EASTER 2008
Letter from the Manse As I write this letter we are no more than a few weeks away from Easter. There are many who ask the obvious question as to why the date changes round? Sometimes it is as early as it is this year and other years it can be the last week in April. Of course it isn’t important what date is correct what really is important is that as Christians we celebrate Easter for what it means to us. Anyone who has experienced great grief owing to the loss of a loved one will agree that time seems to stop. Nights become endless and days drag on. Saying goodbye to someone you have loved for a long time produces its own pain that only those who are going through it can understand. Although we may dread the thought of saying goodbye there is also something within us that makes us say … ‘get on with it’. This is perhaps why, as Christians, we look forward to Easter. Not only anticipating the story but to re-emphasise our roots which are embedded in the story. I personally always feel that when Easter is over the spring is upon us with new life bursting forth from all the plants and trees. It’s a good analogy to remind us of the Easter tomb and that Sunday morning when the whole world was turned on its head. During our Easter time of worship and especially in the Holy Week leading up to Easter Day I sincerely hope that you will play your part as a member of this Church to come along to the services that are being prepared. Can I say many hours of thought and preparation and consultation go into making these services special for all who come along. As the services are in St Mark’s the usual excuse “it’s nae ma Kirk this year” does not hold any water. So let me see as many of you preparing yourself for the coming Easter when once again we will marvel and show our thanks for the sacrifice that was paid for us. I sincerely hope that you will all have a Happy Easter Time. Your friend and Minister John
(In his letter John mentions the date of Easter. On the next page there is a piece about the Date of Easter. The Scottish version and the translation. - Webmaster) Dear Member This is for you, please read it now. Are you giving your church the support that it deserves and needs? How often did you attend church worship last year and up to this date? Are you missing out for no other reason than you can’t be bothered? If this is you, then I can tell you that you are putting the future of this church and congregation in dire peril. Do I need to remind you of the following? St Clements Church (Closed because of falling attendance)
Langstane Church (Closed because of falling attendance)
Greyfriars Church (Closed because of falling attendance)
John Knox Church (Closed because of falling attendance)
Denburn Church (Closed because of falling attendance)
Rosemount Church (Closed because of falling attendance)
St Mark’s Church ( ? ) The reality is if you do not use it you will lose it. It is now up to you to see that it does not happen again. Please support each service when you can, unless you are unable to attend through ill health, caring for others or being away on holiday. Your Minister CIRCLE OF CARE There are 74 members in the Circle of Care, 20 of whom are in residential homes. Some of the others are housebound or nearly but not all of them have regular visitors. If you would like to call on one of our members at least once a month please let Margaret Donald know. As there are a few gentlemen living on their own a gentleman volunteer would be welcome! Margaret Donald
01224 519142 CROSSREACH CrossReach provides care for many people in need across Scotland and so has various fundraising projects to help meet costs. It has a Directory Enquiries service 118 599, each call to which cost 40p with 10p going to CrossReach. You can shop on line at www.buy.at/circleofcare and the shops then donate to CrossReach. There is also a Sutton Seed and Plant Catalogue available. 20% of proceeds goes to CrossReach. Please consider helping by taking part in one or more of these projects. More information is available in the vestibule. MONEY MATTERS - From the Treasurer Many copies, if not all, of the last printed edition of the "Messenger" had a blank page which should have contained my contribution about our Church Finances and my message was to encourage regular giving. I hoped that members would have taken heed of a previous article in the magazine to consider giving by way of a Bank Standing Order. My thanks to those who started giving in this way last year, those who submitted forms with a start date of January 2008 and those who have indicated to me that they will do so. (Special thanks to those who picked the message up here on the website and took action as a result.) If you have not yet decided there is a copy of the form in this edition of the magazine and I would urge you to consider using it. Not everyone can be in Church every Sunday and it is so easy to miss an envelope or two throughout the year. With a Standing Order your bank will make regular payments as you instruct and St Mark's income is assured. Although the out-turn for 2007 looks good, this coming year will be a difficult one for us. Everyone will know by now that we have lost the long term let to the VSA Leisure Club and its significant contribution to hall fees. Our own contribution to the wider work of the church has been assessed by 121 at £56,812 for this year and you can see that this alone needs income of over £1,000 a week even before we think about, heating and lighting, water charges and so on. During the summer in 2007 weekly free will offerings were well below that amount and although the October Communion Sunday saw givings of £2,200 only one other week in the Autumn reached the £1,000 mark. Another reason why the Board and Session are looking to a Stewardship campaign. Please consider reviewing the amount of your FWO for 2008 but above all please remember to give regularly - even when you are absent. A Standing Order will do that for you.
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