Hi,
Hope this finds you well and ready for Christmas. Perhaps 'A Merry Little Christmas' as our Prime Minister reminded us. The good news is that the message of 'God with Us' hasn't reduced in size - that's still massive!
This is the last magazine for a few weeks - there are a few things in here which are looking forward to the new year and you should take a look to see what you need to get involved with in 2021.
Let's keep encouraging one another in these difficult times (particularly hard for some in the Maxwell family at this time) - how will you do that? Prayer? Of course. A phone call or text.? It makes a difference.
Have a great Christmas and enjoy the mag.
MB
Magazine No.37
Christmas Message from the Manse
Dear Congregation,
It is incredible recognising this will be the last Sunday in Advent for 2020. Where have the last four weeks gone!?
One month is not a long time especially when you consider that the world was waiting (if not actually preparing herself) for the birth of Christ from the very Garden of Eden.
The first shoot of Gospel light and hope appeared back in Genesis 3.15 just after the Fall of humanity into sin. There the Lord declared that the offspring of the woman would crush the head of Satan/the serpent. God is Holy. Evil can never win.
That promise made so many years ago entered its final fulfilment as the eternal Son of God, assumed a human nature and cried His way into His creation like any human baby. Jesus became one of us for us! Our salvation needed a Saviour who would be both fully God and fully human. It would take the man Jesus to live a sinless life and die a sin-bearing death for us. And He did! It would take the divinity of Christ to make that death infinitely effective for humanity.
The Living God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit calls us to rejoice again this Christmas in Jesus, the Prince of Peace. For all who receive Christ in repentance and faith, it is a joy to live in the security of God’s peace. This is what we were created for. It is like coming home.
For all who have received Christ in repentance and faith it is a joy also to look forward. The final turn of a calendar page will mark the day when the Lord will declare the day of recreation come – a New Heavens and a New Earth! That is a day worth living for and preparing for.
This Christmas let us see afresh the enormity of our Saviour’s love for us. And let us be woo’d by that love so that we respond with a fresh commitment of love and devotion for Him.
This has been such a challenging and unpredictable year. But in Jesus Christ we have one who is the same yesterday, today and forever! Join me in rejoicing in this incredible Saviour, Jesus!
I pray your Christmas is filled with Christ’s love and joy!
With warmest regards and much love in Christ,
Scott
The Home Groups will start again in January.
We shall be using a booklet called 'These Truths Alone' studying the 5 'Solas' of the reformation:
Christ Alone, Scripture Alone, Faith Alone, Grace Alone, To God's Glory Alone.
Look out for more information coming out soon.
If you are not in a group don't miss out - they run at different times during the week. Let Scott know if you would like to be involved.
Congratulations
Cameron Adkins & Sarah Farquhar Wedding
The sun shone and the bells tolled last Saturday, 12th December 2020 when Bruce and Pamela’s older son, Cameron Adkins and Sarah Farquhar married at Mearns Kirk. It was a beautiful day, followed by an intimate reception for the 20 people who attended at the Dalmeny Park House Hotel.
Golden Wedding Anniversary
Many congratulations to Margaret and Ian Dale who celebrate their 50th Wedding anniversary on 29th December.
ERGC and MMCC
Maxwell is in partnership with East Renfrewshire Good Causes in order to reach out to those in need in the area.
This week there will be parcels taken by Maxwell members to people Russell McMillan (From ERGC) has pinpointed of needing a helping hand.
Please remember this work in prayer - we hope to bring you more news of this work as it develops in 2021.
You are warmly invited to an 8-week course that creates a space online, where people can have an exciting conversation about faith, life and God.
Alpha is a place to ask the big questions of life. Connect with others online to watch a series of episodes and explore the Christian faith together. The course runs for 8 weeks and registering is easy.
It's a few weeks away until it starts but NOW is the time to start to pray and plan about which of your friends or family you could ask to be involved. It starts on 31st January 7-8.15pm each evening.
If you go to the 'Maxwell Mearns Castle Church' YouTube page you can watch A short video Daniel has made about Alpha at Maxwell.
Christmas 'Past'
We asked people to send in their Christmas Greetings so we could send out the good wishes to everyone on a the screen on Sunday. Thanks to everyone who did that.
This message and photo was sent in by Robin and Heather and I felt it worth showing in the magazine. Brilliant!
"Like everyone else, we have not been out much recently. In fact, as the joke says : “Our bins have been out more than we have this year!”
However, in our younger days we did go to dances a lot, and this photo was taken at a school Christmas dance on 22nd. December 1955. Hope it makes you smile!
Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year." Heather and Robin Russell
Get your Playlist
With Covid restrictions you may not receive as many gifts this Christmas. We want to make sure you receive at least one!
The book will be given out in worship and for those unable to attend worship, your elder will ensure you receive one.
Have you got your copy yet - do let Sue know if you haven't and we will get one to you.
The book is not a long read so when you have finished, if you know someone who would benefit from it, gift it on.
Scott
A sample of the special edition Ladybird book of Christmas at Maxwell
PULSE is off for a couple of weeks - if you don't normally come along why not make it your new thing for 75mins on a Wednesday night to join with others to pray for Maxwell and beyond.
Look out for the starting date being sent out soon.
We have focussed on Scotty Smith's prayers a few times this year. (You can have a prayer arrive in your inbox every day.) Here is another really nicely thought through prayer.
The Apostle Paul’s Account of Christmas
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Phil. 2:5-11
Lord Jesus, in Paul’s account of your birth, there’s no harking angels, trembling shepherds, or awe-filled parents. There’s “just” you—in the humility of your incarnation, the beauty of your servanthood, and the magnificence of the Gospel.
Oh holy and glorious mystery: Though you never ceased being God, you truly became man—the God-man, the fulfiller of every God-promise (2 Cor. 1:21); the King of the cosmos cradled in a stable.
Prophets pondered the “when” of your coming. Angels swelled with joy as they considered the “what” of your birth (1 Pet. 1:12). But we are the beneficiaries of the fact you came, and are coming again. Dying as our Substitute, raised as our Justifier, ascended as our Mediator, reigning as our King, coming as our Bridegroom… of all people, we are most blessed.
What do we want for Christmas 2020? Renew and refuel our worship of you, Lord Jesus, and increase our servant-love for one another. So very Amen we pray, in your wonderful and merciful name.
The Kirk Session has been encouraging us to build into our lives a desire to share the Gospel in a simple way with friends and family. To this end, we are being encouraged to use “The Word One To One” material.
Let’s all try and find one person to open John’s Gospel with. Remember to share online by zoom or by some other platform, you can download the exact same booklet. Simply go to our website; www.maxwellmearns.org and press the “Church Life” tab > then press the “Reaching Out” tab and scroll to the bottom of the page. You see all 11 booklets listed and available for download.
Speak to Margo McN if you would like to see a copy of a booklet.