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The Manse
January 2012
Dear Friends,
I hope you enjoyed your
Christmas and welcomed the New Year in with happy reflections of the past year and the year to come. But
maybe you did not enjoy Christmas; maybe you were ill or lost someone you love. Or maybe Christmas brings
back bad memories or you find the whole season one of unrealistic expectations and letdowns.
Dickens wrote of a character
called Ebenezer Scrooge who hated Christmas with a vengeance. Bah humbug!!! Whatever
your feelings towards Christmas I pray that this New Year will bring welcomed opportunities and the fulfillment of happiness
in your life.
With the doom and gloom of an economic recession you can be forgiven for thinking that I
have lost the plot. But no, despite bad times I hold to the happier times with optimism. How
and why do I feel this way? I feel optimistic for the future because I know that God loves me and that
He gives only good things to His children.
There may be times when we question the goodness
of God – when circumstances and life deals us a blow of unexpected misfortune, of bad news. But above
all we must hold to the truth of God’s love for us – the love of the cross, the love that promises a bright future
with Him in eternity.
As for 2012, whatever it holds for us let us hold true and firmly in faith
to God’s promises and step forward bravely, positive that each day brings us closer to the fulfillment of our dreams
in and through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Your Minister
Rev. Andria Randall
SLEEPING BEAUTY
The Drama Club
Production 30 November – 2 December 2011
Once upon a time, happening to be in Dundee City Centre, on
a cold, miserable winter’s night and noticing some activity in Dundee Congregational Church Hall. I
enquired therein and discovered there was a drama club production taking place. I was greatly in
need of warmth and cheering.
During the following two and a half hours the audience and I certainly got that in abundance.
The characters were colourful as were their costumes and the scenery was superb. The performers displayed sheer enjoyment
in playing their parts resulting in a most enjoyable and refreshing evening. Well done to everyone on stage
and behind the scenes. Talking of refreshments, thanks to the tea ladies for the tea/coffee and biscuits.
In fact I enjoyed the whole evening so much I went back the next night.
I cannot wait for the next
production by this very talented group.
A. CAD (Apprentice Critic of Amateur Drama)
THE GUILD
Tuesday, 29th November 2011 -
Allan Thomson - Scottish Dialects
Ella Clark was our President
today and in keeping with the theme she gave her reading and prayer from the Braid Scottish Bible and our hymn was
sung to the tune of St Andrew.
Allan is a retired
Police Chief Inspector and served with Angus, London Metropolitan and Tayside and also spent 24 years in
the Mountain Rescue Team. He gave us a very interesting and amusing talk relating some very funny poems
and stories of his childhood in Aberdeenshire - all told in the Doric dialect, most of which we understood but one or two
words had a few of us stumped. Allan’s book The Moss o’Rora consisting of poems and tales of
North East Scotland was on sale – the proceeds of which he donates to Cancer Research at Ninewells Hospital and so far
he has donated £3000.
Christmas Party, 13th
December. 2011
Once again our Christmas Party was a success with an excellent meal provided by Jenny’s Kitchen.
Our quiz this year was guessing the carol. Doris played the first notes and we had to guess the
rest. It sounds easy – not so – but it was a lot of fun. Santa then arrived
with his sack - the best bit of the party – the presents. We rounded off a very
happy day singing Christmas Carols. Thanks to Santa Bob and everyone involved.
Tuesday – 7th February 2012 – Mrs Elsa Buchanan–
The Life of Burns
You may remember about two years ago Elsa gave a very interesting talk on Life in Japan and showing
some wonderful slides so we can look forward to hearing her again on the life of Burns.
Tuesday – 21st
February 2012 - The Farmer’s Wife -
Mrs Helen Gardiner
Tuesday –
March 6th 2012 - ‘Pedals and Stops’ - Visit
to Muirhead Church with Graeme Tarbet
(Last
year a few of us took the bus to Muirhead and I for one will be doing so again this year. The bus leaves
Union Street at 1 03 pm and there is a bus back at 15.30pm.).
Tuesday
– March 20th 2012 - GIFT DAY
Ladies Underwear
through the Years – Mrs Clelland
Summer Outing - Tuesday 15th May 2012
A
suggestion for the summer outing this year is a visit to Peel Farm Lintrathen near Kirriemuir. Apparently
there’s a lot here with the farmshop, various crafts, clothing and vintage furniture and, of course, the Coffee Shop.
I’m told it’s well worth a visit. Might be worth thinking about. All
we need now is somewhere nice for High Tea. Any suggestions?
Nancy Jack
A CHRISTMAS WITHOUT SNOW – quite amazing!
We were very lucky over Christmas and New Year not to be challenged by the extreme weather conditions which
blighted so many activities 2010 – 2011 and involved two Sundays with Morning Service cancelled when so many of us couldn`t
even venture into the main streets.
The
Pantomime (see page 13) started the ball rolling and on Sunday 11th December we had a special
Family Service with the choir of volunteers under Eddie`senthusiastic instruction singing to an appreciative
congregation. Fergus with his guitar and Fiona `assisting` Eddie on his keyboard brought the word `family`
to life. The exquisite rendering of `O Holy Night` by Inglis Brown was an unforgettable finale for this
special Service. The collection taken especially for Dundee Disabled Children`s
Association raised £203
On
18th December a very refreshing Morning Service was conducted warmly and with great charm by both Archie and Morag.
Fergus was brave to stand up alone in front of us all and his clear and distinct reading was hugely
appreciated. His little sister took stage fright at the last moment but in the absence of other children
there is quite a pressure on these two young ones. This was a very happy occasion and set the tone for
the coming week.
Christmas Eve saw our beautiful church building entirely lit with dozens and dozens of candles,
and the congregation of around 50, including 6 children, sincerely enjoyed the uplifting
Service of Readings and Carols conducted by Andria. Unfortunately Eddie had fallen and suffered broken
bones at his elbow but he still managed to accompany himself on the piano with a beautiful and haunting rendering of `Thorns
in the Straw` by Graham Kendrick. We are all indebted to the wonderful husband and wife team of Graeme
and Jessie, the former for his professional playing of the organ and the latter for the glorious decorating of the entire
inside of our church for the Christmas Season.
On Christmas Morning, as we had no organist, Morag, Jessie
and Graeme had put together a a superb disc of Christmas Organ Music for us to sing along with and this
was so authentic that it truly felt as if someone was playing the lovely carols on our actual organ. Thanks
are due to Steve for his willingness to step in with his guitar for the Christmas Services while Eddie`s elbow was healing.
The pleasure of sharing in hot mince-pies and tea and coffee continued throughout the festive season and this was
particularly evident in the wonderfully happy atmosphere on Christmas Eve before we all ventured homewards to prepare for
Christmas Day.
E.M.C.
THE MARY SLESSOR FOUNDATION
The Friends of Mary Slessor are delighted to present the return of Mother of All
the Peoples to the newly refurbished Gardyne Theatre, Dundee on 22nd, 23rd and 24th March 2012.
Written by Mike Gibb and music by Mairi Paton and Mike Gibb, with humour and pathos it tells the remarkable story of
Mary`s journey from the slums of Dundee to the darkest jungles of Calabar, Africa. Tickets £12
and £10 (concession) are available from Dundee City Council Box Office, Tel: 01382 434940.
All profits from this production will
go directly to the Mary Slessor Foundation, a direct hands on grass roots project making a positive impact on the lives of
young men and women in the disadvantaged area where Mary Slessor lived, worked and died.
Visit www.maryslessor.org
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