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| Ferryhill
Parish Church Parish News April 2002 |
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 Telephone: 01224 213093 E-mail: Office Minister Webmaster |
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It is not the practice to include obituaries in Parish News but because he was the Editor, I feel we must break with that tradition and pay tribute to all that David Haggart did over many years to produce this monthly newsletter. In many ways Parish News was David's creation. He brought to it his flair and skills as a communicator and also drew on the wide range of ecumenical contacts he had as well as the many links he maintained throughout the Kirk both locally and nationally. | ||||
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Above all he brought to the job his enthusiasm for the Gospel and for the life and work of the Church, particularly for its rôle in the community of Ferryhill. His service to the Church reached beyond the parish, to the Presbytery where he was Press and Publicity Officer, and to membership of Boards and Committees of the General Assembly. As well as editing Parish News, David served the congregation in so many other ways, not least as Convener of the Development Committee that spearheaded the various changes to the sanctuary and the halls carried out in recent years and which have met with such wide acclaim and acceptance. We would also want to recognise his contribution to the Ferryhill community as first Chairman of the Community Council as well as to the wider community of Aberdeen as a Justice of the Peace, as former Chairman of both the Castlehill Housing Association and Harlaw Academy School Board , as a solo singer and through his other musical activities and interests. We acknowledge too the outstanding work he did as head of the University of Aberdeen's Careers Service from 1963 until he retired in 1992. As with everything David did, he went about the task of editing Parish News with reliable efficiency and relaxed good humour. The congregation has lost a good servant and many of us have lost a good friend. Our loss, however, is nothing compared to that of David's wife Gwen and his sons Kevin, Alan and Robin. We express to them our admiration for the man David was and for the way he enriched the life of both congregation and community. We also extend to them our love and sympathy with the pledge of our continuing support in the days to come. The Minister |
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Elections to the Congregational Board
The following were elected to the Congregational Board at the Stated Annual Meeting Jacqueline Badenoch, |
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| New Facilities helping to balance the books.
The Stated Annual Meeting on Sunday 17th March approved the accounts for last year showing a balance in the General Fund of £3,697. This was achieved despite an increase of only 1% in offerings over the previous year. The size of the surplus was due largely to the increased income coming from lets. Our new facilities are clearly proving popular with many outside organisations as well as our own. This is gratifying since the intention is to make the church more accessible to the community. Donations from the congregation to the Development Fund were also encouraging totalling over £19,000 including tax recoveries. This, plus fund raising events, resulted in the Fund benefiting last year by £27,233. The loan of £90,000 from the General Trustees has to be paid back at £18,000 per annum, so at this rate we should manage to clear the debt well inside the six year deadline. |
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| Time for a Spring Clean?!
If so then get busy before Saturday 27th April when the Fund Raising Task Group are organising a JUMBLE SALE from 9.30 - 11.30 am. The Hall will be open on Friday 26th from 6.30pm when you can drop off goods, and stay to assist in setting up tables or carrying up items already stored in the church. The assistance of as many able-bodied people as possible is required both on Friday evening and on the Saturday morning. Please let Hazel Braynion know if you can help. |
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| SERVICES
IN APRIL Sunday 7th April 11 a.m. Worship for all ages. Crèche. Sunday 14th April Tuesday 16th April Sunday 21st April |
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| PARISH
REGISTER
Baptisms Funerals |
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| APRIL
DIARY
3rd Guild : Healthy Eating (Grampian Health Promotions) |
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By Revd Ian Dick |
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'Christmas in April!' The title intrigued me. It had come up as a result of an Internet search, so I clicked on the address to find out more. I discovered that in 1973 some caring people in Midland, Texas saw that many of their low- and fixed-income neighbours were living in homes with no hot water, electricity or indoor plumbing and holes in their walls large enough to walk through. When they discovered that there weren't any programmes to help these homeowners, they took action. Taking their cue from the old American idea of barn-raising, they recruited volunteers to rehabilitate deteriorating homes in their community. The programme got its name when one of the early recipients likened the help to having "Christmas in April." The idea has spread so that there are now more than 245 programmes operating in more than 770 cities and towns across America. Since last year the organisation now has the title 'Rebuilding Together - Christmas in
April". |
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Its logo, reminiscent of the stable with the star of Bethlehem, is shown on the left. The name reflects its expanded mission and additional year-round services through which Rebuilding Together is tackling several new projects, including rehabilitating non-profit community centres and providing home modifications to ageing and disabled homeowners. We have just celebrated Easter. Without Easter the Christmas stories would not have been written down. The events of Jesus' birth only became of interest to his followers after they witnessed his death and then experienced his new risen life. In time the Church would speak of the Incarnation, of God taking flesh as a human being to live on this earth; as John's gospel puts it 'The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.' So the Church recognised that as the body of Christ it had a mission to transform life on this earth more and more towards the demands of God's love as revealed by Christ. That is why over the centuries the Church has been involved in trying to improve the lot of humankind in so many different ways - in education, in caring for the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the handicapped and the dying, in working for peace and justice and the integrity of creation, in comforting the bereaved, in standing up for the oppressed and the marginalised and in so many other practical ways. All of these are expressions of incarnation - about making the spirit of God a reality
earthed in the experience of this world. So Christmas can come in April, or July, or September or indeed at any time and in whatever way that individual and community lives are rebuilt or transformed, thus reflecting the incarnate, the
earthy, love of God active in dealing with the realities of life in this world.
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Wanted : Hanimex slide projector
Jimmy Shearer is hoping to transfer some church slides on to video so that they can be preserved and made available for viewing in the Archive Room. In order to do this he needs a slide projector with an editing facility such as a Hanimex Model AFT. Anyone wishing to lend or sell please contact Jimmy. |
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Hall Letting Officer and Editor of Parish News
David Haggart had recently taken on the responsibility of Hall Letting Officer. We are grateful to Maureen Dorward, his predecessor, for kindly agreeing to take over the reins again pro tem, so please contact her to arrange a let or booking. Her 'phone number is 595869. It is hoped to be able to announce successors to David as Hall Letting Officer and as Editor of Parish News in next month's issue. |
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Ministers' phone numbers: Revd Ian Dick 586933, Revd Norman Nicoll 705630. Church Office: 213093 office@ferryhillpc.org.uk |
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