Church - Family Worship
Date and Time :
27th February 2011
-
11:00am
- 12:15pm
What’s happening in Church today?
Content of Worship
The Rev John Forbes, retired minister, will conduct the service.
Anne Horsfall will read the Bible passages.
Susan Zappert will provide our musical accompaniment.
It is the Eighth Sunday after Epiphany. The reading is Luke 19:1-10.
Today our minister, Jack Holt, is preaching as sole nominee for the vacant charge of Polwarth Parish Church in the City of Edinburgh.
What’s happening in Church this week?
The Ladies’ Fitness Class
This takes place on Monday evenings from 7pm and lasts an hour.
Presbytery
The next meeting for Ordinary Business will be held in the church on Tuesday at 7pm.
Vestry Half-Hour
Jack apologies to anyone who turned up for not being at the Vestry last Thursday as intimated. He had to attend the Kirk Session at Mid Deeside in order to tell them of his decision which will impact upon them as he is presently the Interim Moderator. He will once again be making himself available in the Vestry on Thursday evening from 7pm for those who wish to consult him on any matter. As ever, if this time is unsuitable he can be contacted at any time by telephone, e-mail or a knock at the door of the manse.
World day of Prayer
This year’s World Day of Prayer service will be held on Friday, at 7.30pm in the Church. The service is written by an ecumenical group of Christian women from Chile. They have entitled it: How Many Loaves Do You Have? The service will be led by women and men of the congregation, preceded by a visual presentation about Chile with commentary by the minister.
Next Sunday
Next Sunday the service at 11am will be led by the minister. It will be the Last Sunday after Epiphany and the theme will be: The Transfiguration. As it is the first Sunday of the month the service will also include the Celebration of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
Intimation
Kirk Session Meeting
The next meeting of the Kirk Session will be held on Thursday 10 March at 7.30pm in the Meeting Room. This will be the first meeting to be held under the new Unitary Constitution. At this meeting the elders will also meet as Charity Trustees to approve the Congregational Accounts for 2010. So a good attendance is requested.
Fireside reflections
The LORD be with you…And also with you. Jack writes: Good morning! Last Sunday at the end of the service I finally shared with the congregation the news that I had carried for some weeks: that I had accepted an invitation to preach as sole nominee for the vacant charge of Polwarth Parish Church in the City of Edinburgh the following Sunday.
The vacancy procedure of the Church of Scotland requires a high degree of secrecy. Though I had entered a process that will ultimately require me to leave this congregation; at each stage – the interview, seeing the buildings, being observed conducting worship, the decision to be invited to be sole nominee and accepting it - are all stages at which either the church or I could register we no longer wished to continue. And if that happens I would be glad that this congregation was oblivious to what had been happening and life could continue on as normal.
However, it means that when the process does goes all the way, the final decision comes out-of-the-blue for an unsuspecting congregation. This has weighed heavily upon me because over the course of my ministry my intention has always been to act for your good and not to hurt. So it was not a moment to which I was looking forward.
The reasons for making this decision are many and varied. I have 12 years left before retirement and so did I intend to stay here until then? If I didn’t move about now that would likely become my choice. But at that stage I would have spent almost 30 years in Finzean and sadly then I would have to leave. Sandra and I remain dependant upon the Church of Scotland for the provision of a home in our retirement. There are none in this area and anyway I would not be allowed to live in the parish after I retired. So going now and getting used to moving again seemed sensible.
Then there are family considerations: Sandra’s parents and my mother are not getting any younger, and Sandra now finds the distance between here and Greenock an increasing barrier to her contributing regularly to her parents’ care. All our family members still reside in the South West of Scotland while our own children presently live in Edinburgh or wish to do so.
Another consideration: if I was to move then I would prefer the next ministry to be very different from what has gone before. I have been in a wealthy suburb, a deprived housing estate and a large, rural parish but I have no history or experience of city living and church.
But for me there is a still more important and personal reason; I seek to follow God’s particular calling for my life. I have carried since my days in Kilmarnock a sense of purpose which has, as yet, never materialised. But I remain open and committed to letting God fulfil it in me.
In prayer God’s guidance made me realise some time ago that I would not see out my ministry days in this place. As ever where I seem to be going is not what I had in mind (just as I never thought I would live here when ministering in Kilmarnock!) but I have felt the hand of God in the process, speaking in signs and words that have particular significance to me and so I move on in faith to see if God’s purpose will be fulfilled.
Just as I could never have foreseen what would actually take place through my ministry in this place, I have no idea what will actually happen at Polwarth. What I do know is this; I am taking up a 5-year reviewable appointment. The planning decisions affecting the whole church as it seeks to reduce its full-time ministers down to 1000 will require a significant reduction of ministers in Edinburgh Presbytery, so I go there knowing I might be instructed to move on again before I finally retire.
I share this with you to demonstrate that what has not motivated this call is dissatisfaction with the congregation or the life we have lived here which has in all things been good for all of us. I go not to get away but to follow; and I hope that everyone will come to see that in God’s providence this is not only right for me but also for you. I believe I have played out my part in shaping the future God has planned for this church. I leave while you are in bud, but I am confidence that you will see the flowering and flourishing of all that has been envisioned and worked out. Because I know this to be so I can go knowing my departure shall not be detrimental to your future.
However, I will not be moving away immediately. By God’s grace I will be with you until Easter. I look forward to making that journey with you one last time. Until next week…The Lord Bless You and Keep You.
Content of Worship
The Rev John Forbes, retired minister, will conduct the service.
Anne Horsfall will read the Bible passages.
Susan Zappert will provide our musical accompaniment.
It is the Eighth Sunday after Epiphany. The reading is Luke 19:1-10.
Today our minister, Jack Holt, is preaching as sole nominee for the vacant charge of Polwarth Parish Church in the City of Edinburgh.
What’s happening in Church this week?
The Ladies’ Fitness Class
This takes place on Monday evenings from 7pm and lasts an hour.
Presbytery
The next meeting for Ordinary Business will be held in the church on Tuesday at 7pm.
Vestry Half-Hour
Jack apologies to anyone who turned up for not being at the Vestry last Thursday as intimated. He had to attend the Kirk Session at Mid Deeside in order to tell them of his decision which will impact upon them as he is presently the Interim Moderator. He will once again be making himself available in the Vestry on Thursday evening from 7pm for those who wish to consult him on any matter. As ever, if this time is unsuitable he can be contacted at any time by telephone, e-mail or a knock at the door of the manse.
World day of Prayer
This year’s World Day of Prayer service will be held on Friday, at 7.30pm in the Church. The service is written by an ecumenical group of Christian women from Chile. They have entitled it: How Many Loaves Do You Have? The service will be led by women and men of the congregation, preceded by a visual presentation about Chile with commentary by the minister.
Next Sunday
Next Sunday the service at 11am will be led by the minister. It will be the Last Sunday after Epiphany and the theme will be: The Transfiguration. As it is the first Sunday of the month the service will also include the Celebration of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
Intimation
Kirk Session Meeting
The next meeting of the Kirk Session will be held on Thursday 10 March at 7.30pm in the Meeting Room. This will be the first meeting to be held under the new Unitary Constitution. At this meeting the elders will also meet as Charity Trustees to approve the Congregational Accounts for 2010. So a good attendance is requested.
Fireside reflections
The LORD be with you…And also with you. Jack writes: Good morning! Last Sunday at the end of the service I finally shared with the congregation the news that I had carried for some weeks: that I had accepted an invitation to preach as sole nominee for the vacant charge of Polwarth Parish Church in the City of Edinburgh the following Sunday.
The vacancy procedure of the Church of Scotland requires a high degree of secrecy. Though I had entered a process that will ultimately require me to leave this congregation; at each stage – the interview, seeing the buildings, being observed conducting worship, the decision to be invited to be sole nominee and accepting it - are all stages at which either the church or I could register we no longer wished to continue. And if that happens I would be glad that this congregation was oblivious to what had been happening and life could continue on as normal.
However, it means that when the process does goes all the way, the final decision comes out-of-the-blue for an unsuspecting congregation. This has weighed heavily upon me because over the course of my ministry my intention has always been to act for your good and not to hurt. So it was not a moment to which I was looking forward.
The reasons for making this decision are many and varied. I have 12 years left before retirement and so did I intend to stay here until then? If I didn’t move about now that would likely become my choice. But at that stage I would have spent almost 30 years in Finzean and sadly then I would have to leave. Sandra and I remain dependant upon the Church of Scotland for the provision of a home in our retirement. There are none in this area and anyway I would not be allowed to live in the parish after I retired. So going now and getting used to moving again seemed sensible.
Then there are family considerations: Sandra’s parents and my mother are not getting any younger, and Sandra now finds the distance between here and Greenock an increasing barrier to her contributing regularly to her parents’ care. All our family members still reside in the South West of Scotland while our own children presently live in Edinburgh or wish to do so.
Another consideration: if I was to move then I would prefer the next ministry to be very different from what has gone before. I have been in a wealthy suburb, a deprived housing estate and a large, rural parish but I have no history or experience of city living and church.
But for me there is a still more important and personal reason; I seek to follow God’s particular calling for my life. I have carried since my days in Kilmarnock a sense of purpose which has, as yet, never materialised. But I remain open and committed to letting God fulfil it in me.
In prayer God’s guidance made me realise some time ago that I would not see out my ministry days in this place. As ever where I seem to be going is not what I had in mind (just as I never thought I would live here when ministering in Kilmarnock!) but I have felt the hand of God in the process, speaking in signs and words that have particular significance to me and so I move on in faith to see if God’s purpose will be fulfilled.
Just as I could never have foreseen what would actually take place through my ministry in this place, I have no idea what will actually happen at Polwarth. What I do know is this; I am taking up a 5-year reviewable appointment. The planning decisions affecting the whole church as it seeks to reduce its full-time ministers down to 1000 will require a significant reduction of ministers in Edinburgh Presbytery, so I go there knowing I might be instructed to move on again before I finally retire.
I share this with you to demonstrate that what has not motivated this call is dissatisfaction with the congregation or the life we have lived here which has in all things been good for all of us. I go not to get away but to follow; and I hope that everyone will come to see that in God’s providence this is not only right for me but also for you. I believe I have played out my part in shaping the future God has planned for this church. I leave while you are in bud, but I am confidence that you will see the flowering and flourishing of all that has been envisioned and worked out. Because I know this to be so I can go knowing my departure shall not be detrimental to your future.
However, I will not be moving away immediately. By God’s grace I will be with you until Easter. I look forward to making that journey with you one last time. Until next week…The Lord Bless You and Keep You.