District News
\Alyth
Church Morning worship on Sunday was conducted by Rev Tom Tait. Morning worship on Sunday this week begins at the usual time of 11am. The service will be in Airlie Street Hall as the church is undergoing maintenance. During term time, the Sunday School welcomes children to the front pews of the church or service venue. A crèche for under threes is available during every Sunday morning service. The Prayer Group meets on Thursdays in Burnside Court Lounge at 10.30am. Choir rehearsal meets every Friday at 6.45pm. New members welcome. The church website, www.alythparishchurch.org.uk, is updated weekly. All events and services are open to everyone. Family History Project The project is closed for the winter and re-opens on Easter Sunday. In the meantime, enquiries are always welcome at fhp@alythparishchurch.org.uk or via Facebook. Alyth Literary Society The AGM will be held in the Ogilvy Rooms, Commercial Street, Alyth, on Tuesday, February 7, at 7pm. Please note the earlier time. Following the business meeting, entertainment will be provided by Alan Thomson and Bob Wallace, better known as ‘Kirrie the Fit’. All welcome. Bookings for the annual supper on March 21 are now being taken. Enquiries to the secretary on 01828 632001.
\Ballintuim
Basket whist A basket whist will be held in Ballintuim Village Hall on Friday, February 24, at 7.30pm. All welcome. Proceeds to hall funds. Village Hall Ballintuim Village Hall AGM will be held in the hall on Friday, February 17, at 7pm. All welcome.
\Bendochy
Church Sunday’s service was conducted by the Rev Andy Graham and the readings were by Steve Cumming, Psalm 15, Matthew ch 5, v 1-12. For details see Coupar Angus, Abbey Church. The Sunday service at Bendochy is from 10am to 10.45am, all welcome.
\Burrelton
AGM Burrelton and Woodside Village Hall AGM will take place on Thursday, February 23, at 8pm, in the hall. All welcome. For more information, contact the hall secretary via villagehall@burrelton.com or 07912 965632. Church ‘God’s Purpose and Power’ was the theme of morning worship led by Rev Stevie Thomson on Sunday. Ruth McLean read from Micah ch 6, v 1-8 and from the Gospel of Matthew ch 5, v 1-12. Office-bearers on duty were Margaret Alexander,Sandy Duthie and Jean MacDiarmid. Sunday Club was led by Anne Baird and Joy Gowrie. The organist was Lynne Mitchell and flowers were provided by Pauline MacAskill. Coffees and teas were served by Moira and Hugh Ormiston. There is a meeting of the Congregational Board at 7pm in the Church Halls, Woodside, on Tuesday, February 7. It will be followed by a meeting of the Kirk Session. Guild The next meeting is at 7pm on Thursday, February 2, in the Church Halls, Woodside.There will be a speaker from the project ‘All Friends Together’. All welcome.
\Coupar Angus
Church Sunday’s service was conducted by the Rev Andy Graham and the readings were by Irene Henderson, Psalm 15, Matthew ch 5, v 1-12. The choir sang an introit ‘My Jesus, My Saviour (Shout to the Lord)’ and, during the offering, ‘When the Music Fades (The Heart of Worship)’. Rev Graham spoke about the Beatitudes in chapter five of Matthew’s Gospel which was the beginning of Jesus’ teaching (The Sermon on the Mount) and laid out how He considered we should live our lives. The Beatitude ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled’ is pivotal to the others. People are blessed when theye seek righteousness, in other words, justice and decency, not only in their own lives but also for others as this can help tackle inequality, poverty, deprivation and injustice and set people on the road to God’s kingdom. How badly do people seek righteousness? Achieving it is a real challenge, if not impossible. But the blessing from Jesus comes not from achieving it but from striving to achieve it. The Beatitudes are a clear call to seek God’s Kingdom in all things through behaviour. The guidance from the prophet Micah is a helpful summary – “to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God”. Austin Wilkie, organist, played ‘Wie Schon Leuchtot der Morgenstern’ by Ernest Richter, ‘Andante Cantabile’ by J Guest and ‘Short Prelude and Fugue in A Minor’ by JS Bach. The Prayer meeting at the Abbey Church is every Wednesday, at 2pm, all welcome. There will be a Bible Study for Lent on Wednesday, February 15, 7.15pm, in the Abbey, all welcome. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins on January 30. Services on Thursday, February 2, and Friday, February 3, will be held in St Catherine’s Hall, Blairgowrie, all welcome. The Abbey Kirk Session will meet on Wednesday, February 8, at 7.30pm in the Abbey. Items for the agenda to the Clerk or Moderator before the meeting. St Anne’s Church, Forfar Road are decorating windows in their church for the Snowdrop Festival. If you are interested in decorating a window please speak to Roz Arno-Button or email roz.arno@ btinternet.com. The church received a letter from the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, who recently visited Bendochy and the Abbey churches, stating how much he enjoyed his visit and the opportunity to discuss issues of importance. The Sunday service at the Abbey Church is from 11.15am to 12.15pm, all welcome. Intimations for next week to Ellen at emcgibbon@sky.com or 07541 009398 by Thursday. Heritage Association The next meeting is on Friday night in the Bowling Club function room at 7.30pm. There will be a talk by Mike Taylor on 1916: Year of the Somme. All members and non-members will be welcome.
\Kirkmichael
Session House Volunteers at the Session House are supporting the Mothers’ Union annual appeal for donations of new pants to be included in personal packets given to ladies taken into prison straight from court wearing just the clothes they stand up in. This is the third year that the Session House has acted as a collection point for the initiative. Donations of new pants of any size can be handed in to the collection box in the Session House throughout January and February.