Today we spend time with the Wise Men, or Magi and as we do, we blend in some thoughts around this threshold time, as we stand at the gate of the year.
No online church notices this week, so let's proceed straight on to worship.
The WORSHIP LINK IS HERE
Best wishes and blessings to you as you step into 2024 with all that it may bring.
Nikki
In story and poem,
and a heck of a lot of xmas carols let's think about hope, and peace,
and joy, and love as we celebrate, in anticipation, the birth of the baby Jesus.
May this time of worship be a blessing.
A very merry, and blessed Christmas to you. The WORSHIP LINK IS HERE
Sun 24 Dec. 10.30am: 'Carol-oke' service: Thinking about our carol praise service, don’t forget to get your favourite carols in to me by the end of today – to enable me to format them for worship as needed. The service itself is aiming to be all-age friendly, with lots of hymns to really get into the Christmas spirit, along with Christmas poems, and perhaps ... even a wee game to help explore the story of Christmas afresh.
Also, I’d be delighted if, next week, you were to come to the service in some kind of seasonal clothing – so, time to bring out the xmas jumpers if you’ve got them, or, wear a bit of tinsel… or something to that gives a nod to the fact that it’ll be Christmas Eve.
Clydesdale food bank donations: After worship today, I’ll be gathering up the items you’ve been leaving for the food bank – and the box is looking very full, so thank you for your kindness. If you've not had the opportunity to get put something into the box, you can donate online using the link to the right of this page.
Notices follow below for reference...
Notices
Food bank: A reminder that we’re continuing to collect items for the foodbank. For those of you who’d like to drop items into the box in the vestibule next Sunday will be the last opportunity to do so before I gather what’s there and get them to the foodbank in time for folk to receive them before Christmas. Again, thanks in advance for your donations. If you miss the deadline, don’t worry, you can always donate online by going to the Clydesdale food bank WEBSITE VIA THIS LINK
Guild: This coming Wednesday, the Guild will be meeting in the church hall, where our guest will be Poppy Brown, who’ll be showing us – and encouraging us to do – some Christmas craft. That’s at 2pm on Wed.
Evening worship: 5pm Sun 17 Dec.: our last evening service of the year will be held in Leadhills Village Hall this coming Sunday. There may be carols... and potentially a mince pie (or two)
Carol Praise service: 10.30am Sun 24 Dec.: Our service on this Sunday is a bit of a carol-fest. It's not too late to choose your favourite carol for inclusion in the service - get in touch by the evening of Sun 17 Dec. - either by phone, or via the 'contact us' link to the right of your screen. If you're planning to attend the service on site that day... if you’re willing, you might like to wear a Christmas jumper to get into the spirit of things. The service is very much aimed at being all-age friendly.
CHURCH NOTICES/
Thanks to our Leadhills Primary School Christmas elves who did a beautiful job decorating our Christmas tree. It was lovely having you trek through the snow to visit with us on Friday morning!
Parish newsletter: the Christmas newsletter is available both in hard copy and here by clicking on the 'Christmas newsletter '23' tab above this post.
Food Bank: As is our usual practice in a communion month, over these next couple of Sundays, we're flagging up the work of Clydesdale Food Bank. In the church building, you can leave items of food and toiletries our food bank box in the vestibule or, you can access the website using the link HERE
If you’re able to make a donation to help folk in our community who are struggling this Christmas, it would be so appreciated. For items donated at the church, please note that I’ll uplift these after worship on Sunday the 17th to ensure they're with the food bank before Christmas.
Kirk Session meets on Thursday evening at 7pm via zoom – a link will be sent out to members of session, along with the agenda and minutes.
'Tidings of comfort and joy' service: A reminder that, on Saturday at 2pm, we have our annual Tidings of Comfort and Joy service – a gentle, reflective service for those who struggle a little at this time of year. If you know of someone who might find this service helpful, do let them know – and maybe… bring them along.
Carol Praise service: Sun 24 Dec. 10.30am. As Christmas is looming into view, our service on Christmas Eve morning is going to be a Carol service – a bit like our songs of praise service, but… carols: and you get to choose what we’ll sing. If you can let me know what carols you’d all like to sing by Sunday the 17th, that will give me time to get organised.
As to the service itself... there may be a mince pie afterwards to go with our morning tea…
For those of you who watch the pre-recorded service online – do get in touch if you’d like to nominate a favourite carol for the online service – I’ll see what we can do to make it happen! Either you can click on the 'contact us' button on the right hand side of the page to let me know your carol of choice!
Annual leave: Just to note that Nikki (the minister) will be on annual leave from Monday 13th until the afternoon of Wed. 29th.
While I’m away, the Rev Mike Fucella will be providing urgent pastoral cover and he can be contacted by phone on 01899 229291 or email at mfucella@churchofscotland.org.uk
For any general parish matters, please contact Janice Reid, our Session Clerk by phone on 07812 158275 or email at reidjanice@hotmail.co.uk
As to worship, over the next two Sunday mornings onsite, we’ll be welcoming our friend, the Rev. George Shand, who’ll be providing pulpit cover…
And we’ll also be joined by the Shenna Fox who’ll be playing the organ for us.
Online, below are some suggested links to other congregations who provide worship, so, an opportunity to have a wee visit elsewhere during this time:
CHURCH NOTICES
Acts of Remembrance around the parish:
10.30 at the Parish Church, Abington - the minister
10.50am at the Memorial, Wanlockhead - c/o the Community Council
12pm at the Memorial, Leadhills - the minister
1pm at the Memorial, Crawford - the minister
Annual leave: I'll be on annual leave from Monday 13th until the afternoon of Wed. 29th.
While I’m away, the Rev Mike Fucella will be providing urgent pastoral cover and he can be contacted by phone on 01899 229291 or email at mfucella@churchofscotland.org.uk
For any general parish matters, please contact Janice Reid, our Session Clerk by phone on 07812 158275 or email at reidjanice@hotmail.co.uk
As to worship, over the next two Sunday mornings onsite, we’ll be welcoming our friend, the Rev. George Shand, who’ll be providing pulpit cover…
And we’ll also be joined by the Shenna Fox who’ll be playing the organ for us.
Online, below are some suggested links to other congregations who provide worship, so, an opportunity to have a wee visit elsewhere while I’m away.
CHURCH NOTICES
Newsletter: the deadline for items to be submitted is tonight, by 7pm,. If you have anything you'd like included please get items in to either Dee or myself by then. And thank you in advance!
Guild: the Guild will be meeting on Wednesday, in the church at 2pm. Our guest speaker is our very own Fiona Foley, who’ll be sharing with us her experiences as a stained glass artist. All are welcome to come along.
CHUCH NOTICES - Unusually rare to have so few notices! Just the one today, which is a reminder about the upcoming Christmas church newsletter. The deadline for submitting material is by the evening of Sunday the 5th of November - this, so we can prepare it and then allow time for the printing and then sending out just before our December communion. If you have any Advent or Christmas oriented items you’d like to include, please do get in touch with either Dee or myself via the 'contact us' link on the right hand side panel of this page. Many thanks.
Nikki
NOTICES...
Thank you - harvest time is very much about saying thank you... so a big thank you to everyone who helped in some way to organise the harvest service and breakfast:
to the breakfast team, the flower and decorating team, to those who've already brought items for the display (which will then be given to the food bank) - and to those who will be bringing or donating items...
a special thank you to our 5 primary schools for their lovely banners which, given time off due to the school strike, has been an amazing achievement.
Harvest Charity for 2023: Macmillan Cancer Support - Harvest is both about giving thanks and, sharing what we have, so to honour that, this year we're supporting the work of Macmillan Cancer Support - this, in recognition that our harvest service so often falls around the same time as the Macmillan coffee mornings. If you'd like to make a wee donation, you can do so by clicking HERE
Presbytery plan update - a quick mention about the meeting on Tuesday this last week of presbytery to discuss the presbytery plan.
Basically, presbytery made the decision to delay agreeing to the plan until there was more detail given of the various proposed changes. And, personally, I think it was a wise decision. Anyway, we shall see what happens, and hopefully, down the track, will perhaps end up with a way forward that is a little more rural community-friendly.
As you go through this coming week, may it be a time of thankfulness and celebration, as you remember the Lord of the Harvest.
God bless
Nikki
and, if you'd like to venture much further north, why not pop in and see our friends in SHETLAND KIRK...?
CHURCH NOTICES:
Presbytery - and presbytery plan:
'The congregation of Upper Clyde is cited to appear for its interest at a meeting of Presbytery called for the specific purpose of receiving and approving the draft Presbytery Mission Plan for the Presbytery of Forth Valley and Clydesdale.
As Upper Clyde is in the South Area we are cited to attend the meeting to be held on Monday 2 October 2023 at 7pm in Dalziel St Andrews Church, Motherwell and online.
Please note that at its meeting on 18 June 2022 the Presbytery agreed that ‘For practical reasons of space, determine that no more than three representatives of each of the cited congregations may appear at these Presbytery meetings seeking to achieve concurrence in the Mission Plan. For the avoidance of doubt this number is in addition to Presbyters’ and that ‘remote internet access be provided for any members of cited congregations to the Presbytery meetings on Mission Planning, in order to maximise accountability and participation in the process. For the avoidance of doubt, beyond the three nominated representatives of each cited congregation, this remote access to the meeting will not open up permission to speak.’
The representatives from Upper Clyde attending the meeting in person, at Motherwell, on behalf of our parish are: Dee Yates, Willie White, Heather Watt, and the Minister. If you have any comments or questions you wish raised, please get in touch with one of them before the meeting on 2 October.
To this end, if you wish to join in discussion with folk from Upper Clyde, Douglas Valley, and Cairngryffe parishes to reflect on the proposed plan, there will be a meeting online this week. Please get in touch with Nikki, Dee, or Janice, and we can send you the link.
Sun. 1 Oct. Harvest Festival breakfast and worship service: doors open from 9.30am...
this coming week is our Harvest Festival service - don't forget, the doors will open from 9.30am as we'll begin with a simple harvest breakfast through in the hall.
All are welcome.
The service itself begins at 10.30am. Please do let people know - bring them along!!
Harvest service decoration and foodbank donation drop in: in preparation for our service, the church will be open on Saturday afternoon between 2pm and 3.30pm for decorating, and dropping in items for the harvest display and foodbank.
Sun 24 Sept. 5pm - evening worship: As it's the last Sunday of the month, there will be a service in Leadhills Village Hall at 5pm this evening, which will include a simple communion. All are welcome to come along, and stay for a cuppa and blether thereafter.
The WORSHIP LINK IS HERE. It should be available from 6pm today subject to any tech glitches!
Church notices follow below...
CHURCH NOTICES/
Clydesdale Food Bank: a reminder that over September and leading up to and including our Harvest service on the first of October, we’re gathering items together once again for the Clydesdale foodbank. If you’re able to help in some way, that would be brilliant, and thanks in advance.
Sun 24 Sept - services:
10.30am service - pulpit swap: We welcome back Denham Macdougall, who will be covering for Nikki while she's across at Douglas Valley to ordain 2 new elder to the Kirk Session at Douglas. Online worship will follow the same format as when Nikki is on leave: both church notices and several links to other online services will be provided.
5pm service at Leadhills Village Hall - simple service of communion: evening worship will be in the form of communion, picking up on harvest themes.
Sun 1 Oct, 10.30am - Harvest Service: the doors will be flung wide open from 9.30am for a Harvest 'contintental-style' breakfast before we move into the worship space for our service at 10.30am... Details on poster...
Thanks to all who are involved in organising this event.
Presbytery Draft Plan -
this arrived on Monday evening. If you would like to see a copy, along with some initial notes, please use the 'contact us' feature, or email, and we can send this to you. In the meantime, I will be updating the presbytery plan page on this blogsite in the near future.
Mon 2 October, 7pm, Motherwell: our congregation is cited to attend a meeting of presbytery in Motherwell on October the 2nd as are all other congregations in the 'south' area of presbytery, this is a meeting regarding the plan.
Apologies for the delay in getting the service online - it's been a ridiculously busy week!! Whatever this coming week has in store for you, keep on looking out and up to God, who holds us all in the palm of his hands.
God bless,
Nikki
Sun. 1 Oct. 10.30am: Harvest Service and breakfast. We’re doing things a little differently in our church service this year… Rather than finishing with a simple harvest lunch, we’re starting with a simple harvest breakfast. The doors will be open from 9.30, serving a continental style breakfast, along with fruit, yoghurt, juice, tea and coffee. Do come along and bring others to share breakfast and blethers, and thereafter, our harvest service from 10.30.
Tues 12 Sept. 11am: funeral of Pam Dunn. It is with sadness that we say our final farewell to our friend, and member, Pam this week. After the service in the church there will be a committal at Holytown Crematorium, and thereafter, a funeral tea at Lanark Golf Club – to which everyone is very welcome to attend. Do please continue to keep Pam’s family in your prayers at this time.
CHURCH NOTICES:
Sun 27 Aug. 5pm: Leadhills worship -'Table talk' style service where we'll pick up the themes from the feeding of the 5 000, share what our favourite meals are, and ponder scripture while praising God over a cuppa. Come along and join us for this more informal service.
Sun 3 Sept. 10.30am - Communion service
Foodbank Sundays - as this is a communion month, the Sundays in September will also be an opportunity to donate to the great work of Clydesdale Food Bank 👈Just click the link should you wish to make an online donation. Onsite, the food bank box will be in the vestibule for any food or other items over the course of the month.
Sun 10 Sept. 10.30am - Songs of Praise service and Guild dedication. This is your opportunity to nominate your favourite hymns for possible inclusion in worship. Either email, phone, or use the 'contact us' facility to the right of the page to pass along your nominations.
Sun 1 Oct. 10.30am - Harvest Festival. It's time for our annual Harvest Thanksgiving - where we praise God for the harvest. Onsite, after the service, there'll be a simple harvest lunch through in the hall. All welcome! We'll also be looking for willing hands to help with decorating the church and organising lunch - do get in touch if you can lend a hand.
Thurs 7 Sept. 1-3pm - Reminiscence group. This is a joint parishes group that will be starting up on the 7th of September. Meeting at the Douglas Bowling Club, it's the opportunity to share memories, and also pass along stories of local and social history... all over a cuppa. This is open to anyone who'd like to come along for a cuppa and blether.
These are all the notices, so as we move into a new week, may you find this time of worship encouraging and nourishing food for the soul.
God bless
Nikki
Abington Show update: the winner of our 'Guess how many sweets in the jar' competition was Ivor Foley - congrat's Ivor, I'll drop them in at some point during the week!!
We still have a huge stash of mini-Haribo bags - which we were giving away to all who entered our scavenger hunt yesterday at the Show. Please let us know if you'd like some for and small ones you know. Also, a good number will be donated to the food bank, because... it's nice to have treats, no matter what.
That's all the news updated as far as I'm aware, so as you move into a new week,
God bless!
Nikki
CHURCH NOTICES
Just to flag up that this coming Saturday is the Abington Show. Upper Clyde will be having a wee stall there as part of being church in community, and to flag up our farming chaplaincy work. If you're around, come and say hi to Angela and I. And, just for a bit of fun, there's a scavenger hunt organised, as well as your opportunity to guess (and if correct, win) the number of sweets in a rather large jar. So fun for young and the young at heart.
Thanks to Heather Watt and Elsie Macrae for looking after things while I was away on leave!!
God bless as you move into a new week,
Nikki
If you'd like to go straight across to our YouTube site for the service the WORSHIP LINK IS HERE
Meanwhile, below, some church notices...
Minister on annual leave: I'll be on annual leave from Monday the 24th, up to and including Wed. the 9th of August. The following arrangements are in place while I'm off:
Evening worship, Leadhills: please note that we take July off for summer break, so we'll resume again on the last Sunday of August.
Guild outing, 25 July: For all those going on the Guild outing on Tuesday, to Durisdeer – have a lovely time, and do take some photos that we can put up on the blog!
In the meantime, over these next few weeks, a challenge: let's practice some intentional gratitude by finding 3 things at the end of each day that we can give thanks for. Let me know how you get on!
Take care folks, and catch up when I'm back at work.
God bless,
Nikki
Given it's summer, only the one notice - which is a reminder about the Guild outing to Durisdeer Church on the 25th of July. If you're wanting to go, please get in touch with Heather...
Have a good week,
God bless,
Nikki
With school off, and summer now in full swing and various community organisations taking a wee break, there are no church notices this week.
Take care and have a good week,
Nikki
OUR WORSHIP LINK IS HERE
and below church notices...
CHURCH NOTICES
Evening worship - today at 5pm at Leadhills Village Hall. This will take the form of a Taizé service. All welcome, and there'll be a cuppa and a chance for a blether after the service.
Otherwise, hope you find moments to look around at God's creation, and then look up, to God our Creator.
God bless
Nikki
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| 'The hospitality of Abraham' aka 'The Trinity' by Andrei Rublev |
Notices are copied below... but to go straight across to the service, the WORSHIP LINK IS HERE
CHURCH NOTICES
Evening worship is happening in Leadhills Village hall tonight at 5pm, where we'll be exploring God through sacred art, in what's being called our 'Iconic' service. Curious to find out more? Come along and see... and then stay for a cuppa and a blether afterwards. All welcome.
Sun 4 June
Communion, 10.30am - our quarterly Communion service will be held onsite in the parish church at Abington. All are welcome to come and share in the meal that Jesus created for his friends.
Annual Stated Meeting - this will be held immediately after our service. A chance to review this last year and to receive the annual accounts. If you're able, please do come along.
Looking ahead
Sat. 17 June, 10am-1pm Car boot sale and coffee morning - this will be held at the parish church in Abington. Details below on the poster. If you're able to help by providing baking for the coffee morning, serving, etc. we would so appreciate it. Also, if you've any items you think would be useful to put into a tombola, we'd love to receive them! Thanks in advance....
Monies raised will be shared between Clydesdale Food Bank and Upper Clyde Church.
You can go straight to the service over on our YouTube channel by using the WORSHIP LINK HERE.
Or, if you'd like to pause to check the church notices, they're copied below...
CHURCH NOTICES
John Rudder’s funeral will be held
in the church at 2pm on Tuesday this week, followed by his committal at
Leadhills Cemetery. All are welcome to come as we say our farewells to John,
and to support his family.
This coming Sunday we celebrate Pentecost. Red is the colour for Pentecost, so why not join in the celebration either onsite or online by wearing something red.
Evening worship will be in Leadhills Village Hall. This month, we're starting the first of our ‘Iconic’ series –
where we’ll be exploring God through sacred art.
Further ahead: Sun 4 June - formal Communion: all are welcome to come and share in the meal that Jesus created for his friends.
Also: Annual Stated Meeting will be held after the service, this, to receive our accounts, and give a review of the previous year.
These are all the notices for this week.
As you go into a new week, go gently, and go well, and be blessed.
Nikki
Church notices are below...
CHURCH NOTICES
Funeral of John Rudder: for those who've not heard, just to
say that our friend, John Rudder has recently died. There’s been a little delay
around a date for his funeral but I can confirm that it will now be held in the
church on Tuesday the 23rd, at 2pm, and thereafter, his committal
will be at 3pm in Leadhills cemetery. If you’re able to come along to the
service, I’m sure his family would very much appreciate your support.
Have a great week,
God bless,
Nikki
CHURCH NOTICES
Guild AGM - the Guild meets in the church this week, on Wed. at 2pm for its AGM. All are welcome to come along for this final meeting of the Guild for this session. Refreshments in the hall afterwards.
Christian Aid Sunday - this coming Sunday is Christian Aid Sunday, which we'll be marking with a special service both onsite and online. There'll also be opportunities to donate to this great organisation to help with the work they do on behalf of some of the most vulnerable people at home and abroad.
No other notices this week. As you move into a new week, may you know God walking alongside you.
Until next time, God bless,
Nikki
CHURCH NOTICES/
Several rounds of thanks:
And the first is to say a massive thank you to everyone who helped in some way with Mary Hamilton’s funeral – what a great team you all are, and I’m sure the family felt very supported. I hope you all know just how much I appreciate you all and, given I was away, I’m so very thankful to you all for pitching in.
Last week, we big a fond farewell to our friend, Bill Buchan, who has been with us over these last couple of years providing pulpit cover when I’ve been away. Thanks to Ursula for saying a few words of thanks on behalf of us all, and presenting him with some tokens of our appreciation. And as he winds down, we do wish him well as he takes a very well earned rest from all his labours.
And one more wee note of thanks – and that’s to our small posse of gardeners yesterday, who gave of their time and skills to do some planting around the church building. I’m looking forward to seeing how the trees and plants progress over the rest of the year – and also hoping the deer don’t go ‘yum, dinner!’
Looking ahead, I’d like to flag up Christian Aid Sunday – which is on the 14th of May this year. There’ll be the opportunity during the service (onsite) to donate to the great work Christian Aid does – and for those of you who watch online, I’ll include the web address that you can link to, should you wish to make a donation.
The minister will be unavailable from the above time:
Sat. 29 April, 10am - 'let's get growing' at church - a gardening morning at the church, potting up plants, some wild fruiting trees, and getting some 'incredible edibles' planted to be available for common use. All are welcome to come along - bring a snack, and we'll get the kettle boiled as needed!
The Guild has rescheduled its meeting this month and will now meet for its AGM on Wed. 10th May at 2pm in the church.
