St James’, Stonehaven and St Philip’s, Catterline
Rector. Rev. Maggie Jackson. 3 Ramsay Road. Stonehaven. 01569 764264.
Lay Readers: Mrs. Anne Geldart, and Mrs. Arma Iles
Episcopal Churches Of
St. James’ Stonehaven.
St. Philip’s Catterline.
December 2012 & January 2013
Group Conveners
Property
laurachristie
@yahoo.co.uk
Laura Christie
01569 762492
Communication
peterfsharp
@tiscali.co.uk
Peter Sharp
01224 895357
Jane Early
01569 767221
Pastoral Care
Music
david.w.fleming
@surescribe.com
David Fleming
01569 767200
Remembering
tomcarniesbl
@talktalk.net
Jean Carnie
01569 765114
Social
rcadd
@btinternet.com
Val Cadd
01569 764402
Lay Reader
No e-mail
Arma Iles
01569 740164
Hall
Management
ritalpeacock@
hotmail.co.uk
Rita Peacock
01569 766913
Lay Reader
ageldart
@btinternet.com
Anne Geldart
01569 731707
Weekly Pew Sheet
peterskinneff
@yahoo.com
VESTRY
Chair:
Vice Chair:
Child Protection:
Diana Peters
01561 362412
Rev. M. Jackson
Peter Sharp
Jennifer Shuttleworth.
01569 764264
01224 895357
01569 763110
Vestry Secretary: John Early. The Old Barn, West Carmont, Stonehaven AB39
2XD Tel. 01569 767221. Email: [email protected]
The copy deadline for the February Newsletter is Sunday the 20th January.
Reminders will not be sent out.
St James Episcopal Church, Stonehaven Scottish Registered Charity No.
SC000301 ; St Philip’s Episcopal Church, Catterline Scottish Registered Charity
No. SC023282
Services at St. James’ & St Philip’s during
December and January
Sundays.
8.30 a.m.
10.30 a.m.
4.00 p.m.
7.00 p.m.
Said Eucharist
Sung Eucharist
Eucharist St Philips (13th January only)
Prayer Book Compline
Weekday Services
10.30 a.m. Wednesday:-Eucharist.
7.00 pm
Healing Service (1st Thursday of month)
DIARY NOTES December 2012
Date
Saturday, 1st December
Event
Sunday 2nd Dec –
1st S of Advent
Christmas Coffee Morning – 10-11.30 am All the
usual stalls including a special Christmas goodies
stall – all donations gratefully received
8.30 Eucharist
10.30 Sung Eucharist
Tuesday 4th Dec
Prayer & Spirituality Group meet in Church Office
th
Weds 5 Dec
Weds 12th Dec.
Ember Day
10.30 - Healing Service and Eucharist –
followed by Part 1 of Advent Course
‘Looking again at the Nine Lessons’
Tree of Life – (The Bauble Tree) 10.00 to 2.00 –
Baubles and pens available at back of church.
Remember those whom you love though you see
them no more.
8.30 Eucharist
10.30 All Age Service
NOTE: NO SERVICE AT St Philip’s, Catterline today
10.30 Reserved Sacrament –
followed by Part 2 of Advent Course
Sunday 16th Dec.
3rd S of Advent
8.30 Eucharist
10.30 Sung Eucharist
Weds 19th Dec
10.30 Eucharist –
followed by Part 3 of Advent Course
Sunday 23rd Dec.
4th S of Advent
8.30 Eucharist
10.30 Sung Eucharist
6.30 pm – 9 Lessons and Carols
11.30 Midnight Mass
Saturday 8th December
Sunday 9th Dec –
2nd S of Advent
Monday 24th Dec –
Christmas Eve
th
Tuesday 25 Dec
Christmas Day
9.30 Reserved Sacrament with hymns
Weds 26th Dec
St Stephen – 10.30 Eucharist
Sunday 30th Dec. –
1st S of Christmas
8.30 Eucharist
10.30 Sung Eucharist
The last tired leaf, relaxing,
Finds it only has to fall,
And earth waits, in her wisdom,
A resting place for all.
Arma
The Book Browse
Thank you everyone for donating books and coming to our first ‘Book
Café’. If you missed it, don’t worry – we will be holding another one on
Saturday, 19th January. We were very busy and raised the grand sum of
£200 so, with the addition of Gift Aid, this was a good result.
The box for donations remains in the Church porch so that, with your
help, we can keep a good stock of books. If you are having a clear-out
before or after Christmas, and you have books in good condition, then
please donate them to the Book Browse. All proceeds from the next Café
will go towards repairing the Church roof.
Diane, David and Laura
HAPPY CHRISTMAS
A very Happy and Peaceful Christmas to all
our readers from the Communications Group
at St James. Many thanks to all of you who
have contributed articles, information jokes and poems over the
past year. Without these there would be no Newsletter.
This is a double issue so we will not be back until the
February issue. So a Happy and Prosperous New
Year.
Peter, Pam, Diane, Diana and Jonathan.
DIARY NOTES January 2013
Autumn
Continued from November
Mellow weather, tweeds and heather
Golden grows the gorse.
Beech leaves turning, creeper burning,
Grass becoming coarse.
Fields of stubble, brooks that bubble,
Lanes with rainbow rub.
Hedges loped with blackberries,
And bushes decked with nuts.
A world of wealth and wonder,
Where leaves dance as they fall,
And all we lack is just the time,
To go and see it all.
Date
Event
Weds 2nd January
10.30 – Healing Service & Eucharist
Sunday 6th January –
the Epiphany
8.30 Eucharist
10.30 Sung Eucharist
Weds 9th January
10.30 Eucharist
Sunday 13th January –
the Baptism of Christ
Weds 16th January
8.30 Eucharist
10.30 All Age Service
4.00 Eucharist at St Philip’s
10.30 Eucharist
Sunday 20th January –
3rd S of Epiphany
8.30 Eucharist
10.30 Sung Eucharist
Weds 23rd January
10.30 Eucharist
Saturday 26th January
7.00 Burns Supper – in Hall
Sunday 27th January –
4th S of Epiphany
8.30 Eucharist
10.30 Reserved Sacrament
Weds 30th January
10.30 Eucharist
Arma
Then after only a few weeks.
Winter
The garden sleeps and dreams,
Now that the seasons work is ended.
A sense of peace and idleness
Has all the world befriended.
The lovely blossoms that are left
Look tattered and forlorn,
Only holly berries shine, for joy,
And wait for Christmas morn.
So there is serenity
About the garden dreaming,
Duty is fulfilled,
No reason now for scheming.
From the Rectory
unpacked and spent the rest of the afternoon simply resting and
enjoying just being there.
Dear Friends,
How often do you hear in a supermarket a parent say to a child,
'in a minute', 'Wait until I've paid for the sweeties' or whatever?
WAIT. Yet our shops are already full of Christmas cards,
decorations, wrapping paper and in Aberdeen I've already seen
'Father Christmas'! We haven't reached December or Advent yet.
Why are we so impatient? If we neglect the Advent season we are
going to miss out on the real joy and excitement of Christmas.
We need to prepare not only our homes but our hearts for the
Great Arrival. Generally when a baby is expected there is a
period of preparation of getting the room ready, clean and
decorated and the crib all cosy. Why do so many omit the
preparation for God in Jesus coming to earth as a human baby?
Our hearts are the place for Him to live so we need to get them
spruced up. Our bodies are the temple of His Holy Spirit. Without preparation, Christmas Day will come and we'll go through
the motions but there will be no REAL satisfaction, no REAL joy.
God gives us His great gift to bring us real joy, through forgiveness, to live each day to the full and strength for each day as it
comes.
New Year celebrations follow quickly on and folk make
resolutions that they know through previous experience that they
won't keep. The Christ child that we will have celebrated only a
week previously still sings out His song of love and acceptance of
each one of us and helps us to step into each new day full of the
joys of life which can put a spring into our step.
For each one of you I pray fullness of life and inexpressible joy at
this Holy Season, and in the New Year 2013 every blessing.
Maggie
My time was my own and it was all so wonderful. I loved
exploring all around the grounds and walking inside the walled
garden. I loved the meditative walk in the labyrinth too. I loved
sitting in the lounge with the wood burning stove and reading and
writing my thoughts. I loved going into the chapel (a converted
carpenter’s shed) for morning and evening prayers and I loved
meeting with others and chatting over meals and at coffee times.
The Bield at Blackruthven is a very special place. It takes only
minutes to feel ‘a sense of belonging’. I enjoyed my time there so
very much and would have loved to have stayed longer. Before I
left I walked across the soggy grass to the swing (for adults!) What
a glorious feeling it was as I swung to and fro...to and fro... an
amazing sense of freedom with a glorious blue sky up above and
the colours of the Autumn trees all around. What a wonderful
Creator we have!
So... if you find that life gets a bit crazy sometimes and you need
just a short break for a few days just visit
www.bieldatblackruthven.org.uk and you can find out for yourselves all about this wonderful oasis and maybe try it for yourself.
It is situated 4 miles west of Perth on the Crieff road.
Margaret Wells
At evening service tonight the sermon topic
will be “What is Hell?” Come early and listen
to our choir practice.
right ideas about slavery and freedom, but there is little doubt that
he went the wrong way in trying to do something about it.
Chrissie Guild.
As we approach Christmas and rejoice in our freedoms – freedom
of speech, freedom of association, freedom of religion – we should
remember those who have no civil rights and no freedoms.
Prayer:
Help us to remember, O Lord our God, that all people are your
children, created in your likeness and equal in your sight. Keep us
from thinking too highly of ourselves or from looking down on
others, and teach us how to live together in love and friendship.
For Jesus’ sake. AMEN.
Anne
A Sense of belonging (5)
The taxi swept into the drive between the two stone pillars and
between autumn arrayed trees, we slowly made our way to the
Steading – part of the Bield at Blackruthven where I would be
staying for the next three nights. It was familiar as I had been here
before but then it was for a different purpose. This time it was to
find a quiet place to rest; to walk; to think; to pray; to read and
even to speak! (I was NOT on a silent retreat as some were!) Life
had been busy, perhaps too much so, and now I had this small
window of opportunity to come here and enjoy the beauty and
serenity of this environment.
I was greeted warmly and shown to my room – (St. Aiden – all the
rooms are named after saints). I looked out of the window and
there stood a Celtic cross in the grounds against a background of
beautiful trees. I felt blessed. A delicious lunch awaited me; I then
As you all now know Chrissie Guild passed away at
the end of November. She was a faithful member of
St James’ for many years and will be sorely missed.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family.
Advent Course – Looking at the Nine Lessons
We all enjoy the Nine Lessons and Carols – so much so that the language of
the Lessons sometimes just washes over us with its melodious cadences
and almost poetic style. So it was suggested that we might have a short
course, just looking at the Nine Lessons and reading and spending some
time thinking about their deeper meaning. Nothing too formal or
academic! This will be in the Church Office.
We are offering the opportunity for folk to stay on after the Wednesday
morning Eucharist on December 5th, 12th and 19th and join in our study
following our usual cup of tea or coffee.
It will be a very flexible arrangement – if you would like to participate in
the Eucharist and then leave, that’s fine. Or if you would like to come along
for the study, that’s fine, too.
Study will begin at about 11.30 and will finish by about 12.15. The programme will be:
5th December
12th December
19th December
First Lesson: Genesis 3: 8-15
Second Lesson: Genesis 22: 15-18
Third Lesson: Isaiah 9: 2-7
Fourth Lesson: Isaiah 11: 1-9
Fifth Lesson: St Luke 1:26-38
Sixth Lesson: St Luke 2: 1-7
Seventh Lesson: St Luke 2: 8-16
Eighth Lesson: St Matthew 2: 1-11
Ninth Lesson: St John 1: 1-14
Anne
Readers, Greeters, Vestry and Coffee Rota
Date
2nd December
1st S of Advent
Readings
John Brown – executed 2nd December 1859
8.30 am
Greeter & Reader
Jer 33. 14-16
1 Thess. 3. 9-end
Luke 21, 25-36
Doreen Brankin
9th December
2nd S of Advent
Baruch 5. Or
Mal. 3. 1-4
Phil 1. 3-11
Luke 3. 1-6
Jean Carnie
16th Dec
3rd S of Advent
Zeph 3. 14-end
Phil 4. 4-7
Luke 3. 7-18
Edna Craig
23rd Dec
4th S of Advent
Mic. 5. 2-5a
Heb 10. 5-10
Luke 1. 39-45[46-55]
Roy Jackson
30th Dec.
1st S of Christmas
1 Sam. 2. 18-20, 26
Col. 3. 12-17
Luke 2. 41-end
Doreen Brankin
You may not know who John Brown was, but I bet you have sung
the song:
John Brown’s body lies a mould’ring in the grave
But his soul goes marching on!
Indeed, I only discovered he was a real person recently and his
story really illustrates the problem of doing the wrong thing for
the right reason. So who was John Brown?
He was an American who hated slavery and believed that every
person should be free. In his day there were thousands of African
slaves in the southern states of America. Some were recently
transported from their native land, while others were descendants
of slaves. They had no freedom and were the property of their
owners, some of whom treated their slaves very harshly. Slaves
had no civil rights.
Most of you have read all about this – how people had been trying
to bring about emancipation by peaceful means, but without
success. John Brown came to believe that he could only succeed by
violent methods. He took some slaves from their owners by force
and helped them to escape to Canada.
Then he decided to organize an uprising among the slaves. For this
he needed guns and so, with a few others, he overcame the guards
at an arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. Local people raised the
alarm and trapped the raiders in the building. They were captured
and put on trial. John Brown was found guilty of murder and
treason and was executed on 2nd December 1859.
To those who opposed slavery he became a hero and the famous
marching song was composed in his honour. John Brown had the
Year C – Readings are from the NRSV of the Bible
Woolly Hats
A big "Thank You" to everyone who has knitted hats for Seafarers;
I have been amazed at the response. Within two months of the
appeal seventy-eight hats were completed and these have been
dispatched to the Mission to Seafarers. I was delighted when the
Mearns Leader showed an interest in this project and reported our
efforts, with a photograph of the hats, in the local paper.
10.30 am
& 2nd Lesson
Gospel
1st
Greeter/
Vestry
Member
Coffee
Irene Paterson
Heather
Grant
Heather
Grant
Julie
Lawrence
--
Julie
Lawrence
Irene
Paterson
Peter Sharp
THE TREE OF LIFE/THE BAUBLE TREE
Peter Sharp
Ellie McLeod Diana Peters
Doreen
Brankin
Writing on the baubles and hanging them on the tree will take
place on Saturday 8th December from 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. Baubles
and pens will be available in Church, and there will be someone
there to assist with hanging the bauble on the tree if needed. If you
cannot manage at the above time, the baubles and pens will be at
the back of Church on Sunday 9th December.
Gwynne
Stewart
Irene
Paterson
Peter Sharp
Jean Carnie
Val Cadd
Diana Peters
Gwynne
Stewart
Val Cadd
With many thanks
Anne Cooper
Jean
CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR YOUR CHURCH FRIENDS
From Sunday 2nd December, a board to fix Christmas cards on
will be sited in the Baptistry.
Jean
Readers, Greeters, Vestry and Coffee Rota
committee is very grateful for all the support we receive from
you all.
6th January –
The Epiphany
Isa 60. 1-6
Eph 3. 1-12
Matt 2. 1-12
Doreen Brankin
13th January – the
Baptism of Christ
Isa 43. 1-7
Acts 8. 14-17
Luke 3. 15-17, 21-22
Jean Carnie
On Saturday 26th January we are planning to hold another
Burns Supper with Julie Lawrence and Lynn Geldart very willing to prepare us an excellent meal fit for the occasion. The list
for signing up will be placed at the back of church at the beginning of January 2013. Tickets will cost £8 (adult) and £5 (child).
Please bring your own glasses and drinks - water jugs will be
on the tables. The function still requires speakers and I am very,
very hopeful 3 speakers will volunteer, (the Immortal Memory,
Toast to the Lassies and the Lassies reply). I am not able to do
any of the speeches so I do not feel I can ask so I have to look
for volunteers PLEASE.
Edna Craig
The social committee would like to congratulate Diane and
Laura for the brilliant idea and arrangement of the Book
Browse on Saturday 10th November - a great success - well
done.
Date
Readings
20th January
3rd S of Epiphany
27th January
4th S of Epiphany
Isa 62. 1-5
1 Cor 12. 1-11
John 2. 1-11
Neh 8. 1-3, 5-6, 8-10
1 Cor 12. 12-31a
Luke 4. 14-21
8.30 am
Greeter & Reader
I'm sorry there was an error on the last newsletter - the Spring
coffee morning will be on Saturday 2nd March not 3rd March.
Roy Jackson
Eight new choir robes are currently
needed due to the addition of several
new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
The next committee meeting of the social committee will be
held at Val's home, 12, Princess Road on Tuesday 15th January
2013 at 7.30p.m. and everyone is very welcome.
Finally thank you everyone for every contribution in 2012 and
wishing you all a very peaceful Christmas and best wishes for
next year - 2013.
Val Cadd
Sing ‘n’ sup @ 6!
The smell of freshly baked bread and sausage rolls wafted
through the door as folk arrived at ‘Marguerites’ last Sunday
evening to ‘sing for their supper’, and indeed they did! We sang
some really well known rousing hymns to begin with before
tucking into a simple buffet supper. Afterwards, each of us chose
our favourite hymns to sing as well putting in some extras. (We
managed 12 in all!) Do you know, there are so MANY wonderful
hymns in our hymn book! Sometimes it is difficult to know just
WHAT to choose when it comes to deciding on a favourite. We
certainly had that ‘problem’ on Sunday! The evening was simply
great. Everyone sang ‘with gusto’ and there were some beautiful
harmonies too! Praising the Lord by singing is a most uplifting
thing to do and I think all those who came along on Sunday
evening would agree with that.
So... it was decided that we are going to meet regularly to do it
again...and again!! Our next ‘Sing ‘n’ sup @ 6’ will be held on
Sunday, 10th February 2013!! So, once you get your diary for next
year you can pop the date in if you want to come along and sing
with your favourite hymn in mind. To me it is such a lovely way
to spend a Sunday evening. We can share fellowship and food
and we can lift our voices in praise of our great God who loves
us and cares for us.
Year C – Readings are from the NRSV of the Bible
10.30 am
1st & 2nd Lesson
Gospel
Greeter/
Vestry
Member
Coffee
Val Cadd
David
Fleming
Val Cadd
Diane
Fleming
All Age Service
Jane Early
Jane Early
Doreen
Brankin
Heather Grant
Irene
Paterson
Diana Peters
Irene Paterson
Stella Wilson
Ellie McLeod Peter Sharp
Edna Craig
Margaret Wells
Social Committee
As I am writing this before the Christmas Coffee morning takes
place can I say a huge thank you to everyone with any involvement in the morning to be held in the Church hall on Saturday
1st December. These fund-raises rely on you all and the social
The church will host an evening of fine dining,
super entertainment and gracious hostility.
St Kentigern (Mungo) – died 13th January 603
One of the early Christian leaders and missionaries in
Scotland, Kentigern came of Strathclyde British stock. He was
brought up in Culross and trained by St Serf, and moved to
the Glasgow area where he became the leader or Bishop of the
local church. With the rise of an anti-Christian party in the
kingdom of Strathclyde, he was forced to retire to Wales,
where he may have founded the monastery of Llanelwy. This
is probably why it is that whenever you look up the life of
St Kentigern you find many Welsh names among his family
members.
Later he returned to Glasgow to continue his work and carried
on evangelisation there. The Church Of Scotland Cathedral in
Glasgow is dedicated to him by his other name – Mungo,
which was his family name – a kind of pet name. According to
the ‘Life of Saint Mungo’ he performed four religious miracles
in Glasgow. The following verse is used to remember his four
miracles:
The tree – Mungo was left in charge of a fire in St Serf’s monastery.
He fell asleep and the fire went out. Taking branches from a
tree, he restarted the fire.
The bell – this bell was supposed to have been brought by Mungo
from Rome. It was said to have been used in services to mourn
the dead. The original bell no longer exists, and a replacement,
created in the 1640s, is now on display in Glasgow.
The Fish – refers to the story about Queen Languoreth of
Strathclyde who was suspected of infidelity by her husband,
King Riderch. He demanded to see her ring, which he claimed
she had given to her lover. In reality, the King had thrown the
ring into the River Clyde. Faced with execution, the Queen
appealed to Mungo for help. He ordered a messenger to catch a
fish in the river. When they cut the fish open – lo and behold,
the ring miraculously was found inside, which enabled the
Queen the clear her name. (Back to the Welsh connection – this
story is almost identical to one concerning King Maelgwyn of
Gwynedd and Saint Asaph).
Anne
Services of Nine lessons and Carols
Here is the bird that never flew
Here is the tree that never grew
Here is the bell that never rang
Here is the fish that never swam.
The verses refer to the following:
The bird – Mungo restored life to the pet robin of St Serf which
had been killed by some of his classmates, hoping to blame
him for its death.
As well as having our own service of nine lessons and carols at
6.30pm on the 23rd December, there is another one that you might
like to put into your diary. At Dunnottar Church on Sunday, the
16th December at 4pm, a combined choir will lead the singing for
that service. Rehearsals are well underway for this and the carols
that have been chosen by the conductor (Gay Slater) are extremely
beautiful and meaningful, so if you enjoy listening to AND singing
your favourite carols, then do come along. I can assure you that it
will be simply wonderful.
Margaret Wells