No.43 25th April 2025
Hi,
Hope you have had a good week.
We came through a busy Easter period which Scott looks back over in his letter.
Now we head towards the Summer...I've really enjoyed the joint fortnightly evening services with NMBC and it's great to see another season in the diary - looking at the Psalms this time...and in between these weekends the Home Groups start again too on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays.
And as we are heading towards the Summer that means planning for the Community Week - Pauline will be saying much about this in the next few weeks and it's a great opportunity to serve as part of the Mearns Free Church family in a way which suits your gifts and availability.
And don't miss out on the other events noted below happening over the next few weeks...in fact there is one tomorrow at NMBC for SU Scotland..
But the main focus for some this week coming will be the SQA exams - let's remember our young people (I think we have around 10 young people in that age group) as they navigate studying, exams, rest and faith. I read these prayers online and I think they are appropriate for the teens next week...
“Wishing you peace of mind and sharp focus for your upcoming tests.”
“May you be blessed with endurance and wisdom during your exam preparations.”
“Praying for a calm spirit and quick recall of all that you've studied.”
Enjoy the mag.
MB
Sunday 27th April
Morning service - 10.30am
Rev Kenny Macleod (Dowanvale Free Church)
(nb. Services are not being live streamed but will be recorded and on YouTube shortly after the service.)
Sunday Evening - 7.00pm
JOINT EVENING SERVICE AT NMBC
6.30pm for refreshments
New series of studies in the Psalms
Wednesday - 7.15pm - 8.15pm
@M&M McNicol's
Letter from the Manse
Dear Congregation,
It is very appropriate for me to thank all involved in our additional gatherings over Easter. There were so many leading us from the front that we are so grateful to God – we don’t take the gifts God has given our congregation for granted.
However, there are many away from the front yet equally vital as they shared their gifts so wonderfully with us also (those on parking and door duty, AV, PPT preparation and presentation, teas/coffees/baking, toilet cleaning! and innumerable other less noticed parts of our ministry over Easter).
There is at least one more vital thanks. Thank you to all of you who attended and participated in the worship of God and welcome of others. When we stop and think, we realize your presence itself is such a great encouragement in itself, to us all. We thank God for your presence and participation in the life of our church over this Easter season.
Despite reflecting on the events of the cross and resurrection of Jesus each year, I am often apprehended by truths about Easter that have become almost unnoticed by me.
I spent one year attending worship at “10th Presbyterian Church”, Philadelphia, USA. The minister at that time was a fine man called James Montgomery Boice (now receiving his rest and reward in glory).
This Easter he helped bring to light for me I was reminded of wonderful truths regarding the relationship between the cross and the resurrection for believers. (I am going to edit and paraphrase some of his words below.)
Jesus removed the “sting” of death for all who trust in Him when He took our sins upon Himself on the cross of Calvary. Physical death still comes presently, but what must then follow that death (at some point in the future) is the receiving of our resurrection bodies. The receiving of the resurrection body is necessary because, as the apostle Paul says,
flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. You and I have to have a resurrection body to be able to enter the New Heavens and The New Earth. Amazing! That New Heavens and Earth will be glorious and we will be gloriously prepared for it.
God has also therefore given believers victory over the fear of death by the cross and resurrection. Sometimes this is harder to appreciate because the former point is true whether we
feel it or not. But this latter point involves how we
feel about death and therefore how we
face death (our own and that of others).
Sometimes Christians are troubled deeply about death. But as Christians, we can face death with the settled confidence and peace that comes from knowing, (as Paul says) that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Comparing our life here with our life there in the presence of God, we know that to depart and be with Christ is far better. This should dominate our feelings about death.
Paul’s testimony has been proved by the last words of many dying Christians. We hear this peace in the first biblical Christian martyr, Stephen;
“Look, I see heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” …“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Many death bed reactions of Christians are documented. The famous revivalist preacher of the nineteenth century, Roland Hill as he died repeated a little poem,
“And when I’m to die, receive me, I’ll cry, for Jesus hath loved me. I cannot tell why.” And Catherine Booth, the wife of the founder of the Salvation Army, said,
“The waters are rising, but so am I. I am not going under but over. Do not be concerned about dying. Go on living well. The dying will be alright.”
That’s the way Christians can die.
“His oath, his covenant, his blood, support me in the whelming flood; when all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay. On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.
Quoting an older Christian thinker (Robert Candlish) Boice reflects on the fact that Jesus brings victory not only over how we feel about death, but over death itself. In the present age, death eventually swallows everyone. But the time is coming when death is going to have to give us all back up and death itself will be swallowed.
Candlish imagines the conversation between Jesus and death.
“Give up My slumbering saints…they are Mine—members of My body, of My flesh, of My bones. They are a part of me. I am one with them. As long as you keep them swallowed up, you are keeping Me swallowed up. I cannot be held down by you. I have waited until my body should be complete in all its members down to the very least of them—the very lowest, the very last. And it is complete now. Therefore, give it up. Let it go. What then remains when you have disgorged yourself of all your dead, great and small? This prepare to meet yourself the doom which you have inflicted upon them. Your turn has come. Oh destroyer, you are yourself destroyed. You who swallowed up others are swallowed up yourself…”
The cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ brings victory over the sting of death, how we face death and over death itself. Jesus Christ has the victory. Because He has the victory, all believers have the victory also. But, you must be in Him.
It’s not enough to come to church on Easter, as many people do, because you get a warm feeling and because the music is triumphant. It’s not even enough to know the things of Easter. What’s required is that you are in Christ, and the way you are in Christ is by faith in Christ. You have to trust in Him. You have to commit yourself to Him. You have to serve Him. And so, have you done that? Yes? Praise God. If not, why not?
…. I am on holiday this week. Please refer pastoral emergencies to our Session Clerk, Alastair McLellan.
This coming Sunday (27th April) we look forward to having the Rev Kenny Macleod leading in worship. Kenny is minister at Dowanvale Free Church in Partick.
With Warmest Regards
Scott
Saturday...2-4pm
Summertime for...
The summer holidays are going to be upon us in the blink of an eye.
We are looking for some people to lead one (or more) of our summer sessions to give our regular Kids leaders a break. You will need to have a PVG with Mearns Free Church (this can be arranged through Alastair MacLellan or Sue Anderson and is a relatively painless procedure) and there will need to be two adults aged 18+ at each session. We will be focusing on Nehemiah this summer and full teaching materials and resources will be provided for each week.
Speak to Pauline if you can help on any of the following dates:
29th June, 6th July, 13th July, 20th July, 27th July, 4th August.
Community Week 2025
4th-10th August. Keep the week free!
We are planning a week of events based around the stories of King David and King Jesus, for all ages across our local community and would love as many people to be involved as possible. To find out more about how you could be involved or support even in a small way, speak to Pauline. Every contribution is worthwhile and helps us to share the Gospel.
There will be a team meeting on Sunday 1st June after church for those who will be involved in whatever capacity to give an overview of the week, to allocate roles and most importantly, to pray together.
TUESDAYS AT 2pm in NMBC
The Cafe started again after Easter.
Not been before?- come along, bring a friend - you will find a warm welcome, as well as tea, coffee and home baking.
Need a lift? Speak with Elizabeth S.
At the Cafe this week we heard the poem 'Friends and the Traveller'
You can buy this really fantastically illustrated book - see some images and way to purchase here
You can read the poem here
The next 2 meetings are on Saturdays 10th May and 14th June...we plan to continue on the 2nd Saturday of each month.
Speak with to Martin S for more details.
Sunday Evenings - April - June
The Home Groups and Evening Services with Newton Mearns Baptist Church continue through until the summer.
EVENING SERVICES (7.00pm) looking at selected Psalms
27th April - NMBC 1
11th May - NMBC 2
25th May - NMBC 3
8th June - NMBC 4
22nd June - NMBC 5
HOME GROUPS are studying Daniel - your Home Group leader will have study booklets for you.
Meeting at various times on weeks beginning:
4th May - Home Group 1
18th May - Home Group 2
1st June - Home Group 3
15th June - Home Group 4
29th June - Home Group 5
If you would like to be involved in a Home Group speak to Scott.
Looking for an overview of the book of Daniel?
Perfect for getting ready for the Home Groups.
Click HERE to watch the Bible Project's video summary.
Can you Help!
Would you like to be on the rota to help at the Creche?
There are a few babies and pre-schoolers each week in the creche on a Sunday.
Christina looks after the creche during the service - but needs an extra pair of hands.
Speak to Christina or Margaret Boyd for more information.
Ladybird Book of Mearns Free Church
Book in a Day
Tuesday 6th May, 2025,
09:30-16:30
25 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 1HW
Come and join our Cornhill class for the day as we spend time digging deep into the book of 2 Corinthians together.
Our Book in a Day events are a great opportunity to learn key Bible handling skills, to grow in your understanding of a book of the Bible and all whilst enjoying warm fellowship with like-minded brothers and sisters. These days will be really helpful for pastors, elders, women’s workers, lay preachers, Bible study leaders, youth and children’s workers or anyone wanting help with reading the Bible. Our Book in a Day events are also a great taster for those considering doing the full Cornhill Training Course.
Paul Clarke is a seasoned Bible expositor and serves as the Senior Minister of St Andrews Free Church.
All light refreshments during the day will be provided as well as all the teaching material. Please bring your lunch with you or buy it from one of the many eateries in central Glasgow.
The cost of the day is £20 per person or £10 for students or unwaged. For groups of 3 or more there is a flat rate of £60.
If the cost is a problem then please contact us and we will do what we can.
We would love to have you with us.
Date for Diary!
Mearns Free Church have an Instagram, Facebook and YouTube presence
We would really like people to LIKE, FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE to the church accounts.
Look out for more details in coming weeks about how you can raise the online profile of the church.
Some Ministry Opportunities at MFC
We have some opportunities you may want to consider serving in.
i. We
transport sound equipment from a local garage to Belmont (usually pick up on Fridays at 5.15, deliver at 5.30). You may have help to load and unload the car.
We currently transport 11 items which fit in a Octavia estate or a Karoq when both have their back seats down. The idea might be to create a rota. The planning of that we can work out with you.
ii. We have
joint services with Newton Mearns Baptist Church fortnightly. We could do with extra assistance in ministering to one another. On these evenings could you...
a. Assist with the AV? (Simply moving slides forward on the computer or on the sound desk.)
b. Help make and serve teas and coffees?
c. Welcome people at the door and general stewarding (especially if the need of emergency exit arose)?
iii.
Baking Rota
On a Sunday morning alongside a hot beverage, a warm handshake from John McNicol (with the potential of some unregulated financial advice) we also like to have something sweet - can you help by being on the baking rota...we need 4 or 5 others to make sure it's not a burden at all. Speak to Margaret Boyd about this.
DATE FOR DIARY
Being Human taster event with Peter Lynas
– navigating culture through a Christian lens .
Newton Mearns Baptist Church
| Thursday 15 May | 7 p.m.
A recent survey we did with our members showed that Christians in Scotland are seeking guidance on how to engage with today’s major cultural issues.
With that in mind, we invite you to stay for the Being Human taster event, where Peter Lynas, UK Director at the Evangelical Alliance and co-lead of the Being Human project, will introduce a framework to help us understand and respond to these issues from God's perspective. On the night, we’ll explore examples such as assisted dying and gender/sexuality, with space for discussion and a Q&A session.
This event is open to your wider church community – leaders, students, professionals, creatives – everyone is welcome. If you’re unable to attend, we’d really appreciate you sharing this event with your church and other leaders you know. This is open to all churches who are interested.
To help with sharing, I have attached a promotional poster for you to share. The QR code on the poster links to the registration page, but I’ve also included the direct link here for convenience. https://forms.office.com/e/YbhWcLCpMu
LARGE PRINT -
SONG WORDS
If you find viewing the song-words on the screen in Sunday worship a problem, we currently print a limited number of large-print song sheets for specific people.
We don't want to print unnecessary copies so please speak with the door team and we will begin to make these available for you each week.
Mearns Free Church has a What's App Group for Prayer -The "PRAY NOW" Group
Purpose: A platform to share information regarding a sudden and crucial need for prayer.
How to connect: Speak to Margaret Boyd if you would like to be added to this group or email Margaret at: mandmboyd@hotmail.co.uk
What tech do I need?: You need to have a Smart Phone with WhatsApp to get set up.
Emailing The Minister
Please be careful when emailing Scott that you are using the correct current email address minister@mearnsfree.org. A number of emails continue to be sent to accounts no longer in use. Please be doubly careful when sending from a device that is not your normal communication device (like a phone) or if you use “reply to all”.
Email Addresses For Mearns Free Church
Please make sure you change your email address list now we are part of the Free Church.
Tom Brown (Office): office@mearnsfree.org
Scott Kirkland (Minister): minister@mearnsfree.org
Sandy McDougall (Treasurer): finance@mearnsfree.org
Pauline Forster (Children and families worker): children@mearnsfree.org