Welcome

“Which is the greatest of all the commandments?” Mark 12:28

Jesus tells us that the first commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. The next is to love our neighbour as ourselves. 

Lent is a time for us to reset and reprioritise these two commandments in our lives. As we make space each day to reflect on God’s word, and to listen more attentively to what is being asked of us, we may also become more aware of others around us.
Loving God is not something that we keep just to ourselves, but is shown each day in all that we do and in how we treat others. 

Please enjoy the magazine as there's something  in it for everyone.

Denise 

---

Mike's Word of the Week

‘The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound,             
but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.                  
So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.’
(John 3:8).
 

Alice, the wife of the local greengrocer, was walking her way to the cinema on a Monday afternoon, when a gust of wind blew her hat from her head and rolled in up to the door of the local Evangelic Church. A lady standing near the door recognised her and invited her to into a ladies meeting, an invitation which was responded to with thanks.
 
At that meeting, although she and her family regularly attended another church, Alice heard the Gospel clearly stated and she responded to it joyfully. She was truly ‘born again.’ From that amazing beginning, Alice chose to send her eight children to the Sunday School at the Evangelical Church. This was to result in Alice’s sister and her husband coming to trust in Jesus at the same time one afternoon.   
 
It’s amazing how God works within families, because many years later, two of Alice’s children came to trust in Jesus on the same day. When God works within a family to bring individuals to Himself, there’s no knowing where and how it will lead that family. He uses different situations to bring people to Himself, in order to use them to bring others to Him. God might even use a gust of wind to set this pattern going.
 
Today, within Alice’s family, four generations later, we see the fruit of Alice’s experience that Monday afternoon. You may see your own grandchildren coming to know Jesus for themselves. Just pray and ask God for a little gust of wind!
 
Prayer: Father God, I thank you for the way You use natural situations to bring people into Your Kingdom. Thank you for working within our families to bring so many of us to know Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. Please use us to bring others to know You and experience Your great salvation, in Jesus name: Amen

---

 

50th Anniversary Service and Celebration

Sunday 24 March 2024 at 10.30am.

All are welcome to our Thanksgiving Service for the 50th year since the opening of the Sanctuary at Maxwell Mearns Castle Parish Church.

The Service will be followed by a Celebratory Buffet Lunch of sandwiches and sweet treats in the Maxwell Hall.

Would each member of the congregation please contact people they know, including those with past connections to Maxwell, who may be interested in joining us for this Thanksgiving Service?

Also would everyone look for any photographs you have that show Maxwell and the Maxwell family over the past 50 years? If anyone has any interesting artefacts that could be used it would be most appreciated. 
We aim to display these in the Maxwell Hall where we will congregate for our buffet lunch.

Looking forward to seeing you all there on such a significant and happy day!

Please hand any photographs / artefacts etc. to Norman

---

Help      

Whilst tidying the halls a large number of banners were found.
Christine has been working hard to clean and repair these works of art.
However we really need a way to store these properly.
Does anyone have a clothes rail? or know where's the best place to get one?

Please speak to Christine Little if you can help

---

Easter Services

Sunday, 24th March - Palm Sunday: 50th Anniversary Service at 10.30am

Tuesday, 26th March at 10.30am - Playgroup Service in the Sanctuary: All are welcome!

Maundy Thursday, 28th March at 7.00pm - Maundy Thursday Communion Service (Joint service with Newton Mearns Churches)

Good Friday, 29th March - Walk of Witness starting at Mearnskirk going to Newton Mearns Parish Church followed by a short service of worship. Meet at Mearnskirk car park at 11.15am to leave at 11.30am.

Good Friday, 29th March at 7.00pm - Good Friday service hosted by Newton Mearns Parish Church.

Easter Sunday, 31st March at 10.30am - Easter Morning all age service. Please bring your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews and any other children you know. There will be an Easter egg hunt at the end of the service for children of all ages.

 

 

---

New Church Email

Following on from the troubles we had with our previous email Stuart has set up a new email which everyone should use from now on please. It is:

office@maxwellmearns.org

I sent a test email to everyone from the new email address. Please check your spam /junk folders if you haven't seen it yet.
If you haven't received an email please let me know thank you

Denise
 

---

Tea / Coffee Rota

17 March - Sheila and Alan Reid, Lorna McNicol, Alison Barkley.
24 March - Served in the Maxwell Hall

There are spaces on the rota so please consider putting your name down for the rota as the more folk help, the less frequently you will be called upon.

We are really trying to become greener and it really helps if people bring their own cups/mugs.

Thank you
Jackie and Norman

---

Castle Cafe

The next meeting of the Castle Cafe will take place on 21 March at 2pm. in the West Room. 

Norman will have a tale to tell followed by Coffee/ Tea and plenty of chat.


 

---

Fiona Waugh writes on 9th March.
Thank you to everyone for praying for Matt, Ross and Lewis. They reached the summit successfully and are now back at their hotel safe.

Bible Study

Safeguarding – Ensuring a Safe Church for All 
If you suspect or witness harm or abuse, or it is reported to you, you must immediately report it to one of the Safeguarding Coordinators:

Rev. Adam Dillon
Mobile: 07841673642  email: adillon@churchofscotland.org.uk