CROSSTALK

MARCH 2011

Temple-Anniesland Parish Church 869 Crow Road

GLASGOW G13 1LE Tele: 0141-959 1814

Congregational Number : 161054

Scottish Charity Number : SCO15579

(2) LETTER FROM OUR „LOCUM‟

My dear friends A great cheer and applause echoed round the church on Sunday 27th February when it was declared that Fiona Gardner had been so overwhelmingly elected to be the next Minister of Temple-Anniesland – and quite right too! She conducted a fine service and there was a warm and positive atmosphere in the church. We all know that in Fiona we have a Minister who will bring many great gifts to the worship, witness, and outreach of the congregation and we must be so grateful that she has accepted the Call and will soon be at the helm. She comes knowing full well the challenges facing all churches not least in the Presbytery of Glasgow where she has served for fourteen years and she is keenly aware of the tasks lying before her. But she also knows that in you she will have committed and loyal members who will encourage her and support her as she leads you all forward. For me, I am delighted that she is coming and while I have enjoyed my time with you, it is good that the vacancy has not been too long and that you will soon have a settled full-time Minister. The Call to Fiona will be sustained at the April meeting of Presbytery and her Induction is planned for Wednesday 11th May at 7 p.m. I will be with you until then and my final Sunday will be 8th May. One of the real blessings of this vacancy has been that I have come to know well Colin Renwick, the Interim Moderator. I have greatly admired the way in which he has guided the Nominating Committee to such a happy and united outcome and value his friendship. The period covered by this Crosstalk includes Holy Week and Easter and I know that you appreciate the additional services there are – please note the dates and times from elsewhere in this magazine and I know that you will do your best to support these services. With all good wishes,

David Keddie

( 3) LETTER FROM THE INTERIM MODERATOR It was good to preside over the election of the Rev Fiona Gardner. The Church was well-filled and there was a tangible sense of worship and of Christian community. It has been a privilege to be your interim-Moderator and to work with office-bearers and members of the Nominating Committee. The next phase of Temple-Anniesland‟s life has the potential to be rewarding and fruitful. Fiona will bring much to it, but her effectiveness depends, in no small measure, on you, the congregation. As you look ahead, I leave you with the assurance of my prayers, and with a parable written by the Danish philosopher, Kierkegaard. A flock of geese lived in a barnyard with great high walls. Because the corn was good and the barnyard secure, these geese never took a risk. One day, a philosopher goose came among them. He was a very good philosopher and every week they listened quietly and attentively to his learned discourses. ‘My fellow travellers on the way of life,’ he would say, ‘can you seriously imagine that this barnyard, with great high walls around it, is all there is to existence? I tell you, there is another and a greater world outside, a world of which we are only dimly aware. Our forefathers knew of this world. Did they not stretch their wings and fly across the trackless wastes of desert and ocean, of green valley and wooded hill?’ The geese thought that this was very fine lecturing. ‘How poetical,’ they thought.’ What a flawless summary of the mystery of existence.’ Often the philosopher spoke of the advantages of flight, calling the geese to be what they were. After all, they had wings. Often he reflected on the beauty and the wonder of life outside the barnyard, and the freedom of the skies. Every week the geese were uplifted, inspired and moved by the philosopher’s message. They hung on his every word. They undertook a thoroughgoing analysis and critical evaluation of his doctrines. All of this they did. But one thing they never did. They did not fly! For the corn was good, and the barnyard was secure! There is much to ponder in those words. I wish you God‟s rich blessing and an exciting future. With warm regards,

COLIN C RENWICK

( 4 )

Fergus

TREASURER‟S REPORT

Her indoors now has a new laptop and you speak to it and it types the document for you. The only problem I have with it is it does not understand my accent for some reason and it keeps asking me to repeat the word therefore you may be lucky or unlucky depending on how you look at it as it may take me a year to complete this report and then it may not be legible. I hear you saying but is that not your usual report. Talking about length of time I was up at the church to let the gentleman in who checks the fire extinguishers on an annual basis and I said to him John (mind you his name was Bill) it doesn‟t seem like a year since I have seen you to which he replied it wasn‟t a year it was actually two years. How time flies!!!! At the moment I am in the midst of checking a lot of church accounts and time certainly is flying. Oh by the way the Congregational Board has approved the church accounts for 2010 and they have been examined and signed off and a set has been sent to OSCR and Edinburgh both well ahead of their deadlines. If you wish a copy please let me know as you do not get a full copy at the ASM. Our offerings dropped slightly but they were ahead of 2009 until the bad weather came and people were not able to get to church. Over 25 of the congregation now pay by standing order and obviously the snow did not affect their givings so maybe it is an idea to pay your offering by this method if at all possible. If you are thinking of paying by standing order please contact Elisabeth Robertson or come and see me. Talking about Elisabeth Robertson reminds me of my usual plug – if you pay tax and have not yet signed a “Gift Aid Form”, please contact Elisabeth. Unfortunately the tax rate on gift aid is reducing from 6th April this year from 28p in the £1 to 25p in the £1 which to us a reduction in income of approximately £1,600 per annum. Better not end on a low note. Her indoors says that I very seldom get to the right notes. I do know that the congregation once again in 2010 gave a lot of good sterling notes and thanks to you all for your giving‟s.

( 5 ) JOHN BROWN‟S COLUMN Celtic Connections has just recently finished. I went to a few events and enjoyed the performances and the blend of acoustic instruments. There was an atmosphere of closeness and a definite connection with the audience. This ambience is unique to Celtic connections and harks back to the roots of folk music that helps to keep our musical traditions and heritage very much alive, this in turn cements our relationships with friends far and near who may come from different cultural traditions. Music can cross these barriers effortlessly and make connections; sadly, the same is not always true for issues of faith in many parts of the world.

You may be wondering where I am going with this. Well “Connection” is the key word here. I feel there is a certain “Connection” in believing that Jesus Christ is my Saviour, without Jesus there would be a terrible void in my life and no hope. This brings us to Easter. The time of Easter is to some just another school holiday and time to spend with the family. To others it is a break from the daily grind of work but for followers of Jesus it means so much more. Christians celebrate this festival every year, as it is the foundation of our faith in Jesus the man and Jesus our Saviour. In this multimedia age where the norm is the five-minute sound bite and then move on to the next. It is refreshing to hear a message that has rung true throughout the last 2000 years and continues to do so even today. Easter is for all Christians a deeply spiritual time and can bring a revival in a flagging faith as we focus on Holy Week and the Passion of The Christ. Easter Sunday means for me an early rise to catch the rays of the sun (hopefully), tentatively creeping over the horizon to signal the start of the day. I always look forward to the dawn morning service we celebrate by going to Dawsholm Park. Looking down over our sleeping parish on Easter morn is a special moment.

Christ left a lasting legacy for us to live up to, and a helper in the form of the Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide us. Accepting the Good News of the gospel message gives us a solid foundation from which we can face our daily trials in life. “The Cross Is Still There” wrote Ian White and I believe the Cross still looms large over the lives of Christians and non-Christians alike. In the Clydebank Male Voice Choir, our encore is Morte Criste (When I survey the wondrous Cross). For me that Hymn says so much about Easter, the sufferings that Jesus went through for us while we were / still are sinners. Christ died for our sins nailed to a cross and later loosed the pangs of death and rose again in the glorious resurrection to take his rightful place at his father‟s side and intercedes on our behalf even now. Easter Day is a Special Day that may herald the Start of your new life in Christ Jesus. Can you connect with Jesus today, the decision is yours.

JOHN BROWN

( 6 ) EASTER Easter Day is the most important date in the Christian Year, not only because the Resurrection of Jesus is central to our faith, but because all the other dates in the Church‟s year are dependent on when Easter is. You work back from Easter to find Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Lent and Holy Week and you work forwards from Easter to find Ascension Day and Pentecost. But why does Easter shift, how is it dated, and would it be better to try to fix the date? Already our secular rulers have decided that what used to be Easter holidays are now Spring holidays and that schools will always shut for the first two weeks of April, no matter when Easter falls. A fear of offending other religions has led to an abandonment of our Christian heritage – making something, in my view, of a mockery of the claim to be “Christian country.” In the beginning Christians tied Easter to the date of the Jewish Festival of Passover – the Last Supper was supposedly a Passover meal and Passover was dated in accordance with the cycle of the Moon, however this meant that Easter could have been any day in the week and it was felt that Easter should and ought always to be a Sunday, Jesus was raised on the “first day of the week”. The links between the Jewish faith and developing Christianity soon broke and the Church then became free to set the date of Easter as it wished.

It was decided to combine the phases of the moon with the movement of the sun so that Easter would always be a spring as well as a religious festival. It was at the Council of Nicea in 325AD that the formula was agreed. By this time Christianity was on the way to becoming the official religion of the Roman Empire following the Conversion of the Emperor Constantine in 312AD. Spring begins with the Spring Equinox which occurs on 21

st March. This is when the sun reaches the Equator

and on that date day and night are of equal length (hence equi - nox). It was resolved at Nicea (in 325 AD) to have Easter on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the 21st March. So once you know when the first full moon is after the 21

st March you can easily calculate the date of Easter. In theory this means that

Easter could fall anytime between 22nd

March and 25th April. A couple of years ago

Easter was on the 23rd

March almost as early as it could be and this year it will be 24

th April almost as late as it can be. Easter has to be a Sunday, so trying to fix it

would be difficult, even if you could get all the Churches to agree and fat chance there is of that! The Gregorian Calendar introduced in the 16

th Century was not

adopted by the Orthodox Churches and in that part of the Church Easter is still dated according to the Julian Calendar, so that their Easter can be a number of weeks earlier or later than ours in the West. As you will find if you go to Greece, Cyprus or Russia for an Easter holiday – it may not be Easter there!

Easter is named after the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre, the goddess of Spring – hares were sacrificed to her and eggs were exchanged as signs of new life – perhaps there we have the origin of the Easter bunny and the rolling of brightly coloured eggs.

David Keddie

( 7 ) CHOIR NEWS Despite the severe weather conditions which we had to endure last December, the choir still braved the elements to attend practices every Thursday evening, in preparation for the annual Carol Service. For the first time this event took place on the Sunday morning, and not in the evening as had been the case in previous years. All seemed to go well on the day, and I would like to take this opportunity of thanking the choir for all their hard work at rehearsals prior to the Christmas service and also for their loyalty and support throughout the year. I would also like to thank the additional singers to the choir who helped swell our numbers at Christmas. On a different matter, those of the congregation who attend the evening services will have been aware of our newly acquired digital piano in the new hall. The purchase of this very good quality instrument was made possible by a most generous donation from one of our members. The church was also very fortunate in receiving as a gift, the piano belonging to the late Vivien Angus. This instrument is housed in the old hall. I end with my usual plea for new members to the choir. Although we do have a faithful and competent band of singers, we can always do with more voices, and if are at all interested, please speak to me after morning service or contact me at home. You will enjoy it!

Stewart Henderson

( 8 ) THE GUILD We are almost at the end of our Session, which finishes on Tuesday 29

th March

with a Daffodil Tea, when we will be entertained, as usual, by Kay & Marjorie. We have had a varied and interesting syllabus and hopefully something to suit everyone! There will be a “Strawberry Fayre” on Saturday 21

st May from 2 - 4pm

and the Guild Bus Run is on Tuesday 17th May, the bus leaves at 10am sharp.

We should be having our Tuesday “Tea & Chat” throughout the summer months, please check the Intimation Sheet for details of the first afternoon. I hope you all have a happy and sunny time over the holidays and look forward to the Guild resuming in October.

Isobel Barrie

MOTHER & TODDLERS We are doing well at the moment and there are some new babies and children due to come in when our older children go nursery this year. We have had “pyjama” party and our next event will be our Easter Bonnet Parade, we are also hoping to have a sponsored “toddle”, which should be lots of fun – we may be looking for sponsors! I wish to thank all in the congregation for the support they give to us throughout the year.

Angela Sweeney

THE PRAYER & BIBLE STUDY GROUP The Prayer and Bible Study Group now meet on the 2

nd and 4

th Wednesday of

the month, in the Session Room. The Prayer Group from 10.30 – 11.00am, and the Bible Study Group from 1100 – 12 noon. The time change we hope will encourage people who don‟t like to come out in the evening. We are using Scripter Union notes “Encounter with God”, so anyone using these notes may find it especially helpful. However, everyone is most welcome to join us as we learn together from the Word of God.

Alison Gray

( 9 )

Girlguiding Glasgow - 201

st Glasgow Brownie Pack

The Tuesday Brownie Pack have been busy learning about Chinese New Year and celebrating different aspects of their culture. We made paper lanterns which the Girls took home to light and fly from their own Garden or local park. They also found out what animal they are and what it means as well as some of the well known proverbs. The County celebrated Thinking Day by taking over the Glasgow Science Centre. Over 500 Rainbows, Brownies and Guides spent a great evening in the science mall, visiting the planetarium and taking part in various workshops. The Brownies had a great time and there are some budding scientists in the pack.

Lesley Murray

1

st Kelvinside Rainbows

This has been a busy term so far for the Monday Rainbows. We started the term by welcoming a few new members and at the end of January, 7 of the rainbows made their promise and received their promise badges and certificates. We have also started work on our first Rainbow Roundabout which teaches the rainbows about the four “L‟s” of being a rainbow, “Look”,” Learn”, “Laugh” and “Love”. We have some exciting things planned for the rest of the term (such as a „pyjama party‟ and a healthy eating night when we will sample different healthy foods). If you know of any girls who are aged 5 or 6 then please, do not hesitate to get in touch with us or come along to a meeting on Monday nights at 6 O‟clock in the old hall.

Laura Shishodia Assistant Unit Guider

( 10 ) REGISTER DEATHS Nov Dec Jan Feb

19 9 17 28 21

Mrs M McKew Mrs M Byrne Mrs M McClymont Mr Alex(Sandy) Weir Mr John Hamilton

Glencoe St Almond View Bearsden Rd Athelstane Rd Quayside Nursing Home

N/M M

N/M N/M M

CHANGE OF ADDRESS Mrs E Robertson to Rowan Drive, Bearsden (09)

*****************************************

HOLY WEEK 2011 - 17

th – 24

th APRIL

There will be services throughout Holy Week as has been the tradition in Temple-Anniesland. Palm Sunday 11 am Morning Service (17

th) Evening Praise Service in Jordanhill Parish Church – time tbc

Monday (18

th) Tuesday (19

th) Wednesday (20

th) Maundy Thursday (21

st)

Good Friday (22nd

) service each day at 12.30 p.m. These services will be conducted by local Ministers. Maundy Thursday 7 pm Evening Service with Holy Communion Good Friday 7 pm Evening Service Easter Day 7 am Sunrise Service in Dawsholm Park followed by breakfast in the Church 11 am Morning Service with Holy Communion All are welcome to these services.

( 11 ) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * A SCOTTISH EVENING We are holding a Scottish Evening in aid of the “Boiler Fund” on Friday 25

th March at 7.00pm in the old hall. We will have live music i.e. our

organist Stewart and a couple of friends will entertain and we are having a piper and also an accordionist who will play some Scottish dances and you can dance the night away, as they say! Supper will also be provided. Tickets priced £5 can be obtained from Evelyn Greechan, Stewart Henderson or Fay Platt. Please come along and support this venture. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

THANK YOU

I would just like to say thank you for the church flowers and all the good wishes following my accident. I am so glad to be out and about again.

Audrey Paterson Thanks to everyone who sent their kind wishes to me during my recent illness. Thank you too for the church flowers which were much appreciated.

David Murray Thanks to all who gave me all their old Christmas cards. I have sent a 10Kg parcel to Nepal to my friend who uses them to make jigsaws for the children. She also cycles round the countryside organising training courses for teachers. A special thanks to Helen Ogilvie for cutting off the backs of “hundred” of cards for me.

Alison Gray

COMPUTER PSALM 23 The Lord is my programmer; I shall not crash He installed his software on the hard disk of my heart; All of his commands are user-friendly. His directory guides me to the right choices for his name‟s sake. Even though I scroll through the problems of life, I will fear no bugs, for He is my backup. His password protects me. He prepares a menu before me in the presence of my enemies. His help is only a keystroke away. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, And my file will be merged with his and saved forever. Amen

( 12 )

AFTER CHURCH FELLOWSHIP

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

13

20

27 3

10

17

24 1 8

15

22

29 5

12

Mrs G Cullen, Miss J Maughan, Mrs C Lintott, Mrs S Kerr Mrs E Todd, Mrs M Campbell. Mrs M Stewart, Mrs B McLachlan, Mrs M McCormack, Mrs A Keddie, Mrs M Hutchison, Mr W Hutchison. Mrs J Stewart, Mrs J McGregor, Mrs J Edgar, Mrs P Dawson, Miss H McNair, Mr J Muldrew Miss M Milliken, Mrs A McCallum, Mrs H Slater, Mrs A Crawford, Mr D Cumming.. Mrs L Murray, Mrs H Provan, Mrs J Smyrl, Mr L Smyrl Miss J Greenlees, Miss S Kennedy, Mrs E MacDonald.. Mrs M Stewart, Mrs M McCormack, Mrs A Keddie, Mrs M Hutchison, Mr W Hutchison, Ms A Gray. Mrs J Stewart, Mrs J McGregor, Mrs J Edgar, Mrs P Dawson, Mr J Muldrew. Miss F McIntyre, Mrs M Blackley, Mrs H McLean, Mrs I Brown, Mrs G McMillan, Mr M Macleod. Mrs M Stewart, Miss K Creelman, Mrs R Donnelly, Mrs M Reith, Miss A Weir. Mrs G Cullen, Miss J Maughan, Mrs C Lintott, Mrs S Kerr Mrs E Todd, Mrs M Campbell. Mrs M Begg, Mrs M Cowan, Mrs A Paterson, Mrs D McKinnon, Mrs J Murray, Mr I Murray Mrs N Sinclair, Mrs M Paton, Ms S Campbell, Mr J Brown, Mrs C Robertson, Mrs J Steele, Ms C Sinclair, Miss M Milliken, Mrs A McCallum, Mrs H Slater, Mrs A Crawford, Mr D Cumming.

Mrs L Murray, Mrs H Provan, Mrs J Smyrl, Mr L Smyrl Miss J Greenlees, Miss S Kennedy, Mrs E MacDonald,

I can do all things through prayer and a coffee

( 13 )

MONTH

DATE

FLOWERS

FLOWER DELIVERY

MAR

APR

MAY

JUNE

6 6

13 13 20 20 27 27 27 3

10 17 24 24 1 8

15 22 22 29 5

12

12

Mrs I Brown Mrs N Sinclair Mrs GT Scott Mr & Mrs F Tosh Mrs L Allan Mrs A Paterson Ms M Reith Mrs B McLachlan Ms J Bain Mrs E Greechan Mrs D McKinnon Mr & Mrs F Platt Mrs H McLean Mrs J Morrison In Memory of Liz Spence Memory of John Hamilton The Brownies Mr & Mrs W Hutchison Mrs H Slater Mrs Nan Bain Mrs L Blackie In Memory of the Brackenridge Family Ms E Gordon

Isobel Brown Ann Crawford Audrey Paterson Maureen Reith Evelyn Greechan Jeanette Greenlees Fay Platt Evelyn Macdonald Audrey Spence Liz Weir Arlene Brown Margaret Hutchison Elisabeth Robertson Gillian McMillan Liz Gordon

Seasons change, God never does

MAR APR

MAY JUNE

6

13

20

27

3

10

17

24

1

8

15

22

29

5

12

19

Murdoch MacLeod, Molly Begg, Christine MacLeod, David Murray, Isobel Haddow, Andrea Murray Les Smyrl, Jessica Smyrl, Marilyn Primrose, Fred Tosh, Danny Cumming, Audrey Embleton, Mariana Palinkash Communion Fiona McIntyre, Clare Sinclair, Andy Robertson, Catherine Robertson, Ian Murray, June Murray Anne Weir, Kathleen Creelman, Tom Griffiths, Marion Stewart, Maureen Mee, Isabel Barrie John Brown, Maureen Milliken, Annette Wright, Cathie Lintott, Isobel Brown, Jean Steele Margaret Maclean, June Stewart, Alison Gray, Fergus Stevenson, Bill Hutchison, John Edgar Joe Houston, Audrey Spence, Iain Smith, Elisabeth Robertson, Fay Platt, Margaret Campbell Robert Dallas, Rae Donnelly, Nancy Sinclair, Betty Spence, Stella MacDonald, Pamela Dallas Murdoch MacLeod, Molly Begg, Christine MacLeod, David Murray, Isobel Haddow, Andrea Murray Les Smyrl, Jessica Smyrl, Marilyn Primrose, Fred Tosh, Danny Cumming, Audrey Embleton, Mariana Palinkash Fiona McIntyre, Clare Sinclair, Andy Robertson, Catherine Robertson, Ian Murray, June Murray Anne Weir, Kathleen Creelman, Tom Griffiths, Marion Stewart, Maureen Mee, Isabel Barrie Margaret Maclean, June Stewart, Alison Gray, Fergus Stevenson. Bill Hutchison, John Edgar Joe Houston, Audrey Spence, Iain Smith, Elisabeth Robertson, Fay Platt, Margaret Campbell Robert Dallas, Rae Donnelly, Nancy Sinclair, Betty Spence, Stella MacDonald, Pamela Dallas Communion John Brown, Maureen Milliken, Annette Wright, Cathie Lintott, Isobel Brown, Jean Steele

( 14 ) WELCOME TO CHURCH

( 15 )

CHURCH CONTACTS

Minister (Locum)

Interim Moderator

Session Clerk

Treasurer

Clerk to Board

Church Officer

Roll Keeper

Fabric convener

FWO/Planned Giving

Hall Lets

Flower Convener

Organist/Choir

Crosstalk Editor

Intimations

Welcome To Church (Team Leader)

Church Link

Church Web Site

David Keddie

Colin Renwick

James Stewart

Fergus Platt

Clare Sinclair

Evelyn Greechan

John Edgar

Robert Dallas

Elisabeth Robertson

Isobel Brown

Elisabeth Robertson

Stewart Henderson

Fay Platt

fayplatt@btinternet.com

Jean Findlater

Elisabeth Robertson

www.tachurch.org.uk (Tom Griffiths)

942 5173

959 1310

959 5814

952 2626

950 2679

579 9958

339 1707

944 1551

959 0498

339 2488

959 0498

954 9226

952 2626

952 2626

959 3219

530 9745 954 9098

For God so loved the world

that He didn’t send a Committee

WEEKLY DIARY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Public Worship 11.00am & 6.30pm Crèche during morning worship, Sunday Club: Beginners Primary, Juniors & Seniors 11.00am till 12.15pm Rainbows 6.00pm Mothers & Toddlers 9.30am The Guild 2.00pm Brownies & Guides 6.30pm & 7.30pm Prayer Meeting & Bible Study 10.30am (Weeks 2 & 4 All are welcome to either or both) ALL Sections of Boys‟ Brigade 6.30pm Mothers & Toddlers Group 9.30am Coffee 10.30am Service 11.00am Brownies 7.00pm Choir Practice 8.00pm