Church Magazine - February 1997
Dear Friends
A Letter from our Prayer
Partner
People
Other News
St George's Diary
A Word from our Treasurer
Open Door
Friendship Hour
Church of Scotland News
Is it too late in the year to wish you "Happy New Year"? That's our Scottish habit, and it dies hard. What will 1997 be like we wonder?. We know we face the prospect of a General Election in the UK. We know Hong Kong will revert to Chinese rule. We know Aberdeen will host the Tall ships Race again. We know quite a few forthcoming events but it's just because we can never know everything that lies ahead that we also affirm that "we know who holds the future", to use the words of a hymn.
On the first Sunday evening of this year, we shared our Communion service with members of Woodside Parish Church, and I preached from Philippians 4:10-13 on "the secret Paul had learned - strength for all things" A preacher has to apply the message to herself first! This will be a year with its share of challenges, encouragements and disappointments, gains and losses. It is vital to know that we can face it by becoming "God-sufficient".
At the heart of that lies a relationship - as Paul wrote in Phil 4:10, "life in union with the Lord". Like a marriage, such a union has to be guarded, maintained and enriched if it is to keep on growing. Paul goes on to write (from prison!) "I have learnt this secret, so that anywhere, at any time, I am content, whether I am full or hungry, whether I have too much or too little. I have strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me". The Amplified Bible puts it this way: "I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me - I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me". That secret which Paul had learnt, and which is open for all of us to know is the discovery he made when the Lord did not answer his prayer as he hoped, but instead told him: "my grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak" (2 Cor 12:9). We dare not aim at being "self-sufficient" only at "God sufficiency"!
Some of you face declining health, uncertainty about work prospects, family burdens. Let's all of us discover that secret source of contentment through the grace and strengthening of God.
With loving and prayerful good wishes,
Shirley A. Fraser
A Letter
from our Prayer Partner
It had been a long day and we were more than glad to sink into our hammocks and anticipate a couple of hours of reading by torch light and listening to the BBC news. In the morning we spent four hours checking the Apurina translation of various New Testament books with Chico and Makoa. After cooking lunch we headed off to the nearby stream to wash our dishes and clothes and take a batch. Then after returning and a quick cup of coffee we prepared for our classes. Classes last about two hours. After that we visited Sebastiana for a while to see how she was doing. She's a fourteen year old married to Patricia - one of Chico's sons. She was expecting their first child and had been having pains for a couple of days. Then we walked along the air strip for some exercise. By then it was getting dark and we had to light some candles to illuminate the room in order to prepare our evening meal - just a quickie of tuna and crackers. After that I went off to the Apurina church building which is just across the way from our house to have a quiet time with the Lord. Then brush teeth, blow out candles and dive under mosquito net to recuperate to start all over again the next day..
We had only been lying down a short time when we were startled by a terrific din coming from Patricio's house. What could it be? Then Dominguinho called to us. The baby had been born but it was dead. We dived along to their house and Judy grabbed the wee thing and gave mouth-to-mouth. In a short while the little girl was breathing and the people stopped banging tin cans on the floor in their futile efforts to waken the baby up and start her breathing. Fortunately she was still attached to the placenta and even though she had been born for about five minutes before starting to breath, little Rute (Ruth) seems to be none the worse for her dramatic entrance into this world.
This was just one of many medical problems during our two months at Monkey River. Chico's brother Joao stopped urinating and was in tremendous pain. Fortunately at that point to had a visit from two of the hospital boat team, Erlique and Julio. Julio, with the absence of a catheter, but the presence of a long needle (thanks to a medical kit that Janet Mackenzie had left when she visited in May) was able to withdraw two litres of urine from his bladder - which as you can imagine relieved the situation enormously!
In my May prayer letter I told about Almerinda and her thyroid problem and her fear of having an operation. Well she and Chico are now believing what we are saying and are willing to have the operation. Thank you for those of you who prayed for this. Almerinda will have the operation shortly and Joao will be undergoing prostate surgery soon. We do value your prayers for wisdom for us as we help the Apurina in this way. Joao has never seen a bus before, or used a toilet, or been in a supermarket, or washed his clothes in a washing machine so you can imagine some of the orientation that will be needed when he goes to town for his operation.
A highlight of these last two months was a brief visit from the Rev. Norman MacIver from Aberdeen. A special visitor means a special service with palm fronds and lots of singing from visitors and congregation. The Apurina very much appreciated his visit and the preaching of the word and were pleaded to know of Norman's and his congregation's prayers for them over the years.
March will see us back in Manaus D.V. getting ready to leave for furlough. I hope to arrive in Scotland at the beginning of May if not before. Thanks again for all your support in every way.
In His service,
Cathie Aberdour
Christmas time brought greetings from a number of friends of St George's: among whom were Stewart and Margaret Jeffrey in Banff, Douglas and Alison Robertson with Eilidh and Mairi in Appin; Nigel and Katy Parker in Bucksburn, Margaret Garden in Fintry, David and Heidi Bartholomew, with Fiona and Jamie in Dalry, Benj and Steph Sykes with Thomas in St Albans, Manok Ro with Seong and Miriam in New Malden, Noel and Catherine Evans in New Malden, Jonathan Gower in Southampton, Helen Farr in Cornwall, Eric Lightly at Carberry, Margaret Benton in Stonehaven, John Yates in Alabama, USA and Sommai and Aroonsi in Thailand.
Jane Howitt has been back in Scotland for a break, but will soon be returning to Latvia, to work with Scripture Union there and also in Estonia and Lithuania. Jane is rejoicing in the many opportunities God has opened up for her and in the granting of her residency permit at last.
Rhona Cruickshank is on the move again, in late January, this time to Thailand, as part of her preparation for moving into the country to which she is called. She asks us to pray that she will be assigned to the right language school, and be helped in her learning of Mandarin Chinese.
Iain and Susan Lui write: "On Feb 10, all of us will fly to Vancouver, Canada where Susan and Heng will hope to find a suitable place to settle. I (Iain) will return to Aberdeen to complete my contract at Robert Gordon's University and then I will join them in Canada, unless a door opens for more employment in Britain. We pray to our Lord for guidance and would like brothers and sisters to pray for us".
Congratulations to Andrew Randall and Kay Murray on their engagement and Andrew's success in securing a job in an Edinburgh law firm starting this summer.
It is some time since St George's had a Probationer Assistant Minister, but we can look forward to welcoming one this summer, for 18 months. Dr William Philip, and his wife Rebecca have been in Aberdeen for a number of years and have their home quite close to Tillydrone in Burnett Place.
We express our sincere sympathy to family and friends of two of our elderly members who died in January: Mrs Ella Park, formerly of Donview Road and Mrs Sarah Forbes, formerly of Western Road. Mrs Forbes was always so happy to be brought to Church by taxi on Sundays and Thursdays (for Friendship Hour) and she was with us just 2 days before she died in her sleep. Our condolences also go to Charlie Whyte on the death of his wife Pearl.
People are always on the move, especially when they are doctors! Catherine MacDougall is back from the south; Pam Ewen, Jamie and Julie Cooper will soon be back from Raigmore Hospital, Inverness but Eileen Mackie heads off to Ayr for 6 months.
Welcome to new tenants in 18d Alexander Terrace. Dr Emad and Niveen Kamel with Samen (boy aged 3) and Rita (girl aged 1) come from Egypt and Emad is studying for a PhD in human nutrition.
In February we look forward to having at two services, guests who have been serving overseas: on Sunday Feb 9 at our morning service our guests will be Rev Willie and Katie Black, who have been in South Korea with OMF for a number of years. On Sunday Feb 16 at our evening service, we have Mike and Jane Fucella, who are sent out by the Church of Scotland to work in the Church of Christ in Thailand (Julie Cooper visited them when on her medical elective in 1996). Jane has a fascinating article about their time in Thailand in the January issue of Life and Work. they will also be speaking at a half day conference in Denburn Church Hall on Sat. Feb 8th (9.30 am - 1 pm).
There is an excellent new service available to help those who have been unemployed for 6 months or more. Mrs Christine Ness heads up the new project funded by money from the Scottish Office and she can be contacted at Bridge House, Bridge Street. (tel 595546) Mondays - Wednesdays..
There will be a church ceilidh on Sat Feb 8th and 8 pm. Dust down your kilt and polish your pumps for what promises to be a rare night out. Offers of food will be gratefully received. Either sign the lists in the church hall or speak to Ron McDowell (481039).
"The Truth about Science". The Evangelical Alliance is repeating their very successful 1996 series of presentations entitled "Nothing but the Truth". The Aberdeen presentation will take place in St Machar Academy Hall on Monday Feb 10th at 7.30 pm (price £2). Speakers will be Rob Frost and David Wilkinson and they will be speaking to school classes during the day.
Latin Link are holding a Focus Day on Sat 15th Feb from 2 - 4.30 pm at Old Aberdeen Mission. Contributors include Ian Darke (Costa Rica and Peru), Esther Jack (Brazil) and Gavin Smith (Scottish Promoter).
Once again we are holding a Bereavement Service on Easter Saturday (Mar 29th) at 3 pm. Anyone who would value the opportunity to come together with others in a quiet service in Church to pray for comfort and healing in any kind of loss will be made very welcome. The service will be followed by tea in the church hall. If lifts are required please speak to Kathleen Fraser (493652).
David ad Gwen Haggart are planning another trip to the Holy Land from 6th-18th July. More details from the notice at church or from David and Gwen themselves (584176)
"Discovering Jesus on the Streets". Second Scottish Urban Mission Conference in Dundee. 2-5 May, 1997. Cost £40. See Shirley Fraser for further details.
Prayer Chain in St George's. Already we have an informal prayer link between those who come to the Sunday morning and Wednesday prayer times. If anyone else would like to offer to pray for specific (often emergency) prayer requests passed on by phone, please let Shirley Fraser know (it is very important that such information for prayer be kept confidential).
Sun Feb 9 11.15am Rev Willie Black, OMF Korea. Followed by Fellowship
Lunch.
Sun Feb 16 6.30pm Mike and Jane Fucella (Missionaries in Thailand).
Sun Feb 23 11.15am Family Service
Sat Mar 1 11-3pm Prayer and Gift Day
Sun Mar 2 11.15 & 6.30 pm Communion
Mon Mar 3 7.30pm Stated Annual Meeting. Speaker L. Kinsey, St Columba's,
Bridge of Don.
Sun Mar 9 11.15am Miss Esme Duncan, Reader.
Thu Mar 27 7.30pm Holy Week Service - Communion
Fri Mar 28 7.30pm Good Friday Service
Sat Mar 29 3.00pm Bereavement Service
Easter Sun Mar 30 9.00am Dawn Service, The Mound, Seaton Park followed
by breakfast at the church.
11.15am Family Service
7.30pm Easter Praise Celebration at the Beach Ballroom with many other
churches.
Another year over and another financial year ends. This year we made a loss of just over £4,000. You may remember that in 1995 we also made a loss of £6,000. Together we now have a debt to Edinburgh of £10,000. This seems a large burden for such a small congregation to carry. However, it has been pointed out to the treasurer that if every member were to contribute an extra 80 pence to their weekly contribution the debt would be cleared by the year end. This is obviously an average figure and some will be able to afford more and some less. I know that many of you will be disappointed by news of our continuing debts - we are grateful for your continued support.
Pray that we, as a church will seek God's guidance as we reach out to the people of Tillydrone.
Remember all the organisations and groups meeting each week. Pray for the Girl's Brigade, Friendship Hour, Woman's Guild and Coffee Ship. Pray that more mums in the parish would be able to come along to the Mums and Toddlers. Give thanks that the "Heart to Hear" ladies Bible study continues to grow. Pray that more people will feel led to join a house group.
Continue to pray for those who are ill, at home or in hospital, and for those who anxiously await the results of tests. Remember those who have lost a loved one. Pray that they may be given the strength to face each new day.
Pray for Cathie Aberdour working with Wycliffe Translators in Brazil. Remember the many others serving in often difficult and dangerous parts of the world.
Remember Rhona Cruikshank in Thailand for the final stage of training before moving into China. Pray that she will know God's peace and protection as she waits to know in which part of China she will be working.
Remember the Prayer and Gift Day on March 1st. Pray that people will come and share with us as we pray for our church, our city and our world and as we give for God's work among us.
Feb 6 Rev Willie Black, Korea Feb 13 Meryl Sandison will speak on the work of the Usher Torch Trust for the Blind. Feb 20 Ian Darke of Latin Link will speak of his work in Costa Rica. Feb 27 Story Time. Alice Harper. Mar 6 Les Brown. Missionary Aviation Fellowship. Mar 13 P.C. Gordon Townson will give a talk and video on personal security. Mar 20 Jean Brownhill will talk about Aid to Romania Mar 27 Ros Grant. Slide show on Ice Emperor Penguins.
Island Influences You'll have heard of it but what is it? Now the Iona Community tells all in a booklet. With community interest focusing in 1997 on the 1400th anniversary of the death of St Columba on the island of Iona, even more pilgrims than usual are expected to travel there, and the new booklet "What is the Iona Community?" will answer a lot of questions about a relatively small group of just over 200 members. The sixtieth anniversary of the founding of the Community, by Lord George Macleod of Fuinary will be celebrated in 1998. The Community has a commitment to peace and justice, prayer and bible study, sharing and accounting for the use of money. Information about their work is available from the Pearce Institute at Govan Road in Glasgow.
Further information from George McLeod