Monymusk Church Newsletter: Issue 8

Kirk Matters

CONTACT US:

Minister: Rev Euan Glen The Manse Email: euanglen@aol.com

Tel: 01467 651470 26 St Ninians www: http://monymuskchurch.weebly.com

Monymusk AB51 7HF News: kirkmatters@live.co.uk

December 2014

In this Issue:

Presbytery News 2

Noticeboard 8

Newsletter printed by Timepieces, Kemnay

Letter from the Manse

By the time you read this it’s likely to be December.

Christmas is coming and the business of

the season catches up with many of us. I

like Christmas but I also like when it is past

for there is such a long build up and so

many things to do. It’s awfully easy in the

business of the season to forget the point of

the season that Jesus came to earth a child

born in manger.

The village square will be lit and we shall sing our carols under the lights with the Bon Accord Silver Band from Aberdeen.

It’s strange how an event can become a custom which then happens year in year out. I suspect that many of the customs of Christmas started the same way, with a one off event which worked then others joined in until it became a tradition.

I wonder what your family traditions are? Mine is to eat as much trifle on Christmas day as I can, once I have worshipped of course on Christmas morning. Whatever your traditions I hope that you have a blessed and joyful Christmas.

In August this year I was appointed interim moderator at Inverurie St Andrews, to look after the church following the sad and sudden death of the minister while on holiday.

This has added to my workload and meant that I have had less time to visit the folk of Monymusk as there have been alot of funerals in Inverurie St Andrews most of which I am doing. I am sorry that I have not been as diligent here as I would like and can assure you that I have indicated that this can’t go on too long. I hope to be able to hand over to another minister in the early spring. Please pray for the folk in Inverurie as they have had a hard time losing their minister so suddenly.

Further on in the newsletter we discuss a possible change in the way our congregation is run. I am happy to meet with anyone to discuss this further and encourage all to take time to think about it.

I wish you and yours every blessing .

Euan Glen

Family

announcements

Weddings

Congratulations to

Stacy and Murray

Laura and Donald

Rosemary and Hamish

??

who were married in

Monymusk church,

and former Sunday School

pupil, Holly Luck and Neil …

who were married in

Portugal.

photo

Baptism

? Beattie

In Loving memory

Patricia Imray

?

A special welcome to all

those who are spending

their first Christmas in

Monymusk.

Lots going on in the church

and community.

Hope to see you all at some

of these events.

Church Family News Page 2

Social and Fundraising Events:

Outing to Pluscarden Abbey

Harvest Thanksgiving

We celebrated Harvest Thankgiving on

Sunday 12th October.

Donations of dried foodstuffs collected

throughout the year were delivered to

Instant Neighbour in Aberdeen.

The Sunday School children made soup

packs which were delivered to older

people in the community.

Craft Fayre and Coffee morning

Monymusk and Cluny churches together held a fundraising Craft

Fayre and Coffee morning in Millbank Hall on Sat 1 November.

Local crafters exhibited jewellery, soft toys, candlelit products,

knitwear, hand –made chocolates, Bodyshop, cards and T Shirts,

quilting, knitted goods, plants and RAF goods alongside the usual

homebakes, Barnados and Fair Trade stalls.

£238.85 was raised for each congregation.

Remembrance Day:

On the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of WW1

Monymusk Guides joined the Congregation to

commemorate those who gave their lives in

conflict.

After the service wreaths were laid at the

memorial in Monymusk Square.

mainly music

We meet on Tuesdays

from 1.45-3.15pm in

Monymusk Hall.

In December all our songs

will have a Christmas

theme and we will hold

one special event in

church followed by festive

refreshments in the hall.

We supported children in

need by collecting foreign

coins.

photo

Sunday school

Plans for December and

Nativity?

Party

Carols in the Square

This annual fixture in the

church/village calendar will take place on Weds 17th December at 7pm. We invite you to join us to

sing carols under the Christmas lights in Monymusk Square led by Bon Accord Silver Band.

The Grant Arms outdoor kitchen will be open for the sale of mulled wine and hot chocolate before the

event begins.

Support from Textile Fund

covers cost of band and donations on the night are distributed to other charities.

Christmas services Page 3

Christmas Eve and Watchnight Services

Special Services

Family Christingle Service

At the start of Advent we will hold a special service for families with young children in Monymusk Church at 4pm. During this short, informal service the children will join Euan in the chancel area of the church to make christingles and find out what they symbolise.

At the end of the service there is an opportunity to join in fellowship—juice and biscuits for the children, teas and bakes for the grown ups.

The choir: Service of Lessons and Carols

The Cluny and Monymusk Choir is once again preparing for Christmas when they will perform at Cluny Church on Friday 19th December and at Monymusk on the evening of Sunday 21st. (check

times). Each Monday we rehearse the two or three carols that have been chosen. At the beginning comes the ‘note bashing’ when you hope to hit all the right notes more or less at the right times and in the right order, regardless of the other parts who appear to be trying to put you off. Later, it all changes. As confidence grows in your own

part you are more conscious of the other parts around you and harmony develops. We’re almost there as we struggle with pace, volume, expression and diction. At last comes the performance which will be unlike any rehearsal that has gone before; the

interaction with the audience is the icing on the cake and gives the final boost. Heads up for Sandy…..

Cluny church children’s choir..

What we have now

A variation of the Model

deed of constitution.

The governing body of the

church in Monymusk is a

Committee comprising the

minister, 5 ordained elders

and 5 lay members elected

by the congregation or

invited by the committee.

A non–standard

constitution which is

recognised by Presbytery

but has to be explained on

an annual basis.

Duplication of

administration with records

kept for the Kirk Session,

when the elders meet on

their own, and the church

Committee when all meet

together.

The Unitary Constitution

A more modern constitution

under which the Kirk

Session will play a bigger

role in the running of the

church.

The Kirk Session will invite

lay members of the

congregation to join them

on committees set up for

specific purposes and

receive reports on their

activities.

Simplified record-keeping

requiring only one set of

minutes for each meeting

Changing the Constitution Page 4

In September the committee of Monymusk church met to

discuss a proposal to change the church constitution from

the current committee arrangement to the unitary

constitution.

The congregation is currently run by a Committee made up

of elders and lay members - folk who are part of the family of

the congregation.

The elders occasionally meet as the Kirk Session to deal

with spiritual matters. They welcome new members into the

life of the congregation, maintain the membership

(Communion) roll, authorise the minister to make decisions

about baptising children and adults, share in the pastoral

work of the congregation and parish (visiting the sick and

inviting people to Holy Communion) and distributing the

elements at Holy Communion.

The other Committee members help the elders with some of

this, but their main role is to take care of finance and

property matters to ensure the church has sufficient funds to

enable us to pay our bills and maintain the church and

manse. Much of the day to day work of the congregation is

arranged by the Committee.

Under the Unitary Constitution the work of the church will fall

to the Kirk Session, made up of ordained elders. They will be

supported by members from the church family who are

chosen for particular tasks such as fund raising, property

maintenance and social activities. There would only be one

set of church minutes to maintain, and the Session would

organise sub committees comprising elders and lay

members which could meet on their own to deal with

delegated tasks. This means that people with gifts and

interests could utilise their specific talents in one specific

task and not have to worry about or be involved in matters.

The committee agreed unanimously to accept the proposal.

The next stage of the process is to consult the congregation

and allow them to vote on the proposed change at the Stated

Annual Meeting in March 2015.

After that decision goes to Presbytery for approval and to

Church of Scotland.

We hope that you will consider the proposal carefully, and if

you have any questions please contact the minister to

discuss.

You may vote in person at the Stated Annual meeting.

Seasonal Fundraising

Events

Page 5

Production of Christmas

wreaths will start shortly.

Avoid disappointment by

ordering yours now.

Only £12.50!

Monymusk & Cluny

Churches together

Calendar 2015

On sale now—not to be

missed.

£7 each or 2 for £12.

Available from any

committee member or in

Monymusk Post Office

Monymusk Post Office and

Thrift Shop will be open on

Saturdays 29th November,

6th &13th December from

9-12am.

Monymusk Church will be

serving tea, coffee and

homebakes on 13th

December and invite you to

join us.

Presbytery News

Monymusk Senior Citizens Christmas lunch

Monymusk Hall - Saturday 6th December at 1pm.

This open to anybody in the area aged 60 years and over.

If your invitation hasn’t arrived please contact secretary Euan Glen

on 01467 651470 who will add you to the mailing list.

Christmas past Page 6

Christmas only became a public holiday in Scotland in 1958. Photos or memories Weddings on Christmas or Boxing Day—the only day off work

Church Calendar January to June 2015 Page 7

4 January 10 am 4 pm

Joint Service in Monymusk church Short Family Service in Monymusk church

11 January 9.30 am Morning Worship followed by informal Communion

18 January 9.30 am Morning Worship in Monymusk church

25 January 9.30 am Morning Worship in Monymusk church

27 January 7.30 pm Committee Meeting (TBC)

1 February 10 am Joint Service in Cluny church

Weds 4 February 7.10pm Prayer meeting and Bible study (7.30pm) in the Manse

8 February 9.30 am Morning Worship followed by informal Communion

15 February 9.30 am Morning Worship in Monymusk church

22 February 9.30 am Morning Worship in Monymusk church

1 March 10 am 4 pm

Joint Service In Monymusk church Short Family Service in Monymusk church

Weds 4 March 7.10pm Prayer meeting and Bible study (7.30pm) in the Manse

8 March 9.30 am Morning Worship followed by informal Communion

15 March 9.30 am Stated Annual Meeting during Morning Worship (TBC)

22 March 9.30 am Morning Worship in Monymusk church

29 March 9.30 am Palm Sunday Service in Monymusk church

Weds 1 April 7.10pm Prayer meeting and Bible study (7.30pm) in the Manse

3 April 7 pm Good Friday Service in Cluny church

5 April 9.30 am

Easter Sunday Service in Monymusk Church followed by egg rolling

12 April 9.30 am Morning Worship followed by informal Communion

14 April 7.30 pm Committee Meeting in the Guild Room (TBC)

19 April 9.30 am Morning Worship in Monymusk church

26 April 9.30 am Morning Worship in Monymusk church

3 May 10 am 4 pm

Joint Service In Monymusk church Short Family Service in Monymusk church

Wed 6 May 7.10pm Prayer meeting and Bible study (7.30pm) in the Manse

10 May 9.30am Holy Communion in Monymusk Church

17 May 9.30 am Morning Worship in Monymusk church

24 May 9.30 am Morning Worship in Monymusk church

31 May 9.30 am Morning Worship in Monymusk church

Wed 3 June 7.10pm Prayer meeting and Bible study (7.30pm) in the Manse

7 June 10 am Joint Service in Cluny church

14 June 9.30 am Morning Worship in Monymusk church

Tues 16 June 7.30pm Joint Committee Meeting (TBC)

21 June 9.30 am Morning Worship in Monymusk church

28 June 9.30 am Morning Worship in Monymusk church

Christmas Services and Community Events Page 8

Monymusk Parish Church of Scotland: Scottish Charity No. SC0 04525

Sat 29th Nov

9-12am Monymusk Post Office and Thrift Shop open.

Teas and homebakes in support of Monymusk Guides

5.30pm

6.30-11pm

Grand Christmas Lights Switch On

Family disco in Monymusk Hall

Sat 29th Nov-

Sun Dec 7th 10am –3pm Monymusk Arts Trust Christmas Craft Week

Sun 30th Nov 9.30am

3pm

Morning Worship in Monymusk church

Djordje Gajic in concert in Monymusk Church

Tues 2nd Dec 1.45-3pm mainly music in Monymusk Hall

9-12am Monymusk Post Office and Thrift Shop open.

Teas and homebakes in support of Monymusk Playgroup Sat 6th Dec

Time? Senior Citizens Christmas Lunch in Monymusk Hall

Sun 7th Dec 10am

4pm

Joint Service in Monymusk church

Family Christingle Service in Monymusk church

Tues 9th Dec 1.45-3pm mainly music in Monymusk Hall

Sat 13th Dec 9-12am Monymusk Post Office and Thrift Shop open.

Teas and homebakes in support of Monymusk church

Sun 14th Dec 10am Morning Worship in Monymusk church

Tues 16th Dec 1.45-3pm mainly music in Monymusk Hall

Weds 17th Dec 7pm Carols in the Square with Bon Accord Silver Band

Sat 20th Dec 7.30pm

Monymusk Cinema: Miracle on 34th Street

Doors open at 7pm. Wine and ice cream available.

Entry by donation

Sun 21st Dec

9.30am Morning Worship in Monymusk Church

7pm Service of Lessons and Carols in Monymusk church followed by mulled wine and mince pies in the Hall

Weds 24th Dec 7.30pm

11.30pm

Family Christmas Service in Monymusk church

Traditional Watchnight Service in Cluny church

Thurs 25th Dec 10.30am Joint Family Service for Christmas Day in Monymusk

Church

Sun 28th Dec 10am Joint Family Service in Cluny Church

Sun 4th Jan 10am Joint Family Service in Monymusk Church