\Port of Menteith

\Aberfoyle

Strength and balance For older adults every Monday in the Forth Inn 12.15pm-1pm followed by 10-minute walk. Scottish country dance Classes resume in the Memorial Hall on Wednesday, January 4, 2017. The group meets every Wednesday till the end of March 7.30-9.30pm. More from Allan on 01877 385236. Yoga and Mindfulness Classes In the Memorial Hall on Mondays 7.309pm. All welcome. Please contact Gillian on 01877 387201 or 07738 225996 for more. Santa parade Tomorrow (Saturday) in Aberfoyle, from the garage in Main Street at 1pm to the Riverside car park. 20 stalls, music, mulled wine, mince pies. St Mary’s Episcopal Church Sunday at 8am Holy Communion (Anglican Book of Common Prayer) at St Anthony’s RC Church, Balfron. No 11.15am service at St Mary’s, 4pm carol service. All welcome. Lodge Bailie Nicol Jarvie No 1036 Regular meeting on Tuesday, December 20 at 7.30pm, candidate initiation, EA degree. Parish Church Service on Sunday will be the Christmas Gift Service (11.15am with worship conducted by Rev Terry Taylor). This year the collection of gifts for men, women and children will be taken to Start Up Stirling for distribution to needy families. There will also be a retiring offering, which will also be sent to Start Up, to buy fresh produce for a Christmas meal. Please consider those less fortunate than yourselves. Festive services: December 24 (Christmas Eve) - The Watchnight Service will be a joint service with friends from St Mary’s Episcopal Church and will be held in the parish church at 11.30pm. December 25 - Christmas Day will be a joint service held at the Port Kirk starting at 10.30am. Both congregations are asked to note the change of time. January 1 - New Year’s Day will also be a joint service held at Aberfoyle with the time again being 10.30am. Guild Meets to celebrate Christmas with traditional carols and readings on Monday, December 19 at 2pm in Church House.

\Balfron

Parish Church Sunday worship will be an all-age service led by Rev Sigrid Marten and the praise band at 11.15am. Tea and coffee in the church rooms after. Prayer group meets on Tuesday, December 20 at 7pm. Lunch club Thursdays from noon and Cosy Cafe meets tonight (Friday) at 6.30pm. The Community Choir Christmas Concert is tomorrow (Saturday) at 7pm in Balfron Church and tickets are available from the library or McFarlane’s shop which includes post-concert refreshments. by Rev Elaine MacRae at 11.15am. On Saturday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) there is a Messy Church at 3pm in Gartmore Village Hall followed at 5pm with Carols by Candlelight at Gartmore Church. Watchnight service on Christmas Eve at Buchlyvie Church will be led by Mrs MacRae at 11.30pm. Christmas Day worship is a joint service with Gartmore and will be held at Gartmore Church at 10.30am led by Mrs MacRae.

The dance held in October to raise money for the Oncology unit at Forth Valley Royal Hospital realised £1150 which has been presented to the unit. We would like to thank those who gave raffle prizes or donated and all who attended. Kirk All-age service on Sunday is at 11.15am in Callander Kirk, conducted by Rev Jim Brown and including the Junior Choir Nativity “The Magical Christmas Jigsaw”. Time for Silence is at 8pm in Callander Kirk. Festive services: Christmas Eve (Saturday, December 24) - 4.30pm Children’s Watchnight Service in Ancaster Square. (If wet in Callander Kirk Hall); 6.30pm Trossachs Watchnight Service; 11.30pm Callander Kirk Watchnight Service. Lodge Ben Ledi Meet at the Masonic Temple, Craigard Road at 7.45pm on Tuesday, December 27 when a Fellow of Craft Degree will take place.

\Croftamie

Annual Village Christmas Evening Monday, December 19 at 6.45pm with carol singing round the village Christmas tree in Mill Quadrant and afterwards, at The Wayfarers. Everyone, young and old, welcome.

\Doune, Deanston

Bridge club Meets on Wednesdays at 7.15pm in the Red Lion Hotel. For more info contact Irene on 01786 841785 or Derek on 01786 842224. Intermediate classes are on Tuesdays from 7-9pm in Kilmadock Information Centre. Call Susan on 01786 842684 or 07778 506406 or email susan.wilson37@tesco.net. Keep fit Classes, Mondays, 7-8pm in the Rural Hall. Aerobics and legs/ bums/tums, suitable for beginners to advanced. Cost £5. St Modoc’s Episcopal Church On Sunday, Sung Eucharist for the third Sunday in Advent will be celebrated at 9.30 am at which the first half of the service will take the form of a memorial for former treasurer Mrs Rita Barth. The Doune Faith Forum meets on Monday, December 19 at 7.30pm in Kilmadock Church for the last of an Advent series of reflections. Christmas Holy Communion services will be at 11.30pm on Christmas Eve and 9.30am on Christmas Day. All welcome. See www. www.stmodocsdoune.co.uk or Facebook.

\Drymen

Senior Citizens’ Association On Tuesday members has a wonderful Christmas lunch in the Winnock Hotel rounded off perfectly by the eight children of Buchanan School who sang beautifully. The first meeting of the New Year is on Tuesday, January 17, when Sandra Thornton will be helping with some light exercises. Church The all-age family service is at 11.30am on Sunday with tea and coffee before and after.. For a number of years members have collected used postage stamps in support of the Leprosy Mission as it continues to work to eliminate leprosy and the stigma that can blight whole families. With many fewer stamped items of mail, the resale value of the used stamps to philatelists worldwide has increased enormously. The Christmas mail gives an opportunity to help. Please tear stamps from envelopes, leaving a little paper border and bring to church or pass on to a member of the congregation. On Sunday, Buchanan Church is hosting Comminity Carols at 7pm. All welcome.

\Gargunnock

Church There will be a family service on Sunday at 10.30am conducted by Rev Andy Campbell. Enrolment Gargunnock Primary School enrolment takes place on Wednesday, January 18 from 9-11am at the school. If you are unable to attend on that day, please contact the school to arrange an alternative date. All children who are five years old on or before August 22, 2017 must start their primary education on that date and children who are five years old between August 22, 2017 and February 28, 2018 may start their primary education on that date. Parents/carers should attend with their child’s birth certificate, child benefit book/ award letter, tax credit award letter, a recent council tax bill and two utility bills.

\Gartmore

Parent support group Meets in the village hall on Thursdays, 10.30amnoon. Call Elita Pulter 01877 382886 or Helen Webster 07929 861597. Circle dance group Held on the second Thursday of every month in Gartmore Village Hall, 2-4pm. All the dances are taught first. Contact Romma Clements 01877 382956 or Maria Miller 01259 220679. Church On Saturday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) there is a Messy Church at 3pm in the village hall followed at 5pm with Carols by Candlelight at Gartmore Church. Watchnight service on Christmas Eve at Buchlyvie Church will be led by Mrs MacRae at 11.30pm. Christmas Day worship is a joint service with Gartmore and will be held at Gartmore Church at 10.30am led by Mrs MacRae.

\Killearn

Walking group Every Thursday, 2-2.45pm, alternate weeks between Blanefield and Killearn. Call 07557 439111. Otago Active adults strength and balance class, Tuesdays from 9.3010am and 10.10-10.40am in the church hall, £2. Contact Active Stirling on 01786 448308. Class off until January 10. Carols Strathendrick Singers will be performing Carols at Christmas in Killearn Kirk tonight (Friday) at 7.30pm. Bridge club Results from Tuesday, December 13 (Championship): NS 1 Beth Farish and Judith Townson; 2 Ian Pascoe and Roger Sparkes. EW 1 Douglas Ashworth and Maggie Garland; 2 Donald Kennedy and Eileen Lindsay. Killearn Kirk The Rev Lee Messeder conducts the service on Sunday at 10.30am, at which time Kirk Kids and the creche come together. The Young Womens’ Group meets on Monday at 1.15pm and Messy Play for preschool children accompanied by an adult is on Thursday at 9.30am.

\Killin

Strength and balance Exercise class for older adults every Wednesday in the Killin Hotel from 1.30-2.30pm followed by 10-minute walk. Advice Stirling District Citizens Advice Bureau Ltd outreach team is available every fourth Thursday at MacGregors Market, Main Street, Killin from 10.30am-2.30pm This is a drop in service, no appointment necessary.

\Kinlochard

Yoga and Mindfulness Class is held in the village hall on Tuesdays from 7.15-8.45pm. All welcome. Please contact Gillian on 01877 387201 or 07738 225996 for further details.

\Kippen

Cappuccino Chatter in the church house on Wednesday, 10.30-11.30am. Used Stamps Heather Dunlop, 10 Oakwood, welcomes used stamps to aid a charity for the blind. Leave a narrow margin of paper round the stamps and hand them to Heather or leave them for her in McNicoll’s. Otago Active adults strength and balance class, Wednesdays 9.4510.15am in the church hall, £2. Contact Active Stirling on 01786 448308. Cancer cards Margaret Diamond (01786 870429) has Christmas cards to aid Cancer Research available and 2017 diaries can be obtained from Moira Turner (01786 870705). Pantomime This year’s presentation of Kippen Drama Club is Knight Fever, beginning last night (Thursday) in the village hall and continuing tonight (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday) at 7.30pm with a matinee performance tomorrow at 2pm. Tickets are £6 and £4 for children, available from Joyce on 0178687062 or Ann 870517 or at the door. Badminton Weekly sessions resume in the village hall on Tuesday, January 10 at 7.30pm. Carol singing Members of the Wee Sing group are inviting villagers to join them on Wednesday, December 21 at 6.30pm to sing carols around the Christmas tree in Main Street. Debbie and Brian from the Cross Keys in Kippen are sponsoring this event and a collection will be taken for Strathcarron Hospice. Enrolment Kippen Primary School enrolment Tuesday, January 17 from 1.30-3pm, Thursday, January 19 from 9-10.30am and Friday, January 20 from 1.30-2.30pm at the school. If you are unable to attend, contact the school to arrange an alternative date. All children who are five years old on or before August 22, 2017 must start their primary education on that date and children who are five years old between August 22, 2017 and February 28, 2018 may start their primary education on that date. Parents/carers should attend with their child’s birth certificate, child benefit book/ award letter, tax credit award letter, a recent council tax bill and two utility bills. Church Adults and children are invited to come dressed as Nativity characters to the service on Sunday at 11.15am which will be led by Rev Ellen Larson Davidson. Some costumes, mainly smaller sizes, will be available. All welcome. On Sunday at 7pm all will be made welcome at the Carols by Candlelight Service. Volunteers needed to deliver leaflets about the Christmas services and the greetings from the church to the village. Kippen Primary School end of term service Wednesday, December 21 at 11am. All welcome. Ceilidh The raffle at the New Year Ceilidh in the village hall will this year aid the Kippen Sports Development Group for the maintenance work on the sports field. Tickets vailable in local shops. Dance sold out. School It was full house for the Primary 1-3 Nativity Play on Monday and Tuesday. All the children were beautifully dressed and word perfect in the Little Star’s Story, well acted and enjoyed by everyone. Today (Friday) is Christmas Jumper Day supporting Save the Children, as staff and pupils enjoy their Christmas lunch and Pop Up Tuck Shop. The pantomime visits the school ob Tuesday, December 20 and all are welcome at the Christmas Service in the church on Wednesday, December 21 at 11am after which the school closes until Thursday, January 5. Hogmanay ceilidh Some tickets are left for the Port Hall Hogmanay Ceilidh, contact committee for tickets. Enrolment Primary school enrolment is on Tuesday, January 10 from 10am-noon. If you are unable to attend on that day, please contact the school to arrange an alternative date. The 2017/18 school year starts on August 22, 2017. This is the only date for beginning primary school education for that year. All children five years old on or before that date must start their primary school education on that date. Children five years old between August 22, 2017 and February 28, 2018 may start their primary school education. For more details, contact Port of Menteith Primary School on 01877 385225, go to www.stirling.gov.uk, or contact Education, Teith House, Kerse Road, Stirling on 01786 233185. Parents/ carers should attend with their child’s birth certificate, child benefit book/ award letter, working families’ tax credit award letter and a recent council tax bill. Parish Church Worship on Sunday 10am, led by Rev Terry Taylor. On Christmas Eve, there will be a traditional family carol service, led by members of the congregation and the community, starting at 7pm. At 11.30pm on Christmas Eve, there is a watchnight service in Aberfoyle Parish Church. On 10.30am on Christmas Day joint service with Aberfoyle in Port of Menteith Kirk.

\Strathblane

Mini Makers Tuesday in the kirkrooms, 9.30-10.30am. Art and creative fun for 18 months to five years.

\Thornhill

Playgroup For over-twos, Tuesdays 9.45-11.45am, Fridays 9.30am-noon, term time in the community hall. Norrieston Church Sunday will be the family Christmas Service. There will be a retiring collection for the emergency Christian Aid appeal. Following worship there will be tea and a chance to buy from the Traidcraft stall in the church hall. Carol singing round the village on Tuesday, December 20, meeting at the church at 6pm. All welcome.