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Parish News Round-up

Thursday March 1 2018

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. Please check the quality of your pictures: images which are too small, blurry or too dark cannot be used. If there are children in any picture please confirm that their parents or guardians have given permission for publication.

 

Billy Allan recently retired from his post as Church Officer of both Grange Church and New Laigh Kirk, Kilmarnock, prior to the churches’ union.

The minister of the churches, the Rev David Cameron, says: “The Church is the people of God, and some people are given particular tasks. Billy’s was to look after the sacred space of God’s House, our Sanctuary, our buildings and surrounding gardens, as well as re-train three experienced ministers. Billy’s kindness, compassion and willingness to take on the lowliest of tasks in looking after our church buildings and visitors are an example to us all. He made real and personal contact with our folk, they benefited greatly from what comes naturally to Billy. He painstakingly restored the paths of our Kirk Yard, for years grown over with grass and moss. No-one else would have patiently raked every square inch literally with his bare hands, returning it to its natural gravel state.

“It is a privilege for our church to have among us, people like Billy Allan who have been ready and willing to assume whatever is asked of them in the service of their church.

Billy is pictured with his wife Jennifer, Derek I’Anson, Margaret Patterson, Liz Young, Ken Stewart and the Rev David Cameron.


 

The Congregation of St Andrew's – Lhanbryd and Urquhart Parish Church, near Elgin, are celebrating the success of their Thrift Shop, which has been run by groups of women from the church for the past 35 years.

The shop began with a week’s trial in 1983, fired by the enthusiasm of the then minister’s wife, Maggie Lunan. The local joiner/undertaker had recently relocated to larger premises in Elgin, and he willingly agreed to let them have his workshop in Lhanbryde temporarily, to let the idea be tried out. The first week’s trading was a huge success and it was clear that there was a place for a shop in the village of Lhanbryde.

It was decided, with the minister’s blessing, to move it to the original manse garage on the main street in Lhanbryde, and to open on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons, initially to coincide with family allowance day. The money raised was to be shared equally between Christian Aid and local projects, and would be administered by the Kirk Session. In the first year, the money was shared between Christian Aid and the new Church Hall fund – the Church’s chosen project in celebration of their bicentenary.  Over the years, donations from the shop have been made to youth organisations, Women’s Aid and the Lhanbryde Community Centre Repairs Fund, to name a few. For around 10 years, some of the money went towards funding a part-time community worker.  The annual takings are around £6,000.

Pictured: For 18 years, the organisation of the shop has been undertaken by Helen Fordyce, with a lot of help in this ministry from her husband, George.

Edit (March 16 2018): We have been informed that Helen Fordyce sadly passed away yesterday.


The Rev Maggie Hunt receiving the colours at a Founder's Day service in Forfar St Margaret's Church. During the service Scouts, Cubs and Beavers from the 3rd and 6th groups renewed their promise.


 

Five elders at Motherwell St Mary’s received long service certificates for 30 years. Pictured from left: the Rev Bryce Calder, Janette Rennie, Harry Corbet, Findlay Cornelius, Les Innes, Bill Taylor and Session Clerk Allan Joyce.


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