- Sunday 5th June
There will be just one service in the church on Sunday due to the Church Weekend Away at Scoughall. That service will be the 9.30 am one. The passage is Acts 3:1-18.
The 10.30am service will be at Scoughall.
2) Church Weekend Away is this weekend, Saturday 7th – Sunday 8th June 2026 at Scoughill SU camp just outside North Berwick
Saturday 6/6/26
09:00 YF programme
12:30 All Age Church Lunch together. Please arrive Sharp
13:30 (Messy Church, little Angels & Parentspace families arrive) Please arrive sharp
14:00-15:00 ALL AGE PARTICIPATION – Sand sculpture, Walks, Games, bouncy castle, table tennis and learn a new skill.
14:30-15:00 Learn new songs
15:00- 15:30 ALL AGE PARTICIPATION – Bouncy castle and learn a new skill & Games
15:00 -15:45 Camp fire (All including Messy Church)…Singing, marshmallows by the fire etc
16:00 Family Ceilidh Dance with a LIVE band
17:00 1st All AGE Worship time
18:00 BBQ – ALL AGE
20:00 ALL others head home /YF stay over
Sunday 7/6/26
09:30 ALL AGE BREAKFAST (Bacon Rolls)
10:30 2nd ALL AGE Worship time
12:00 ALL AGE Church LUNCH together
13:00- 14:30 ALL AGE PARTICIPATION – Walks, Games, bouncy castle, table tennis and learn a new skill
13:45-14:15 Learn new songs
14:30 3rd ALL AGE Worship time
15:30 All Head for home
3) Pastoral Cover during June.
Neil will continue to provide pastoral cover until June 12.
Rev Geoff Berry, locum minister at Abbey Church, has kindly agreed to cover until the end of the month.
On July 1 Rev Mary Haddow starts as locum at St Andrew Blackadder
4) Maintaining Momentum through 2026 and 2027
There will be a gap between Neil retiring and the next Minister starting. The Kirk Session believes God wants the many of the ministries of the congregation to continue during this time. Since St Andrew Blackadder has developed a pattern of distributed leadership there is no reason why this should not happen. The Session also knows Neil has often been the person people have gone to with questions, for reassurance and permission about these ministries. To address this the Session offers these guidelines.
- If you were responsible for an activity/ministry in the congregation in the last 12 months, you don’t need to ask, ‘Do you want me to do it this year?’ Unless the Kirk Session asks you to stop, assume it wants you to keep doing it.
- If you aren’t able to continue this year is there someone you know who might take it on? Can you ask them? If they’re willing, let Sheila Haynes or Tommy Nelson.
- If you have a question or need some support with the activity/ministry DON’T assume the person to speak to is Rev Mary Haddow. Her role as locum is worship and pastoral care, it is NOT leadership of the congregation. Instead of speaking to Mary, work out from the list below who the best person to talk to is.
- If you are part of an activity/ministry, talk to the group leader first. If you need more help, or you lead an activity/ministry, these are the people to talk to.
- Overall life of the congregation, activities and ministries: Sheila or Tommy.
- Sunday worship: Mary or Rodger Glenfield
- Pastoral: Mari Scott or Mary
- Building: David Robertson, Derek Lieper or Hilde Ten Hacken
- Money: Keith Murdoch or Niki McKenzie
- Youth: Andrew Duncan or Tommy
- Not sure who to talk to or who these people are: Julie Scanlon in the office.
- Rev Graham Duffin is the Interim Moderator. As well as overseeing the identifying of the next minister he will work with the Kirk Session to ensure everything runs smoothly. If you have any concerns you can contact him at gduffin@churchofscotland.org.uk.
6) Thanks from Neil.
Helen and I would like to say thank you to the congregation for your incredible kindness and generosity.
We were blown away on Sunday by the words that were said by Sheila, Niki, Tommy and Margot – and by so many other people in our conversations throughout the day.
I still can’t believe the value of your gift to me. I have been looking for an excuse to buy a new bike and you have given me the permission to do so! I intend to take my time, do my research and buy something in the autumn that will be worthy of your generosity.
We look forward to the painting that has been commissioned. We are sure it will keep alive the many memories we have of looking out across the East Bay to the Bass Rock.
And then there was cake. We can’t believe the amount of detail that went into the design. The talent, sense of humour and imagination in the congregation continues to surprise us. It was wonderful.
Helen is hugely grateful for the gift voucher and flowers and she will thoroughly relish tending her garden.
As the church weekend approaches, we are sorry we aren’t going to be with you at Scoughall. We are sure it will be a rich time of fellowship and worship across the church family.
With much love and gratitude,
Neil
7) 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.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88152470672?pwd=WHpUOVdWN3NpSTBCUjF3aDRhcE1Ldz09
Meeting ID: 881 5247 0672
Passcode: StABPrayer
8) Gather Worship, the last one before the summer is on 5th June, 7-8.30pm at the High School, led by Neil and Jo Thompson of NB Christian Fellowship. All welcome!
Julie
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