Review of 2009
In October we were visited by our missionary partner Dr Helen Brannam who shared with us her life and work in Bangladesh. The congregation were encouraged to support the efforts of Robbie Christie’s on of Bill and Doreen, who was running in the Chicago marathon on behalf of Guatemala charities and who raised £538. The children planted a crocus cross in the church garden. This year our Harvest Thanksgiving service used Tear Fund material focusing on a project in Burkina Fasu and raised £380 for the work. We also marked the end of the Rev Ann Cameron’s three year appointment with us as Auxiliary Minister and presented her with the gift of a glider flight and a song of blessing from the Singers.
In November we again marked Remembrance Sunday with Laying of Wreath ceremonies across the parish war memorials. A proposed Film Quiz was cancelled due to early snow. The Forget-Me-Not Club were supported with a Coffee afternoon in Finzean Hall that raised £1,000.The Global Twinning Group gave a presentation to alert the congregation to the anticipated launch of the twinning in December. And members of the church joined other members of the community in a planting weekend for the creation of the new graveyard in Finzean.
December began with the Upper Deeside Churches carol service in Ballater with the Granite City Brass band which saw the churches support our community partners, the Forget-Me-Not Club with an offering of £223. Christmas at Birse and Feughside began withThe Guild again hosted an afternoon tea and entertainment for the Forget-Me-Not Club. Our toy appeal sent the Rev John Forbes with bags of toys to the Salvation Army in Aberdeen. Our Global Twinning with the Iciciri Church was officially launched at a service where we all sign the first letter and were congratulated by Carol Finlay from the World Mission Council of the Church of Scotland.The Deeside Musical Society gave us an entertaining concert and raised £300 for the Forget-Me-Not Club, but the annual Music & Movies concert was not well attended at which the Singers sang four new pieces but still raised £160. Christmas cards and newspaper and details of our Christmas events were delivered to all the houses of the parish. The Christmas Eve service is again packed and there is a good turn out on Christmas Day with offering of £190 that was put into the Fabric Fund.
January sees the weekly Newsletter pass through its 500th edition. The congregation celebrate a Burns Supper in Strachan Hall that raised £715.There is an initial presentation to encourage interest in the Portrait of our Time Exhibition held in the church. We hold a Celebration of Christ and Country service to mark the beginning of the Year of Homecoming.
In February Tai Chi and Chi Gung classes led by Carol Milligan are held in the church which raises £700 for the Forget-Me-Not club. We ordain five new elders: Nancy Davidson, Donald Farquharson, Anne Horsfall, Pat Lawson and Ness Morrison. The Church Directory is completed and distributed. And heavy snow blocks the car park and gives us our smallest attendance at a church service for years.
In March we share in the World Day of Prayer service focusing on Papua New Guinea and raise an offering of £107. The Kirk Session initiates the visitation to create and launch a new form of pastoral care and Visiting. The Annual Stated Meeting takes place.We have a special service led by members of the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen. Jack goes to Peterhead to preach at the Male Voice Choir Festival. And Jimmy Grant is presented with his Certificate for 30 years service as an Elder.
In April the Church Garden bloomed for the first time revealing the crocus cross. We host an Art Exhibition by Ingeborg Bodziach during Holy Week.There are evening meditations held during Holy Week and the usual Easter day breakfast in the Hall. The Singers perform John Ritter’s For the Beauty of the Earth during the Easter Day service. The children of Strachan and Finzean schools were taken to Bibleworld in Banchory. The Daffodil Tea is augmented by a Church Exhibition and raises £1146. Click Lil Morrison runs the 10K Balmoral Run on behalf of the Forget-Me-Not Club raising £550.
In May, Ann Cameron has her Service of Introduction to the Upper Deeside Churches and returns to us for one week every month. Christian Aid Week is marked and we give £352. There is a Forget-Me-Not Coffee and Cake afternoon in the Scout Hall in Banchory. Sarah Holt hold her Art Exhibition in the Church and raises £1,000 towards her costs to go to Thailand. There is the official opening and dedication of the new graveyard at Finzean that begins and ends from the church and the new Elders’ visiting scheme is launched.
In June as things go quiet we have a week’s Spring Cleaning of the church.
In July we move to our Summer Sabbath services. The Open Garden day at Finzean House raises £1600 for the Forget-Me-Not Club.
In August we welcome over 230 people to the special Homecoming service in the Church. Four Summer Promenade Concerts take place and raise £340 for the Forget-Me-Not Club. Sarah goes off to Thailand.
Then as September begins, we host the 10th birthday party for the Forget-Me-Not Club at Finzean House, the Portrait of our Time Exhibition sees over 900 people come through our doors over week, we host the farewell presentation to the local postie, the representatives of our Twinning partners, Joseph and Daniel arrive, the eco-fun morning for children takes place, and we have finished another year for worship, fellowship, mission and service as the people of God in this parish.
In addition the minister held monthly services at Allachburn and Praesmohr homes and regularly took assemblies in the two primary schools and nursery. The minister and Presbytery elder took part in the business of Presbytery, and a team of volunteers ensured each Presbytery meeting enjoyed a welcomed coffee break. Hospitals were visited, community association and council meetings were attended. Elders visited their districts. Members of the congregation participated in additional voluntary work and participated in community organisations.
The Guild held their meetings and learned about Christian Aid’s work, the Lydia Foundation, Dental Project Peru among other things. They continued to host their occasional soup lunches raising £340 in support of their projects. And they were among the 300 members who gathered for the annual rally supper.
Junior Church and crèche teams supported our children throughout the session. There was the invaluable contribution from the people who mann the elders, cleaning, reading, tea, flowers and desk rotas. Each month our fair-trade stall was set up and supported.
Sadly, we had no baptisms, confirmations or professions of faith in the whole year.
The funerals of Mr George Levick Brett (Forget-Me-Not Club) Mr John Junner (elder), Mrs Margaret Fraser (member), Ken Stuart (parish) and Ab Littlejohn (member) took place, as did the weddings of Lynn Henderson and Andrew Davidson, Heather Shepherd and James Stephen, and Cat Thomson and Naill Manzi.
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