PARISH NEWS

Long service special

It was a day of celebration in Hillington Park Church, Glasgow, with the recognition of the long service of six members who have all served as Elders for more than 30 years each. Pictured alongside minister, the Rev Dave Sutherland: Lillias Donald (34 years), Mike Nolan (33), Jan Blackie (33), Georgie Dickson (33), Margaret Smith (35) and Angela Feherty (33 – not pictured). At the same service, Debbie MacDonald was ordained to the eldership and appointed as assistant session clerk.

Eight elders of Old Gourock and Ashton Parish Church have been presented with long service certificates recognising a total 250 years of service. Pictured from left: John Black (30 years), Jim Campbell (30), Jean Gilmour (30), Margaret Lyons (30), the Rev David Burt (minister), Phyllys Caitens (30), Roberta McCracken (30) and Jim Hempsey (currently session clerk and elder for 40 years). Not pictured: Jean Forsyth (30).

The Rev Andy Muir presented Barry McTaggart with a long service certificate to celebrate 50 years of service on Palm Sunday at Stranraer Parish Church.

It was exactly 50 years to the day since Barry was ordained as an elder by the Rev Alex Burgess. Barry is still a very active district elder and a member of the Mission and Worship Team at the Wigtownshire church.

Sydney Barnett, an elder of Clyne Church of Scotland in Brora, is pictured receiving a certificate recognising 57 years’ service from the Rev Elinor Gordon.

At a special service in the Bruce Memorial Church, Cambusbarron on May 5, two elders received long service certificates. Janet Strang was thanked for 30 years’ service as an elder including 13 years as Session Clerk. Alan Prentice was thanked for 56 years’ service since his ordination at Stirling: Viewfield in 1967, and 20 years of organising the annual walk for Christian Aid. Pictured with Janet and Alan are the Rev Graham Nash, Session Clerk Pauline Perry, Ava Milton, Jamie Nash, Christian and Siena Vladimirov.

Stenhouse and Carron Parish Church celebrated over 635 years of service at a service of thanksgiving. Pictured from left: Morag Patterson (43 years’ service), Liz Storey (34), Susan Patrick (34), Irene Dunkin (38), Andrea Dunkin (36), Ray Smith (44), Elizabeth Paley (43), Wendy McGill (38), the Rev Louise McClements (locum minister), Catherine Hayworth (30), Andrew Thomson (38), Kate Haston (34), Margaret Stewart (34), Alan Corbett (30), Margaret Rogers (25), Robin Bell (30), June Smith (35).

Not in picture: Brian Watters (25), Alex Smith (43), Sinclair Campbell (25), Ann Wells (25).

Five elders from Logie Kirk have been presented with long service certificates. Pictured from left: Gordon Smith (34 years’ service), Edwin Gray (30), Elizabeth Crozier (45), Brenda Smith (40) and minister, the Rev Jan Steyn. Not pictured: Graham Eadie (40).

At Langside Parish Church Glasgow on May 5, long service certificates were presented by the Rev Edson Duque to Janette Hutchinson and Margaret Watson, each for 30 years of service as elders.

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Award-winning choir

The choir of Kinross Parish Church of Scotland recently won the Church Choir class at ‘Perform in Perth’ at the first time of competing. The choir, conducted by Isobel Watt with Margaret Sikora accompanying, won the Crawford Chalice, which dates back to 1911.

Isobel Watt said: “I’d encourage other church choirs to think about entering their local competitive music festival. Some of them, such as Perform in Perth, have a specific Church Choir class. It was a bit nerve wracking but great fun, and gave an impetus to our support for worship Sunday by Sunday”.

Mission hub opened

The opening of Forfar: All Souls’ new mission hub in the town’s West High Street was celebrated recently.

Described as the town’s ‘new community space’ the hub, named The Anchorage, will provide additional space for the long-established pop-up school uniform ‘shop’, relocated from St Margaret’s Church, and other activities involving the three congregations.

Cutting the ribbon are (from left) the Rev Dr Karen Fenwick, the Rev Maggie Hunt and the Rev Heather Gourlay, ministers of the newly-formed church grouping.

New members

Mid Deeside Church, Aberdeenshire, (MDC) was delighted to welcome eleven new members who joined MDC by profession of faith in May: ten on Pentecost Sunday, one on Trinity Sunday. The photo shows the new members who joined on Pentecost Sunday and their children.

Organist remembered

To commemorate their organist, Jim Marshall, who passed away suddenly in April 2022 after over 55 years in post, the congregation of Bowden and Melrose parish arranged to have the organ in Melrose Church overhauled. Thanks to the generosity of John Wilson. a member and keen organist, a new clarinet stop was installed as part of the work.

At the end of April a large and appreciative congregation including Jim’s widow Irene and other members of his family attended an organ recital by John Kitchen the Edinburgh City Organist to inaugurate the new stop.

Presbytery moderator

At the June meeting of the Presbytery of Perth, the Rev Alan Reid, minister at Kinross Parish Church, was elected Moderator of the Presbytery of Perth, taking over from the Rev Donna Hays, minister at Sidlaw Parish Church. Donna was the first Moderator of the new Presbytery, which formed at the start of 2023 from five previous presbyteries, and she served for 18 months to ease the transition.