News in brief from around the local churches

Burnside Blairbeth Church has started a new festive initiative. If you have been in the shops in Blairbeth, Burnside and Spittal over the last ten days you might have met a sheep.

They are part of the Burnside Blairbeth church Nativity sheep trail.

Twenty-six shops have played host to knitted sheep and each sheep is individually named.

Participants in the trail try to collect as many of the sheep names as possible and fill them in on their registration form.

They then bring the completed registration form to a carol singing and prize giving evening being held this Saturday, December 19, at 6.30pm at the Rodger Memorial building in Blairbeth.

There is still time for you to take part in the trail and you either download your registration form from facebook. com/BurnsideBlairbeth or you can email melanie.ziegler@ burnsideblairbethchurch.org.uk

The church’s outreach worker, Melanie Ziegler said“We are grateful to all of the businesses who have made the nativity trail possible.

“We hope that people have lots of fun and also find out more about the Christmas story. Even if people haven’t taken part in the nativity trail we would love to see them at the carol singing and prize giving.”

This year’s Christmas Eve Service in Rutherglen Old Parish Church will take place at 11.30pm, with tea and biscuits available from 11pm.

They shall be joined, as usual, by their friends from The Salvation Army whose Band will accompany the Hymn singing.

Doors will be open to everyone to welcome in Christmas with us.

St Oswald’s Church recently earned money for some good causes.

The church held a Christmas fair that sold small homemade items.

They earned £143 from selling the items, which will all be donated to charity.

As Christmas approaches, a warm invitation is extended to the community to join in any or all of the Christmas activities at King’s Park Church. This Sunday, December 20, the morning service at 11am will be a Christmas family service with the Nativity being presented by the young people of the Church. The evening service of worship at 6.30pm will take the form of carols around the Christmas tree.

On Tuesday, December 22, the weekly coffee morning takes place from 10am to noon, while the prayer group meet from 11am to 11.30am in the lounge. Later in the day, children aged five – nine years can have fun at the youth club which runs between 3.30pm and 4.45pm in the lesser hall. In the evening, anyone who enjoys carolsinging is invited to join in‘Carol Singing around the Parish’, leaving from the church at 7pm.

The following morning, Wednesday, December 23 at 10.30am, the church welcomes Bankhead Primary School for their Christmas service. All welcome.

Looking ahead to Christmas Eve, there will be two services. First, at 7pm, there is the Christmas Eve family service (with refreshments from 6.30pm). Later, at 11.15pm, the popular Watchnight service takes place – with refreshments served from 10.45pm.

Then, on Christmas Day, everyone is invited to share in the celebrations of Jesus’ birthday in a short service beginning at 10am.

Tickets are now on sale for Stonelaw Church’s Christmas concert, featuring the amazing Caledonian Voices.

It will take place this Friday, December 18.

The repertoire on the night includes In Terra Pax by Gerald Finzi (1901 – 1956), Seek Him that Maketh the Seven Stars by Jonathan Dove (b. 1959) and Carols by Derek Clark (b. 1955).

Tickets are available from the Meeting Place or at the door on the night, and are priced at £10.

Cambuslang Parish Church’s Community Café will be closed on four consecutive Wednesdays over the festive period.

It will be closed on December 16, 23, 30 and January 6.

It will re-open on Wednesday January 13.

Cambuslang Parish Church has recently relaunched its website.

More information on the church can now be found at http:// cambuslangparishchurch.org. uk/wp

Glasgow the Caring City has recently been overwhelmed with donations and desperately needs people to help out Monday to Friday between

If you have any church news that you want to be included in the Reformer then contact jonathan.geddes@trinitymirror. com.