Church Magazine - 165 - February - March 1998
Alpha
Dear Friends - Minister's Letter
Church Coffee Morning
Friendship Hour
Make a Joyful Noise...
Forthcoming Events
Open Door - Points for Prayer
Treasurer's Report - 1997
In Brief - News of People
Hayverings - think about it!
Our first Alpha course at St George's finished just before Christmas, having run over the previous 11 weeks on Thursday evenings. About 20 of us met to share a meal together, followed by a series of excellent video presentations in which the fundamental issues of the Christian faith were explored. After the video, during coffee, we were able to have some very helpful group discussions arising from the video, in a relaxed, non-threatening setting.
We were a fair mix of folk on the course. Some had been Christians for many years. Others would be unwilling to call themselves Christians at all. Still others were completely new to the Church. The great thing was that whatever our outlook, we all seemed to get so much out of the Alpha experience!
Following on from this, we are keen to go ahead with a second Alpha course, and it has been agreed by the Session that this time Alpha should run on Sunday evenings. The reason for this is that a number of people who have expressed interest in coming cannot manage the week-night evening for various reasons. We hope that by running it on Sundays many more people will be free to be part of Alpha, either as course members or as helpers (of which we will be looking for quite a number!)
Obviously, this will entail some changes to the usual pattern of evening services, but it will be only for a limited period, starting Sunday 8th March and running into the end of May. The programme will also be slightly different, in order that those who do not want to be part of Alpha, but do still want to come to evening worship can by accommodated. So we will be having what could be called "Evening Service with Alpha"!
Those signing up for he Alpha course will come at 5.30 for a "Sunday Tea" at 5.45 pm. Then at 6.30 pm (usual service time) we will join with any other evening worshippers for a short time of worship followed by the talk for the evening (on video). At the end of this which will be at about 7.30 pm, there will be coffee (as we usually have after the evening service), and at this point those members of Alpha will go on to the discussion group time (until about 8.30 pm) while others simply go home as usual.
Do be thinking whether you might like to come to it yourself, bring a friend, or recommend it to anyone you know who would like to know more about our Lord Jesus Christ. It is our hope that this second Alpha course will be as fruitful as the first, and we commend it to your prayers.
A new year has begun, with just two to go to the much talked about Millennium. The churches in Scotland have designated 1998 as the Year of Hope, and I welcome that. Don't we need to be reminded of the possibility of hope? Tragically, some have no idea what hope is or how to find it, and their lives shriek "hopelessness" to all who look on.
Hope is one of the great truths of the Bible. The Psalms speak of it in relation to God, to His work and to His unfailing love. Many a Christian believer has clung on personally to the promise given by God so long ago to His exiled people (Jer 29:11): "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. They you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you". In his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote of the great hope we have and how to receive it, "through the patience and encouragement which the Scriptures give us" (Rom 15:4). The he wrote a prayer which we could easily learn to use too: "May the God of hope fill you will all joy and peace as you trust Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Rom 15:13)
The year ahead of us has many "unknowns", and some may be facing it apprehension, even dread. If a ship is to ride out a storm, it must have a sure anchor. In Hebrews 6:19 we read: "We have this hope (in Christ) as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." True hope is not anchored in the church, or one's family or one's achievements. It is the reality of "Christ in us, the hope of glory" which is all important.
1998: The Year of Hope. Let's discover that for ourselves!
With loving prayer,
Shirley A. Fraser
Venue: Langstane Kirk, Union Street, Aberdeen
Time: Saturday April 11, 1998; 10.00 am - 12 noon
This year
the church is trying a new venture and has booked the hall of Langstane
Kirk to hold its Annual Fayre in the hope of generating more income than
in recent years. There will be Tea, Coffee and Home Bakes on offer and
it is hoped to have several stalls selling, Home Baking, Fancy Goods, Plants,
Books etc. No Clothes are required.
We will, as usual, be looking to the membership to donate goods for sale. As far as providing for the teas and coffees we have the usual core of bakers who will cater pancakes, scones etc. We know that not everyone has such a skill but it may be that some of you may like to help by donating Flour, Margarine and/or Sugar. These can be handed in to church.
We are hoping that if you are in town that morning you will bypass Littlewoods,
Debenhams and such and come to Langstane for you morning cuppa. You will
get much better value for your money and help you church into the bargain.
The entry charge will be £1 for adults and 50p for children and this
will include tea, coffee and eats.
Some of
you - especially those who attend the evening services - will be aware
that there is a bunch of people around who call themselves the "Music
Group". After a summer hibernation of sorts, the group re-emerged
last September under new management, and has since been going from strength
to strength. If you don't believe me, you weren't there at the beginning!
In many of the churches I've visited the music group tends to become rather a clique. This is something I really want to avoid at St George's, and I'd like to stress now that ANYONE is very welcome to join us. We practise at 6pm before the evening service if we're due to play. Let me know what you're happy playing, and I'll fit you in somewhere. We don't all have to play at once - in fact, it would be good to have enough people to have to set up some sort of rota. I'm looking for singers as well as musicians, and the excuse that you think you can't sing is not accepted (see title).
In the near future I'm hoping to have a Saturday afternoon rehearsal, to give us a rather more time to practise and hopefully to learn some new songs. If all goes well, it may become a slightly more regular fixture, maybe monthly. This will be open to anyone, whether or not you want to join the group. Keep an eye on the weekly notices for the date... If you have any new songs that you'd like us to learn and incorporate into the church's worship, please let me know. A copy of the music would be helpful, but if you only have cassette/CD/words/title, don't worry - I should be able to find it somewhere.
All that remains for me to say is "dust off your instruments, have a quick gargle and join in the fun...!"
Dawn Heasley
Tuesday Feb
10th. 7.30pm There will be a Scots Night in St George's in aid of TEAR
Fund. Donald McLennan and group will provide the music; there will be a
short video on TEAR funded work amongst street girls in Bolivia - and light
refreshments provided by the Guild. Tickets (from Jackie Hamilton) cost
2 pounds (and 50p for children), and can be had at the door. There will
also be the opportunity to make and additional offering for TEAR Fund and
take a collecting box to use personally in regular giving.
Tues Mar 10. 7.30. We'll be holding our Annual Stated Meeting, at which we review the past year, approve the accounts and elect new Congregational Board members. We look forward to welcoming Rev Peter Dickson (High Hilton Church) as our guest speaker. Do come along, even if you are not a member of St George's.
Sat April 11 is going to be busy! There's to be a Coffee Morning in place of the May Fayre. At 3pm we'll be having our short Memorial Service for those who have been bereaved, and will have tea after it. This is a service which is for anyone who would find it helpful.
Very advanced notice: Sat June 13 - our Church Picnic afternoon. More details later.
Holidays:
Willie Philip will be on holiday from Jan 31 to Feb 6 and Shirley Fraser will be on another overseas trip from Feb 6 - 16 (holiday actually Feb 4 - 18). Pastoral cover will be as follows:
Feb 4 - 6 Rev Alistair Murray (484562)
Feb 7 - 18 Rev Willie Philip (492038)
Events beyond St George's, but of great interest to us:
Feb 16 - 21. Aberdeen University Christian Union Mission, with John MacKinnon (S.U.) as the main speaker. Sara Evans, a UCCF Relay Worker this year, will be assisting.
and ... Feb 23 - 27. Christian Focus Week in Schools, organised by S.U. Please pray for both of these key events.
Tuesday Feb 24; 7.30. Newhills Parish Church is the venue for the Evangelical Alliance's meeting entitled "Seizing the Moment. Facing the challenge of being relevant in today's culture". This evening is for you if you have
New Alpha Course - see above
Services in St George's
Prayer and Giving Week-end: Feb 28th - March 1
Early Morning Prayer Meetings for Revival
These are held each morning from 6 - 7 am in the lower hall in the City
Church, Gilcomston Park, and anyone is welcome. These are part of a nation-wide
awakening to pray for God's moving in Scotland, and draw together Christians
from several denominations.
Muriel Collie
As many of you know, over the last few years St George's has accumulated considerable debts of around £10,000. I am glad to report that in 1997 we did not add to this debt and that hopefully, the rot of spiralling debt has stopped. Thank-you for the effort you have made over the last year. However, we now have to look forward to the challenge of 1998. In order to break even financially, St George's needs an income of £35,000 per year. The cost to the church for ministry alone is over £24,000 (part of this includes the minister's salary). We also need money to heat and light the church and produce a church magazine. As you can imaging £35,000 is a considerable sum of money to raise, from such a small congregation of 262 members. Over the years, the annual income needed has increased, and the burden has fallen on fewer and fewer members.
The purpose of this message is to ask members to review their giving in 1998 and to seriously consider increasing weekly or monthly offerings. It may be of interest to you to look up the chart below of a breakdown of the congregational giving for 1997. See where you are on the chart? Would your offering be the price of a newspaper at 25p, a can of Coke at 65p, a MacDonalds Big Mac at £1.25 or a packet of cigarettes at £2.50? As you can see, some members give considerably more than the sums I highlighted above. A little bit extra, given by many lessens the financial burden considerably. If we are to "grow" as a congregation, we need you prayers and your money to maintain our place of worship an remunerate our minister. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Des Chrystal.
| Givings per annum (£) |
Number of individuals |
| 0-10 11-20 21-40 41-60 61-80 81-100 101-120 121-140 141-160 161-180 181-200 201-300 301-500 501-700 700+ |
4 11 18 23 6 9 11 1 3 1 0 4 3 3 4 |
A number of friends of St George's sent greetings at Christmas time: David and Heidi Bartholomew (Dalry); Violet James (Singapore); Stewart ad Margaret Jeffrey (Whitehills); Nigel and Katie Parker; Sommai and Aroonsi Pripem (Thailand); Douglas and Alison Robertson (Appin); Margaret Garden (Fintray); Ron McDowell (N. Ireland).
It was a great shock to many in St George's and in Tillydrone to hear of the very sudden death of Sandy Hepburn on Dec 21, whilst our morning service was being held. Sandy served so faithfully as one of our Church Officers and had much involvement in the life of the Community, and so he is greatly missed. We remember Ray in her loss.
Earlier in December, two other members had died: Mrs Mina Corbett and James Leith, and we extend our sympathy to their relatives also. We extend our sympathy to Mr Bishop of Meadow Lane on the very sudden death of his wife Mina, one or our housebound members.
There have been joys as well! We have welcomed the following into membership: Mrs Barbara McPetrie (by certificate) and Mrs Angela Kennedy (by baptism and profession of faith). The following have also come into Associate Membership: Nelson Muturi (from Kenya) and Armand and Murlan Barus (from Indonesia). We pray that all may find a real spiritual home in St George's.
We express our warm thanks to Elsie McGregor who has now served for 25 years as an elder!
Arriving on one of the coldest days of December, Hannatu Pochi (wife of Dan) and her two youngest boys, Makwa and Zumnan, are now staying in the Northfield Manse during the Vacancy (Dan being the Locum Minister). Dan's place in "2c" has been filled by Andrew Bromley, who hails from Bolton. Welcome to all these and other new folk.
Congratulations to Rebecca Philip, on success in her important exam in December. Also to Rev Willie Black, with Katie, on his call to the High Kirk, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis - quite a change from Korea! Just before Christmas, one our members took the opportunity to get married. Bernard Kamya, from Uganda, was married to Inge from Holland, and we look forward to meeting her.
Last month Gorry and Fiona Fairhurst told us of their decision to worship in Bridge of Don Baptist Church. We thank them for all they have given to the life of St George's over many years (Fiona having served as an elder), and we wish them and Robert and Peter God's rich blessings.
News of
some of those who are serving abroad: Cathie Aberdour, our partner who
is with Wycliffe Bible Translators, has left Scotland for a return to Brazil,
via the USA. Rhona Cruickshank is very much looking forward to a break
in Thailand during her holiday from Language School. Jane Howitt has had
six weeks' break in Scotland, and returns to Latvia at the beginning of
February. It was great to have her speaking at the Friendship Hour on Jan
15. Ian and Fay Kirby have begun their home assignment from Kyrgyzstan
with a break in Pakistan to see Ian's parents, and in Bahrein to see friends.
We look forward to having them back in Aberdeen! Mike and Jane Fucella
in a recent email message spoke of more Thai believers baptised; Mike is
suffering back pain and much concern and weariness because of the many
tragic sufferers from HIV and AIDS.
On Jan 25, we had a service for the ordination of new elders in St George's. They are: Jamie Cooper, Alan Duncan, Rev Paul Mumo, Mary Mumo and Tom Sunderland.
St Machar Primary School Library has opened at last! Donations of new Christian books will be welcomed. Please speak to Shirley Fraser if you would like to give money for the purchase of some books.
Ray Hepburn would like to thank everyone in St George's who have helped
her in her loss of Sandy.
Around most
of the country this evening, we have been given the opportunity to watch
a film called "Blown Away". Interestingly enough, this film which
is about the activities of a malicious bomber, set on causing pain and
mayhem in the city of Boston will not be shown in Ulster. The violence
deemed suitable for the rest of us is not suitable for those sensitive
souls across the Irish Sea and so they have been given a more suitable
offering, "The Colour of Money"; a more light-hearted film involving
gambling, cheating and the manipulation of others for one's own end. I
find it reassuring to know we are all being so well looked after by those
governing bodies in Television
Church Telephone Directory
The church magazine in print includes a list of telephone numbers of contact
persons within the church. We do not intend publishing this on our web
site - however if you would like a copy, please e-mail George
and we will gladly send you one.
From the editor...
Many of you submit articles which you have typed on computers. You
then print them off and give them to me. I then type them in again. It
would make my job much easier if you could give me the disks (in any pc
format) and the paper. I'm quite happy to return disks later.
St George's-Tillydrone magazine is edited by Alan Duncan. The church web site is at http://www.ifb.co.uk/~tillybin/stgeorge. Submissions are welcome by email, on disk or on paper (in that order of preference). Contributions may be edited. Copy date for the next magazine is 22nd March 1998. Thanks to Ray Hepburn, Dorothy Irvine and Jackie Hamilton, for regular help with photocopying, folding etc. Web site mastered by George McLeod at Tillybin.
Open
Door - Points for Prayer