Gift Day 2022

Gift Day 18 Sept 2022

You will have felt the effect of rising food and energy prices. You may already have had to make difficult decisions to make ends meet. You may be worried about getting through this winter.  Difficult as it maybe you also know that many are much worse off than you. One of the things we want to do through this year’s Gift Day is help those hit hardest by rising prices.                                                                                           (Picture– Robbie Bell)

East Lothian Food Bank

Locally, we are going to support East Lothian Foodbank. You have, and will continue, to give items of food when you shop. In ordinary times this is all the Foodbank requires. However, at the moment, such is the demand, the Foodbank is needing to buy in basic toiletries to hand out with food parcels. That’s things like soap, shampoo, toothpaste and washing up liquid. They also want to give out tea in a bag.  It’s a bag that contains all the ingredients and a recipe so a  family can make a meal.  We intend to give £5,750 to the Foodbank to help them do this.

 

Kauma Orphan’s Village – Malawi

Kauma village provides a home for children who have lost their parents. It is run by the local church and is largely self-supporting.  North Berwick has provided money to fund developments and in emergencies. They are facing one now.  Their staple foods of maize, rice and beans have doubled in price. We intend to give £2,500 to help them pay for food until the end of the year.

Beyond these immediate concerns there are three projects we intend to support. All of them are out with the church. Church funds are healthy this year. Thanks to your regular generous giving we are able to give away all money from this years’ Gift Day.

Local Environment – Better Bins

Our town and church developed as a place to give pilgrims hospitality.            That pattern continues with thousands of visitors coming to enjoy the beach, the golf courses and the Law.  The current litter bins are not able to cope with the all the litter this creates.  A local group, Sustaining North       Berwick have developed a plan. This involves installing five belly bins, each of which costs £5,250. East Lothian Council are supportive but are unable to pay for the bins. We intend to fund one of the five.

Scoughall

The Church Weekend at Scoughall in June was a great event. Lots of people realised what an asset for God’s work Scoughall is.  Last year we were able to fund one of the cabins, which some of the YF slept in.  Scripture Union are committed to maintaining and developing the site. They want it to continue to be a place where young people can hear who Jesus is and what following him is all about. We intend to give £5,750 to provide a lithium battery which means the generator will need to run less, and to help upgrade the toilets and showers.

Ife Bible Translation

The translation of the Bible into Ife, a language spoken in West Africa, began in 1981.  The New Testament was completed in 2007

and we helped with the printing costs of the first edition. Since then work has    continued on the Old Testament, which will be completed soon. It is

great to think that soon the Ife people will be able to hear all of God’s word in their mother tongue.  Many of them, however, cannot read. That is why Wycliffe Bible Translators, also arrange literacy classes. These are opportunities for local people to learn to read using portions of the Bible.  It’s a win-win: learning to read and Bible         engagement. At the moment the project team does not have funding to do this properly. We intend to give £5750 from Gift Day so that this important work can be done.

 

A Gracious and Generous God

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.                   (2 Corinthians 8:9)

We have all felt the impact of rising prices. It’s another challenge after all those thrown up by Covid.  In different ways, however, we have experienced God sustaining and helping us. From the good gifts God has given we want to give. When we do this, we express our thanks to God and we make a real difference to other people

How to give:

– Bring cash or cheque to church in an envelope marked ‘Gift Day.

– To make an electronic payment, contact the church office on 01620 895233 or at admin@standrewblackadder.org.uk

– Unless you specify your gift will be divided as detailed in the box above

 

St Andrew Blackadder,

Church of Scotland,

North Berwick.

St Andrew Street,

North Berwick,

EH39 4NU

t, 01620 895233

e:admin@standrewblackadder.org.uk,

w: www.standrewblackadder.org.uk

Scottish Charity, SC 006421