THE MAGAZINE OF
NEW LAIGH KIRK Church of Scotland KILMARNOCK Scottish Charity No.:SC031334
MARCH 2020
“A caring welcoming church at the heart of Kilmarnock reaching out to all”
Minister: Rev. David S Cameron, 1 Holmes Farm Road, Kilmarnock (525416) Session Clerk: Mr Derek I’Anson Depute Clerk: Mrs Margaret Patterson Community and Families: Amy Tanner Youth Worker: Rachel Taylor
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CHURCH CALENDAR SUNDAY 11.00 a.m. 11.00 a.m.
5.30 to 7.30 p.m. MONDAY 7.15 p.m. 8.00 p.m. 7.00 to 9.00 p.m.
MORNING WORSHIP Crèche (0 to 3 years) Junior Kingz (age 3-primary 3) and Senior Kingz (primary 4-primary 7) Contact: Amy Tanner (07980 665432) TrekkersNG (11-17 years) Rachel Taylor See Youth activities programme
Guild (every second Monday) Contact: Ellen Stewart (524321) or Lesley Wright (523039) Highlights Klub (1 Monday per month – see Syllabus) Contact: Mrs Angela Mitchell (534622) or Mrs Eileen Murphy (543488) Ranger Guides (every second Monday) Contact: Mary Dunlop (07519 124548)
TUESDAY 10.00 to 10.45 a.m. Tots Praise (Babies - 1 year olds) 11.00 to 12.00 p.m. (1 - 4 year olds) Contact: Amy Tanner (07980 665432) 2.00 p.m. Music and Movement Contact: Christine Kinnell (535190) or Jean Mulholland (403891) 7.00 p.m. Badminton Club Contact: Mr Alan I’Anson (07949 169051) 7.00 p.m. Congregational Board Meeting Contact: Emma Johnstone (07853 240753) 7.00 p.m. Session Meeting (Dates as arranged) Contact: Mr Derek I’Anson (521445) WEDNESDAY 2.00 p.m. Friendship Group (downstairs second Wednesday of each month) Contact: Mrs Margaret Paterson (551288) 6.00 to 7.00 p.m. Rainbows Contact: Sheena Baillie (07749 617204) 6.30 to 8.00 p.m. Brownies: Contact: Alison Murdoch (07508 903293) 7.30 to 9.00 p.m. Guides Contact: Mary Dunlop (07519 124548) THURSDAY 2.00 p.m. Guild of Friendship (every second Thursday) Contact: Janette Howard (529005) 7.00 p.m. Vestry Contact: Rev. David S Cameron (525416)/Mr Derek I’Anson (521445) 7.30 p.m. Choir Contact: Mr Martin Sharp (524133) FRIDAY 6.00 to 7.30 p.m. Boys’ Brigade Anchor Boys (5 to 8 years) St. Andrew’s and St. Marnock’s Halls Contact: Mrs Michelle Taylor (529266) 7.00 to 9.00 p.m. Boys’ Brigade Junior Section (8+ to 11 years) St. Andrew’s and St. Marnock’s Halls Contact: Elaine Park (533464) 7.00 to 9.30 p.m. Boys’ Brigade Company Section (11+ to 18 years) New Laigh Kirk Hall Contact: Mr David McDonald (544037)
Safeguarding Co-ordinators: John and Jamila McDowall Safeguarding Panel Members: John Dale, Bill Sherry and Ellen Stewart 2
Letter from the Minister New Laigh Kirk Manse March 2020
Hello Springtime will soon be upon us and the familiar season of Lent prepares us for our Easter celebrations. I like this period in the church calendar and two events particularly, our Cradle Roll Service and Mother’s Day. Children have a special place in the life of our church and we warmly celebrate that when all the families of children baptised in the last three years join us for our Cradle Roll Service. This service encourages us to remember the first big public happening in a child’s life. There will be many more in the years to come. There will be rites of passage from the first day at school, as they pass from primary to secondary school, there will be exams passed, first jobs, further education, graduations and even weddings. However Baptism is the first great rite of passage. Children baptised at New Laigh Kirk are led into the family of God - the community of the church, we take that seriously. Mother’s Day is important too, for health and love and prayers and family and for the gift of baptism we thank God and recall our vows taken in his presence and acted out in his world. It reminds us especially of the place of family and the place of the church family we are part of. At New Laigh we promised along with our young parents to impress on their children the ways of the Christian faith. As Christians together we promise to bring all our children up knowing Jesus Christ. I believe they will not go too far wrong because we honour this promise. There is much out in the world today that is clearly not Christian. If we do not influence our children towards the Christian faith someone else will fill that void. Who will make the most lasting impressions on our little ones? Will it be TV programming, the music industry, the fast food businesses, more likely it will be social media for good or ill. Actually, it is all of us. We’re all Mothers and Fathers, Parents of faith in the family of the church and God wants us to impress His ways on our sons and daughters. 3
The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deut. 6:4-7 This is vital for the Christian church and the future of our Kirk in Kilmarnock. Our children will welcome your grandchildren’s children tomorrow if we can nurture and encourage them into faith and service and a life of Christian love and worship today. The Lenten journey often begins celebrating the baptism of our children. Traditionally in the church a long time ago the Lenten journey ended at the baptismal font, where people were baptized on Easter Day. We have been entrusted with fragile lives created by God for service in the world. It’s never too early to teach children about the God who made them. It just requires a bit of action from us all. If the season of Lent prompts us to commit to something this year, then it should prompt us to continually encourage our young people to become the very life and future for the church and all that a life of faith represents; and because we have impressed them well, the church will be in safe hands. Live out the values of the Kingdom that you were given in the waters of baptism. “O children of mine, who so love to go astray, fleeing from the protection of your mother’s wings, return to me.” With every Blessing and prayerful good wishes
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Amy Tanner Communities and Family Hello everyone! Our Kingz Kidz have hit the ground running this year as we jumped back into our Sunday school sessions with a new frame of mind. Following different stories from the New Testament, the Kingz Kidz began the session with stories from the front, a song and dance to get moving and then a craft to finish the day. Firstly, I would like to mention that the Kingz Kidz coffee morning was a huge success! After some discussion with the children, it was agreed by the Kingz Kidz that 50% of the money raised from their coffee morning would go towards the purchase of a defibrillator and its accompaniments for our church and the wider community. It is an important piece of machinery that we pray we never have to use, but should always be available to us just in case. The children felt strongly about the purchase of a defibrillator and began brainstorming ideas on how to raise funds at our coffee morning in order to purchase one. Our junior Kingz Kidz worked very hard to create beautiful and eye catching crafts and cards to sell and our senior Kingz Kidz practised for weeks beforehand to perform at the coffee morning to provide entertainment for everyone. I would personally like to thank all the children, leaders, parents or volunteers who came along to help on the day of our coffee morning. The team effort was incredible and certainly showed the team spirit that New Laigh Kirk has. Thank you also to anyone who donated baking, books, bottles, raffles, toys, games or anything else to the coffee morning for us to sell, we very much appreciated it. Secondly, at the end of this month, we will be hosting our very first Messy Church! On Saturday 28th March, NLK welcomes all families to 5
the NLK church halls on John Finnie Street to come together to enjoy food, as well as crafts, prayer, Bible stories, games for children and activities for families to enjoy. We encourage families to stay with younger children, however, if your child/children are older, you are welcome to drop your children off and join us later on for food. The afternoon will be from 4.00pm to 6.00pm, with food being served at 5.30pm. We are looking for volunteers to help promote our Messy Church as well as help on the day with donations of food, serving or other. If you are interested in helping, please be in touch with myself (Amy Tanner) via email: amy_bh@hotmail.co.uk or via phone: 07980665432. The aim of our Messy Church is to encourage all families to experience church together in a different and creative setting, focusing on family time. Our Tots Praise is having a makeover! Tots Praise has changed its format on a Tuesday morning for our toddlers and families, aiming to be more age appropriate. Our 0-1 (or just walking) years class is from 10am-10.45am in the church halls and begins with song time, baby massage and interactive active songs for parent/carer and baby. We then have sensory and group play time. Our later class from 11am12pm is for young toddlers aged over 1-4 years and follows a programme of free independent play time with toys and books, then together for a story time, songs, snack and then clear up time. We encourage all families with young children to come along and enjoy Tots Praise every Tuesday morning. Tots is free, but all donations are welcome. Our NLK Easter Club is on April 15th, 16th and 17th (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) from 10am-11.30am in the John Finnie Street halls. Our Easter Club this year will follow a unique story that relates to our Lord’s last days before dying on the cross and his triumphant rise from the grave. Our Easter Club will have games, crafts, prayer, team time and much more! We welcome all children currently between Primary 1-7. We are looking for leaders to help out with the club for the three days; if you are available and would like to help as a leader, please let myself (Amy) know. If you would like your child/children to 6
come to Easter Club, please register their name, age/Primary, allergies and emergency contact details to amy_bh@hotmail.co.uk. We look forward to seeing them there! Finally, our NLK Community Choir is still growing and fighting strong. The Community Choir were outstanding at our Christmas Christingle service in December, singing a variety of peaceful and joyful music to get everyone in the Christmas spirit. We would love to continue expanding the numbers in our choir, so if you would like to come along and join us, our Community Choir rehearsals run every Tuesday evening from 7pm-9pm and includes a short break. No previous experience or qualifications needed, all are welcome! Amy.
Hospital Visiting Due to the inadequate provision of patient lists to ministers of the church, knowing who is in hospital is impossible to determine. This includes Crosshouse, Ayrshire Central and Ayr Hospitals. Our Minister has no way of knowing if our church members are in hospital unless he is informed. Please use a Pew Card, telephone or email to inform the minister if you know of someone who is in hospital at any time. Your help in this matter will ensure we maintain effective pastoral contact with our members in time of need. David 01563 525416 dvdcam5@msn.com
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In the National Competitions our teams have been knocked out the Table Tennis, Chess and Masterteam Quiz but are still in the Badminton competition and have reached the Scottish Final of the U18 5-a-sides which is being played at Grangemouth on 29th February. We were at the Ski centre at Newmilns, where 60 boys from the Battalion enjoyed 2 hours of skiing, snowboarding and tubing. We had 9 boys completing a “building your skills” course which they need in order to gain their President’s Badge, which is the 2nd highest award in the BB. And at the start of March we have 3 boys attending the Queen’s Badge completion course at Dumfries House, which is the highest award in the BB. The Junior section have been busy over Christmas, their party was at the Howard Centre with inflatables from East Ayrshire Council and they completed one of their community achievements by filling Christmas gift bags with hats, gloves, toiletries and chocolate, all donated by our Boys and Officers which were passed on to Broken Chains for distribution. The Battalion Junior section quiz was won by 1st Dundonald BB but 4th/5th had teams in 2nd and 3rd place. They are looking forward to their weekend camp to Largs at the end of the session.
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PRAYER GROUP
The World Day of Prayer takes place on Friday, 6th March, 2020 and so by the time you read this it will just have happened! This year the service has been written by Christian women of Zimbabwe and is entitled, “Rise, take your mat and walk!” The theme is taken from the Gospel of John, chapter 5, verses 2-9. It is the story of Jesus meeting the lame man who had been lying by the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem for many years, hoping that someone would carry him into the pool when the waters were stirred up, believing that he might then be healed. We can only imagine his despair after all those years of disability and disappointment! We are told that when Jesus approached him, he knew of his story and asked him, “Do you want to get well?” What a question! The man’s answer shows his loneliness and frustration – he has no one to help him and someone else always benefits, leaving him to keep on suffering. But this time help is at hand, and no wonder-waters are needed – just a wonderful Saviour. “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk,” says Jesus and the man who had been lame for 38 years did exactly that! How dramatic and lifechanging! Jesus acted with compassion, love and understanding. He listened to the man’s complaints without judgement and gave him the chance of a new life. He literally tells him to take steps to a personal transformation. The man carries with him his mat, a symbol of his old life, while getting up and walking into a different future. The meaning of this Gospel message is clear, as it shows us the transforming power of God which can work in anyone’s life. With Jesus in our lives, anything is possible – an uplifting and inspiring thought!
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However, think about Jesus’ first words to the lame man – “Do you want to get well?” What can that mean for us? I think it suggests that we have to take the first step. We have to ask for God’s help, even though he knows what we need. It shows that his almighty power is available to us but we need to reach out to him in prayer. If we stretch out our hands to him, he will grasp them and help us rise up! The opportunity for prayer is open to us every day of the year and every moment of the day, of course! However, if you would like to be part of New Laigh Kirk prayer group, we meet on the first Wednesday of the month at 7pm in the church. All are welcome but if you cannot come in person you can leave a message in the box in church or on the church Facebook page. Or of course, you can speak to one of the members of the group. It can be a prayer of thanks; a reason for rejoicing; a prayer for healing for yourself or someone you know – anything at all which you want to bring to the Lord. Here are some topics you might like to mention in your private prayers: �� Pray for those with life-affecting disabilities of any kind, especially anyone you know personally �� Pray for those whose lives have been affected by some tragedy which has changed their lives, such as the Australian bush fires or the famine in Yemen �� Pray for the women in Zimbabwe who wrote the WDOP service, that their lives will be blessed in their service to God �� Pray for the Church of Scotland, New Laigh Kirk included, as we face up to a time of change. Do we want to get well?!! And if by any chance you yourself are not feeling very well as you read this, for whatever reason, I wish you God’s blessing in the days ahead! Lesley Wright.
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Highlights Klub We finished off 2019 in style, with our Movie Night in November, when we all enjoyed singing along to ‘Mamma Mia – Here I Go Again’, while playing Chick Flick Bingo, and then our Christmas afternoon tea (in the evening), accompanied by some fun games. 2020 started with a lovely night, trying simple yoga positions and learning how to relax and meditate afterwards. By the time the magazine is published, we will have enjoyed our Multi Coloured Swap Shop evening, swapping accessories and taking part in some additional fundraising for Breast Foot Forward. We wonder who will have received the prize for wearing the brightest colours! In March, we are looking forward to welcoming our very own Margaret Paterson, who will be guiding us as we attempt to make some Easter confectionery. Could all ladies who will be attending that evening, please bring a smooth chopping board, a rolling pin and a knife? Our annual charity quiz night in aid of Breast Foot Forward will be held in the lower hall at 8pm on Monday 20th April. All welcome – teams of up to 6 (or 8 absolute maximum) please. Cost is £6, of which £5 goes directly to the charity, while the remainder goes towards the refreshments provided. There will also be our usual raffle, so please dig deep to support this very worthwhile cause. We finish our session this year on Saturday 16th May, with our trip to Edinburgh, followed by high tea at the Radstone Hotel on the way back. It should be a good day out – let’s hope the weather has improved by then. Thank you to all our members for your continued support. New members are welcome at any time – come along on your own or with a friend and you will be assured of a very warm welcome. For more information, please contact Eileen on 543488 or Angela on 534622. Eileen Murphy, Chairperson 11
New Laigh Kirk Walking Group As Spring arrives, New Laigh Kirk Walking Group begins its 2020 Walking Season with the first of its Monthly Weekend Walks. Traditionally, we start our Walking Season on a Saturday afternoon in March – by meeting at Dumfries House, walking around the beautiful grounds before ending our afternoon with tea/coffee and a cake or scone at the Café. This year, our Dumfries House walk will take place on Saturday 21st March, meeting at 2pm outside the Visitors’ Centre. All our other weekend walks, (with the exception of our annual Grand Day Out to Arran in June) take place on a Sunday afternoon. The schedule for these is detailed at the foot of this article. They all include a ‘comfort stop’ and a visit to a coffee shop afterwards. We car share when we can, and can arrange a lift for anyone who’d wish it. Frequently we have a choice of route on our monthly walks, a shorter, easy route plus a longer, slightly more strenuous one. Each June we have a Grand Day Out to Arran. We meet at the Ferry Terminal at Ardrossan in good time to purchase tickets and board the 9.45am ferry. On arrival at Brodick, we choose from a short, circular walk, a longer slightly more strenuous walk, whilst experienced, very fit walkers may ascend Goat Fell. A couple of groups take a packed lunch, whilst the circular route walkers, have a light lunch en route. Prior to boarding the return ferry, we either have a refreshment stop or a meal together. Depending on choice, this may take place in Brodick or on return to the mainland. Provisionally our 2020 Grand Day Out will take place on Saturday 13th June, with Saturday 20th as an alternative day in case of bad weather. In addition, we walk each Wednesday evening from April until late August. These walks take place around various routes in Dean Castle Country Park, meeting at 7pm and lasting between 45 minutes and 1 hour. We walk at a leisurely pace, chatting as we walk along. Everyone is welcome, children and dogs too! This year, the first Wednesday evening walks will take place, weather permitting, on Wednesday 15th 12
April, which is the first Wednesday after Easter. As the previous week is Holy Week, the walk won’t take place in order to enable those who wish to attend Holy Week Services. We meet each Wednesday evening in the main car park at the entrance to Dean Castle Country Park. If you haven’t walked with us before, come and join us for a little light exercise in pleasant company. We’d love to welcome some new walkers as well as returning ones. PROVISIONAL WALKING SCHEDULE 2020 Please note the details in your Diary. WEDNESDAY EVENING WALKS Every Wednesday from 15th April till approx. mid-August (Weather permitting): Meet at 7pm in car park at entrance to Dean Castle Country Park. ANNUAL GRAND DAY OUT - ARRAN Saturday June 13th (provisional): Meet at 9.00am inside Ardrossan Ferry Terminal (choice of walking routes). Return journey TBA. Further details will be announced later in Orders of Service and NLK Facebook page. MONTHLY WEEKEND WALKS - March – October Saturday 21st March: Dumfries House Grounds (or from Dumfries House to Knockroon). Meet at 2pm outside the Visitors’ Centre, Dumfries House. All other Monthly Walks are held on SUNDAY afternoons. Sunday 19th April: Ayr Seafront ‘Lang Scots Mile’. Meet at 2pm on the beachfront promenade (Seafield) at the ‘Lang Scots Mile’ start sign. Sunday 17th May: Loch Doon. Meet at 2.30pm outside the Roundhouse café, Loch Doon. Sunday 21st June: Section of Irvine Valley Trail – Grougar (or part from Galston to Loudoun Kirk). Meeting details still to be arranged. 13
Sunday 19th July: Caprington Woods, Kilmarnock. Meet at 2pm in Caprington Golf Course car park. Sunday 16th August: Maidens to Culzean Castle Swan Pond. Meet at 2.30pm in the car park at Maidens. Sunday 13th September: Lainshaw Woods, Stewarton - Meeting details still to be arranged. Sunday 11th October: Rozelle Park, Ayr – Meet at 2pm in the main car park at Rozelle. Final Walk of the season. Come along to any of our walks. We’d love to see you. Bring your family and friends too! Dogs welcome. If you need a lift, please speak to me or to Derek I’Anson. Ellen Stewart February 2020
Music and Movement We finished up for Christmas with a nice lunch at Piersland House Hotel which we all enjoyed. On 7th January, we returned for another session of Music and Movement with all of our ladies ready for some light exercise and looking forward to a welcome cup of tea afterwards. Our Spring Outing has now been arranged for Tuesday 5th May to Torwood Garden Centre, Falkirk, then on to the Falkirk Wheel and finally High Tea at the Radstone Hotel. The cost is £25. We still have a few seats available for this trip and if you would like to go, please see Jean or Christine. Anyone who would care to join us on a Tuesday at 2pm can be assured of a warm welcome. Christine Kinnell and Jean Mulholland 14
EACH Each person matters
Scottish Charity no: SC 036849 ‘My command is this; love each other as I have loved you’. John 15:12 There is never a dull moment for us at EACHa, but December was manic – in a good way of course. Our main activity in December is co-ordinating the Christmas gift appeal for children whose families cannot afford to spend much on gifts at Christmas. In addition to ourselves, ten other churches collect gifts, and deliver to New Laigh Kirk for sorting and distribution. This year we also received lovely gifts from local schools, a bank and other businesses. For the third year, we were invited to take part in the ‘bring a Gift’ day at the Kilmarnock v Hearts football match. Again this appeal was very well supported. Kilmarnock won the match 3-0, but Janice missed all the goals due to cramming the last of the parcels into her car! In all, around 2,000 gifts were received, and delivered to children’s services to families in plenty time for Christmas. Your kindness was greatly appreciated by many children, once again. We were also asked this year to co-ordinate distribution of the boxes of food, donated by NHS staff through their Reverse Advent appeal. We could not believe the amount of food which arrived one evening in December – two Billy Bowie truckloads filled to the brim with boxes of food. We had trouble even forming a passageway for people to get into the hall! This was the week before Christmas, and we wondered how we would clear it all away.
Janice Grant mob 07581 722331 David Quinn mob 07779 237318 Craig McCance mob 07967 637181 15
Guild of Friendship We got our new session off to a brilliant start with music, dancing and games with John Knox Ceilidh Band. On January 23rd our speaker was David Hume. It was good to see him again and interesting to hear what he has been doing since he left NLK. We then had a Beetle Drive on February 6th and, as usual, this was good fun. We are looking forward to the remainder of the session with Mark Davies from East Ayrshire Woodlands Trust and Craig Paterson on personal security. Our AGM is 19th March and the end of session outing this year is to Scott’s at Troon Marina for lunch on 2nd April. Janette Howard
Thank You Iain and May Hamilton would like to thank the Rev. David Cameron and friends in New Laigh Kirk for the cards, good wishes and flowers on the occasion of their Golden Wedding - they were very much appreciated. Thank you also to the choir for the very generous voucher. Iain and May.
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We Are a Fairtrade Church! As we approach Fairtrade Fortnight it is worth reflecting on our successes as a Fairtrade Church at a time when we will be starting our renewal of status application. Fairtrade is not a charity but a business opportunity to help Fairtrade producers and the communities in which they live and work in the developing countries of what is termed the Global South. Since becoming a Fairtrade Kirk, we have contributed towards improving the health and wellbeing of a number of people. The provision of a new Health Centre in Argentina (thanks to the purchase of Fairtrade wine by the Guild and the Highlights Klub and of course many other events and occasions) was made possible with the Fairtrade Premium. Tea pickers in India, and coffee growers in South America have all benefitted from our Fairtrade Tea and Coffee. Over a 1000 Fairtrade hot drinks were provided since last August thanks to Music for All @ New Laigh Kirk. By purchasing Easter Eggs and Advent Calendars we can be assured we are helping end many injustices especially modern slavery, in the chocolate producing areas of the world. The Fairtrade Group thank you for your continued support. Look out for our next venture, the sale of Fairtrade Easter Eggs.
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Sometimes it seems as if charities are pouring money into a bottomless pit. With over 36 million people barely existing in camps for displaced persons, the persecution of ethnic and religious minorities rising, and famines and extreme weather increasing due to climate change, it is tempting to conclude that international aid is a waste of money. As Christians, however, we are called to remember that, “There, but for the grace of God, go I”. In 1624 writer John Donne expressed this belief when he wrote: “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent. Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind.” This is the principle on which Christian Aid is based. The charity’s aim is not only to provide food, shelter and medical aid in emergencies, but also to help needy people with reconstruction and development. Its belief is: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” To-day Christian Aid has projects in 37 countries, working with 475 local, national and international partners. Its work includes emergency response, peace-building, health, land rights and helping communities adapt to climate change. In all these areas donors’ support makes a real difference. You can find out more about Christian Aid’s work at the Festival of Praise for Christian Aid, organised by the Fellowship of Kilmarnock Churches. This will be held at St Joseph’s Church on Sunday, 29th March at 3pm. The guest speaker, Ms Charlie Meiklejohn, will bring news of Christian Aid’s current projects. There will be an opportunity to donate to the charity.
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Christian Aid Week will take place from Sunday, 10th until Saturday, 16th May. In 2019 £7.56 million of funds was raised by 40,700 volunteers from over 10,000 churches. The focus for Christian Aid Week this year will be on Kenya. New Laigh Kirk covers many streets in Kilmarnock, and volunteers are required to take part in the house to house collection. Last year £8,142.18 was raised during Christian Aid Week with £3,194.65 being raised in New Laigh Kirk. Another £173.12 was collected in town centre. We have also been granted permission for a collection at Tesco in West Shaw Street on Friday, 29th May. Can we beat that in 2020? Graeme Johnstone will look after the Glasgow Road and Beansburn area and Helen Colman will look after Bonnyton, Dundonald Road/South Hamilton Street area, Grange Estate, Irvine Road and Woodstock areas. Everyone can help by filling their Christian Aid Week Envelope. There will also be the opportunity to pick up a Christian Aid Week Envelope at church. If you are a taxpayer, you should complete the Gift Aid Declaration on the envelope giving Christian Aid 25% extra. Further information online at: http://www.caweek.org.uk If you would like to help during Christian Aid Week, please contact Graeme or Helen.
Badminton The Badminton Club are in full swing, we meet in the lower halls every Tuesday 7.15-9.00pm. Come along and join in our games and chat. It’s for all ages (over 16) and abilities. Alan I’Anson 07949169051
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The Guild How time flies! By the time this issue of the magazine is distributed, the Guild 2019/20 programme will be drawing to a close. The Guild’s annual Coffee Morning, held each year on the first Saturday in March, will have taken place. This is a very important event for the Guild – as the sum raised by our coffee morning, along with our fundraiser event, enables us to donate to this year’s Church of Scotland Guild Projects and other good causes. We are always most grateful for the generous support we receive and our wish each year is to provide our supporters with a pleasant morning of fellowship whilst enjoying a ‘cuppa’ together. At the end of October we held the first of this session’s two meetings about this year’s Projects – featuring the Church of Scotland’s social responsibility organisation ‘Crossreach’ and its ‘Join up the Dots’ initiative aimed at combating Loneliness and Isolation. This was followed by our annual Fundraiser, a successful event featuring ‘The Von Crapp Family Singers’, plus a raffle and cheese and wine afterwards. Miriam Patterson put us in a Christmas mood by demonstrating how to make a Christmas Pudding tree decoration, and amidst much hilarity, enabled us to make one to take home. Our Christmas Night Out to Fenwick Hotel was another pleasant evening of fun, food and friendship, culminating in our (by now traditional) ‘Hokey Cokey’ ! Our 2020 meetings commenced with an interesting talk on Whiteleys Retreat by Bernard Smith. At our subsequent meeting ‘Luckenbooth Folk Band’ from East Kilbride, entertained us and their repertoire of Scottish songs and jokes had us singing along amid much laughter. At the beginning of February, Father Martin Chambers told us about The Ecuador Trust and his experiences as a priest serving in Ecuador. He brought along his guitar and taught us to sing, in halting Spanish, the 20
chorus of the Hymn ‘Lord, you have come to the seashore’. At the time of writing this article, our next meeting will be a talk on ‘Avoiding Fraud’ by Nationwide Building Society. Our final Guild meeting before the AGM will be a talk on the second of this session’s Guild Projects - the ‘Free to Live’ Trust (known as ‘Seema’s Project’). Our AGM will be held on Monday 16th March. This year we are breaking with tradition by having a meal out to end our 2019/2020 session by going to Ayrshire College’s ‘Salt and Barrel' Restaurant at Kilmarnock Campus for lunch on Monday 30th March. This Guild year seems to have sped by! Although our Guild 2019/2020 session will be over, a few meetings will take place over the Summer months. Look out for the dates of these; they will be intimated in Orders of Service, mentioned in the next issue of the Magazine, and posted on the NLK Facebook page. Ellen Stewart
Stamps - Thank you Once again I’d like to say a great big ‘Thank you’ to all the members of the congregation who have passed on their used stamps to me. People keep apologising for having only a few but I have just handed over a full carrier bag once again to Jim Bircham which will eventually help various charities decided by the Church of Scotland. These have all been collected since I gave over a large carrier bagful in May, so please keep them coming! Jim was delighted that there were so many again. It shows that if everyone does their little bit the total is always greater than anticipated “From little acorns etc “! Great teamwork! Thank you all. Esther Douglas 21
Church Register Baptism 25th Dec 2019
Jacob Johnstone 1 Fairlie Avenue Kilmarnock
Funerals 14th Nov 2019
Ian Baird (M) 130 Hurlford Road Kilmarnock
16th January 2020
Sadie Clannachan (M) 11 Morrison Place Kilmarnock
17th January 2020
Marion Templeton (M) Gracelands Nursing Home Kilmarnock
22nd January 2020
Letty Dickie (M) Argyll Nursing Home Kilmarnock
27th January 2020
Richard Ross (M) 11 Springhill Gardens Kilmarnock
30th January 2020
Elizabeth Scott 7 Carmel Avenue Kilmarnock
5th February 2020
Derrick MacAllister (E) 59 Beach Road Barassie Troon
6th February 2020
Des Simpson (E) Springhill Nursing Home Kilmarnock
12th February 2020
Bill Wagstaff (M) 1 Macpherson Walk Kilmarnock
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I am standing upon that foreshore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength and I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come down to mingle with each other. Then someone at my side says, "There! She's gone!" "Gone where?" "Gone from my sight, that's all". She is just as large in mast and spar and hull as ever she was when she left my side; just as able to bear her load of living freight to the place of her destination. Her diminished size is in me not in her. And just at that moment when someone at my side says, "There! She's gone!" There are other eyes watching her coming and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!" And that is dying.
Henry Van Dyke
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Christmas Gift Appeal EACH help co-ordinate the Christmas Gift Appeal.
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