No.92    22nd May, 2026

Hi, 
Hope this finds you well. 

This Sunday morning we look forward to Scott H continuing to take us through Mark ch14, but we will also have a visitor from Ukraine with us, Pastor Igor Bandura  - after the children leave for their classes he will share with us some news of the current situation there.
In the evening we are at the Baptist church for a Joint Service - if you haven't been along yet put it in your diary as it's a great time of fellowship as well as hearing from God's Word.

Looking ahead to next weekend, take a moment to book up for the Covenanters Walk as the church celebrates its 2nd birthday. All the details are below in how you can be involved, and Eric sets the scene for what is on offer... please use the link to let us know you are coming along.

Looking even further ahead the Summer Sunday school runs over 6 Sundays. Pauline is looking for helpers over those weeks. However, your help is not the most obscure thing Pauline is requesting in this week's magazine - see if you can spot it. I believe René Belloq and Major Arnold Toht are also looking for this.

Enjoy the mag,

MB

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Sunday 24th May

Sunday Morning - 10.30am
Rev Scott Hamilton
Mark 14:62-75

Sunday Evening - 7pm

Join us at NMBC
(Refreshments from 6.30pm)
This week we are looking at the  2nd epistle of John.

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This week's 'X post' works well with our Sunday morning Bible focus  - again in the face of betrayal, misunderstanding and hatred, we see a composed Christ, clearly and purposefully being about His Father's business.

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Next Saturday, the good people of Mearns Free Church and friends are invited to walk together into the past of Lochgoin and Fenwick – and emerge in the present, thinking of our shared future. It’s our birthday! - and we’re celebrating by enjoying the beautiful countryside on our doorstep while seeking inspiration from 16th century accounts of ordinary folk from neighbouring farms who showed extraordinary courage and steadfastness - holding to the principles of their Christian walk with God.

There are two intriguing venues to visit – a museum devoted to the local Covenanters at Lochgoin (still a working farm) and then, 7 miles or so down the country road, Fenwick churchyard’s historic graves and memorials to those lives.

To make this truly accessible for any of us with mobility challenges, we are laying on a relay of lifts for the first part of the route to the museum. All can come - whether you are more inclined to hirple than to hurdle. The plan is to assemble at the car park [see below for details]. My opening comments there are an appetiser for what we will later see and will pick out some landmarks of Reformation history, giving us ideas to discuss as we together walk back in time. At the Lochgoin farm we’ll reassemble - walkers in sensible shoes and passengers of kind drivers. Before your picnic lunch and stepping into the museum, I’ll give some context for the people we’ll meet in the displays within: their times, their troubles and their trust in their heavenly King. (There’s a short walk from there for those who wish to see the Covenanter’s Memorial just across the field, erected by the family of John Howie, author of “Scots Worthies’).

At this point, some will be driven back a mile to the origin while the walkers will continue along a farmland route that takes us past the Covenanters’ Cave. There we’ll pause to consider persecution and refuge. After about two and a half hours’ gentle walking, we’ll reach our final destination – Fenwick churchyard – and reflect there briefly together on those buried or commemorated - and their legacy for our times.

• Where does the covenant of God’s grace lead us?
• Must we bow the knee to the mighty rulers of the world or may we – should we – stand up against them?

These questions are as vital and as urgent now as they were in “The Killing Times”.

Come, walk with us amongst the windmills of the Mearns and “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do”.

Let’s make it a birthday to remember.
Bring your friends – Bring your lunch and your hopes for what God has in store for them and us in years to come.

Eric Robertson (your Unofficial Guide)

​DO THE COVENANTERS’ WALK YOUR WAY.

All meet at Lochgoin Covenanters’ Museum carpark at 11.30 a.m. (KA3 6EX) for first history bite.

• - Walk OR drive to the Covenanters’ Museum for lunch and second history bite.
• - Walk OR drive back to the Car Park,
• - OR walk to Fenwick and enjoy a further two history bites.

Lifts will be arranged from Fenwick back to the Lochgoin Covenanters Museum carpark.

Don’t miss out and please sign up! (link)

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Ladybird Book of Mearns

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Letter from the 'Other' Manse

Hello church family,
Thank you to all of you for your interest and prayers for Sandy, Murray, Calum McPhail and me over this past week. My report from the General Assembly is an overwhelmingly positive one. We are a part of a healthy denomination, but one that always needs our God to hear and answer our prayers.


It’s been a huge encouragement to hear the gospel growth happening across our country. I spoke to someone from North Tolsta (I had to Google it too!) who had seen a number of folk come back to church recently after they ran a “back to church” Sunday. Youngsters are sharing the gospel with their friends at school having been encouraged to do so by their summer camp leaders. Church plants are up and running across the country. People are learning more about the gospel and God’s Word as Edinburgh Theological Seminary run a Saturday morning access course. We’ve heard from pastors in Ukraine, the USA, England and Wales, the Netherlands, as well as workers from OM, the Scottish Bible Society and others.

The gospel seed is being scattered across the country. However, there is so much more for us to consider in our prayers.
There are still vacant churches across our land. There are areas of cities and countryside where people would need to travel significant distances before coming into contact with any active and living gospel church. Whilst some ministers thrive, others flag under the weight of their ministries, especially those who cover multiple churches over large geographical areas. Some churches are seeing their villages and towns slowly decline as people move out to the bigger cities.
How do we respond to these challenges?

We pray. Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain. We need Him, desperately, to continue to bring people into contact with a Christian, with Christ, with His gospel, and to open their spiritually blind eyes to see Him.
We proclaim. We are ready in season and out of season to reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. We publicly preach and declare the mercies of the Lord, that our God is not far, that forgiveness and eternal life are available as a free gift of His grace.
We praise. Our God is good. What He desires from the Free Church, from any church, and from us as His people, is our ongoing thankfulness, worship, fealty, and obedience, so that through our lives His name is glorified. He is raising up men and women through whom He will share the gospel and others will come to know Him as Lord. He will continue to save. His work on this earth is not done. 

Regards,
Scott H

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 What makes a Good Door a Good Door?

One that is robust? Safe? Flush against the doorframe? One that fits in with the décor of the surrounding wall and room?

I’m sure we’d all agree that a good door is one that allows entry into what lies beyond.

This Sunday past, at Youth, we were reflecting on Jesus’ I AM statement in John chapter ten, verses seven to ten, that He is the Door of the sheep. All those who came before Jesus were thieves and robbers. The young people really understood that these were the false shepherds of God’s people, bad religious teachers who had misled them throughout the generations, as well as the Pharisees and the scribes of the day.

What stood God’s people out from others? They did not listen to them. Instead, they listened to the voice and the Word of their God.

Jesus then says to the crowds, “enter by Him”. If we do so, we find two things that sheep so desperately need, salvation and pasture. We find rescue from our sins, and we find nourishment, peace, tranquillity and protection. This is an essential place to be, and our entry point is Christ the Door.

Two thousand years ago, the shepherd would sometimes lie across the entrance to the sheep pen, literally serving as “the door”, in order to notice anyone or anything trying to sneak in and steal the sheep. Perhaps this is in part the image that Jesus and others have in mind as He teaches.

Others came before Jesus to steal the sheep, to kill the sheep, to destroy the sheep, all by attempting to lead them away from Christ’s salvation and pasture to condemnation and ruin instead. We, His people, haven’t listened to them. Jesus, by contrast, has come to lay Himself down, to die on the cross, to offer every single one of His sheep life, and abundant life.

We are keen for everyone to follow what the Youth are studying and to pray for them from week to week.
Scott will keep us up to speed on which verse they are looking at each week. If you ask Scott or Martin B they can WhatsApp you the image for each 'I am...' statement as a reminder and to help you memorise the verse, as Scott encourages our young folk to memorise these words too.(or you can cut and paste from the magazine into your phone) 

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TUESDAYS  2 - 3.30pm

at Newton Mearns Baptist Church

A great opportunity to meet friends, and enjoy some tea, coffee and home baking.
If you want more information or need a lift to get along to the Cafe speak with Elizabeth Smith.

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We meet again for prayer this Wednesday
and throughout May at the McDougalls'
7.15 - 8.15pm

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COFFEE AFTER CHURCH

THANKS to the team of John, Sarah and Margaret who set things up and serve teas and coffees after the service - if you'd like to be on the rota for this speak with one of this team
CUPS - already a lot of people bring their own cup along - this does save on costs for paper cups so if you can bring your along that would be great,  and the team will almost certainly speak about you behind your back less than they currently do!
BAKING  - it's great that so many people are on the baking rota - this means that it is around every 7-8 weeks that they are called on. Can you join this group - or know someone in your family who is a great baker, who could make something which you can pass off as your own work? Speak with Margaret
 

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Summer Sundays

Over the summer we like to give our regular kids team a break and so are looking for volunteers to help lead sessions on the Sundays listed below.
This summer we are looking at the book of James. A session plan with activity ideas, video and activity sheets for each week will be provided and you will have access to the resource box. Each session needs at least 2 people aged 16+ and you will need to have a Free Church PVG. There is still time to get this in place for sessions nearer the end of the summer.
Anyone willing to take a turn helping with the under 5s too would also be appreciated, this would also require a Free Church PVG. There is no upper age limit to this, just a desire to help our children know and love God.

Please contact Pauline if you can help. Thanks.
The Sundays are...
JUNE: 28th 
JULY: 5th 12th, 19th, 26th
AUGUST: 2nd

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Bible Alive props needed 

CAN YOU HELP THIS LADY?!
CAN SHE HELP YOU?!

We are looking to add some more props into our Bible Alive lessons and are on the hunt for the following:
Length of thick red cord/rope
Length of chain (for pretending people are in first century jail
2 toy swords
2 ceramic jars (similar to photo)
Soldier helmet
Head dresses (nativity shepherd style)
Blue material to represent water
Hat with a J or Joshua on it
And if anyone has a spare Ark of the Covenant or ram's horn gathering dust then we'll also take those!!
Speak to Pauline if she can help you declutter! 

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SU Regional Weekend Away

PARENTS - Sign Up ASAP!
There are only a few spaces available!
04 - 06 Sep, Gowanbank ,
S1 - S6, £110.00
This is the weekend away specifically for teens in our area.
Alongside the Bible teaching there is Archery, Bushcraft, Crafts, Crate Climbing, Escape Room ,Sports and Games ,Team Challenges ,Tree Climbing
Speak with Pauline if you have any questions about this - lots of information and booking page is HERE.

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As we look at the epistles sent to the letters by John or Paul we can see that the Christian life is one which is under pressure - we can have Spiritual AMNESIA because we forget all that God has done for us, and what he has called us to do...or we can have Spiritual ATROPHY!

This prayer by Scotty Smith asks our Heavenly Father to help avoid our Spiritual Muscles wasting away...

Don’t Let Your Most Important Muscles Atrophy

“Praise the Lord, my soul, and don’t forget a single one of his benefits to you.” (Ps.103:2)
 Heavenly Father, working on my balance in recent months, has underscored the importance of regularly working muscles and tendons I didn’t know I had in my feet, ankles, and lower legs. Alas, without exercise they atrophy and lose elasticity. But it’s true of other “muscle-groups” as well—those not made of collagen and protein fibres. Gratitude, joy, and hope need exercise and stretching just as much as our biceps, “quads,” and “hammies.” So, before I go for my morning walk, here’s to a bit of spiritual-heart exercise.

Abba, thank you for an over-the-top glorious salvation in Jesus. I’m hidden in Christ, standing in grace, and rooted in your love. I live as an object of your unwavering affection and co-heir of your eternal kingdom. Jesus prays for me, you delight in me, and the Spirit lives in me. Hallelujah!

With Jesus as my righteousness and death as my gain (Phil.1:21), you are shrinking my fears, wilting my whining, taming my triggers. Thank you, Abba. Thank you for my family—each of whom is more precious and in your grip of sovereign grace than I realize. Thank you for dear friends with whom to pray, play, and ponder the beauty of Jesus and the mystery of your ways. Fishing, repenting, encouraging, laughing, cooking, feasting, photography, music and tears are all woven into the tapestry of your love.

The things that hurt the most won’t always hurt this much. The things that weigh my heart down won’t always be this heavy. The Day of no more knowing and loving in part is guaranteed and closer than ever. The Day all things new is circled 7 times on your calendar of grace. Abba, you began a work in history, me, and creation you will complete. Whew! Hallelujah! And So Very Amen.

(Read more from Scotty Smith here)

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