COVID-19 Building reopening update - Easter Sunday

AS OF 7.30PM WED 31 MARCH,

WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION TO REOPEN THE CHURCH BUILDING FOR WORSHIP - 

FOR EASTER SUNDAY

Having had the building closed for just over a year now with all worship moved to online, we are delighted that we can open the building on Easter Sunday - quite resonant with symbolism. In accordance with all the regulations, we are ensuring that we run a COVID compliant operation, so it won't quite be back to worship 'as usual'. Below, you'll find what needs to be done at the moment in order to be able to attend worship...

Lent baking challenge Wk 6

Week 6/ Hot Cross Buns

It's Holy Week, so what else could we cook apart from Hot Cross Buns! The great thing about making a yeasted bun, is that it’s something you spend time with, and then come back to, over time. On Good Friday, some  church traditions have a service between 12 and 3, marking the hours Jesus spent on the cross. 

You might like to spend that time prayerfully making hot cross buns, with each time you come back to the baking, stepping back into the story, re-immersing yourself in the pain and the wonder of Good Friday.

Here's what you'll need:
Recipe -

50g of butter 

300ml of milk
500g of strong bread flour
1tsp of salt

75g of caster sugar (or what sugar you have available)

a sachet of yeast

1 egg
1 - 2 cups of dried fruit - currants, raisins, sultanas, mixed peel 

(whatever's to hand and however much you want to use...if you like really fruity hot cross buns, 2 cups it is! 

Though mind how you go with the rise, if you make it too heavy)
1 small, roughly chopped apple (or less, or not at all, just depends on how you like it)
1tsp mixed spice - add a dash of ginger to taste

Method
Turn oven to 220C or GM7 

Put milk in pan and heat
Add butter and melt
Leave to cool to body temp.
Fill a mixing bowl with 500g of strong bread flour (I’d choose white, though it depends on what you can get! If you can’t find bread flour, plain flour will work; the buns just won’t rise as much).
Add in salt, caster sugar, and  sachet of yeast.

As you add the dry ingredients, think through what you are laying at the foot of the cross today.

Make a well in the centre, pour in the warm milk and butter, and add an egg.
Mix this well, first with a wooden spoon, then with your hands, until you have a sticky dough.
Sprinkle some flour onto a surface, and knead dough, by stretching and folding, until it’s turned nice and silky and pulls out smoothly.
Put in a bowl, cover [with a plastic bag]
Leave for an hour - so that the yeast can begin to work and make the dough rise.

Spend some of this time prayerfully reading the events of Good Friday
as recounted in one of the Gospels

When the hour is up, add the dried fruit and spices
I’ll leave it to you to put in as much dried fruit as you fancy - I seldom measure it anyway and tend to go by 'feel'!
Knead in to the dough.
Shape the dough into balls, and place them on a floured baking tray.
Cover and leave for another hour to rise.
Mix up flour and water paste, and use this to pipe (if you have the equipment) or dollop (if you don’t!) a cross over each bun.

Remember Jesus and his words on the cross, and quietly thank him for his sacrifice.

Bake in oven for about twenty minutes until they look golden brown.
Once out of the oven, gently heat some marmalade or apricot jam
Paint over the top of buns to make a sticky glaze.

Enjoy, buttered if you like, with a cup of tea, and sing or listen to your favourite songs or hymns about the cross as you eat them.

Lent 'Great outdoors' and 'Thru the window' reflections Wk6

GREAT OUTDOORS/ BIRDS AND AIR 

Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or save food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. 

                                      Matthew 6:26 

Active Meditation/

1. Wherever you are today, keep looking around to see if you can see a bird, they are everywhere.

2. Find somewhere where you can be quiet for a few minutes and listen to the birds singing.

3. Put some food out for the birds and watch for a while to see what comes.

4. Choose a windy day, and go out and fly a kite. Make a simple one of your own if you don't have one.

5. Go for a walk and see how many ways you can tell that air is there even though you can't see it.

6. Watch a bird flying. See how different birds move in different ways. 

How does watching them make you feel?

Find a place where you can see birds and feel the air.

Be quiet for a moment or two (as long as works for you) 

to reflect on the importance of air and birds in our world.

Prayer/

Creator God, thank you for the air that we breathe 

and the beauty of flying creatures like birds. 

Silence 

We are sorry for those times
when we have taken the simple pleasures and necessities for granted. 

Silence 

Help us to value clean air, and to do our bit to keep it clean. 

And help us always to appreciate the beauty of your creation. 

Silence - Stand for a moment and let the air you breathe and the birds you see point you towards God. 
In the quietness, what is the still, small voice of God saying to you? 
Spend a few moments thinking of people and situations that are on your heart... 
place them into God's hands...
Amen.

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Thru the Window - connecting with creation through Lent when you can't get outside...
wk 6/ SKY

Your lovingkindness, O Lord, 

extends to the heavens, 

             Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.                                                              Psalm 36:5

Look out at the sky. You could try this one more than once at different times of the day. 

Meditation

Sky: 

summer sky,
blue and clear
with fluffy white clouds the 

way that children draw them.
Autumn evening sky 

the blue 

of indigo ink. 

Eyes watch 

as the sparks from the bonfire 

shoot upwards
then disappear 

into the darkness. 

Stormy winter sky: 

grey and heavy with rain, 

clouds scudding across it as if

in a hurry to be somewhere else. 

Early morning sky:
golden pink 

as the sun rises 

and floods the world
with colour once again.
2am sky:
almost black 

but on a clear night 

studded with stars
and a silver moon:
beautiful when sleep evades us. 

Sky: 

always there, 

often unappreciated,
always changing,
made by an unchanging creator. 

Something to think about

What is your favourite sky mood - or does it vary? 

Why do you think people have always wanted to explore the sky and beyond?

What does the sky say to you about its creator?

A prayer

May this eternal truth be always on our hearts,

That the God who breathed this world into being,

Placed stars into the heavens

And designed a butterfly's wing,

Is the God who entrusted his son

to the care of ordinary people,

became vulnerable that we might know

how strong is the wonder of Love.

A mystery so deep it is impossible to grasp.

A mystery so beautiful it is impossible to ignore.
Amen.

Worship Sun 28 March - Palm Sunday

WELCOME/
Time is a strange concept at the moment - we began our Lenten journey in what seems like both mere days, and yet, an age ago. And, having travelled, having taken on, or given up particular practices, habits, attitudes, we stand now at the beginning of Holy Week.
Welcome to Palm Sunday.

The link for our time of worship, across on our YouTube channel is HERE. 
And below, some notices to flag up...

CHURCH NOTICES/

Holy Week worship: 
On Good Friday, there’ll be a short service of reflection and meditation as we think about the events that unfolded on that day, around 2 000 years ago. I’ll put the usual link up here, and you can also access it directly via our youtube channel as well. Unless everything conspires against me [!!], I’m hoping to put the service online for 3pm.

Reopening of the church building for worship - update:
Still no news on as yet – we are hoping for Easter Sunday, but we do need permission from presbytery to open, and due to an anomaly, we've a little extra paperwork to fill out. I'm hoping to get that all done by Monday evening and submit it by email to the presbytery business committee. So, as you can see, it'll be tight re. timing. It’s more likely to be the week or next after Easter , but we'll give it our best shot! 
A suggested plan:
Later in this week – say from after lunchtime on Friday, why not get in touch with Janet Telfer, who is taking the bookings for worship, and she’ll be able to advise you if we’re able to go ahead for Easter Sunday. I’ll get notices up in the Abington Store and our church noticeboard, and here on our blog. And of course, we will keep online worship available for those of you who are anxious about gathering together – do what you think is best for you on this matter.
Obviously, we still have to be COVID-compliant with regard to worship, so that means we can only fit in 15 people for worship in the building to keep to  the required social distancing. And I’ll get notices up in the Abington Store and our church noticeboard, and on our blog.
And of course, we will keep online worship available for those of you who are anxious about gathering together – do what you think is best for you on this matter.

Church keys:
Those of you who have keys to the church entry door [the double brown doors as opposed to the entry to the hall], we are going to swap these all over, so we would like your old keys back to give you new ones! Get in touch with me to arrange a drop off and collection.

In the meantime, may you have a blessed and meaningful Holy Week, as we walk with Jesus to the Cross, and thru to the quiet of dawn a few days later, in a garden by a tomb where a stone has rolled away...

Blessings to you all
Nikki

Lent baking challenge, wk5

 Wk 5: ANZAC biscuits

We move ever closer to Holy Week, and as we do, this week we pause to think of cost - how much to betray a Messiah?
We know the story:
Judas sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver...
Judas was a passionate man with a strong belief in freedom, and strong ideas about what it would look like and how it would come about. There is nothing wrong with having strong ideas and being passionate about things, but as with Judas, we need to ensure that we keep listening to God, to hear his solutions, his timings, and to see his kingdom in his way.

I confess...
I don’t have a recipe for thirty pieces of silver, but maybe thirty pieces of golden ANZAC biscuits will do instead?

Recipe
You will need:
 1 cup plain flour

1 cup of oats
1 cup [200g or 7oz] of desiccated coconut

1 cup of brown sugar
½ cup [100g or 3½ oz] of butter or margarine 

2 tbsp of golden syrup
1tsp of bicarbonate of soda
2tbsp of boiling water

Method/
Melt together ½ cup of butter or margarine, and 2 tbsp of golden syrup.
As you do so, reflect on any areas within your life where you can be inflexible, or rigid in your thinking. Allow yourself to give these over to God, and as the butter melts, remind yourself to listen to God for his ways, and his timings.

Mix 1tsp of bicarbonate of soda with 2tbsp of boiling water.
Mix with the melted butter mixture
Pour all of this into a bowl filled with flour, oats, dessicated coconut, and brown sugar.
Mix well, and roll spoonfuls of mixture into balls.
Place them, well spaced. on a baking tray.
Bake at 180 degrees/GM4 for 15-20 minutes. 

Eat, thoughtfully, with a hot drink, remembering how easy it can be to fool ourselves into believing we are doing the right thing, and how hard it can be to trust that God’s timing is right.

A prayer/

Inspire our hearts, O God,

to follow where Christ walked,

for Christ has marked us as his own.

Let us all take new willingness

to carry our cross

and be led through sacrifice and suffering,

but also to the glory and triumph

of the Risen Life of the Savior.

Grant us all your good graces,

through Christ our Lord

Amen.

Lent 'Great Outdoors' and 'Thru the Window' challenges wk5

 WEEK 5/ ANIMALS AND INSECTS

So God made every kind of animal. He made the wild animals, the tame animals, and all the small crawling things.
And God saw that this was good.

                                              Genesis 1:25 

Active Meditation/
1/ If you have a pet, give it a hug (if it is that sort of animal) and think about what your pet adds to your life.
2/ Go for a walk and see how many animals you can spot.
3/ Hang a banana skin on a bush and watch in the early evening – it may attract moths.
4/ Go for a slow walk and see how many "small crawling things" you can find.
5/ Find one "small crawling thing” and watch it for a while to see what it does.
6/ Go outside at night and see if you can hear or even see any of the nighttime creatures. 

Go to a place where you can see animals or insects of some sort.
Be quiet for a moment or two (as long as works for you) to reflect on the importance of the many different sorts of living creatures that are in our world.

A prayer/

Creator God,
thank you for the variety of your creatures.
Thank you for the enjoyment that they give us, and for the part that they play in keeping your world healthy.
Silence

We are sorry for those times when we have been thoughtless
in the way we have treated animals and insects.
Silence

Help us to value every living creature as part of your creation;
to realise that everything has a part to play in this beautiful world,
and that we are responsible for caring for them
and treating them with respect.
Silence 

Take a moment to look and listen to the animals and insects around you...

and let them point your thoughts towards God.

Spend a few moments thinking of people and situations that are on your heart...

place them into God's hands...
Amen.

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Thru the window - connecting with creation through Lent, even when you can't get outside...

So God made every kind of animal.
He made the wild animals, the tame animals,
and all the small crawling things.
And God saw that this was good.

                                              Genesis 1:25 

If you have a pet, sit somewhere where you can see it or even have it on your lap if it is that sort of a pet. If you can see animals outside your window, sit where you can see them. If neither of those is possible find a picture of a favourite animal in a book or on the internet, or feel free to use the pictures above...

Meditation

Animals are many and varied, and sometimes we forget that we are an animal too. In more than one creation story the creator puts the human animal in charge, with the expectation that they will take care of the other animals; wanting what is best for them and being kind to them. Sometimes the human animal forgets this. Sometimes we forget to be kind to other animals, and sometimes we even forget to be kind to ourselves even though we are made in the image of a creator who shows unfailing and never ending compassion.

Something to think about

If you have a favourite animals, think about why you like them.

How do you show kindness to yourself?

When have others shown compassion to you? 

A prayer/

Blessed are you, Lord God,

maker of all living creatures.

You called forth fish in the sea,

birds in the air

and animals on the land.

You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters.

May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation.

Blessed are you,

Lord our God,

in all your creatures!  Amen

Kirk joins in prayer ahead of anniversary of first lockdown

(n.b. if you're looking for Sunday service of worship,
scroll down to the previous post!)

You're invited by the Moderator, the Rev. Dr Martin Fair, to take a moment for prayer and reflection at 7pm on Sunday, ahead of the first anniversary of the lockdown on the 23rd of March. 

If you find it helpful, you may wish to light a candle...

The following is copied from the Church of Scotland website...

“On the anniversary of the first lockdown on 23 March, we will undoubtedly reflect on all that has happened in the past year and acknowledge the profound impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had upon us personally and communally.

There is not one of us who has not felt the impact of these times in one way or another. Above all else, we shall acknowledge the loss of life and recognise that behind each number recorded there lies a person whose life is known to God and who is mourned by those who have loved them.

In their passing, we are the poorer. In the remembrance of a life given by God, we are the richer.

The Letter to the Hebrews records that:

‘In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears’ 

                                                                                                                                   Hebrews 5: 7

Jesus is called to take the place of the one who offers prayers on behalf of us all, and does so with ‘cries and tears’ because He Himself has ‘suffered’ (Hebrews 5: 5-10). He shares in the suffering of the world and brings the suffering of the world before God.

In all our reflections at this time, we remember the One who prayed for us in ‘the days of his flesh’ and who, even now, lives to pray for us once more.”

Prayer

We pray:

Living God, in whose image we are made,

Hear us we ask, through Your Son who prays for us.

Hear us, as we recall all we have endured as community and nation

In the year that has passed.

Lord, in Your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Living God, who knows us in all our suffering,

Hear us we ask, through Your Son who prays for us.

Hear us, as we reflect across the nation

And remember those who have suffered the deepest loss.

Lord, in Your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Living God, whose name is Love,

Hear us we ask, through Your Son who prays for us.

Hear us, as we reach out our hand to those who suffer still

And stand with them in the face of all that is to come.

Lord, in Your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Living God, who gives good gifts to all Creation,

Hear us we ask, through Your Son who prays for us.

Hear us, as we give thanks for those who, in hospital and in care home,

Have cared for the dying and the sick.

Lord, in Your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Living God, who inspires hope,

Hear us we ask, through Your Son who prays for us.

Hear us, as we acknowledge and give thanks for all who have created the vaccines

That give hope to the peoples of all nations.

Lord, in Your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Living God, who gives light to the world, even in the face of darkness,

Hear us we ask, through Your Son who prays for us.

Hear us, as we bow in the presence of the One who,

In the days of His flesh, shed tears for us.

Lord, in Your mercy,

Hear our prayer.
                    Amen.

Worship, Sun 21 March: 'Come back'

WELCOME/

Welcome to worship online with Upper Clyde Parish.

I hope that you’re all doing well, and that, for those of you watching from within the parish, that you’ve managed to enjoy the last few days of glorious sunshine: it really feels like spring has at last sprung!
This week is the 5^th Sunday of Lent, and our themes for worship centre upon relationship and reconciliation as we think of the One who in his living and dying and rising drew all people to him...

Our worship link IS HERE 

(n.b. while the blog post is published for 10am on Sunday, should you wish to access worship earlier, you can just go straight to our YouTube channel, click on the playlist tab, and just look for the playlist with Sunday's date on it - it's generally available from very late Sat evening or early hours of Sun morning)

NOTICES/ 
Moderator's time for reflection: This week marks the anniversary of the first lockdown on the 23^rd of March. In recognition of this, and given the impact that COVID-19 has had on all of us, personally and communally, the Moderator of the Church of Scotland is inviting all congregations to pause for a moment, at 7pm tonight, to light a candle and spend some time in prayer and reflection.
For those of you who wish to observe this, the Moderator has written a prayer, and this will be here on the blog on Sunday the 21st in time to join with others around the nation who, though scattered, will be united in time and prayer...

Lent challenges: Don't forget, that through the week, there are the weekly Lent challenges - both here on the blog, and across on the YouTube channel for our Lego challenge.

Church reopening: As to the reopening of the church building: I'm hoping that I can also give you an update about this next Sunday...we’re still in process, and still in ‘wait and see’ mode!

Easter newsletter: Also, for those of you on the communion roll, keep an eye out for the Easter newsletter - we're hoping that it will be out and with you by the end of the week. Thanks so much to Dee and the team for stuffing envelopes and getting them posted! If you're not on the communion roll, and would like one, do get in touch, we made extra copies just for you!

I hope you find this time of worship a help an encouragement, and a blessing. And may you all have a good week as we head towards Palm Sunday. 

Blessings to you all
Nikki

Lent baking challenge, wk 4

Date slices 
As we move closer to the events of Holy Week, our baking challenge this week is to make date slices.
Dates come from palm trees, the branches of which were waved as Jesus rode into Jerusalem...

Here's what you'll need:
Recipe 
½ lb of stoned dates
1/4pt of water
1 tsp of vanilla essence
4oz of self raising flour
1tsp of bicarbonate of soda
4oz of oats
4oz caster sugar
4oz of margarine or butter

Method
Turn oven to 350F/ 180C/ gas mark 4

Chop ½ lb of stoned dates
Put in a saucepan along with 1/4pt of water.
Bring to the boil, and cook until they’re soft.
Add 1 tsp of vanilla essence.

Mix 4oz of self raising flour with 1tsp of bicarbonate of soda.
Stir in 4oz of oats and 4oz caster sugar.
Rub in 4oz of margarine or butter.
Press half of this mixture into the base of a greased shallow tin.
As you do so, you could bring to mind the cloaks that the crowd threw to the ground for Jesus and his donkey to walk over
Spread the dates over this, and then add the other half of the mixture.
With each layer that you spread, imagine something from your life that you are placing beneath the feet of Jesus, just as the crowd did back then.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until browned.
Enjoy them with a hot drink, and sing a song or a hymn that fits the story for today-
‘We have a king who rides a donkey’, or ‘Ride on, ride on in majesty’ are two that come to mind.

A prayer
O Christ, you entered the city as a poor man
not in style but simply,
yet still you caused uproar, and questions everywhere;
you drew the expectations of a hungry crowd,
and brought buried conflicts to the light.

May we, who are sometimes swayed by the crowd's approval,
and who often avoid conflict
for fear of its cost to us,
hold fast to the gospel of peace and justice
and follow faithfully in your way of compassion and solidarity
with those who are poor and excluded,
wherever it may lead us. Amen.
                       ~ written by Kathy Galloway

Lent Great Outdoors + Thru the Window Challenges wk4

GREAT OUTDOORS: WATER...

But anyone who drinks the water
I give them will never be thirsty. 

In fact, the water I give them
will become a spring of water in them.

It will flow up into eternal life.”
                                                    John 4:14 

Active Meditation/
1/ Water is essential for all life on earth.
Go for a walk and see how many places you can spot water.
2/ If you are near wild water that you can reach, put your hands in it,
or paddle if it is safe.
3/ Go outside in the rain. Turn your face upwards and let yourself get wet.
Maybe you could even jump in a puddle.
4/ Go for a walk where there is running water. Close your eyes and listen.
How does it make you feel?
5/ Listen to the sound of rain. (You can do this inside or outside). Notice the different sounds it makes as it lands on different surfaces.
6/ Go for a walk and notice all the things that are growing around you, both wild and in peoples gardens.

Find a place where you can see water outside.
Be quiet for a moment or two (as long as works for you) to reflect on the importance of water in our world.

A prayer/
Creator God,
thank you for water,
especially for clean, safe water to drink.
Silence
We are sorry for those times when we have wasted water,
and we remember now those places where there is not enough water to keep crops alive,
and those people who suffer because they do not have clean water.
Silence
Help us to value water as part of your creation;
to realise our dependence on it, and our responsibility to look after it.
Silence - Stand for a moment and let the water point you towards God. 

In the quietness, what is the still, small voice of God saying to you?

Spend a few moments thinking of people and situations that are on your heart...

place them into God's hands...
Amen.

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Thru the window - connecting with creation through Lent when you can't get outside...
Wk 4/ Water

But anyone who drinks the water I give them will never be thirsty. 

In fact, the water I give them will become a spring of water in them.

It will flow up into eternal life.”
                                                                           John 4:14 

Unless you can see a river or a pond or the sea from your window, wait for a rainy day for this one. Then, sit yourself down by the window and watch the rain outside and the drips running down your window pane. You could even choose two drips and watch them to see which one gets to the bottom of the windows first.

Meditation
It rains.
Farmers and gardeners rejoice as the life-giving water falls on the land.
It rains too much.
Rivers burst their banks, houses are flooded, people suffer.
In low lying countries water levels rise and those who survive move away until it is safe to come back, because they have nowhere else to go.
It rains too little, crops die, animals die, famine comes, people suffer.
Someone once said "there is nothing as good as a glass of cold water on a hot day.”
Water, a simple thing, that we cannot do without. 

Something to think about
Thirst is difficult to cope with.
Is there anything that you are thirsty for right now?
Does rain say anything to you about God?
Do you think of water as powerful? Why/ why not?

A prayer/
Creator God,
thank you for water,
especially for clean, safe water to drink.
Silence
We are sorry for those times when we have wasted water,
and we remember now those places where there is not enough water to keep crops alive,
and those people who suffer because they do not have clean water.
Silence
Help us to value water as part of your creation;
to realise our dependence on it, and our responsibility to look after it.
Silence - Stand for a moment and let the water point you towards God. 

In the quietness, what is the still, small voice of God saying to you?

Spend a few moments thinking of people and situations that are on your heart...

place them into God's hands...
Amen.

Worship Sun 14 March: 'Nic, at night...'

WELCOME:
Hello and welcome to worship!
It feels only a moment ago since we began the season of Lent, yet here we are, at the 4^th Sunday of Lent already. We began in the wilderness, journeyed to Caesarea Philippi, and last week, we arrived in Jerusalem.
Staying with Jerusalem, our time of worship takes us to a conversation held at night, between Jesus and a teacher of the Law named Nicodemus...

It's also the Sunday that we mark Mothering Sunday – 
and, the anniversary of the last time we were actually worshipping together in person in the church building... although we didn't quite know that at the time!

CHURCH NOTICES:
Several notices this week...
Possible reopening of the church building - 
this last week, the First Minister announced that, subject to all being well, that church buildings might be able to reopen in time for Easter.
At the moment, it's a bit of a 'wait and see' - but the Session has agreed that if it is possible, all things being equal, that we would hope to open.
We do, however have paperwork that needs to be done, and checked with Presbytery - once that is signed off, we'll have a better idea of where we stand... or sit... or pray, for that matter.!
Do please be aware that we still must abide by the COVID-19 regulations, and part of that requires social distancing to be in place. This means that we will only be able to accommodate 15 people in the building for Sunday worship - and you'll need to book ahead, I'm afraid.
It's not ideal, but it is a wee glimmer of light on the horizon.
Watch this space...
And remember, that it’s all subject to change... which seems to have been the theme for this past year!

Parish newsletter: behind the scenes, we've been putting together a newsletter and we aim to have that out to all on the congregational roll for Holy Week. Thanks to all who contributed, and to Dee, our intrepid Editor. A copy of the newsletter will also be available online for wider availability

Lent challenges: 
Some of you have been in touch - letting me know how you've been getting on with our various Lent challenges. Bakers have been busy, it seems. We've had a delicious, albeit messy, pineapple upside down cake, and a recipe that ended up making a multitude of biscuits - these pictured, from Greta.
I'm glad you've been enjoying the challenges!
And don't forget...
The LEGO challenge begins on Monday, and runs each day [not Sun] all the way through to Easter Saturday. A challenge for the young and the young of heart! You'll find that over on our youtube channel – so keep an eye out for that. [use the YouTube link on the right hand side 'links' panel to take you there].

WORSHIP -
Our WORSHIP LINK IS HERE

In the meantime, have a good week and take care,
Nikki

Lent baking challenge, wk 3

Rocky road try bake

Week 2: Rocky road tray bake  

Last week we were thinking about Jesus teaching about the Law in the temple - loving God and loving your neighbour. This week, we're back in the temple once more, and things get a little bit ...well, rockier.
Jesus enters the temple and finds it full of people buying and selling, and cheating each other. He thunders, ‘This places is meant to be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves!’
Sometimes we feel that anger isn’t a very Christian emotion, but feeling righteous anger can be a very holy thing indeed, if it causes us to act and to change things that need changing.   

Recipe
You will need:
200g of biscuits (digestives or rich tea biscuits work well)
135g of butter or margarine
200g of chocolate
2 or 3 tbsp of golden syrup
100g of mini marshmallows- or chopped up normal size marshmallows
100g of 'other' - e.g. dried fruit or hoop cereal or chocolate chips... to add to the mix

Method/
Put 200g of biscuits in a bag, and bash them with a rolling pin until they’re well smashed up.
As you bash, bring to mind the injustices in the world that you feel angry about. 
Melt 135g of butter or margarine with 200g of chocolate and 2 or 3 tbsp of golden syrup. You can get away with less chocolate if you can’t find much by adding a bit more butter, some sugar, preferably light brown muscavado, and cocoa powder instead.
Tip the biscuits into the melted mixture, along with 100g of marshmallows
Mix in the 100g of your 'other' random ingredient.
As you add all your different ingredients, think about the different ways in which people find solutions to problems in the world. 
Mix it all together, and tip it into a baking tin, smoothing it right into the corners.
Chill, and cut into slices to eat.

Pour yourself a cuppa, grab a piece of rocky road, pull up a chair... Take a little time to think about the world, and your local community - pray for those situations and circumstances that you see are unjust, or where there is no peace. What ways might you  find to work to bring into these places and situations God’s justice and peace?

A prayer/
Holy God,
in Jesus Christ you have built for us an eternal house,
a temple of righteousness, a place of gracious plenty for the hungry
and abundant life for the poor in spirit.
Fill us with zeal for the body of Christ.
Overturn the tables of corruption and greed
and upset the imbalance of injustice,
so that we may worship you in spirit and truth;
through Jesus Christ, who is risen indeed.
Amen

Lent Great Outdoors + Thru the Window challenge, wk3

 Wk 3 - SOIL AND SEEDS/

The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow from the soil, every tree that was pleasing to look at and good for food. Genesis 2:9

Active Meditation/
1/ Plant some cress seeds on a damp tissue. Look at them every day to see how they are growing. (they should be ready to eat in a couple of weeks time.)
2/ If you have a garden, take a handful of soil, feel it, and smell it. What words would you use to describe it?
3/ Go for a walk and notice all the things that are growing around you, both wild and in people’s gardens.
4/ One spoonful of good soil has more living organisms in it than there are people on the Earth. Dig up a spoonful of soil and imagine all those tiny life forms that are in it.
5/ Many plants simply drop their seeds around them in the autumn. See if you can still find a seed on the ground. the flower fits onto the stem.
6/ If you have a garden, is there something that you could plant now and take care of? Perhaps something that you could eat later...

Find a place where there is soil visible if possible. Be quiet for a moment or two (as long as works for you) to reflect on the importance of good soil and seeds to our world.

A prayer/
Creator God, thank you for seeds and good soil in which to grow them.
Thank you for the food that they provide, as well as beauty and enjoyment.
Silence
Please help people in those places where growing food is difficult
because soil and growing conditions are poor,
and forgive us for the times when we have forgotten to remember them.
Silence
Help us to value soil and seeds as part of your creation;
not just for what they can give us, but simply because you made them and you love them.
Silence -
Take a moment to look at the soil...and seeds... and let them point your thoughts towards God.

Spend a few moments thinking of people and situations that are on your heart...

place them into God's hands...
Amen

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Thru the window - connecting with creation through Lent, even when you can't get outside...

from this week on, we diverge in theme from 'Great Outdoors'

Birds/ 

 those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

Have a look and see if you can see any birds from your window. Perhaps on a bird feeder or flying over. If you can, stay and watch for a while. If you can’t see any feel free to use the picture at the top of this blog post, or look for a picture in a book or on the internet, or simply close your eyes and imagine. 

Meditation
Birds are everywhere whether you live in the country or a city. You don’t usually have to watch for long before one flies over going freely wherever it pleases or drops in to look for food. And they can be noisy. Some chatter all the time: one call when they are flying, another when they are looking for a mate, and yet another when they sense danger.
It is said that listening to birdsong can reduce stress - perhaps you could open your window for a minute and see what you can hear, and how it makes you feel, or find some birdsong on the internet, close your eyes, and relax. 

Something to think about
How do you feel when you watch the birds?
Is there anything that you need to be free from?
What helps you to relax? 

A prayer

O God, we gather under the shelter of your wings,

nurtured by your motherly love,

and encouraged, then, to fly by faith on the wind of your spirit.

You have spoken to us, saying

"They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength,

they shall mount up with wings as eagles."

Teach us how to wait, then, that we may learn how to fly.

And strengthen us with the assurance that we do not fly alone.

This we pray, in Jesus' name.
Amen.

Worship, Sun 7 March, Lent 3: 'What would Jesus do?'

WELCOME/
Welcome to this third week in the season of Lent.
We've moved from the wilderness, to thinking on who Jesus is, to our theme for today, which involves a visit to the Temple in Jerusalem, and a wee bit of dramatic tension: we meet an angry Jesus.
This gives us a good opportunity to have a conversation on the topic of anger, and why niceness is not always enough.

I hope you are all doing well as we travel together on this Lenten path. For those of you who have been taking on some of our Lent challenges, how are you getting along? It would be great to hear from you on the various activities you've taken on - or, indeed, what you've let go for Lent.

Our worship link IS HERE.

As we move ever closer to Holy Week and Easter, may you feel God's presence as you journey.
Have a good week,
God bless
Nikki

Lent Lego challenge: coming soon!

Hi everyone, just a wee heads-up about our upcoming Lego challenge that you can find across at our YouTube channel.
It starts on Monday the 15th of March and each day, apart from Sunday, running all the way to Easter, there'll be a story with an Easter theme, and a challenge to build a particular item from that story.
This is hosted by our new Community Outreach Worker, Angela Brydson. 
Are you up for the challenge?
We really hope so - and, we'd love to see photos of your amazing Lego constructions - you can send these along to Nikki at - minister.upperclyde@gmail.com
Below is an introduction to give you an idea of what we'll be doing...

Lent baking challenge, wk 2

Biscuit hearts

Biscuit hearts
Jesus, as teacher often spoke about the law, summing up the entirety of the books of the law with two simple and easy to remember ideas- love God, and love your neighbour. Simple and easy to remember; not so easy to do in practice!

This week we’ll make heart shaped biscuits to remind us of Jesus’ summary of the law.

Here's what you'll need:
Ingredients
250gm butter or margarine
260gm caster sugar
1 egg
tsp vanilla essence
tsp baking powder
½ tsp of salt
650g of plain flour

Method
Turn oven to 180 degrees/GM4.
Cream together butter or margarine and caster sugar.
Mix in egg and tsp of vanilla essence.
Add 1tsp of baking powder and ½ tsp of salt to 650g of plain flour.
Add this a little at a time to the butter and sugar mixture.
There’s quite a lot of flour to get through, so add it bit by bit and work it in carefully.
*option - you could choose to divide the mix in half, using food colouring to colour one lot of dough, or, alternatively, save this for the icing mixture below... or do both... your call!*
Let the dough chill in the fridge for half an hour before rolling it out. 

While the dough is chilling, draw a heart shape on a piece of paper to use as a template - unless you happen to have heart-shaped biscuit cutters floating about in your utensil drawer...!
Roll out the dough, and cut out heart shapes by laying template on the dough and cutting around.
Make sure you have an even number of hearts.
Pop them on a baking tray, and into an oven for about ten minutes.
Leave to cool.

for the buttercream icing - 
140gm butter, softened
280gm icing sugar
1-2 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
... few drops of red food colouring, if you wish *see above option*
Put butter/ marg. into a bowl, add icing sugar and beat in.
You'll want this to be a good thick consistency, so add more icing sugar as needed.
Add food colouring and mix in.
Use mix to sandwich biscuits together - two at a time.

With each biscuit, you can remember Jesus’s words as you stick them together-
Love God, and Love your neighbour.

Reflection space
Over the week, spend time - maybe with a cuppa and a biscuit! - reflecting on God's love, and on Jesus' command to love God and love your neighbour. 
The greatest gift given by God is love.  God is love and with His love we can love Him and our neighbour.  God loved us so much that He gave His only Son for our lives. 
Love is patient and kind.  Love is not jealous, boastful, proud, or rude.  Love never fails. 
As you pray today, think about your love for Go and for your neighbour. 
Does God have your whole heart? 
Do you love others unconditionally? 
Love never gives up, never loses faith, and is always hopeful.

As part of loving God and neighbour, might there be someone you know this week who would appreciate a wee kindness of the gift of biscuits?

Prayer
God, whose name is Love,
You make yourself known to us
as the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Sustain us in the knowledge of your love
through the times in which we live.

God, whose love inspires, 
May we love you with all that we are
And love our neighbour in response to your love.
Through our service to others, may your love be revealed...
We ask in Jesus' name,
Amen

Lent Great Outdoors & Thru the Window challenges wk 2

GREAT OUTDOORS: FLOWERS...

Signs of Spring...

Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labour or spin.

Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. Luke 12:27

Active Meditation/
1/ See how many different colours of flower you can find.
Look at all levels, don't forget trees have flowers too.
2/ Go for a walk and sniff every flower that you can find (and reach easily.)
Can you tell them apart by their scent?
3/ Find a flower bud. Can you imagine what the flower will look like when it opens? 
4/ Choose a flower to sit and contemplate.
Remind yourself that this flower has value simply because God made it and he loves it.
5/ Choose a particular flower and investigate it closely.
(Don't pick it unless it is in your garden and you have permission to do that.)
Look at the patterns and colours within the petals, the number of petals and how the flower fits onto the stem.
6/ Choose a flower and watch it carefully for a while.
See if any insects come to visit it.
See how many different colours of flower you can find.

Find a place where there are flowers growing. Be quiet for a moment or two (as long as works for you) to reflect on what flowers mean to you, and what the world would be like if we didn't have them.

A prayer/
Creator God, thank you for flowers.
Thank you for the beauty that they bring to our world,
for the life that they support,
and for the part they play in your creation.
Silence
We are sorry for those times when we have been in such a hurry
that we have not noticed the beauty of the flowers around us.
Silence
Help us to value flowers as part of your creation;
not just for what they can give us,
but simply because you made them and you love them.
Silence -
Stand for a moment and let the flowers point you towards God. 
In the quietness, what is the still, small voice of God saying to you?
Spend a few moments thinking of people and situations that are on your heart...
place them into God's hands...
Amen.

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THRU THE WINDOW/ connecting with creation through Lent, when you can't get outside...

Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labour or spin.

Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. Luke 12:27

If you have flowers outside your window where you can see them, stand or sit and simply look.
Maybe you have a bunch of flowers indoors but if there are not any where you can see them, feel free to use the picture at the top of this post, or find a picture of a flower that you like in a book or on the internet, or close your eyes and imagine your favourite flowers.

Meditation
Flowers are wonderful things. Tiny seeds grow into so many shapes, sizes and colours, and for most of us, they are something that makes us smile. Someone once said "every flower blooms in its own time,” and there are flowers that bloom in every season, even the depths of winter. They are beautiful to look at, many are sweetly scented, and some are even good to eat. Some are so tiny that we hardly notice them, but they are all valued by God simply because he made them and he loves them - just like us.

Something to think about
What things are blooming in your life right now?
What would you like to see blooming in your life when the season is right?
What season are you in at the moment?  

Prayer 
Creator God, thank you for flowers.
Thank you for the beauty that they bring to our world,
for the life that they support,
and for the part they play in your creation.
Silence
We are sorry for those times when we have been in such a hurry
that we have not noticed the beauty of the flowers around us.
Silence
Help us to value flowers as part of your creation;
not just for what they can give us,
but simply because you made them and you love them.
Silence -
Spend time looking at the flowers, letting them point you towards God. 
In the quietness, what is the still, small voice of God saying to you?
Spend a few moments thinking of people and situations that are on your heart...
place them into God's hands...
Amen.

Worship Sun 28 Feb, Lent 2: 'Picking up your cross'

WELCOME/
Hello everyone, and welcome to Lent 2! Last week we entered the 'wilderness' of Lent, journeying with Jesus out into the desert. This week, we continue along the way, moving - in scripture - from the wilderness to the area of Caesarea Philippi. As Jesus and the disciples move through the villages, he asks them 'Who do you say people say I am? and has  a bit of a falling out with Peter...
The WORSHIP LINK IS HERE.

CHURCH NOTICES/
I meant to say in the video that on 5 March, it's the International World Day of Prayer. If you'd like to participate, you can download resources at THIS LINK.
And, don't forget, if you keep an eye out over the week, you'll find various Lent challenges posted here on the blog for you to make use of as you wish.

Not much news to report, so, blessings as you go into this new week,
Nikki

Lent Baking Challenge wk1

WEEK 1/ PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
Lent is often described as a spiritual journey - we journey with Jesus toward Jerusalem, and walk with him through the events of Holy Week leading up to the Cross...
But unlike those first followers of Jesus, we know the story doesn't end on that first Good Friday.
St Augustine, the great 5th century African theologian and bishop stated:
'We are the Easter people, and "Alleluia!" is our song.
As we take these early steps into the season of Lent, so we look at our map to the end point, Easter Sunday, where death itself was overturned. Jesus triumphed over the grave, and in so doing pointed the way to eternal life with God.
So we begin this baking journey nourished and strengthened with knowing the joy that is to come at the end of the Lenten journey and of the joy to come forever.
Given we follow the one who overturned death, and who spoke of God's upside-down kingdom, what better way to begin our baking adventure than with pineapple upside-down cake?

Recipe/
You will need:
For the glaze and decoration -
50g butter or marg.
50g light brown sugar
1 x tin of pineapple rings glace cherries -
1 per each pineapple ring used 

Sponge mix -
100g butter or marg
100g caster sugar
100g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tblsp of the pineapple juice/syrup

Start by creating the glaze and the decoration at the bottom of the tin.
Mix together 50g butter or margarine, and 50g light brown sugar, and spread this over the bottom of a cake tin and a little way up the sides.
Open a tin of pineapple rings, and place these in a pattern all over the base, putting glace cherries in each hole.
Here is all our glorious hope for Easter- but we can’t see it yet.
We’re going to hide it under some sponge cake mixture.

Mix together 100g butter or margarine, 100g caster sugar, and 100g self-raising flour, along with 1 tsp baking powder, 1tsp vanilla essence, plus two tablespoons of the juice or syrup from the pineapples. Pour this over the pineapples and glace cherries, until they are completely covered.

Bake for 35mins at 180C/GM4, then take out of the oven.
Carefully [don't burn yourself!] up-end onto a plate.
All that hidden beauty and colour can now be seen, like the life that bursts into the world again at springtime, like the life of Jesus that fills the world with love and goodness.

Often, in Lent, we talk of taking things on, but more often we hear about giving things up...
Having taken on the baking challenge, you might consider giving up some of that baking goodness to a neighbour, or someone you know who might just appreciate a little glimpse of God's love and goodness in an act of kindness...

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Augustine was mentioned above. Here’s an excerpt from St. Augustine’s Confessions, in which he laments his hesitant embrace of faith in God.

Late have I loved you 
Late have I loved you,
Beauty so ancient and so new,
late have I loved you!

Lo, you were within, but I outside,
seeking there for you,
and upon the shapely things you have made
I rushed headlong – I, misshapen.
You were with me, but I was not with you.
They held me back far from you,
those things which would have no being,
were they not in you.

You called, shouted, broke through my deafness;
you flared, blazed, banished my blindness;
you lavished your fragrance, I gasped;
and now I pant for you;
I tasted you,
and now I hunger and thirst;
you touched me,
and I burned for your peace.

When at last I cling to you with my whole being
there will be no more anguish or labor for me,
and my life will be alive indeed,
alive because filled with you.
      ~ Augustine of Hippo, Confessions

A blessing for the way:
May we find the road that leads to life;
may we take the turns that brings right relationships;
may we pause to accompany others on the way;
and may we journey with God through Lent,
and long for the horizon and dawn.
And the grace.
    ~ written by Roddy Hamilton

Enjoy your baking everyone. And, if you're so minded, perhaps take a photo and send it in to us to share. Email/  minister.upperclyde@gmail.com

Lent Great Outdoors & Thru the window challenges wk1

Both 'The Great Outdoors' and 'Thru the Window' Lent activities will appear each week on a Monday afternoon. Early today just so you can check in and see what we're doing!

Great Outdoors Challenge:
Welcome to “Get Outside in Lent.” Each week there will be six ideas for things to do outside and a celebration suggestion - because even in lent Sunday is a celebration day. Pick and choose what you would like to do. Change it and make it your own if you want to, or just do what it says. More than anything , enjoy being outside, take time to connect with nature, with anyone else you might be sharing this with, and with God.

Wk 1/ 'Trees' - 

Scots pine

You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song,
and the trees of the field will clap their hands! Isaiah 55:12 

Active meditation
1/ Hug a tree. Remind yourself that God made this tree and he loves it just as he loves you.
2/ Find an evergreen tree. How would you describe the green of this tree? Be imaginative.
3/ Find a tree with no leaves on it yet. Can you see buds where the leaves will form?
4/ See if you can find a tree with catkins on it.
5/ Take a long view and see if you can tell trees apart by their shape and the sort of pattern that their branches make (you don't need to know what they are, just spot the difference).
6/ Take a few minutes (or longer if you like) to sit under the tree. Lean your back against it and see if the experience speaks to you in any way 

Find a nearby tree if possible. Be quiet for a moment or two (as long as works for you) to reflect on what trees mean to you, and what the world would be like if we didn't have them.

A prayer:
Creator God, thank you for trees.
Thank you for the beauty that they bring to our world,
for the life that they support,
and for the part they play in your creation.
Silence
We are sorry for those times and places around the world
when people have destroyed trees because they are greedy for something else.
Silence
Help us to value trees as part of your creation not just for what they can give us,
but because you made them and you love them.
Silence -
Stand for a moment and let the tree point you towards God. 
In the quietness, what is the still, small voice of God saying to you?
Spend a few moments thinking of people and situations that are on your heart...
place them into God's hands...
Amen.

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Thru the window - connecting with creation through Lent even when you can’t get outside. 

Wk 1/ 'Trees' 

You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, 

and the trees of the field will clap their hands! Isaiah 55:12

If you have a tree outside your window where you can see it, stand or sit and simply look.

If there is not one where you can see it, feel free to use the picture above – it is a Scots pine – or find a picture of a tree that you like in a book or on the internet, or close your eyes and imagine a tree that you know.

Meditation
Trees are amazing things. Their roots go down into the ground holding them upright and stable and taking precious nutrients from the soil to feed their growth. Moving up the tree the trunk and the branches become thinner and more delicate making patterns against the sky that are often very distinctive. And they support life. Whether there are leaves on your tree or not, there will be creatures living on or under the bark; perhaps birds nesting in the branches; even squirrels or owls hiding away.

Something to think about
Where are you rooted?
What do you need to feed your growth?
What gives you life? 

Prayer
Creator God, thank you for trees.
Thank you for the beauty that they bring to our world,
for the life that they support,
and for the part they play in your creation.
Silence
We are sorry for those times and places around the world
when people have destroyed trees because they are greedy for something else.
Silence
Help us to value trees as part of your creation not just for what they can give us,
but because you made them and you love them.
Silence -
Stand for a moment and let the tree point you towards God. 
In the quietness, what is the still, small voice of God saying to you?
Spend a few moments thinking of people and situations that are on your heart...
place them into God's hands...
Amen.

Worship Sun 21 Feb - Lent 1: Into the wilderness

 WELCOME/
Hello, and welcome to worship, as we enter into the season of Lent, those weeks that lead us up to Easter - and traditionally a time to be a little more intentional in making space for God in our lives. It's a time for reflection, thinking about all those things that get in the way of walking with God, a time to repent - as in turn around from moving away from God and moving once more to God. Given that, our time of worship this week reflects on walking along God's paths of righteousness as we consider Psalm 25, and then, venture into the wilderness with Jesus, just after his baptism. I hope that this time of worship will help move you forward with God, as you head, with Jesus, to Jerusalem once more...

Just a reminder that if you look above this blog post to the various tabs, you'll find one marked 'Lent 2021' click on that for some Lent challenges to take up. There's a downloadable sheet with daily activities to help you reflect as you journey along the Lenten path, and some weekly options. Also, there's a couple of book recommendations, should you wish to pick up something to read...

Our worship link IS HERE and will take you across to our YouTube channel.

May each one of us individually and as a community take on the challenge of making more time for God in this season of Lent, and, as we do, may we be open to listening and learning from the One who loves us and calls us to walk in his ways.
Blessings on the journey
Nikki

Ash Wednesday service, 2021

A short service of reflection, as we begin our Lent journey this Ash Wednesday, can be found on our YouTube channel - via this LINK

Worship Sun 14 Feb: Love, actually

WELCOME/
Hello everyone and welcome once again to our time of online worship.
Given the date that Sunday falls on, St Valentine's Day, how could we do other than talk about love?
And, make sure to have your popcorn at the ready because faith goes to the movies in out sermon today - as we stand on the cusp of Lent, and think of God's love and the qualities of love as seen in 1 Cor. 13 we'll take a wee journey through the film 'Chocolat'...
The WORSHIP LINK IS HERE to take you across to our YouTube channel and below is some information about the upcoming season of Lent and some suggestions for the journey.

NOTICES/
Lent activity suggestions -
Lent is a season in the church year that gives us a concentrated space of time that we can set aside in order to help sharpen up our focus on God. It's often likened to a journey - we journey over the weeks of Lent towards Jerusalem, travelling with Jesus to those events in Holy Week and leading to Easter Sunday.
Traditionally, to mark Lent, the practice of giving up something, or taking something on, developed.
And, here at Upper Clyde, over the last few years, we've had both a daily and weekly set of options to help walk the Lenten pathway. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, Lent falls during Spring, so we can think of this time as an opportunity to do a little spiritual Spring cleaning.
Check back on the blogsite DURING THE WEEK - look along the tabs above the blog post and you'll find a tab specially dedicated to gathering our various Lent options, reflections, and spiritual tools - 'LENT 2021'
There'll be options for bakers, for outdoorsy folk, gardeners, for those unable to go outdoors, and even for lovers of Lego. Along with several book suggestions that you might find useful companions on the way.

Ash Wednesday -
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent and falls on the Wednesday of this week - the 17th of Feb.
There will be a short service on our YouTube channel that will be available from 5pm on the day. It's always good to mark the start of a journey in some way, and so I trust our service will help to do just that. I'll put a link here or, if you've bookmarked/ subscribed to our YouTube channel, just head across anytime after 5pm.

Parish newsletter - Easter edition
Over the upcoming weeks, Dee, our magazine editor, will be looking for items of interest to include in what will be a smaller newsletter, rather than magazine [due to COVID-19 and not wanting to put folk at risk, and of breaking lockdown regulations]. If you have a favourite Easter themed poem, or a story to share, a favourite Easter hymn, or even a seasonal joke, do get in touch with Dee, she'd love to hear from you - you can do this via our 'contact us' feature on the right hand column, and these will be passed along to her. 

Have a good week, perhaps even a few pancakes on Tues, and blessings to you all as we move into Lent mid-week.
Take care
Nikki