Sunday preview: special 'Songs of Praise' service

This week, we'll be joined by members of the Leadhills Silver Band and folk from 'Junction 13' Community Choir for our special Songs of Praise service.                         Come along - bring a friend - all welcome!

Refreshments will be served after the service, in the church hall.

Sunday preview: Pentecost and cake...

Join us as we wish the church a very 'happy birthday' this Pentecost Sunday - and yes, I think there may be cake!

[apologies for lack of updates - the Meenister was away at the General Assembly!]

Community Choir news

Week One: here's a wee taster from our first evening... 

[apologies for those of you who suffer from motion sickness it's a wee bit wobbly!!]

Week Two: we overcame our 'identity crisis' and decided upon a name.  Meet:
Junction 13 [pop up choir]
Given Junction 13 connects all of our villages...!

[We also sang 'Let it go' from Frozen...but Shhh! Don't tell anyone :)

Some great fun and fabby singing so far.  If you've not come along, it's not too late.
7.30-9pm the next couple of Thursdays.

Community Choir: the time...has come!

The day has arrived!

UCPC is delighted to be opening up the church hall in Abington 

to host this new community venture. 

This is a community choir - everyone's welcome!

No choral experience or music reading ability necessary: 

just bring your enthusiasm and we'll do the rest!!

Meeting on Thursdays 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th May, from 7.30-9pm.

Our first two pieces of music can be found here [listen in here]  
and here [listen in here]

Plans shaping up for performances:
Sunday 31 May, 10:30 - for those who want, come and join UCPC for our 'Songs of Praise' service, featuring members of the Leadhills Silver Band.  A chance to try out public performance in a friendly space and build your confidence.
Thereafter...

June 20th - Leadhills Silver Band Concert - joining with the band as their guests.

and, after learning some new material throughout Thursdays in September...
Saturday 3 October, 7:30pm - Community Concert - featuring the Community Choir, Leadhills Silver Band, and some special guests from Glasgow... details tbc
Thereafter...

As we move into the Christmas season, some village carolling may be on the cards!

Sunday preview: the difference a cow makes - Christian Aid Week 2015

Meet Adi and the cow that's changed her life.  Theirs is a story about why you should support Christian Aid Week this year and get behind the hundreds of women just like Adi.  It's a story of hope, action, and changing the world!

We'll be hearing more of Adi's story this Sunday during worship, at 10.30am, UCPC, Abington,
and we'll be having a special collection to support the work of Christian Aid.
Come and join us!

Our readings this week are:
1 John 5:1-6
John 15:9-12
Vines, branches, and abiding - having looked at remaining connected to Jesus the vine, this week, we explore how we look after one another as branches connected to the vine.  We link this into the great work that Christian Aid does for those who live in, and are affected by, poverty.

For other ways you can support the work of Christian Aid, click on this link to take you to their page.
In the meantime, here's the Christian Aid prayer for this year:

Let your hand rest upon your people of Ethiopia - 

widows and orphans, aged and children, strangers and wanderers -

and join us also with them.

Protect and strengthen us,

from all evil works keep us apart,

and in all good works unite us.

You are life for our souls.

You are the life of the world.

Amen

Event: Heart and Soul 2015

A great event for everyone:
on the 1st Sunday of the Genera Assembly join with the wider Church of Scotland for the lark in the park - otherwise known as
'Heart and Soul'

Anyone interested in coming along to this, please let the minister know.  If we've enough interested folk, we might be able to organise a bus with Tinto Parishes and travel up together from Biggar.