FOCUS
   

Summer       2006

 

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Kirk and Community News
 For the Parishes of Cairngryffe and Symington

Minister:  Rev Dr Graham Houston
16 Abington Road, Symington (01899 308838)

Session Clerks:  Cairngryffe- Mr Jack Meikle
Glenbow Cottage, Thankerton (01899 308397)
Symington-  Mr Ross Russell
Spindrift, Main Street, Symington (01899 308240)


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SUNDAY SERVICES
 

May, June, July and August      

9.30am   Symington         11.00am   Cairngryffe

 

COMMUNION SERVICES

Sunday June 4th   

9.30am   Symington      11.00am   Cairngryffe

This year our summer celebration of the sacrament falls on Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the universal church.   Special orders of service will be used.   Let’s make it a very special day by ensuring that as many of our members as possible, from both congregations, share in our worship, and experience the blessing of God’s promised presence and power.

 

Board and Session Meetings
 

Cairngryffe August 21st & Symington August 28th  at 7.30pm

Both evenings will be devoted to development planning for the coming session, as we continue to follow through the outcomes of our Presbytery visit in 2004 and resulting 2005 stewardship programmes. Office-bearers are urged to make these dates a top priority in their diaries.

 

Visit our website at    www.symingtonkirk.com

 

 

From the Manse                                    Summer 2006

Breakfast Barbecue!
 

The season for summer barbecues is upon us.  Perhaps you’ve seen some of the latest equipment on sale, at exorbitant prices.  But barbies are just as good cooked on the simplest of charcoal fires, as a famous resurrection story from John’s Gospel chapter 21 reminds us: the story of a breakfast barbecue!
What’s your favourite food for the barbecue?  Burgers?  Steaks? Chops?  Kebabs?  I have to confess that mine is fish, like sardines, sea bream or sea bass, which we like to cook when we are away in the caravan, especially if it has come fresh out of the sea into local fishmongers.  John tells us that Jesus planned such a barbecue for his friends, not long after he rose from the dead.  He had already appeared to them twice, on consecutive Sunday evenings in Jerusalem, as the disciples gathered behind closed doors, afraid that they might be next on the hit-list.  Miraculously, he came through those walls and met with them, showing them the marks of the cross, and calming their anxieties, saying “Peace be with you!” He had spoken to them of the Holy Spirit and forgiveness, and appeared a second time to persuade doubting Thomas that he really is alive.  “Do you believe because you see me? How happy are those who believe without seeing me!” he said.

But he still had unfinished business with Simon Peter, who had denied three times before the crucifixion that he knew Christ. Despite the experience of meeting with his Risen Lord, Peter was in need of something he could understand more easily, so he went back north with his fishermen friends, to the Sea of Galilee.  They decided to go fishing one night, as local men still do, with lanterns at the bow of their boats, using casting nets to catch shoals of fish, of which one of the most popular is called today “Peter’s Fish”, and eaten with pitta bread and hummus.  But that time, their night’s work proved fruitless.  They didn’t catch a minnow!  And at dawn, as the sun was rising, they were rowing in to the shore, when they saw a figure on the beach, about 100 metres away from their boat. He asked them if they had caught anything.  “Not a thing,” they replied.  “Throw your net out on the right side of the boat….!” Swallowing their pride, they did just that, and they hauled in such a shoal that they could not pull it on board!

It was at that moment that the penny dropped for Peter.  He had seen this done once before.  This man must be Jesus!  So Peter tucked in his robe and jumped into the water, wading ashore in record time, yelling “It is the Lord!”.   The others dragged the bursting net ashore, and when they got to the beach they saw Jesus and Peter chatting away, warming themselves before a charcoal fire.  “Bring some of the fish you’ve caught, and we’ll have a barbecue breakfast!”   Peter helped them to bring in the catch, and they counted all the fish.  There were 153 of them!  It must have reminded them of the feeding of the 5000, as Jesus took bread and passed it around, and then produced some cooked fish for everybody.  The whole event was meant to remind them of the wonderful times they had shared together, and to assure them all that Jesus would be with them always, even if they were physically separated for a time.

But then Jesus took Peter aside and asked him three times  “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”   Peter got a bit shirty.  “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!”  Yet the same Peter had said three times that he didn’t even know Jesus, let alone love him. This was Jesus’ way of showing Peter that he really was forgiven for that, and that he had the chance of a wonderful new start.  So Jesus said to Peter, “Take care of my sheep”.  The Good Shepherd was happy to delegate his work to his old friend, and to the other apostles, but he also predicted that Peter would die a martyr’s death, laying down his life for others, following in his Master’s footsteps.  “Follow me!”, urged Jesus, using the command which had first enlisted Peter and the others three years earlier, right there on the shore of the lake.

You see, Jesus knew that he had to meet with Peter at his point of need.  He had to visit him in a familiar place, away from the city where he had failed his Lord so badly.  Peter needed to know that all Jesus’ talk of forgiveness was real and could transform his life and others through him.  Perhaps you feel that your life has gone a bit pear-shaped like Peter’s.  Perhaps you feel that you have let God and others down and wonder if he could ever forgive you. Perhaps you have drifted away from Christian worship and service, and you read this not having been with us in church for a long time.  Or maybe you still come, but praise, prayer and

preaching don’t touch your heart as once they did.  Jesus wants to meet us where we are, not where we think we should be.  By his Spirit, he can touch us and welcome us into the fellowship of his people, and feed us on the word of God until we are truly satisfied and long to share the truth and love of Christ with others.  The next time you plan a barbecue, why not invite Jesus along too, in person through his people. You never know what might happen!   Have a great summer and enjoy a refreshing break, hopefully, in the sun!
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Yours in Christ                                                   
Graham Houston.

 

EASTER 2006
 

Easter Family Services were held on April 2nd this year. Symington’s included an Easter play and presentation by the children, as well as items from the junior choir, all of which were much appreciated by the congregation.
 

Holy Week Services were well attended again, with the annual service led by elders at Cairngryffe starting the week on Palm Sunday evening.  The theme for the rest of the week was Human Holiness, from the Gospel of John.

 

SESSION CLERKS AT CAIRNGRYFFE

On Sunday April 9th, the Cairngryffe congregation said farewell to Euan Davidson and his wife Dawn, who have emigrated to south-west France.  Euan had been Session Clerk for ten years, and his excellent service was marked by the presentation of a crystal plate containing an engraving of the church and inscribed ‘From the Session and Congregation’.  (Thanks to all who made this possible).   Dawn received some gardens tools for the taming of their new garden, and was also thanked for her practical involvement in the fellowship over many years.
 The new Session Clerk, Jack Meikle, was then sworn in, as was the new Depute Clerk, Mary McLellan. Please remember Jack and Mary in your prayers as they take up the reins. We wish Euan and Dawn every blessing in their new life and look forward to hearing regularly from them.  Already they have been welcomed by their new community, La Salvetat-Peyrales, Aveyron, Midi-Pyrenees, and took part in the annual village walk.   They have also attended the local church.

 

JOINT OFFICE BEARERS’ MEETING.

On April 24th at Cairngryffe, office bearers received a report from Graham Houston about the Church Without Walls Re-Energise Conference attended by him and Frank Mitchell, Symington, at the end of March in Aviemore, for ministers and motivators.   400 people from all over Scotland were there, with four keynote speakers and associated workshops.
Highlights were The Cycle of Grace, by Peter Neilson, Shaping the Church around the Gifts of God’s people, by Crawford Conochie,
A Church Shaped by the Gospel, by Elaine Storkey, and Together We Can Change the Church (Panel on Review and Reform).
For the first time, Conference presentations have been made available on the CWW website, where you can download audio, text, and visual material. Visit the site at www.cwwresources.org.uk/reenergise/index.htm

 

UNITED PRAYER AND PRAISE SERVICES
 
A decision of ou3r recent joint meeting of office-bearers was to plan monthly united Prayer and Praise Services at 7.30pm on the first Thursday of each month, September 2006-June 2007.  This will give us the opportunity to spend more time in prayer than is possible on Sundays, and to focus in more detail on prayer topics from our parishes, Presbytery, and national Church, as well as sharing news about the worldwide work of the churches and will be planned by the Minister with our two congregational prayer promoters, Sandra Stewart and George Mathew.   We’ll also enjoy informal praise - so if you play a moveable musical instrument and would like to join a united praise group, please get in touch with Graham Houston.
 

The first gathering will be in Symington Church Hall, on Thursday September 7th.   Everybody will be welcome.

 

NEWS FROM THE PARISHES


Baptisms: Symington March 12th
                     Cameron John Bruce 20 Millburn Court.
                     Gavin Peter Johnston 24 Main Street.
Funerals:
Cairngryffe- May 5th Agnes McClymont 202 Devonside Road, Carmichael.
                   May 8th William Forster 20 Millands Road, Thankerton.

New Members by Profession of Faith: Symington April 9th
                              David and Sarah Johnston 24 Main Street.

Members leaving by transference of certificate
Cairngryffe   Andrew Gilbert, Rowantree, Wiston
                    Molly Murray, 52 Station Road Thankerton
                    Fleming and Elizabeth Hargreaves, Boat Road Nursery

 

PARISH STATISTICS
 

Recently leaders of both congregations have been thinking about and implementing outreach in our parishes.  It may be of interest to our readers to know the following statistics from the 2001

Census, gleaned from the official website:
 

Cairngryffe: Parish Population 1,061; 49.2% male, 50.8% female;
                         0-15 years 20.3%; 16-59 years 61.4%, 60+ 18.3%
Symington:   Parish population 1,234; 47.7% male, 52.3% female;
                         0-15 years 21.4%; 16-59 years 58.9%, 60+ 19.7%

 

FROM OUR KIRK TREASURERS


Cairngryffe Church
 

Where our money goes: January -April 2006. Main items of income and expenditure for Cairngryffe
 

Income                                     Expenditure
Gift Aid                £4385           Ministry & Mission allowance         £4236
Free Will Offering £1080           Salaries                                          £  700    
Open plate             £ 720           Joint Congregation A/C                  £1000
Donations               £ 340          Travel Expenses                               £ 400
Contributions from                     Electricity                                          £400
Other organisations £150           Printing calendar orders                   £1350
Calendar orders      £ 425
                                                                          Linzi Struthers, Treasurer

Symington Church
 

It is now a year since the Church had its “Money Matters” initiative.  The benefits of the programme are now apparent since the Church is in a sound financial position.  Nevertheless for this situation to continue it is necessary for church members to review their giving on an annual basis and this would be an appropriate time to do so.                                                    

Robert Carson, Treasurer

 

THE GUILD
 

Cairngryffe Guild
This year’s session will have ended by the time you read this and I would like to thank all office bearers and members for their support over the last year.  It only remains to remind you all of the Summer Rally for Guild members which will be held this year in Carnwath Parish Church on June 2nd at 7.30pm.
Jessie Duff, President, contact number 01899 308365

Symington Guild
The Guild held its last meeting of the session in March when Margaret Brown gave a talk on the work of Biggar Museum Trust.  The closing dinner was held in April, at the Tinto Hotel.
The committee has already been busy and the syllabus for the next session is well underway.  We hope to welcome all present members – and hopefully a few new ones – to our opening meeting in September.
Contact Sheena Carlyle, President, at 01899 308269

 

SYMINGTON TRAILBLAZERS

Once again we have been very busy.  The Easter play called ‘Something Wonderful’ was much enjoyed by children and adults alike.  There is a film show of ‘The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe’ on Friday 19th May in Symington Church Hall in aid of UNICEF’s East Africa Disaster Fund.  Our Prizegiving this year will be on Sunday 25th June.  Since the better weather arrived, the trailblazers have been out and about marvelling at God’s creation.  We are also looking forward to the Village Day – just wait till you see our scarecrow entry!  In fact we have lots of fun and games every week.  Why not join us?                Linda Tucker  01899 308943

 

CAIRNGRYFFE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

Children and teachers will continue to meet every Sunday during the church service at 11.00am, right up until the 25th June.  Make a special note in your diary for the Annual Sunday School Prizegiving on Sunday 18th June.  Information regarding the start of the new session in the autumn will be issued to all children in the near future.                                   

Rosmairi Galloway  01555 880779.


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FLOWER LISTS
  
CAIRNGRYFFE                         SYMINGTON

June 4          Carol Gardner                                  Jean McCurrach
June 11        Winnie Tucker                                  Frances Sandilands
June 18        Elizabeth Galloway                           Peggy Prentice (Parkview)
June 25        Hilda Jeffrey                                     Laura Dewson
July 2           Ann Murray                                     Pat Allan
July 9           Sheena Baillie                                   Jenny Newlands
July 16        -                                                       Susan Craig
July 23         Cathryn Forrest                                Margaret Prentice (Leafield)
July 30         Claire Scott                                      Nan Mackie
August 6      Marion Clarkson                          -
August 13    Ena  Meikle                                      Margaret Howatson
August 20      -                                                     Martha Cowan
August 27    Sadie Campbell                                Marianna Watson

 

PRESBYTERY NEWS

Rev. Dr. Jim Francis (Biggar) has been appointed Interim Moderator at Lanark: Greyfriars.  Rev Catherine Collins has moved to Broughty Ferry:New Kirk in the Presbytery of Dundee.  Rev David Collins has been called to the charge of Auchterhouse with Murroes and Tealing, also in the Presbytery of Dundee.
Rev. Dr. Graham Houston is chairing a Presbytery ad-hoc committee on the “Stewardship of Cyberspace.”
Presbytery is developing its own website which should be available from the autumn.

 

SYMINGTON CHURCH CHOIR

The choir are resting their tonsils at present but director Gaynor Russell is already busy selecting music for the next season.  In addition to singing at Greenbank Church Edinburgh in April 2007, the choir will be singing for Guild members in Symington in November 2006.  Gaynor hopes that all the (old) choir stalwarts will return in the autumn and is always on the look out for new members.  Why not phone Gaynor Russell at 01899 308240

 

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK

We would like to thank everyone for their contributions to this year’s appeal, both for those made through envelope donations and for the support received at our Coffee Morning in Symington on Sunday 21st May.  Details of the sums raised are not yet available but will be included in the next issue of Focus.
Marianna Watson

 

CAIRNGRYFFE EVERYOUNG CLUB

A Mystery Tour is planned for Thursday 6th July to round off the activities for this session.  Meetings will resume on Thursday 12th October in Thankerton Village hall at 2.00pm.  For more information contact Sadie Campbell at 01899 308328

 

PRESBYTERY PENTECOST EVENT

A Celebration of Pentecost will take place on Saturday June 3rd at Kirkmuirhill Church and Halls, starting at 2.00pm.   There will be the usual stands together with exhibitions detailing some of the Church’s work and afternoon workshops for children and youth. The day will conclude with a united Praise and Worship gathering.  More details will be announced in the kirks nearer the time. 
All are welcome.

 

SYMINGTON DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Thank you so very much for completing and returning the QUESTIONNAIRE issued along with the last issue of “Focus”.
400 questionnaires were issued and 32% were returned -  27% from Kirk Members. (There were a few more who were too bashful to identify themselves!)  

Three main pointers were identified by you …

  1. 87% of those responding indicated that Kirk Services were used.
  2. 88 % indicated that the Kirk has responsibilities to our community, AND TO THE WIDER COMMUNITY.
  3. Significant numbers of households would like to see  SUPPORT VISITORS  ;  COFFEE CLUB  ;  TEENAGERS’ ACTIVITIES  ;  PRAYER GROUP  ;  YOUNGER ADULTS GROUP  ;  CHEESE AND WINE PARTY WITH GUEST SPEAKER.

There were many other suggestions – all of which are being actively considered, firstly by the Development Plan Coordinating Group and then by the Kirk Session and Board at the May meeting.
On Sunday 11 June in Symington Kirk – during the Service – there will be a presentation explaining the results of the questionnaire, and the implications and planned initiatives which are emerging.

You have shown the Kirk that it should become more pro-active within our community.  The Kirk now needs YOU to become (more) actively involved in its plans and initiatives.  Please don’t be shy or hesitant in coming forward.  Let any member of the Coordinating Group* know what you would like to do to help our Kirk in our community.
      Contact Frank Mitchell, chairperson, at 01899 308261

* Other members of the coordinating group are
Rev Dr Graham Houston,  Ross Russell, Robert Carson and Edna McAllister


 
CAIRNGRYFFE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Following our Family Meal last year and the collation of the information we received on the Response cards, we learned a lot about the feelings and wishes of our congregation.  This led us to consider a number of initiatives and, as a result, we decided to concentrate on the following.
1)   Visits to the Housebound.  Volunteers from the congregation visited people who were unable to come to church, visiting at least once a month to have a general chat and to fill them in on what is happening in the church.  The visitor then filled in a small form and submitted it back to the organizer to give feedback.  We have 7 visitors visiting 10 homes and almost 50 visits have been carried out.  It may be more because some visitors are reluctant to send in their forms.

2)   Restart our Social Events  We have some new members on our Social Committee and Sandra tells me that they have come up with some exciting new ideas for events for 2006/2007.  Watch this space!
2)   Try to involve more young people in church activities  We have appointed Mary McLellan as the Elder who will liaise with the Sunday School.  She will look at other churches that have a high success rate with young people.  She will also liaise with Sandra to see if more social events can involve young people.
4)   Church Roll   We looked carefully at the members on the church roll and found we had a number of members who had never attended a church service and made no financial contribution to our church.  These members all received a letter explaining our intentions and after the last Communion, all who had still not become involved were moved to the Supplementary Roll.  We decided we had no option when we consider the vows we all take when we join the church.  Anyone who is on the Supplementary Roll can easily be put back on the Main Roll if they decide to come back and join us and they will be made very welcome.
5)   Comparisons   We compared the figures before the Meal and after the Meal in 2005.  We found both periods contained 4 months of late service times, giving a fair comparison as follows

Members attending Worship    increased by            8.9%
Elders attending Worship               increased by       0.2%
Children at Sunday School              increased by       30.0%
Average giving per month              increased by        7.2%
       Jack Meikle, Stewardship Convener

 

WHAT IS HAPPENING AT CAIRNGRYFFE

I am sure that you all know I have taken over the job of Session Clerk from Euan Davidson.  It is my intention to try to ensure that all Cairngryffe members are kept fully up to date. on the work of  our Session.   I would like to make this item a regular part of Focus to let you all know what is happening so here goes.