Dear friends,

The tail end of last year and beginning of this New Year began with a high concentration of bereavements. Within one fifteen day period I had five funerals which for Dalserf Parish is unusually high. If that concentration were to be perpetuated throughout the year there would be one hundred and twenty one funerals by the end of 2007! What is particularly noteworthy is that we lost three of our elderly church members in this period - Mary Mooney, Annie Letham and our oldest member at one hundred and seven and three quarters - Janet Murray whose son is John Murray elder and convener of the Rorison Renovation Committee.

I have been asked by Dr. Sandy Rodger Principal of the Faith Mission College in Edinburgh if a team of international students could spend just over a week in our parish to give them a flavour of a typical church week in a Church of Scotland congregation. I agreed to this. A team of six students from several countries will be with us from Saturday 24th February to Sunday 4th March. Accommodation is being provided in members homes including the manse and several folk who have been approached already have agreed to provide at least one meal for the team. This is not quite a mission since it is largely a learning opportunity for the students, nevertheless they will be happy to participate in our services, meetings and events and possibly even do some parish visitation also. There will be an International Night - probably the Friday, when the team will provide us with entertainment and I expect there might be food also. The two Sundays involved will not be “typical” in that the 25th is the Reunion Guest service and the 4th March is Communion. It is not entirely inappropriate however that there should be representatives from the Faith Mission at the Reunion Guest service since the Faith Mission if not the actual students who will be with us has featured regularly in our congregations life over the past fifteen years or so.

Finally, things seem to be on the move again at Rorison. Before a gas meter can be fitted it has to be paid for and before it can be paid for an account has to be sent. The account which we have been told was sent several months ago has never been found although I am not entirely surprised since it was sent to “Rorison Church” which of course has no letter box! A new account has been issued and paid and we have been led to expect that the meter will be installed five days after payment. The meter will allow the heating system to function. The under floor heating will have to be on for two weeks to dry out the screed covering the heating elements. Thereafter the new beech wood floor can be laid. Hopefully by the time I am writing the next pastoral letter the first phase will be finished or almost so.

Yours sincerely,
D. Cameron McPherson

Ladies

Would you be interested in getting together with other women in the Church, on an informal basis, maybe once a month, for some fun and fellowship. If you are interested give me a call on 01698.881276 or 07775600931 or e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

I thought we initially could get together for a curry/chinese meal one evening to have a chat about what we would all like to do. Suggestions so far have included a visit to Braehead Xscape, theatre or cinema visit, walk around Strathclyde Park or climb up Tinto!

Look forward to hearing from you.

Wendy Manson

Coffee Shop Stall

A rather belated, though none the less sincere thank you, to everyone who contributed in any way to our stall at the Rosebank Coffee Shop, with a special thank you to Thomson, Helen, Craig & Shona, for their kindness, hospitality and most generous donations.

The amount raised for the church was £2002.

Margaret Letham

Reunion Guest Service

In connection with my twenty fifth year as the minister of Dalserf there will be a reunion guest service (as there was in 2005) followed by a buffet lunch at 12 noon on Sunday 25th February to which we hope to invite as many as possible who have had a connection with Dalserf Church, especially but not exclusively, at some time within the last 25 years - former members, elders, brides and grooms, people baptised etc.

ou may wish to use the invitation card to inform people you know who have had a past connection with the congregation.

Please contact,
Helen Knox
Tel. 01698 883770
if you are able to donate items of baking etc. for the lunch. These will be gratefully received.

 
Machan Trust Donation

Dalserf Church has been able to pass on over £400 to the Machan Trust. This money has been raised by church members giving donations in lieu of Christmas cards to other church members in addition to the offering from the Christmas Watchnight service.

Deaths

December
21    Mary Mooney*
26    Scott Bulloch

January
1    Jessie Gracie
4    Janet Murray*
8    Nellie McKay
13    Annie Letham*

*Dalserf Member

Thank You

John and Agnes Murray would like to thank everyone for the expressions of sympathy received in their recent sad loss, for all who attended the funeral services for Jen and for the donations made to Dalserf Church. Jen would have been very appreciative.

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