Message From The Minister

Dear Friends, please forgive me for not having the time to update this page earlier. The requests to the Corona-Virus Insch Aberdeenshire Volunteers Group for help in the community have already started and the Oyne team pulled together really well in response to what could have been a critical situation today. No doubt we will face more challenging situations in the days to come. I have already done my first shop and first dog walk. You can meet Red with Solomon and Sheba in the photos. They had a great time together. Thank you very much to Samatha Kinnaird and Hugh Fraser for rallying volunteers as troops and helping to source the Food Bank.

The Food Bank is well stocked and open every day, both mornings and afternoons with the help of volunteers who will observe struct hygiene and social-distancing, therefore we can only allow two folk at a time in the same hall as the Food Bank. They will be served quickly. The Food Bank is not only for those having to live in poverty but ALSO for ALL in the community, especially when they can’t find essential foods on the shop shelves. Thanks to the Co-op and R S McColls for asking for donations for us. SPECIAL THANKS to Diane McCallum and Shona Cobban who worked at the Food Bank EVERY DAY this last week. Well done ladies! I just popped in to view their progress!

Also, thanks to The Friends of Insch Hospital who will help with the medication deliveries; and to Dunnydeer vets who will deliver pet food and treat the pets of those who are ill or in isolation. It may mean that the volunteer has to fit a coo or a yowe into the boot! But we will get it to the vets. It has been uplifting to see so many people pulling together and the Kennethmont and Clatt volunteers are also working with those of Insch, Leslie, Premnay and Oyne. Rayne North have been in touch too, and if need be, we can help one another. One body!

The next few months are going to be challenging. Although our churches are closed, we are very much together as the body of Christ. I will do my best to telephone all those who are self-isolating and/or are over seventy. This might be difficult if someone is ex-directory, so please alert folk that they would need to pass on their number to me. Thank you. I will begin this duty next week, working from A to Z or contacting those who are a priority. Please DO keep me informed of all that is going on in our Parish; always willing to help.

Until I learn how to live stream, you can join churches which already do this for their Sunday Service. The Moderator of the General Assembly, the Right Reverend Colin Sinclair, has prepared a brief act of worship, and this will be available on the Church’s website, and on social media, from the morning of Sunday 22nd March 2020. He will also deliver a live daily reflection on Facebook beginning on the morning of Monday 23rd March, at 10 am (here).

The Archbishop of Canterbury will also broadcast on Radio 4 at 8.40 am on the morning of Sunday 22nd March.

You may also join Ferryhill Parish Church, Aberdeen, on YouTube with the Rev. Peter Johnston, or my “old” mentor when I was a Probationer Minister, the Rev. John Povey, at Kirk of Calder on Facebook. Both these services are at 11am. Or you can search on the Church of Scotland Website for further details of services being live streamed.

Let us not forget that this Sunday is Mothering Sunday. Let us celebrate all the wonderful women and men who are mothers and grandmothers, those who mother and nurture us; cuddle and comfort us; lead and guide us; provide for and protect us. Praise God for their love and the influence they have on our lives. Despite the circumstances, may they know how much they mean to us.

PLEASE NOTE: Along with many other church denominations, I would encourage you to join people of faith across the world by lighting a candle and placing it in your window at 7pm, and joining in “prayerful solidarity with this witness” in the following prayer, all at the same time. The candle will be "a visible symbol of the light of life, Jesus Christ, the source of hope in this life.”

Food Bank Hours

In the Church Hall on Western Road:

Monday 23rd: 10am to noon and 2.30pm to 4.30pm.

Thereafter, on week days 9.30am to 11.30 am and 2.30pm to 4.30pm.

Saturdays 10am to noon.

The following donations have been made for you to pick up at the food bank, whether or not you need food: ELAINE PATERSON has kindly donated a range of craft materials, including Easter eggs to paint and decorate; wool, card craft material and a host of other things; NICK UNDERHILL has kindly donated nets of kiln-dried hardwood; and we will be receiving seeds from FRANK TAYLOR and other so that adults and children can plant lots of lovely flowers/vegetables in the garden. Please help yourselves from the large church hall, but TAKE ONLY what you need and share fairly with others.

Please take note that there are now STRICT regulations in place in order for the Food Bank to keep operating:

1) Please use the sanitising gel AS SOON AS YOU ENTER or wash your hands.

2) Adhere to social distancing in the Food Bank and while waiting in the big hall.

3) Only TWO people can enter at a time. You will be served quickly.

4) Sorry, but no one can go round the tables or pick up food and put it back down again except for the volunteers on duty.

5) Please don't touch surfaces.

6) THANK YOU very much for your understanding so that smooth operations can be maintained.

"O give thanks to the Lord! Make known His name!

Make known His deeds among the peoples!

Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His Presence continually!" Psalm 105.