1. family and parenting
2. children

The Faw Kirk
June 2015
The magazine of Falkirk Trinity Church of Scotland
Scottish Charity No SC000652
Letter from the Manse
The Manse, mid-May 2015
Dear friends,
The General Election has come and gone and we had a result that the exit poll got right but
seemingly all other polls prior to that got wrong! So perhaps the Church is not in as much
decline as the polls suggest! I certainly believe that as we look as a Church to the next five
years we have a bright future in store as we approach 2020. As I write that year – 2020 – I
hardly know where the time has gone, it seems only yesterday that we were all wondering
what would happen as the new millennium started, and here we are well into it already.
With my little twin boys just passed 22 years of age and my first granddaughter two months
old, I am beginning to feel a little older myself! And yet at the age of 51, I am still seen as a
younger minister, hence the drive to recruit ministers for the future in the Church of
Scotland’s “Decade of Ministry” launched this year. I hope that you will keep this important
initiative in your prayers.
Age is no barrier to the work God has planned for us and I know that many of you, along
with me, want to see a vibrant and exciting future ahead for God’s Church and we can play
our part in his Kingdom in our small corner which we know as Falkirk Trinity Church. And I
believe we can when we attend to the basics, for when we attend to them then the vision
and the dreams follow. We need to know in our hearts that membership of the Church is not
like membership of any other club. It means everything to hold on to the promises we have
made for the bright future depends upon our commitment to God.
We need to:

Make sure we live out our belief in God;

Make sure we worship together, be there every Sunday we can;

Make sure that we keep our conversation open with God as we speak to him through
every day and be guided by His Word;

Make sure we give of our time, money, and talents as we are able;

Make sure we are following Jesus, faith and action together.
Please take time to reflect on these basics for our future depends on them!
Your friend and fellow minister,
Robert
2
Contacts
Robert Allan
Minister
625124
[email protected]
Kay Brown
Assistant Minister
617352
[email protected]
John Jenkinson
Pastoral Assistant
625498
[email protected]
Morag Jenkinson
Session Clerk
625498
[email protected]
Gordon England
Deputy Session Clerk
714320
[email protected]
Gillian Gardner
Business Development Manager
611017
[email protected]
The Lord Bless you and keep you
Baptisms
Sophie Elizabeth Scott on Sunday 15th February
Harris Webster Wright on Sunday 3rd May
Marriages
Ben Allan and Atousa Mamarpouri on 21st February
Paul Bradley and Sharon Ferguson on 3rd May
Deaths
Christina Meiklejohn, Newcarron Court, Falkirk on 16th February
Malcolm Allan, St Modan’s Court, Falkirk on 12th March
George McGilchrist, Randyford Street, Falkirk on 18th March
Jean Millar, Battock Road, Brightons on 27th March
Thomas Forgie, Cromwell Road West, Falkirk on 30th March
Molly Keillor, Carrondale Nursing Home on 6th May
Can you help……….
Post of Part-time Caretaker—25 hours
Pastoral Care is the responsibility of the whole
congregation. Elders and non elders can volunteer to
become a visitor. If you are interested in becoming a
visitor or would like to know more about what is involved
please get in touch with Irene Scott on 627692.
Falkirk Trinity Church wishes to appoint a part-time
Caretaker. The commitment is for a minimum of 25
hours per week and the successful applicant will be
expected to work flexibly.
The closing date for applications in writing is Friday
26th June 2015.
John Stewart
Grass cutting
Hedges and bushes
cut/trimmed
Please contact the Church Office for further
information and to register an interest in applying.
The Church Office hours are: Monday to Friday 9am
to 3pm.
Telephone 01324 611017
Email: [email protected]
Free Estimates
Tel: 07938 184032
3
Daily Life in Bible Times: Death and Burial
How did people bury their dead in biblical times?
Helen Bond looks for some answers . . .
One of the most striking stories in the gospels tells of the
raising to life of a 12-year old girl. Her father, Jairus, was
head of the local synagogue and presumably a
reasonably well-to-do man. But death and disease in the
ancient world was no respecter of wealth or status.
Average life expectancy was drastically shorter than
today, and half of children died before they were out of
infancy. When Jairus begged Jesus to help his little girl as
she teetered on the brink of death, he joined the ranks
of countless other fathers of his day. Indeed, this may
not have been the first child that he’d lost. Perhaps it
was the pain of earlier suffering that made him so
desperate for Jesus’ help.
Death and disease would have been far more prevalent
in ancient Israel than in our own sanitised society. With
no hospitals or hospices, care of the dying was the
responsibility of the family, particularly the women.
Once the loved-one died, burial would be quick, as it still
is in most middle eastern societies. Certain rituals,
however, needed to be observed.
The body itself would be carefully washed, anointed, and
bound with strips. This was the job of the women, who
were intimately involved both with a person’s entry into
the world and with their exit. Contact with a corpse
made a person ritually unclean (as also did childbirth and
menstruation). Most women would have been ‘unclean’
most of their lives, but this didn’t usually matter. It was
only if a person wanted to enter the Temple in Jerusalem
that being unclean was a problem, and in that case
observing special rituals would wipe away the
contamination.
Once news of the death got out, professional mourners
would gather (they had already appeared in the story of
Jairus’ daughter). Usually these were older women who
might earn a little extra money by wailing and crying as
they accompanied the body to its resting place. The
more the mourners, the more prestigious the send-off.
Originally, the Israelites buried their dead in family
caves. Sources talk of the bones of the dead being
‘gathered to their ancestors.’ By New Testament times,
special tombs were carved in the soft limestone rock,
with a central area and a number of longer, thinner
burial chambers radiating outwards. The deceased
would be taken to the family tomb in a procession,
where songs and stories would accompany the
interment of the body. Over the next few days, the
family would return to the grave, perhaps bringing food
or other offerings for the departed loved one. At a time
when people couldn’t be entirely sure if someone was
really dead, it was important to keep an eye on the
grave. The rabbis believed that the soul might hover
above the body for four days after burial (hence the
detail in John’s gospel that Lazarus had been dead for
four days – there was no chance of a natural
resuscitation).
A year later, a well-to-do family would return to the
grave for another ritual. This time they would bring an
ossuary, or a limestone ‘bone box’ with them. Inside the
dark tomb, accompanied by prayers and a flickering oil
lamp, they would gather up the bones and place them in
the box, with the thigh bones at the bottom and the skull
at the top. Once the lid was in place, the name of the
deceased would be scratched on the box with an iron
nail and placed with other boxes. Sometimes an ossuary
might contain a number of family members. That of
Joseph Caiaphas, the high priest at the time of Jesus,
contains not only his own bones, but also those of a
younger woman and a number of children.
Jairus’ daughter escaped all of this – at least for now.
Hopefully she lived a long and happy life, but death and
burial would never be too far away.
Next time: Belief in an afterlife
4
Getting to Know………………
Sandy Bovaird
Tell us a bit about yourself
I was born in Dunfermline, but grew up on the south
side of Glasgow. I went to Shawlands Academy
where I met my wife Linda. I studied at Stow College
of Engineering and qualified as an Ophthalmic
Optician in 1965. My pre-registration year was spent
in Norwich and our first married home was in
Stowmarket, Suffolk. In 1970 we moved to Falkirk
where I worked with Lindsay Cooper in the High
Street. In 1973 this business was taken over by
Dolland and Aitchison and I went to work in the west
end of Edinburgh. After 11 years I returned to set up
my own practice in Manor Street, Falkirk. I retired in
2008. I have three married daughters, Catriona, who
trained as a vet, Janis who is a training officer with the
Co-operative, and Aileen, who is an orthoptist in
Stobhill. I have seven grandchildren (four boys and
three girls) ranging from 6 years to 18 years.
I enjoy hillwalking, water colour painting and golf. I
like a challenge because I seem to take up things I
can’t master. Water colour painting is extremely
difficult and after 40 years I still can’t play golf.
Duncan McClements introduced me to the Burns Club,
of which I am a Past President. My favourite line of
Burns is “Lord bless us with content” and one of my
favourite poems is “To a Mouse”. This was composed
at a particularly dark time for the Bard, but he still had
compassion for a fellow creature.
What are your earliest memories of Church?
I went to Sunday School at Shawlands Old and
although I don’t remember much of the teaching side
of things, I particularly remember taking part in the
Sunday School Operetta ‘Princess Chrysanthemum’,
appearing as the Emperor, What for Why. I also
remember when I was ill my Sunday School teacher
bringing me a pencil drawing of a three-masted sailing
ship with all the sails and rigging named. And I
remember singing solo in the Church when I was in
the primary school choir.
How has Church influenced your life?
I think my faith underpins everything and influences
how I behave. I like to be honest with people and I did
wonder when I became self-employed if I would be
tempted to oversell spectacles. Happily I think I
succeeded and never dispensed without good reason.
When I moved south as a young man there was a
certain loneliness but I joined the Presbyterian
Church of England in Norwich and found a sense
of community and social life as well as worship.
When we moved to Falkirk, Graeme Bruce invited
me to join Erskine Parish Church and the rest is
history. Over the years I have seen many
changes and worshipped under four ministers at
Erskine, each with a different style. I think the
essence of church is to remove the focus from self
and it reminds me that we are more than a random
bunch of chemicals running around talking. I
believe there is something far beyond ourselves.
Church also reminds me how fortunate I am
personally and reminds me to think of others. I
have been an Elder for more than 30 years. I
often impress my grandchildren by telling them
that my 30 year certificate is signed by Dr Who’s
father (Sandy McDonald).
For many Sunday is a day for shopping,
sports, washing the car etc; why do you
feel it is important to give priority to
Sunday worship?
I feel going to Church on Sunday is one of the
ways I proclaim my faith. Nowadays one can shop
at any time. I often go from Church to Asda and
meet half the congregation (they tell me the other
half are in Marks and Spencer). My faith has
always been important to me and although formal
prayer has its place, I tend to have an on-going
one sided conversation. My prayers may not
always be answered and I have to remind myself
that sometimes the answer is No!!
Do you have any favourite hymns or bible
readings?
Yes, my favourite biblical text is “Judge not that ye
be not judged”. We cannot totally understand
other people’s lives and pressures. I believe there
is only one God and whatever denomination you
belong to we are all worshipping the same Deity.
My favourite passage is Isaiah chapter 40 verses
21 – 31. This was used in the film Chariots of Fire
and begins “Do you not know, have you not
heard…………………?”
5
How Important is it to you to be part of the
Church family? Has it helped you in difficult
times?
The Church family is a support group in dark times. I
was comforted by the number of people in the
congregation who spoke to me and even hugged me
after I lost my wife two years ago. Glendon’s visits
were supportive but I was particularly touched when
he phoned me up after he had retired, on the
anniversary of her death. For me in good times and
bad, the Church is always there and I can’t imagine
life without it.
How important were the vows you took when
your children were christened and what do
you hope the Church will offer today’s
children?
I take a certain quiet pride that all three of my girls
still have church connections. All any parent can do
is bring their children up with a knowledge of the
bible and leave them to make their own decisions.
For today’s children I hope they grow up with the
same faith we have, for without faith there is no hope
and I would hate to see any child growing up in a
hopeless world. There is too much emphasis on
materialism today and the Church offers children
different values.
A Poem for Pentecost
Before the Spirit came, You were just words on a page,
Black on white and yellowed with age.
Simply a story of long ago,
Of a Man who had so much love to show;
Who healed the sick and cured the lame;
Took our guilt and bore our shame.
It sounded so good, but it just couldn’t last,
It was not for today but locked in the past.
Until the Spirit came.
Now the Spirit has come, You are here at my side,
Larger than life and ready to guide;
Making real to me all that you said,
And doing through me the things that I read.
I am the glove that Your hand has filled;
I am the cup into which You have spilled,
All the love and the power which You promised would
come,
Right now in the present and for everyone,
Since the Spirit came.
Falkirk for beans and pease?
What is the best advice you ever received?
An older cousin once told me it was wrong to hate
anyone and that is probably it. Hate is the opposite
of love. I try “to do unto others”.
Do you think we are a welcoming Church?
Are we open to challenges and do we take
enough risks?
Yes, I think we are a welcoming Church. I am not
naturally evangelical and find street preachers
embarrassing, but I do feel we need to take more
risks and be a bit more outgoing. The Bible
Bus was a good example but I was a bit stumped
when one lady told me she found it “disturbing”. I
think the Church of Scotland is a bit introspective and
we need to get the message over by practical
Christianity. Falkirk Trinity is well-placed for this
being in the centre of the town with its facilities being
used by many organisations. The café in particular
provides outreach to the unchurched.
A member of the congregation drew my attention to the
rhyme which appears on the south wall of the churchyard
in the new sitting area on the High Street. She wondered
about the reference to
Falkirk and “beans and pease”. With the help of Google, I
found the rhyme and an explanation of its origins in the
Popular Rhymes, Fireside Stories and Amusements of Scotland by Robert Chambers, published in 1842.
“Glasgow for Bells,
Lithgow for wells,
Falkirk for beans and pease.”
The many churches in Glasgow account for the link with
“Bells”. Linlithgow apparently has many springs and was
known to have several public fountains designed for the
refreshment of “weary travellers”. Falkirk’s position close
to the rich alluvial lands of the Carse of Stirling is listed as
being known “from early times as a market for beans and
pease”. This perhaps also explains why there is a Bean
Row in Falkirk.
Mitch Brown
6
Dates for your diary…...
Music in the Faw Kirk
Lunchtime organ recitals in 2015
60 Minutes of Song
National Youth Choir of Scotland (NYCoS)
Saturday 15th August
Fridays at 12noon for 30 minutes. Lunch Deal
available in Café in the Kirk after the recital.
Admission is free but donations are welcome
towards the October 2015 visit of the delegation
from the Church in Shüren, Dortmund.
Those who attended the concert last year will want to book
early once the tickets go on sale. Choirs from NYCoS have built
an enviable and well earned reputation for the high quality of
performance across the whole range of choirs in the
organisation. Two choirs will perform here on the day - watch
this space for further details.
12th June: Rob Harris, Organ Scholar at St Giles
Cathedral, Edinburgh
There will not be a recital in July
21st August: Ian Boulter, Organist and Director of
Music, Church of the Holy Rude, Stirling
Walking Group
Wanderers Outings
The Walking Group meet on Mondays at 7.00pm. Set off points
for the year are:
June:
Lionthorn car park
July:
Bantaskine Park car park
August:
Falkirk Wheel car park
September:
Forth Valley Royal Hospital
June: Monday 8th and Friday 26th
July: Thursday 9th
August: Wednesday 12th and Friday 28th
September: Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 23rd
If you are interested in coming along, please
contact Christine (tel. 713746) as soon as
Possible.
Contact Elizabeth Brotchie on 624273 for more information.
Who meets here in The Faw Kirk?
Do you know that we have various groups who meet here regularly for dance, music and keep fit classes and rehearsals, or for informative evenings or for support sessions? This Church is a lively place during the week and if you want
any more information about our groups, contact the office.
Monday
Line Dancing
The Choir Factory
(Junior Choir)
(Adult Choir)
Tuesday
Mini Music Makers
Age Concern
Gamblers Anonymous
Falkirk Bohemians
(May—October)
Wednesday Girls Brigade
Local History Society
(monthly)
7pm—8pm
6.30pm-7.30pm
7.45pm-9.00pm
9.30am-noon
1.30pm-3.30pm
7.30pm-9.30pm
7.30pm-10.00pm
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
6.30pm-8.00pm
7.30pm-9.30pm
Sunday
Tai Kwon Do
Falkirk Bohemians
(May—October)
Enjoy-A-Ball
AA
Open Door
Age Concern
AA
Wee Tree Youth Theatre
AA
Falkirk Street Pastors Base
AA
Falkirk Festival Chorus
7.00pm-9.00pm
7.30pm-10.00pm
9.15am-11.30am
10.30am-noon
Noon-3.00pm
1.30pm-3.30pm
7.30pm-10.00pm
11.00am-1.00pm
8.00pm-10.00pm
9.30pm
8.00pm-10.00pm
3.00pm-5.00pm
All rooms within the Church can be hired for one off or regular lets at very competitive rates. For more
information contact the office (611017)
7
bustling market. But now it’s eerily quiet. Any open space
was filling with people putting up tarpaulins, trying to find a
safe place to sleep. So far, it's been reported that the
second earthquake killed 60 people and injured over 2,000.
So the effect was not as bad as the first, two weeks ago but it was still strong enough to make people very nervous.
‘What's happening to Nepal?’ someone asked me this
morning. ‘When will this end?'“
Nepal Emergency Appeal
Nick Guttmann, Christian Aid’s Head of
Humanitarian, had just arrived in Nepal to
monitor the progress of Christian Aid’s initial
relief efforts when the second earthquake
struck. Here he describes what happened.
“We were eating lunch when the earthquake hit. At
first, we thought it was an aftershock. The ground began to rock slightly. Then the rocking got stronger. The
pictures on the wall, and the lamps, swung from side to
side. Everyone else in the room jumped up, looking
frightened, unsure where to go.
‘Stay here!’ some people called. Others shouted to get
out. Dogs were barking. Some people ran to the open
area at the top of the stairs. Others said to get back
under the roof, a sheet of corrugated iron. After what
seemed like ages, the rocking stopped.
Taking stock
Our food was still on the table, bowls of chilli vinegar
spilt everywhere. My colleague, Ram, and I both took
another mouthful and went upstairs. Some people were
laughing nervously, some were just looking very
anxious. Most were trying to call their relatives to see if
they were OK. The phone system went down for a
short time. People began speculating on how strong
the earthquake had been: ‘It wasn't as big as last time.’
‘But it was big.’ ‘I'd say 6.5 plus.’ ‘No, it was over 7.’ It
turned out to be 7.3 on the Richter scale, with the
epicentre about 76km east of Kathmandu. About 30
minutes later there was another rumble and you could
see the building sway slightly. The air was still but full
of birds, which had all taken off when the second
quake struck.
Emergency supplies
This all happened at about 12.30pm local time. In the
afternoon, we went to look at a water distribution
system that had just been installed. It can provide
1,000 litres of fresh water per hour.
This is absolutely critical for a community in which a
very large number of houses were reduced to rubble in
the earthquake of 25 April. The distribution of
emergency supplies to a community that we were
going to visit had been cancelled. The streets were
crowded with people who had come outside and were
too frightened to go back in. In the evening, we went
for a walk around central Kathmandu. The area is
normally full of life, with shops, bars, restaurants and a
We have been collecting emergency relief envelopes
for Nepal. At the time of going to print we had
donations of over £455, some of which is gift aided..”
Thanks for all donations.
A BIG thanks to all who helped with the house to
house collection during Christian Aid week. We are
grateful that people continue to help with this year
on year and sorry that we can’t collect in more
streets – if only we had more helpers we could! The
total is still to be calculated but we appreciate the
donations given and the efforts of the
collectors.
AND THANKS TO ALL WHO HELPED
RAISE …….
£1407 from the Book Sale
£630.82 from the Coffee Morning, Hunger Lunch
and Quiz
A fantastic total and one which will change people’s lives!
8
Munro challenge--a cautionary tale.
By Liz Miller
For many years now I have been one of the many willing
participants of the Forth Bridge walk for Christian Aid -- always an
enjoyable and in no way taxing activity and for a worthy cause.
Friends will tell you that I don't hang about when walking; I like a
brisk pace - if you can't keep up - tough I'm off! No strolling for
me. I consider myself to be fairly fit.
So when the idea of tackling a Munro was raised to celebrate 70
years of Christian Aid, I was at first unsure as to whether I could
manage it because I've never done any hill climbing and of course
age came into it as well [may I point out now that I'm younger
than Christian Aid!] However with some encouragement from my
friend Marianne I decided to give it a go. This turned out not to
be one of my wisest decisions.
As the day of the challenge approached I had managed to
convince myself that this was no big deal--it was just a wee walk
up a hill. May I just pause for a moment to consider the word
“HILL”. One definition in the dictionary says "an incline/slope". At
no point did anyone point out to me that Ben Lomond is much,
much more than an incline and could possibly have been my final
resting place! At no point did anyone suggest to me that I was too
old /past it/over the hill [funny eh?] Although on reflection, when
I informed people of my intention, what I considered to be looks
and exclamations of admiration and awe were actually thinly
concealed expressions of amazement and horror [the woman has
misplaced her marbles!]
Fast forward to the day of reckoning. An early start [7am!] but a
pleasant drive with good company to base camp admiring the
scenery en route. Spirits are high and I have by this time fooled
myself into thinking that this will be possibly my finest hour--talk
about being deluded. Equipment checked -- Mars bars, water
climbing poles, emergency flares etc. I am slightly concerned to
see an ice pick hanging from David Griffith's back pack. David and
lovely wife Linda [affectionately known to us as mountain goats]
were our leaders that day. They are very experienced hill walkers
so we were fortunate to have them with us---whether they felt as
fortunate is another matter.
So we took our first confident steps and I could almost hear Julie
Andrews and her convent cronies singing "Climb every mountain"
and "The hills are alive............!" As we began the uphill journey, it
was in fact for me downhill most of the way. Downhill to defeat,
humiliation, despair and misery. Strong words you may say but
sadly true. I soon realised that Mr and Mrs G. [the mountain
goats] had tricked me---this is not a hill----it's a MOUNTAIN!!!
Hills look quite small from a distance but are scarily huge up close
and I was about to find out just how scary and huge this one was!
Ben Lomond was about to claim another victim. The early part of
the ascent did not prove too difficult although we discovered that
the paths frequently became rocky, uneven and steep. So a fair
bit of scrambling involved along with an uneasy feeling that this
could turn out not to be my finest hour!
I struggled on huffing and puffing a bit but trying to conceal my
huffing and puffing from the others---heaven forbid they should
think me a wimp. I had frequent stops--on the pretence of
admiring the views [which are magnificent] but mostly to catch
One of the views when the sun was shining!
my breath. A couple of hours into the climb the weather
changed dramatically---for the worse! We were subjected to
rain, hail, strong winds, sleet and snow interspersed with
sunny spells---not funny when you're half way up a
MOUNTAIN. And boy was it cold.
When the weather began to change, I realised that I was
lagging behind the group I had started out with and they
were fast becoming specks on the horizon. The second group
was further behind so there was I alone, isolated, abandoned
and desperately trying to stay upright as the wind howled
around me drowning out my feeble cries for help. Not even a
St Bernard in sight! Actually there were two labradors and a
collie but they don't carry brandy.
So in between blizzards, I struggled on in the mistaken belief
that the summit would just be over the next ridge but
MOUNTAINS are very deceptive--you reach what you think is
the top and it's not; there's another ridge ahead! Have you
gathered that I'm not exactly having the time of my life? --well spotted! Becoming somewhat dispirited, I find a large
boulder to shelter behind. As I sit there in quiet
contemplation, nay despair, a young lycra - clad couple
appear running up the MOUNTAIN! I almost shouted after
them "show-offs-you'll be old one day!" They didn’t even
notice me huddled against the boulder--probably looking like
a life-sized garden gnome gone awol from Dobbies [I even
had the red hat]. I think it was at this point I stood up ready
to soldier on and as I did so the wind blew me off my feet -scary moment!
I was now beginning to fear that the newspaper headline on
Sunday, "Elderly woman air lifted off Ben Lomond", might
actually become a reality. Being air lifted wouldn't be a
problem---the prospect of being labelled "elderly" definitely
would! A decision had to be made. Should I carry on and risk
exhaustion, cold and worse or should I turn back?
At this point a vision appeared in the shape of David [aka
male mountain goat] I didn't recognise him at first -- he
looked like a walking snowman. He told me that Marianne
was not far behind so I decided it was only right that I go back
and keep her company. It was a wise move --she had pork
pies in her back pack! Did I mention it was very, very cold?
My fingers had ceased to work so Marianne had to rummage
in my pocket to get my hankie so I could wipe my
9
frozen nose.
Marianne and I decided to make our way back down the
MOUNTAIN which, my friends, turned out to be more of an
ordeal than going up! It was actually easier scrabbling up the
rocky paths than scrabbling down. And the weather continued
to assault us. To make matters much worse my left knee
became very painful and I could hardly put my weight on it [this
happens with mature people sometimes]. OUCH!
S-Kidz Update!
We are fast approaching the end of a busy and enjoyable
session at S- Kidz and the leaders would like to take this
opportunity to thank all the children for making it such a
rewarding and pleasurable experience for us all. We would also
like to thank the Mums, Dads, Grannies and Grandpas and other
adults who come along to lend a helping hand each week and
make a valuable contribution to our weekly activities. It has
been a pleasure to get to know all the children who come along
on a Sunday, sometimes it is just once in a while but it is great
that families feel happy that no matter how often they can
attend church, they know there is a place for the children at
S-Kidz.
This year we have moved to the upstairs hall and so far this has
gone well, allowing the children a little more space and giving us
the opportunity to carry out some more active games and
activities. We are also hoping to make good use of the display
space in the hall to show off all the children’s work.
Carolynn, Linda, Susan and Leigh at the top of Ben Lomond
At this point we have been on this MOUNTAIN for much longer
than we anticipated and still had a way to go. I could almost
hear the helicopter blades whirring above my head! I should say
that the first group who had so callously abandoned me earlier
on had now passed us on the way down - looking annoyingly fit
and cheerful. Then help appears in the shape of Neil!!! I'm not
quite sure what Neil's official title is but he is a kind of ranger
[not the lone ranger] and rescuer of elderly biddies who get
into difficulties and who should have known better in the first
place. Without Neil's strong shoulder to lean on I would
probably not have made it down that MOUNTAIN this side of
Christmas. Thank you Neil but you won't ever have to rescue
me again.
And so we made it back to base----to say it was a relief is the
understatement of the century. Boy did that Mars bar taste
good! I think, my friends, it will come as no surprise when I say
that this was an experience I never wish to repeat. However on
a serious note a huge WELL DONE to the group who did make it
to the summit. The conditions certainly didn't make it easy.
And to those who didn't quite make it ---well done too - we
gave it our best shot. Thanks also to David and Linda [our lovely
mountain goats] for leading the group and making sure we all
made it back safely. A memorable day for lots of reasons but I
shall personally not be attempting any more Munros -- I'll stick
to bungee jumping in future!!!
Thanks to all who tackled Ben Lomond - David and Linda
Griffiths, Susan Laing, Carolynn Macdonald, Leigh
Macdonald, Douglas Peters, Kenneth Grant, David Foggo,
Kenneth Foggo, Charles Woodford, David and Marianne
Pattison, Liz Miller, Keith Wagstaff and Malcolm Strang.
As a result of their efforts £1074.54 was raised for
Christian Aid.
Most weeks we split the children into two groups, where
although they work on activities on the same theme the
activities are suited to the age of each group. Most of the
lessons are taken from a series of little workbooks called Splash
for our older group and Bubbles for the younger group. We
have Leaders’ books that go along with this to help us plan and
prepare; they outline an extensive range of activities we can
select from to carry out with the children. This means there is a
structure and sequence to what we do each week. Our first
theme this session focussed on following Jesus, we then went
on to learn a little about King David. Our current theme is called
Jesus Challenges Us. We do not always use lessons from the
workbooks but carry out activities which fit in with the time of
year or what is going on in the life of the church. The children
were involved in raising money to help a project in Malawi to
help the safe delivery of babies; this went down well as they all
got to eat Smarties in order to fill the empty tubes back up with
pennies! They also had to carry out tasks at home in order to
help raise money. The Nativity is always a highlight of the year
and it is amazing to see Jane’s hard work and vision come to life.
There are points in rehearsals where you can’t just see how it
will all come together but it always does and it is a joy to watch
and be part of. The children always seem to enjoy craft activities
and it is always a delight to see them present the adults with
what they have made as they are collected. Some weeks the
Youth Station have joined us and it has been lovely to see how
the young people in our church are willing to help and to engage
with the younger children whether it be helping them cut and
stick pictures or DJ and collect McDonalds for the Christmas
party.
This is just a wee snap shot of what goes on In S- Kidz over the
year but hopefully enough to show what an enjoyable and
rewarding experience being an S-Kidz leader can be. We are
very blessed that we have such an enthusiastic and sizeable
group of children and young people in our church and we pray
that our church can continue to look at ways to make it as
welcoming and engaging to all ages as we possibly can.
The S -Kidz Leaders
10
“You cannot accuse the editorial of being biased! In the last magazine we published information from
Gordon Daly with views on climate change, so hear now from Christian Aid who are working hard to help the
poorest in our world…”
A fairer, brighter future
Why we should take action on climate change
Why do we campaign on climate change?
Our changing climate affects us all; young and old, rich and
poor. We’re all bound together by our planet, relying on it
for our livelihoods and our lives. But we’re not all affected
by climate change equally. The world’s poorest people,
those communities who have done the least to cause
climate change—bear the brunt of its chaos. Increasingly
erratic weather is prompting more storms and droughts,
ruining harvests across the globe and eroding the gains
made by poor communities as they try to work their way
out of poverty. As Nazmal Chowdhury, project manager of
Practical Action Bangladesh, put it: ‘Forget about making
poverty history. Climate change will make poverty
permanent.’
That’s why Christian Aid and our partners have been
campaigning on climate change since 2006. As Christians
we are called to love our neighbours, and if our neighbours
are suffering the effects of climate change then we can
demonstrate that love by making choices to live our lives
more sustainably and to campaign for our politicians to
take action.
You’ve already made a big difference ensuring the UK
Parliament passed a strong Climate Change Act in 2008,
halting the building of a new coal-fired power station in
Kingsnorth in 2009, and helping to clean up the World
Bank’s energy strategy in 2011. None of these things
would have happened without your support and
campaigning by Christian Aid and others.
What’s the problem?
Climate change is happening and humankind is
responsible1. The impact of industrialisation and the
burning of fossil fuels have meant an unprecedented rise in
the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, and our
atmosphere is warming. This means that we are already
experiencing more extreme climate events, rising sea
levels, more floods in some places and droughts in others,
and serious threats to life. The link between these events
and climate change is now well-established by the vast
majority of scientists.
Magalita lives in Malawi, where unreliable rainfall
threatens the livelihoods of the 85% of the population
that live off the land and more extreme weather is
something that Magalita knows only too well.
She tells us:
“We know what climate change is here. We can feel
it. We feel the rise in temperature. It is hotter than
before. Mostly the temperature rises but now at
times the rains don’t come when we need them to…
and the crop doesn’t grow.”
A new irrigation system, supported by Christian Aid
partner EAM, has given Magalita’s community an
extra harvest during the dry season. Together we are
working to hold back the encroaching dust. But
short-term adaptation alone is not enough. Structural
change must come from binding commitments at the
global level to reduce omissions and increase
investment in a clean, safe future. And it must
happen now.
What’s the solution?
We need to keep global temperatures from rising by
more than two degrees above pre-industrial levels
and preferably by less than that. If we keep going as
we are, temperatures could rise by as much as five
degrees over the next few decades, with devastating
consequences for us all, but particularly the world’s
poorest communities who are the most vulnerable to
the effects of droughts, rising sea levels, and other
extreme weather events.
The way out of this fix is to shift from dirty energy
generated by fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, to
clean, low-carbon energy sources. That’s where
campaigning comes in. We need to build pressure on
our leaders, on business and on other key players so
that they make the decisions needed to create a lowcarbon future.
1 For more information on the climate science, see the Fifth
Assessment Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on climate
change www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg1/
11
Leading by example
We want to see rich nations like the UK leading by example
and taking responsibility for a problem largely of their
making. We want these nations to find the money and
resources to help poorer countries develop clean, low
carbon economies in which everyone has access to clean
energy—including communities that have not had access to
energy in the past. Poor communities also need money to
adapt to a changing climate through, for example, new
farming methods or techniques to prevent flooding.
Millions of people are already working to build a lowcarbon future, including:
them rather than to face the truth or deal with it. But
don’t be silenced. Don’t stop being that prophetic
voice. People of faith, hope and love have changed
the world in the past.
Christians are forever in the middle, facing the truth
but not despairing; in that sacred space of turning our
hope into action.
What can you do?
Join us in rethinking our relationship with the world.
Be part of the mass movement calling for climate
justice. Together we can take a million steps to show
those in power that change is possible.
 St John the Evangelist Church in Manchester, which has
solar panels on its roof and is generating enough energy
to help power the local community.
 Christian Aid partners in India who have worked with
poor and excluded communities to bring solar lights to
off-grid communities. The solar lanterns save money on
fuel and provide a brighter and cleaner light than
traditional kerosene lamps. This means reduced carbon
dioxide emissions and reduced respiratory problems.
 Our partners in Bolivia who have campaigned for laws to
protect the environment and who are helping agricultural
communities build reservoirs to conserve scarce water for
irrigation.
 Those who have installed wind power. It saved over 11
million tonnes of CO2 in the UK last year.
You are one of millions of people taking action on climate
change across the world.
Loving our neighbour
Climate change is a cause of suffering. The Christian
response to any suffering must be to relieve it, to change
the world that creates it, and to imagine a world in which it
is forever transformed by hope.
As Christians, we must take a prophetic approach to
dealing with climate change. The prophets in the Bible
have taught us that theology is about discerning and
speaking the truth, helping people to imagine a different
world from this one, and listening to the prophetic voices
of our time, as we search for the truth of God.
Those who tell us truths about climate change are among
today’s prophets. The same fate befalls them as befell the
prophets of old. They are often ridiculed, caricatured,
disbelieved and ignored. When they speak about
unsettling realities we prefer to silence them or sideline
1. If you aren’t in contact with them already, get to
know your local politicians. Push them to take
strong action locally, in Westminster and in
Europe, to act on climate change.
Why not join our network of over 1,000 local
lobbyists around the UK? We’ll send you
information and briefings three or four times a
year to help you to keep the conversation going.
2. Ask questions about where your money is
invested. Currently £3 million is invested in UK
pension funds, and these have a huge influence on
the economy. Imagine if this money was invested
in clean technology rather than fossil fuels.
We’ve teamed up with an organisation called
ShareAction to urge that pension providers invest
funds more sustainably—find out more at
christianaid.org.uk/greenlight.
3. Switch your energy supplier to a company that
invests heavily in renewable energy, such as
Ecotricity or Good Energy. And if you’ve already
switched, encourage your church as well—and
sign up to be part of Eco-Congregation.
Ecocongregation.org
Visit christianaid.org.uk/climate to find out about
these and many more actions that you can take.
We’d love to hear what’s happening in your church or
community. Get in touch with questions, comments
and to share your stories.
Email [email protected]
Add your action to those of millions of others to help
demonstrate the momentum in this campaign, and
call on our leaders to match this action at a national
and global level.
12
ECO Congregation Scotland Annual
Gathering, 25 April 2015
Some thoughts and quotes from attendees – Mitch
Brown, Norah Summers and David Foggo.
The keynote speakers were very good indeed as were the
well-considered questions raised and the speakers’
responses to these.
3. Paris Climate Change summit (December 2015)
Eco Congregation Scotland has organised a baton relay
to alert congregations around Scotland to the Paris
event. The relay was launched on 25 April 2015 at the
annual gathering. The Minister will take the baton
(with its message from Scotland’s churches) to the Paris
summit.
We do just need to keep on repeating the story - I can't
now remember at what point of the day someone
insisted that "story" was the vital way of passing on the
message - statistics tell part of it, but people are more
telling, one might say. Figures can be, and are,
manipulated, but a human face speaks volumes.
Aileen McLeod was excellent, both knowledgeable and
committed. She gave me some confidence that the
Scottish Parliament is on the right track.
1. Human justice issues and climate change
Luke 6:31 – Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you.
The poor and vulnerable are the first to be affected by
climate change. Countries that have contributed the least
to greenhouse gas emissions are those that will be most
affected by the impacts of climate change. The UK
supports developing countries to reduce poverty, improve
health outcomes, food security and access to energy.
Climate change impacts on these development goals
either directly (food, security, water and health) or
indirectly (gender equality, education and jobs and
prosperity).
2. Action in Scotland to address climate change
Scotland has ambitious far reaching climate change
legislation with world leading targets to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. Scotland’s investment in
renewable resources aims to decarbonise electricity
generation by 2030.
There are two strategies to address climate change.
Adaptation aims to reduce the adverse impacts of climate
change through different actions – eg rainwater
harvesting, flood defences, erosion control and soil
protection. Mitigation limits climate change by reducing
emissions of greenhouse gases. The 2050 Climate Group,
Scotland’s youth climate group, is a collection of young
professionals across Scotland who share a commitment to
climate change mitigation and adaptation and
accelerating Scotland’s transition to a low carbon
economy.
Workshops
1. Energy efficiency in church buildings – Scott Wham
(Architect) described a programme to improve the
energy efficiency of 29 churches in the Cowal peninsula
of Argyll. He provided detailed and helpful advice on
suitability of various heating technologies – advantages,
disadvantages, capital costs, renewable heat
incentive payments. Gas is still an efficient method of
heating a church, but it won’t be in the long term. A lot
of churches still use electricity and are putting in solar
panels to be more efficient.
2. Home Energy Scotland – Lilian Delaney of the Wise
Group advised on energy efficiency and services for
Church members. This was an interesting workshop
which provided us with helpful advice on important
issues. I’ve reproduced below the definition of fuel
poverty which we discussed and also two of the five
questions in an icebreaker quiz which certainly set me
thinking about these issues.
A household is in fuel poverty if, in order to maintain a
satisfactory heating regime, it would be required to
13
spend more than 10% of its income (including Housing
Benefit or Income Support for Mortgage Interest) on all
household fuel use. The definition of a 'satisfactory
heating regime' would use the levels recommended by
the World Health Organisation. For elderly and infirm
households, this is 23°C in the living room and 18°C in
other rooms, to be achieved for 16 hours in every 24. For
other households, this is 21° C in the living room and 18°C
in other rooms for a period of 9 hours in every 24 (or 16
in 24 over the weekend); with two hours being in the
morning and seven hours in the evening.
Rhubarb, Rhubarb, Rhubarb
The first rays of proper sunshine are hitting the garden and it
is springing fully back to life. This brings with it the work of
cutting grass and weeding but also the joys of fresh herbs
straight from the pot and the early fruit and vegetables.
One of the most robust plants in my garden is the rhubarb
which is shooting up in sturdy red stalks with a promise of
tarts and crumbles to come. There is often enough for jams
and preserves as well.
The first bite of rhubarb always takes me back to childhood
when it was grown in profusion in every garden. We played
outside all day, only returning when we were hungry. In
between times an elderly neighbour regularly issued small
brown bags with sugar in the bottom and cleaned sticks of
rhubarb to all the children who were around. The sweetness
of the sugar followed by the tang of raw rhubarb is a fond
memory. If you have never tried this “delicacy “then please
do, you may be pleasantly surprised!
Icebreaker quiz extract
Q1. The Scottish Government website gives a figure for
the total number of fuel poor household in Scotland in
2013. What is the figure, given that the total number of
households in Scotland is around 2,400,000?
A 940,000
B 780,000
C 640,000
D 430,000
Q2. What key Groups may be affected by Fuel Poverty?
A Benefit recipients.
B Elderly and vulnerable.
C Ethnic minority groups.
D People in specific property type/location.
E private rentals.
3. Preparing for Paris workshop -Interesting enough but
not really anything new after what was said in the
morning. We need to keep campaigning, keep pestering,
keep raising awareness. Does anyone really understand
what is meant by "carbon footprint"? It may just be a turn
-off – it is perhaps better to tell people to turn the heating
down a degree, don't take the car for short journeys,
reduce, recycle etc.
4. India - Nice pictures from a big conference in January,
held at a college where they have made a study and
produced a book of the many and varied plants which
grow in the grounds. Quite a lot of questions were asked
about the impact of drought/floods on poor communities.
Quiz answers Q1 A Q2 All
Having eaten your fill of raw rhubarb, rhubarb tart, rhubarb
crumble, stewed rhubarb, rhubarb fool, rhubarb ice cream
and every other recipe in between you may want to
preserve some. Rhubarb Chutney is a vibrant plum colour
and is an attractive accompaniment to a cheese board, try
out this recipe (you may have even tried it already from the
produce table last year):
2 Large (or 3 small) red onions
Small chunk fresh root ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
400ml red wine vinegar*
3 eating apples, peeled and chopped
200g pitted dates, finely chopped
200g dried cranberries (or raisins)
400g light muscovado sugar or golden caster sugar
A few pinches of salt
700g rhubarb cut into chunks
*Add spice to your own taste eg a few pinches of curry
powder, cayenne pepper, ordinary pepper or cinnamon.
Add a little at a time and remember the taste will be
stronger once the chutney is cold, so go carefully. The total
mix should be no more than about a level teaspoon full.
Put the onions in a large non stick pan with the fresh ginger
and vinegar. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients, except the rhubarb, to the
pan. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until the
apples are tender. Stir in the rhubarb and cook, uncovered,
until the chutney is thick and jammy, about 15 minutes. The
final mixture should look just damp. If at any time through
the cooking process it looks too dry then add a few extra
splashes of vinegar. This will vary with each batch
depending on the moisture in the other ingredients. Leave
the chutney to sit for about 10 to 15 minutes, then spoon
into warm, clean jars. Keep in a cool place for at least a
month before eating as the flavour develops in the jar. Sit in
the autumn or winter and enjoy a reminder of the
sunshine in your garden, as the rain pours down the
windows!
Julie Barr
14
A Walk to West Lomond
By Susan Laing
The annual Falkirk Trinity Church Walking Group outing
took place on Saturday 16 May. Our route covered a
distance of 4.5 miles with an ascent of 271 metres/890
feet to the top of West Lomond (one of the Fife hills
with a height of 522 metres/1,713 feet).
While driving through Falkland we took a detour and
were lucky enough to stumble upon a well-stocked
plant sale; customers were queuing outside the hall
waiting for admission. There was also a cake and
biscuit stall for walkers needing some extra calories
before tackling the ascent.
Eight walkers met at Craigmead three miles beyond
Falkland: Elizabeth Brotchie, Elma Brown, Ruth
Cochran, Elizabeth Donald, Lilian Gallacher, Susan
Laing, Margaret Moyes and Isabel Sarle. Everyone
agreed it was a cold wind so waterproof jackets were
worn or packed into rucksacks. We walked away from
the car park and across a grassy open area to reach a
wide hill path. Behind us and to our right there was a
panoramic view of East Lomond, Strathmiglo,
Auchtermuchty and Gateside. Bright yellow rape seed
oil flowers added colour to the landscape.
We passed a couple of lochans and cut through some
drystane dykes as the path snaked over the foothills of
West Lomond. We wound westwards and upwards
until we reached the north-west flank of the summit
from where we could see Loch Leven. Forty mph winds
proved the accuracy of the weather forecast; as we
were buffeted by the wind our walking poles were a
helpful third point of contact with the ground.
Elizabeth Donald and Ruth led the summit assault while
the rest of the group huffed and puffed their way
uphill. The end result was worth the effort! The
summit gave us a bird’s-eye view over rural Fife, the
Firth of Forth and the Lothian region beyond. In the
far distance we were able to see the snow-capped
summit of Ben Lomond.
Perching on a stone slab seat that surrounds the trig
point and huddling behind a stone cairn we attempted
to shelter from the fierce wind and together enjoyed
Elizabeth Brotchie’s delicious apricot flapjack - a fuelboost for the walk back. We took some group
photographs before heading off the summit and back to
the main path. It was tempting to choose a picnic spot
within view of East Lomond, however the low
temperature and steady breeze made eating in the
sheltered car park a more sensible choice. A bold red
robin fluttered around waiting to claim our sandwich
crumbs.
We had earned a visit to the Pillars of Hercules, an
organic farm with a cafe/restaurant and eco-loos. Bread
is baked daily and there is a shop with a wide selection
of organic and delicatessen-style food. You can pick up a
guide for a farm trail which takes half an hour to
complete – we didn’t - after all we had just scaled West
Lomond. We were in need of a rest, a hot drink and a
choice of tempting home-baking: tangy lime and
coconut cake, moist lemon sponge, fruit scones with
home-made raspberry jam and organic butter.
In case anyone wants to follow in our footsteps; the
shortest route to West Lomond is from Craigmead Car
Park. The Pillars of Hercules is just off the A912
between Falkland and Strathmiglo. Enjoy!
15
Do you remember………………………..
Snack lunches will have been operating for twenty years from 30th October. If you have any memories or stories
about working in the kitchen please send these to Morag Mackay for the September magazine so that we can
celebrate the twentieth birthday!
16
An Evening with Dr David Hamilton PhD
Wednesday 24th June at 7.00pm
David Hamilton is a bestselling author of seven books, covering a range of topics - from the impact of the mind on the
body, the effect of compassion and kindness on the heart, the contagiousness of emotions, and even the nature of
the mind and consciousness. During the research for his latest book, ‘I Heart Me: The Science of Self Love’, he
realised that his own lack of self-love was sabotaging him in hundreds of subtle ways and more than a handful of
major ways, so he devised an experiment using himself as the guinea pig. For more than a year, David studied the
latest research into brain chemistry, neuroscience, and psychotherapeutic and personal development techniques. He
realised that self-love was as much about biology as psychology – that self-worth is in our genes, but trained out of
us. The biological drive to seek connection with others often leads us to try to be ‘someone else’ to win love and
approval. But the brain can be reprogrammed, and David devised 27 powerful exercises that he tested on himself to
now help you increase your own level of self-worth, connect powerfully with your authentic self, attain a greater
sense of happiness and general wellbeing, and create stronger and more real connections with others.
David Hamilton has a first class honors degree in chemistry, specializing in biological and medicinal chemistry. After
completing his PhD, he worked for 4 years in the pharmaceutical industry developing drugs for cardiovascular disease
and cancer. Working in drug development exposed him to the placebo effect, how people improve through believing
they are receiving a drug, so he began to study mind-body interactions in his spare time. He decided to leave the
pharmaceutical industry to write and speak about the mind, our abilities, and help people to believe in themselves
more. And he also wanted to write and speak about kindness and spread the idea that a small group of people with
compassion and kindness in their hearts can change the world. Tickets for this exciting event are now on sale from
the Church office. David will also be available after his talk for a book signing.
17
Prayer Corner by Sandy Bovaird
When I think of prayers, two immediately
spring to mind:
1) The prayer we all learned as children "This
night as I lay down to sleep......." Including
the line "If I should die before I wake
etc.........." Obviously taken from the Rev I M
Jolly prayer book and penned at a time that life
expectancy was uncertain.
2) The Lord's Prayer which covers succinctly all
necessary points for daily prayer.
However I am also reminded of the apocryphal story of
the little girl who hoped for good weather for the
Sunday School picnic. The minister suggested that she
should pray for good weather. The day duly dawned to
grey skies and rain so the wee girl complained to the
minister that her prayer hadn't been answered. The
minister however gently pointed out that the prayer was
answered but the answer was "No."
When I wish to pray formally, I try to remember that the
correct structure is as follows:
A = Adoration: "Most high and all seeing God"
C = Confession: " I know I have sinned in so many ways"
T = Thanksgiving "Thank you for all the good things in my
life"
S = Supplication ""Please help so and so to make a good
recovery.
This is a useful guide when you wish to concentrate your
mind in prayer for some particular concern. Personally,
however, most of my prayer takes the form of an
ongoing, albeit one sided, conversation I have with God.
To me God is, in the words of the hymn, "in my mind
and in my understanding" and therefore always there to
be addressed and all around me.
Quite often during these "conversations" an idea comes
to me of something I can do to help whoever or
whatever I am praying about. In other words my
conscience is pricked and my prayer is answered in a
way I didn't expect.
Amen
Letter to the Editor of the ‘The
Faw Kirk’
I read Gordon Daly’s article on climate change with
interest, because I seem to have been surrounded by
this debate for a long time.
In 2008, Joyce and I listened to a lecture on Global
Warming by the then editor of Scientific American on
board a cruise ship. He had initially been sceptical but,
having read a lot of the original literature, had become
convinced, both that global warming was occurring and
that human activity was contributing to it.
At dinner on the same ship we spoke to another
American gentleman who asserted that the journalist in
question was unqualified to speak on the subject and
cited an open letter by American scientists stating that
there was no convincing scientific evidence that human
release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse
gases was causing or would, in the foreseeable future,
cause catastrophic heating of the Earth’s atmosphere
and disruption of the Earth’s climate. Almost certainly,
this was the same petition cited by Gordon. I remember
thinking at the time that, whereas 31,000 climatologists
disputing the European conventional wisdom on the
subject would certainly force a rethink, 31,000
miscellaneous university-educated scientists was not a
large number compared with the total number of such
persons in the United States.
As with much else in life, it ultimately comes down to
which experts you choose to believe. My own gut feeling
is that the report of IPCC (the Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change) published in 2014 and commissioned
by the United Nations deserves our serious attention.
http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar5/syr/
AR5_SYR_FINAL_SPM.pdf
They assert (among much else) that “Human influence
on the climate system is clear, and recent anthropogenic
emissions of green-house gases are the highest in
history. Recent climate changes have had widespread
impacts on human and natural systems.”
Of course, it is more complicated than that. By common
consent, estimates of the rate of global warming are
subject to considerable computational error. And it is not
the same the whole world over. Both of these points are
clear from this brief summary by the World
Meteorological Organization.
https://www.wmo.int/pages/themes/climate/
elements_climate_change.php
But one of the things that convinces me that there is a
real problem is the really alarming rate of retreat of the
North Polar icecap.
18
Keith Wagstaff
19
Heart & Soul
Sunday 17th May 2015
By Isabel Sarle
Imagine marquees of all shapes and sizes lining the main path
cutting right through Princes Street Gardens. Imagine over
5,000 people milling around talking about their church or
charity. What an amazing way to celebrate the life and
witness of Christians throughout Scotland and beyond. AND
WE WERE THERE! The blurb advertising our marquee was:
Our church stands on a sacred acre of land consecrated by
over 1000 years of continuous worship. The appearance of
one of the early buildings gave rise to the name by which the
church and the town have been known for many
generations, in Scots, the 'Faw' (or spotted) Kirk. Although
the old speckled stones have been replaced, the living stones
within our church are building relationships and connections
within our own congregation, our community and the wider
world.
We have gone through two unions, renovating our church
building and developing multi-media for worship and
services on line.
A café is open to all five days a week.
Through all this living and growing, we have discovered
embracing change is not a bad thing.
Joyce Wagstaff with Margaret and David Foggo
in the Trinity Marquee
The sun shone mostly throughout the day. There were
stories, singing (and dancing), workshops, speakers and
much, much more. The event attracted Christians and nonChristians. Towards the end of the day, I chatted with a
young Falkirk family who were visiting Edinburgh for a
family celebration, heard the closing worship and came to
find out what was happening.
What sums up the day for me is what one of the volunteers
said to me, ‘It was good to meet so many lovely people
showing an interest in the church.’
Update from Youth Station………..
Youth Station are a lively bunch of young people in our church
from P7 to S6 age group who meet every Sunday to discuss the
bible and are eager to participate in discussion and ask
questions. We have been following Luke's gospel as per
Robert's worship plan. The youngsters get involved in other
Church activities eg The Hunger Lunch and we, on occasion,
have an evening social event. The last one was a meal,
prepared by Henrietta, and games which was enjoyed by all
those who attended. We are expecting an influx of children in
August which will increase our numbers.
This was achieved through an amazing display inside our
marquee. Sheeting was painted to look like speckled stone
walls. Attached to these were photographs and text
depicting the wide range of activities and Christian witness of
the congregation. There was a photo book on show and a
computer running services. Historic leaflets and small cards
with up-to-date information and contact details were handed
out. Most importantly, the volunteers spent time chatting to
lots of people.
The highlights for me fall into two parts. First of all, the
people who stepped forward to give of their time and talents
to create the display and to volunteer on the day. Secondly,
the people I met on the day, the interest they showed in our
story, and the stories they shared.
At present there are three leaders on a rota and we have two
other members of the congregation who have offered to come
along and help. We really would like some more of the
congregation to consider supporting us as we need extra help
with the larger numbers. If you feel this is an area in which you
could help (not necessarily leading the group) then please
come along one Sunday and see what goes on.
Please speak to one of the leaders or email:
[email protected] or
[email protected].
Please remember to include the Youth Station in your
prayers.
Youth Station leaders.
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The following four pages are taken from the Church of Scotland website and we hope you find them of interest
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Locally sourced Beef and Lamb bought from local markets.
Only the very best quality products.
We pride ourselves in our presentation, product range, quality, excellent
working practices and hygiene.
We are happy to advise and assist in any way, to get the meat cuts or
products you require.
Gold Award Steak Pies
Gold Award Pork Sausage
Gold Award Beef Sausage
Gold Award Beef Burgers
Gold Award Haggis
Gold Award Black Pudding
6-8 Cow Wynd, Falkirk, FK1 1PL. Tel: 01324 623456
4 Main Street, Brightons, FK2 0JT. Tel: 01324 717126
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