FOCUS Summer 2012 Kirk and Community News For the Parishes of Cairngryffe and Symington Church of Scotland Cairngryffe with Symington Parish Churches Minister: Vacant Session Clerks: Cairngryffe - Mr Jack Meikle Glenbow Cottage, Thankerton (01899 308397) Symington - Mr Ross Russell Spindrift, Main Street, Symington (01899 308240) SUNDAY SERVICES July and August 09.30am Symington 11.00.am Cairngryffe Prayer and Praise Services n.b. now on the third Monday of each month at 7.30pm: Start again September 17th at Cairngryffe COMMUNION SERVICES The sacrament will be celebrated on Sunday 3rd June, All members are warmly invited to share in worship then. 9.30am Symington 11.00am Cairngryffe MEETINGS OF SESSIONS AND BOARD Joint Office-Bearers’ Meeting The twice-yearly gathering of all Board and Session members is at Cairngryffe on Monday September 17h at 7.30pm. Joint Services during July 1st and 15th July, Cairngryffe, at 11.am 8th and 23rd July, Symington, 0930 am Visit our websites at :- www.cairngryffekirk.org.uk Webmaster Jim Watt www.symingtonkirk.com Webmaster Robert Carson Prayer Promoters Symington – George Mathew Tel: 01899 308648 Cairngryffe – Sandra Stewart Tel: 01555 880655 If you have anything at all that you would like mentioned at the Prayer and Praise please give your Prayer Promoter a call or leave a note in the designated box in the vestibule of your church. These requests can be confidential. If you find attendance difficult because of transport issues please contact either of the prayer promoters and we will try to arrange a lift. Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Prayer and Praise Services Cairngryffe and Symington churches look forward to welcoming everyone to Prayer & Praise. Our next Prayer & Praise will be in Symington Church on Monday May 21 at 7.30 pm. These short and informal services give us time to reflect and pray on the important things happening in our personal lives, our local community, our country and the world. I’m sure we all have situations we are particularly concerned about and this service gives us all the chance to focus on these concerns and bring them to God. It also gives us time to come and give God praise for the good things in our lives. As we close for this session of P & P it is heartening to see that our numbers are remaining steady. During this summer break continue to pray for the important issues and people we have covered and we will look forward to seeing everyone again in Cairngryffe Church on Monday September 17 at 7.30pm Please continue to keep the ongoing Middle East situations in your prayers and all who are affected by famine and drought throughout the world. Closer to home please pray for our local community, our church and in particular the Presbytery Planning Group, anyone who is sick, recovering from illness or has been recently bereaved. Please remember people in our own country who are affected by flooding and remember the old and infirm who will be confined to their homes due to this. The dates and time of the next Prayer and Praise Services are as follows: Symington Church Monday May 21 at 7.30pm Symington Guild We met on 23rd February, Maureen Johnston introduced Rev R Dobie who gave a talk on Communion Tokens and customs of years gone by. She brought her collection of tokens along and we were able to handle and compare them On March 22nd Shena Carlyle introduced Dr D Carvel, he spoke about the two books of short stories which he had written namely “A view from the surgery” and “Reality G P”. He read excerpts from both and they were much appreciated. On April 26th Cornhill was the venue for the closing dinner, a very enjoyable meal was served. Our thanks go to the staff and to Sheena for arranging what was a very pleasant evening. Our opening meeting will be on Thursday 27th September when we hope some new members will come along they will be made very welcome Our Guild Coffee Morning will be after church on 26th August , there will be the usual sales table and your support will be much appreciated. This year to replace the usual door to doorl collection for Christian Aid it has been decided to have a Coffee Morning with sales tables , This will take place in Symington Church Hall on Saturday 19th May from 10am until 12 noon. Donation of baking plants or anything that you think would sell will be much appreciated and of course your presence. Contact Helen Anderson 308598 or Martha Cowan on 308657. Cairngryffe Guild This is an important year for the Guild ,it is our 125th anniversary the theme of the year is “A faith to proclaim” Cairngryffe Guild meet in Thankerton village hall on the second Wednesday of each month from September to April at 7.30pm A warm welcome awaits new members, our first meeting of the new session is on Wednesday 12th September. Contact Margaret Watt 01555663394 or Elizabeth Forbes 01555880353 Presbytery Report The retiral of Rev Margaret Muir from Glencaple l/w Lowther on 23rd April leaves us with 6 vacant charges in Lanark Presbytery of which 5 comprise this entire southern end of the Presbytery. This is placing an ever increasing load on the remaining ministers, many of whom have other responsibilities and commitments both within and beyond Presbytery. Please remember them in your prayers. The impasse around the Presbytery Plan is the reason for the continuing situation, however the new Presbytery Plan Review Group, whose meetings with our two Kirk Sessions will be reported elsewhere, are very sympathetic towards these vacant congregations and have reported to Presbytery that they are giving this area priority. It is their hope that they can produce a partial plan for the area and have it accepted by both the Ministries Council and Presbytery as soon as possible. Let us hope and pray that they can be successful in this in order that we, and the other vacant charges, can be given permission to call a minister to lead them in continuing Christian growth. Meanwhile we must continue to maintain the life and witness of our congregations in order that, when we eventually do call a new Minister, we are ready to ‘hit the ground running’. Meanwhile the various committees of Presbytery continue with their work, the shortage of ministers meaning that more and more of this is being carried out by elders. No less than three of these committees being convened by elders at present. On 24th April Lanark Presbytery, along with representative from many other Christian, and other Faith, groups signed the ‘See Me’ Pledge. This commits us to challenging stigma and discrimination around mental health issues and to promote mental health and wellbeing. Each congregation has been given an Action Pack and we are encouraged to train a leader within our congregations using the Scotland’s mental Health First Aid course. In addition the Presbytery, through its World and Community Issues Committee has organised an event in St John’s Church, Carluke’s Large Hall on 20th June at 7:00pm entitled ‘It wisnae me – it was my neurones’ exploring the impact of Neuroethics on behaviour. Anyone with an interest in mental health issues is encouraged to attend this. Jim Watt (Presbytery Elder Cairngryffe) News from Symington Rev Susan Cowell During the service on Sunday 22 April, Susan Cowell reminded us that the date marked the 25th Anniversary of her ordination in Symington. Much has happened since then but we remember with appreciation, Susan’s ministry here and wish her all the best in her forthcoming operation. We hope it will not be long before she is returned to full mobility and is back among us. Choir The choir held a most successful concert in the church on Wednesday 25 April. This was supported by many friends from around the area and around 120 gathered in the hall afterwards for wine, nibbles and fellowship. Gaynor wishes to thank everyone who helped to bring about such a pleasant evening and is particularly grateful to the choir for their hard work and enthusiasm throughout the year. Pulpit supply We are delighted that Alan has returned to full fitness and is back among us. His guidance and practical advice continue to be a massive support to us in the continuing vacancy. Thank you Alan. It was good too to have Jim Cutler back on 15 April. He and Annis have settled well in Peebles. Fortunately they are not too far away and we can look forward to more Sunday visits in the future. New Beginnings Please remember that we hope to support Mary and Jack McLellan in their work for New Beginnings by collecting cans, packets and household goods. There will be a box in the vestibule each Sunday so please try to bring something along. We remember the great generosity shown when we asked for contributions at Harvest and thank you in anticipation of your support. Margot Leadbitter is coordinating this effort. Ross Russell

We are fortunate at Cairngryffe to have a group of elders willing to lead worship on a Sunday and this is seen as one possible solution. I will keep all our members updated as the situation develops Jack Meikle Session Clerk Cairngryffe Stewardship Campaign We have been instructed by the Presbytery and 121 to embark on a stewardship initiative and we agreed at our session meeting that to wait for a new minister was not an option. We last did this in the form of a Family Meal in 2005. This time it will not be as big an event but nevertheless it will be just as important to us. Five elders were appointed by session to form a subgroup and report back with recommendations, which were accepted by session. We hope to visit all members in our congregation during the last two weeks in May this will coincide with our visits with invitations to communion on 3rd June. The aim of this exercise is in two parts firstly to encourage more people to come to Sunday worship and secondly to discuss finance with them. We will be discussing Gift Aid and the tax we claim back and the present financial situation in our church. To make it easier for people to come back to church - and we know sometimes the longer it is since someone was at church, the more difficult it is for them to return - we are having a special “Back to Church “Sunday on 10th June. All Cairngryffe members will receive an insert in this Focus inviting them to this special Sunday Service. This service will be special and we will welcome all people even if it is the first time they have been for years. You will be with friends so please come along and join us Now a message for our regular members you have a job to do also, we want you to bring someone with you that day, it could be a family member or a neighbour - offer them a lift, explain they won’t be the only person there that has not been recently and assure them the church won’t fall down but they will get a cup of tea or coffee ! Jack Meikle FLOWER LISTS SUNDAY CAIRNGRYFFE SYMINGTON 20 May 2012 Isobel McClymont Penny Nisbet 27 May 2012 Margaret Clarkson Jean McCurrach 03 June 2012 Elizabeth Galloway Francis Sandilands 10 June 2012 Carol Gardner Peggy Prentice(park) 17 June 2012 Moira Jarvie Laura Dewson 24 June2012 Ann Murray Pat Allan 01 July 2012 Sheena Baillie Jenny Newlands 08 July 2012 Margaret Watt Susan Craig 15 July 2012 Marion Clarkson Mgt Prentice (leafield) 22 July 2012 Claire Scott 29 July2012 Cathryn Forrest 05 Aug 2012 Sadie Campbell Gaynor Russel 12 Aug 2012 Flora Ireland Jessie Duff 19 AUG2012 Ena Meikle Martha Cowan 26 Aug 2012 Margaret Lawson Olive Hunter 02 Sept 2012 Mrs Pahnke Annie Gilchrist Symington Guides and Tinto Brownies The info and times for Symington Guides on Mondays and senior Section on alternate Tuesdays remains the same. The Symington Brownie contact is Alysoun Wilson ... alysoun@awp.co.uk. They meet in Symington Church hall Mondays 6.15-7.15pm. Tinto Brownies meet Mondays 6-7.30pm in Thankerton Village Hall and contact is now Julie Forrest, j2osf@btinternet.com. Editors Note Thank you all who contributed to this edition. The Autumn edition of Focus will be issued early in September, Contributions from church and community groups covering Sept up to end of Nov should be sent to Charlie Todd by Sunday 26th August Charlie can be contacted at 63 Station Road Thankerton ML12 6NZ TEL 01899308327 or email at mtb345@aol.com