THE WAYThe Magazine of the Isla Deveron Group of Scottish Episcopal

ChurchesEdition Number 3 June/July 2014

A Blessing or a Curse?

When we were away on holiday before Holy Week, we managed to visit a church every day! This wasn’t by design it just happened…we have a friend whose children labelled most of their holidays as an ABC holiday- I’ll leave you to work out what the acronym might stand for!As we went around the churches and the villages I managed to pick up a number of church magazines, some were free others were anything from 20p to £1 for their publication. It might seem something of a buswoman’s holiday; but it was good to have the time and to see what other’s are doing and then if appropriate use some of the ideas. If we are to use the magazine as a ‘tool’ for mission and hopefully reach a wider audience, be this through paper copies or through online means, then to offer the magazine free of charge would seem to be fitting with these thoughts. If it is to be a ‘tool’ for relaying notices then perhaps we have to charge? As we continue along the path of faith and making known the Kingdom of God, making people disciples1 we have this magazine as one of the ways of doing just this. We are the caretakers of the churches in which we worship. The restoration at Christ Church is providing amongst the numerous forms which need to be filled in, a document which asks us to look at the Activity Plan for Christ Church. It might seem that this is a plan which is about ticking boxes- but it perhaps is God’s way of helping us…? Whilst it may be full of jargon, essentially it can help us to focus on the future and how we do mission and ministry next week, next month and in the year’s ahead. 1 Matthew 28:19

It is a plan, and as a church we have an unknown factor in the planning process- the Holy Spirit- but through prayer and discernment- the Holy Spirit will guide us through this process ensuring that it stops simply being a paper exercise. And as it’s a requirement for Christ Church, let’s make it part of what we do across the group- my prayer is that mission is reflected in all we do, revealing the Kingdom of God and building up the church of God.

Forms and more forms, but the light is in sight. As for the magazine and the questions I posed earlier- we can only work to evolve how the magazine works, we must, as with the forms and the planning, allow the Holy Spirit to do her work, but she and God also need the work of human hands to bring this about. We are all a part of the Body of Christ, and all have a contribution and a role to play in the building up of God’s Kingdom here on earth. So if you have an article, a poem, a story or anything which you would like to see then please do forward them on.

Many thanks.

Sarah

Baptism (Submitted by Emma Haley)Lord, you see your childTake this step of faithBeing baptized in your precious name,Not an easy step to takePour out your blessings, Lord,Upon this precious life,So they will walk in victoryAnd with faith in Jesus Christ.

By M.S.Lowndes

Ordination of Rev. Sarah Murray to the Priesthood

A few photogrpahs from Saturday 24th May 2014, at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Inverness.

A huge and very heartfelt thank you to everyone who came and supported me on the day and on Sunday, for all your kind words, prayers and gifts and for the surprise party afterwards! It was a very special weekend and will continue to be full of memories I shall keep with me for a long time. Thank you!

Vestry NewsThe vestry met on Thursday 29th May.There is a pattern of ‘business’ which must be attended to at each meeting, including the approval and adoption of the previous meeting’s minutes and then discussing any matters arising. There is always a report from the Curate and from the Treasurer. A recent introduction is a report from each of the churches and the congregation. The purpose of this is to ensure that each congregation has an opportunity to discuss matters pertinent to them and then to bring to the Vestry any matters which might require Vestry approval. Reports included topics such as the resoration of Christ Church for example.

The main issue for the Financial Report is to continue looking at the deficit which was before the Isla Deveron Group at the AGM in January. There are a number of ways of ensuring that we begin to find to ways of reducing the devficit and ensuring that in the year’s ahead the deficit is either reduced or ideally turned into a surplus. This year will see a time of looking at Stewardship beginning at Harvest and coming round to Pentecost in 2015 when we celebrate the Birthday of the church and hold a ‘Gift Day’. More details of this will follow in due course.Mission and Ministry is another fairly major topic and in an ideal world should be the main essence of what we, as a church, are involved in. Again this will tie in with the next year as we look at stewardship; there will be a day when there will be an opportunity to come together as a whole group, both Vestry and Congregation, to spend some time away, diserning God’s will for the present and the future of the Isla Deveron Group. This gives the chance to ask questions, bring everyone’s ideas, hopes and prayers together. Again more details of this will follow in due course.The Vestry are the elected people of the church and congregations and so reflect the thoughts of the whole congregation. Please do hold the vestry in prayer for their work and discernment of God’s will in the Isla Deveron Group.

Rotas & VolunteersFlowers, cleaning, reading, intercessing, serving and so much more are all vital aspects of our churches- we all appreciate the work undertaken by those who give of their time. We don’t say thank you often enough- so thank you!A new Rota for Flowers and for Cleaning is available in Holy Trinity, Keith- there are still spaces available so please do sign up if possible. There is always room on the

rotas and for volunteers to be involved- so if you would like to do a reading, intercessory prayer, the flowers or cleaning (there are rotas at the back of the churches for cleaning and flowers) and anything else not mentioned then please do let Rosemary know in Christ Church and Hazel in Holy Trinity.

FLOWERS- Many ask why people put flowers in Church. Firstly flowers in Church or

indeed outside, are there to remind us of "Creation", creation of all things living, and that brings us to the "Resurrection" which in itself is actually re-creation, or made alive. if our Church is based on the belief of Resurrection then flowers should be used as often as possible as a reminder that we were all created beautiful in God's eyes and so we should make our Church an example of that beauty. We provide flowers at Funerals with the belief in the resurrection. We provide flowers at Weddings with the belief that unity is being created as two people commit themselves to a lifelong relationship. We are all one with Christ and flowers are another symbol.Flowers enhance the beauty of our Church and greatly contribute to the atmosphere in the building, it is a tradition to have fresh flowers in Church all year round except for the weeks of preparation during Advent and Lent. Everyone is invited to contribute to the flowers by either decorating or perhaps by providing flowers/ greenery and we invite donations to celebrate Birthdays, Wedding aniversaries and other such

special events. However we contribute to this ministry within the church, we do so to the glory of God. For interest, here is a list of flowers and their meanings as a Christian Symbol.Anemones: Trinity, Sorrow, death.Carnations: Red = Love.Columbine: Holy Spirit. Daisy: Innocence of The Christ Child.Dandelion: Christ's Passion.Hyacinth: Prudence and Peace of mind.Iris: The Virgin Mary.Lily: Purity and The Virgin Mary.Myrtle: Conversion to Christ.Pansy: Remembrance and Meditation.Poppy: Remembrance, The Passion of Christ.Rose: Red = Martyrdom, White = Purity, a wreath of Roses = Heavenly Joy.

Violet: Humility.

Food Bank UpdateBoxes will remain in the churches for offerings of food for the food banks. We will be again offering our collection for the food bank at Harvest.Having recently attended the Official Opening of the North Aberdeenshire Food Bank, the startling statistics of the need for this resource is concerning. In a so called developed and civilised country. What ever our thoughts might be on this, the Bible reminds us that we are called to ensure that all have enough to survive and have the basic needs required for living. So please do consider supporting the work of the Food Banks- they provide a considerable amount more than food for the people requiring the food parcels.

Sarah

Spring Series of Lunchtime Talks

The 2014 series of talks has now come to a close. The three talks we heard this season we diverse in their topics, yet all provided a fascinating insight into the topic. Christ Church was well supported by people coming to listen to the talks while enjoying their lunches. A huge thank you to all who gave up their time to impart some of their knowledge of their particular subject.We look forward to the 2015 Series of

Lunchtime@ChristChurch. NB- There is to be an additional Lunchtime talk on Wednesday 18th

June at 12noon on Pilgrimage

The 2014 QuiltThe raffle for the 2014 Quilt was launched in March at the Fashion Show.It was designed and made by Isabel Sunderland and quilted by Linzi Upton.Isabel, an award winning quilter, has made the quilt as her contribution to the fundraising for the Restoration and development of Christ Church.The quilt is made up of 2676 pieces and incorporates all the colours of the rainbow, a complex, yet subtle and refined work of art and craftsmanship.There are 6000 raffle tickets to be sold and they are priced at £1 each. This is an unique work of textile art and could become a family heirloom.Tickets are available in all of the churches and the quilt will be on show at a number of places, including Johnstone’s of

COPY DATE- for the August/ September Edition is Sunday 31st August.

Dates for you Diary 2014Some advance notice of events over the next year- a chance to get these into your diaries!

18th June- 12 noon Additional Lunchtime@ Christ Church- PilgrimageFriday 20th June- Concert in Christ Church28th/ 29th June- Christ Church Pilgrimage & Ceilidh 13th July- Sea Sunday in Christ Church, Huntly and Holy Trinity, Keith4th August- Day of Remembrance & Prayer for WW17th September- Music on the Lawn

Isla Deveron Book GroupMeets usually at the start of each month on a Thursday lunchtime.The group have now read two books, The Summer Book by Tove Jansson and The Shack by Wm Paul Young, and there has been a wide mix of thoughts and conversations which have been triggered by the books.

Although we have a book as the focus, the conversations are far reaching and touch many different aspects of life and church life.Our next book is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C S Lewis. We have the availability of Audio books too- so if you are interested then please do come and join us.The group is open to all- do come and enjoy a bowl of soup and the conversations and fellowship. Dates are in the Pew Sheet.

Little Church Mouse Corner

From the Registers:

BAPTISM

On April 27th in Holy Trinity, Keith- Robbie Brian Garden

CONFIRMATION

On Easter Eve in St. Marnan’s, Aberchirder- Matthew Thomas Burnett-StuartOn Easter Day in Holy Trinity, Keith- Linda Jean Riggall

Our prayers continue for all.

Bible Study on Psalm 31- the Psalm set for the Fifth Sunday of Easter.

This is one of those encouraging Psalms that soothes the soul when we are experiencing difficulties, troubles and trials. It reminds us that God is in control, God is still in command of all things in our lives, though at troubled times this can be difficult to understand. David is engaging in fervent prayer and as he pours out his heart to God, he also opens it to us as we read this Psalm. David is going through a very challenging time and his prayer is for the Lord not to fail him. However, there is more here than a plea for help. In this Psalm is the great confidence and conviction of David’s faith and trust in his God. David has a great hope because he has great faith in God.Alexander Maclaren wrote: “This psalm is like an April day, in which sunshine and rain chase each other across the plain.” This idea of sunshine and rain, of ups and downs, of highs and lows threads its way through the psalm as we find David on a spiritual rollercoaster. Versus of this Psalm are quoted in numerous other places in the bible. Amongst the many examples; Jonah in his prayer from the belly of the fish (Jonah

BREAD MAKING & PRAYERComing Soon- an evening of learning to make bread, but with a twist. Making bread and the process of doing so- fits well with prayer in an informal way linking the ingredients to prayer. The date is Tuesday 16th September, 6.30pm-9.30pm. The venue for this is The Steading at Thirteen Moons. The cost is £27 per person and you get

RETREAT FOR 2015- that’s not the whole year but at some point during 2015! If there was to be a retreat organised would you be interested in going?At the moment it is very much at the planning stage and would require a minimum number to attend to make it viable. There are a number of possibilities being explored- but the possibility of going somewhere which offers self-catering would mean that we have the flexibility of organising the days ourselves. It would be as structured or unstructured as the group preferred, with the day being topped and tailed with worship of some kind, along with a reflection which provides a place to start for reflecting.

4th August 2014- marks the 100WWI. There will be a day of prayer and rememberence held in all the churches to commemorate this event. More details to

chapter 2). Jeremiah the prophet in describing the dangers he was experiencing and Jesus while on the cross (Luke 23 verse 46). These were his very last and very important words.David’s enemies persecuted him, lied about him and spread a net to catch him. So David petitions God with a series of requests; he asks God to deliver him, to rescue him and to “Lead and guide me”, “Keep me safe from the trap that has been set for me;” “Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;” and “Save me in your unfailing love.” This psalm is filled with petitions, full of requests to God.He was surrounded by a difficult maze of traps set by his enemies so he pours out his heart to God with these petitions. His prayer is short and simple: “Father God, keep me out of the traps.”This psalm is also crammed with images: “Refuge”, “Shelter”, “Rock” and “Strong fortress”David asks God to be what He already is. He asks God to be his rock because He is his rock. He asks God to be his fortress because He is his fortress. He asks God to be his refuge because He already is his refuge. David is just stating what he knows inside about God. We need to pray with our hearts what we know in our minds. We know many things ‘theoretically’ about God from the Bible. However, when we pray with faith we are asking God to be these things to us personally in practice.

Yet another image is the word or concept of "hand"; “Into your hands I commit my spirit” “My times are in your hands”. David declares that the Lord holds His people safe in His hands. His enemies may be trusting in “worthless idols” but David says “as for me, I trust in the Lord.” David refers to the hand of the enemy: “You have not given me into the hands of the enemy” “Deliver me from the hands of my enemies”The last image to think about is that in verse 16: “Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love”. A person’s face is very revealing. Often we can tell the emotions of people by the looks of their faces. For David his world is collapsing all around him, he is in danger, he is distressed and he is distraught, but it’s as if he says in this verse I can handle all of this as long as I know you are pleased with me.

Think about the difference between rainy days and sunny days. Rainy days can often seem very unpleasant; dark, cold, windy & miserable but if the sun comes out the day is transformed into something beautiful. How good it is to know that when the stormy weather of life hits us, when we find our spirits are dampened we can have God’s face shine on us? This is also a Psalm of victory.“Love the Lord, all his faithful people!The Lord preserves those who are true to him,but the proud he pays back in full.Be strong and take heartall you who hope in the Lord.”Now the storm is over. David is no longer running from his enemies, they are gone and he declares publicly the goodness of God.David concludes with an instruction that we must love our God always in times of blessings as well as in times of trials. We are commanded to love our God with all our heart, our soul, our strength and mind. David ends with an exhortation that we might continue to be encouraged and hope in the Lord so that we can say, “I can do all things through Christ” (Phil. 4:13)

By Megan Cambridge

BACK PAGE SPACE!!!

I've never been asked to fill a “back page space” before and so I do so with a certain amount of apprehension and even fear!! Do you really want to know about me, and how do I, in an interesting and entertaining way answer the questions Sarah has put before me?

What is your favourite book and why?Having spent a lifetime of reading and loving books, from studying for a degree in English Literature to reading bedtime stories to children and grandchildren, I have many books I have cherished over the years. I love Thomas Hardy's “The Woodlanders”, George Eliot's “Silas Marner”, Betty Smith's “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”, Lewis Grassic Gibbon's “Sunset Song”, Alexander McCall Smith's “The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency” and W Somerset Maugham's “The Painted Veil”. But perhaps best of all are the “The 20 Chronicles of Brother

Cadfael – the mediaeval sleuth” – by Ellis Peters because of the quiet wisdom and soul enriching integrity the books contain, because of their insight into the history of the times and because they are set in the haunts of my childhood and remind me of home – certainly one of the books is tucked into my suitcase to take with me when I go into hospital in Elgin.

What books am I reading at the moment?For the good of my soul I am reading David Adam's lovely book of meditations on the Hymn of St Patrick, “The Cry of the Deer”; for the good of my heart Jojo Moye's “One Plus One”, and for the good of my mind, John Gribbin's “ In Search of Schrodinger's Cat – quantum physics and reality” – a book Alan and I sometimes read to each other and try to understand!

What do church and faith mean to you?From being a child in a Christian home and attending the Methodist Sunday School, attending a Catholic Convent School, being involved in a Christian group at university and taking part in local preaching in the tiny welsh chapels in North Wales, joining the Church of Scotland in Upper Donside and being ordained as the first female elder in Towie Church to my entering the church family at Christ Church, my faith and my church are the bedrock of my life and as important and natural to me as loving and breathing.

What is you favourite film?Films I have loved from my earliest days – the first film I saw was The Wizard of Oz in London when I was 7 and since then I have been hooked! A hard question this but I am going to say Notting Hill. It is a beautifully constructed, filmed and edited story, musically captivating and cleverly scripted, wonderfully acted, ridiculously romantic and it makes me laugh out loud!

What music would you take with you to a desert island?Again a hard question! The Messiah by Handel to remind me of my growing up and my father's beautiful bass voice; Frank Sinatra's Songs for Swinging Lovers to lift my heart, put me in touch with love and help my toes dance on the silver sand and lastly The Fifth Brandenburg Concerto in D major by Johann Sebastian Bach with my sister playing the piano solo – magic!

Who would you like to be locked in a church with and why?I have thought a lot about this question! From the Old Testament, Daniel would have stories to tell; from the New, Martha and Mary would have many insights to share; the poet Gerand Manly Hopkins could recite his beautiful poems and keep me straight on metre; Saint Cuthbert from Lindisfarne would fill the church with his grace – but to day I think I would chose Bishop Mark – one thing to keep him still for a while and to give him a rest and because there are so many things I would enjoy asking him and so many blessings I know he could give. Also I know that my dear Alan, as Buildings Manager, would have the key to the door!!

Something you don't know about meI once smoked cherry wood tobacco in a long stemmed pipe!!!

Contact Details: Rev. Sarah Murray, The Rectory, Seafield Avenue, Keith, Banff-shire, AB55 5BS, revsarahmurray@gmail.com

01542 882782

www.isladeveronchurches.orgwww.facebook.com/IslaDeveronsec

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