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February 2001
Index
Christmas Offerings
Christmas Fair
Child Protection
Mary Marr receives award
Message for the Month
Parish Register
Services
Events in February
Previous Editions
THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS
was reflected in the generosity of worshippers who attended services over the festive
period. Starting with the Ferryhill School service and running through until the service
on Christmas Day, special collections were taken on behalf of the Children's
Hospice movement and Oxfam. The splendid sum of £1175 was raised. Thanks
to all who contributed.
CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who helped to make the Christmas Fair a success, whether as workers, donors or
customers. To raise over £3000 at such an event is a magnificent achievement. Fund
raising will continue in 2001 to enable us to keep up the repayments on the £90,000 loan
we required to complete last year's renovations. Watch out for the return of the Foyer
"Thermometer" with a new scale to indicate how the campaign is progressing.
NOBODY QUARRELS with the
thinking behind Child Protection legislation
that requires voluntary workers to be vetted. There was, however, real disquiet when it
appeared that a fee would be charged for the compulsory police checks that have to be
undertaken. Now we can report that the Scottish Executive has taken on board the concerns
expressed by many church members and has announced that checks carried out for the
voluntary sector will be free of charge.
FOR 21 YEARS Mary Marr
has led the team that caters for the Senior Citizens' Lunch
Club. For this and the many other tasks she has undertaken, she is a very
worthy recipient of the Community Council Trophy for outstanding service to the community.
She received her award on 12th November.
Mary Marr presenting flowers to
Anne Begg MP
on the occasion of the dedication of the Atrium and Foyer
At the same ceremony, another kirk member, Rose Haston, was presented with
the George Whyte Salver awarded to the artist responsible for the most popular painting at
the Council's annual art exhibition.
Message for the Month
The Minister Writes:
Dear Friends,
The recent decision by a court in England to grant public anonymity to the
two boys who cruelly murdered James Bulger has added another dimension to the current
debate about the criminal justice system. I took up this issue in a recent sermon and
because of the interest shown felt it might be appropriate to share some of what I said
more widely through the congregation.
Forgiveness, reconciliation and rehabilitation surely lie at the very heart of the Gospel
and without them we would live in a society based on revenge, on the principal of an eye
for an eye, which Jesus so firmly rejected, a society that showed no mercy and which to
maintain any kind of order would become more and more brutal.
There is plenty of evidence to suggest that violence breeds violence and that those who
perpetrate violence have themselves been victims of violence often at an early age. By all
accounts, Robert Thompson and John Venables, the killers of James Bulger, have shown
remorse and regret for what they did and have made every effort to reform their lives. At
the time of the crime they were barely over the age of criminal responsibility. It would
seem now to achieve little purpose, other than unrelenting vengefulness, to send them on
to an adult prison for a further period of years and so put at risk in such an environment
all the good that has been achieved.
The process of rehabilitation for both the victims and the perpetrators of crime must
surely be something that, as followers of Christ, we would want to support otherwise all
our talk about good news and the possibility of forgiveness and God making all things new
will remain airy fairy concepts that have no connection and relevance to real life.
We know that there is evil in the world and we must take steps to protect society from
those who would perpetrate that evil. But we cannot let that threat dominate every aspect
of life otherwise evil would have the victory and it would hardly be worth getting out of
our beds in the morning.
In the next few months leading up to the general election we are likely to experience the
unedifying spectacle of one political party after another trying to convince us that it is
going to be the toughest on crime. To do so will be to play to the mob who would deal with
the symptoms but do nothing to understand the causes at the root of the problems in our
society, particularly among our children.
We have seen in recent times some sections of the press (one suspects to increase their
circulation rather than for any altruistic reason) literally taking the law into their own
hands and acting no better than the lynch mobs of the past. Such is surely not the mark of
a civilised, so-called democratic, society. We must administer justice fairly through our
courts under law made democratically by the peoples' representatives in parliament.
We should be challenging our politicians to engage in a rational and creative debate about
how to tackle the real root causes of crime and violence in our society and how to reform
the criminal justice system to place the emphasis on redemptive rehabilitation rather than
simply on vengeful punishment. So we might be going some way towards proclaiming release
for prisoners and letting the broken victims go free. (See Luke 4 : 18).
Yours
Ian Dick
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PARISH REGISTER
| Baptisms 
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26 November 2000
Brodie Anne Leith,
Broomhill Place
Margaret Catherine Macpherson and
Peter Matthew Macpherson, Devanha Gardens South
Lisa Jo Milne,
Leggart Avenue
John Declan Stott and
Theo Jerome Stott,
Devanha Gardens West
Ewan James Runcie Turner, Albury Road
17 December 2000
Gemma Louise Anderson,
Bon Accord Street |
| Funerals 
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Ann Foreman,
Devanha Gardens Nursing Home (11.08.00)
David Thomson,
Devanha Gardens Nursing Home (14.08.00)
Frances M Scar,
Maryfield East (3.12.00)
Derek Tyldsley,
Brunswick Place (4.12.00)
Maggie Macfarlane,
Great Southern Road (21.12.00)
William B Walker,
North Balnagask Road (8.1.01)
Mary Grassie,
Maryfield East (11.1.01)
Sheila E Ross,
Crown Street (15.1.01)
Mary Masson,
Thistle Drive, Portlethen (19.1.01) |
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SERVICES IN FEBRUARY
Sunday 4th February
11 a.m. Worship for all ages.
Sunday Gang and crèche. After Church café.
Sunday 11th February
11 a.m. Worship for all ages. Sunday Gang and crèche.
Sunday 18th February
11 a.m. Worship for all ages. Sunday Gang and crèche.
6 p.m. Informal worship in the Memorial Chapel. Holy Communion.
Tuesday 20th February
12.10p.m. Mid-week service of approx 15 minutes.
Sunday 25th February
11 a.m. Worship for all ages. Guide and Brownie Thinking Day. Sunday Gang and crèche.
2.30pm Services at Maryfield and Devanha Gardens Nursing Home. All welcome.
Sunday 4th March
11 a.m. Worship for all ages. Sacrament of Holy Communion. Sunday Gang and Crèche.
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EVENTS IN FEBRUARY
5th February Monday Fellowship: Revd Ian Dick
7th February Guild: "A Journey to Everest"
12th February Monday Fellowship: `Hong Kong'
14th February Congregational Board
14 th February Guild Rally in Gilcomston South
19th February Monday Fellowship: "Songs from Moira"
21st February Guild: "Just a Dream"
24th February RSNO Chorus: Come and Sing Verdi's Requiem
26th February Monday Fellowship: "Round Stonehaven"
27th February Bowling AGM
28th February Line Dancing
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Editor: David Haggart dhaggart@globalnet.co.uk
Distribution: Sandra Craigen
Printed by Time Pieces, Kemnay (01467-642204)
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