Church News
Blairgowrie Parish Church
Morning worship on Sunday was conducted by Rev Harry Mowbray and commenced with the choir singing the introit, Gloria, from Hymn 760.
In his welcome Mr Mowbray said the sum raised at the Guild coffee morning in the church hall the previous day amounted to £421.57 and thanked everyone who made the fundraiser such an enjoyable social occasion. The sale of a section of jigsaw puzzles by Mary Dow raised £48 for Scottish Love in Action.
The hymn, Sing to God New Songs of Worship, was followed by prayers of approach and confession and children’s time. Mr Mowbray had some assorted pieces of Lego which could be used to build various structures and likened it to the desire people of all generations had to build houses to create homes. The Israelites wanted to build a home for God, starting with a tent in the desert and later temples and churches, in which they could worship. God is with us whereever we are but we are glad to meet together in a place of safety in our church.
The hymn, God Gave Me Eyes So I Could See, was followed by scripture readings by Connie Irvine from Deuteronomy ch 30, v 15-20, and Psalm 119 v 1-8. Between the readings the choir sang the anthem, What Wondrous Love Is This, an American folk hymn.
The minister’s sermon followed the hymn, Teach Me O Lord, the Perfect Way.
Mr Mowbray recalled a slide show by Margaret Anton about early 20th century Blairgowrie with its great variety of shops and array of shop assistants keen to provide a service.
This had given way to the supermarket where we can purchase everything from the same shop. And now we have the internet and we can make choices without ever going to shops or having human contact.
In Psalm 119 we have many choices as to how we live our lives. The first generation of Israelites lost their way after leaving Egypt, spending 40 years wandering in the desert. The next generation were given the choice of following God and Moses to Israel or death in the desert. We have a choice to find a way of life within God’s laws, the guidebook which takes is to a full life. With choice comes responsibility and we trust that with God’s help we can choose correctly.
The hymn, As the Deer Pants for the Water, was followed by the uplifting of the offering and prayers of thanksgiving and intercession led by Marjory Ferguson.
The service closed with the hymn, Look Forward in Faith, and the benediction.
Musical offerings by organist Lex Dunlop included Chorale Prelude on Rhosymedre, a Welsh
hymn by Vaughan Williams; Petit Offertoire by Cesar Franck; and Chorale Prelude, In Death’s Strong Bonds The Saviour Lay But Now He Is Arisen by Samuel Scheidt.
Following the service a soup lunch was held in the hall, the proceeds going to World Mission in Nepal.
The congregation was reminded that car parking in the former Hill Primary School playground will not be allowed after Monday next week as it is to be classified as a building site. Alternative travel arrangements are being considered.
The Easter issue of the magazine will have a completely new look as it will be professionally printed in colour for a trial period. The deadline date for all reports, articles etc to be submitted is Wednesday, March 1. These can be placed in the Magazine Material pigeonhole in the lower hall or emailed to ajdrummond@btinternet. com. Margaret Drummond, editor, said the new format will enable photographs to be included and she would be pleased to receive copies of any pictures thought to be relevant.
The Guides’ and Brownies’ Thinking Day Service will be held in the church on Sunday this week at 11am.
A Messy Church will be held in Rattray Hall this Sunday at 9.30am.
An early service will be held in the church hall on Sunday, February 26, at 9.30am.
The next praise service will be held in the church on Sunday, March 5, at 7pm.
Ushers this Sunday Margaret Nicoll beadle, Marjorie Ferguson, Wilma Gibb, Archie McLauchlan, Nancy Richardson, Lawrence Hill.
Tea rota - Evelyn Chigaro, Ethel Dow, Irene Smith. Crèche duty - Kathryn
Webster.
Riverside Methodists
Sunday’s service will begin at 11am in Blairgowrie’s Wellmeadow Café on Gas Brae. All are welcome to join the congregation for worship and for tea or coffee afterwards. Coffee mornings are held on the first Monday of each month in the Wellmeadow Cafe and the next coffee morning is on Monday, March 6, from 10am to 11.30am. All welcome. See www.riverside-methodistchurch.co.uk.
Scottish Episcopal Churches
The season of Epiphany continued on Sunday, when the role of Christ Jesus as the fulfilment of the law given to Moses was considered.
In the Gospel reading, from Matthew ch 5 v 2137, those gathered heard Christ’s teaching that the intentions, thoughts and deeds of people’s lives should all be in accordance with the spirit of God’s laws – they should not focus solely on their compliance with the letter of the law.
There will be a church service led by members of the congregations on Wednesday, February 15, in Balhousie Care Home, Coupar Angus.
The local Mothers’ Union group meets on Thursday, February 16, at 10.30am in St Catharine’s Centre, Blairgowrie.
St Anne’s Church and hall in Coupar Angus will be one of the venues in the Coupar Angus Snowdrop Festival over the weekend of February 25 to 27.
Three Lent groups are being planned and will start in early March. One group will meet weekly in Coupar Angus for a Bible study on the following Sunday’s Gospel reading. One will meet in
Blairgowrie to reflect on chapters from ‘The Nail’ by Bishop Stephen Cottrell, followed by a time of prayer. An ecumenical group will meet in Kirkmichael, using material from the York Courses.
On Sunday, February 19, the seventh Sunday after Epiphany will be celebrated with services at 9.30am in St Catharine’s, Blairgowrie, and at 11am in St Anne’s, Coupar Angus, and St Ninian’s, Alyth. At 7pm there will be a Taize service in St Anne’s, Coupar Angus, providing the opportunity for a time of quiet reflection.
Rector, Very Rev Kenny Rathband, can be contacted via 01250 874583. For more details see www. abcsaints.org.uk or search on Facebook.
St Stephen’s RC Church
The congregation celebrated the Catholic Education Week on Sunday.
The first reading was taken from Sirach ch 15 v 15-20, which says that to act well and honourably is a matter of personal choice. The second reading was taken from 1 Corinthians ch 2, v 6-10. It notes that the power of the cross is revealed by the wisdom that comes from God. The gospel was taken from Matthew ch 5, v 17-37.
In his homily, Fr Gregory Umunna said it would not be out of place to highlight the many positive things the church continues to offer to our society, in particular, and to humanity in general.
The church is by far the largest global nongovernmental organisation with the largest number of schools, hospitals, orphanages, homes for deaf and dumb, food kitchens etc.
In 2016, alone, the Catholic church supported 1.8 million secondary schools, and 2.9million elementary schools. It is projected that one in 10
people across the world may have been educated in a Catholic school or received some form of training from a Catholic institution.
The ethos of a school with a religious character is formed not simply by the name above the door, but by the school community actively living out the faith that is professed within.
Likewise, Catholic health ministry is the largest group of non-profit health care providers across the globe. Every day, one in six patients is cared for in a Catholic hospital.
As provider, employer, advocate, citizen – bringing together people of diverse faiths and backgrounds – our ministry is an enduring sign of health care rooted in the belief that every person is a treasure, every life a sacred gift, every human being a unity of body, mind, and spirit.
As the church’s ministry of healthcare, a commitment is made to: promote and defend human dignity; attend to the whole person; care for poor and vulnerable people; promote the common good; act on behalf of justice; steward resources; act in communion with the church.
From its inception in 1856 St Stephen’s RC Primary School has nurtured men, women, boys and girls of faith and integrity.
During this Catholic Education Week, people are asked to reflect on how they are “developing as a community of faith and learning” in homes, schools and parishes.
Fr Gregory said: “I join my voice to that of Archbishop Tartalia to urge parishioners and former pupils of Catholic schools to speak out positively on behalf Catholic education to those who would seek to diminish our role or remove the positive contribution that Catholic schools make to our Scottish society.
“I invite you all to play an active role in your local Catholic schools as dynamic members of a community of faith and learning.”