- Ukraine
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a naked, unprovoked act of aggression. I’m certain that God is as appalled as we are. We feel helpless and wonder what we can do.
We can, we should and we will pray for an end to the war and for all those suffering because of the war. Leaders of different Scottish Churches have composed a prayer. You can find it here: https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/news-and-events/news/2022/articles/worship-leaders-encouraged-to-use-prayer-for-peace-this-sunday
We may want to donate money to help those affected. There are three different ways to do this.
i: Through the Church of Scotland.
Attached is a document from the church.The key section of the document reads:
“We suggest that you might share … with congregations the opportunity to give, via the Church of Scotland, to Reformed Church in Hungary Aid (RCHA), which is run by our partner, the Reformed Church of Hungary. The RCHA has access to the Reformed church in Ukraine who are using their buildings to support the people moving from east to west as they seek safety and sanctuary. They also are working in the border areas of Hungary, Slovakia and Romania using the Reformed Church contacts and buildings there. They are providing daily updates and you can find more Information here:
https://reformatus.hu/english/news/emergency-response-for-ukraine/
“Through RCHA you can support those fleeing from the east and coming to the west of Ukraine where they can be helped through the churches there; those in the west already who don’t have access to their money when the banks run out and who will need food/help; and those who cross the borders into Hungary, Slovakia or Romania.
“Your donations can be directed to the following account:
Royal Bank of Scotland
Church of Scotland No 1 Account
Account no 00134859
Sort code 83 06 08
Reference RCHA donation
Please gift aid this if possible.”
ii: To the Disasters Emergency Committee Appeal (DEC)
Both Christian Aid and Tearfund are members of the committee, so you can channel your giving through them. The advantage of the DEC appeal is that the government has said it will match donations given by the public through the DEC, up to £20M. In effect, your donation will one doubled. Here are the links:
Tearfund: https://www.tearfund.org/campaigns/ukraine-crisis
iii:
At Church This Sunday
If you are not comfortable donating on the internet, you can put some money into the plate at Church on Sunday for Ukraine. You must mark your gift CLEARLY. Unless it is in an envelope that clearly says UKRAINE it will be impossible to know this is why you gave it. Gifts that you give this way will be sent by StAB to the CofS as outlined in section (i).
2) Sunday
We worship in the building at 9.30 am and 10.30 am -also streamed https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyx9BQETCXXgQ5HcwkBtLdA
We continue to reflect on how God wants us to Grow Young, and our focus is on Growing Young outside the Church.
3) Thank you to Jenny and Hello to Mari
Jenny Kellock has been our Church Visitor for the last 14 years. She has done a fabulous job of helping us stay in touch with older members of the church who are unable to attend. We are indebted to her for her faith, her love and her care. She has decided the time has come to hand on the baton to someone else.
Mari Scott has offered to pick up the baton. She brings her own gifts and experience and this has prompted us to reshape the role. Mari will be called the Pastoral Care Coordinator. Caring for people in the church is a responsibility we all share. All of us are called by God to help care for one another. So while Mari will do some visiting herself, she will also be enabling all of us in the church to care for one another. More details of how we will do this will be shared in due course.
In the meantime you can contact Mari, either directly, or via Julie in the Church Office.
Mari is mari@standrewblackadder.org.uk.
Her number is 07867 904733
4) World Day of Prayer Service
The World Day of Prayer Service is TODAY Friday 4th March at 3pm in the Sanctuary. Members of all the North Berwick churches will take part. The theme is “I know the plans I have for you” (Jer. 29:11). A warm welcome awaits you all. (More details in March Kaleidoscope.)
5) Christian Aid Quiz
It’s March, so we thought a good quiz theme would be Hares. Each answer in this month’s quiz is a word which contains the letters H A R E in order. Those letters don’t have to be all together, so we could have used THWARTED. We’ve already put H A R E in the answer spaces for you. Don’t assume that a gap indicates a letter that isn’t H A R or E: there are words like REHEARSED that have repeats of those letters in them. To download a quiz, please visit: www.standrewblackadder.org.uk, hover on “Groups & Activities”, click on “Christian Aid Quizzes”, and find “MARCH” at the foot of the left-hand column. The quiz has details on how to donate £1 to Christian Aid via: www.christianaid.org.uk. Paper quizzes are also available in the High Street Vestibule after Services.
6) The Guild
On Tuesday 8th March at 2.00pm in the Abbey Large Hall, there will be a Joint Meeting of St Andrew Blackadder and Abbey Guilds. The service will feature Home for Good, a charity which encourages the church to support families involved in adoption and fostering. Home for Good is one of our Guild Projects, so please come along and make a donation.
7) Weekly Prayer Gathering
Each Wednesday on Zoom between for 30 minutes starting at 7 pm.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88152470672?pwd=WHpUOVdWN3NpSTBCUjF3aDRhcE1Ldz09
Meeting ID: 881 5247 0672
Passcode: StABPrayer
Neil
Rev Dr Neil Dougall
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