IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Church of Scotland in Edinburgh has agreed to ask, in the strongest terms, that all gatherings for worship should cease until further notice, with effect from Wednesday 17th March 2020, or earlier if possible. Other Scottish Churches are taking similar actions.
As such there will be no midweek or Sunday Services, or any group meetings in Kirkgate until further notice.
Church of Scotland – Pentecost Service – 31st May
On Sunday 31st May, the new Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Rt Rev Martin Fair is hosting a special service which includes worship, prayers, music, a sermon, Bible readings, and closes with the Moderator’s wife Mrs Elaine Fair singing The Blessing.
The Moderator is encouraging congregations and people of faith across Scotland, and beyond, to join together in worship as a whole church. The service can be viewed on the Church of Scotland website from 10am. It will also be streamed on the West Kilbride Parish Church live feed from 10.30am.
Sunday Service – 24th May – from our locum
Please click below to listen to the Sunday Service for 24th May by Mr Brian Murray.
You can follow the service by downloading this Order of Service.
This week’s hymns are:
124: Praise to the Lord
448: Lord, the light of your love is shining
458: At the name of Jesus (the recording is the version in CH3 300 with an extra verse / alternative words)
Remember that our weekly service is now available via the telephone, by calling the following local-rate number: 01294 444201. After the brief welcome message plays there will be a short pause of around 15 seconds, and then this week’s service (41 minutes) will start playing.
A reminder that material for the next edition of the Kirkgate Messenger should be sent to the editor no later than next Sunday (31st May). This will be the last edition before it takes a short summer holiday, returning again hopefully in September.
Also, this week’s online service from West Kilbride Parish Church is at the earlier time of 10am when they will be streaming a feed from the Keswick Ayrshire virtual event.
West Kilbride service – 17th May – listen again
Listen to this week’s service from West Kilbride by clicking the image below:
Next Sunday (24th May) West Kilbride Parish Church will be streaming a live service by Keswick Ayrshire starting at the earlier time of 10am.
Sunday Service – 17th May – from our locum
Please click below to listen to the Sunday Service for 17th May by Mr Brian Murray.
You can follow the service by downloading this Order of Service.
Remember that our weekly service is now available via the telephone, by calling the following local-rate number: 01294 444201. After the brief welcome message plays there will be a short pause of around 15 seconds, and then this week’s service (38 minutes) will start playing.
West Kilbride service – 10th May – listen again
Listen to this week’s service from West Kilbride by clicking the image below:
Sunday Service – 10th May – from our locum
Please click below to listen to the Sunday Service for 10th May by Mr Brian Murray.
You can follow the service by downloading this Order of Service.
Remember that our weekly service is now available via the telephone, by calling the following local-rate number: 01294 444201. After the short welcome message plays and a short pause of around 15 seconds, the weekly service will start playing the audio file which this week lasts for 39 minutes.
Christian Aid Week 2020
Christian Aid week runs from 10-16 May. This year due to the COVID-19 restrictions there are no physical envelopes being put into magazines or posted through letterboxes. However, Christian Aid is asking people to help them raise vital funds for Christian Aid Week by simply sending your friends and family a personalised message in an e-Envelope. Full details can be found on the Christian Aid website here: www.christianaid.org.uk/appeals/key-appeals/christian-aid-week
Life & Work – Lockdown Weekly News
Life and work are now issuing some free weekly updates with news from churches around the country:
https://www.lifeandwork.org/…/feat…/view/441-lockdown-weekly
Two special online forthcoming events
Rev Dr Martin Fair
Installation of the new Moderator of the Church of Scotland
Saturday 16th May 11am – live on the Church of Scotland website and our Facebook
Rev Dr Martin Fair will be installed as Moderator of the General Assembly. The ceremony will take place in the Assembly Hall with only a few people physically present because of the covid restrictions but followed by thousands of people across Scotland and across the world. The service will be captioned and there will be the option of BSL interpretation. Join us for an historic occasion and a clear statement that the Church is alive and active in these difficult days.
Sunday 31st May 10-10.30am – Pentecost – streamed on the Church of Scotland website and Facebook
The Moderator will lead a service to mark the birthday of the Christian Church with contributions from many different places. Like the disciples on that first Pentecost here is the invitation to step confidently into whatever the future holds. We would like to invite you to make this the service for your congregation on that Sunday so that as much of the Church of Scotland as possible will be gathered in fellowship and praise.
Heart and Soul 2020 – Sunday 17th May – online event
Heart and Soul – Sunday 17th May, 2-4pm, online event
We’re delighted to announce, as part of that ‘Big Weekend’ for the Church of Scotland, a special ‘Heart and Soul 2020′ event will take place (online) on 17th May 2020. The current crisis has meant that the original event, scheduled to have taken place in Princes Street Gardens on that day, has had to be cancelled.
However, a number of features from the event in Princes Street Gardens can be transferred into an online format, and we’re going to screen an abridged ‘Heart and Soul’ at 2.00pm on 17th May – when the original event would have taken place. The programme will run until about 4.20pm. A recording of the event will be available soon afterwards. You will be able to watch the event live on the Church of Scotland website (www.churchofscotland.org.uk) and live on the Facebook page (fb.me/churchofscotland).
Hosted by our usual presenters, Rev Ken Froude, Seonaid Knox and Rev Justin Taylor, the event begins with a replay of the service of installation for the new Moderator, Rev Martin Fair. Without giving too much away, the event features a mix of worship, music, stories and some exciting ‘In Conversation’ guests.
Heart and Soul regulars ‘Fischy Music’ will lead a special segment for all ages, and we hope that you’ll join in all the actions from home! Spread throughout the afternoon will be some very special conversations: Hugh Pym will be in conversation with Prof Jason Leitch and Viv Dickenson from CrossReach, discussing how they have all been tackling Coronavirus and also how their own faith has helped them. Very Rev Susan Brown will be in conversation with Ross Greer MSP and Tara Shannon from CoSY discussing climate justice. Prison Chaplain Anne Stewart will be in conversation with Hospital Chaplain Mark Evans talking about chaplaincy as a career and the impact of Coronavirus in their places of work.
No Heart and Soul would be complete without some hearty singing, and we’ve chosen some highlights from the archive over the last ten years of Heart and Soul, the Guild Big Sing and the General Assembly to round things off.
Attached to this email is an image that we would ask you to make use of in any social media channels you have access to (for example, congregational and presbytery Facebook pages). If you are broadcasting a service of worship this weekend, perhaps you could consider using the image as part of your ‘online intimations’ and encouraging people to join us. This could be done both this Sunday, and next.
These are difficult times for many in our Church and communities. We hope and pray that ‘Heart and Soul’ might be a place where people can see that the Church of Scotland is still active, still open and providing hope for our nation. I hope you can help us publicise, and join us, during our very special ‘Big Weekend’.
With prayerful best wishes
Rev Bryan Kerr
Convener, Heart and Soul Project Group
