ST ANDREW’S PARISH CHURCH

COATBRIDGE

OUTLOOK  AUGUST 2008

 

Minister:                                                                               Session Clerk

Rev Fiona M Nicolson                                                             Mr Alex McKee

77 Eglinton Street                                                                53e Blairhill Street

Coatbridge                                                                            Coatbridge

Tel: 437271                                                                          Tel: 421191

St Andrew’s Church Tel: 431385

www.saintandrewscoatbridge.org

Scottish Charity Number SC013521

                                                          August 2008

Dear Friends,

I hope this letter finds you all well and happy. If you have been on holiday I do hope that you are feeling refreshed and relaxed.   If you haven’t been away hopefully you have been able to relax a bit too.

I was talking to a friend the other day who was remarking that I seemed fairly relaxed about life at the moment. In some senses she was right – from the point of view that I am happy and feeling glad to be here in Coatbridge as your minister (which is a good feeling!!!) However in other respects I was telling her that life has been a bit hectic from a work point of view as well as on a personal level. Along with that I do have a tendency to pick up on other people feelings, especially those of my congregation.   That along with what people have been saying to me in these past weeks has made me realise that some of you at least are feeling a bit anxious.   The main cause of this anxiety appears to be around the potential forthcoming union.   If you are feeling anxious about this do please speak to me and hopefully I can help to allay some of your concerns.   On a more general note though I would like to make a few comments which may help to alleviate some concerns which have been raised with me to date

As you know the vote re the Basis of Union will take place on the 31st of August so everyone should try their best to come along on the day to place their vote.   It will be a paper ballot so you should feel free to vote according to what you feel is right.   But do please pray about it first!!! If the vote is yes then we will proceed to a union and become New St Andrew’s and I will be your minister

If the vote goes against the union we will continue as St Andrew’s and I will be your minister.   Either way we will continue as a congregation together and I look forward to leading you in the years ahead. A number of people have expressed concern that I will be going Please be assured that this is NOT the case.   Thank you to those who have been so supportive of me at this time

Please be re-assured that although there may be change ahead for us that I feel absolutely certain that we can rise to the challenge and that together either as a united congregation or on our own we can and will succeed.   Please stay focussed on what is important.   That we remain a healthy, fit and spiritually active Church in the community reflecting Christ’s love for all his people.

I sincerely look forward to sharing in that future with you all.

With my love and prayers as always

 

Fiona N

 

 

 

 

 

Church Register

Baptism

6th July          Sophie Elizabeth Purkiss

 

Weddings

12th July        David Gillespie and Karen Allan

2nd August     Graham Beck and Donna Brown

 

Funerals

31st July        Helen Fairbairn 57 Ellismuir Street

 

OFFERINGS        F.W.O             Open Plate   Total

June 2008                 £6695.90                   £313.88         £7009.78

July 2008                  £4852.60                   £218.45         £5071.05

 

SUNDAY SCHOOL

The Sunday school will start the new session on 31st August, when we will welcome all existing members as well as any new members.  There are sections for all boys and girls up to 18 years old.  We still have some prizes from last session for people who could not attend prize giving – remember to pick them up when we are back in St Andrews.

The Summer Club continues until the Sunday School starts.

 

ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION

Tickets are available from all committee members for the Annual Coffee Morning to be held in St Andrew's Church Hall on Saturday 30th August from 10 am to 12 noon.    Tickets cost £2.

 

6TH COATBRIDGE GIRLS’ BRIGADE

 

Our summer break is just about over and I hope you have all had a nice holiday.

Girls’ Brigade will start the new session on Tuesday 9th September 2008 with enrolment and games.   All girls from age 5 (Primary 1) to age 18 (S6) will be welcome to enrol and of course we are looking forward to seeing all the girls who have been with us over the last few years.   Any adults out there wishing to help can contact me (01236 435611) – our Company would appreciate any help we can get.

We will require a considerable amount of fundraising this session and I hope I can count on your continued support.

The Officers, Auxiliaries and Warrant Officers will be attending Specialised Training early September. This is a great chance for the leaders to gain new ideas for games, crafts and planning programmes.   The Brigader section will be completing their Leadership Training in November.

St. Andrew’s Church will be the host Church for Division this session.  We will also have Linzi Munro and Jenni Krebs being Commissioned as Officers in October.

As Captain I am delighted as Linzi and Jenni have been in Girls’ Brigade since they were 5 years old.  Well done to both of them for successfully completing their training.

I look forward to seeing you all on 9th September at 6.30 p.m.   No uniform is required on the first evening and we will close at 8.00 p.m.  Thereafter our Company night will start at 6.30 p.m. and finish at:

                                                Explorers:   8.00 p.m.

                                                Juniors & Brigaders:   8.30 p.m.

 

Take care,  Irene Krebs (Captain)

FUNDRAISING

The next fundraising event will be the Silent Auction on 13th  September from 12.30 to 2p.m. Entry tickets at 50pence will be available soon.

Donations of anything saleable (no clothes or jumble please) would be gratefully accepted.

The Hall will be open on Thursday and Friday 11/12th September from 1-2p.m and 7.30-8.30p.m. to receive donations.

Lots of help is required during these times to sort, clean and arrange goods.  Help is also required on Saturday 13th to supervise tables and deal with sold goods. 

There will also be a café, hot roll stall and book stall.  For more information or to indicate your willingness to help please speak to Matt Sprott, Alex McKee, Jean Macdonald, Moira McCall or Sandra Burns

 

Guides, Brownies and Rainbows

Last year saw another great year in all of our units.   Rainbows had a beach party for their last night and the Brownies had a pyjamas party, while the guides entertained their parents with Has Coatbridge got Talent and Can You Beat a Guide and the parents won.  

 

This year saw Laura Stewart receive the Best Guide and The Poppy Patrol was the Best Patrol which had Bethany Griffith Jones Patrol Leader, Monica Dobbin Seconder, Dayle Chalmers, Hannah Connolly, Phoebe Chalmers and Ashley Stevenson.

 

During the summer we have had guides at 2 camps.   The first one was for older Brownies and younger Guides and was held at Netherurd our Scottish Training Centre in Peebles.   We had 2 girls from our unit out of the 8 representing North Lanarkshire.   The girls spent 2 nights indoors and 2 nights under canvas and for most of these girls it was their first experience in a tent and I ran one of the two sub camps.   This camp was arranged by Scottish so we had girls from all over Scotland.   The next camp was Poacher 2008 in Lincoln and we had 12 girls and 3 guiders at this.   This camp was for 7 days and there were between 5,000 and 6,000 guides and scouts from all over the world and the activities were great, with the girls doing paragliding, horse riding, canoeing, quad biking  and crafts to name but a few.   The girls who went to both camps had a great time.

 

The Brownies and Guides restart on Monday 1st September with the Rainbows starting on 5th September.   We look forward to seeing all the girls back and welcome any new girls who would like to join.   If anyone has any questions about Guiding please contact me on 755222. Alexis Crichton

 

 

Diary

August 31                   Vote on Basis of Union with Clifton Parish Church

August 31                   Sunday School starts

Sept 7                                    Communion 11.00a.m. and 3.00p.m.

Sept 13                       Silent Auction 12.30-approx 2.00pm

Sept 21                       Communion 6.30p.m.