

among the festive throng. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in

God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.

This bible reading, and the one below, are two Bible readings that I felt led to read during the lock down.

Psalm 42 V 1 - 6 was an encouragement to me. Even though it is hard not meeting together as a church, not

seeing everyone, not praising God together, not getting hugs, not seeing smiling faces in the choir, not having

fellowship over a cup of tea. I realised that it will NOT be forever. God is with us wherever we are, and we

can worship him wherever we are, even in lockdown.

1 Peter chapter 5 v 6 – 11 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in

due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the

devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith,

because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And

the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will

himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

This reading reminded me that we are not alone in this situation. People all around the world are going

through the same things we are. It also contains the promise that God will restore us and make us stronger in

our faith, by putting our trust in Him.

The church ‘hour of prayer’ group still continues to pray during lockdown, even though we can only pray

separately in our own homes. We still seek God for our church and for our world. We have so much more time

on our hands these days and yet sometimes it’s hard to find the time to spend alone with God. I still find it

much easier if I start with a worship song, giving God the glory for who He is and what He has done for us all.

One hymn I sometimes sing is “I will sing the wondrous story, of the Christ who died for me”, but I’m sure

you would have your own favourite. Give God the glory and praise. Then bring him our prayers and petitions.

Don’t forget to thank God for answered prayers too.

Here are a few ‘Pick & Mix’ suggestions for prayer which you might want to choose from:

Pray for our family’s safety and protection, and for our friends.

Pray for the wider members of our church family - for their families, and for all the other members of our

community.

Keep praying for all the NHS workers, care workers, shopworkers, lorry drivers etc., that they would stay safe

and well.

Pray for heavenly wisdom to be given to scientists and medical experts so that they can produce an effective

vaccine against this virus, and pray that this vaccine will be freely available to everyone who needs it.

Pray for people in care homes and their carers for their safety and protection.

Pray for all those people stuck in refugee camps with poor sanitation and no way of escaping their situation.

Fellowship Bible Study Group

(was every 2nd, 4th & 5th Tuesday from 10:30am till noon at Heather's.)

In the new year, we continued with the Revelation studies - chapters 14-18.

During the month of March, we began the Fellowship of Kilmarnock Churches' Lent Studies of Paul's 2nd

letter to the Corinthians, following the leader's booklet "A Passion for Christ".

Before the event of lockdown, we'd only completed 2 studies! However, during this lockdown, the 4 later

studies were emailed to everyone (thanks to Sandra & George who gave copies to Catherine), together with

the additional material from the URC (United Reformed Church) Daily Devotions on 2nd Corinthians.

How do we go on from here? Social distancing & people's health issues prevent us meeting as a group at

Heather's.

Will it be more email studies on the remaining chapters (19-22) of Revelation OR wait until we eventually

meet up? Time will tell!

In all of his difficulties, physically & mentally, Paul certainly had a passion for Christ; a passion in spreading

the good news of the Risen Christ.

May we, in our lockdown difficulties, retain a passion for Christ, our Risen Lord.

Cathy Mills

Jeanette Barbour

Pray for our politicians and those who make decisions on our behalf. Ask for godly wisdom to be given to

them.

Pray for our farmers that they would get all the help they need to produce and harvest the food that we need to

help keep this country going.

Pray for those who are out of work and struggling to make ends meet.

Pray for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one at this difficult time.

There’s so much to pray about but these are just some suggestions that you might use. I’m sure you will all

have other things to add to this list. You don’t need to pray for all these things all at once, but as you feel

moved to in your prayer time.

Most importantly, ask God to stop the spread of this terrible virus. Ask him to stop this tsunami of death and

destruction and replace it with the tidal wave of healing and restoration. Ask God to turn the tide of all that’s

going on from negative to positive. To stop - the tsunami of death, sickness, sorrow, anxiety, fear, despair, hate

and judgement. To Start - a tidal wave of life, healing, joy, peace, faith, hope, love, mercy.

I hope these suggestions will help you in your prayer times. Please don’t forget to make use of the telephone

prayer chain. Prayer is not just us talking to God, it can be a bridge between heaven and earth. “Thy will be

done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

May God richly bless you and encourage you and keep you safe in his care.

Love Heather

In Search of the Silver Lining

Look for the silver lining.

Whenever a cloud appears in the blue.

Remember somewhere the sun is shining.

And so the right thing to do is make it shine for you.

A heart full of joy and gladness.

Will always banish sadness and strife.

So always look for the silver lining.

And try to find the sunny side of life.

That song was written in 1919, not long after a devastating World War and probably in the midst of the

Spanish Flu pandemic. It is a song of hope which has stood the test of time.

As I write this, I’m very aware that for many people, particularly those who have lost loved ones or face

health issues, it may be difficult to take much comfort from a song like this. “Look on the bright side” is easy

to say, but not always easy to do. There is another song which also comes to mind, one which older people in

the village will probably remember as a song from the sixties made popular by The Byrds. ‘To everything,

turn, turn, turn. There is a season, turn, turn, turn, And a time for every purpose under Heaven.” The song,

written by Pete Seeger in the late 1950s, is a paraphrase of a passage from Ecclesiastes chapter 3.

It's early to make too many predictions about the impact of the pandemic which has engulfed us. It’s often

said that every cloud has a silver lining – and as an optimist I would concur. But recently I added a few extra

words to the saying. “Every cloud has a silver lining - but sometimes you need to make a real effort to find it.”

I made this comment in response to a friend who had posted a photograph on Facebook of a beautiful sunrise.

He had been called out at five in the morning in response to an alarm. It turned out to be a false alarm, but the

bonus of the beautiful sunrise was not only unexpected, it was far better than he might have anticipated.

I’m a keen photographer and I have several photographs of sunsets, but none of sunrises. There is a simple

reason for this. With a sunset you can see it developing and you have time to get the camera out. It doesn’t

take too much effort. With a sunrise you need to plan ahead and get up early - not the easiest task for me.

Worse than that, having done all the work to get ready and be in the right place, you may still be disappointed

as the cloud conditions you expected might not materialise and all your efforts appear to be wasted. It’s far

easier to stay tucked up in bed!

Our challenge as we come out of this pandemic is to ‘build better’. I don’t know how we might do that, but

already I see positive signs in our community. There is no doubt in my mind that we will have to work hard to

find those silver linings. There will be challenges - but it can no longer be ‘business as usual’.

Pete Heywood

Crosshouse Church Choir

Jargon …..

Do you like jargon?

Does anyone like jargon?

I hate jargon ……

In these times of churches being closed for health reasons, we have seen even more than the usual outbreaks

of jargon. “Lockdown”, “social distancing”, and so on. We will, nevertheless, have to take account of them

and work out what they mean in practical terms for our singers.

When the church does re-open for general worship, it will easily be possible to ensure clear separation of

members of the congregation – not so easy for the choir, which, to function effectively, usually requires its

singers to be close to one another, in order that everyone can hear the other singers around them. This will

not be possible for a long time to come, and it is likely that unexpected skills will now be needed, such as

singing “as a body”, but with the singers separated by about 2metres. It’s a bit of a confidence tester!

The plus side is that rehearsing as a body, in the church, will be possible from an early stage in the “easing of

lockdown” (jargon again!) as we will be able to rehearse together while easily achieving the separation

distances required.

Depending on one’s point of view another plus (or minus) point is that until separation is no longer required,

the choir singers will not be able to occupy their usual places beside the organ, under close control …. or

should that be “thumb”?

Hugh McQuiston, organist

Church Finances

Money - a subject we often try to avoid discussing. Unfortunately, as the old song goes, 'Money makes the

world go around'.

And it's no different for the church, both at local and national level. At the moment, with the loss of Sunday

WFO envelopes and loose offering givings, amounting to over £1000 per month, we are running at a

substantial loss - eating steadily into our small reserves. The Finance Committee has had a close look at

where savings can be made and has minimised outgoings as far as possible. We are, however, still running at

a significant loss.

How to give

We would ask all members who give by envelopes or loose offering to again consider switching, if you can

afford it in these difficult times, to standing order with your bank. Alternatively, you can put your envelopes

through our WFO Convenor's, Mrs Sadie McHarg, letterbox. You could do this on, say while out on your

permitted daily exercise walk, but you must always abide by the recommendations and instructions from the

Scottish Government pertaining to the coronavirus pandemic.

A big thankyou again goes to those of you who have already delivered your WFO envelopes or made

donations to Sadie. These will all help reduce our losses.

For more information, please contact Sadie McHarg 01563 535975, Jeanette Barbour 01563 527978 or

Robert Pollock 01563 538720 or email us at crosshouseparishchurch@cpcteam.org.uk

Letter from the Editors

Thank you once again to all who contributed to this digital edition of the Magazine. As always, we greatly

appreciate all the articles that are sent to us.

We will let you know when the next deadline is in due course.

The email address for any contributions is crosshousechurchmagazine@outlook.com.

Happy Reading

Morag and Jennifer

Thursday Hour of Prayer for Crosshouse Church and Confidential Prayer Requests

Because we can’t continue to meet on a Thursday to pray for the church, we have decided that we will

continue to pray at the same time, 2pm every Thursday as usual, but in our own homes. We all consider the

church to be the people rather than the building, but owing to the current situation, we won’t be able to meet

with one another and therefore won’t be able to know easily who needs help or prayer. With this in mind, we

have resurrected the telephone prayer chain – details below. We will also be continuing to pray for the prayer

box.

Telephone Prayer Chain – Entirely Confidential.

We all consider the church to be the people rather than the building, but owing to the current situation, we

won’t be able to meet with one another and therefore won’t be able to know easily who needs help or prayer.

With this in mind we have resurrected the telephone prayer chain. Anyone needing prayer (or help) need only

telephone the first person on the chain which is Heather Heywood. She will pray as soon as she puts the phone

down and then phone the next person on the chain. They will then do the same. At the moment we have 5

people on the chain. We will operate strictly on a need to know basis. ie. first name, what’s wrong and the

prayer request. Or even just name and a non specific request for prayer. To initiate a prayer request, telephone

01563 529902 and ask for Heather.

Finance

A brief update on our finances, our current bank balance at end of May is £9926,as a comparison at same time

last year we were sitting with £13,700 in our account. We have had to make some difficult choices to reduce

our expenses as the reduced income via envelopes, open plate and hall lets amounts to approx £1,000 per

month.

Can I thank the members who have moved over to standing orders or popped their envelopes into Sadie's as

this is really appreciated, it has also been heart warming to receive donations from a number of people. As we

don't yet have a definite date when services will resume I would encourage anyone who hasn't yet moved

over to a standing order or using the drop off to please consider this .If there are any finance questions please

email me on inatom@yahoo.co.uk and I will be pleased to answer.

Best wishes

Tom