news

This is the
churches' news-sheet
for
January 2007

from the manse . . .

The Meenister, full of Christmas cheer,
Forgot the Newsletter for the New year
Until, that is, a worthy Elder reminded him,
"Nae Magazine? There'll be blue murder!"
So the Meenister thocht, an' wi' a bit o panic
Sat doon wi' a glass and a wee bit tonic.
Seeking inspiration, he turned tae his dear wife,
"Whit mair can I say aboot trouble and strife ?"
"Jist dae whit ye aye do, an' make it a' up,
or I could gie ye a recipe for a 'cake in a cup'!"
The Meenister stomped off to his study to pray
For inspiration to come to him without further delay.
But he tripped ower the rubbish bin under his chair
And a wee scrap o' paper was clearly laid bare.
Twas aboot last year's Clavie an thon 'ither' Calendar date
"Ne'er day's the Eleventh! he exclaimed, "Here I'm no really that late!"
So tae all ma flock I can relay
My greetings and guid wishes to all, and say,
Ye'll be in ma thochts and prayers for this coming year
The joys that'll bless us and the sorrows we'll bear.
For in spite o' them a' the Guid Lord is aye near
So lets pit oor tust in Him always, an' ne'er fear!


Happy New Year all and God Bless.

Duncan Shaw

Life & Work

The payment for the year 2007 is now due.
Please pay £ 16.00 to Mrs Milligan.

Carols

Perhaps, now that Christmas is over, you have had a surfeit of Carols.
However, here are a few facts which you may not have known.

1. Carol singing owes a good deal to St Francis of Assisi:he was the first
   to introduce carols formally into church Christmas services in the 12th century.
   
2. Christmas songs are far older even than that:
   St Hilary of Poitiers wrote a Christmas song, Jesus refulsit omnium, in the fourth century.
   
3. Carols were banned in England from 1649 to 1660 as part of
   Oliver Cromwell's desire to bring back solemnity to Christmas.
   
4. The word 'carol' comes fom the old French 'caroller', meaning to dance round in a circle.
   
5. Silent Night, originally written in German in 1818, has been translated
   into approximately 300 languages and is still considered the world's most popular carol.
   
6. . Professor William Studwell of Illinois has named The First Nowell
   as the 2006 Carol of the Year - and he insists that 'Nowell' is the correct original spelling.
   
7. The only carol mentioned in Dickens's Christmas Carol is God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.
   
8. Romania had two kings named Carol. King Carol II abdicated in 1940 and died in 1953.
   

Guild

Burghead
Tuesday, 9th January:- Honouring the Body ~ with Prof John Wyllie
Tuesday, 23rd January:- Scots Night