ST ANDREW’S PARISH CHURCH

COATBRIDGE

OUTLOOK - OCTOBER 2006

 

Minister:                                                                                          Session Clerk

Rev Fiona M Nicolson                                                                   Mr Alex McKee

77 Eglinton Street                                                                          53e Blairhill Street

Coatbridge                                                                                     Coatbridge

Tel: 437271                                                                                    Tel: 421191

 

St Andrew’s Church Tel: 431385

www.saintandrewscoatbridge.org

 

October 2006

Dear Friends

As we move into autumn – already we are seeing trees changing colour. It’s a beautiful time of year don’t you think – when the leaves turn to hundreds of different Autumn shades.

I was recently standing in a supermarket queue when I heard a young Mum getting quite cross with her youngster. He was asking about what the different seasons were. In frustration she replied “it’s Winter, then it’s Summer – that’s all we get” I must confess that I was quite surprised at her response and her son clearly was too – but obviously knew not to disagree!!!!

How sad to only see 2 seasons, and miss out on the wonder of Spring and Autumn. For surely these are 2 spectacular seasons, with lots of messages for us about the created order and how life moves on and is ever changing.

For me Autumn is a reminder of God’s rich harvest to us – His provision for us and His love. Rather whimsically though I also like to think that God provides us with this rich array of colour to give us all a nice warm glow – before the onset of Winter. (well, it’s a nice thought isn’t it?)

In reality the changing of the seasons is a reminder to us that God is with us through all the comings and goings of life. That His reliability and constancy can be depended upon. That He is not a God of the black and white (or just Summer and Winter) but a multicoloured and multifaceted God of infinite power and might, yet with such tenderness, grace and compassion too.

So as you watch this season develop I hope that you will know that God is right there with you in whatever situation you may be facing – that He has a wonderful array of love and kindness, comfort, peace and joy to offer you, and much more besides!!!!

May you all know God’s warm glow surrounding you

 

With love and prayers

Fiona N

 

 

Church Register

Baptisms

10th September       Isla Murdoch McNay

Weddings

8th September  Lesley Savage and Matthew Wilkie

9th September   Lorna Fraser and John Paul McShane

Funerals

4th September    Christopher Hagan     Croy Road

8th September     Janet Smith    26 Millbrae Court

 

 

St Andrew’s and Clifton Parish Churches, Coatbridge

 

Dear Friends,

 

Since 2002 Hamilton Presbytery has been under instruction by the General assembly to restructure and realign Ministry within the Presbytery bounds.   This has meant a lot of hard decisions as well as heart searching at Presbytery level and at local level here in Coatbridge.

 

The Presbytery Plan calls for a reduction in Ministerial personnel within the Coatbridge and Bargeddie Area from the present 8 to 5.   The decisions were made in 2002 for the purposes of fairness and a fullness of well resourced witness within the area.

 

At the time when the Plan was mooted in 2002 it was identified that one possible way to achieve part of the new configuration would be an eventual Union between Clifton Parish and St Andrew’s Parish.

 

2006 has come around and Assembly has sought greater clarity as to the achievement of the Plan’s aims.   At the start of the summer, delegates from all congregations in the Coatbridge area met with the Presbytery to discuss where to take the next steps.

 

Your representatives from both congregations have followed up that all-town meeting with consultations with their respective Sessions and follow-up meetings with each other.   At a meeting on the 25th July we agreed that further discussions should take place within each congregation.   These discussions would focus on what a Basis of Union would look like, namely matters concerning property, Ministry, etc.

 

We will keep you informed as to any developments as they arise.

 

Rev Bill McKaig and Rev Fiona Nicolson

 

 

 

OFFERINGS                           F.W.O.                                  Open Plate                   Total

September                                £5,375.30                                    £315.68                       £5,690.98

 

GUILD

Got a sweet tooth? Why don’t you come along and indulge when “Clickmans Sweets” bring some of their goodies to the Guild on Wednesday 4th October at 7.45p.m.

Now men, how about you?  Would the sweets entice you? Why not come along and try.  Senga Weir Secretary

 

THURSDAY CLUB

The Thursday Club will resume meetings on 5th October 2006 at 2.00p.m. as usual.  All former members and new members will be made very welcome. The Committee hopes everyone will come along and enjoy the new session

Oct 5th             ‘Jolly Beggars’

Oct 12th           Mr R Wilson

Oct 19th           Francis Diamond and David

Oct 26th           ASDA – To be confirmed

Netta Stoddart, Secretary

 

CHRISTMAS FAYRE

The Christmas Fayre this year will take place on Saturday 18th November in Coatbridge High School.  All the usual stalls and hopefully some unusual ones as well.

It would be very helpful if two representatives of each organisation, as well as all other interested parties could come along to the next meeting of the Fundraising Committee to be held on Thursday 5th October at 8pm.

 

6th COATBRIDGE GIRLS’ BRIGADE

 

Our Girls’ Brigade session has started back with a roll of 36, numbers are slightly down against enrolment last year. 

 

On our first night back we had enrolment, introductions and games then on Tuesday 12th September 2006 we all met at Dunbeth Park for a company fund raising sponsored walk and afterwards some games and free tuck.  Thanks to all the girls who came along, it was a good night and the weather stayed dry.  We have organised a full programme to take us up until Christmas time.   

 

It’s not too late to join in, if you would like to come along to Girls’ Brigade please contact me.  We meet in the Church Hall every Tuesday evening.

Irene Krebs(Tele. 435611)

 

PROPERTY UPDATE

During the summer you will have noticed that much has been done to improve our properties, helped greatly by the lengthy warm, sunny weather.

 

All our cast iron railings have had a major overhaul by cleaning off the accumulated years of rust and grime and are now resplendent with their new coat of paint.  The new gates have been erected and the stone gate pillars refurbished and rebuilt.

 

Although this was an almighty effort by many members of the congregation, who freely gave of their time and skills, we are indebted to our contractors – J & W Loudon Ltd, J G Jarvie & Sons and Hunter & Clark Ltd – at a final cost of £30,597.  We are grateful for the financial support in this effort supplied by Paterson of Greenoakhill Ltd via the LandTrust legislation in conjunction with the Landfill Tax Regulations.  Without the volunteer element this sum would easily have been doubled.

 

The property committee has also carried out its annual inspections and has prioritised all the items requiring attention to all the properties.  Many of these items are of a minor nature and it has been decided to continue to work steadily away at these with our willing band of volunteers.  If you can spare some time, (even an hour would be great), do come along and join us on Thursday mornings at 10am.

 

We will be doing everything such as gardening, weeding, painting, joinery, polishing, furniture moving – you name it, if we can tackle it we will.  Would you like to help?  The chat is good and we usually manage a cup of tea/coffee into the bargain.  Robin Marwick

 

Afternoon Tea in Aid of Wellhall Care Home

Fiona, Georgia and Moira would like to thank everyone who contributed in any way to make this event such a success.  The sum of £1850 was raised during a lovely afternoon of co-operation and fellowship with the other local churches.

 

Scottish Bible Society

In recent years a ‘Bake for Bibles’ has been organised to send a donation to the Bible Society.  This year on Bible Sunday, 29th October there will be a retiring collection for the Bible Society.  Jessie Rock

 

 

DIARY

 

 

8th Oct                  Youth Dedication Service 11.00a.m.

8th Oct                  Elders Conference

15th Oct                Evening Service 6.30p.m.

5th Nov                 Informal Communion after the Service

12th Nov               Remembrance Service

18th Nov               Christmas Fayre

19th Nov               Evening Service 6.30p.m.

20th Nov               Kirk Session 7.30p.m.