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THE MAGAZINE OF THE UNITED FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND

All Editorial Correspondence should be addressed to: The Editor – United Free Church of Scotland, 11 Newton Place, Glasgow G3 7PR Telephone: 0141-332-3435 Email: Stedfast@ufcos.org.uk

N.B. The views expressed in the features, news reports, letters and book reviews are not necessarily those of the editor. Editorial comment and signed articles do not necessarily contain the official views of the Church, which can be laid down only by the General Assembly.

Advertising and orders for Stedfast should be sent to: Rev John Fulton BSc., BD, The Secretary, United Free Church of Scotland, 11 Newton Place, Glasgow G3 7PR Telephone: 0141-332-3435Published by the United Free Church of Scotland. Scottish Charity SC008167

Copy is required not later than the 15th February, April, June, August, October and December, and should be written or typed on one side only.

Editorial Policy

We have a Messy Church

Page 5/6

Come and Meet Godknows

Page 4

FEB/MA

R 2013

TributeALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Reflections on Lent

New Scottish Arts

Balintore Celebration

Last year our Ardeer Church lost a much-loved elder in Anna(Hannah) Ross. She lived in Stevenston (of which Ardeer is a part) all her life, first of all with her parents, two brothers and a sister before a long and happy marriage with John. Associated with the UF Church, the “Tin Kirk”, from a very early age, being in the Sunday School at three and still there 45 years later (as a teacher, of course, and with breaks while raising the family). When the children, Colin and Alison, were grown-up Anna was able to fulfil her childhood dream and train to be a nurse. After qualifying at Crosshouse Hospital, she remained there until just before retirement when she moved to the Three Towns Nursing Home. Anna loved Nursing.

Always busy, she was dedicated in all she did even to the point of being a perfectionist. “Don’t even touch that bed, I’ve just made it”. Latterly she and her husband became addicted to cruising, enjoying the sea-life these last 15 years or so. All this time, whenever possible, Anna was in her church pew and serving in the Courts of the Church. As well as being a devoted elder, Anna served on the Board, was treasurer of the Women’s Association, and a regular attender at the Bible Study. During her last year Anna made the decision to discontinue her cancer treatment and live her life with family and friends, of which she had many, in as normal a way as possible. Anna Ross (69) will always be lovingly remembered but sorely missed at the “Tin Kirk”.

Anna Ross Elder, Ardeer

2–3 Hot Potatoes

3 UF Enquirers’ Day 2012

4 New Beginnings at Knightswood and Duntochar West

5/6 We have a Messy Church

7/8 Come and meet Godknows

9/10 Reflections on Lent: Are you into spring-cleaning?

11 Bibles for Africa

11 Carnoustie Welcome New Minister

12 Implications of Same-Sex Marriage

12 Presentation to Scott Alexander

13/14 New Scottish Arts Articles

15 Update from the Moderator: Running on with Perseverance

16 St Andrew’s Bellshill 250th Celebrations

18 Christmas Dance at Chryston

19 Tribute to Anna Ross

EditorialAre you into spring cleaning? On page 9 Rev Gordon Cowan poses this question not with regard to our homes but to spiritual lives. Paul instructed Timothy that ‘in a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use’ and that we should cleanse ourselves from the latter (2 Tim 2:20).

It is often interesting what we come across when spring cleaning – things we’ve overlooked or laid aside for a less busy time. On a recent winter break to the Galloway Hills it was delightful to see the beautiful snow drops forcing their way up through the debris of nature’s winter clear-out. These tiny flowers are an annual reminder of the wonderful new life God has placed within us. Perhaps as Gordon suggests we could benefit this Lent from a spiritual clear-out in order to better appreciate this new life that can so easy be smothered in the ‘pleasures and cares of this life’.

On this theme of nurturing new life one congregation that is exploring ways of increasing the heavenly harvest is Wilson Memorial in Portobello. In the last edition we were encouraged by their desire to reflect the great love of Christ in the provision of a Food Bank service. On pages 5/6 of this edition the spotlight turns on their Messy Church. As discussed above, life is messy and an aspect of God’s call to live Godly lives is our reaching out into the ‘messiness’ to touch the lives of those Christ would draw to Himself.

I trust you will be inspired by this and all the articles to be prepared to become a bit messy for the Lord. After all the purpose of being made clean is that we ‘will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work’(2 Tim 2:21).

Alastair WrightStedfast Secretary1 2

Contents

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In every situation of difficulty and moral dilemma, there are hurting people, and the need to balance God’s word and truth with compassion, pastoral sensitivity and empathy was stressed throughout. We need tough minds but tender hearts. We therefore need to be prepared as Christians to respond as Jesus would when the “hot potato” issues arise for us.

The seminar began with a “lifeboat” scenario to engage people’s minds and to highlight the fact that there is rarely a clear cut, black and white answer to many of our moral dilemmas. We are creatures of our time and our thinking is influenced by our upbringing, our culture, our experiences and our faith. However there are many biblical arrows provided for us to help us find a pattern and an answer to difficult problems.

The biblical background explored the effects of sin on each of us as individuals and on society as a whole. The fall, described for us in Genesis 1 and 2, defines us all as sinful people: every aspect of our being, our minds, reactions and actions are all tainted by sin. The ethos of our culture, the media, the institutions of our society, are all affected by the Fall. Therefore as Christians it should come as no surprise to us, that we are constantly swimming against the tide, out of step with society, and being called to live counter culturally.

The doctrine of salvation by grace tells us that our minds are renewed when we become followers of Jesus. Romans 12 speaks of our transformation through the renewing of our minds and 1Peter 1 v15 speaks of having minds prepared for action. Jesus emphasised the abiding truth of the Law and its application to us as Christians Matthew5 v17,18. Therefore we still submit to the Decalogue and allow our lives to be shaped by God’s law.

The 10 commandments are as relevant today as they were for the Jews and for Jesus. Philippians 4 v8,9 helps us to see how we live lives of obedience and holiness, shaped by the teaching of Jesus.

There is so much misunderstanding of how we handle different parts of the bible and the seminar looked at the difference between the Law, given for all time, and the laws given in Leviticus for ceremonial cleansing and personal holiness... laws given to Israel in the Old Covenant which no longer apply because in Jesus we have the New covenant, the once and forever sacrifice for sins, the appeasement of God’s anger and judgement. We are therefore not bound any more for example, by instructions telling us not to eat meat with blood in it, along with all the other minutiae of detail observed by faithful Jews which marked them out as different from the surrounding pagan tribes. Jesus, in His life, death and resurrection, has fulfilled all righteousness.

There was emphasis laid on the Creation order given in Genesis 1 and 2 and the personhood and equality of all humanity described there, which dictates for us as Christians that every single person is created in the image of God and therefore has worth and dignity and must be treated with respect. Genesis 9 v6 “In the image of God, God has made man”. In other words life is not just a gift of God, it is a reflection somehow of God’s being. Therefore to take human life is in some way to destroy that image of God. The central issue in the present end of life debate is no longer the issue of pain, but the issue of choice. People want to choose when to die rather than leave that to God... a reflection of that first original sin, when the choice was given, “You can be like God!” Romans 1 reminds us that every human being has the truth written in their heart but chooses, apart from grace, to suppress that truth.

At ‘Running the Race’ last August, Ann Allen and Ian Lloyd led a seminar on ‘Hot Potatoes’. Their aim was to provide a biblical framework for moral decision making, so that whatever the issue, a response is grounded on the principles and teaching of scripture rather than simply emotional reactions. We invited Ann to give us a flavour of what was covered.

By Ann Allen

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9/10 11

13/14

Hot Potatoes

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On the 29th of March 2012 I was inducted to the linked charges of Duntocher West and Knightswood. It proved to be a busy evening with the induction service at Duntocher commencing at 6.30pm with this being followed at 8.00pm with the induction service in Knightswood. The service at Duntocher was led by the Rev. Ann Deacons with the charges being brought by the Rev. James Marshall. At Knightswood the service was led by the Rev. Bruce McDowall with the Rev. John Fulton bringing the charge. Both acts of induction were carried out by the Rev. John Evans.

The above services in one sense marked the end of process which had commenced almost two years earlier when, after a period of eight years out of ministry, I felt the Lord’s leading to explore the possibility of returning to full-time service. Having previously been a Baptist Minister for twelve years, from 1990 to 2002, I now believed that the call was not to return to full-time ministry within a Baptist Church, but rather was to serve within the United Free Church. After an initial interview with members of the Ministry Committee and subsequent meetings with the Ministry Committee and the Presbytery Committee the General Assembly was petitioned in 2011 for me to be admitted as a Minister of the United Free Church of Scotland.

Following this I received the calls from the Churches at Knightswood and Duntocher. I had preached on a number of occasions at both churches, from 2002 to 2010, at the invitation of the Rev. Andrew McMillan. Having accepted the calls my first Sunday preaching as Minister of both Churches was the 1st of April 2012.

While the two Churches are only 4 miles apart they are different in many ways. Duntocher West is a former Church of Scotland. The Congregation was formed in 1779 by Seceders from Old Kilpatrick Church and Greyfriar’s Church, Glasgow. The Church opened in 1822 and entered the Union in 1929. The Church was closed in January, 1976 however, the congregation re-entered the United Free Church in June, 1976, with the Church building being handed over by the Church of Scotland. It was rededicated on the 18th of October, 1977, after extensive renovation. At present the church is faced with having to make decisions with regard to major repairs required to the hall area.

The Church at Knightswood was started by a group of UF members, mostly from North Woodside. Services commenced in March, 1933 with the congregation being constituted in 1937. The church opened on the 6th of March, 1937. The church building was badly damaged and the church hall demolished by an air raid on the 13th of March 1941. Despite these major blows worship continued through the generosity of St. Margaret’s Parish Church. The church was reopened on the 4th of April, 1943 with the hall being completed in 1953. A two storey extension opened on the 18th of May, 1968.

One of the things that both churches have in common are groups of sincere Christians with a desire to see their local areas reached with the good news of the gospel. Our prayer is that in the years ahead that both congregations will grow not just numerically, but spiritually and in service of the Lord in their respective areas and within the wider denomination.

In the issue of Homosexual practice the bible has very clear teaching. The only place for sexual relationships is within marriage, marriage as defined in scripture as the unique and lifelong partnership of one man and one woman.

The issue of the manipulation of language was discussed. When a couple suffer a miscarriage, a longed for baby is lost; when an abortion is chosen, a foetus is removed. Euthanasia is no longer used to describe the taking of another’s life. The softened and acceptable title for the Euthanasia society is now Death with Dignity… just as the suicide clinic in Switzerland is called “Dignitas”. Language has its own power and we must be aware of how it is manipulated. Each seminar was given the opportunity to raise issues which were of concern. One major problem was the current morality among young people where the vast majority cohabit before marriage. The sensitivity of this issue for families, where parents would wish for their children to wait for marriage and yet fear to lose their relationship with their children highlighted the “grey” areas, where love has to walk the line where it does not condone but neither does it drive away. Where families are divided and there are unbelievers, there is a painful reality that believing children cannot legislate for their parents and the choices they will make, just as parents cannot enforce their faith and its outcomes on unbelieving children.

There was a helpful exchange of experiences and views and time was all too short!

It is some time since anything like this has been attempted by the Ministry Committee, but there is no doubt that our day for enquirers on Saturday 10 November 2012 at the excellent community church centre in Auchterarder proved to be a genuinely encouraging and successful event. The Perthshire hills were a dramatic backdrop, whilst a sense of warm fellowship was discernible throughout.

In the first place there were no fewer than sixteen attendees, across a broad spectrum of ages, backgrounds and experience. The day took the form of some introductory sessions of worship & reflection on God’s call, followed by helpfully informative and humorous input covering the range of options to serve the church both at home under Pathways and in relation to short-term opportunities to go abroad covered by the remit of our Overseas Committee. We heard directly from those serving in part-time ministry and as Readers what this is actually like, and how the process of preparation and training for these roles evolved.

Whilst it is always useful to absorb information at these events, it is equally important when people start to share something of their own stories, Christian journey and aspirations. This was the agenda after lunch, as folks broke into much smaller groups to ask questions about what is available and maybe take away some food for prayerful reflection about the future — that’s the hope, anyway!

Our venue was very welcoming (great soup & home bakes) and there was a relaxed willingness to mix evident from all present. Thanks are due to those who organised the day, led the sessions and gave up their valuable time to attend. It is hoped not only that those who met will meet up again, but that a day in this format might become a more regular feature of the UF calendar.

Finally one recurring motif was a sharing from personal experience as to how the Lord has shaped the course of our individual lives, often in very surprising and unexpected ways. That came across from both speakers & enquirers; it is a universal truth for every Christian as we seek to follow our ever-faithful God in equipping us for his service.

Hot Potatoes(Cont.)

UF Enquirers’ Day 2012

By Rev Alexander Ritchie

By Rev Eric M Worton

Image: Potato Portraits © Ginou Choueiri

New Beginnings aKnightswood and Duntocher West

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This is not a shameful admission or a call for a cleansing task force; it is, as you know the ‘Brand Name’ for a fresh, new concept in outreach to families. There is a widespread sense within the Church that we need to look at new ways of doing things. Sunday Morning Church – going is at an all time low with few or no children. There is a yawning gap between the 20 to 40 age group. There are no easy answers to these problems and ‘Messy Church’ as a concept is not a magic solution. However, it is proving to be a blessing in many ways across Britain.

Wilson Memorial’s Messy Church venture is not a showcase perfect model to be copied slavishly (well, it is really but we shouldn’t say so). Nevertheless, I hope others can learn from our mistakes/successes. We need to offer a Church experience that is different for those who will ‘never darken a church door’ on a Sunday at 11am. Be inspired and challenged by our story – it is a scary, roller-coaster ride – are you brave enough to jump on?

KEY POINTS

•Messy Church is not a cunning way to get people to fill pews on a Sunday morning.

• It is not a Fun Club for Kids.

•To avoid confusion the word ‘CHURCH’ is significant. This is a Church whether it happens on a Tuesday night or a Friday afternoon.

• It is for Families – children must be accompanied by an Adult (or Teen). Adults are encouraged to help out and attend ‘worship’ element.

• It’s Messy – that is the ‘Craft’, Creative aspect of the session.

FORMATOur Messy Church (age range 3–11) meets on the second Friday of every month, between 3.30–6pm. In July we aim to have a Games afternoon followed by a BBQ.

We invite Messy Church families to our Church Outing in August.

In December we invite everyone to our Sunday School Christmas Party.

In a normal month we begin at 3.30pm with supervised free play with a variety of toys / board games / table-football / air-hockey games.

At 4pm we have our Church Service. This consists of Children’s Hymns and Prayers, followed by the theme for the day, through a Bible Story.

The children are usually actively involved in the presentation (if any adults remain sitting apart from the Worship space, they should be encouraged to join the group). At 4.30pm the children move to another location (in our case the vestibule) where craft tables have been set up. This is always directly linked to the story. If the Craft Work finishes before the meal is ready, ‘organised’ games are played. Yes, Messy Church ends with a meal at 5pm;

Anything from Pasta, Sausage Rolls, Baked Potato, Cottage pie etc. always followed by ice-cream and jelly.

Although the event is completely free, a financial donation is welcomed. It is estimated to cost about £60 a month to run a Messy Church (cost of meal and craft material). However, in 2 years, through generous gifts, nothing from Church Funds has been required.

We have a team of about 15 people – this covers Kitchen folk preparing the meal and people to supervise and help with the craft-work. The Minister and Sunday School Leader conduct the Worship-time on alternate months so that’s it – Eazy Peazy!

Games, Story & Song, Creativity, and Food, which is the only Church experience some of our folk have. It is different but it is still Church.

HOW TO GET STARTED

We started in January 2011 – with 21 children attending. Counting Adults and Helpers, 43 people in Church that Friday afternoon! Attendance settled around 16 children for a few months.

November 2011 was our best month – 29 children (including 3 babies) and 22 Adults (including 14 helpers). We re-launched in January 2012 with 23 children, 4 babies and 20 adults. Excluding our Sunday School children we have welcomed into our church about 20 new children and 10 new adults.

HOW WERE WE EVER GOING TO DO THAT THROUGH ‘NORMAL’ CHURCH ACTIVITIES?

The challenge now is to encourage regular attendance and extend invitations to every Church activity / organisation appropriate. We always give special invitations to Christmas and Easter services.

KEY POINT

Monthly meetings inhibit systematic teaching, discipling and development of a vibrant Faith. We need to constantly evaluate progress. (We have a ‘vision team’, comprising 4 members who meet a few days after every event)

To ensure our main Messy Church volunteer helpers are encouraged ,we take every opportunity to make them feel valued i.e., thank you cards, flowers, phone calls, prayers & gratitude expressed in Sunday Services and an Annual Lunch together.

Grasp the vision – A visionary is someone with a dream and a passionate determination and strength of will to make that dream come true.

‘Vision without Strategy is Hallucination’ – i.e. a dream without action floats around and eventually evaporates.

A dream with action is called ‘VISION’. That is when it gets out of your head and into your hands and feet. Vision is life-changing. Let’s not pretend – our ultimate aim is growth.

There is a dangerous principle out there called ‘maintenance-creep’, i.e. the shift from outreach to pastoral care only. Our main focus should always be outreach. Our ‘activities’ should keep our churches at the cutting-edge of society. We should be ‘attractive’ to folk ‘outside’ the Church.

TO SUMMARISE‘A Vision is the shore being sailed to – the Mission is the task of sailing. Possible strategies could be oars, sails or motors’. For local Churches the ‘shore’ could be changed lives. The ‘sailing’ could be to create a relevant, attractive and interactive outreach into an uncharted locality. The ‘oar’ could be Messy Church, crisis food-bank programmes, youth-sports activities, etc.

All these things provide a ‘role for everyone’, opening up new opportunities for many non-involved church folk. It also allows people an opportunity, never seen before, to build long-term relationships with non-church folk, more effective than one-off events.

THESE GUIDELINES MIGHT BE HELPFUL

•Receive the Vision The Dream

• Impart the Vision Inspire others.

•Set some Goals What are you trying to do?

•Build a Team Mobilise and Utilise Gifts.

•Develop a Programme Know what you are attempting.

•Promote the Project Word of Mouth

•Maintain & sustain it Don’t give up

•Turn the Dream into Reality Mission is the activity needed to accomplish the Vision.

ONE OF OUR TEAM SAID THIS...

We feel Messy Church is a very worthwhile venture. It is a privilege to be involved and have the support of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer helpers.

Don’t give yourself to a ‘lesser’ dream’. Give yourself to something that will change the world. What are we trying to do in our Church Life? Why are we doing what we are doing? The local Church is the HOPE of the WORLD.

Hook up to a BIGGER dream.

Now go and visit a Messy Church near you. Buy the books. Go on the Website. There are a 1,000 questions yet unanswered.

Form a ‘Vision Team’ Get all the help you can. BOTTOM LINE – JUST START and SEE what HAPPENS!

www.messychurch.org.uk

By Ralph Dunn

ROOM FOR METhis was a rented house and Godknows shared with me the architect drawings for their new house. He enthusiastically explained the plans and pointed out all the rooms ending with a room which he said would be mine. I was taken aback by this statement and informed him that I was leaving Malawi on the coming Saturday. He was adamant that the room was for me but finally relented to it being the volunteer’s room. Godknows takes the education of all his children very seriously as he knows it is their best chance for the future. In the past the home has had volunteers (I think students on placements between studies) but this year no-one had been sent to help. I was able to leave some books, toys and a CD to help with their education. Godknows thanked me for spending time with the children as even this, he said, would help them with their English.

I returned the following day to play with the children and regretted that I had not found them all sooner. We played catch together and they played with my camera. Godknows was in the lounge having a meeting regarding the children and after saying my goodbyes I quietly slipped away as I did not want to say goodbye to the children.

UPDATEI don’t think anyone who has ever been to Malawi could have left untouched. I have thought frequently of the STEKA children and have been fortunate enough to have email contact with Godknows. Their house has been built and they are praying for funds to put in the floor and plumbing.

Hellen was able to stay with Andrew through his time in hospital and the operation for his rickets was initially thought to have been a success. Sadly in a more recent update on young Andrew he has had to lose one of his feet. However it is still hoped that he will soon be up and running around although it will now take just a bit longer.

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Come and meet Godknows

www.stekakids.com

AN UNFORGETTABLE PERSONFinishing up my time in Malawi as a Malawi Leader of Learning at Nyambadwe Primary School on the school’s last day of term I walked round the corner from my digs to the St Michael and All Angels’ church. This is the David Livingston Memorial Church. I was up dropping things off which were surplus. It is common for visitors to Malawi to leave clothes etc which are much valued by others in need. When leaving the church grounds I said a prayer and felt God telling me to go back and speak to MacMillan again. Through MacMillan and Mackay (first names of two men who work in the offices) I was put in contact with Godknows. I had two days left before I was due to leave the country.

Godknows was collecting some of ‘his’ children from their end of term celebrations and I walked with them all back to their home. They ran to him as their dad and I could see the love and respect they had for this young man they called father. As we walked he told me of their home and how he had been led by God to set it up as a refuge for Street Children as he himself had been one. I told him why I was in Malawi and where I had been working. It turned out one of the girls in my class was one of the children in his home. I had been given no information on any class members while working in the school which is quite the opposite to what happens in Scotland.

NO EASY WAY OUTOn entering the grounds to the house I was struck with the thought of breaking down in tears (I cry at all films) if I was to meet a child with a visible disability. I prepared myself for what I did not know was to follow. Before going to Malawi my husband Andrew and I had joked that I would bring back a child. I had not felt the urge to become emotionally involved until I was introduced to a small boy scuttling around on his bandy legs. His name was Andrew.

GOD KNOWS BESTI was warmly welcomed into the house and Godknows showed me round. Originally Godknows and his wife Hellen had thought 12 children would be their maximum but Godknows said, “God has no limit” and the children kept arriving. It was a 3 bedroom bungalow which housed the couple and 37 children. Children slept in bunks, two to a bed. The older girls would bring their bedding into the lounge area at night and mosquito nets would be hung over them. There was running water to the house in the kitchen area and one bathroom which was used by the females only for their privacy. I saw two outhouses, one without a roof and the other cramped with someone sewing shirts. To keep funds going shirts were made and there was an aim of peanut butter being made and sold in the other ‘room’. The children mostly spent their time in the grounds hanging around or playing together. Even having seen the house I could only imagine how all the children fitted in. Godknows shared with me some of their stories ~ Nathan who had been left on a railway track as a baby, Andrew whose mother did not want him, Joseph who was brought to Godknows by the police, others with histories of abuse or begging for alms on the streets. As he introduced me to the children I had to switch myself off from what I had just been told. We sang action songs and I read some stories to the younger ones.

By Catriona Brown, Principal Teacher and Cathcart Church member

Left to right: Hastings, me, Joseph, Patrick and Andrew Front: Bright and Nathan.

Me and some of the children in thegarden at STEKA kids.

Innocent proudly showing me his end of session report.

Godknows & Helen Maseko founders& parents of STEKA.

Playing catch in the lounge at STEKA.

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DEFINITIONBack to the task in hand. LENT is a Christian Festival celebrated by Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and many Reformed Churches, but not all, observed in the Spring beginning on Ash Wednesday, 40 days before Easter excluding Sundays and ending on Easter Sunday. There are variations to that regarding number of days, what the days are called, and what is actually observed; but let’s not get too complicated. Generally, Protestants do not have strict rules but “giving up something for Lent” is seen in terms of doing better in some spiritual discipline, examples of which could be a period of fasting, self-denial, or living life more simply.

NOT IN MY ORBITDuring my ministry I never connected with Lent in any real sense although I do remember taking part in an Inter-church 6–week Lenten Bible Study with our Candlish Wynd and neighbouring churches. It became obvious our Roman Catholic friends knew the Bible more than those of us from the Reformed tradition. Perhaps Lent was a “good thing” after all.

SPRING-CLEANINGThe forty days of Lent leading up to Easter echoes the time Jesus fasted in the wilderness (Matthew ch4 and Luke ch4). The word itself comes from the Old English Lencten (days getting longer) and further back to a Germanic word meaning Springtime. Perhaps we could think of spring-cleaning and instead of turning the house inside out, as my mother (with my help) used to do, think of parts of our Christian life to which we need to give attention. In some churches this would start with a symbol of repentance, e.g. the placing of ashes on one’s forehead: thus Ash Wednesday. The ashes, by the way, traditionally come from the burning of the previous year’s palm leaves.

EARLY CHURCHThe keeping of Lent goes back to the early days of the Church as Irenaeus in 180 AD writes that various places seem to have different times i.e. more or less than 40 days for this initiation of new members joining the church and taking part in a fast before the great celebration of Easter. Later this special time before Easter began to include everyone and by the 4th century was fully part of the church. Over the years a myriad of rules were introduced especially what you could or couldn’t eat and like many other observances in the church became more and more complicated and almost certainly less biblical.

Are you into spring-cleaning?*

BACK TO BASICSWith the Reformation it was all change and nowhere more so than in Scotland. In 1575 all special days, except for Sunday, were abolished by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. So out went Lent as well as Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, etc. Kirk Sessions sought to punish any church members involving themselves in what was considered “Popish superstitions”. It has taken a long time to separate the wheat from the chaff and to realise some observances are a “good thing” with a Biblical basis. Christmas Day was still a normal day in 1960s Scotland: I remember working on that day, as a Christmas postie! Gradually the Reformed Churches readopted many of these days, Christmas, Easter, etc.

SOME SUGGESTIONS

LENT doesn’t have to be a giving up time but if you really want some bordering on the flippant suggestions what about:

TV / desserts / sugar and sweets / tweets / Facebook / fatty foods / meat / chips / etc.

But, more seriously, it can also be an adding on or renewing time such as visiting parents more often / doing random acts of kindness / exercising more / thinking about the good in others / etc.

More traditionally associated with Lent is: Fasting / Almsgiving / Prayer / Scripture Reading.

CONCLUSIONFor a long time I thought if one desires to truly exercise discipline and restraint it should affect one’s entire lifestyle, not just during the allotted forty days but throughout the year. However human nature being what it is perhaps it is a good thing to have this special time. Lent gives a bigger picture of this Season from Shrove Tuesday (with the perhaps not so biblical practice of the Pancake race in Olney, England, though it does finish with a service of repentance in the local church) to Easter Day and then Pentecost. We are reminded of the reality of sin and gives us a chance to examine our own Christian living. Look up Psalm 139 v23-24.

Finally LENT is not primarily about giving up or even taking on something to please God but far more about what JESUS gave up to pay the penalty for the sins of the world, yours and mine – His life. But I am not giving up chocolate!

This prayer by a friend from Iona is a good summation:

A time of turning roundTruly dust we are, and to dust we shall return;

and truly yours we are, and to you we shall return.

Help this to be a time of turning round and beginning again.

Through the forty days of Lent, help us to follow you

and to find you: in the discipline of praying

and in the drudgery of caring –

in whatever we deny ourselves,

and whatever we set ourselves to learn or do.

Help us to discover you

in our loneliness and in community,

in our emptiness and our fullment,

in our sadness and our laughter.

Help us to, find you when we ourselves are lost.

Help us to follow you on the journey to Jerusalem

to the waving palms of the people’s hope,

to their rejection, to the cross and empty tomb.

Help us to perceive new growth amid the ashes of the old.

Help us, carrying your cross, to be signs of your Kingdom.

AMEN

Jan Sutch Pickardfrom Eggs and Ashes • Wild Goose Publications THE IONA COMMUNITY

Some reflections on Lent by Gordon Cowan

*Yourself, not the house.

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Every year Flying Mission celebrates Boxing Day by taking boxes of Bibles to Princess Marina Hospital, Gaborone, Botswana and distributing Bibles to the patients. This year, in response to an urgent request for assistance, a generous donation from the Overseas Committee of the United Free Church of Scotland meant that Flying Mission personnel were able to give the gift of God’s word to nearly 600 patients.

It was an exhilarating experience for pilot Chris Thomas, who is new to Flying Mission this year. Chris, whose previous flying assignment was in a “closed” country, thoroughly appreciated being able to hand out Bibles without fear of persecution. He also was encouraged to see such openness to the word of God. “Every person wanted a Bible,” he said. “We even had visitors follow us patiently until we were finished distributing to the patients, hoping that there would be Bibles left for them.”

Fortunately there were enough left over, and in the end, they each received a Bible too.

Flying Mission personnel were able to speak personally to the patients and their families and also to pray with some. They go to be an encouragement, but FM personnel are encouraged too, and it is always exciting to leave the hospital holding onto God’s promise that His word never goes out without bearing fruit and accomplishing His purposes.

Thank you for helping to make this Bible distribution possible!

Carnoustie Welcome New Minister

Erskine Carnoustie has appointed a part-time Minister, Rev. Alastair Keddie. Mr Keddie retired from Dundee Congregational Church in 2008 and has occasionally conducted services in Erskine.

On Thursday, 30th August, members, guests and representatives of the Ministry Committee, Presbytery of the North and Carnoustie Ministers Council gathered in the Church Hall for a buffet-supper (a social!) to welcome Mr Keddie and his wife Elizabeth.

During the Sunday morning service, Interim Moderator Jackie Ramsay, on behalf of the Presbytery, gave an official welcome to Mr Keddie who conducted his first service as Minister of Erskine UF Church Carnoustie.

On Sunday, 4th November, Mr Keddie conducted a well-attended Guest Service after which, in the hall, he warmly welcomed those he had not yet met. It was very heart-warming to see some of the guests in Church for the following Sunday’s morning service. Thanks be to God.

(Erskine United Free Church)

Bibles for Africa

Mr Scott Alexander recently completed 50 years as a serving elder in Cumnock. St Andrew’s. He is pictured with his wife Hannah and Rev Deirdre Lyon, who presented the certificate.

Implications of Same-Sex MarriageIn mid-December 2012 the Scottish Government announced that they will proceed with the introduction of Same-Sex Marriage and the religious registration of civil partnerships. They have now published ‘The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill – A Consultation’. This consultation seeks views on the detail of the proposed legislation and associated guidance.

This current consultation is not asking about the principle of whether there should be same sex marriage etc. since that was covered previously. Rather it is asking for views on some of the detail of what is proposed. The Church & Society Committee will be responding to this latest consultation and anyone is able to make a submission to the Government. The consultation is open until 20th March.

The Government say that the plan is for a Bill to be introduced into the Scottish Parliament later this year. At that stage a committee will take written and oral evidence over a 12 week period and the process of the bill could take 7 or 8 months. Sadly, all the main political parties support this legislation and same-sex marriage is likely to become a reality in Scotland by 2015.

Anyone can respond to these consultations by writing to the Scottish Government or can raise their concerns with their local MSPs. We will keep you informed as this proposed legislation progresses through Parliament.

Presentation to Scott Alexander

By Debbie Spicer

By Rev John Fulton

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New Scottish Arts

By Jason McAuley

Music, drama, dance and visual arts can transform and enrich lives, encourage and unite the church, and proclaim the Gospel. New Scottish Arts is an outreach and education ministry. Our vision is to serve the Christian community in Scotland by facilitating and enabling Christians to share their faith through the creative arts in workshops, training and performances. In the past 17 years, New Scottish Arts has touched the lives and hearts of over 50,000 people through the power of the arts.

In March of 2012, Jerry and Elizabeth Averill – from Dallas, Texas – joined New Scottish Arts to add the craft of drama to NSA’s offerings. Drama is powerful; it brings down barriers and causes the audience to identify with the people portrayed. Theatre based on Biblical truth can impact audiences in a powerful way. Within the Church, it is an exciting way to educate, edify, and evangelize. For 25–years, the Averills dreamed of using their art – theatre – to offer an alternative to the Art’s Market in Europe. Jerry and Elizabeth Averill are here in Scotland to add theatre and touring to New Scottish Arts, expand the use of Scripture in theatre, and to encourage Christian artists in their craft.

Both are trained actors, writers, teachers and directors who learned their craft from Jeannette Clift George through working with the A. D. Players, a professional Christian Theatre Company based in Houston, Texas, for 20+ years. Since leaving the company, they have continued developing the gifts and talents the Lord gave them.

Since their arrival, the Averills have performed original shows for churches, schools and outdoor festivals throughout Scotland as well as offering major music and drama productions through New Scottish Arts. It is our hope through New Scottish Arts to establish Christian community theatres in major areas of the country. The first community production, “John, His Story”, based upon the Gospel, will be presented in Linlithgow, West Lothian 22 and 23 February. The Averills are available for performances or workshops by contacting averillcreatives@gmail.com

Our current project is to bring new hymns to the church in Scotland. We have an exciting CD released – New Scottish Hymns. It features Scottish Christian artists Emily Smith, Steph MacLeod and Yvonne Lyon, and is a project that seeks to reignite the spirit of hymn-writing in Scotland.

You can listen to the tracks / buy the CD and download FREE sheet music through links on our website: www.newscottish.org

By David Miller

Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)

We read these words every Christmas, but what might it actually have felt like for Mary – especially as she heard the prophecy of Simeon which spoke of a sword piercing her heart also. How much would only have fitted together as she watched her son bleeding and broken on the cross, or laid in the tomb?

These are the questions which Jerry and Elizabeth Averill explored though drama at an evening in Park Church in Uddingston on Epiphany Sunday. The drama was set on the night of the Saturday after Jesus’ death, going into Sunday morning. Mary, distraught and grief stricken, is trying to make sense of all that she has seen, in the light of all of God’s promises. She plays over in her head the prophecies of the Old Testament and the events of her son’s life and ministry and, as the play draws to its climax and as John, with whom she is now staying, brings the news of something strange happening at the tomb, realises that the only thing to make sense of it all is that Jesus is alive.

Over 150 people from local churches in the Uddingston and Bothwell area gathered for this evening, and we found ourselves moved, provoked to think, challenged to look afresh at our Bibles, and marvelling at the plan of God fulfilled in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. A fitting way to end the celebration of Christmas, and to begin to look toward Lent and Easter.

Bringing the Good News in drama to Park Church, Uddingston

Passionate about communicating the Christian message through the Arts

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2012 has been a great year for any preachers or school chaplains. With so many great sporting events it has been easy to plunder both them and the Bible’s use of sporting metaphors to shape biblical talks. Paul however reminds us that though physical training is of some value, godliness has value for all things in this life and the life to come.

In a moderatorial year, you have to feel that there should be more time for the physical training – the lavishness with which congregations both welcome and feed you puts strains on all the wrong places. A few of my own congregation have remarked that I’m looking well – that I’m not as ‘drawn as usual’. This I have of course taken to be code for the fact that I’m putting on weight.

The first thread then of the visits is that the oft-quoted phrase that being smaller, we’re more welcoming has certainly proven true. But there is an important Christian principle of hospitality lying behind that, that is vital. The open heart and welcoming fellowship reflects hearts touched by God, and Jane and I are very grateful for many kindnesses. Not least for myself, that I have had no need to buy her flowers for many a long day!

The second thread is a direct sporting reference, from the marathon. The writer to the Hebrews urges his readers to run the race marked out for us. Well he doesn’t actually – he says something so much more. To run with perseverance the race marked out. And that in a multitude of ways we have been very conscious of. My time at Bellshill in their 250th anniversary pressing on seeking to evangelise in their community, though without a minister for some time gives many dimensions of that perseverance.

Have we been fortunate? The church just going through the motions has not been our experience. Some are just scraping by; some with little resources making great inroads into their community; some baffled – but desiring to find ways of pressing on. But perseverance is a key biblical thought too – the reward awaits those who run the whole race. Interestingly a guest preacher at Torry who is involved in a church with a lot of young people said that he was encouraged to be in a church with mainly older people – he saw how they had kept the faith and were finishing the race.

October was a busy time for the St Andrew’s Bellshill congregation with the celebration of their 250th Anniversary.

On Saturday 20th October they held a Fun day – Open Air Service led by Ken Honeyman. The kids of the community enjoyed a Bouncy Castle – Bouncy Slide – Face Painting – Hook A Duck – Glitter Tattoo’s – all for free. The Fire Service were also be in attendance with their tender as were Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

The 250th Celebration Service was held on Friday 26th October in the Church followed by hospitality in the hall afterwards. This was followed on Sunday 28th with the 250th Communion Service attended by the Moderator of the UF Church, Rev Ian Lloyd

Encouraged? I am encouraged in the Lord – so need we all to be. It is very likely the worst has not yet come in our nation. But if our churches continue to keep the finishing line in sight we will certainly find Christ faithful.

Update from the Moderator: Running on with Perseverance

St Andrew’s Bellshill 250th CelebrationsBy Rev Ian Lloyd

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December 16th saw an unusual addition to the Christmas family service in Chryston. While the Sunday School read and enacted the nativity story flawlessly, followed by a melody of brass and percussion music, and the Pastor dramatised the sermon by being kitted out in full Bedouin shepherd’s costume, the inclusion of the “Confidance” school of dance in the service made this even more of a time to remember. A paired dance, duet and full choir were part of the repertoire they graced the service with and it enhanced an already memorable time of worship and reflection. Something tells me this will not be the last time such a thing will be happening in Chryston UF Church!

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Balintore Celebration

The result was that on Saturday December 8th, 91 members and friends gathered in the Seaboard Memorial Hall. The late Helen Ross Skinner had compiled a photograph album and preserved the original legal documents from 1929 and those formed the basis of an exhibition to which very many folk contributed. Members and friends were generous in lending us photographs and memorabilia so that there was a large display to be studied. (Display stands were lent to us by Hilton Free Church).

Since the earliest session minutes and papers have disappeared over the past 20 years, we scoured the early Stedfast magazines for information; we are very grateful to friends who gave or lent us those early copies which enabled us to mount a display of actual articles. We were also able to glean information from those whose families formed the first congregation of Continuers; several members and friends were children at the time and have clear recollections of the early days.

We produced a 28 page colour illustrated magazine with the story of those early traumatic days and time charts tracing our congregation’s history back to 1738. In addition we had 27 individual personal recollections of childhood days in BUF. Pat Woods at the Seaboard Hall made an excellent job of the printing! In November we had begun to look at our past when Mr John Bradley came to speak to us about the ministry of Rev John Ross, a local man who first translated the New Testament into Korean. We invited people to take copies of the magazine and make a donation to the work of Release International in North Korea; a good sum was sent off to this cause.

What a buzz of conversation as folks milled around the display, gasps as they recognised themselves and others from many years ago and delight as they were reminded of past events. What surprises and joy when friendships were renewed and news

shared. It was a particular delight to welcome Mr John Campbell and Mr and Mrs Ian Cossar Walker. John is the son of Duncan Campbell, Balintore’s first minister and renowned for his contribution to the Lewis Revival in the 1950s. John had been born in the new Manse and was pleased to meet again three of his contemporaries from Hilton Schooldays. Ian and his wife Isobel still visit Balintore each year; Ian’s father had a short ministry in Balintore but is well remembered by many.

Mrs Helen Dickson Ross cut the birthday cake before we enjoyed a sumptuous three course meal served by the Hall staff. Afterwards, Dr James Skinner and Mrs Anne Barclay shared their reminiscences of their childhood in Balintore UF.

The proceedings had begun with the singing of Psalm 25 and ended with the singing of Psalm 46. How good it was to celebrate together the faithfulness of our God, what rich fellowship we enjoyed.

Calum Ross, a 16 year old church history enthusiast, began to make us aware early in the year that on December 8th 2012, our little church would be 80 years old! The Session then asked Calum and I to organise the celebration which we did.

By Alice Cartledge

Christmas