Our F.O.G Squad year is nearly at an end and we are looking forward to the Picnic which will be on the 2nd June at Carmyllie Memorial Hall. Everyone is welcome and tickets will be for sale soon. A.S.

Our meeting at the end of February featured a talk on social eyes given by Margaret Morrison and John & Dorothy Ramage along with their canine friends. Everyone was amazed by these speakers – how life had changed for them and what they had achieved. At both meetings in March we had lovely musical entertainment to suit all tastes. The first of these was presented by the Minister and the other by Wilma Ewart and friends.

Our final meeting for this session was a talk by Rodger Brunton on the Kinloch Centre Project. Our outing this year is to St. Andrews. We hope the weather will be a warmer than it is when I’m preparing this article.

We have enjoyed a wide range of topics over the session. Thanks to everyone who has come along and welcomed speakers and guests. Hopefully there will be many sunny days in the months before the meetings recommence in the autumn. MEA.

This is the General Assembly event on Sunday 20th May following on from the success of “Roll Away the Stone” in 2011. Once again it will be held in Princes Street Gardens from 1-6pm. The Scottish African Choir will be there, as will a clown, a magician, orchestral music and jazz, messy church and features on the world wide nature of the church. This year congregations are invited to bring a fist-sized stone to build into a labyrinth. More details can be found on the website www.heartandsoul2012.org.uk

MAY

6 Condor Court Service 2.00pm

15 Finance Committee 7.30pm

17 Congregational Board 7.30pm

19 Pancake Coffee Morning 10-11.30am

SERVICES RETURN TO PANBRIDE CHURCH

JUNE

2 FOG Squad picnic

3 FOG Squad service

3 Condor Court Service 2.00pm

10 Jubilee Sponsored Walk and Sausage Sizzle

21 Kirk Session 7.30pm

Matthew, June and Lyn.

By the time you read this, Easter will have passed and the new kitchen will have been completed and opened by the Moderator of the General Assembly, Rt Rev David Arnott. Assuming all the necessary certificates are obtained we hope that the Soup and Sweet Lunch at the end of April will be the first one using the new facilities.

While there will have been an opportunity to express thanks at the opening of the kitchen it is only right to say a big thank you to all those who have been involved in the project. The small group from the Congregational Board (who became known as the Kitchen Cabinet!) put in a great deal of work in the planning stages and put forward proposals as to how the money was going to be raised.

Once the Board had accepted the proposals these were then shared with you, the congregation. THANK YOU for the way you have responded. I was greatly encouraged by your response and the interest that was shown and I know the office-bearers were too. When so many people are finding things difficult in the current economic climate, it is encouraging that so many caught the vision of what could be done and joined us in making the vision, the dream, a reality. It is not possible to thank everyone personally so I take the opportunity of this newsletter going into every home of the congregation to express my gratitude. There is still some way to go – this was always a two year project of fundraising – and we still have to pay back the loan which was given for the project. I am certain that this will be achieved and look forward to your continuing support. Remember – £1 a week for two years from the members and everything will be completed. It’s not too late to support this project.

Thanks also to those who have been involved in the building. The architects have done an amazing job, and the finished kitchen looks wonderful – bright and airy – and on sunny days, please bring sunglasses! Builders, joiners, slaters, plumbers, electricians, painters, tapers, roofers, floor layers, the makers of the equipment – all have done a great job – and the good weather certainly helped us to keep to the timetable. To all those who prepared the hall for the opening, and to the caterers who did a superb finger buffet – indeed to EVERYONE who was involved in any way, my grateful thanks.

So what now? We have a wonderful new facility which will enhance the work that we are able to do. The monthly soup and sweet lunches will be able to be run more smoothly and the organisations that use the hall will also be able to benefit. But are there other suggestions as to what we could do? The Lunch Club which lasted for 10 years was a great success – could this be started again? To do so we need people willing to commit to being involved. All the money raised through these lunches went to local organisations. If you do have suggestions, please let us know. And if you are willing to be involved – also let us know. Is this an opportunity for a new start in our outreach to the community through our new facility?

Continuing the food related theme. I mentioned earlier that Easter has been celebrated – a new start 2000 years ago for the disciples and first followers of Christ. A new start for you and me today. Isn’t it interesting that some of the first experiences of Jesus after the resurrection involved food? A fish barbecue by the Sea of Galilee, sharing bread with Cleopas and a friend on the Road to Emmaus. Food for thought, indeed.

Yours sincerely,

Matthew

Palm Sunday 1^st April                       7.00pm           St Anne’s

Monday 2nd April                             7.00pm           Barry

Tuesday 3rd April                             7.00pm           Carnoustie

Wednesday 4th April                      7.00pm           Erskine

Thursday 5th April 7.00pm           Arbirlot – Communion

Friday 6th April 7.00pm           Panbride – Newton Church

Saturday 7th April 8.00pm           Holyrood Service of Light

Good Friday 6th April – Walk from Beach to Holyrood – 1-2pm

Holyrood Quiet Hour 2-3pm

10.15am in Newton Church (Monday to Friday)

Dawn Service on Easter Day at 6.15am Meet at Beach Hall Car Park

2         Day of Prayer Service. Barry 7.00pm

4         Condor Court Service 2.00pm

8         Stated Annual Meeting – Newton Church 7.30pm

13       Friendship Circle 2.00pm

13       Finance Committee

14       Membership Class 8.00pm Manse

15       Congregational Board   7.30pm

17       Pancake Coffee Morning 10.00am Panbride Hall

25 Soup and Sweet Lunch

27 Friendship Circle 2.00pm

April

1-8 Holy Week Services – see separate notice

8 Lousen Park Service 2.30pm

10 Friendship Circle 2.00pm

18 Membership Class 8.00pm Manse

19 Kirk Session 7.30pm

24 Friendship Circle Outing

24 Visit of Moderator and opening of New Kitchen

Palm Sunday 1st April 7.00pm St Anne’s

Monday 2nd April 7.00pm Barry

Tuesday 3rd April 7.00pm Carnoustie

Wednesday 4th April 7.00pm Erskine

Thursday 5th April 7.00pm Arbirlot – Communion

Friday 6th April 7.00pm Panbride – Newton Church

Saturday 7th April 8.00pm Holyrood Service of Light

Good Friday 6th April – Walk from Beach to Holyrood – 1-2pm

Holyrood Quiet Hour 2-3pm

10.15am in Newton Church (Monday to Friday)

Dawn Service on Easter Day at 6.15am Meet at Beach Hall Car Park

Since the last newsletter, the coffee morning has been held to raise funds for Kym Anderson who is going to India to help in a school for 8 months and £134 was raised which was sent on to Kym. She is now in India and hopes to be able to keep in touch with the Group while she is there. Topics discussed on a Sunday evening have included Peace, a Christmas Quiz, and a session where the youngsters imagined themselves to be directing a Nativity Play and having to decide what props and characters they would need. Some interesting suggestions were made! We later had some food – and there were no left overs! We have also looked at the pros and cons of modern communication methods such as Facebook and Twitter and their relevance for the Youth Group and the Church and this too raised some interesting discussion. We have also welcomed three new youngsters to the group.