Notices - Sunday 19th March
Creche: 11.00am in the upper hall for children up to age 3.
Volunteers Today: Fiona, Catherine, Ruby and Alison Maciver.
Volunteers 26th March: Annette, Kathleen, Anne Mackenzie and Tina.
Tweenies: 11.00am in the main hall for children aged 3-5.
Volunteers today: Elizabeth, Karen, Aileen and Kirsty.
Volunteers 26th March: Johan, Donna, Christina and Joni.
Sunday School Bible Class arrive in church at 11.00 with family, then go into M.A. Hall after children’s address.
Everyone is welcome to a time of fellowship in the M. A. Hall following the morning service. Murdo and ChrissAnne will be serving today.
There will be a congregational fellowship following the evening service tonight. Muriel will speak about her work in Cambodia.
Monday 20th 1.00pm-3.00pm – Toddler Group meet in M.A. Hall.
Monday 20th 7.30pm – Holiday Club 2023 Planning Meeting in M.A. Hall. The proposed dates for the club are from Monday 31st July to Friday 4th August, God willing. We do need plenty volunteers, so if you can help in any way, please come along.
Please join us in praying for wisdom and guidance as we plan for the Holiday Club, and that it would be richly blessed to the children.
For information contact Fiona on 07825 000250 or Elaine on 07876 225120.
Monday 20th 7.00pm – Kirk Session in Kenneth Street Session Room.
Wednesday 22nd 7.30pm – English Prayer Meeting in the Seminary and on Zoom led by Rev James Maciver.
Thursday 23rd 7.30pm – Gaelic Prayer Meeting in the Seminary led by Rev Kenneth Ferguson.
Thursday 23rd – Explorers in M.A. Hall:
6.00pm - 7.00pm: P1- P3
7.00pm - 8.15pm: P4 - P7
Saturday 25th March 12.00pm-2.00pm – WfM Bake Sale and Light Lunch
If anyone can donate baking (without cream), labelled and packaged, or offer to help on the day please get in touch with Donna Maciver:- 07810 386774.
Saturday 25th March 7.30pm – English Prayer Meeting in Seminary.
Services next Sunday 26th March
11.00am – English Service (Church) Rev Calum M. Smith.
11.00am – Gaelic Service (Seminary) Mr Murdo Martin.
6.30pm – English Service (Church) Aviel (Int MJP).
Sunday School Snippet
Every week our Tweenies and Sunday School families kindly contribute to the collection plate which is always on the table as you come in the door of the hall. James and Calum Murdo announced that Dove's Corner were helping families that were finding the cost of living difficult. The children thought it would be a good idea to give warm and cosy pyjamas. We have bought different sizes and all the pyjamas have long sleeves to keep children warm.
To help families on our island we have also bought packs of nappies in different sizes and wipes. We send these gifts with love. Every week we learn from God's word and how he wants us to be.
"All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace."
Isaiah 54:13
Update on Transport arrangements for attending Church Services.
Many in the congregation will be aware that the bus service company on which many relied for attending church services ceased trading in February 2020. Soon afterwards the country was placed into ‘lockdown’ due to the Covid pandemic and it was only in mid 2022 that church services returned to their pre-pandemic pattern. Since then, several attempts have been made to source a mini-bus service to enable elderly and non-drivers to attend church services. For various reasons, it simply has not been possible to secure an alternative service provision and it looks as if this situation is likely to continue into the foreseeable future.
As a congregation, we are greatly indebted to many car owners in the congregation who provide friends and neighbours with transport to church services and we know that this is greatly appreciated. There may be several others who would dearly love to attend church but are genuinely reluctant to ask anyone for a lift. All we can do is to encourage car owners in the congregation to seriously consider identifying and contacting people in their districts who may be desirous of attending church services and offer to take them as circumstances allow.
Appeals for building funds.
The Free Church congregations of Burghead and Lochgilphead are currently looking to renovate their church buildings to enhance the witness of their congregations. For the Burghead congregation, information on their building project can be found on burgheadfreechurch.org/build. For the Lochgilphead congregation, some leaflets on their project are available in the foyers of the church and the Seminary.
If anyone wants to contribute to either of these projects, please put your donation in an envelope clearly marked ‘Burghead’ or ‘Lochgilphead’ and leave it in the collection plate at the church or the Seminary. If paying by cheque, please make it payable to 'Stornoway Free Church'.
Safeguarding / PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) Scheme
It is essential that everyone involved in working with children or vulnerable adults complete an online Safeguarding course by 31st March. The final course is on Wednesday 22nd March. You can sign up on the Free Church of Scotland website at: Safeguarding – Free Church of Scotland.
If you have any questions, please contact: Iain Maciver at: [email protected] or Calum Smith at: [email protected]
