No.102    28th August

Hi, 
Hope this finds you well.

There is plenty going on in and around the church - Scott K points this out in his letter, and Scot H highlights the fact that it's not all just activities and services - relationships are being built, and the desire is that faith will be built up too.

Take a look at the events noted below - there are a number in September to consider. One of them is our Food for Thought evening with David Nixon and I have left those details in again as reminder and so you can have the details on how to book.

Lastly, our denomination The Free Church of Scotland has its own magazine The Record - it's  being given a new look and you can get details of how to receive this each month in the article below - I've asked if there is a Ladybird book page in it but haven't heard back yet...assume there will be.

Enjoy the mag,
MB

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Sunday 30th August

Sunday Morning 
Rev Scott Kirkland
Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:20
WITH COMMUNION

Starting NEXT WEEK (wk bg 6th September) new series on 2nd Corinthians.
Home Groups are on Sunday, Mondays and Tuesdays
Speak with Scott K to be included in a group.

 
Meets on Sunday Evenings
Games, friendship and studies in Exodus this session.
Speak with Scott H for more details.

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Our weekly prayer meeting  on Wednesdays is at 7.15pm
Meeting in the McDougalls'  throughout September.

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Everyone is welcome to our Food for Thought Event
at the Eglinton Arms at  6.30pm for 7pm on Thursday 3rd September.  

Our speaker , David Nixon, has himself come from a polarised society divided by religion and politics so it is a subject he has wrestled with a lot on his journey. 

The idea is that if you are a church member you invite a guest or guests:
- you can register them HERE on our Eventbrite link so we can keep a track on numbers
-  then pay for the dinner by transferring the money to the Mearns Free Church bank account, using the bank details set out HERE. 
It is £25 per person for a two course fork buffet. Don’t let cost be a barrier to coming. A number of places can be funded by the church – please speak to Sandy McDougall about this.  

David Nixon is particularly keen on expanding on the question and answer session that was so popular last year. So tell your guests to ask anything! Looking forward to a great night 
You could click and copy the image above and send to the person you want to invite along so they have the details to hand.
If you have any questions about the event speak with Margo, Sandy McD or one of the Scotts.

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Letter from the Manse

Dear Church Family,
As I write this on Thursday 27th August, it strikes me that this coming week is a gift from the Lord to be enjoyed, prayed for and participated in!
Tomorrow, Daniel Wenman and Cara McPhail will marry. Joy!
Though the ceremony is being held in the same hotel venue as the later celebration, I was reflecting on how much this will nevertheless be such a “church wedding”!  
I will lead the service, Scott H will preach, Liam and Eilidh will read the Scriptures, Daniel C will pray for them, Debbie and Anna will sing praise songs, Sandy will play piano and many of you will be present to witness and support them on this significant day! Praise God! Let’s all pray not only for tomorrow but for their married life thereafter. This is a significant day for them, their families, and also for us as a church family. What joy indeed!

This Sunday, we will gather for our penultimate study in Ecclesiastes. I believe the Lord has been speaking to many of us through this book of the Bible. Let’s continue to look forward in anticipation to what the Lord might say to us in these last two studies.

This Sunday evening I will lead worship and preach at Covenant Free Church (123 Main Street, Newmilns, KA16 9DJ).  From this weekend, they will be without their minister, Benj Wilks. Benj is being called to Hope Church, Coatbridge. It would be good for a number of us to join with Covenant Church on Sunday night as we offer support to them at this crucial moment in their church life. Let me know if you are interested in attending and we can try and arrange shared transport. (Worship begins at 5.30pm.)

Also this week, on Thursday 3rd Sept 7pm, we have our “Food For Thought” evening with David Nixon at the Eglinton Arms. After a delicious buffet dinner, David will speak on “Making Peace in Polarised Times.” I know all of us who attend will find it a wonderful evening. Moreover, it will also be a great way for you to bring friends to be part of our church life and also hear about the Lord Jesus. You will find booking details below in the magazine. (Please do get onto this now as we need to confirm numbers for catering near the beginning of the week.)

And of course, we shall have our usual Wednesday prayer meeting (The Pulse) which begins meeting through September at the McDougalls’ home.

What a week! See you tomorrow, Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday?!
With warmest regards,

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FROM THE OTHER MANSE

One of the things I love about Mearns Free Church is the intergenerational nature of the church family.
I love seeing older and younger folk greeting one another and chatting to one another every Sunday morning, as well as hearing stories of our youth and young adults bumping into families and older folk from church as they go about their day in the south side of Glasgow. These moments are really important for us as we spur one another on, reminding one another that following Christ is not only possible but a real joy, all thanks to the sustaining work of His Spirit in our lives and in our hearts.
I know these moments are a real encouragement for so many of us, especially for those who don’t see many others throughout the week. The prayer meeting on a Wednesday is another real blessing to us in that sense. Yet I suspect that there is even more going on than meets the eye when it comes to discipleship.

Whenever one of our young people sees and speaks to someone who is older, still following Jesus, still running the race, despite all of life’s struggles and battles, it is a huge encouragement to them to keep going. It’s a statement that it is possible to be an ambassador for Jesus, loyal to the King, even when times are difficult. It’s a reminder that God will keep sustaining us, right through the dark times, until He takes us to be with Jesus.

I’d like to think that, whenever one of us speaks to someone who is younger, it’s a reminder that God is still calling people into His Kingdom and is still raising up young men and women to be the next generation of His church, to be workers for His harvest field. That’s such an encouragement to us when we hear so much about the church struggling for numbers and struggling to “attract” young people.
These things are not true of our church. This is not because we’ve cracked a formula, but because we preach Christ, we worship God, and people gather to hear it. We preach Christ, we worship God, and we gather to encourage one another. The best regular way we can do that is by coming on a Sunday and earnestly taking an interest in one another. I see it happening every week, let’s keep it going.

Scott H

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CAN YOU HELP?!

One of the ways we would like to raise the profile of Mearns Free is by using Facebook and Instagram.
We have been highlighting our services and the teaching on Ecclesiastes recently on social media, above is an example from Facebook a few weeks ago (we did the same for the Easter day earlier this year and the Community Weekend).
However, we really need YOU (if you use social media) to like, comment or forward etc these posts in order for as many people in the area to notice them. Can you help!?

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The Free Church of Scotland magazine 'The Record' is set to receive a fresh new look next month.
Angus Mackay has been appointed editor of the denominational magazine and is bringing a renewed vision for its future.

Speaking about the relaunch, Angus said: “The Record has a long and storied history as a lively magazine that shares God’s truth with wider Scotland. In a modern Scotland crying out for authenticity, that truth has never been more badly needed.”
To mark this new chapter, the September–October edition of The Record will be free. Annual subscriptions will resume with the November–December edition.
Angus, who is an elder at Kinloch Free Church and works in media, said: “Our culture is in crisis, but we have the message that Scotland needs and a dynamic new writing team to convey that message. I’m very excited about what the future holds for The Record.”
If you would like to subscribe to The Record, contact the Free Church offices at offices@freechurch.org.
More information about the Record is here.

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Last week at the Govan Free Foodbank it was noted that there was quite a wait for those who turn up early to get on the list for the Foodbank - it's first come -first served. 'A couple of benches would be good' someone commented.
It was Jack C's first week in helping down at the Food bank and the timing was perfect to ask him if he would be able to make something to suit (Jack loves working with wood in this way!)

One week later...👇

A couple of really smart and sturdy benches are now either side of the front door at the church. Nice work Jack!
Keep praying for those who come along to the Foodbank that good connections can be built which can develop into spiritual conversations.

Thanks again for supporting Govan Free Church's Food Bank.
Look out for the Green Box at the back!
Coffee, Teabags, Cereal, pasta / pasta sauce - all these are welcome- remember any size of jar/box will be divvied up into smaller bags - can you help?
If you have any questions about the Food Bank speak with Sue A, Mary R, Jack C or Martin B

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"Join us for the conference we are hosting on Growing And Building A Culture of Care (BCUK). Helen Thorne-Allenson and Dr Andrew Collins will be looking at
- a community that loves
- a community that speaks
There will be a further three seminars to choose between on the day."
Sign up using this link: 

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Many of us have had connections or have supported the work of Blythswood, not least with the shoebox appeal over the years - Paul Algeo writes:
"This year marks 60 years since Blythswood first began, and we want to take the opportunity to celebrate all that the Lord has enabled us to achieve during this time.
We are immensely grateful for your contribution and support towards our work, and we would appreciate it if you could encourage your congregation to join us for this special evening of thanksgiving. 
We are also excited that some of our friends from Ukraine will be joining us, and we look forward to hearing from them and learning how we can be more intentional in our prayers for them."

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1.
"What Should I Say To My Christian Friend Who Believes Attending Church Is Optional? "| Kevin DeYoung
This short answer to a big question has a striking quote from John Stott - worth watching just for that - click here.

2.

For the next 3 months or so in the evenings we are looking at 2nd Corinthians
...here is a short video overview to help you get started.

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Ladybird Book of Mearns Free Church

   

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Women for Mission Conference

Saturday 12th September
When Strivings Cease: Learning to pause in a world of unrest.
The WfM Conference will be held at Smithton Free Church on Saturday 12th September, 9:30am-3:30pm. Our main speakers on the topic of rest are Cathy Steed and Mairi Smith. Throughout the day, we'll hear from our main speakers as well as a Q&A, lunch and craft stalls and a bookstall hosted by Christian Focus Publishing. Booking details are available here.
Alongside the bookstall, we're facilitating a number of craft stalls to sell goods at the event. In previous years, these have August 2026 Free Church of Scotland, 15 North Bank Street, The Mound, Edinburgh EH1 2LS T: 0131 226 5286 E: offices@freechurch.org included handcrafted decorations, cards, artwork, knitwear and jams - we'd love to have a variety of things on offer. contact@womenformission.org.



Saturday 26th September
Scotland’s most urgent need in 2026 is for the gospel.
That gospel needs to be heard, believed and followed all across our nation. But for the gospel to be heard, it needs to be offered.   
This year’s ETS Conference focuses on the Free Offer of the Gospel – a subject that has been a source of controversy and tension in the history of the Scottish Church and which today remains an urgent priority as we seek to meet the deepest needs of our nation. 
Join us as we explore the rich theological history and discuss the immediate contemporary relevance of this profound and priceless topic.
See details including ticket info here


Thursday 1st October
A Night of Worship and Prayer for Scotland: The Revival 2026
An evening of worship and prayer will take place at the SEC in Glasgow on Thursday 1st October. The Revival 2026 will feature worship led by Michael W. Smith and Celtic Worship, with a message from Nicky Gumbel. Doors open at 6pm, for a 6.30pm start. For more details and how to book your tickets, go to: The Revival 2026 page here or the SEC page here


Thursday 17th December
Celtic Worship
Experience an uplifting night of traditional Scottish folk and contemporary praise as Celtic Worship head to the O2 Academy Glasgow this December alongside the incredible Zerua Music!
Go to Celtic Worship webpage here or see ticket details here. 

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COFFEE AND TREATS AFTER CHURCH

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 Boyd
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!