District News

\Aberdalgie

Church Christmas Day service will be held in Dunning at 11am.

\Abernethy

Church Christmas Services: Family Christmas Eve Service will be held in Abernethy Church at 7pm. Christmas Day service at 11am. All welcome, please come along and celebrate the joy of Christmas. The normal time for church services in Abernethy during 2017 will be 11am.

\Aberuthven

Church Christmas Eve Watch night Service in Dunning at 11.30 pm and on Christmas Day there will be a joint Service in Dunning at 11am conducted by the Rev James Aitchison. All will be made most welcome.

\Alyth

Church On the fourth Sunday in Advent, morning worship was conducted by Rev Mike Erskine. A Bereavement Service was held in the afternoon and Lessons and Carols in the evening. On Christmas Eve, the Nativity begins at 6pm and the Watchnight Service at 11pm. On Christmas Day, morning worship will begin at 11am. All welcome. During term time, the Sunday school welcomes children to the front pews of the church each Sunday morning. All welcome. 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 is every Friday at 6.45pm. New members welcome. The church website, www.alythparishchurch.org. uk, is updated weekly. All events and open to everyone. Family History Project Alyth Family History Project is closed for the winter. It will reopen on Easter Sunday next year. The archive contains thousands of records for baptisms, weddings, burials plus maps, newspapers etc. Admission free. During the winter, enquiries are always welcome via fhp@alythparishchurch.org.uk or social media website Facebook.

\Bankfoot

Church Watch night service Saturday, December 24 at 11.30 pm in the Church Centre all welcome. Christmas Day: The service is the usual time of 11.15 am and will be conducted by the minister, all welcome Guild The Guild will meet in the Church Centre on Thursday, January 5, 2017 at 2pm (note time change) in the Church Centre. The speaker will be Ivy Blair who will tell us about one of our projects “All friends together” all welcome.

\Bendochy

Church For intimations, see the Coupar Angus section. a Merry Christmas and a happy healthy New Year. A big thank you to everyone who helped us win Gold in Take a Pride in Perthshire also Keep Scotland Beautiful. The village was `Fare Braw`. Dunbarney and Forgandenny Church Christmas Services Christmas Eve There will be an All Age Service in Dunbarney Church at 6.30 pm tomorrow. Teas/coffes and juice served after the service. Later in the evening teas and coffees will be served in the Church Hall before the Watchnight Service at 11.30pm. Christmas Day - there will be an All Age Service on Christmas Day at 10.30 am in Forgandenny Church. All welcome. New Year -The service on Sunday, January 1 will be a joint service at 10.30am in Dunbarney Church. Christmas Collections This year the collections uplifted at the services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be shared equally between `Playlist for Life’ for its work on bringing relief to those suffering with dementia and Perth and District YMCA for its work in supporting vulnerable people in the local community. Carols, Coffee and Mince Pies Thanks to everyone who came along and supported the Earn Singers Coffee Morning last Saturday. £455 was the sum raised.

\Burrelton

Church Sessions clerk Sheena McNaughton welcomed Rev Sydney Graham to lead morning worship on Sunday. The theme was `Joseph and Mary’ and Ian Riches read from Isaiah ch 7, v 10-14 and from the Gospel of Matthew ch 1 v 18-25.The Advent Candles were lit by Elizabeth McLean, Craig McLean and Lars Rattray. This was followed by the hymn The Candle Is Burning. Office-bearers on duty were Margaret Alexander, John Baxter and Alec Orr. The organist was Lynne Mitchell. Christmas services: December 23 - Bereavement Service, 7pm, Cargill/Burrelton Church; December 24 - Christingle Service, 6pm, Cargill/Burrelton Church; December 24 - Watchnight Service, 11.30pm, Cargill/Burrelton Church; December 25 - Morning worship, 10am, Collace Parish Church. Retiring collections will be taken at all services for Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance. All welcome.

\Clunie

Church The Watchnight Service will be held in Kinclaven Church from 11.30pm, preceded by carols from 11.15pm. There will be a Communion Service from 11.15am in Clunie Church from 11.15am on New Year’s Day.

\Coupar Angus

Church Sunday’s service, led by Rev Andrew Graham, carried on from the wonderful night of last Thursday’s `Nativity’ when the congregation was treated to 12 carols by the children and everyone joined in with the minister and sang the Twelve Days of Christmas. The four timeless readings were read by separate members of the Abbey reading team from Isaiah ch 6, v 1-3; Micah ch 5, v 2-4; Luke ch 2, v 1-14; Matthew ch 2, v 1-12. The hymns were all carols, with some solo verses and choruses sung by male

female voices in the congregation. The full choir sang `The Holly and the Ivy’ and `The Angel Gabriel’. Rev Andrew Graham welcomed the congregation with the hope that members would all find a sense of `Peace’ and `Joy’, and reminded them that the Christmas Day Service next Sunday would begin at 10.30am. The fourth Advent Candle of Love was lit and joined with the Candles of Hope, Peace and Joy. Sunday’s sermon gave an insight into the Magi who visited the baby Jesus – the Bible does not refer to them as Kings – and the cosmic significance that prompted their journey. Andrew said that many today get a glimpse of God, that the Glory of God is there for all to see every day and they don’t take that journey to learn more. Some set off for a while on the journey known as faith, a journey that may involve perseverance, sacrifice and courage, but turn their backs on God again. Those gathered were reminded that the ways of God are not theirs. God uses his own special means of communication when he wishes to speak. The congregation was asked to “listen to God”, to take time this week and look for the Glory of God in everything around them. At the end of the service, organist Austin Wilkie played more wonderful music on the organ – `Choral Prelude’ based on `God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ and `All

My Heart This Night Rejoices’ and a Postlude in A Major based on `Adeste Fideles’. The Watchnight Service in the Abbey Church is from 11.30am on December 24. All welcome. Thursday Friends The next party is on January 12 at the earlier time of 1.30pm. Haggis, neeps and tatties will be served. All welcome. The parties are held on the second Thursday of the month in Coupar Angus Town Hall. Heritage Association Coupar Angus and District Heritage Association’s Christmas party is in the Red House Hotel on Friday, January 13, at 7pm for 7.30pm. Anyone who wishes to attend and has not put their names down can call in to the heritage centre or phone Sheila on 01828 628886.

\Dunning

Church Christmas Eve Watch night Service at 11.30 pm. Christmas Day Service at 11am conducted by the Rev James Aitchison. A warm welcome is extended to all. Bowling Club The lotto numbers this week were 4,6,15,17. There were no winners. Next week’s prize money is £2,000.

\Errol

Church Carol Singing round the village raised £140 for Scotland’s Charor

\Forteviot

Surgery - see Forgandenny Bowling Club Lotto The numbers drawn on December 18 were: 3, 5, 18 and 20. There was no winner. The rollover is £1,000. The next draw will take place on Tuesday, December 27, at 10am in the clubhouse. Church Christmas Eve service is at 6.30pm led by Rev James W Aitchison. Christmas Day service will be held in Dunning at 11am.

\Glenfarg

Christmas Friday December 23 Pub and Games Night to raise funds for the Village Hall, from 5.30pm £5 for adults this includes a pie and your first drink. £2 for children this includes a pie and a soft drink. This is an adults only event after 9pm. Christmas Eve Pop up Pub, come along and have a Christmas drink with us. Open from 5.30pm – till late, no admission fee, black Sheep on tap and great company, what more could you want? Sweet Treats We had another fantastic response to our food bank selection box appeal, thank you to all who donated. Church Christmas Services - Thank you to all who came to the Christingle Service on Sunday and made it such a memorable event. Thank you also for your generosity as we will be sending over £90 to `The Children’s Society’ www.childrenssociety.org.uk Charity Registration No. 221124) following from the retiring collection. For more carol singing come to the informal evening in the church at 6:30pm on Christmas Eve. The carol singing will be followed by Mulled Wine and Mince Pies. A retiring collection will be taken in aid of `Embrace Middle East’ (www.embraceme.org Registered Charity 1076329) the charity that has provided the Carol Sheet used at the Christingle and carol singing events. To see in Christmas Day, join us in the Watch Night Service starting at 11:30 pm in