The St Mark's e-messenger pages
The St Mark's Messenger is the quarterly church magazine which is delivered to members at home by our elders and office bearers. Our editor is Lynn Thomson and she will always be grateful for your contributions and comments.
(e-mail to the Editor)
Here and on subsequent pages you can read the Minister's Letter and other extracts from the current "Messenger". By clicking on the link above you can send your comments or contribution for the next edition to the editor.
Summer 2010 Messenger Index
The Messenger included a letter from our Session Clerks, Ian and Marjorie Lord which can be read here.
Letter from Ian McIver (Grouping Outreach and Development Worker)
I am now a few months into my job as Community Outreach Worker with the Parish Grouping, which includes St Mark’s - and hopefully many of you will already be familiar with the ‘Weegie’ in your midst.
Three of the aims of the Parish Grouping are to respond to human need by loving Christian service, to bridge the gap between Church and community and to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom. My role is to help fulfil these aims by exploring a fresh expression of Church in the city centre.
The largest growing group in 21st century Britain is the “unchurched”, those for whom the Church has no relevance and the Gospel message no meaning.
Jesus said, “Knock and the door will be opened to you. ”However, the “unchurched” won’t come knocking on our doors; we have to get out there among them. Just as God incarnate came to live among us, we have to connect with the local community.
Our Lord associated with people where they walked and talked. He made those ‘poor in spirit’ feel welcome in His world. We too, have to make people feel welcome in our world by engaging in all their issues and struggles, hopes and fears.
St Mark’s, through projects such as the OAK Cafe, Winter Night Shelter and Malawi, and the Parish Grouping, with initiatives such as Big Issue and Fairtrade, is already reaching out to the people of our parishes and beyond.
I pray that we can extend this outreach and develop the mission and ministry of the three churches by taking account of the gifts, responsibilities and opportunities for service of every member.
In the next three to five years, what do we hope for and what are we prepared to work for, through God’s grace? What is St Mark’s Mission? Why are we here?
In a society increasingly characterised by individualism and isolation, I believe we can become a haven for the lost and the lonely, the disenfranchised and those searching for true peace and hope through Christ Jesus.
No doubt St Mark’s new minister will enthuse us with his or her ideas for outreach. But I’d love to hear from you with your own thoughts on the way forward. Please telephone me on 07890 932677 or email me at ianmci@hotmail.co.uk.
To paraphrase the famous introductory words of a 1960s TV series, “Our Great Commission, should we chose to accept it, is to go and make disciples ... teaching them to obey everything Jesus has commanded us.” A challenging prospect, to be sure, but certainly not ‘Commission Impossible’.
Ian McIver
A Note from the Treasurer
I recently reviewed the various articles I had submitted to the magazine editor over the past year or so and was struck by the generally downbeat messages I had provided. I decided therefore that in time for Summer 2010 I should give you some good news for a change.
I am delighted to say that there is good news out there.
Firstly, following my plea at the AGM for a new Stewardship Convener, to replace John Watson, a volunteer has come forward and I am delighted that David Yacamini, who is already our Malawi Committee Convener has offered to take on this extra responsibility. Grateful thanks to David.
Secondly I also asked for someone to take on, possibly the joint role, of Freewill Offering Convener and Gift Aid Convener with a view to modernising our systems and transferring our record keeping to computer. You can imagine how delighted I was when, not one, but two volunteers stepped forward. As a result we have decided to keep on the two separate roles.
Our new Freewill Offering Convener is Dianne Morrison, who replaces Pat Skene and Lynn Low replaces Sheila Main as Gift Aid Convener. My thanks to both Dianne and Lynn for taking on these important jobs and to Pat and Sheila for all the hard work they have done over the years.
Our plan is to have both jobs fully computerised for the 2011/2012 financial year and we will begin almost immediately on developing the necessary databases.
And keeping to the good news, we now have 61 members giving by Standing Order with a total of £2,220.50 being paid directly to the bank each month. I am also pleased to be able to report that since the start of 2010 we have received five new Gift Aid declarations which means that the church will be able to claim back from the Chancellor of the Exchequer 28p for every £1.00 given by these five people. Why don’t you do the same?
It wouldn’t be me however if I didn’t make one downbeat comment and I do have to report that, possibly due to the very bad weather at the start of the year, our Christian Liberality for the first quarter is below budget. Just think how easy it would be to give your own offering by Standing Order so that even if you couldn’t be in church your contribution for God’s work would never be missed.
There are Gift Aid and Standing Order forms available here. Why not take a moment or two to complete both of them, if you haven’t already done so.
Everyone could help to make me happy, all of the time!
Alex McConochie
Congregational Treasurer
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