Hi,
I hope you have been enjoying the Summer sunshine...perhaps, like me, you've been wondering, 'What's the catch?' Anyway, let’s hope it lasts and to celebrate there’s a Summer Holiday Quiz to ruin your day.
A fairly short mag this week reflecting the quieter period in church life, although Sundays really should now get busier at least in terms of people around to worship together again. I enjoyed reading this little turn of phrase this week, about how we can often treat the Bible, '...as an inspirational-motto jukebox...' In other words, 'What can it do for me, on my terms, to make me feel good?'
I wonder if there could be a similar phrase moulded for our appreciation of Sunday morning worship, or church in general? Is it just there at your disposal when required. But we know it's a lot more than that...here is another quote which gets to the heart of things and reminds of how huge a deal it is for each of us to be at church:
"To become a Christian is to become a member of the universal church... yet membership in the heavenly assembly must “show up” on earth, which Christians do by gathering together in the name of Christ through the preaching of the gospel and mutually affirming one another as belonging to Him ...the heavenly universal church, in other words, creates earthly local churches, which in turn display the universal church."
Enjoy the mag!
M
From the Manse
Dear Congregation,
We have been told by the Scottish Government there may be a signficant easing of COVID restrictions in early August. We shall see!
However, there have been two significant changes this week.
The first change because of restrictions being eased is that the rows of our seats in the sanctuary are now repositioned with a 1metre gap between them.
Additionally, in each row, there will be a gap of two seats to separate groupings from each other.
You can help maximize the number we can get into each row sitting at the end of the row first. Filling from an end gives most opportunity to maximize the seating in that row.
You will see from the photographs, there is still plenty of space between us and this will not compromise our safety.
The second change this week is that we can now sing in worship!
This is great news for those of us who have felt our ability to praise the Lord inhibited by the restriction on singing. However, for the time being, our singing will have to come from behind our masks!
We shall continue with good hand hygiene (sanitize on entry and exit), we shall continue to register our attendance for the purposes of track and trace, we will wear masks at all times indoors and we shall follow the one-way system to keep ourselves 1metre from one another as we enter and exit the sanctuary.
Musicians
In addition to these two changes above, we hope to have our musicians / singers leading our praise again in early August. For this to happen, we have to have make some technical changes. We are so grateful to those who will be sharing their technical gifts and musical talents.
Window
The alert among you may have noticed the curtain behind the pulpit looking a little unusual last week? Sadly, someone threw rocks through the window. That window was selected because the rocks were thrown from down the slope from amongst the trees. We are currently waiting for the restoration of the window and the glass fragments to be removed professionally. The area behind the pulpit is currently blocked off. Please stay clear for the time being. Needless to say, the matter was reported to the police and an insurance claim has been lodged.
Registration
Registration is now open up for worship through August. Please do visit our website and register your presence for worship through all August. We shall conclude our Holiday Club week with a Holiday Club service on August 15th.
With warmest regards as ever,
Scott
Notice For Elders
Prayer Meeting In Sanctuary 28th July – 2.30pm - 3.15pm
Congratulations
It was great to hear of Leslie and Morag Gardner celebrating their Diamond Wedding Anniversary recently.
Congratulations to them both!
Ladybird Book of Maxwell
Summer Quiz
1. What is being described in this verse: "Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away."
a) Snow
b) Manna
c) Ice cream mars bar
Bonus question: Which book of the Bible is it from?
2. “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot." This verse is to do with…
a) People going out when it was raining
b) Protecting the city from attack
c) Letting a draft in.
Bonus question: Which leader said these words?
3. What was said by Jonah after the following verse: "When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint…:
a) “It would be better for me to die than to live.”
b) "I think God's trying to teach me something here"
c) "I should have packed a hat"
Bonus question: Which city was he sitting outside?
4. Which creature could teach us a thing or too about hard work according to this proverb:
Go to the ............. you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
a) antelope
b) aardvark
c) ant
Bonus question: What does Proverbs say is the beginning of knowledge?
5. Which minor prophet said, "What misery is mine! I am like one who gathers summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster of grapes to eat, none of the early figs that I crave."
a) Joel
b) Micah
c) Amos
Bonus question: What is the difference between a minor and major prophet?
6. What is Jesus referring to in this verse: “Now learn this lesson from the ............................... As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.
a) Rhododendron
b) Fig Tree
c) Cherry Tree
Bonus question: Which disciple did Jesus say he had seen under a tree before they met?
7. Holiday is only mentioned once in the Bible (NIV). Who was it to celebrate? "And the king gave a great banquet, ".....................'s" banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality."
a) Joseph
b) Esther
c) Daniel
Bonus question: What was the name of the King?
ANSWERS BELOW
Summer Holiday Club - Resources!
Monday 9th - Friday 13th August
Plans are well underway for holiday club in August. Booking has opened on Eventbrite and over half the spaces are filled already. Please spread the word to anyone with primary school aged children. Details are on our website and Facebook page. If anyone would like to join a prayer team specifically for holiday club please contact Graeme Lipsett.
RESOURCES!
We have a number of resources we need to gather and are hopeful some people in the congregation may be able to provide us with some things. If you have anything on the list below we could borrow or have please get in touch. (I'm on holiday for a week so will reply on my return!) Thanks, Pauline
-
Gazebos
-
Tarpaulins/ground sheets/picnic rugs
-
Medium/large plastic boxes with lids to store group resources like stationary, craft supplies, bibles etc and to protect them if it rains!
-
Wool and string
-
Leftover lengths of wallpaper/lining paper
-
Small traffic cones/markers
-
Any jungle themed waterproof decorations or props
-
Jungle explorer style hat
-
Play dough
-
Jenga game
-
Wooden play building bricks
-
Large boxes
-
Water guns
-
Colourful thread
-
Old washing lines
-
Old colanders
Bible Infographics
Depending on your learning style you might be someone who gets a lot of help and enjoyment from infographics - certainly a lot of children love this way of learning. (If you are thinking, ' I don't have a learning style' that's because you are went to school in the last century - you didn't have a learning style in those days, they were just taught and it was your fault if you didn't get it...now it's someone else's fault.)
There are 2 volumes of
Bible Infographics for Kids which you could buy for a young person this summer...once it starts to rain again you will be glad you bought them this book. You can get a copy
here.
ANSWERS TO QUIZ:
1. b (Exodus) 2. b (Nehemiah) 3. a (Nineveh) 4.c The fear of the Lord.
5. b (Literally the length of the book...the minor prophets were able to included all in one scroll.)
6. b Nathanael 7. b King Xerxes
PULSE is off the Summer weeks.