No.81      7th March, 2026

Hi, 
Hope this finds you well. 
The services and events for Easter are in the magazine below but don't forget about the weekly meetings - it has been good to see the PULSE prayer meeting busy recently - if you haven't been before, or need a lift speak with Scott K, you will be welcome. 

The title of the Tea Break this week is  Iranian Christians Need Your Prayers More Than Ever 
I know there are plenty of views on the situation in the Middle East and we don't want to push a particular agenda - see if this helps inform you at all.

Enjoy the mag.

MB

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Sunday 8th March

Morning service - 10.30am
Mark ch12:1-17


7pm - Join us as we consider Global Trends and the Local Church 
(6.30pm for refreshments)
This is a special service with speaker Dr Kang-San Tan who is a leading voice in global mission strategy and the coauthor of "Humble Confidence: A model for Interfaith Apologetics". He combines global awareness and expertise with practical experience of international outreach in a UK context at Didcot Baptist Church.
Details below

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 The Wednesday mid week prayer meeting
7.15-8.15pm
This week we are at the McNicols' in Eaglesham

“Pray through your church’s directory. Not only are you fulfilling one of your privileges and responsibilities as a member of the church, but you will also come to know and recognize people, especially if the directory provides their photo.”
Tim Challies

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Our 2nd Meeting of the 3-2-1  course is meeting on Sunday afternoon. 
Missed the first one?  Speak with Scott K or Scott H or Lorna - or email the office - if you are interested in being part of things.
There are more details and a trailer video on our webpage here

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NEXT SATURDAY - 14th  MARCH

9am - 10am at the Smiths', Eaglesham

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Letter from the Manse

Dear Church Family,
We have a busy March ahead as we move toward the beginning of April. I encourage you to look over the details below and participate wherever you can. Whether you are able to join us in person or not, please keep these events in your prayers.

Rural Ministries Conference Saturday 7th March. You may receive this magazine just as we head off to Lochgilphead and Tarbert for the Rural Ministries Conference. Our congregation has a small speaking part, sharing how we seek to encourage our brothers and sisters in rural ministry. We depart from Belmont at 7:00 am this Saturday, 7th March.

The 321 Course
Our 321 Course meets for the second time this Sunday at 3:00 pm at Belmont. It is not too late to join these important conversations; please speak with me, Scott Hamilton, or Lorna Hamilton if you are interested.

A Season For Outreach And Reminder of Hope
I am sure we all share the desire to see the Lord build His Church through Mearns Free and bring glory to His Name. Please pray for the unique opportunities that Easter brings. It remains a "cultural moment" that opens doors to invite friends and family to church. You never know, this might be the year the Lord brings them to a true, repentant faith in Jesus.

Community Fun Day: Saturday, 28th March Our aim is simple: to let the people of Newton Mearns know that Mearns Free Church is here. We have a fantastic day planned with not least, a pony, a fire engine, and a bouncy castle. While we hope for conversations about Jesus during the day, we are praying specifically for the "downstream" gospel opportunities that will flow from this day of fun.

Historical Evidence of the Resurrection: On the evening of 29th March, Scott H will lead us in exploring the historical evidence of the Resurrection. This is a fantastic opportunity to ground our faith in the facts of history and prepare our hearts for the Easter season.

Maundy Thursday: Evening Worship 8pm, at Belmont
Good Friday: Evening Worship 7pm, at Belmont
Easter Sunday: Dawn Worship: 6:30am, starts Rouken Glen car park - followed by breakfast at Belmont
Easter Morning Worship: 10:30 am at Belmont. 

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AGM
Notice of Annual General Meeting (AGM)Friday, 20th March,  7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Location: Belmont

Please join us as we gather to look back on the past year of ministry at Mearns Free Church. This is an important time to review our 2025 accounts, discuss our shared life as a congregation and as we thank the Lord for 2025, commit to prayer 2026.

Election of the Finance Committee: During the meeting, we will elect six members to the Finance Committee for the 2026/2027 term. These individuals will also serve as our OSCR Trustees.
The following current members have expressed their willingness to stand for re-election:
Catherine MacKay, Daniel Clarke, Lawrence Renn, Lorna Hamilton, Margo McNicol, Tom Brown

Additional Nominations Welcome. We welcome additional nominations from the congregation. If you nominate someone, before submitting their name please ensure they have agreed to stand. There will be an election and six with the most votes will be elected. Please send all nominations to Scott K at minister@mearnsfree.org no later than lunchtime on Friday, 20th March, so that the election process can be finalized.

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The happy meal that kept on going...

...is the title of the P1-P7 kids session on 22nd March.
We'd like to invite our P1-P7 group and their families to stay for lunch after church on Sunday 22nd March to share a McDonalds Happy Meal lunch together and to chat about family, church and faith.
Let Pauline know by Thursday 19th March via WhatsApp or email children@mearnsfree.org. 

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Congratulations !

It was great to hear of Rachel McNicol's (Murray and Margo's daughter) engagement to Daniel.
Congratulations to them both!

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We have a connection with Govan Free Church's Food Bank and an obvious way to support them is donating some food.

Thanks to those who brought items along last week - we were amazed at such a quick response to the request. Great to have so much pasta to give to folks at Govan this week.
If you have any questions about the Food Bank speak with Sue A or Martin B

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Many of us will have enjoyed this Easter presentation last year when we hosted the Lamps at Belmont.
This year they are at NMBC at Greenfarm Road- details and tickets are here.

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Put this Easter outreach event  in your diary -
who could you bring along to hear about the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus from the dead?
It's on Palm Sunday evening at Belmont School.
Speak with Scott H for more info.

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Free Church Moderator Rev. Alasdair Macleod addressed The Scottish Parliament recently during its Time for Reflection.
A transcript and a link to the video can be found on the Free Church website here

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50 Reasons for the Cross

As we head towards Easter there are a number of daily devotional books available to focus our minds on the meaning of what Jesus would accomplish in His death.
John Piper's book 50 Reasons for the Cross is available as a FREE download which you can access easily here.
So for example, to show the breadth and depth of how the Biblical writers understand the Cross here are just some of the headings (each 'reason' is only 2 pages long). Read one each day?:
Here are just some examples
To Become a Sympathetic and Helpful Priest
To Free Us from the Slavery of Sin
 To Enable Us to Live for Christ and Not Ourselves
To Create a Band of Crucified Followers

Last Sunday morning Scott H showed us from Mark 11 that Jesus was going to be the place where we could meet with God - there would be no need for a physical building or place, HE would be the temple. John Piper looks at this theme in Reason 25...

To Become for Us the Place Where We Meet God

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. John 2:19-21

"Kill me, and I will become the global meeting place with God.”
That’s the way I would paraphrase John 2:19-21. They thought Jesus was referring to the temple in Jerusalem: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” But he was referring to his body.

Why did Jesus draw the connection between the Jewish temple and his own body? Because he came to take the place of the temple as the meeting place with God. With the coming of the Son of God in human flesh, ritual and worship would undergo profound change. Christ himself would become the final Passover lamb, the final priest, the final temple. They would all pass away, and he would remain. What remained would be infinitely better. Referring to himself, Jesus said, “I tell you, something greater than the temple is here” (Matthew 12:6). The temple became the dwelling of God at rare times when the glory of God filled the holy place. But of Christ the Bible says, “In him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9). The presence of God does not come and go on Jesus. He is God. Where we meet him, we meet God. God met the people in the temple through many imperfect human mediators. But now it is said of Christ, “There is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

If we would meet God in worship, there is only one place we must go, to Jesus Christ. Christianity has no geographical center like Islam and Judaism. Once when Jesus confronted a woman with her adultery, she changed the subject and said, “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus followed her on the detour: “Woman, . . . the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.” Geography is not the issue. What is? Jesus continued, “The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth” (John 4:20-23).

Jesus changes the categories entirely. Not in this mountain or in that city, but in spirit and in truth. He came into the world to explode geographical limitation. There is no temple now. Jerusalem is not the center. Christ is. Do we want to see God? Jesus says, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Do we want to receive God? Jesus says, “Whoever receives me receives him who sent me” (Matthew 10:40). Do we want to have the presence of God in worship? The Bible says, “Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also” (1 John 2:23). Do we want to honor the Father? Jesus says, “Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him” (John 5:23). When Christ died and rose again, the old temple was replaced by the globally accessible Christ. You may come to him without moving a muscle. He is as close as faith. "

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TUESDAYS 2 - 3.30pm

in Newton Mearns Baptist Church

A great opportunity to meet friends, and enjoy some tea, coffee and home baking.


Did you know it is now a policy that it is never announced when Priscilla is on the baking rota and bringing along her meringues as people tend not to bring a friend, or Sandy H "accidently 'forgets" to give people a lift that week, because that means there are less meringues to go round.

This week Sandra had a 'March' theme and gave us some marching tunes on the violin alongwith a Bible story which involved some marching - would you have guessed what the Bible story was going to be?

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This week the prayer Scott K has written (using the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) as a framework) starts with at least part of the answer to the question we might ask as we watch the News these days, ie 'What on Earth is going on?' 
Almighty God, You are Lord over all the earth and you are drawing to yourself a people from every corner of the globe...
You can read the rest of the prayer here.

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Finance Officer Vacancy

Free Church of Scotland Central Office Team
The Free Church of Scotland is looking for a capable Accountant to join our team of committed staff in the Central Office to help with specific projects and to support the regular financial work of the charity and denomination. This is a new part-time opportunity on an initial fixed-term contract, with the possibility of extension. The Finance Officer will have strong accounting skills, be experienced in financial reporting, highly organised and self-motivated, and a desire to manage Church finances well. This is an exciting opportunity for someone to use their professional skills in a vocational Christian role. 
More information, a full job description and an application form can be obtained from the Free Church website or by emailing Fiona Russell (fiona.russell@freechurch.org).

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  Ladybird Book of Mearns Free Church

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Our Easter family funday is an ideal opportunity to bring together friends and families within our community.
You can see on the flyer a selection of what will be going on.

If you would be able to help with this event please get in touch with Fiona Waugh on 07795361752.

We would also be grateful for any donations towards various stalls and competitions:

Pre-loved Toy Stall

At the Easter Extravaganza on Saturday 28th March we will be having a pre-loved toy stall. This is your chance to clear out and de-clutter! We are looking for toy donations in very good condition and with all the relevant parts present. We will accept your donations by bringing them to Belmont school on Sunday 15th March and Sunday 22nd March. Please get in touch with  Susan Little, if you have any questions. Thank you! 

Home Baking - all donations will be greatly appreciated and we will give you a date nearer the time for donations to be handed in.
Various Prizes - any unwanted gifts you may have received but will not use eg. toiletries, chocolates, sweets etc There will be a bag at the hall entrance on Sundays for any donations.
DO YOU HAVE ANY GIFT BAGS WE COULD HAVE - we would like to be able to put the prizes in nice bags. 

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This week if you have 10 minutes listen to an Iranian paster outlining both some of the history of Iran in the last 60 years or so and  how he sees the situation in Iran at the moment.
Watch here.

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‘Left to Their Own Devices’
- A Care for the Family Meeting

Parenting support event to Glasgow on the 19 May,
Newton Mearns Baptist Church at 7.30pm.
great event for parents of children aged 8+

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