News
Christian Aid
I hope you will support a Quizaid evening on Friday, 23rd May at 7.30 in the Parish Church Hall. This, Christian Aid hope, will be the first of an annual event. Bring a team, any size up to 8 or come and join with others on the night. Tea and tray-bakes will be served. Suggested donation £2 each.
The Director of Christian Aid, Dr Daleep Mukarji is talking at St John’s Church, Lovers Walk, Dumfries. The event starts at 12.45 on Saturday, 17th May with a soup and roll lunch. If possible, please let me Margaret Hughes know if you are going, so that she can advise the organisers for catering purposes and plan car sharing.
Praise Band
Do you play an instrument or enjoy singing? The Praise Band would love to have new members to join them in leading the songs during worship at the 9.30 am services. No auditions required!!
There is a planning meeting on Monday, 19th May at 7pm in the church. Please come and meet us if you are interested.
Kirkcudbright Summer Mission 2008
A number of us are getting together soon to plan Kirkcudbright Summer Mission 2008 to be held during the week beginning Monday, 11th August 2008. It is hoped that the Holiday Club will again be based in Castledykes Primary School, from 10.30 am – 12 noon daily.
If you can help with Summer Mission in any way: with crafts, games or serving up the biscuits and juices, please contact Mhairi Wallace or Douglas Irving.Timothy Kioko
Following two days’ attendance at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Timothy, Pastor of the Kenyan Congregation in Tseikuru we are twinned with, will preach at services in our church on Sundays 25th May and 1st and 8th June. He will take meet with our Sunday School, “The Ark”, and our Boys' Brigade and also visit local schools.
There are plans for him to meet with our Home Fellowship Groups and various community organisations, including Kirkcudbright Rotary Club.
For the duration of his stay Timothy will stay at the Manse. It is hoped that members of the congregation will extend hospitality to him through invitations for a meal or to take him on an outing.
Ian Higgins, Wester Oakley, a member of our Church Team has agreed to act as Timothy’s appointments diary keeper and members should contacthim to arrange suitable time(s) to provide hospitality.
Offers of clothes for Timothy would also be appreciated. In this regard, the sizes to note are: trousers, waist 34”, full length 41”, jacket, coat, shirt, pullover size, chest 42", sleeve length 25". Shoe size is 8 (43-44).
Helping Communities in Bangladesh
Our congregation first became involved with the work of Food for the Hungry in Bangladesh when our son John’s driver died and some of our members were moved by the plight of his widow and two small daughters. By gifts gathered from our church members the widow, named Happy, was indeed made happy by enabling her to build a property which gave her an income and independence. Many readers will be glad to learn that in a conversation recently with John and his wife Kate by Skype, we discovered that they had been with Happy and the girls only a few days earlier. They found them truly happy and being able to maintain contact with Happy’s own blood family.
Following that point of contact with Bangladesh, a number of our members have continued by supporting the Family and Community Development Programme. This is a programme of self-help by villagers to improve their life by their own efforts and initiative. The role that FH/Bangadesh plays in these programmes is by the provision of animators to motivate villagers to set up such groups and by bringing to the group educational backup in, for instance, literacy training and health education eg how to identify leprosy and how to obtain treatment if it is identified.
If you would like to read Mizanur Rahman’s colourful and inspiring letter telling the story of some of these families complete with pictures please speak to us and we will give you a copy.
David and Mary Marsden.