NLK Magazine June 2019

THE MAGAZINE OF

NEW LAIGH KIRK Church of Scotland KILMARNOCK Scottish Charity No.:SC031334

JUNE 2019

“A caring welcoming church at the heart of Kilmarnock reaching out to all”

Minister: Rev. David S Cameron, 1 Holmes Farm Road, Kilmarnock (525416) Session Clerk: Mr Derek I’Anson Depute Clerk: Mrs Margaret Patterson Community and Families: Amy Hannah Community and Youth: Bethany McCaw Pastoral Care Worker: Morgan Johnston 1

CHURCH CALENDAR SUNDAY 11.00 a.m.

11.00 a.m.

5.30 to 7.30 p.m.

MONDAY 7.15 p.m.

8.00 p.m.

7.00 to 9.00 p.m.

MORNING WORSHIP Crèche (0 to 3 years) Junior Kingz (age 3-primary 3) and Senior Kingz (primary 4-primary 7) Contact: Amy Hannah (07980 665432) TrekkersNG (11-17 years) Contact: Bethany McCaw (07827 816405) See Youth activities programme Contact: Bethany McCaw (07827 816405) Guild (every second Monday) Contact: Ellen Stewart (524321) or Lesley Wright(523039) Highlights Klub (1 Monday per month – see Syllabus) Contact: Mrs Angela Mitchell (534622) or Mrs Eileen Murphy (543488) Ranger Guides (Every second Monday) Contact: Mary Dunlop (07519 124548)

TUESDAY 10.15 to 11.15 a.m. Tots Praise (Babies - 4 year olds) Contact: Amy Hannah (07980 665432) 2.00 p.m.

Music and Movement Contact: Christine Kinnell (535190) or Jean Mulholland (403891) 7.00 p.m.

Badminton Club Contact: Mr Alan I’Anson (07949 169051) 7.00 p.m.

Congregational Board Meeting Contact: Emma Johnstone (07853 240753) 7.00 p.m.

Session Meeting (Dates as arranged) Contact: Mr Derek I’Anson (521445) WEDNESDAY 2.00 p.m.

Friendship Group (downstairs second Wednesday of each month) Contact: Mrs Margaret Paterson (01563 551288) 6.00 to 7.00 p.m.

Rainbows Contact : Sheena Baillie.(07749 617204)

6.30 to 8.00 p.m.

Brownies Contact: Alison Murdoch (07508 903293)

7.30 to 9.00 p.m.

Guides Contact: Mary Dunlop (07519 124548)

THURSDAY 2.00 p.m.

7.00 p.m.

7.30 p.m.

FRIDAY 6.00 to 7.30 p.m.

7.00 to 9.00 p.m.

7.00 to 9.30 p.m.

Guild of Friendship (every second Thursday) Contact: Janette Howard (529005) Vestry Contact: Rev. David S Cameron (525416)/Mr Derek I’Anson (521445) Choir Contact: Mr Martin Sharp (524133) Boys’ Brigade Anchor Boys (5 to 8 years) St. Andrew’s and St. Marnock’s Halls Contact: Mrs Michelle Taylor (529266) Boys’ Brigade Junior Section (8+ to 11 years) St. Andrew’s and St. Marnock’s Halls Contact: Elaine Park (533464) Boys’ Brigade Company Section (11+ to 18 years)

Safeguarding Co-ordinators: John and Jamila McDowall Safeguarding Panel Members: John Dale, Bill Sherry and Ellen Stewart

2

New Laigh Kirk Manse June 2019

Hello everyone, Summer is here. Our organisations wind down for the summer break, and well deserved too. We’ve had a busy session. I take this opportunity to thank all of our leaders and committees of our organisations for their hard work during the year. You all contribute your time and energy in presenting good programmes for all who attend to delight and participate in. When together, we engage with people within and outwith our Kirk in the ministry of Jesus Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven is brought near in every loving, caring, compassionate, welcoming action. Thank you to everyone who brings life and love to New Laigh Kirk and makes everyone feel at home. Even though we take a well deserved rest and a family holiday during the summer, the work of our church never stops in worship, pastoral care, and our summer club.

We have embarked on new initiatives this past year in our town centre parish. We have enjoyed success with the Bethlehem Experience, Try Praying and Good Friday Vigil in King Street, as well as Worship Music Workshops. Moving into the summer, preparation continues for Music For All @ NewLaighKirk. These demonstrate the willingness of our folk to move out of our comfort zones and experiment with worship, mission and outreach as we try to engage with our town centre parish and community in a variety of ways.

Holiday time will soon be upon us and it will be good to enjoy a more peaceful pace and atmosphere wherever and whatever we do this summer. Even if you are not going away for a break you must create the space, a place, where you won’t be interrupted and just enjoy simply being quiet and relaxed for a while.

3

If you are a high energy, time conscious, results focused person, with too much to do and no time to do it, you’ll know this isn’t easy. Yet …the fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. Isaiah 32:17 Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. Eccles. 4:6 Be still and know that I am God ….Psalm 46:10 Jesus made sure he had seasons of peace and time alone. No–one had a greater life’s purpose or more demands placed upon him than he did; and the Bible tells us he often withdrew to quiet places to be alone and to pray. Surely we need this type of lifestyle too. Summer reflection on our own lives, spending quiet time with family or ourselves, and with God, is essential to restoring your body, mind and soul. Enjoy a heavenly restful time. Actually we need that time regularly not just during summer breaks.

Have a good holiday and as you do take time to be with our heavenly Father. Remember Worship continues during summer from 9th June to 11th August with an all age worship service beginning at 9.30 a.m. especially suited to young families and at 11.00 a.m. a more traditional worship service with tea and coffee served immediately after the 9.30 a.m. service. There’s something for everyone this summer.

Enjoy your summer rest.

With prayerful good wishes

4

Update from Bethany McCaw Youth and Community Worker Trekkers This past term Trekkers have been delving into the Old Testament, with stories from 1 and 2 Samuel with David being anointed as king, as well as 1 and 2 Kings which left us being challenged to be bold in sharing our faith as well as making the right decisions when we’re faced with hard choices.

Last term we established Costa Wednesday - a mid week meet up with the youth where they can come and share about their week. We have a challenge question each week based on faith or the Bible that’s designed to spark discussion.

We have just welcomed our new P7s to the group. Matthew W, Eubh, Bonnie and Matthew H have joined us from Kingz Kidz and we look forward to having them as part of the youth group.

College Chaplaincy This term I have continued chaplaincy at Ayrshire College each Friday, engaging with students. I recently took part in an event about promoting positive mental health where I set up a stall with interactive prayer stations which were well received – especially by staff.

5

New Laigh Kirk’s TryPraying initiative Where there is hope, there is faith, where there is faith miracles happen. Easter changes everything. This was the Easter message from New Laigh Kirk this year. Hope is a very necessary commodity for the wellbeing of human life but people are looking in wrong places for hope today. Many people have their struggles, financial difficulty, people who break their promises or act terribly towards us; who fret over the kids; face health problems, face death. Life is not easy and sometimes we have to learn how to wait in hope. As Christians we know there is hope – whatever the situation people live in hope for this lifetime, the best is yet to come. The Resurrection of Christ makes all things new; a spirit of renewal that enables us to show up at work with a positive attitude, to renew relationships that have been taken for granted, and to express appreciation and affection to those closest to us. Faith permits us to trust that God can overcome our most serious problems. From the life, death and resurrection of Christ, new life is offered, hope is given, the past is forgiven.

New Laigh developed the TryPraying initiative to encourage people, not part of the church, to try and open their hearts to God and hear Him. So for one week the former BHS Store was transformed into an inviting reflective space which concluded with the Good Friday Vigil.

540 people came through the doors. Many expressed that it made an impact as they explored 7 interactive prayer stations: Finding, Happiness, Peace, Guidance, Letting Go/Forgiving, Remembering, and the Wailing Wall where many people left their prayers. Visitors shared their hopes, worries, fears and requests to God. Many stayed for a coffee and a chat, some shared their significant needs and struggles

6

while church folk spent time listening, signposting, helping with practical needs and praying for people.

The Peace tent was popular, where folk could sit quietly and meditate on the Bible passage, Isaiah chapter 43 v 1-3. People commented that it calmed them down and brought them a sense of peace and renewed hope.

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive; several people came more than once during the week and many of our booklets and Bibles were taken. Lots of people with no or limited church connection came in and said they felt at peace and were pleased to see a town centre building being used for such a positive thing. People also expressed thanks that the church had chosen to serve the community in this way.

We had a great team of people who brought it altogether and helped to make it happen. To those who spent hours setting up gazebos and prayer stations, who served tea and took the time to talk to visitors who really needed someone to listen to them, those who explained prayer stations to people and provided a helping hand, the ones who did the lifting and carrying, as well as the group who helped set up and man the Good Friday vigil – Thank you for giving your time and talent!

The vision couldn’t have become reality without your help.

We concluded the week with The Good Friday vigil, our Minister commented, ‘People asked me why not in the church? Well it’s because we’re concluding a week long prayer initiative in the town. As I was preparing for Holy Week and Easter I was reminded what George MacLeod said, the founder of the Iona Community and former Moderator of the General Assembly, decades ago, “The cross must be raised again at the centre of the marketplace as well as on the steeple of the church. I am reclaiming that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves; on the town garbage heap, at a crossroads so cosmopolitan they had to write His title in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. At the kind of place where cynics talk smut, and thieves curse, and soldiers gamble, because that is where He died and that is what he

7

Wailing Wall

died about and that is where the church ought to be and what church people should be about.”

David went on to say, ‘And so it might feel a little uncomfortable, but we’ll get by and we’ll be there together. It is what we’re about and this is what we did. Christ and the church were right in the middle of

the market place.’

And so, after a week in the market place, we were left with a feeling of gratefulness that we were able to share the hope of Christ with those in great need of it, but also with a sense of urgency to Peace Tent help a world that is broken and hurting. We have the answer. Jesus is the answer and we can make a difference when we are willing to share His hope with others.

8

EACH Each person matters

Scottish Charity no: SC 036849

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40

As ever, we at EACHa very much appreciate the donations that we receive regularly, from members of our own congregation, as well as from other churches or groups. Every week the boxes at the church doors are full of food and toiletries, and kind individuals often give us cash donations.

Earlier in the year, Asda Kilmarnock presented us with a very generous cheque, to be used for the Community Friends Christmas party. It will be quite a party! And at Easter, St Columba’s Church in Stewarton brought us around 150 Easter eggs, which were distributed to everyone who comes to the drop-in, residents in the homeless hostel, as well as all the children in temporary 9

accommodation and the women and children supported by Women’s Aid. We greatly appreciate every single donation, no matter how small. They help us carry out our work of churches working together for the benefit of the most vulnerable in our community. We continue to give a hygiene pack to every person who becomes homeless in East Ayrshire, and your donations of toiletries help us do this. Last year we gave out around 450 of these packs, as well as a toy pack for every child. We also gave toiletries and toy packs to a few refugee families, families who arrived here with very few possessions of their own.

We run a drop-in each Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon in our halls, with an average of 15 attending on Mondays and Fridays, and over 30 on Wednesdays. The drop-ins provide food and friendship, as well as a listening ear, and on Wednesdays professional services are present, offering advice on housing, health and wellbeing, benefits and financial problems. Our optician attends regularly, offering eye tests and free glasses. Some comments from our service users: I come every week to get a bit of time out, a blether and meet new folks Everyone is friendly, the food is good, and the help is good too I enjoy a chat, and there’s food and toiletries to take away for those who need it We also have monthly visits from Fiona, who gives sessions on card making, decorations and dream catchers. The afternoons with Fiona are increasingly popular, when those who take part can forget everyday problems for a while, and have something they have made to take away.

Sadly over the past year several current or past attenders have lost their lives. In March our minister David conducted a very short and sensitive memorial service for those who have lost friends and family. Everyone lit a candle in memory of someone, and this time of quiet reflection was very much appreciated.

10

Those who use our services are among the most marginalised in our society. Many feel they are looked down on, or treated as of little importance. We are often told, ‘You’re the only ones who will listen to us’. What an indictment.

We have a team of committed staff and volunteers, all passionate about what we do. And why do we do it? We do it to make a difference, and we do it in Christ’s name. We do not think of ourselves as doing good deeds ‘for’ people, but walking alongside them, knowing that we are doing God’s work, and that God is with us in all we do, as He is with our Friends. Our motto – Each Person Matters.

So in everything, do to others as you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12 Please contact any of us for more information, or if you would like to help us in any way.

Janice Grant mob 07581 722331 David Quinn mob 07779 237318 Craig McCance mob 07967 637181

The Oliver family would like to thank all the church friends for the kind expressions of sympathy shown in their sad loss of Jim. It is very much appreciated.

Thank you all, Mary, Michelle and Lorraine.

11

1st Kilmarnock Rangers 1st Kilmarnock Rangers opened in March 2019 by Unit Leaders Mary Dunlop and Erin Fagan. Both of us are experienced Guide Leaders in Kilmarnock and opened the unit for girls aged 14 – 18 to continue their journey in Girlguiding.

We currently have 6 members attending regularly and have a few guides who have expressed an interest in attending after their 14th Birthday. The girls are currently working towards their Ranger Gold Award and making plans for the next year which include camping as often as possible and lots of cooking and eating.

We would like to thank New Laigh Kirk for their support in opening this unit and hope unit will thrive for years to come.

How to Join in the Fun: If you know of a girl aged between 14 and 18 who would like to join our unit register their interest at www.girlguiding.org.uk/joinus or email us kilmarnockrangers2019@gmail.com.

If you are aged over 18 and have a particular skill that would help, please contact us.

Great Big thanks to Erin Fagan and all other leaders in Kilmarnock Division who have assisted in opening this unit.

Special Thanks to New Laigh Kirk for their continued support in Girlguiding.

Mary Dunlop Unit Leader 1st Kilmarnock Rangers 12

15th Kilmarnock Guides Firstly, let me introduce myself. I am Mary Dunlop, your new Guide Leader who will take on the main role of running the unit along with Emma Johnstone and Fiona Malcolm.

15th Kilmarnock Guides have had another successful year with 4 girls all completing their Baden Powell Challenge Award. This was the highest award a guide could receive. These BP awards were the first and last for 15th Kilmarnock Guides, as this award has now been retired and replaced

by Guide Gold Award which the remaining girls are working towards. We also have 3 girls qualifying for international camp in Switzerland with Girldguiding Ayrshire North, this summer.

The girls all participated in UK Parliament Week in November 2018. They learned about how the UK Parliament works and we had a mock debate on Animal Testing. There were controversial views on both sides, but the girls handled it well and decided that Animal Testing was OK for medical purposes only.

In February 2019 we had a Leadership Sleepover for Thinking Day filled with team building activities, before the Church Service where 2 girls made their promise as a guide and one of our older girls carried in the Guide Unit Flag for the last time as a Guide. March brought the Amey Engineering Challenge which challenged the girl’s’ creative side to create technology ideas that would make life easier.

Our Coffee Morning was a success in April where we raised £425 solely for the unit. Our Raffles included donations from Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Varani Forum Ices as well as our girls and congregation. This money will assist the unit to provide a wide range of activities for the girls. This year we will be able to hire a bus for the girls to go to Tartan Gig at the Hydro in Glasgow without any additional costs to the girls as well as helping with our yearly census.

This year we saw 4 of our girls finishing with guides and moving on to 1st Kilmarnock Rangers.

In August we will be attending the Tartan Gig – which is a guide only event where all the girls come together at the hydro to enjoy pop music. This is 13

a fantastic experience for the girls as many of them will not have been to a live gig before. We have lots of new girls starting guides with us from our own Brownie unit (as well as others within the area) and we look forward to them joining us. We also look forward to the going on camp in September and our annual BBQ. Lastly, I would like to say thank you to all as none of this would be possible if it were not for the help and support of the members of the New Laigh Kirk, parents and the girls.

How to Join in the Fun: If you know of a girl aged between 10 and 14 who would like to join

our unit register their interest at www.girlguiding.org.uk/joinus Or email us 15kilmarnockguides@gmail.com If you are aged over 18 and have a particular skill that would help, please contact us.

Great Big thanks to Emma Johnstone and Fiona Malcolm for their support this year and hope we can continue to make 15th Kilmarnock Guides GREAT. Mary Dunlop Unit Leader 15th Kilmarnock Guides 14

This term we said goodbye to 2 girls who moved to Guides, and we welcomed 3 new Brownies. We finished our last term with a Christmas sleepover in the hall. The girls all loved meeting Santa and a lot of fun was had by both the girls and the leaders. However, we were all very tired the next morning as we hadn’t slept much.

We have focussed on the new Girlguiding Programme since Christmas.

All the girls have enjoyed the new badges and the new unit meeting activities. We have also enjoyed a games night, Mother’s Day and Easter crafts, and a trip to the Garage for a game of bowling.

We have a couple of spaces at Brownies so please get in touch if you know a 7-10 year old who would like to join us.

Big thanks as usual to Fiona, Jaclyn, Mary, Emily and Sonia for all their help.

I would like to say a very warm thank you to members of New Laigh Kirk for all your cards and good wishes during my stay in hospital. I am feeling better and glad to be back at church. They are very much appreciated.

Sheila Adair

15

The Guild Did you know that the Church of Scotland Guild has about 20,000 members and is one of Scotland’s largest voluntary organisations? Our Guild at New Laigh Kirk has about 40 of those members and we are always happy to see more coming along to join, women or men!

This year we welcomed a few new members, listened to interesting speakers and were involved in various different events which provided fun and kept us busy!

Our A.G.M. took place on 18th March when business matters were successfully concluded and sincere thanks were expressed to those who were stepping down from various positions in our Guild.

The closing social was on 1st April and we were well entertained by a group of Barber Shop Singers called, “The Razor Sharps”, one of whom also played the harp.

Although the main session runs from September to Easter, we do not come to a complete standstill! The committee is of course already planning for next year and for the visit of our Guild partners from Lamlash in May. We also have some summer meetings – 1st July, 5th August and 9th September at 7.30pm. These tend to be informal gettogethers for fun, refreshments and chat.

However, the September meeting is a bit different as it is to take the form of a Big Quiz! This is to coincide with the new Guild Week which is to run from 8th-15th September, instead of in November. This is to draw attention to the Guild before it begins on Monday, 23rd September. We hope that as many folk as possible from the church will come along to the quiz – but more information will follow, nearer the time.

The three-year programme we are following at the moment is entitled “One Journey, Many Roads” and we hope that you will find the road to our door! If you would like to find out more about the Guild, just ask one of the office bearers - leaders: Ellen Stewart and Lesley Wright;

16

secretary: Elma Mitchell; treasurer: Elspeth Dale; or any Guild member you know.

Hope to see you soon!

Lesley Wright.

Church Open Doors New Laigh Kirk is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 12noon to 2.00pm. The church will be open for those who want to come for a period of solitude or reflection, to see the newly restored stained glass windows from the inside or to find out some of the history of the church and town.

We urgently require some more volunteers, especially men, to welcome the visitors, so if you could spare a couple of hours every six weeks or if you could cover shifts when regular volunteers are on holiday, we would be delighted to hear from you. We are particularly short of volunteers on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

If you would like to be included in the rota, please speak to Helen Colman.

Remember that the more volunteers that there are, the less often you will be on duty!

Helen

17

The Junior section hosted the East Ayrshire Battalion quiz and were 1st and 2ⁿd, 3rd place went to 2nd New Cumnock. They also took part in the Battalion Supergroup competition at Stewarton, 7 companies took part in 8 events: Bible, Observation, Drill, Obstacle course, Space Hoppering, Indoor curling and Baccia with 4th/5th winning and 2ⁿd New Cumnock in 2ⁿd place.

The Abaana New Life Choir from Uganda were performing at St Andrew’s and St Marnock’s church and the Junior section went along to see and hear them and the choir's concert was absolutely fabulous.

The Company section had a Junior Section with the Abaana New Life Choir trip to Newmilns ski centre where the boys tried Skiing, Snowboarding and Tubing, all returned in one piece. A very cold day in March saw the Battalion Cross Country take place at Dundonald. For 4th/5th, Finlay Allison was 3rd in P5/P6 event, Sam McCallum and Ross Mitchell were 1st and 2ⁿd in the P6 and P7 event and Jonathon Downie, Charlie McNulty and Robbie Sanderson were 1st, 2ⁿd and 3rd in the S1 - S3 event.

4th5th Company section also took part in the Battalion Drill competition at Stewarton and finished a well deserved 3rd place, 1st Stewarton were 1st and 1st Dundonald were 2ⁿd.

18

This year the Battalion Parade was in Onthank where Companies from across East Ayrshire came together to march to St John’s Church.

Anchor Boys The Parents’ Evenings for each of the Sections have taken place and the winners of the Trophies are as follows: Anchor Boys: Best 1st year: Zane Darnbrough Best 2nd year: Zach Mitch Best 3rd year: Luke Roxburgh Junior Section: Best 1st year: Elliot Ferrie Best 2nd year: Ruaraidh Chapman Best 3rd year: Jack Armstrong Millennium Trophy (overall best boy): Jack Armstrong Company Section: Best 1st year: Calum Stewart Best 2ⁿd year: Max Plancey Best 3rd year: Kristopher Paterson Philips trophy (Best Senior): Rowan Taylor

19

Thy Kingdom Come is a Christian movement, established by the Anglican Church but now comprising members of many different Christian denominations all over the world, including the Church of Scotland. It is inviting us all to join in a global wave of prayer between 30th May and 9th June. It is calling all Christians to light up the world in prayer in the days between Ascension and Pentecost so that more people will come to faith in Christ.

NLK will be one of the lights, as we have registered to take part and the Prayer Group will use this as our focus at our meeting on 5th June. One suggestion is that each person involved should pray for five people they know to come to faith. However, there are no hard and fast rules – we can pray as the Spirit moves us!

Whether you come to the prayer group or not, you can take part. You can register online at their website – or you could just say this prayer at any time: Almighty God, Your ascended Son has sent us into the world To preach the Good News of your kingdom: Inspire us with your Spirit And fill our hearts with the fire of your love, 20

That all who hear your Word may be drawn to you, Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

The Prayer Group continues to meet at 7pm on the first Wednesday of the month in the church. We would love to see more people taking part, either by coming along in person or by leaving your prayer requests in the box in church or on the church Facebook page. There are so many things in the world today that need our prayers.

Here are a few suggestions: � Pray for the Christians in New Zealand and Sri Lanka who have come under attack. Pray for the dead, the injured and the bereaved. Pray for the affected communities and religious groups. � Pray for the friends and family of Lyra McKee, the journalist who was shot and killed by extremists in Londonderry. Pray for reconciliation between opposing sides, that something positive might come from this tragedy. � Pray for all those affected by the suicides of friends or family members, especially those in our own town. � Pray for all young people who are affected by anxiety and depression, especially when it is exacerbated by social media. � Give thanks for the family of the church, particularly our own, and the love and support it affords us. � And pray that we may all have the courage to let our little light shine – you in your small corner and I in mine!

God bless!

Lesley Wright

21

Hospital Visiting Due to the inadequate provision of patient lists to ministers of the church, knowing who is in hospital is impossible to determine. This includes Crosshouse, Ayrshire Central and Ayr Hospitals.

David and Morgan have no way of knowing if our church members are in hospital unless they are told.

Please use the Pew Card, telephone or email to inform him if you know of someone who is in hospital at any time.

Your help in this matter will ensure we maintain effective pastoral contact with our members in time of need.

David

01563 525416

dvdcam5@msn.com

http://www.nlk.church

22

Highlights Klub Our March evening was a craft night with our very own Miriam, who showed us how to make sequined Easter egg decorations. Once again, our ladies showed off their creative talents.

In April we held our annual charity quiz night in aid of Breast Foot Forward. A great night was had by all, and our winning team was The 7 Deadly Sins, beating the men’s team into second place once again!

Miriam won the spot prize, while the wooden spoons this year went to The Killie Pies. We were pleased once again to welcome some newcomers and we would be delighted to see them at any of our evenings.

We raised £977.50, which together with other fundraising, makes a grand total donation this

year to the charity of £1,004.37 (including Gift Aid as appropriate). Our overall total now raised for this excellent cause is £15,199.87 and our heartfelt thanks go to all who came along on the night and all those who donated or 23

contributed in any way at all to the success of the evening. All the money raised in Scotland stays in Scotland and the charity is due to present another sum of money to Crosshouse Hospital in the near future.

By the time you read this we will have enjoyed our end of session night out to Bar Luca, and we start back after the summer break on Monday 30th September. Please look out for the syllabus in the next edition of the magazine and for intimations in Church and in the Kilmarnock Standard.

Thank you very much for your continued support, and also for the gifts. There is no need, but they are much appreciated. We wish you a very happy summer break (hopefully with some good weather!)

New members are always welcome – contact me on 543488 or Angela on 534622, or speak to any of the committee.

Eileen Murphy, Chairperson

Badminton The Badminton club is for all ages (over 16) and levels of fitness to come along and play some games and have a good time.

We meet in lower halls on Tuesday nights from 7.15pm-9.00pm.

Alan I’Anson 07949169051

24

Mission Partners The nineteenth century saw a great flourishing of Scottish Protestant missions overseas. Missionaries such as Robert Moffat, David Livingstone, Mary Slessor and many others were household names and their visits to Scottish churches drew large crowds of eager listeners.

To-day the Church of Scotland’s World Mission Council recruits Mission Partners in response to requests from partner churches around the world. These requests are often for highly skilled and experienced people such as ministers, lecturers, doctors and teachers who meet the needs of a specific project that the partner church is involved with.

News of their work appears in the World Mission magazine, which is distributed in our church.

Over the years New Laigh Kirk and its predecessors have encouraged this valuable work by “adopting” a Mission Partner and offering a link with home. Members of our congregation may recall two Mission Partners who visited Kilmarnock and gained our respect and admiration for their endeavours overseas.

For many years the late Anne McDowall was the Laigh Kirk’s Mission Correspondent with Dr Liz Bevan, who was based at Tumutumu Hospital in the Central Highlands of Kenya, 80 miles north of Nairobi.

The hospital was started in 1909 by the Church of Scotland and it is owned and governed by the Presbyterian Church of East Africa. This 203 bed hospital provides health care in medicine, surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology as well as outpatient services. It also has a Nursing School which trains Kenya Registered Community Health Nurses.

During Dr Bevan’s time there we came to know one patient very well.

This was Joe Wanjohi, who was blind and paraplegic. He resided in the hospital for many years and appeared to have an irrepressible spirit.

Every Christmas Anne McDowall would parcel up a present for Joe from Laigh Kirk. How proud he was of his Scottish pyjamas and other little treats! One time Anne’s choice of gift excelled even the pyjamas, 25

as she sent to Joe a talking watch. This was such a novelty that Joe insisted on updating everyone in the ward about the exact time – every five minutes!

There was a Kenyan link too with our next Mission Partner. This was Joel Githinji, a Kenyan, who was serving as a HIV and AIDS Adviser with the United Mission to Nepal (UMN). Established in 1954, UMN is a cooperative effort between the people of Nepal and a large number of Christian organisations from nearly 20 countries on 4 continents. Its mission is “to address root causes of poverty as it serves the people of Nepal in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ”. Multi-cultural teams of Nepali nationals and volunteer expatriate staff work alongside local organisations in less developed areas of the country, building partnerships that lead to healthy, strong and empowered individuals, families and communities.

Joel’s role was to prevent the spread of HIV through public health education and to care for people living with HIV and AIDS. His colleagues work to support local people through projects in education, business development, other health issues and improving the resilience of homes and infrastructure in a highly volatile earthquake zone.

Although Liz Bevan and Joel Githinji have moved on to other roles, the World Mission Council has other Mission Partners who are hard at work, forging links with Christian churches and presbyteries worldwide.

You can read about them on the Church of Scotland website at https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/serve/world_mission/mission_partners

and in the World Mission magazine. Just as visits from Liz Bevan and Joel Githinji inspired us with a better understanding of the work of the Church of Scotland overseas, so to-day the World Mission Council can send speakers to local churches to strengthen the bonds between Scotland and the wider world.

26

YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS THESE EVENTS! DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

In the autumn, New Laigh Kirk is hosting five outstanding musical events. In the Church. Yes the Church! Where better to hear local singers and bands than in our beautiful Kirk. All events are open to everyone and FREE to attend so you can invite all of your friends and family, at no cost to you! So please spread the word; make a note in your diary and fill the pews with people, some who may never have been across the doors. Several very deserving charities will benefit from donations.

ACOUSTIC LIVE LOUNGE - Friday 6th September This should be a lively night when young and talented acoustic bands from this area will showcase their talent. The standard of playing will be high. Ayrshire’s got talent! This event is in partnership with Ayrshire College.

LET’S ALL SING - Sunday 22nd September Singing is medically proven to be good for your health so come along and sing with music from organist and praise band, with the addition of a brass ensemble and church/school choirs. The sound will reverberate around the Church and there will be a chance for all to sing their hearts out. It will be recorded to DVD for local nursing 27

homes and the housebound. Your chance to be a recording artist! Not every day you have an opportunity like that!

MUSIC AT THE MOVIES - Friday 4th October Forget Netflix. Come along and join Newmilns and Galston Brass Band with gifted young vocalist Lynne Kenmuir. Enjoy well-known soundtracks that bring back movie memories of sitting in the cinema with popcorn and Kia-Ora. You can even sit in the back seat of the Kirk if you wish! Hollywood Blockbusting film music. Ah memories indeed!

MUSICAL MEMORIES - Friday 8th November Kilmarnock’s long established and talented Aeolian Male Voice Choir will perform on this occasion. As soloist we are delighted to welcome the award-winning Soprano Kate Valentine back to her home town, where she gained local stardom in school shows. Kate is now a superb professional international singer, who appears regularly with English National Opera and Opera North. One of ‘oor ain’.

SHOULD AULD ACQUAINTANCE - Friday 22nd November Burns mentions our Kirk and previous ministers in his poetry and with the town links to the poet it would be remiss not to include a tribute. We are bringing together the wonderful Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra and artists associated with Robert Burns’ World Federation to present Scottish Music with a Burns’ poetry slant. The performance will be streamed live to interested folk across the world. How wonderful it will be to know that your relatives and friends from Alaska to Tasmania are sharing this night LIVE with you.

Sheil 28

Update from Amy Hannah Communities and Family Hello everyone!

Lots has been happening in our church recently and there’s lots to come! Last month, we had our morning Easter Club for primary children from April 8th, 9th and 10th and it was a fantastic success! At Easter Club, the children had the chance to explore the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ through songs, games, crafts and through the movie “Inside Out!”; where we could relate emotions of the movie’s characters to Jesus’ final days before he rose again. Our kids were very enthusiastic and had a great time painting, singing, dancing, creating and building over the three days. We had a strong team of volunteers and I would like to personally thank everyone who came along to the Easter Club to help out this year, our team were amazing! Have a look at the great pictures below.

Next we’ll have our Summer Club which will be held from August 5th-9th, 10am-12pm in the John Finnie Street halls. All Primary children are welcome to come along to the club for games, songs, crafts, snacks, stories, team challenges, and much more! If you would like to register your children for summer club, please send your child’s name, age/primary, a 29

contact number and any allergies we should be aware of to; amy_bh@hotmail.co.uk or to 07980665432. If you would like to come along as a helper to our Summer Club, please speak to me, Amy. Our Kingz Kidz sessions are coming to a close on June 2nd, our Prizegiving service, after which, our summer services begin and Kingz Kidz will break for the summer, returning in August. We have had an amazing term for our Kingz Kidz as the children have been following the stories and miracles of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection through crafts, games and songs. After summer, we hope to have a creche service running again, for families with younger toddlers, in the church halls, with a dedicated space for play mats, toys and books. If you would like to be part of the creche rota or help out in any way, please speak to me (Amy).

After Summer, NLK hope to start a “Messy Church” for all families in the church to come along one evening a month to share food, stories, learn from scripture and explore family activities relating to the Bible.

We encourage all families to come along and enjoy this time together: more details will be given soon. If you would be keen to help out with Messy Church, please speak to me or feel free to be in touch to: amy_bh@hotmail.co.uk or to 07980665432.

Our Community Choir has, so far, been an outstanding success! We currently have around twenty members and are still building. Our choir is currently rehearsing music for a themed performance, however, we aim to start promoting our talents in the local community or at community events. Watch this space! We even have a new accompanist with the Community Choir, Matthew Johnston, who is an S5 pupil at the Grange Academy. Matthew says he is keen to get started with the choir and looks forward to joining us soon. Our Community Choir is open and welcomes anyone who would like to come along to sing, have fun and enjoy some great company, with tea and cake of course. There are no pre-conditions to joining the choir, so please don’t be shy, come along and join us every Tuesday night, 7pm9pm in the church.

30

New Laigh Kirk Summer Club Prayer Pointers

‘Pray always, pray for one another’

James 5:16

Your help and prayer will bring many young people into the family of New Laigh Kirk.

Please pray for ● Amy and the summer club team in their preparation for ● all the musicians learning new songs ● the volunteers who are helping in many ways ● the programme and those who will take the children on a journey of exploration ● all the children who will come and take part ● The children and their families and ask God to keep everyone safe ● Yourself and your contribution to the

31

Friendship Group

SUMMER OUTING 2019

This year’s Summer Outing will take place on Saturday 31st August 2019 and will be to Castle Douglas. We will have a High Tea on the way back at the Royal Cumnock Hotel. .

This trip is open to anyone from the church who is aged 60 or over. If they wish to do so, they may bring a friend.

The cost of the trip is £20 for New Laigh Kirk members and £23 for non-members. If you would like to go on the trip please complete the attached slip or phone Margaret Paterson on the number below.

Completed slips should be returned as soon as possible to Margaret Paterson at the address below with appropriate payment or the completed slip with payment may be placed in the offering plate on a Sunday in an envelope addressed to Margaret Paterson, and marked ‘Friendship Group Outing’.

Mrs Margaret Paterson, 28 Colonsay Place, Wardneuk, Kilmarnock KA3 2JU Tel: 01563 551288

32

Friendship Group Summer Outing 2019

NAME ______________________________________

ADDRESS ______________________________________ _________________________________________ TELEPHONE NUMBER:

___________________

NUMBER OF NEW LAIGH KIRK MEMBER TICKETS @ £20 each

_______

Total Cost: £______ NUMBER OF NON MEMBER TICKETS @ £23 each

_______ Total Cost: £______

Total sum enclosed in payment: £__________ 33

Church Register Baptism 10th February 2019

3rd March 2019

Alba Eirinn McDonald 18 Carmel Place Kilmaurs Lottie Anna Gilmour-McGuire 19 Cairns Terrace Kilmarnock

Funerals 27th February 2019

Jean Steele (M) 62 Glasgow Road Kilmarnock

22nd March 2019

Douglas Young 104 Dundonald Road Kilmarnock

11th February 2019

Betty Niven (M) 51 Whatriggs Road Kilmarnock

25th March 2019

Peter Adam (E) 13 Gardrum Place Kilmarnock

2â żd April 2019

Netta Connor (M) 35 Craigie Road Kilmarnock

10th April 2019

Codey Brown 9 Danney Coffey Avenue Kilmarnock

16th April 2019

Andy Clark 9 Stirling Crescent Kilmarnock

No Funeral Service - remains donated to the advancement of science 12th December 2018 Anne McDowall 5 Carmel Place Kilmarnock 34

This is my prayer, O Holy One Give me the peace that passes understanding.

Give me the assurance that you are here for me.

O God in your mysterious power you make the oceans roar and the starfish wash upon the shore.

And my love lives in the heart of heaven, and I live in the heart of earth but we live together in the heart of God Amen

35

Music and Movement On Tuesday 30th April, we finished our last session with a trip to Cardwell Garden Centre, Kelvingrove Museum and finally a really nice High Tea at the Fenwick Hotel.

This rounded off, for both of us, the first Christmas meal and Spring trip since taking over from Mildred and Anne. We would like to thank them again for all that they did for us over 11 years. We would also like to thank all of our other ladies who have continued to come along and support us since.

We look forward to seeing you all again on Tuesday, 17th September.

Jean Mulholland and Christine Kinnell.

36