Once again, we are open for an hour tomorrow afternoon, Saturday 16 October between 2pm and 3pm, as a space to sit quietly, for contemplation and for prayer.
The organ will be playing at times, and there will be a brief spoken prayer, but otherwise this is a time to reflect and enjoy the peace and silence.
Please enter by the west doors in Saltoun Street and please wear a face covering.
The church is open twice a week:
The sun shone on our first Saturday open hour for private prayer.
It was lovely to be back spending some time in this space, hearing the organ play, sharing peace, contemplation and prayer, and seeing (with all the appropriate precautions!) each other after so long.
Reminder: the church is now open for private prayer on:
Exciting news! We’re now able to open the church building for private prayer on:
Please enter by the west doors in Saltoun Street and please wear a face covering.
As you will expect there will be in place all the procedures to which we are becoming accustomed in other areas of our life: hand-sanitisers; statutory notices; one-way systems; labelled socially-distanced seating. Be prepared because, accustomed as we are to all this, it might come as a bit of a shock to find it in church. Obviously we must keep everyone safe (and legal!) There will be friendly stewards to help.
One thing which might not occur to you:- to achieve the needed level of ventilation (as well as to make sure people know we’re back!) we shall have all the doors open as indeed we usually do on our regular Saturday and Tuesday openings. Please dress for the temperature. (Perhaps think back to what your Granny or Great-Granny wore to church when you were wee in the era before anyone expected central-heating.)
We are very much looking forward to seeing you
Last Sunday our usual joint Sunday Evening service returned after the Summer break.
We gathered online with our friends from Wellington, Kelvin Bridge, and Hillhead Baptist churches, and guest preacher Rev David Coleman, Environmental Chaplin to Eco Congregation Scotland, for prayer, reflection and singing.
And although all was conducted remotely, there was still time after the service to catch up and chat as usual.
If you would like to join in with these weekly 7pm services, please contact Helen at children.kelvinsidehillhead@gmail.com and she will send you the link and joining info, and answer any questions you might have about how to connect.
See you on Sunday!
Here are some of the ways we are keeping in touch as a community while we continue to be apart.
Sundays:
Karen Hendry, our Interim Moderator leads a short reflection online (via Youtube) for the congregations of both Yoker and KH on a Sunday morning. To join the mailing list and get a link for these, contact Karen at khendry@churchofscotland.org.uk
At 11am we are invited to join together in prayer, thinking of each other. Additionally, Wellington Church continue to provide a pre-recorded service every Sunday which is made available on their website at llam.
Helen makes sure Young Church keeps going with a weekly email full of activities. If your child would like to receive this, contact her at children.kelvinsidehillhead@gmail.com
At 7pm all Christians in Scotland (and beyond!) join in prayer.
Other ways we’re getting together:
Roger Sturrock leads a weekly Bible Study on a Tuesday at 7.30pm using Zoom – contact Roger at rsturrock@churchofscotland.org.uk for more information about this and to join in.
The Wednesday lunches may not be possible at the moment, but Karen hosts a Zoom Wednesday Tea Break at 2pm (often with a quiz!) – all are welcome. Contact Karen Hendry as above to take part in this.
Finally, Guide and Brownie groups are also enjoying virtual meetings. Please contact your child’s own unit leader for more information.
Christian Aid have risen to the occasion with a number of methods and activities to help us continue to support their work this lockdown Christian Aid week.
We may not be able to collect envelopes or make our donation as we would usually do, but you can share a Christian Aid e-envelope here.
We may not be together in person at church at the moment, but we can join together in Christian Aid online events such as 11am live daily reflections every day this week, and daily 7.30pm quizzes for the whole family on Facebook live.
Your gifts will save lives.
Easter Sunday online worship will be led by the Rev Dr Roger Sturrock. Roger invites us to wear something yellow and to have some bread and wine/juice ready as he will lead us in sharing communion during the service.
The Service will be available from 11am on Sunday here: https://wellingtonchurch.co.uk/worship-online/
Our Parish Grouping neighbours, Wellington Church on Southpark Avenue, are recording their Sunday worship in advance and posting it for all to access on their website.
Palm Sunday online Worship is led by Rev Liz Blythe with Bible readings from young people of their church based in Glasgow and abroad.
You can download the corresponding order of service and access the recording from 10.45am on Sunday morning at https://wellingtonchurch.co.uk/worship-online/
Church groups across Scotland are asking Christians to join in prayer at 7pm on Sunday evenings.
Last Sunday, thousands of Christians across Scotland answered the call to pray at the same time in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following positive feedback from last week’s prayer initiative, a further letter has been signed by 14 Christian organisations across the country, including the Church of Scotland.
The letter states: “We pray in solidarity with those across Britain and Ireland and in solidarity with those across the world who face the challenge that the Covid-19 pandemic brings.”
A version in Gaelic is also available.
Rt Rev Colin Sinclair, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said: “When so much is not normal how lovely it can be to come together at 7pm each Sunday and have a few moments in which we can pray together.
“Let me encourage you to keep hope alive and join with us in prayer.”
Churches Together In England will also be continuing to pray each Sunday at 7pm and will be using the #prayersofhope to share the message on social media.
Signatories in Scotland include the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Scotland, the Scottish Episcopal Church, the United Free Church, the United Reformed Church, the Baptist Union of Scotland, the Methodist Church, the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Congregational Federation in Scotland, the Salvation Army, the Church of the Nazarene, and Redeemed Christian Church of God.
We turn to you, our Father, for we need your help.
Lord Jesus, as you have promised, be with us, whatever lies ahead,
Strengthen us, Holy Spirit, as we face this together.
We pray for our world and our country,
as coronavirus threatens our lives and our livelihood, leaving many in lockdown,
while key workers continue, despite the risk.
We pray for government leaders at Westminster and Holyrood,
responding to medical and scientific advice,
making tough decisions for the wellbeing of all.
We pray for all who serve on the frontline in the NHS and in social care;
facing increasing numbers, overstretched resources
and distressing human need.
Bless those who are ill, those who are alone and afraid,
those exhausted looking after their family, those worried for the vulnerable,
those fearful for their finances, those shut in to their fears.
Thank you for those who have returned from retirement to help,
or joined the volunteer army.
Thank you for those working:
to manufacture needed resources,
to find a vaccine,
to keep in contact with the isolated,
to encourage others at this time.
Have mercy on us, O Lord.
Give us faith, hope and love and hear our prayers,
in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Rt Rev Colin Sinclair, Moderator of the General Assembly, Church of Scotland.
Most Rev Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Roman Catholic Church.
Most Rev Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal Church.
Rev John Fulton, Moderator, United Free Church of Scotland.
Rev Dr David Pickering, Moderator, United Reformed Church (Scotland)
Rev Martin Hodson, General Director, Baptist Union of Scotland.
Rev Mark Slaney, District Chair, Methodist Church (Scotland)
Adwoa Bittle, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Rev May-Kane Logan, Chair, Congregational Federation in Scotland.
Rev Jim Ritchie, District Superintendent, British Isles North District, Church of the Nazarene.
Pastor Chris Gbenle, Provincial Pastor, Province of Scotland, Redeemed Christian Church of God.
Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Secretary for Scotland, Salvation Army.
Bishop Francis Alao, Church of God (Scotland)/Minority Ethnic Churches Together in Scotland (MECTIS)
Rev Donald G. MacDonald, Moderator, Free Church of Scotland.
Greenbank Parish Church in Edinburgh will be live streaming their Sunday morning service from 10.30am tomorrow morning.
Several KH-ers have links with this Congregation, and their minister Dr Martin Ritchie was at St Mary’s Haddington with our very own Jennifer Macrae.
You can watch the service here: https://www.greenbankchurch.org/recordings/live-video/
