Worship Sun 19 Feb: Transfiguration Sunday

WELCOME/ Along with many congregations around the world, today we’re marking the ‘transfiguration’ of Jesus: remembering that strange and mysterious story from the gospels in which Jesus walks up a mountain, taking Peter, James, and John and where a dazzling brightness falls upon him and there, in the midst, he meets with Moses and Elijah. One of those passages that remind us that while Jesus is human, he’s also divine – Son of God.

There are a lot of notices, all copied below for ease of reference.
If you'd like to go straight across to our time of worship
THE WORSHIP LINK IS HERE 

CHURCH NOTICES/

Lent begins: This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season we call ‘Lent’ –
a traditional time of preparation as we mark the weeks leading up to holy week and Easter. Last week I flagged up the possibility of having a Lent discussion group. If you’d like to take part, do let me know and we’ll begin this the week beginning Sunday the 26^th at some point that’s suitable for all.

Parish newsletter: The Easter edition of our newsletter is now being prepared. If you have any Easter-related items that you’d like to include, please do get in touch with Dee our editor, or myself - you can make use of the 'contact us' feature to the right hand side of the blog page.
The deadline for submission is 1pm Sunday the 12^th of March.

Let's get growing - again: Our ‘let’s get growing’ community gardening project is starting up once again. If you'd like a free bag of compost and a package containing several packs of different vegetable seeds, you can collect these from the manse on Sunday afternoon the 26^th of February, between 1 and 3pm.

Upcoming funeral: I’m sad to announce the death of Nan Steele who died on Thursday evening. For those of you who would like to attend: Nan’s funeral will be in the church at 10am on Friday the 3^rd of March, followed by her committal at Crawfordjohn cemetery. Notices will go up closer to the time.

Presbytery plan update: On Thursday, we had the first of our online cluster conversations discussing the presbytery plan, exploring a way forward with our neighbouring parishes of Douglas Valley and Cairngryffe to work together more closely - with a view to forming a possible union. Essentially, we're wondering about creating a rural 'maxi' parish, as each congregation has shared rural interests, and, since 2018, have been working as an informal parish grouping, each sharing our community outreach worker.

In our first meeting, with rep's from each congregation, we used what’s known as the 5 marks of mission to help frame our conversation.
The first half of the meeting was given over to each of the congregations represented to outline the different activities in their church life that fit under each of these 5 marks. The second half was spent looking at these and highlighting what we shared in common, as well as possible things that we might be able to do together, that we can’t quite do now, as individual congregations.
So basically, first, a bit of a stock take, and then a where to from here working together.

The next step is over to each congregation for the next few weeks, for our own conversations together –I’ll be putting up a dedicated page on our blog that you can access – to keep you in the loop, and also, in order for you to make your own comments, or give feedback, and such.
Essentially, what we did on Thursday night was to help get us started but the conversation involves all of us – so please do feel free to have your say – whether it’s thru the blog, or in person after worship over a cuppa, or even by just giving me a phone call.
More formally, we can do this onsite by having a congregational meeting after worship:
on Sunday the 5^th of March – which is communion Sunday. So, a date for your diaries.
After worship, we can go through to the hall and have the meeting over a cuppa.

What happens then? There'll be another joint meeting of the three congregations online at 7pm Thurs 16th of March, where each of us will be bringing back any feedback, questions, and concerns. We'll then explore how working together as a union - with our various interests - might work. So, looking at possible systems and structures.
Out of this meeting, we hope to have enough information to draw up a draft plan to submit to presbytery for their consideration. This proposal is to be submitted on the 31st of March.

At each stage, we'll be keeping you informed, and, should you wish to join the next joint meeting, do get in touch... it's open to all members who are interested.

Phew!! And with that, may you find our time of worship an encouragement as you begin a new week.
Take care and God bless,

Nikki