Sunday preview: 'Everybody'

Can't remember where I came across this cartoon, but every frame tells a story of sorts, and, for me, the overall cartoon is a wee delight.

This coming Sunday, as we continue in our season of exploring the Spirit,
we'll be focusing in on the Spirit of Life; pondering beginnings and endings,
the life to come and the life we have now.

See you Sunday!
Nikki

Christian Aid Week 2017

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK 2017: 14 - 20 MAY

Join us as we mark the 60th Anniversary of Christian Aid Week.

Reflecting the first CA Week in 1957, this year, CA focuses once more on the plight of refugees....

This Sunday and the following Sunday, there'll be opportunities to make a donation via the CA collection boxes in the vestibule and hall. Please give generously to support the great work that CA continues to do, 60 years on. 

Also in the vestibule: for reflection and prayer, CA have produced a 7 day                                   devotional booklet for the week. Feel free to collect one - or more - as you leave church...

In the meantime, why not watch Theodor's story...

Sunday preview: 'God Knows' or 'The gate of the year'

This Sunday we'll be thinking of gifts, and of gates, and of time, as we stand at the beginning of a fresh new year.  At this time of year, the poem by Minnie Haskins comes to mind:
'God knows' - or, it's better known title -
'The gate of the year'.

Here, copied below, the poem for reflection...



'God knows'
And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied:
“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”
So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.
And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.

So heart be still:
What need our little life
Our human life to know,
If God hath comprehension?
In all the dizzy strife
Of things both high and low,
God hideth His intention.

God knows. His will
Is best. The stretch of years
Which wind ahead, so dim
To our imperfect vision,
Are clear to God. Our fears
Are premature; In Him,
All time hath full provision.

Then rest: until
God moves to lift the veil
From our impatient eyes,
When, as the sweeter features
Of Life’s stern face we hail,
Fair beyond all surmise
God’s thought around His creatures
Our mind shall fill.

Sunday preview: barbies on the beach...

John 21:1-19 -
Resurrection appearances continue, this time by
the Galilean Sea. The disciples have gone fishin'.
and Jesus invites them to a beach barbecue...

[possibly the perfect text for an Australian minister to preach...!!]

Join us as we continue with our resurrection stories:
UCPC in Abington, 10.30am.

Sunday preview: is it Thomas this week? I doubt it...

We'll be exploring the story of Thomas, as told in
the Gospel of John, 20:19-31:

The disciples are all holed up in the upper room,
in hiding. Puzzled, confused, amidst rumours that the tomb is empty, and of Mary Mag's assertions that she has seen the Lord, what are they to do?
And in comes Jesus.
But where's Thomas?
Wherever he is, when he gets back, the rest of the disciples are trying to get him to buy a very strange story indeed....
The dead don't rise from death...or do they?

Join us this week, as we spend a little time with
Thomas, and his very reasonable doubts.
UCPC, Abington, 10.30am.

Sunday Preview: Wise Men, stars, camels...

Join us, this Sunday, for the last Sunday of the Christmas season - where we'll be pondering Wise Men, a bright shining star, and perhaps a camel or two. 

10.30am in the Parish Church, Abington.

Sunday sneak preview

A picture  clue for worship, Sunday 15th.
Some of you may remember this chap... but is he right?
Come to morning worship and find out!

Sunday preview: power and glory

This Sunday will see the end of our 5 week series on the Lord's Prayer.

We'll be thinking about the last section of the prayer:
'for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever. Amen'

How do we define what real power is?
How might that be different to the way power is defined in God's kingdom?
Where is glory to be found? 
Our readings for Sunday might just give us some clues:
Psalm 145 and John 13:1-17

See you Sunday, 10.30am, in the Parish Church at Abington

New Worship Series: Exploring the Lord's Prayer

Beginning this week, for 5 weeks:

Sundays, 10.30am, at the parish church, Abington...

Join us as we explore the prayer that unites us; 

the prayer that Jesus taught us;

the prayer we say each week in worship...

Week 1/ 'Lord, teach us to pray' 

The prayer that Jesus taught us: the context

Week 2/ 'To whom shall we pray?' 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name...

Week 3/ 'For what shall we pray?' pt 1: heaven on earth?

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven...

Week 4/ 'For what shall we pray?' pt 2: for ourselves?

Give us this day our daily bread 

and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil

Week 5/ 'Whose glory?'

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever, amen.

Sunday preview: Second Sunday Summer Services

This week, it's a 2 service Sunday as we begin our:

'Second Sunday Summer' Services

Can't make morning worship?
No need to worry!
We've evening worship as well.

10.30am in the parish church, Abington: 
we'll be pondering the mysteries of Jenga blocks and mustard seeds...







6.30pm at Holy Trinity Chapel, Lamington: 
is time for candles and contemplation -
a quiet space in the midst of the busyness of life.
Take time out to 'be'...

Sunday preview: Communion service

Join us for Communion, this Sunday at 10.30 at UCPC.  All are welcome.

Our theme focuses upon division and on unity as we reflect on Mark 3:20-35.  

As he settles into his ministry, Jesus is getting a bit of a reputation.  

For some, it really is Good News.  

For those in power, however, will this rabble-rousing rabbi 

upset the apple-cart and turn prestige and entitlement on its head?
What is the message of the man from Nazareth that

makes those in power nervous?
What is the message for us, as we meet him in bread and wine?
Join us, this week.    

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!]

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

Sunday preview: 'I don't believe it'

Continuing our Easter theme...
The story so far:
That first Easter morning, Mary heads to the garden tomb and finds the stone rolled away.
She heads off to tell the rest of the followers.
Peter and John race back to the garden, followed by Mary.
P & J see the empty tomb. The investigate further and find neatly folded grave-clothes.
What on earth can this mean?
They head back.
Mary stays behind and, looking into the tomb, encounters strange creatures - could they be angels?
Turning, she finds herself face to face with what she thinks must be the gardener...
but discovers, to her amazement, that it's Jesus.
How can this be?
Later in the day, two disciples head back to their village, and encounter Jesus.
Astonished, they head immediately back to Jerusalem to tell the waiting disciples.
And there, in the midst of them, Jesus appears.
But wait.
Where's Thomas??

Join us this week as we rescue Thomas from all the doubters.
That would be Thomas the disciple as opposed to Thomas the Tank Engine.
Just so there's no doubt.
This Sunday.
UCPC Abington.  10.30
See you there.

Sunday preview: forgiveness meditation

This coming Sunday, we finish our Lenten series on 'the kin-dom of heaven' by exploring what it is to be both forgiven, and a community of forgiveness.  To get your thoughts stirring, why not take a little time out and watch this wee video?

Sunday preview: Martin Luther King and the 'Beloved Community'

Last week, a nod to Che Guevara,
this week, a little MLK...

Join us as we:
ponder the measure of God's love and think about the word 'beloved'...
What is it to be beloved of God - and what is it to be the 'beloved community'?
And where does Martin Luther King fit into all of this?

Come and hear [the unedited for radio version!]
Sunday, 10.30.
At the parish church, in Abington.

Sunday preview: 'Meek, mild. As if.'

Gentle Jesus, meek and mild?
Or/ revolutionary Jesus, fierce and wild?

You decide.

Church.  Sunday, 10.30, Abington.

See you there.

Sunday preview: Communion

Bread broken.

Wine, poured.

Ordinary, yet extraordinary.

Come, remember: a man,

ordinary, yet extraordinary.

Come nourish body and soul.

Come, for it is his table

and all are welcome to the feast.

Come, not because you're perfect,

but because you're loved.

Communion.

Sunday, 10.30, 

Upper Clyde Church, Abington.

In this second Sunday of Lent, we'll continue reflecting on 'the kin-dom' of God: what kind of community are we called to be, as we journey with Jesus? 

This week: a cross-carrying community.

A shortened version of the service has been recorded for Radio Scotland, and will be broadcast 

on Sunday morning at 6.30am.  

You can also listen on i-player after the broadcast by following this link

If you like singing, we'll be having a 'scratch' choir from 9.45 in the church, to learn an anthem
to sing for the service.

It's Tuesday but Sunday's coming: Sunday preview 25 Jan 2015

Readings:
Jonah 3:1-5, 10; and Mark 1:14-20

Two seaside stories feature in worship this coming Sunday.
In our Old Testament reading, we find Jonah, just after discovering a slightly different method of transportation - possibly a wee bit fishy.
*ahem*
Having been asked by God to go to Ninevah, and having refused, Jonah is now asked again.  This time, he goes, possibly not singing 'Whale meet again'.
(okay, sorry about that!)

Our Gospel passage takes us to the shores of the Sea of Galilee.  Brothers Simon and Andrew are fishing.  When Jesus invites them to 'come, follow me', they leave their nets immediately.

Join us this week as we unpack the contrast in responding to God's call, and maybe reflect a little on our own response to God's call in our lives.
10.30 at UCPC in Abington.  See you there.