THE SOCIETY
Stirling Methodist Church Newsletter
February 5th2017
Issue 1255
Welcome to everyone sharing in worship here today, we trust that you will find it to be an enriching experience.
If you are visiting us, we invite you to sign the Visitors’ Book which is on top of the organ.
Please join us for a cup of tea or coffee in the hall after the service.
At the beginning of our service, after the intimations are given by the steward, the Peace candle is lit and there is a short period of silence for you to prepare yourself for worship.
10.30amMorning Worship& Holy Communion
Our service today is led by Rev James Jones
The full lectionary readings for this Sunday morning (any of which may or may not be used by the preacher) are:
Isaiah 58 :1 –9a (9b – 12);Psalm 112 : 1 – 9 (10);
1 Corinthians2 :1–12 (13 – 16);Matthew 5 : 13 - 20.
Sunday 12thFeb10.30amMorning Worship
Service led by :Revd Dr Mark Jason
A collect for this week (from Methodist Worship Book):
Loving God,
the light of the minds that know you,
the life of the souls that love you,
and the strength of the wills that serve you:
help us so to know you
that we may truly love you,
and so to love you
that we may truly serve you,
whom to serve is perfect freedom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.
Thinking of Volunteering?
We have received appeals from two charities needing volunteers. They are Home Start and Meal Makers. In case you are interested in learning more, or know anyone who might be, there are posters on the vestibule notice board and leaflets in the racks below.
Janet Baker
Date for the Diary- Talent Auction and Soup Lunch Sunday 19th Mar.
NWMC are planning the above event to raise funds for the Methodist Neighbourhood and World Mission Committee. It is 6 years since the last Talent Auction at the church and we will be trying to emulate the success and enjoyment of the last one!
We invite you to consider if you might have any Talents or crafts that you could offer for Auction on the day. Last time many wonderful things were auctioned including offers of car lifts, gardening, meals, car washes as well as beautiful art work , jewellery etc. If you don’t feel able to offer anything for Auction don’t worry! Perhaps you can come along to the event and enjoy bidding for some activity or craft. We expect that it will be a time of fellowship and fun as well as fund-raising.
More details will be available nearer the time but thanks for your thoughts and prayers.
Ruth Rogerson
Another Date for Your Diaries
The annual coffee morning in aid of the Hub at Cornton Vale Prison will be held on Saturday, March 11th in Bridge of Allan. Full details later. You might like to know that a similar welcome centre is planned for Glen Ochil Prison in the not too far distant future.
Janet Baker
District Safeguarding Support Day, Stirling Methodist Church, 25th March 2017
10.00 am for coffee and 3.30 depart
This year we gather at 10.00am for coffee and the focus of our time together we be on increasing awareness of safeguarding guidance and policies for the Methodist Church. We will also spend some time considering which groups and individuals have responsibility for specific aspects of safeguarding and we also hope to explore good practice guidance in work with children, young people and vulnerable adults. As usual there will also be an opportunity to raise specific questions with our DSO, Donald Urquhart.
Safeguarding is a whole-Church responsibility and so we are encouraging attendance from a range of office holders and interested parties, including members of church councils and church and circuit stewards, as well as church and circuit safeguarding officers.
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided on the day but please bring a packed lunch.
To book your place please email Fiona at the District Office
Beginners Courses in New Testament Greek
Clive Wright is offering Beginners Courses in New Testament Greek. Learn the alphabet and key vocabulary - and read selected pasages from, the gospels. Clive is a scholar of the classical languages and has links with a number of churches in the Stirling area. To find out more, phone Clive on 01786 359937 or email
John Coutts
Direct Link
Following on from Walter’s excellent, thought-provoking service last Sunday, I thought I would tell you a story about what is happening in Kenya at this moment, how important rain can be to everyone’s survival, and how one destitute widow was prepared to go to incredible lengths to earn money to keep her children in school.
There is currently a drought affecting many parts of Kenya including the area where Kolwal Primary School for the Disabled is situated. The crops have died and many animals have also died. The school’s boreholes have all dried up so Julius Muga, the Head Teacher, decided to employ a man with a donkey cart to carry 90 litres of water to the school, every day, from quite a distance away. This was going to be a huge drain on the school’s meagre finances, as the meteorologists have predicted that the drought could even last until March.
Two days later, Julius texted me to say that he had found a cheaper way of bringing the water back to the school as a local woman, called Antonina, had offered to fetch it herself for the equivalent of £20 per week. It transpired that this desperately poor widow had said that she would carry the 90 litres, (equivalent to 45 of our largest milk containers), on her head, every day, in order to make some money to pay for her five children’s school fees. She would have to make several journeys of several miles, each day, with a very heavy load on her head, for many weeks.
This very sad story of bravery and determination illustrates the lengths to which a destitute mother needs to go in order to make some money to educate her children, and also how desperately important water is to everyone on a daily basis.
(PS: Direct Link has now paid for the donkey cart water and has undertaken to sponsor one of Antonina’s children, Joseph Otieno, to relieve some of her burden. She will do some work in the school instead of having to carry water.)
Pam McGibbon
Pictures show : Antonina; the Donkey-Cart-Water; Joseph
Thank You
A big thank you to Vicki and Mark for organising the games evening on Sat January 28th. It was greatly enjoyed by everyone who attended and the effort that Vicki and Mark put into arranging it was much appreciated.
Sarah Ridley
TRAIDCRAFT STALL.
The Traidcraft Stall I ontoday instead of the12th February as there will be the discussion after the service that day.
Gill Nunn