Church Magazine - 162 - August/September 1997
Dear Friends
Forthcoming Events
News of People
Snippets
Hands on Team
Alpha Reminder
Friendship Hour
The Holy Land
Letter from Nigeria
The Jeffrey's Retiral
Open Door
How many bed jackets?
Letter from Australia
As we were planning for the Alpha course which will begin on September 25th, it struck me how timely has been the offer from the Banchory Churches’ Youth Co-ordinator, Tony Stephen, to bring a group of young people from Banchory and Seattle (USA) to re-decorate our halls. They have worked incredibly hard - and fast - and it has been a joy to have them about the church! We’ve had times of fun together, like the barbecue at Balmedie Beach. It has also been special to have a joint Praise and Prayer Evening on our usual Midweek Fellowship night, and to have members of the “Hands on Team” leading our morning service on Sunday 17th August.
We have expressed our thanks to the team in various ways, but St Georges’s folk were part of it as well, lending step-ladders, handing in home baking and offering baths and showers. The Team really appreciated all of those! It has been really great to have had this week, and we give God our thanks and praise.
For the past few Sunday evenings, we’ve been following through a series in the book of Joshua. There is so much of relevance in it for us in the ongoing spiritual battle and challenge to enter in to all our “possessions” in Christ. Right at the end of the book, Joshua calls the people to a fresh loyalty to the Lord their God, to renew their covenant with Him. So often other things and loves can creep in to lay claim to the loyalty and love which should be reserved for God alone. Will there be a new depth to our loyalty to the Lord who has poured out His grace and love to us in His Son, the Lord Jesus?
Newly re-decorated halls; a new Alpha course; above all, a new opportunity for us in St George’s to put the Lord at the very heart of our life.
Yours, with loving prayer,
Shirley A. Fraser
Forthcoming Events
Wed 10 Sept 8.00 - 10.00 pm. Extended Midweek Fellowship especially
focusing on the Alpha Course
Sun 14 Sept 11.15 am All age service
Sun 21 Sept 11.15 am Junior Church resumes. Baptism.
Thu 25 Sept 7.00 Alpha Course begins.
Sun 28 Sept 2.30 - 4.30 pm Conference for elders and pastoral assistants.
Sun 5 Oct Communion
Sun 12 Oct 11.15. Guest: Cathie Aberdour, our missionary partner.
Sun 19 Oct 11.15. Harvest Thanksgiving.
We welcome the following new members into the fellowship of St George’s: Jean-Anne Callender, Alex Smith, Kenny Williamson (all by profession), and Kathy Macdonald, Jamie Cooper and Rob Laing.
Lauren Smith, daughter of Craig and Vivienne (neé McLeod) was baptised on 27th July.
We extend our sympathy to the relatives of two of our elderly members who died in June, giving God thanks for every remembrance of their lives: Mrs Jean Mitchell (on 13th June; see back page) and Geo. Reid (on 28th June).
Rev Dan Pochi, who was back home in Nigeria for a time, was able to take our gift to Philip Dawuda’s Church (see letter from his pastor) and also to see Markus Manjang, our former Careforce Volunteer.
Our Assistant, Willie Philip, was one of the five people licensed to preach the Gospel at a licensing service in Edinburgh on July 6th. The church was packed and the singing superb! It was an especially personal touch that Willie’s father, Rev James Philip, of Holyrood Abbey Church, was asked to lead in prayer during the service.
Scripture Union Weekend camp at Kilravock for children in P6-P7. 11th -13th October. More details soon.
Musicians required to help lead worship - especially keyboard players, but others too. Please speak to George McLeod (e-mail george@tillybin.wintermute.co.uk)
St Ninian’s, Crieff are organising a conference entitled Credible Christianity with Elaine Storkey and David Prior. The conference takes a contemporary look at the Christian faith in relation to a number of issues including science, sexuality and suffering. Will Storrar and Donald Bruce will also participate. The dates are Mon 27th - Wed 29th Oct, 1997. Further details on “the table”.
In August a team of young people from Banchory and Seattle joined forces to redecorate our halls and share fellowship. Here is a sample of their comments:
When Nicky Gumbel was young, he thought Christianity was boring, untrue and irrelevant. Since he’s now a Church of England clergyman, he must have changed his mind. Nicky Gumbel did not invent Alpha, but he developed it and it is his face you will see in the videos on our Alpha course (starting 25th September, but of course you know that). Many things are noticeable about his approach, and that of all the Alpha material, but one of the most striking is the sense of excitement. Everyone involved in producing the course - and many thousands of people who have done it - seem to be excited. Excited about the church, and excited about Jesus.
A few facts:
Last year 250,000 people attended Alpha courses. Alpha courses started from London, but they have now spread world-wide. There are courses running, for instance, in Albania and Canada, in Mexico and South Africa. Alpha has been enthusiastically endorsed by numerous Christian leaders, including Steve Chalke, Jackie Pullinger, Luis Palau and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
So don’t forget: make a date with Alpha. Please return registration forms by September 15th.
Penelope Wallace
Friendship Hour
Sept 4 Together again. Sharing our blessings over the summer.
Sept 11 Charlie Beaton, Elder at St Stephens: “A Scots Efternoon”.
Sept 18 Kitty McDonald, Elder at St Stephens: “Led by the Lord”.
Sept 25 Meryl Sandison and Kiera. Torch Fellowship for the Blind.
Oct 2 Story time.
Oct 9 Cathie Aberdour, our missionary partner.
Oct 16 Tear Fund. Val and Tony Martin: Slides and talk.
Oct 23 Nita Cruickshank (Rhona’s mum).
Oct 30 Mary Ross: talk and slides on the Holy Land.
As many of you probably know, I recently returned from a five week trip to Israel, where I was working as a volunteer with World Vision International. I was a member of a nine-strong team of students from all over the UK, who were placed in Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank, to work with the Palestinian population. The first week was an orientation period - we got lots of briefings on the Israeli/ Palestinian conflict and also visited places like Gaza and Hebron to see the situation for ourselves. One of the most alarming things for me was realising firstly, that the Christian presence in the Holy Land is decreasing so fast that Christians now account for only 2.5% of the population; and secondly, that most pilgrims to the Holy Land never meet the “living” stones - the Palestinian Christians - and are therefore never exposed to the true situation.
For the following four weeks, our team worked as helpers at a nearby children’s camp every morning, and spent the afternoons doing construction work on the building site of the Bible College where we were living. Living with eight other young Christians was great fun and we all became really good friends. We had Sundays free and used that time to tour Jerusalem and go to church there. It was a great blessing to worship and share communion with the local Christians, in services conducted in both our languages. I was also really encouraged by the unity that we have in Christ: we instantly have a common bond with believers all over the world and our unity can do great things, particularly through us praying together.
If the truth be told, I am not sure what I expected to find in Palestine. What I encountered was not a nation of terrorists, but a genuinely friendly and extremely hospitable people who made me feel very welcome in their land. I found it hard to get used to check-points and soldiers with sub-machine guns but it helped us to understand, in a small way, the trapped feeling that accompanies living in the West Bank. I was able to see for myself the incredible obstacles which people face in their everyday lives. Israel takes 80% of the water from the West Bank and so extreme water shortages are an everyday problem. There is little hope for the young people, who have only very limited opportunities to study in their own country and virtually no hope of finding fulfilling employment thereafter - which is a large part of the reason many Palestinians are emigrating.
Israel also continues to build colonies, otherwise know as settlements, within the West Bank. This is illegal under international law, in terms of the Fourth Geneva Convention, since the West Bank is an occupied territory. I think it is also contrary to the spirit of the peace process, under which settlements were to be discussed at the final status negotiations. Settlements are built on confiscated Palestinian land, or land bought through Palestinian collaborators, and are linked together by bypass roads which the Palestinian people cannot use or go near. The end result is that the West Bank is divided up and the areas controlled by the Palestinian National Authority are surrounded by Israeli controlled areas - thus they can be closed down at any time. Ultimately, I think , the policy is one of divide and conquer: there can be no Palestinian state created without geographical continuity.
God has been so good and gracious to me through my trip. I have learned a lot about myself, as well as about the situation in Israel. Please continue to pray for Israel - for peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians, and for a just resolution to their conflict.
(If any students aged 19-28 are interested in the Student Challenge 1998, they should contact Nick Priggis at World Vision, 599 Avebury Boulevard, Milton Keynes, MK9 3PG, Tel: 01908 841001).
Claire Wilkinson
E.C.W.A. Church, Kanufi, Nisama L.C.C., P.O. Box 130, Kafanchan, Kaduna State, Nigeria
2nd August, 1997
My sincere greetings come in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. I am writing this letter on behalf of my entire church family to take this opportunity and extend my greeting to you all. Because of your kindness shown to me by sending a huge amount for my assistance (about 300 pounds) I was able to buy a motorbike to help establish the Word of God. I am using this time on behalf of my family in Christ to show our appreciation and happiness toward you. We are saying a prayer that God will bless every one of you. May the Lord guide and give you wisdom. You should stand strong until the Lord is at hand. The only problem of coming to you is that the motor don’t follow your road but if it did I would certainly transport myself to you! In my absence, I believe we are together in the Spirit: pray and remember me. The door is open for every one of us who read and pray daily to the Lord.
May the Lord bless us, Amen.
Pastor Sunday Likita, Secretary Nisama L.C.C.
The Jeffrey’s Retiral
On Sunday 17th August, the Rev. Stewart Jeffrey retired after 35 years of ministry. His farewell service was very moving and the very large congregation reflected the esteem in which he is held. To mark the occasion of his retirement, the congregations of Banff and King Edward churches held a social evening of Friday 15th August in the Banff Springs Hotel. The programme which followed the meal was varied and interspersed with tributes to Stewart and Margaret from each of the parishes where they have served over the years. St George’s Tillydrone was represented by our Session Clerk, Win Armstrong, who passed on the greetings and best wishes of our congregation. A former Session Clerk, Rev. Andrew Stevenson and this wife, now enjoying their retirement in Dairsie, Fife were also present.
The evening ended with the presentation to Stewart and Margaret of a cheque, a carriage clock and a beautiful flower arrangement, in recognition of all the work they have done and all that they’ve meant to the congregations in the six years they’ve ministered in Banff.
Stewart and Margaret Jeffrey write:
Thank you very much indeed for the lovely card and good wishes you sent us. We appreciated very much all the signatures on the card; they have brought back many memories as we have been reading them through. Thanks also to your Session Clerk, Win, for such a wonderful and thoughtful tribute (it is on video, Win, so you’ll be able to see how good you were!). We give you the text that Stewart gave the folks here at the social and that has meant so much to us over 35 years: “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths”. Proverbs 3:6.
Stewart and Margaret Jeffrey
Open Door -
Points for Prayer
Give thanks for the Banchory/Seattle group who gave a week of their time to paint our halls.
Pray that our minister, Shirley, may return from holiday relaxed and refreshed in preparation for the busy months ahead.
Pray for the various organisations and groups preparing to resume after the summer break. Continue to pray for the need for teachers in the Junior Church.
Continue to pray for the preparations for the Alpha Course due to start on 25th September.
Pray for those who are unwell, either at home or in hospital, that they might know healing and renewed strength. Remember those who mourn the loss of a loved on and those who face loneliness and unemployment.
Mrs Mitchell of Aberdon Court went to be with her Lord in June. She had been ill for many years but was able to stay in her own home as she was lovingly cared for by her son Forbes. When well, it was her joy to be with her friends at the Friendship Hour. Mrs Mitchell had two hobbies in later years. One was to make a clootie dumpling for church parties and the other was to crochet bed-jackets for her friends; one of them has even reached London! We shall remember her with affection. Forbes knows many folk in Tillydrone so may St George’s show him the love of the Lord as his mother would have wished. A little help is worth a lot of sympathy.
Catherine Evans
Tom Sunderland, Melbourne, Australia
Greetings to everyone at St Georges from Melbourne.
I have been here for over six weeks now, and the time has gone by very quickly. I have been working almost from the time I arrived, putting in very long hours most days and often in at the weekends too. The working day here starts earlier than at home - I am usually leaving here at 7am for a 7.30 start. With 3 million living in the city, the traffic gets pretty busy during rush hour, so it is good to beat the rush.
Two things I miss particularly: 1. Sarah (my wife), living with my mother in law isn't quite the same as having Sarah around! She joins me in less than two weeks, so that is good. 2. The summer weather back in Aberdeen. Although we all tend to think of Australia as being a hot place, it gets pretty cold down in the South in winter, and the days are short. I am hoping that we will see some more summery weather before returning to Aberdeen in late October.
One of the best things I have during this trip so far has been E-Mail; it is a great form of communication, and has enabled me to keep in touch with people at home much more readily than would have been possible without it. George has even offered to send the church magazine to me via e-Mail.
I have been introduced to a great church near where I live, where Sarah's mum attends called St Hilary's, the people there have given me a very warm welcome. It is a very active place with lots to get involved in, I look forward to seeing you all again in November.
Tom
St George's magazine is edited by Alan Duncan. Submissions are welcome by email, on disk or on paper (in that order of preference). Copy date for the next magazine is 21st September 1997. Thanks to Kay Murray, Ray and Sandy Hepburn and Dorothy Irvine for regular help with photocopying, folding etc. Web site mastered by George McLeod .