St Andrew's Wallace Green and Lowick Church of Scotland, Berwick-upon-Tweed

Registered Scottish Charity No. SC000867

THE WELCOMING CHURCH

Communication has always been vital in the life of a church. Successive editors have found the right mix of articles, which include contributions from the minister, church officers and members of the congregation.

Fashion, recipes, reminiscences, humour and poetry combined with articles from the minister help to make it a magazine looked forward to with anticipation.

We are blessed to have a talented cartoonist amongst our members who always manages to provide a witty, topical, occasionally irreverent but always appreciated drawing for the cover (see 'Sid Burgon' below).

The Kirk News is issued four times a year. Here are some extracts from the issue of December 2011 and a link to download the cartoon cover Kirk News cover December 2011.

Because of potential copyright issues, it isn't possible to reproduce all of the magazine here but if you would like a copy please contact us.

Please note that all of the material on this site (not limited to but including artwork, photographs and text as well as the design of the website) is the property of St Andrew's Wallace Green and Lowick Church of Scotland, Berwick-upon-Tweed (unless otherwise attributed) and is protected by copyright .

From our Interim Moderator

I write this article just two days after we have put back the clocks. It is something that we do every year at this time. We remember the phrase ‘spring forward, fall back’ to remind us which way to move them. We use the American term ‘fall’ for autumn. My niece who is currently in the former colony asks the question ‘we have the adjective autumnal, is there such a word as fallal?’

Anyway, we have turned back the clocks. How often people wish they can do that. How often people wish they could return to some golden age. You know; the one that never existed! At the end of November we enter the season of Advent, we look forward to Christmas and the New Year. I think it is better to look ahead. The message of Advent, of Christmas, is new beginning. It is a message of hope for the world. The coming of Christ is about a fresh start. As we enter the dark days of winter, let us all focus on the light that shines on, the light of Christ.

In John’s Gospel we read of Nicodemus coming in the darkness to speak to Christ. John speaks of the light that shines on in the darkness and the darkness can never overcome. Often we may see darkness in our lives, time when we cannot see ahead of where we are. May indeed we see that light in our lives at all times.

God Bless

Norman

From the Locum Minister

Walking along the north coast of Ardnamurchan on one of the few sunny days in late October, I saw, to the west, the first snows on the Highland peaks. What better indicator could there be of the changing seasons? I am writing this letter two days after the clocks have been put back – yet another indicator that the year’s end is approaching.

Now that Hallowe’en is past, the shops have replaced bats’ wings and ghostly faces with Christmas decorations in anticipation of the annual ‘spend fest’. Perhaps it is a measure of how little the Christian faith is taken seriously in our country that so many support a jokey celebration of evil and totally ignore the following day ‘All Saints Day’ the celebration of being sanctified by the Holy spirit, that means being made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ. We may relegate ‘All Hallows Evening’ to joke status, but Satan, the enemy of God and mankind, isn’t joking. He wants us to be fascinated, if not captivated, by the darker side of life.

Another measure of how little faith impacts on the majority of people is the way Christmas is celebrated; the ‘spend fest’ followed by the ‘debt fest’; the ‘gorge and gulp fest’ followed by the ‘short- lived diet fest’! I’m trying to be realistic rather than cynical! I’m not averse to extra slices of turkey and Christmas cake (as my family will testify!) however, I am concerned that people come to understand the real significance for our lives that the entry of God into our world as the Christchild can have.
Ministers are always glad to see larger congregations at Christmas services, but if the content of the familiar carols was taken to heart then the churches would be full throughout the year. Instead, for so many, a Christmas service is a traditional annual ‘nod to God’. How wonderful it would be if millions could pray from the heart in the words from a well known carol.

‘O Holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born in us today’

The season is changing. We are entering a ‘winter of discontent’ as economic woes limit the scope of the annual ‘spend fest’. The changing season that I, and I’m sure all believers pray and work for, is a season of revival of the faith. Only this can change the heart of our nation.

May you and yours know the true joy and peace of Christmas

Yours sincerely in Christ.

Bob

Sid Burgon

Sid has decided that he has to stop drawing the cartoons which have graced the front pages of Kirk News for over 30 years, which means that over that period he has drawn some 120 cartoons. During the past few months his eyesight has deteriorated and he is unable to maintain his high standard. In addition to the cartoons he has been responsible for the completion of the certificates given to newly Baptised Children. Before retirement, Sid worked for D C Thomson, the publishers of the Dandy and Beano. His particular speciality was Biffo the Bear and Keyhole Kate. His cartoons were always the first item that readers turned to and the smiles they produced was evidence of the very high standard. Sid, we will all miss your drawings and trust that your health will improve.

Andrew Dewar (Editor - Kirk News)

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