- Sunday 5 May
Services at 9.30 and 10.30 am (also live-streamed). The passage is Colossians 1:1-14 and the theme, fruitfulness. At the 10.30 am service Sally Anderson, Ewan Bell, Rodger Glenfield, Sheila Haynes, Mari Scott and Gary Wong will be admitted to the Kirk Session.
ASM:
Following the 10.30 service the Annual Stated Meeting of the Congregation will be held.
Messy Church will run from 4 pm to 6 pm in the church hall. A great opportunity for people of all ages to explore faith and experience church in a relaxed and participative way.
2) Farewell to Mike Ingram
Mike has served as Church Officer for 11 years and has decided the time has come to move on. Mike has faithfully and carefully looked after the church building taking care of a whole range of things which has enabled ministries and groups to run smoothly. These range from the small (putting the bins out and programming the heating), to the complicated (new lifts, new kitchen). It has involved working with many different contractors to ensure small things are fixed and large jobs completed. That so many groups want to use the building, and that it stays looking fresh is a testament to the quality of the work he has done. I will express our thanks to Mike personally during the 10.30 service.
3) Looking for one or two people to work as Church Officer.
The job Mike has done divides into two roles. Is there someone in the congregation who senses a call to serve God in one of them, or even both together? If you are even curious about either or both of them, please get in touch. I’d love to chat to you about it. Here is a sketch of the two roles.
Regular: You will open the building at about 9 am Monday to Friday, and take care of practical details for the day. In total you will work 6 hours a week. You will be paid £12 an hour (the Real Living Wage).
Maintenance: You will be responsible for the maintenance of the church building. You will do some small jobs yourself and involve others in the congregation. You will contact contractors and work with them to address larger issues. There will be no set hours or days and the workload will vary. The average will be 6 hours a week. You will be paid at least the Real Living Wage.
4) Interim
Is there someone who might volunteer to do some of the regular Church Officer duties until an appointment is made? Ideally you will commit to come in on the same day each week for a couple of hours. If for example, it was Tuesday, you could deal with the bins and programme the heating. If it was Thursday you could set out the chairs and programme the heating. But it needs to be the same day each week for it to actually reduce Julie’s workload.
5) Sunday Coffee
Coffee after the service plays a major role in creating and sustaining the community of the congregation. Preparing and serving coffee is a vital ministry. New volunteers are needed. If you could help, please talk to Julie in the office. Don’t worry, you will be shown the ropes rather than thrown in at the deep end.
6) Blister Pack Recycling
A huge box of empty blister packs has been sealed and is awaiting collection, and the second box is filling up fast. It is great that the congregation has been able to practice sustainability in this concrete way. It does, however, come at a price. It COSTS the congregation £140 for each box – which shows how complex and expensive it is to separate the parts of blister packs.
7) Siskin Green Concert
Tranent Parish Church on Friday 10th May from 7.30-8.30 PM (doors open at 7PM)
Siskin Green are a contemporary Scottish Folk trio drawing on themes of faith, feminism and justice. They have recorded songs for BBC Scotland’s ‘Reflections at the Quay’ and BBC One’s ‘Songs of Praise’ from the island of Iona. Suzanne Butler, Jane Bentley & Margaret McLarty have new tunes to old hymns and their own new songs.
Check out videos and book tickets on their website. (£!2/£10 in advance – £15/£12 at the door).
8) Prayer Gatherings
Every Sunday in Prayer Room between 10 and 10.20 am
Every Monday in Room 1 between 10 and 11 am.
Every Wednesday on Zoom between for 30 minutes starting at 7 pm.
Please contact the church office for login details.
Neil
Rev Dr Neil Dougall
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