Scone and St Martins Parish Church

WE WELCOME YOU WARMLY TO OUR WEBSITE.

EASTER BLESSINGS FROM SCONE AND ST MARTINS. CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!

SENDING OUR SYMPATHIES TO OUR ROMAN CATHOLIC FRIENDS IN THE LOSS OF POPE FRANCIS BUT CELEBRATING WITH YOU THE EASTER BLESSING AND RESURRECTION FAITH, CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!!!

*** THIS SUNDAY, PLEASE ACCEPT THE INVITATION TO HOLY COMMUNION. THE SACRAMENT IS CELEBRATED AT 9.39 am IN THE GUILDTOWN HALL, AT 10.45am IN SCONE NEW CHURCH, BALFORMO ROAD, AND AT 2.30pm. IN THE BALFORMO ROAD HALL FOR THE HOUSE-BOUND.

NEXT WEEK, WE ARE IN THE OLD KIRK, BURNSIDE, AT 10.45am FOR OUR ALL-TOGETHER SERVICE. THE SERVICE WILL INCLUDE VE DAY COMMEMORATION, AND PRAYERS FOR EUROPE AND THE WORLD TODAY. IF YOU WISH TO BE LED BY THE PIPERS, WE WILL CONFIRM ARRANGEMENTS TO ASSEMBLE AT THE COMMON, ABBEY ROAD OR JOIN IN AT THE MERCAT CROSS. LEAVE FROM COMMON 10.20am.

CHRIST HAS RISEN WHILE EARTH SLUMBERS! AWAKEN THE WORLD WITH THE EASTER NEWS. ALL WELCOME!

11^th APRIL MARKS THE COMMENCEMENT OF CHRISTIAN AID’s 80^th ANNIVERSARY.

BOOK SALE IN KINNOUL CHURCH FOR CHRISTIAN AID Saturday 10^th of May 2025, 10am till 4.00 pm

CAFÉ CHURCH 18^th MAY 10.45am SCONE OLD KIRK, BURNSIDE. CHRISTIAN AID’S 80^th ANNIVERSARY WITH JUSTIN WALKER.

*** PRAISE GOD FOR A GREAT EASTER DAY! THANK YOU: TO ALL WHO PREPARED FOR AND LED THE HOLY WEEK AND EASTER DAY SERVICES. ON PALM SUNDAY 29 PROCESSED THE PALMS. THE READERS ON GOOD FRIDAY WERE IAN BAILLIE, FRANCES MOIR, LINDA MASSIE, IAN MACKINNON, MARGARET MACMILLAN, ROSS MERSON AND THE MINISTER. PREPARATION WAS UNDERTAKEN BY MIKE MOIR, MOIRA DALY, MARIAN FORGAN, HELEN MOIR, CHRISTINE MUNRO, AND NOT FORGETTING THE TEA TEAMS, PAUL, AND THE CHURCH BEAUTICIANS.

ON EASTER DAY, MARGARET BUCHAN, ORGANIST, LED THE CONGREGATION IN UPBEAT EASTER PRAISE. EIGHT BELL-PLATE RINGERS RANG OUT THREE SHORT EASTER CAROLS! THESE WERE GLORIOUS! THE CHILDREN PRESENT ANNOUNCED TO THE ADULTS; JESUS IS ALIVE! AND, JESUS IS ALIVE IN YOU! THE READERS WERE IN EXCELLENT FORM FOR EASTER DAY: GLEN ALEXANDER FROM THE BORDERLANDS INTO SCONE, READ THE FIRST LESSON FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT. HE IS DOING THEATRE STUDIES AT THE MOMENT. GLEN WAS FOLLOWED BY ETHNA THOM FROM THE GUILDTOWN AREA. ETHNA AND HER HUSBAND WILLIE, FARM OPPOSITE THE TURN DOWN TO STORMONTFIELD. LINDA MASSIE READ THE FIRST PART OF THE GOSPEL LESSON AND STAYS NOT FAR FROM BALFORMO ROAD. ANNE LAMOND, PRESBYTERY ELDER READ THE SECOND PART OF THE GOSPEL. ANNE STAYS IN THE BURNSIDE AREA OF THE PARISH. THE CONGREGATION PARTICIPATED WITH STRENGTH IN THE SINGING OF THE EASTER HYMNS AND IN THE EASTER RESPONSES AND PRAYERS. THE MINISTER LED WORSHIP AND OFFERED A SHORT REFLECTION. IT WAS GOOD TO SEE FAMILIES AT HOME FOR EASTER AND VISITORS JOIN US. FOLLOWING THE BENEDICTION, FIVE ADULTS PLUS CHILDREN WON THE EASTER BONNET COMPETITION. 119 EASTER EGGS DISAPPEARED IN THE COURSE OF OUR EASTER CELEBRATIONS😊 AFTER THE BENEDICTION, WE WENT OUT WITH JOY! A GOOD NUMBER STAYED FOR EASTER REFRESHMENTS OF HOTCROSS BUNS AND LITTLE CHICKS, BUNNIES AND EGGS OF CHOCOLATE.

THANK YOU FOR THE EMPTY CROSS, THE BEAUTIFUL FLORAL ARRANGEMENT AND FLOWERS IN THE WINDOWS, AND TO LINDA MASSIE FOR THE EASTER DECORATION OF THE VESTIBULE AND SANCTUARY WITH ALL THE SYMBOLS OF THE SEASON. EASTER FAITH IS VIBRANT!

IN THE GARDENS OF THE SANCTUARIES, THE PLACE WAS ALIVE WITH DAFFODILS< TULIPS AND SPRING FLOWERS, AND A BUNNY ON THE PAVEMENT HELD THE STONE ROLLED AWAY😊

IF YOU LIVE HERE, HAVE MOVED INTO THE AREA, ARE HOLIDAYING HERE, DO JOIN US. WE ARE WARM, WELCOMING, AND INCLUSIVE.

LOOK OUT FOR OUR MAY DIARY NEXT WEEK.

LOVELY to have all parts of our congregation coming together and friends and visitors popping in to join us at worship. YOU are warmly welcome to join us.

NEW MEMBERS. If you would like to join our warm and welcoming fellowship then please let the minister know. Phone Maudeen on 551942.

CHURCH MAGAZINE is available on Sunday, AND DESTINY, THE COMMUNITY NEWS, is out now.

LOVING THOUGHTS are sent all who are infirmed and to all supporting them.

LOVE AND SYMPATHY is extended to all who have lost loved ones. Please continue to keep them all in your prayers.

Christian Aid Week 2025

The climate crisis is ravaging the farms of Indigenous communities in Guatemala. As plants die, food becomes scarce. But with specialist training, Aurelia’s leading her community to grow resilient crops, make fertiliser, and conserve water. By taking her learning back to her community, Aurelia is holding hope in her hands.

Christian Aid Week is seven days to make a difference, and there are so many ways to get involved! Learn more about the stories, and order resources for your church by visiting our website. Or get in touch for support: Edinburgh@christian-aid.org / 0131 221 0254

4.Meet Christian Aid partners from the Middle East (New)

We are privileged to have three Christian Aid partners from Israel, Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territory visiting Scotland on 19 March. Please do join us from 2-3:30pm in Augustine United Church, Edinburgh or online, to hear more about the current situation and how Christian Aid and our partners are responding.

To read the speaker’s profiles and sign up, visit Meet Christian Aid partners from the Middle East

ECOLOGICAL PROJECT: It was good to see a most encouraging attendance on the 11^th February.

GUIDE DOGS: We welcome Guide Dogs to all our services. Jorja, a lovely black Labrador sets the example. We are glad her health is restored.

Each Sunday, invite old and new friends and bring them along to join us. The faithful, the doubters, the sceptics, those of world faiths and those of no faith, Come, join us. Scone and St Martins is a super congregation, warm and inclusive. We are, too, congregations that sing out our faith.

RDM SCHOOL: We welcome New Year contact with the RDM School and look forward to contact with Guildtown and Balbeggie Schools. A Good New Year to them all. At RDM we listened to the Word of God and listened to the word in the Doric and Gaelic, and we understood. Then, pupils from Primary 6 and 7 gave superb recitals of poems in Scots. We reflected on the importance of a good word in the different languages of Scotland and gave thanks for those who spoke other languages, those of the countries from which they’d come, and who contributed to the goodness of the word shared in Scotland. Junior and Senior Schools made superb contribution.

**** The TREE OF PROSPERITY APPEAL by the TREASURER. We thank all who are generously responding. Watch the leaves grow on the tree as donations grow.

NEW MEMBERS: If you would like to join our warm and welcoming fellowship then please let the minister know. Phone Maudeen on 551942.

Whether you have been in our Parish for a while, are new here, visiting, at home for a short break, or passing through, you will find a welcome here. Do join us. We cover the following areas: Scone, St Martins, Stormontfield, Balbeggie, Guildtown and Wolfhill. For extra news click into the links on this site.

CHURCH MAGAZINE: More information is to be found in the Church Magazine. The most recent edition and the new edition of Destiny will be available soon.

2025: A YEAR OF FRESH AND ENERGETIC DEVELOPMENT! Throughout the coming weeks and months, we will work on actively witnessing, as we embrace fresh projects, what the Water and the Wine of Life mean to us. PLANNING AND PREPARATION is ONGOING.

Let us give thanks for the personal blessings we have known and for those we have known in family and congregational life. As we keep treasured memories, let us move forward in our development, mindful of the Example we follow.

NEW CLUB? As we left Church one of our Members was showing me her lovely new scooter. And it is lovely! I just thought that is how I would arrive today, she said. Wow!

Well, I said, I think there are a few in the Church with Scooters. We could get up a SCOOTER CLUB, she said. The idea could be that you meet at a given spot and then scoot in a line to the Kirk! What a young and upbeat attitude. Buzz the Manse, leave your name and phone-number if interested in joining that Club.

CARS, MOTOR BIKES, CYCLES, SHANKS PONY, ETC. are other methods of coming the way of the Kirk and Christian Fellowship that we welcome.

SCHOOLS: RDM and Guildtown have now renewed links since Covid I continue to try to catch Balbeggie. welcome.

*** GROUNDS OF SCONE OLD KIRK and the ENVIRONS of BURNSIDE. Big THANK YOU to our friendly Council Gardeners! The Graveyard in Scone Old is looking super!

If taking your dogs in, please do not let them loose to chase everything in sight. Also, please bring a poop bag!

CHURCH GARDEN, BURNSIDE: It is lovely to see the Church Garden planted out with shrubs and flowers. My favourite is the standard rose. If you are into flowers and shrubs in the Bible, you will find some of these in our Church Garden. It is, also, a lovely tribute to Ron Cathro. Thank you to Helen and Mike Moir for this kindness.

Thank you, also, to Frances Moir for her attention to the garden between the hall and the housing, also to the Gardening Team at Scone New Kirk for the lovely floral presentation there, and the Gardening Team at St Martins. Much appreciated.

And, it is not simply a case of the lovely flower beds looking good during summer. They’ve been tended for autumn and winter too.

*** ECOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT: How blessed we are in Scone and St Martins with the wonders of nature all around. Thank you for the insect boxes and the colourful planting. Birds, bees, butterflies, and respect for all God’s creatures we continue to encourage. A fresh ecological project, keep at the fore-front of your minds! More to follow. Click here for ideas: https://www.ecocongregationscotland.org/

STEWARDSHIP: Gifts of Time, Talents and Money are always welcome. The National Church is looking, also, at fresh approaches. This is worth clicking on to https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/resources/stewardship

SAFEGUARDING TRAINING: It is vitally important that all requiring to take training, do so now. The Session Clerk, Mike Moir (1738 551549); Safeguarding Team Member, Marian Forgan (01738 552064); and the Minister, Maudeen MacDougall (01738 551942) are available to offer further detail.

If you have gifts and talents to offer the Church, we offer many opportunities for your involvement and would be happy to hear from you. Often in today’s world folk feel isolated and depressed or at a loss as to how to make life better, you are welcome among us as we seek to move forwards in positive Spirit and Faith.

REQUESTS for BAPTISMS, MEMBERSHIP, and to conduct WEDDINGS – LIVE!!! Please phone the Manse 01738 551942, if you are interested. If no reply, leave your name and telephone number. We’ve had quite a few Baptisms in recent months.

COME, Celebrate, Renew or Find Faith, Hope and Love, in Scone and St Martins. Our aim is to continue to grow the congregation in the coming year. If you would like to know more about joining our fellowship, please phone 01738 551942, and leave your name and telephone number. If using a mobile, be sure to leave your name and number. The phone does not answer to numbers withheld.

UKRAINE: Do please remember in your prayers our secretary Roxy, and her family in Lviv, and all who are Ukrainian and their families. Pray too that throughout the world there may be a greater understanding and practise of Peace.

OUT IN ALL PARTS OF THE PARISH: The visiting of homes in the Parish is ongoing. Thank you to all who have undertaken this work.

Please remember if a family member is ill at home or in hospital, direct contact with me is essenti

ARRANGEMENTS FOR MARCH: All services in Scone, each Sunday, are at 10.45am. On the second Sunday of the month there will be a 9.30am service in the Balbeggie Community Hall and on the 4^th Sunday of the month there will be a 9.30am service in the Guildtown Community Hall. On the 1^st Sunday, the 3^rd Sunday, and the 5^th Sunday, all parts of the Union will come together for worship at 10.45am in Scone Old, Burnside.

HUB ON WEDNESDAY: BALFORMO ROAD HALLS 10am – 12noon

KNIT AND CHAT: BALFORMO ROAD HALLS FIRST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH 10.30 am.

THURSDAY 1 MAY: FELLOWSHIP LUNCH 12.30pm BURNSIDE HALLS.

NEW MEMBERS: Soon to Lent and Easter. If you would like to join our warm and welcoming fellowship then please let the minister know. Phone Maudeen on 551942.