Dear friends,
 In my report at the Annual Congregational Meeting I referred to the crisis created in the Church of Scotland by the appointment last year of an openly homosexual minister to Queen's Cross Church Aberdeen. This has led to a consultation process throughout the church with a view to a decision being taken in 2011 on the question of the propriety of allowing openly homosexual people to be ministers. This is an issue which has been simmering under the surface for a number of years now and has simply been brought to a head by this appointment. Since the involvement of our own Kirk Session and Presbytery in the consultation process is imminent - the Session will discuss it on 27 April and the Presbytery of Hamilton on 20 April - I feel it is appropriate for me to comment on it at this time although I may have further comments to make in the light of these meetings.
There are basically two sides in this debate although undoubtedly many shades of opinion on each side. On one side are the so-called traditionalists who hold to what has in the past been the accepted view within the Church of Scotland and is undoubtedly the majority view in the church as a whole world wide. That view is that homosexual practice is sinful, being condemned in the Bible.
The other view often referred to as the revisionist view regards the Bibles
condemnation of homosexuality as irrelevant to a faithful monogamous same sex relationship which it is claimed the Bible does not envisage in any of the specific references. Advocates of the revisionist view are often all too ready to accuse advocates of the traditionalist view of being "homophobic". This is unfair if the accusation is made solely on the basis of the traditionalist view which does not regard it as sinful to be homosexual, that is, to have a homosexual orientation. On the other hand the charge of homophobia cannot be completely dismissed. The church probably needs to reflect on how homosexual people can be made to feel accepted within the church regardless of its position on the morality of homosexual practice. I wonder how often homosexually orientated people have been marginalised by the church unjustifiably and unnecessarily? At least that is less likely today than in previous generations.
Even if it were true that the Bible does not clearly condemn a homosexual relationship where it is faithful and monogamous, that in itself would not provide anything like the evidence which would be necessary to conclude that such a relationship is morally acceptable. I would suggest we would need to come to the conclusion that the Bible clearly endorses such a relationship before we could give approval to anyone and particularly ministers to be in such a relationship. Giving the benefit of the doubt here will not do (not that there is any doubt in my mind that the traditional view is the right one). The Bible speaks positively about marriage but it is at best wishful thinking to suggest that all the Bible says about marriage can be transferred to a same sex relationship about which it is always negative. In the absence of any such endorsement how can we commend such a relationship? If we are unable to do that then we cannot have leaders of the church in effect modelling such a relationship. There is just no evidence of divine approval for an active same sex relationship only wishful thinking regarding approval by advocates for it.
Cameron McPherson
Thank you from Ann Price and Family
I would like to thank all my Church Family for the many cards, flowers and messages of sympathy received when mum passed away. A lot of the cards and letters I received commented on mums laugh and her great sense of humour, what a wonderful way to be remembered. Thank you also to Mr McPherson and all who took part for a beautiful service of thanksgiving, to mum’s many friends who were present at the service, the ladies of the guild for the lovely refreshments afterwards and the many people who helped behind the scenes. It was a great comfort to us all to see how highly thought of mum was. A few people asked for a copy of the poem Gregg read at the service and I have added it below. Thank you all once again for your support and friendship at this extremely difficult time.
When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me,
I want no tears in a gloom-filled room,
Why cry for a soul set free.
Miss me a little – But not for long
And not with your head bowed low,
Remember the love that we once shared,
Miss me – But let me go.
For this is a journey we all must take,
And each must go alone,
It’s all a part of the Master’s plan
A step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart
Go to your friends that we know,
And bury your sorrows in doing good works,
Miss me – But let me go.
Ann Price
Saturday Coffees
A meeting to organise this was held in Rorison church on Tuesday 13th April. This was a very successful meeting with 17 people attending.
We have managed to fill all weeks with a band of willing workers. However, if you wish to help and did not make the meeting please speak to myself (Kay Blair).
There are many ways everyone can help to make the project as successful as past years:
· Time on Saturday to serve teas and coffees is not the only requirement.
· We need folks to just talk to our visitors.
· Donations of home baking for the cake and candy stall.
· Small items for sale such as cards, jewellery, etc
· Used books.
· Donations for homemaking (Provisions or monetary)
A box will be available in Hamilton Hall along with a proposed donations list. Please help if you can as the fabric of Dalserf church now very much depends on this fundraiser.However we have forged many links with the community and surrounding area and the fellowship bring established is of great value. We most of all need your prayers for our success and more important the spreading of God’s Kingdom through what we do with those we come into contact.
Thanks top all who will help throughout the coming months.
Kay Blair
Machan Trust
The Machan Trust have just completed their Easter programme with activities taking place between the 12and16th April. The activities this Easter were, Fun
Curling, Ten Pin Bowling, Swimming, Cycling, Treasure Hunt, Badminton Tournament, Fun’n’Games and First Aid Games. Everyone who came to our activities really enjoyed themselves, and the Machan Trust would like to thank all our Volunteers who helped during the holidays to make these events so successful for the young people.
Photographic Competiton Results
Many congratulations go to Katherine Leahy for the winning snap (pictured below)
Thank you to Mrs. Sharon McPherson for the difficult task of judging the entries and a Big Thank You to all who participated in the competition.
Larkhall Pilgrimage 2010
The Palm Sunday pilgrimage 2010 again enjoyed a great success, thanks to all those who took part.
A Holy Land Visit by Chris Henderson [part 1 of 2]
In February my sister and I were fortunate to join a group from Orkney on a McCabe’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It was an experience I will never forget. Our guide (from Bethlehem), one of the diminishing number of Palestinian Christians left in the area, told us Israel was a land of contrasts. Jerusalem with all its history and magic – and dear to so many – is only a few miles from the desert.
We spent some time in Jerusalem and from the Mount of Olives looked over at the Old City walls – the blocked off Golden Gate, the predominant Dome of the Rock and The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Paster Noster Church- historically marking the spot where Jesus taught the Lord’s prayer – has beautiful decorated panels with the Lord’s Prayer in many different languages including old Scots (Doric). We visited Dominus Flevit – the Church commemorating the place were Jesus is said to have cried over Jerusalem – a beautiful church with tear drop phials on the roof at each corner – and in the garden at the front there is an acacia tree with the long sharp spikes from which the crown of thorns was made.
At a quiet spot in the Garden of Gethsemane (among the 2000+ year old olive trees) a member of our group read from Matthew 26:36-46.
Another day we walked the Via Dolorosa (the way of the cross) through the streets of the Old walled city arriving at the Holy Sepulchre Church
where Jesus is reputed to have been crucified and where His tomb is thought to have been. We visited the Temple Mount where the temple stood until 70 AD – the site has an impressive panoramic view over Jerusalem. We saw the golden Dome of the Rock but were not allowed inside to see the rock where some believe Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son, Isaac. We spent time to pray at the Western Wall and saw for ourselves the paper prayers pressed into the centuries old stone blocks.
Diary
Wed. 28th Faith Mission Rally Rorison 7.30pm
Sun. 2nd Service Rorison 3.30pm
Sat. 8th Open Day Dalserf 12am - 4pm
Sun. 9th All age Service Dalserf 11.30am
Sun. 9th Open Day Dalserf 1pm - 4pm
Thur. 13th Focus Rorison 1.45pm
Sun. 23rd Joint Pentecost Service Congregational Church 6.30pm
Thur. 27th Focus Rorison 1.45pm
Rotas
Coffee
2nd Mr. & Mrs. McPhee
9th Mr. & Mrs. Harvey
16th Mrs. Blair & Mrs. Budgell
23rd Mrs. McPherson & Mrs. Jones
30th Mr. & Mrs. Archibald
Creche
2nd Mrs. Price & Miss Rodger
9th Family Service
16th Mrs. Hoey & Miss Hume
23rd Mrs. Gilchrist & Mrs. Pollock
30th Mrs. Budgell & Mrs. Blair
Flowers
2nd Mrs. Baillie, Over Dalserf
9th Open Day
16th Mrs. Scott, Larkhall
23rd Mrs. Lawrie, Manse Brae
30th Mrs. Newlands, Dalserf
Elders
2nd I Kennedy(1), W Hamilton(2), M Phillips(3), L Eathorne(4), R Clarkson(5), G Stewart(6)
9th D Manson(1), J Grove(2), J Macfarlane(3), B Archibald(4), K Blair(5), J Pollock(6)
16th R Fairley(1), A Carson(2), A Brown(3), A Price(4), J McPhee(5), E Budgell(6)
23rd I Kennedy(1), W Hamilton(2), M Phillips(3), L Eathorne(4), R Clarkson(5), G Stewart(6)
30th D Manson(1), J Grove(2), J Macfarlane(3), B Archibald(4), K Blair(5), J Pollock(6)
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Articles for the May newsletter should be submitted no later than Sunday, May 23rd 2010.
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