Friday 22 January 2021

News, updates, information...

 
CHURCH NOTICES/

The minister will be on Annual Leave during 18 Jan -3 Feb

Contacts:
Urgent pastoral cover [food bank referrals, funerals] during this time will be provided by the Rev. George Shand of the Tinto Parishes.

His number is 01899 309400

For general parish enquiries please contact our Session Clerk Ms Heather Watt. Her number is 01899 850 211

Worship while the minister is on leave:
Here are some options for worship online that you might like to explore...
St Mary's Church, Haddington - LINK to YouTube site - shorter service c.10mins;
10.30 am Dunfermline Abbey - LINK to their YouTube site;
11am Kirkton Parish Church, Carluke - LINK to their website;
All the above services are archived so if you miss the livestream, you can watch the service later on.


Clydesdale Food Bank:
If you would like to support the ongoing work of the food bank, you can do so online HERE 

Online giving: 
Did you know that you can give online to Upper Clyde Parish? Should you wish to do so, please head over to our giving page, HERE

Sunday 17 January 2021

Worship Sun 17 Jan: 'the God who sees us'

WELCOME/
Hello! Welcome once again to our time of worship online - even despite our current lockdown regulations, our God is worthy of praise, and being at home does not stop us from gathering to praise and to worship the One who who knows us and calls us.
Our worship theme this week reflects upon the God who sees us, and who calls us - we'll be hearing from Ps 139 and John 1:43-51. 
Please check below with regards to cover information for the next couple of Sundays, as I'll be taking some annual leave - I have a little bit of academic work that needs to be done.
Meanwhile, you can find the LINK TO WORSHIP HERE
As ever, I hope you find this time of worship of help, and encouragement as you travel in faith in these tricky times.

God's blessings to you,
Nikki

CHURCH NOTICES/
The minister will be using up some Annual Leave during 18 Jan -3 Feb

Contacts:
Urgent pastoral cover [food bank referrals, funerals] during this time will be provided by the Rev. George Shand of the Tinto Parishes.
His number is 01899 309400

For general parish enquiries please contact our Session Clerk Ms Heather Watt. Her number is 01899 850 211

Worship while the minister is on leave:
Here are some options for worship online that you might like to explore...
Livestream - 
10am St Mary's Church, Haddington - LINK to YouTube site;
10.30 am Dunfermline Abbey - LINK to their YouTube site;
11am Kirkton Parish Church, Carluke - LINK to their website;
All the above services are subsequently archived so if you miss the livestream, you can watch the service later on.

Clydesdale Food Bank:
If you would like to support the ongoing work of the food bank, you can do so online HERE 

Online giving: 
Did you know that you can give online to Upper Clyde Parish? Should you wish to do so, please head over to our giving page, HERE

Sunday 10 January 2021

Worship, Sun 10 Jan - Baptism of Jesus

WELCOME/
Hello and welcome to worship.
It is good that even in a time of lockdown, that we are still able to gather online to worship the One who calls us his own, who calls us ‘beloved’.
We move further into this season of Epiphany: the wise men have been and gone and traditionally, the church calendar does a bit of a dramatic jump. Having just celebrated the birth of Jesus, we move to a now grown Jesus on the cusp of beginning his public ministry, and find ourselves by the banks of the River Jordan, hearing once again the story of his baptism. So as we paddle by the waters of the Jordan, just one piece of news to share...
As a parish, as of 2019, we became part of a wider parish grouping with Douglas Valley and the Tinto Parishes. We'd already begun exploring and finding ways of helping and supporting one another - by pulpit swaps and the ministers of Upper Clyde and Tinto Parishes leading communion across in the Douglas and Rigside congregations. Alongside this, we also undertook an audit of our parishes - how many people, schools, community groups, age groups, community services offered, etc - and this helped to shape a proposal to create a new post of a shared Community Outreach Worker. This went forward to Church of Scotland HQ, and we were successful in receiving support to put in place a 3 year post. Having advertised the vacancy, and subsequently interviewed shortlisted applicants, the successful candidate was Angela Brydson - a Deacon and experienced community worker. 
Angela has been working just down the road, in our neighbouring presbytery of Annandale and Eskdale. I think our various communities will benefit immensely from Angela’s energy and creativity, as well as her understanding of just how rural communities work and it’s great that she’s joining our team – even in the midst of the challenge of doing so in lockdown. Angela has very kindly put together a wee video to say hello, so you'll get to meet her in our opening 'welcome' clip across at our YouTube channel.

In the meantime, I hope this finds you well, and that you’re managing to stay upright, given all the ice and snow about the place. Also, I hope that lockdown is not proving too hard. Please do feel free to give me a call if you’d like to chat – I’m always happy to listen.
May this time of worship be a blessing and an encouragement...
You'll find the LINK HERE to take you across to our service.

God bless
Nikki

Wednesday 6 January 2021

Update re. opening of church building

 As at 5 Jan, 2021

Re: the Scottish Government statement re. entering a new lockdown -

Friends, as part of the lockdown regulations, places of worship are to remain closed during this time.
Accordingly, until otherwise advised, as a church we will continue to worship online, rather than in person, in the building. I know that those of you who were looking forward to meeting in the building once more will be disappointed, however, let's take comfort from knowing that we are the living stones that make up Christ's church in the world - that doesn't change just because we can't open a building; what it does do is make us think more creatively about how to be the church...
I'm minded of the wee hymn 'I am the church, you are the church, we are the church together'. As Christ's body in the world, let us love God, and love our neighbour, by continuing to keep each other safe from harm by biding awhile at home, praying for one another, and checking in on one another by phone, or zoom, or text...

Blessings to you all during this time,
Nikki

Saturday 2 January 2021

Worship, Sun 3 Jan - Epiphany

 


WELCOME/
A very happy new year to you all, and welcome to this time of worship.
Traditionally, the 6th of January closes the season of Christmas and opens the shorter season of Epiphany in the church calendar. It's known as a season of light, and of things revealed, and begins with wise men following a star. It's also an opportunity to sing a few last Christmas carols as well as look ahead to this coming year. Whether past or present, or in the future, however, God journeys with us, as we follow in faith. May you find this time of worship an encouragement as we travel together as God's people into 2021.

The worship link is HERE.

And, for younger folk, you'll find an ACTIVITY SHEET LINK HERE.

God bless,
Nikki