District News

\Alyth

Parish Church Morning worship on Sunday, November 26, was conducted by Rev Mike Erskine. Arianna Ellen Davidson was baptised during the service. This week, December 3, morning worship will take place at the usual time of 11am. There will also be an evening service at 6pm. During term time the Sunday school welcomes children to the front pews of the church. A creche for underthrees is available during Sunday morning service. The prayer group meets on Thursdays in Burnside Court lounge at 10.30am. Choir rehearsal is every Friday at 6.45pm. New members welcome. The church website at www.alythparishchurch. org.uk is updated weekly and contains details of the Family History Project, Kirk news, and lots of photos. All events and services are open to everyone. Family History Alyth Family History Project is now closed until Easter. Genealogy enquiries are welcome by email on fhp@alythparishchurch.org. uk or through the project’s Facebook page. Literary Society The last meeting of the Alyth Literary Society before the festive break takes place on Tuesday, December 5, at 7.30pm in the Ogilvy Rooms, Commercial Street. The speaker will be Hugh Salvesen, a trustee of the John Muir Trust whose illustrated talk will feature the work of the trust. All welcome. Pipe band Alyth and District Pipe Band practice on Wednesdays from 6pm in Alyth Town Hall. For more information contact Elaine Sturrock on 01828 640312 or email elaine@ alythpipeband.org. The band is on the lookout for a lead tip, drummers and pipers of all abilities with the intention of entering competitions for 2018 season. The lead tip will be expected to teach the learners. For more information contact Pipe Major Gordon Barton on 07971 485893 or gordonbarton@mac.com.

\Bendochy

Church Sunday’s service was conducted by Rev Andy Graham. For details of the service and further intimations see Coupar Angus Abbey Church. There will be carols in the church on Chrismas Eve at 7pm. Everyone welcome. The Sunday service at Bendochy is from 10am to 10.45am, all welcome.

\Burrelton

Church Morning worship was led by the Rev Dr Hugh Ormiston with organist Lynne Mitchell. Ruth McLean read from Ezekiel ch 34 vv 20-24, from the Gospel of John ch 18 vv 33-37 and from Revelation ch 22 vv 1-8. Officebearers on duty were John Alexander, Anne Baxter and Gordon Rodger. Sunday Club was led by Susan Christie. Flowers were provided by Anne Kellie and tea and coffee was served by Mavis Anton and Margaret Alexander. A Christmas gift box for the Salvation Army in Perth will be in the church until Sunday, December 17. Please wrap gifts and label with age and gender as appropriate and help bring a smile to a little face on Christmas morning. Christmas Services On Sunday, December 17, there will be a service in Collace Church at 7pm, Nine Lessons and Carols. The collection will be for CHAS. On Thursday, December 21, there will be a service to remember loved ones from 7pm to 7.30pm at Cargill/Burrelton. On Sunday, December 24 there will be morning worship at Cargill/Burrelton at 10am and at Collace at 11.15am. There will also be a nativity and christingle service for children and the young at heart from 6pm to 7pm at Cargill/ Burrelton. At the close of the service mulled wine, juice and nibbles will be served in the Church Halls. The Watchnight Service on Sunday, December 24, will be from 11.40pm to 12.10am. The retiring collection will be for the Erskine Hospital. On Monday, December 25, there will be a service at Collace at 10am. Guild The next meeting is in the Church Halls, Woodside, at 7pm on Thursday, November 30. There will be a presentation by Lakeland Plastics. All welcome. Senior Club Valerie Wares gave a very interesting and informative talk on Macular disease. Valerie has lived with this disease for a long time and she delivered her talk with humour and an inside knowledge, telling of the difficulties in day-to-day living. There was a member’s collection for the Macular Disease Society which raised around £80. Gladys proposed the vote of thanks. The afternoon tea was served and the lovely home baking was donated by Margaret Gordon. Marie announced the passing of another member, Edith Watt, who had died and a short silence was acknowledged as a mark of respect. Thirteen members from Burrelton and Woodside Senior Club are visiting Guildtown Friendship Club on Wednesday, November 29, to join their members in a St Andrew’s Day celebration. The next meeting is on Thursday, December 6, when Callum Wallace will entertain. Burrelton and Woodside Senior Club fundraising events this year are the Christmas hampers raffle, which will be drawn on December 21, and a whist drive on February 9. Raffle tickets for the Christmas hampers are on sale now.

\Clunie

Knit and Natter The group meets in Clunie Hall on the third Wednesday of every month from 2-4pm.

\Coupar Angus

Abbey Church The congregation were welcomed to Sunday’s service by Rev Andy Graham who congratulated the organisers of the silent auction and thanked all who donated items and all who attended. The excellent sum of £2,130 was raised which will go towards the cost of the new boiler for the church. The choir opened the service with the introit ‘Be Still and Know That I am God’. After prayers the Bible lessons, Ezekiel ch 34 vv 11-16 and Matthew ch 25 vv 31-46, were read by Ellen McGibbon. The first reading reminds us that God is like a good shepherd and we are his sheep. He will look after us and rescue us from harm and search for us if we stray. The Gospel reading tells us Jesus will separate the people one from another just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Jesus will do this based on how we treat others. In his sermon Andy explained that the passage is telling us to adopt a new way of life, not out of obligation or expectation, but out of love for others. Jesus picked his disciples because they were ordinary people who could empathise with others. With Jesus as their strength and guide they would carry on His work and call others to love and help each other. During the uplifting of the offering the choir sang ‘O Come, O Come Emanuel’ and after prayers the service ended with the hymn ‘Rejoice the Lord is King’. Organist Austin Wilkie played ‘Could it be Forever’ as a tribute to David Cassidy, ‘Andante Poco Tranquillo’ by Alfred Hollins and ‘Voluntary in G’ by John Worgan. The Sunday service at the Abbey Church is from 11.15am to 12.15pm, all welcome. The Prayer Group and Bible Study continue on Wednesdays at 2pm and 7.15pm respectively. The next Friday Friendly - the last of the year - will be on December 1 between 1.30pm and 3pm at the Abbey. All welcome. On Sunday, December 3, a soup and sandwich lunch will be held after morning service to which everyone is warmly invited. The Children’s Ministry nativity will be held on Thursday, December 21, at 7pm in the Abbey Church. Tickets are £3 and are on sale now. The Church of Scotland has created a new online advent calendar. Each day from December 1 the calendar will journey with the characters in the natiivity through video, reflections and prayer. Sign up at http://churchofscotland. advent-calendar.net or access it through www.bandcachurch.org.uk. Intimations for next Sunday to Ellen at emcgibbon@sky.com or telephone 07541009398 by Thursday. Heritage Association The association meets on the first Friday of each month at 7.30pm. As the bowling club has closed down the new venue for the group is the St Anne’s Church hall on Forfar Road. The final meeting this year is on Friday, December 1, at 7.30pm. The speaker will be Mike Taylor who will talk about Passchendaele. Tickets will be on sale for the Christmas meal on January 12 in the Red House Hotel, 7pm for 7.30pm start. Tickets also available at the Heritage Centre or by telephoning Sheila Legge on 01828 628886. Pipe Band There will be a bingo tea in aid of Coupar Angus Pipe Band on Friday, December 1, in Coupar Angus Town Hall. Fantastic prizes and home-baking on offer. Eyes down 7.30pm. Please bring own cup. Thursday Friends The Christmas party will be in the Red House Hotel on Thursday, December 14 at 1pm for 1.30pm.

\Kettins

Parish Hall There will be a coffee morning to draw the Christmas raffle on Saturday, December 9, from 10am to 11.30am. All welcome.

\Kinclaven

Church The service on Sunday was conducted by Rev Peggy EwartRoberts assisted by Rev Bill Ewart. Organist was Janet Coyle and Sandra Service read from Matthew ch 25 vv 31-46. On Monday, December 4, at 6pm in Caputh Church there will be a service of carols and lighting of the outdoor Christmas tree with pupils and staff from Murthly and Glendelvine Primary Schools. Donations from this service will go to CHAS and Cash for Kids. Sunday services are at 9.45am and all are welcome.

\Kirkmichael

Church There will be a Christmas concert on Friday, December 15, featuring Meigle Musicality, in aid of Session House funds. A donation will also be made to CHAS. Doors open at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £7 which includes refreshments and are available from Petrina Menzies, Kirkmichael Session House, telephone 01250 881770 or 882242.

\Meigle

Christmas Lights The Christmas lights will be switched on at 5pm on Sunday, December 3. There will be carol singing and a visit from Santa. Floral Night There will be a Christmas floral night in Meigle Church on Monday, December 4 at 7pm. Entry is £7 with proceeds going to Breast Cancer Care.