News

Parish News Round-up

Thursday June 20 2019

Our regular round-up of news received from churches

Please send items of parish news to magazine@lifeandwork.org or Life and Work, 121 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4YN. All submissions will also be considered for the magazine, but we are unable to print everything we receive.
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New Laigh Kirk in Kilmarnock took over an empty store during Holy Week in a Try Praying initiative.

The former BHS store in the town was transformed into an inviting reflective space, with seven interactive prayer stations themed around finding, happiness, peace, guidance, letting go/forgiving, remembering, and the Wailing Wall where many people left their prayers. 540 people came through the doors, many of whom had no previous contact with the church. Many stayed for a coffee and a chat, some shared their significant needs and struggles while church volunteers spent time listening, signposting, helping with practical needs and praying for people.

The week concluded with the Good Friday Vigil bringing together all of the churches in Kilmarnock.

Bethany McCaw, youth and community worker with New Laigh, said: “Feedback was overwhelmingly positive: several people came more than once during the week and many of our booklets and Bibles were taken. Lots of people with no or limited church connection came in and said they felt at peace and were pleased to see a town centre building being used for such a positive thing. People also expressed thanks that the church had chosen to serve the community in this way.”

Crieff Parish Church hosted a Bluebell Coffee Morning in St Andrew’s Halls, raising £1921.25. The Church has been supporting CrossReach’s Bluebell Perinatal Service – which offers perinatal counselling and therapy – since it began, and the event has grown significantly, attracting a large number of visitors.

The Guilds of Ruthrieston West in Aberdeen and Kinloss and Findhorn in Moray celebrated the 25^th anniversary of a friendship link with a joint meeting at the Aberdeen church. After lunch, they watched a slide presentation of photos of the joint meetings throughout the years, and Kenny Laing, one of the Kinloss members, provided entertainment on the fiddle.

Lochaber Presbytery celebrated the 60^th anniversary of the ordination of the Rev Alan Lamb. Alan, a retired associate minister, has been locum in many parishes in Lochaber in his 27 years in the presbytery. His wife, Helen, has been involved in the Guild throughout the area and nationally.