St Mary’s Aberfoyle & St Andrew’s Callander
WEEKLY BULLETIN
Richard Grosse Rector 01877382887 07759497826
Notices for week beginning Sunday 8th November
Headlines
Today’s services
Remembrance Sunday
10.00 St Andrew’s
Short service of Remembrance
10.45 Callander Kirk
Joint town service followed by laying of wreaths in the square(12 noon)
There is no service at St Mary’s today. Joint service with Aberfoyle Kirk commencing 10.45
Firework-Sparkler Spaceships by Barbara Carruthers
For some years Barbara, a member of St Mary’s has been by turn educating and delighting the congregation with the wisdom and wit of her writings in the Sunday pew bulletin. Lord Michael Forsyth has recently gathered Barbara’s reflections into a book. With illustrations and a forward by the Primus, it retails for just £5.00 and will be found at the back of both churches from next week, or direct through Barbara or Richard. It will make an ideal ‘stocking filler’!
Refugee Appeal
During September, an appeal was launched by Re-Act Scotland to help refugees fleeing from their homeland. One volunteer, Gill McArthur who has been organising collections in Edinburgh has just gone out to Samos to assess the situation. This is what she has to say
‘I’m sorry I have not updated sooner, the situation is changing all the time and there is so much information to absorb.
We arrived on Tuesday morning. We met Elena Housni who works for the Mayors office. She showed us to our accommodation that is free for volunteers all arranged by her.
We hired a car and went to the port. There are some 4000 refugees in Samos just now. The port was full of people, tents everywhere. Men, woman and children. We were asked to help with the food distribution which happens from porta cabins, I’m told that 2 of the cabins house the families who lost people at sea in recent days. One man lost his wife and 2 children, he is a Gynaecologist from Syria, he only wants to help us even after his losses. Then there are 4 or 5 cars of local people who arrive with food that they have cooked for us to distribute. They can afford this only through cash donations as they have no money left as they have been doing this for months and the Greek economy is seriously struggling.
The distribution was so busy and there are only a few volunteers and people are desperate. They don’t know when they will get food again.
For anyone that says these people can help themselves. Some people don’t know when they leave on the boats where they will arrive they don’t know when or how they can leave. They are scared to move they miss boats.
There are no boats until maybe Friday because of the ferry strikes which is causing thousands of refugees to be stranded and also slowing aid getting to Samos.
In the morning the locals give all children breakfast, aglass of milk, sandwich, fruit but then we run out. Children are crying and mothers are looking at us but we cant help.
At 2.30 more meals arrive from locals which we distribute and again run out.
Today we bought 300 chicken kebab sandwiches and distributed them along with the islanders.
Re-Act have donated £1000 pounds to Elena she has a bank account set up for refugees only. She has shown me the receipts. The woman that cook tell us how much it costs. They have no job, one woman cooks 400 meals she has 4 children.
We have looked into buying food, giving restaurants money to bulk cook. The cheapest option is the locals.
We must support the island as they are supporting the refugees.
They have an old prison building and the non Syrian refugees are there, the conditions are OK.
Tonight 500 people turned up in the dark at the port in coaches collected from beaches around the island. We have nothing to give them, we cant give them food because it will lead to chaos. They have no shelter no food, no blankets.
We have a small warehouse and we will go and get all blankets at night we will give all people without blankets one. Last night 60 people had no blankets that we could see and we only had 40.
Not all people sleep in the port some go to empty buildings, the forest, hotels if they have money but they have had to stay 6 days so running out of money quickly.
THE WAY YOU CAN HELP NOW IS DONATE MONEY, PLEASE SHARE. PLEASE DONATE. NO FERRYS MEAN NO AID WE CAN BUY IT HERE. WE CAN SET UP PROPER FOOD ORDERING AND DISTRIBUTION IF WE HAVE MONEY.
Please help me not leave children cold and hungry any more.
Thank you”
Richard adds thanks to Anne Winther for organising our collection and for the many who contributed.
Tuesday 10th November
There is no Fellowship Group this month.
Wednesday 11th November
10.00 Callander Midweek Communion
Thursday 12th November
Invitation to Callander Guild
Evelyn Nicolson 01877 33436 has the details
Sunday 15th November 2015
2nd Sunday before Advent
Trinity 24
Services & Readings
08.00 Balfron
Mark 13:1-8
10.00 Callander
Psalm 16
Daniel 12:1-3
Heb. 10:11-14[15-18]19-25
Mark 13:1-8
11.15 Aberfoyle
Daniel 12:1-3
Heb. 10:11-14[15-18]19-25
Mark 13:1-8
Future Notices
Wednesday 18th November 2015
10.00 Callander
Luke 19:11-28
Saturday 21st November
Roslynn Grant, the Fair organizer writes
‘St Andrews Christmas Fair will be from 10-2pm in Callander Kirk Hall. This is our main fund raiser of the year.
There will be the usual tombola, cake and candy, and gift stalls. The Cubs will be there and of course we will be having our wonderful Christmas Hampers raffle. There will be tea/coffee, scones, cakes, soup, and toasties for sale and this year, Christmas music will be provided between 11-1 by Callander Chimes. We hope to see you there, and please encourage family and friends to call in and help support our wonderful Church in our fundraising efforts.
Donations for the tombola and raffle are required, and there are boxes at the back of the church for these, or you can drop them off at Roslynn’s house, or alternatively call her on 330353 to make arrangements for collection. Please note this year, there will not be a bric-a-brac stall’.
Eco congregation
Following last month’s very successful “Love God, Love God’s World” event in Edinburgh we have now been able to make available both the video of the evening and the texts from all the speakers. Please see: http://www.ecocongregationscotland.org/news/video-and-notes-from-edinburgh-event-now-available/
Saturday 28thNovember
2015 is a crucial year in the fight against climate change. This December, world leaders will meet at the UN climate talks in Paris to negotiate an international deal to limit global warming.
A fair and ambitious agreement is vital, but whatever is agreed in Paris, it won’t encompass everything needed to reduce global emissions and help those in poorer countries who are already affected by the impacts of the changing climate. At the same time as pushing hard for the best deal possible in Paris, we must also keep up the pressure at national, regional, local and community levels: where change is actually put into practice.
Join hundreds of thousands of people in capital cities around the world including Edinburgh marching for climate action as the UN climate talks in Paris begin. Preceding the march through Edinburgh on Saturday 28th November will be a service in St George’s Square at 11.00.
News of all eco congregation matters can be found at www.ecocongregationscotland.org
