Ferryhill Parish Church Aberdeen parish News

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Ferryhill Parish Church Parish News September 2001
Telephone: 01224 213093 E-mail: Office Minister Webmaster	THIS EDITION OF PARISH NEWS is being delivered to every household in the parish to ensure that everyone knows about the wide variety of community activities that are based in the church and who to contact to find out more. FERRYHILL IS IN THE MIDST of a house building boom which is leading to a population expansion. If you are a newcomer to the area, we want you to know that our beautiful church is here to serve you. It doesn't matter whether you are a "church" person or not. So far as the building is concerned we are "open every day serving the community". Feel free to drop in and take a look round at a church that is part of your heritage.
House building boom Extensive building work Worship at Ferryhill Harvest Thanksgiving Message from the Minister Ferryhill Beyond 2000 What goes on at Ferryhill Previous Editions The Atrium		LAST YEAR we completed extensive building works which led to the creation of major community facilities. The Foyer is a delightful entrance lounge which serves as a coffee shop on weekday mornings. In the evenings it is available for meetings of all kinds, and on Sundays it provides a place for people to gather before and after church services. The Atrium is a bright, airy space which acts as a reception area for all the halls. It is a comfortable place to sit and chat to friends. The Atrium also houses small exhibitions of paintings, prints and photographs. Above it is a Gallery where computers have been installed. These are used for Christian education purposes, and plans are in hand to make them available for the wider community. Downstairs we have created the Archive Room, undoubtedly Aberdeen's smallest museum! THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN is, of course, the Church itself. With its magnificent barrel-vaulted roof and some of the finest stained glass to be found in the North East, it is a sanctuary that everyone in Ferryhill can be proud of. So, if you are familiar only with the outside of the building, make a point of looking inside. Remember, we are open every day.
Take a tour of the building Ferryhill Stained Glass
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	COME AND WORSHIP AT FERRYHILL SERVICES IN SEPTEMBER Sunday 2nd 11.00am Worship for all ages. Sunday Gang Resumes.Crèche available for under threes. Sunday 9th 11.00am Morning Worship. Sunday Gang and Crèche. Sunday 16th 11.00am Morning Worship. Sunday Gang and Crèche. 6.00pm Informal Evening Service with Holy Communion in the Memorial Chapel Tuesday 18th 12.10pm Lunch-time service (approx 15 minutes) Sunday 23rd 11.00am Morning Worship. Sunday Gang and Crèche. Sunday 30th 11.00am Morning Worship. Sunday Gang and Crèche. Services in residential homes will be held as follows: Cowdray Club 11.00am Wednesday 5th, Devanha Gardens 6.00pm Sunday 9th, Maryfield 6.00pm Sunday 23rd. You are welcome at all these services. top
	HARVEST THANKSGIVING will be on Sunday 7th October. Christian Aid harvest envelopes will be distributed to members of the congregation with next month's Parish News into which you can place a financial donation to be handed in during the service. It will also be possible to make donations of non perishable food items for the Aberdeen Instant Neighbour Trust - instead of the one trolley we usually have, there will be four trolleys at the Harvest Thanksgiving service for us to fill for our fellow-citizens in greatest need. Donations of flowers will also be welcome to decorate the church; these should preferably be brought to the church on the Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. These will be distributed afterwards to the sick and housebound.
	THE MINISTER WILL BE ON HOLIDAY from 4th to 30th September during which time the Revd. Lynne Brady (780211) will attend to any urgent pastoral needs including funerals. top
	Message from the Revd Ian Dick A Parish Church is there to serve the people of its parish. Ferryhill Parish Church is part of the national Church of Scotland which accepts its distinctive call and duty to bring the ordinances of religion to the people of every parish in the land through a territorial ministry. The Parish of Ferryhill has a population of around six thousand people. The number on the roll of communicants (often referred to as the congregation) is around 600. However, the services and other activities that go on at the church building are open to everyone. The Church of Scotland has an open table policy to services of Holy Communion in that they are open to those who are not communicant members of the congregation. It is also possible for children to participate fully in services of Holy Communion. The Church of Scotland is Presbyterian which means that, rather than being governed, as in the Anglican or Roman traditions by hierarchy of priests and bishops, its affairs are administered by ministers, deacons and elders in a hierarchy of church courts, the senior of which is the General Assembly. At Parish level, the Kirk Session made up of the parish minister and all the elders, administers the affairs of the congregation and parish. Elders are chosen from members of a congregation and are elected and ordained for life. Ferryhill Parish Church also has a Congregational Board, made up of elders and elected members of the congregation, which looks after the finances and property. A Parish Minister does not serve only those who are members of a congregation but all who live in the parish and who seek the services provided by the Church, for example, Baptism (sometimes called Christening), Marriage and funeral services. I would be pleased to hear from anyone wishing information about Baptism (administered at any age), being married in Church or becoming a member of the congregation. The Kirk Session encourages the congregation to see that it exists not simply for itself but to serve the parish in which it worships. In this light the Kirk Session has adopted the following Mission Statement: The purpose of Ferryhill Parish Church is to be a vital witness to Christ Jesus by: Making worship the central feature of the life of congregation and parish Developing understanding of the Christian faith Enhancing and strengthening an inclusive fellowship so that all feel they belong and have a part to play Responding in relevant and practical ways to the needs of congregation and parish Contributing directly and indirectly to the wider work of the Church at home and abroad. I hope you have found this explanation helpful and that you might want to become involved in some way in the life of your parish church. Remember you do not have to be a 'member' to do so. Please do get in touch with me if you think I can be of any assistance to you. My phone number is 586933. top
	GOOD NEWS AND NOT UNEXPECTED NEWS! During the past year Ferryhill Parish Church has at times seemed like a place of pilgrimage for people from other congregations. Folk have come from far and near to see the wonders created during our Ferryhill Towards 2000 project. Maybe we are already in danger of taking them for granted, but the Foyer, Atrium, Computer Gallery and Kitchen have set new standards in the design of church-based accommodation. It is good to be the focus of admiration, but the really good news is that the enhanced facilities are being well used by the congregation and the people of Ferryhill. For the first time in 127 years we can truly claim that the church is "open every day serving the community". But, of course, it all has to be paid for. In a sense that has already been achieved. The architect and contractors have been paid. However this was only possible because we got a £90,000 loan from the Church of Scotland to augment various grants and the magnificent sum of £180,000 raised by the Ferryhill Towards 2000 Appeal. Our immediate priority is to pay off that £90k loan over the next five years. A special appeal is being addressed to all members of the church's congregation, but we know that many other Ferryhill residents admire the work that has been done and value the presence of the church at the heart of the community. They may wish to contribute either by a single donation or through regular giving. The new appeal is called FERRYHILL BEYOND 2000. If you would like to support it, contact Jimmy Shearer, 5 Fonthill Terrace, (585850).
	DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Saturday 15th September The Table Sale planned for 15th September has had to be cancelled due to the large hall being temporary out of use. Saturday 27th October 7 for 7.30pm: Murder Mystery Evening. Two course meal with wine and coffee. Tickets (£15) (592431. Saturday 8th December: Annual Christmas Fair CONTACT NUMBERS Minister: Revd Ian Dick 589633 minister@ferryhillpc.org.uk Assistant from 1/10/01 Revd Norman Nicoll 705630 Church Office: 213093 office@ferryhillpc.org.uk CHURCH WEB SITE www.ferryhillpc.org.uk
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