No.20 1st November 2024
Hi,
Hope this finds you well.
As November begins it's a good opportunity to take a look at your diaries and make sure you are up to speed with things. Plenty going on around Mearns Free of course and as you look at the magazine you will see November is a busy time - and there are details of events coming up in the next few weeks which have a wider church focus too.
Key thing, time wise and most pressing, is to get your hair done for Sunday - all the details below.
Enjoy the Mag.
MB
Sunday 3rd November, 10.30am
Scripture - Genesis ch3
Rev Scott Kirkland
Home Groups this Sunday evening.
Wednesday 6th - 7.15pm
PULSE prayer meeting
From the Manse
Dear Congregation,
Those of you who like to read the magazine the moment it arrives in your inbox, are likely reading as we are setting up the tables and chairs for the Coffee Morning Outreach tomorrow at Belmont (10 am-12 noon). In this regard, over the last few weeks, I have been encouraging us to see how important it is to invite friends and family to the event. However, let me make a different point here. Even if you cannot bring a guest, come yourself.
It is equally important that you are present to greet and speak with those who are not currently part of our congregational life. It really is up to each one of us in the congregation to make MFC a place of warm welcome. We therefore all have a role to play in this regard at our Coffee Morning Outreach. We are hoping that donations might also be made to the work of the Glasgow City Mission. A representative will be present.
MFC Connections: In last week’s letter I mentioned a new initiative that we hope to launch in early New Year. The aim of MFC Connections is to help ensure that we walk closely with one another as a fellowship through all the exciting and challenging times of life. Sheila and Debbie are helping me work through some of the implications and we hope to share more on this soon.
Directory: Our Communications Team is working on a directory for MFC. We need permission from each member of the congregation so that we can include the whole congregation (as the directory will be made available to all the congregation). Graham MacKay has kindly agreed to take pictures of us for the directory (you can appear without a photo if you prefer – a photo is better for sure!). Graham will try and photograph everyone after Sunday worship. You can choose to be photographed on your own, as a couple or as a family. The team aims to complete the task by the end of the year and circulate in January. We would love every member to participate in this.
Please read the article below.
Scott’s Holidays (6th – 21st November): Anita and I will leave for holiday later next week. If there are any pastoral emergencies in my absence please contact our Session Clerk, Alastair McLellan, or one of the elders. I am delighted to say that in my absence the pulpit will be filled by two very capable young men (Rev Duncan Murchison –formerly minister at a FC plant in Helensburgh and Rev Jonathan De Groot – Christ Church Anniesland). Although I will lead worship on my return on 24th November, Rev Neil Longwe will be present to preach and share with us his prayerful plan to plant a church in the Merchant City.
See you tomorrow for coffee and on Sunday to praise our Lord.
With warm regards and much prayer,
Scott
Saturday
Getting along
If you require a lift to and from the Coffee Morning, please speak to Sandy Halliday who has kindly offered to coordinate this.
Just Arrived!
It was great to hear of the birth of Struan Robert Marshall - Grandson to Alastair and Sheila.
Congratulations to the whole family.
Struan was born on Sunday 27th Oct and weighed 7lbs 9ozs .
We are living in a time of fast-moving cultural change. But Jesus Christ remains the only true hope for society.
There is an urgent need for Christians to pray, take effective action and engage our communities and wider society.
If you want to see the hope of Jesus at the heart of society, then don't miss this special event
Glasgow' Tron Church on Tuesday 12 November - 6.30 for 7pm.
with Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern and Christian Legal Centre.
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encouragement to help you stand firm for Jesus in these times of fast-moving cultural change
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material to help you pray and take effective action
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news on important legal cases involving Christian freedoms
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the latest updates on urgent issues in public policy (including education and the protection of life)
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ideas for how you can make a difference where God has placed you
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opportunity to ask questions and access additional resources
Doors open at 6.30pm with refreshments for a 7pm start.
Don't miss out. Book your ticket today and encourage others to come with you.
To register for this free event and for all the info click
here.
Join us on Saturday 9th November 2024 at 10:00 AM at Hope City Church Edinburgh for a day filled with inspirational teaching, connecting with others and hearing about what God is doing around Scotland. This event is all about mission, evangelism and church planting!
We are excited to welcome many of our church planters and their families, providing an opportunity to connect, pray for them, and hear updates on their church planting journeys.
Michael Keller (founding and senior pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church–Lincoln Square) will be leading the main teaching sessions on This Cultural Moment: Culture and Context: Speaking the gospel into the post atheist moment.
Elliot Cherry (pastor of Midtown Fellowship in Nashville) will be helping us to think through how we live on mission amidst the challenges of an anxious generation.
Come ready to hear from dynamic speakers, participate in engaging workshops, and network with like-minded individuals.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to ignite your passion for the gospel and fellowship with others.
See you there!
For more details and to reserve a free spot go here.
National Day of Prayer
Wednesday 27th November
Each year, we set aside a day to pray for our nation and the work of our denomination in sharing the gospel. We would be delighted if you were able to join us.
Each congregation is encouraged to arrange time for prayer in a way that is suitable for their own situation. To help guide our prayers on the day we will prepare some prayer points.
In addition we invite everyone to also join a prayer time on Microsoft Teams.
More details to follow! This
page has more news.
Ladybird Book of Mearns Free
MFC Directory
The Comms team is about to start preparing a church directory that will include relevant contact details for those members and non-members who wish to be included. The details will include names, home address, email addresses, phone numbers (mobile and home), but any of these items can be omitted as you prefer.
Your data privacy is important, so our first step will be to seek your permission to proceed.
The default position is that your details will be excluded, so if you wish to be kept out of the directory you don’t need to do anything.
After you give us your permission we’ll send you a copy of your contact details as we currently know them. You will then be able to update the details, fill in any blanks, and let us know if you want your children included with your entry.
We will offer the option of a photo to be included with your entry, and to that end Graham MacKay has offered to take photos after Sunday services during November (dates to follow). Photos are not obligatory, but they do help put a face to a name.
Our intention is to have the directory complete by end December, and
available for issue in January to all who have signed up.
The format of the directory will be a PDF file that you can view on your phone/tablet/PC, but for those more comfortable with a paper copy we will make that available instead.
You can instruct us to delete or amend your contact details at any time, and any such changes will be effective in the following release of the directory (probably annually).
If you have any questions about this, please email office@mearnsfree.org, or collar Lorna or Tom on Sunday morning and they’ll be happy to clarify.
Tom
Book Review
It's the time when people are asking 'Any ideas for a Christmas present?'
We will have one or two up here each week - some will be new and others old but gold.
This is a just released, it's on Tim Challies' book review page which is trustworthy and this book also comes with a foreword from Sinclair Ferguson.
Consider the Lilies: Finding Perfect Peace in the Character of God
by Jonny Ardavanis.
“Find freedom from anxiety as you lift your gaze from the problems and pressures of this world to the changeless and powerful character of your heavenly Father. Is my cancer back? Is my job secure? Will I ever get married? Are my children safe? Our lives are often a chronicle of trouble, pain, and uncertainty–and God’s children yearn for peace. Many who wrestle with anxiety and despair know that the Bible calls them to “trust God,” but what does that even mean? In Consider the Lilies, pastor, podcaster, and speaker Jonny Ardavanis shows us God’s consistent response to those who are worn down by worry and badgered by melancholy: He proclaims His own character. Drawing on that perspective-shifting model, Jonny offers biblical insight on how to ground our thoughts and fix our gaze on who God is. Consider the Lilies is for those who long for liberation from their anxiety and fear–and desire to deeply know the God they are called and enabled to trust. If you are starved for hope and gasping for peace, consider the character of your heavenly Father, who welcomes all who are anxious, fearful, and melancholy to trust in Him.”
Available on Amazon but always worth trying at a Christian webpage first.
Good to see Twitter X agreeing with the Bible for once...
James 1:19-20: "Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger"
Colossians 4:6: "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt".
Proverbs 21:23 "Watch your words and hold your tongue; you'll save yourself a lot of grief"
Free Church’s
Safeguarding & Training
The Safeguarding Team is now following up those who have applied but who don’t yet have PVGs in place. We will be in touch with those in that position. We are here to help those who need assistance with the online parts of the application process – the ‘self-declaration form’ and the final form in the process that needs to be completed for Disclosure Scotland.
Please be aware that all who have applied for PVG certification need also to engage in the Free Church’s safeguarding training. This is currently provided online from the comfort of your own homes, and takes a couple of hours. The next training session for congregations is Thursday 31st October at 19.30. You can sign up for the training sessions through this link to the registration page: Safeguarding Training Booking – Free Church of Scotland
Thank you for embracing safeguarding. Doing so is essential to ensure that Mearns Free Church is a safe environment for all who worship with us and for all who engage in our ministries to children, young people and vulnerable adults.
Alastair McLellan
Blythswood
Shoe Box Appeal 2024
As in previous years Denise is opening the garage at Maxwell for checking Blythswood Boxes.
Checking boxes started this week - can you get along to help at all?
Denise writes: Boxes will be available from Thursday 31 October.
Times of opening will be from 9.30am until 3.30pm
We will be closed from Noon on the day of Susan's funeral 6 November.
Looking forward to seeing old friends and any new one's if they wish to participate.
Hizkidz and YOU!
10: Abraham and Isaac
Bible passage: Genesis 21 and 22
Big Truth: God provided a son and a sacrifice for Abraham, the man of faith.
Memory Verse: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Youth SU Weekend Away
March 28th-30th 2025
It feels a long way off, but actually bookings are now being received for a Youth weekend away at Gowanbank with SU (S1-S6).
We want all our youth group to go to this weekend and any friends they might be able to invite.
Our Finance Committee has agreed to subsidise the £92 cost by 50% and that would include friends.
Have you got any young people in your household in S1-S6. Please be active encouraging them to book up. You can find more information here. Please let Cathy Renn know if you are booking.
We shall not run our own MFC Youth Weekend away in February as we previous have. Rather we shall use this SU opportunity instead.
Scott
Free Church Recipe Book
Last week we discovered the Free Church had its own Recipe Book!
Catherine Mc had sent in a recipe from way back in the day when she was just an inexperienced young doctor and had no idea in the kitchen - but now, things are different and she is actually a very experienced Doctor.
This week, moving on (and indeed, moving into this millennia) it's Lorna's turn...
Lorna is regular contributor when there are social things happening at church and after last Sunday evening's 'Book Group' I asked for the recipe of Flap Jacks we were enjoying.
Lorna added... "It is very straightforward but use a smaller tin (20 by 20) otherwise they would be very thin. I put a very thin layer of chocolate on top"
We would like to invite you to consider joining a new prayer initiative.
You can join as a group of 3 or you can join as an individual to be matched up with 2 others. Groups will be male/female/mixed according to preference.
It is a great opportunity to form closer, prayerful relationships within our church family.
Jesus said in Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.
Please speak to Sue Amery-Behr or Catherine MacKay if you would like to find out more.
LARGE
PRINT - SONG WORDS
If you find viewing the song-words on the screen in Sunday worship a problem, we currently print a limited number of large-print song sheets for specific people.
We don't want to print unnecessary copies so please speak with the door team and we will begin to make these available for you each week.
Mearns Free Church has a What's App Group for Prayer
Purpose: A platform to share information regarding a sudden and crucial need for prayer.
How to connect: Speak to Margaret Boyd if you would like to be added to this group or email Margaret at: mandmboyd@hotmail.co.uk
What tech do I need?: You need to have a Smart Phone with WhatsApp to get set up.
Email Addresses For Mearns Free Church
Please make sure you change your email address list now we are part of the Free Church.
Tom Brown (Office): office@mearnsfree.org
Scott Kirkland (Minister): minister@mearnsfree.org
Sandy McDougall (Treasurer): finance@mearnsfree.org
Pauline Forster (Children and families worker): children@mearnsfree.org