Saturday 10 February: Coffee Morning in aid of Abbas Rest Orphans

Jenny organised the Coffee Morning to raise funds for school uniforms and educational materials for Abbas Rest Orphans.

More photos on Abbas Rest page, under Activities: https://dcd2019.org.uk/dcdchurches/activities/abbas-rest-orphans/

Saturday 7 October: St Ninian’s Harvest Supper

The supper was attended by more than 50 people and it has raised (so far) £362, which will be given to Castle Douglas Food Bank.

All photos provided by Jenny Armstrong

The organisers, cooks and helpers …

Patrick and Ian
Rosie and Susanne
Euan and Jack, selling raffle tickets
Michael, one of the waiters
Katie, who announced the raffle numbers, and Lucy

… and some of those enjoying the evening …

The Stevens family
Marjorie, Jenny and Liz
John and Stephanie
Alan and Judi Rumble and Joy Margerison
Valerie and Peter, and visitors from Germany
Janet and Margot
Niamh – the youngest participant
The assembled company …

 

HARVEST THANKSGIVING

Some of the flower arrangements which adorned St Ninian’s for the Harvest Thanksgiving Service on 1 October

SEPTEMBER 2017: SERVICE OF ENROLMENT

On Tuesday 19th September, Christine Collier was enrolled as a new member of St Ninian’s Mothers’ Union and Jill Russell, who had been a member elsewhere, was welcomed. The celebrant at the Eucharist was Revd Christopher Wren and his wife, Ann, preached.
The service was followed by a soup lunch and fellowship in the hall.

Foreground: Christine Collier and Jill Russell; behind, L to R: Revd Ann Wren, new Branch Leader Sue Beddows and Revd Christopher Wren

On Sunday 3 September we said ‘Farewell’ to two of our loyal youngsters

Peter Little and Ellie Stevens

Both are both heading off to university: Ellie, who has assisted with the Sunday School and Little Fishes, is going to to Queen Margaret’s University, Edinburgh for Theatre and Drama Studies; and Peter, who has acted as Server at St Ninian’s for several years, to Gonville and Caius, Cambridge, to study Veterinary Science. They were each presented with a cheque from St Ninian’s as a token of our appreciation for their help over the years and to wish them well for the future.

St Ninian’s Treasurer, Fred Coulthard, presents Peter and Ellie with their cheques

On Tue 6 June, St Ninian’s Mothers’ Union held a Eucharist Service in Church attended by the Diocesan President, Jill Cameron, and her husband. The Service was followed by afternoon tea in the Hall at which thanks were given to both Alison and David for all their support over the years that they had been at St Ninian’s. Alison had started the Mothers’ Union group at St Ninian’s very soon after moving here some eighteen years ago, initially with just a handful of people meeting in the Rectory – there was no Gordon Memorial Hall in those days – and the group has continued to thrive.

Alison was presented with a cheque to buy plants for their new garden enclosed within a card designed and printed by member Jenny Armstrong, depicting a photo of the church and hall from across Carlingwark Loch on a background of the Mothers’ Union tartan. Muriel Palmer had collated and printed a framed montage of photos of members past and present.

Jenny Spence presents the montage to Alison and David
Alison displays her montage
A cake with the MU logo and Alison’s name on it had been baked by Muriel and decorated by Judi for the occasion.

 

Alison cuts the cake, watched by Jenny Spence and David
The Mothers’ Union members all did justice to a wonderful spread

 

SERVICE FOR THE WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY

Revd Dr John Lochrie, Revd Sally Russell, Revd Canon David Bayne and Father William McFadden
Revd Dr John Lochrie, Revd Sally Russell, Revd Canon David Bayne and Father William McFadden

An Ecumenical Service on the theme of “Reconciliation – the love of Christ compels us” was held at St Ninian’s on the evening of Sunday 29th January, attended by people from the Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Quaker and Church of Scotland congregations in the Castle Douglas and Crossmichael area. The four clergy (pictured above) shared in leading the service, using the material produced for the occasion by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, which asked us to seek forgiveness for lack of love, prejudice, discrimination, persecution, intolerance, religious wars and conflicts, division, abuse of power, pride, hate and contempt, and was especially meaningful for our current times. The Revd Sally Russell gave a reflection on the Gospel, the parable of the prodigal son. Refreshments were served in the hall after the service, giving everyone an opportunity to meet new people as well as to chat with old friends.