Pulpit swap - Sun 24 Sept.

WELCOME to worship this week. Please note that there will be no online service from Upper Clyde this week. The minister is across at the Douglas Valley congregations to ordain a couple of elders to the Douglas Session. So, some options for visiting elsewhere online this week include:
DUNFERMLINE ABBEY 

BIGGAR KIRK

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 fresh air of forgiveness' - Worship Sun 17 Sept

WELCOME to worship. This week's theme is on forgiveness. 

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

Songs of Praise Sunday - Worship 10 Sept

WELCOME to our Songs of Praise service and Guild dedication.
A slightly different style this week, as we enjoy hymns chosen by the congregation, interspersed with readings and short reflections. I hope you find it an encouragement and gives you a lift as you go into this coming week. It is good to praise our God.
THE WORSHIP LINK IS HERE
notices follow below...

CHURCH NOTICES 
Wed. 13 Sept. 2pm: the Guild meets in the church as we begin a new session. Our guest speaker is Sylvia Russell, who'll be speaking on 'The history of the Clydesdale Horse'. All welcome.

Food Bank month: don’t forget that it’s a food bank month. In church, the box is in the vestibule and you can leave any donations there… and online, you can visit the Clydesdale food bank website, and make a donation that way, should you wish to do so. The link is on the right hand panel of our blog.

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.

These are all the notices. As you move into a new week, know that you take God's blessing with you.
Nikki

'Meals with the Messiah' wk 4: A meal to remember

WELCOME to worship where we end our 4 weeks of 'meals with the Messiah', thinking about the meal Jesus created for his followers. You'll find the WORSHIP LINK HERE and below, a copy of the church notices...

CHURCH NOTICES
Funeral of Pam Dunn: It's with sadness that I pass on the news of Pam Dunn's death. Her funeral will be held on Tuesday the 12th of September, 11am at the parish church. Please remember her family in your prayers...

September is food bank month where we're collecting items to donate to Clydesdale Food Bank and which will be uplifted with our Harvest donations. In church, the box is back in the vestibule to drop items in. Or, you can make a donation online by CLICKING ON THIS LINK Many thanks, in advance for your kindness. 

Sun 10 Sept. 10.30am: Songs of Praise service and Guild Dedication - If you've not yet sent your nominations for hymns for our Songs of Praise service, get them in quick: cut off is 7pm Wed evening.
We'll also be rededicating our Guild as they begin a new session.

Sun 1 Oct. 9.30am: Harvest Service - if you're able to join us in person this week, the doors will be open from 9.30 for a cheerful Harvest breakfast before we move from the hall into the worship space at 10.30 for our Harvest Service. Thanks in advance to our schools, who are preparing to make banners for us, as part of this year's decorations.
The church will be open on Saturday from 2pm-4pm for decorating, and for dropping in of harvest/ food bank items