pentecost 2014

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The Pentecost 2014 edition of the Righead United Reformed Church newsletter

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27/2014

Letter from Lindsey

This newsletter is our Pentecost edition, Pentecost being the time of the Church year, 50 days after Easter when we remember the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples and the Church ‘being born’. Pentecost is also known as Whitsun and among the many customs which have grown up around Whitsun are ‘Whit walks’ which originated in Manchester in the 1780’s and were organised by the Sunday school movement to allow children who worked in appalling conditions in the factories all week to have the opportunity to run wild and free from all restraint. Today Whitwalks are a form of witness of our faith to the communities in which we are placed. One of the ideas suggested to churches by ‘More than Gold’, the organisation that encourages local churches to become involved with major sporting events such as the Olympic or Commonwealth Games, is to hold local prayer walks, walks of witness when, by walking around our communities, we remember the communities in which we are placed and the people we are called to serve within them. During June a number of prayer walks will be taking place throughout the various neighbourhoods of East Kilbride, organised by local churches as part of ‘More than Gold.’ Building upon the success of our Easter morning service in the Murray park, the Murray churches are planning to hold a prayer walk using the park as route for connecting our churches and prayer walks are also planned for the Village, Lindsayfield and St. Leonard’s/Calderwood. More details will be available soon and I hope you might be able to join in our Murray prayer walk or spend a moment in prayer as the walk is taking place. This prayer was originally written for the London 2012 Olympics but I have adapted it for use with the Commonwealth Games.

Eternal God, giver of joy and source of all strength, we pray for those who prepare for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. For the competitors training for the Games and their loved ones, for the many thousands who will support them, for the Churches and others who are organising special events and who will wel-come many people from many nations. In a world where many are rejected and abused, we pray for a spirit of tolerance and acceptance, of humility and respect and for the health and safety of all. May we at the last be led towards the love of Christ who is more than gold, today and for ever. Amen. With all good wishes, Lindsey

Nothing has 7 letters. Nothing preceded God. Nothing is greater than God. Nothing is more Evil than the devil. All poor people have Nothing Wealthy people need Nothing

1 Dulcet, 7 Sideways, 8 Saga, 10 Tailor, 11 Polite, 14 Pet, 16 Risen, 17 Last,19 Roost, 21 Cable, 22 Rated, 23 Step, 26 Siren, 28 Per, 29 credit, 30 Aiding, 31 Leap, 32 Nau-seous, 33 ocelot

Across Answers

Answer to Riddle

News from East Mains East Mains was pleased to welcome the staff and pupils of West Mains school to the church on two occasions last term. The school came for a visit to the church and had chance to explore the building and see how the church is set out on a Sunday morning. Then everyone came back again for the end of term assembly before the Easter Holidays. During the Assembly we thought about how God’s love is like a circle with no beginning and no end. This term Lindsey has been contributing to the school’s Commonwealth Games topic, teaching songs from our CWM part-ners that remind us that we are all part of God’s family and helping the chil-dren discover what is the same and what is different about growing up in the Commonwealth. The school is planning to come back to East Mains for an-other assembly before the end of the school year. The 60th anniversary of the founding of the congregation was celebrated on the 27th April with a service and celebration lunch. Rev. Mary Buchanan was the guest preacher and visitors included past members and friends of the congre-gation. This was a joint service with Righead. Everyone enjoyed the service and the lunch afterwards. Thanks are especially due to Joan McCluckie for all her organisation which ensured everything went so smoothly on the day. The final total from the coffee morning for Christian Aid was £280. Thank you to everyone who supported this event.

News of the Fellowship. On 22nd March Lindsey conducted the funeral service for Mrs Christine Thom-son who passed away after a short illness. Christine had been unable to attend church for some time and had moved into Forefaulds Nursing Home about six months before her death. She had been pleased to have visitors from the church and the church flowers a fortnight before she passed away.

In April we were delighted to send our good wishes and congratulations to Elma and Herbert Wunsch on the occasion of their diamond wedding anniver-sary. Elma and Herbert celebrated with a lunch for family and friends and Lindsey led a short service of thanksgiving for their marriage with Elma, Her-bert and their immediate family at their home on the day of the anniversary.

Surfing the Wave – Conversations towards tomorrow’s patterns of ministry

On Sunday 18th May the focus of our time together was ‘Belonging Together’. In worship we thought about the image of the body that Paul offers us in 1 Co-rinthians 12 then we spent time discussing the material we had been sent by the Pastoral group. Deployment means ‘placement, distribution, utilisation, use’. In the URC we use the term to describe the process of sharing all the ministers of word and sacrament throughout the whole denomination. The current situation is that the number of ministers is declining, the number of congregations is not de-clining at the same rate and congregations are not able to, or willing to in-crease their giving to the Mission and Ministry Fund. The core question for us in Scotland is how we share 23 ministers across the 48 congregations. The pastoral group offered us a number of approaches to consider: Be Mathematical – 20 members gets you 10% of a minister Be Educational – each region has 2 or 3 ministers working in a team to equip people to do everything needed for general & specialised ministry Be Methodical – 3 years with a minister, 3 years without. Be Laissez-faire – let’s see what happens and link churches together as they become vacant Be Innovative – agree to use some of our ministers in the Synod to begin new congregations/new work in communities we don’t serve at present Discussion of the approaches allowed us to articulate a number of principles that we feel are important in discussing the topic and which we hope would be taken into account by the link pastoral group when developing a deployment strategy Deployment principles: 1. congregations should have a named minister, whether that is a minis-

ter shared across a number of congregations or a named minister within a team

2. there should be a definite deployment strategy which is more than a laissez faire approach

3. we need to make more effective use of the people resources which al-ready exist within our congregations.

4. decisions about deployment need to take into account more factors than simply the size of congregation.

A Riddle for smart people

Only 5% of Stanford University graduates figured it out! Can you answer all seven of the following questions with the same word? 1. The word has seven letters.... 2. Preceded God... 3. Greater than God... 4. More Evil than the devil.... 5. All poor people have it... 6. Wealthy people need it.... 7. If you eat it, you will die. Did you figure it out? Try hard before looking at the answers Did you get it yet? The answer is upside down somewhere in the newslet-ter

We went on to think about what as a congregation we have to offer to the de-ployment discussion. We used the SOAR tool (strengths, opportunities, aspira-tions and resources) to think about what we have to contribute to our belong-ing together as the body of Christ and as the South Link. This was also an opportunity to introduce the question ‘what does it mean for us to be the URC in East Kilbride?’ This is the topic of discussion for a joint Elders meeting which will be taking place in September. We will use the re-sponses to the SOAR exercises as part of that discussion and share our think-ing with the pastoral group.

From Lindsey

Old Clothes Collection Once again another thank you to everyone who contributed clothes etc. and deposited them on the stage at the rear of the church. To Anne, June, Margaret & Ellen for making our fund raising commit-tee so successful another thank you. With everyone's efforts an-other £ £261.50 was added to the church coffers, with an addi-tional £91.00 from the Teddy Bears birthday.

4 5 6 11 12 13 16 20

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 25 24 26 28 27 29 30 31 32 33

Across Clues 1 Sweet 6 7 Obliquely 8 8 Heroic narrative 4 10 Adapt 6 11 Courteous 6 14Domestic Animal 3 16 Ascended 5 17 Survive 4 19 Perch 5 21 Telegram 5 22 Evaluated 5 23 Pace 4 26 Temptress 6 28 For every 3 29 Believe 6 30 Helping 6 31 Jump 4 32 Sick 8 33 Feline 6

24 Journey 4 25 Young Swine 6 26 Doughy Cake 5 27 Happen Again 5 28 Pastry Dish 3 30 Too 4

Down Clues 1 Of teeth 6 2 Hut 6 3 Russian Ruler 4 4 Regret 7 5 Indian Dresses 5 6 Pale 5 8 Drinks daintily 4 9 Obtained 3 12 Illuminated 3 13 Anxious 5 15 Loose garments 5 18 Moving 5 19 Rodent 3 20 Elderly 3 21 Teeth 7 22 Colour 3 23 Placid 6

Christian Aid from Sandra Wood From one community to another – Christian Aid Week has been changing the world since 1957. For almost 70 years, Christian Aid Week has brought communities together to fight poverty, strengthen the poor, and turn hope into action.

With your support – and that of your community in East Kilbride– we will be able to carry on tackling the causes of poverty, supporting local organisations to deliver real practical change and making sure everyone can fulfil their right to a decent life.

Damage of war 50 years of civil war have had a devastating effect on the people of Colombia.

70,000 men, women and children have already been killed.5.7 million people have been forced from their homes.

You can help to rebuild £10 could pay for three seed kits to help a family grow enough to eat. £25 could pay for compost, seeds and a spade to help a family start their gar-den. £50 could pay for wire mesh to protect a family’s new vegetable garden. £100 could pay for seeds, tools and fruit trees so a family can provide for them-selves. Christian Aid Week 11th to 17th May 2014. This year Righead and East Mains have raised over £800 for Christian Aid. The Righead total was £554.98, of that, £362.45 came from the house to house col-lection. Other monies raised came were donations from church members, a church cof-fee morning, a Souper Sunday Lunch and the takings from a Sunday tearoom. This week of raising money for a charity like Christian Aid allows us to share good times with one another but also to reach out into the community. We hope that our donation will make a difference to people who are economic victims in war torn countries.

1 Dental,2 Chalet, 3 Tsar, 4 Remorse, 5 Saris, 6 Ashen, 8 Sips. 9 Got, 12 Lit, 13 Tense, 15 Robes, 18 Astir,19 Rat, 20

Old, 21 Canines, 22 Red, 23 Sedate ,24 Trip, 25 Piglet, 26 Scone, 27 Recur, 28

Down Answers

A Little Story to read with room for some after thought!!

When I was a boy growing up we had several gardens around our old house. The largest one of all was used just for growing potatoes.

I can still remember those potato planting days. The whole family helped.

After my Dad had tilled the soil, my Mum, brothers, and I went to work. It was my job to drop the little seed potatoes in the rows while my Mum dropped handfuls of fertilizer beside them. My brothers then covered them all with the freshly turned earth.

For months afterward I would glance over at the garden while I played outside and wonder what was going on underneath the ground. When the harvest time came I was amazed at the huge size of the potatoes my Dad pulled out of the soil. Those little seedlings had grown into bushels and bushels of sweet suste-nance. They would be turned into meal after meal of baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, and my personal favourite: potatoes slowly cooked in spaghetti sauce. They would keep the entire family well fed throughout the whole year. It truly was a miracle to behold.

Thinking back on those special times makes me wonder how many other seeds I have planted in this life that have grown unseen in the hearts and minds of others. How many times has God used some little thing that I said or did to grow something beautiful? How many times has Heaven used these little seed-lings to provide another’s soul with sweet sustenance?

Every single day of our lives we step out into the garden of this world. Every single day we plant seeds that can grow into something wonderful. We may never see the growth that comes from the kind words or loving acts we share but God does. I hope then that you always tend the garden around you with care. I hope that you plant only goodness, peace, and compassion in the lives of everyone you meet. I hope that everyday you help miracles to grow.

From Anne Holmes A huge thank you to everyone who supported the Fun afternoon for Yorkhill Hospital and Medicinema. The total raised so far is £2150 with more money to come. The winning balloon in the balloon race reached Newburgh in Fife a distance of 77.1 miles from East Kilbride

School Chaplaincy For two days last month I went back to school. The new chaplaincy team at Duncanrig Secondary School joined the primary 7s on their transition days when they experience life at secondary school, meet their new classmates and begin to find their way around Duncanrig. The chaplaincy team was there to share the experience too (though we got as lost as the P7s). We ‘shadowed’ classes and I struggled to remember some of my high school French but was pleased I did much better in Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies! At lunchtime over the two days we served ‘mocktails’ to the young people – the most popular was a blackcurrant and sparkling water concoction. The transition days allowed the young people who will be coming to the school after the summer to meet the chaplaincy team and for us to begin to get a sense of how the school works. The members of the chaplaincy team are also getting to know each other. At the moment the team comprises the ministers of the West Kirk, Westwood, Mossneuk and Stewartfield Church of Scotland parishes, Westwood Baptist Church, St. Mark’s and myself, together with a lay chaplain from Our Lady of Lourdes.

A little boy opened the big and old family Bible with fascina-tion, looking at the old pages as he turned them. Then some-thing fell out of the Bible. He picked it up and looked at it closely. It was an old leaf from a tree that had been pressed in between the pages

"Mum, look what I found," the boy called out."

."What have you got there, dear?" his mother asked. With astonishment in the young boy's voice he answered, "It's Adam's suit

Paddy and Mick were walking along a street in London. Paddy looked in one of the shop windows and saw a sign that caught his eye. The sign read, "Suits £15.00 each, Shirts £3.00 each, Trousers £4.50 per pair". Paddy said to his pal, "Mick look at the prices! We could buy a whole lot of those and when we get back to Ireland we could make a fortune. Now when we go in you stay quiet, okay? Let me do all da talking 'cause if they hear our accents, they might think we're thicko's from Ireland and try to cheat us. I'll put on me best English accent." "Roight y'are Paddy, I'll keep me mout shut, so I will. You do all da talking-business" said Mick. They go in and Paddy said in a posh voice, "Hello my good man. I'll take 50 suits at £5.00 each, 100 shirts at £3..00 each, and 50 pairs of trousers at £4.50 each. And oy’ll back up me truck ready to load 'em on, so I will." The owner of the shop said quietly, "You're from Ireland, aren't you?" "Well yes," said a surprised Paddy. "What gave it away?" The owner replied, "This is a dry-cleaners."

September 7th Jim & Eileen Muir 14th Irene Nelson 21st Edith Rae 28th Pat Sutherland

Flower List

Via the newsletter a great big thank you to those who donate towards the provi-

sion of flowers for the Chancel.

This contribution is deeply appreciated

July 6th Jessie Mackay 13th Rae Cruickshank 20th Edith Rae 27th Edith Rae

August 3rd Morag Aitken 10th Maureen Bamford 17th Kate Bannerman 24th Nan Swan 31st Cathie Crosbie

Old Clothes Collection This has been a great earner for the church coffers since it was started and because of this. it is going to be ongoing. So if you can contact family & friends knowing that we are able to continue storing the items on the stage. When we feel that we can have them uplifted we can organise this then we can kick start the whole process again. Please try your best to continue this little success story

Contact Numbers Minister Revd Lindsey Sanderson 21 Crawfurd Gardens Rutherglen G73 4JP Mobile 07895139615 Secretary Sandra Wood 6 Dunrobin Crescent Stewartfield East Kilbride G74 4SU Mobile 07740683853 Treasurer David Herbertson 1 Swift Place Broadmeadows East Kilbride G75 8RT

Newsletter Edwin Robertson Flat 29 Kittoch Ct. 2 Roxburgh Park East Kilbride G74 1ND Tele 247866 Freewill offering Kathleen Lowrie Tele 579991 Deed of Covenant Irene Robson Tele 228542

Lectionary Readings Date Reader Text 15/06/14 Alan Paterson Gen. 1.1-2,4a, 2 Cor. 13.11-13, Matt. 28.16-20 22/06/14 James Muir Jerm. 20.7-13 Rom. 6.1b-11 Matt.10.24-39 29/06/14 Jean Fraser Jerm. 28.5-9 Rom. 6.12-23 Matt. 10.40-42 06/07/14 Anne Holmes Zech. 9.9-12 Rom. 7.15-25a Matt. 11.16-19, 25-30 13/07/14 Sadie Cairns Is. 55.10-13 Rom.8.1-11 Matt. 13.1-9;18-23 20/07/14 Jessie Mackay Is. 44.6-8 Rom.8.12-25 Matt. 1324-30,36-43 27/07/14 John Arthur 1Kings 3.5-12 Rom. 8. 26-39 Matt. 13.31-33,44-52 03/08/14 Alan Paterson Is.55.1-5 Rom. 9.1-5 Matt 14. 13-21 10/08/14 James Muir 1Kings 19.9-18 Rom. 10.5-15 Matt. 14.22-33 17/08/14 Jean Fraser Is. 56.1,6-8 Rom.11.1-2a, 29-32 Matt. 15.21-28 24/08/14 Anne Holmes Is. 51.1-6 Rom.12.1-8 Matt.16.13-20 31/08/14 Sadie Cairns Jerm.15.15-21 Rom. 12.9-21 Matt. 16.21-28 07/09/14 Jessie Mackay Ezek. 33.7-11 Rom.13.8-14 Matt. 18.15-20 14/09/14 John Arthur Gen. 50.15-21 Rom. 14.1-12 Matt. 18.21-35 21/09/14 Alan Paterson Jonah 3.10-4.11 Phil. 1.21-30 Matt.20.1-16 28/09/14 James Muir Ezek.18.1-4.25-32 Phil. 2.1-13 Matt.21.23-32