St. Andrew’s Scots ChurchValletta

Crossroads

Spring Edition 2018

St Andrew's Scots Church, 210 Old Bakery Street Valletta,VLT 1451, Malta, Church Office 21242602

Sunday service 10.30am

Service of Holy Communion is usually on the fourth Sunday and All Age Worship on the first Sunday of each month

CONTACTS

M IN ISTER Rev Kim Hurst; 21415465, 99154654kim.hurst@methodist.org.uk

SESSION CLERK Ms. Diana Nye: 99768603Sessionclerk@standrewsmalta.com

SAFEGUARDING Mrs Dot Hunter; 21522730dot.hunter37@yahoo.co.uk

TREASURER Mrs Hazel DunlavyTreasurer@standrewsmalta.com

JUNIOR CHURCH Mrs Sharon Abbot; 21376115abbot.sharon@gmail.com

ORGANISTS Mrs Lisa Bonello; 21370769libonello@di-ve.com

PASTORAL NETWORK Mrs Marion Chessellmarion.chessell@gmail.com

PROPERTY Mr Clement Okoro; 99093200clemokoro@gmail.com

M IS S I ON S Mr Norman Alexander; 21382506 norrie.alexander@gmail.com or Mrs Christa Wiegand 99839469

SUN D AY SHE E T S Mr Norman Alexandernorrie.alexander@gmail.com

CRO SS R OAD S Mrs Pat O’Neil; 21423135 diulfnotlim@yahoo.co.uk FOO DB AN K M AN AGE R Mrs Jacqui Marshal l , 79394423

jacquimccal lum@gmai l .com MALT A M IC RO FI N AN C E Deputy Chairman Rev. Kim Hurst

contact.maltamicrofinance@gmail.com for Ritianne

EN GLI SH TE AC HI N G t.b.d.

From the EditorDear Friends.

As I write this letter the rain is lashing against the windows and I wonder if the warmth of Summer will ever return.

We have had quite a cold and windy Winter but little rain until the last few days and we should be thankful as the farmers are desperate for rain so that the crops can grow.

Marie has submitted an article on the missions and I think we should all be thankful that we are not suffering like the people we support in Zambia. We must all remember these people in our prayers and be thankful for the good life that we have.

God’s blessings to you all as we approach Easter.

Pat.

From the ManseDear Friends, As this magazine comes out we will be part way through Lent, the season in the Church’s year went we reflect upon the journey that took Jesus to the Cross. I found this image of the cross recently and instantly thought how beautiful it looked. But of course the cross wasn’t beautiful it was an instrument of torture usedto slowly and painfully kill any who got in the way of the Roman ruling forces. It wasn’t carved by a carpenter it was two pieces of roughly hewn wood fastened together onto which a person was nailed through their hands and feet, the cross was then raised up and the person was left until they died which could take several days. Jesus died this agonising death and yet for those who follow Jesus today the cross is beautiful we decorate them ornately, we wear them round our necks, and have one central in our churches. The difference is Jesus was not defeated by the cross, sin was. Upon the cross when Jesus cried ‘Father Forgive’ all the sin of the world was defeated, and the offer of forgiveness was made to all. The cross becomes that symbol of love and forgiveness. But it doesn’t end there we have an empty cross because Jesus was raised from the dead to offer all the promise of new life. At Easter we decorate our crosses with flowers to remind us that something which was the symbol of death has become for us the symbol of new life. Jesus has opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all

who trust in him and the promise of eternal life becomes a reality for all who meet Jesus at the cross and experience the joy of the empty tomb. May you know your sins forgiven by the cross of Christ and may you be able to celebrate Easter as we proclaim together the mystery of our faith “Christ has died, Christ is Risen, Christ will come again” Hallelujah!May God Bless you and all those you love this Easter.

Love and Prayers,Kim

A Congregational Meeting will take place after worship on Sunday 4th March

to discuss what the church would like to do about the pews.

After an opportunity for discussionvoting will be by secret ballot

and is open to members and adherents who are resident in Malta.

Should you wish to check you are on the list, please contact Rev Kim Hurst or Mrs Marion Chessell.

SAINT ANDREW’S SCOTS CHURCH

Sunday 18th March The meeting will take place within our

10.30am Act of Worship.All reports need to be with Rev Kim by

the 1st March so that the Report Booklet

can be handed out on the 4th March.

Palm Sunday 25 h March 10.30am Holy Communion

Maundy Thursday 29 th March 6pm Passover Meal

Good Friday 20 th March 10am Good Friday Service

Easter Day 1 st Apeil 6.30am Sunrise ServiceUpper Barrakka Gardens

10.30am Easter Family Communion

The Sponsors Council and Congregational Review will take place from the 26th – 29th April. Members of the

Sponsor’s Council will meet with the minister, the Kirk Session and other members of the church over a

period of 3 days as they help us to review our congregational life and plan for the future. On Sunday 29th April the service will be led by Rev Jimmy Brown.

Sunday 29th April at 12.15pmWe are delighted to host a concert by The London Welsh Rugby Club Choir

Founded in 2003, the London Welsh Rugby Club Choir was initially formed to promote the name of London Welsh RFC to a broader audience and to visit New Zealand at the same time as

the British and Irish Lions on their 2005 tour. The choir’s repertoire echoes their Welsh background, including as it does many well known hymns, folk songs and music heard

in rugby arenas wherever Wales play, but a touch of spice is added by the occasional inclusion of some more modern music.The choir appeared in the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games, where it was greatly honoured to be featured

singing the Olympic Anthem to a world-wide TV audience running into billions. What a thrilling experience that was!

The concert will be followed by lunch.

Tugwashanye and Beyond

In Malta just now, some are praying for rain. Good showers are needed that are not too drastic to create disasters but sufficient to nourish and ripen the crops, or in the words of the Sisters of the Poor Clares, “that the earth might not deny us its fruits”. This is another dry winter. Nevertheless, we know that we will still find fruit and vegetables even if at some greater cost. So most of us do not pray for the inconvenience of rain.

There is a drought in Zambia. The women growing the maize may need to turn to charities again in order to feed their families this year. We complain in Malta if it rains at the wrong time. In Tugwashanye, they simply wait hopefully for the rain which will determine if their crops thrive or fail. They have no backup. For some reason they find themselves in much less desirable circumstances for no fault of their own. We would be in their position had we been born there.

Crops crying out for water In a recent email Sister Catherine Farrugia informed us that cholera was fast spreading in Zambia. The authorities were quick to take drastic measures to stop the spread – schools were shut as were the markets and shops were not allowed to open either. People were not allowed to gather. At the same time, they were experiencing a drought - a situation that can foster diseases. Moreover, the maize crops were not

prospering and the people were starting to give up waiting for the rain they had been expecting. In her last

email, Sister Catherine reported that the cholera had been contained and schools were allowed to open again. Yet, they are still waiting for the rain that may come too

late to benefit them greatly. The Zambian government has recently made life a little more difficult for people by pushing them into what some may see as a streamlined system for banking and others as a way of collecting funds from particular accounts. This may well be a good move for corporate entities – I cannot comment on this in my ignorance of such matters – but charities that depend on foreign donations are having a difficult time. No one can advise them yet on the implications – as happens when procedures are initiated without any warning or any explanation. For this reason, we will be holding back from sending the money that is so needed. We need to ensure that we can transfer it safely. We expect to hear more news – good news - in a short while.

So how can we reflect on such happenings – the cholera, the drought and the banking system and the generally

disparate worlds we live in. When we compare their situation of dependence to our situation of abundance we may be unable to point to the more salient aspects. It is true that the gospel points to the poor favourably. Is it best to be poor? When we dig deep we know that it is the possessiveness of riches that is problematic. We find it a natural thing to defend what we owned, what we worked hard for. We live in a culture where private property is safeguarded by legislation. Both the rich and the poor can fail by going to extremes. It is the underlying generosity or lack thereof that needs to be gauged, that determines where we stand in terms of the good news. It is a much larger trap for the rich, more thorns that choke up the word which then yields nothing. (Mark 4:18-19) The poor experience transience on a daily basis because they have very little to start off with. Yet they are grateful for that little and understand what it is to share as they understand that others share with them too. Our next Mission activity is the new cookery book which should be ready around Eastertime. Some work still needs to be completed. We trust it will be as successful as the first cookery book. The congregation has changed a great deal since then - as has the Tugwashanye community. In previous years, education was not a priority. Now we look forward to more youngsters succeeding at college and thus ending the vicious circle of dependence for them and their families.

Sister Catherine with a proud graduate and his mother in Tugwashanya

The 2009 Cookery book

The 2009 Cookery book

Life presents us with many choices. Many choices we make are not difficult. Others may not even appear as choices if we do not look or listen carefully. We listened to the idea of taking on the Fumbo mission many years ago. People’s lives were turned around to independence with our efforts and the efforts of others we do not know about. We followed Sister Catherine to the Tugwashanye community and helped provide food initially, then a means to food provision, then to education. Some projects such as the chicken project failed, others succeeded beyond expectation. Others are in jeopardy for want of rain. We need to persevere and join our activities with prayers: Show us the way that Thy will be done, Lord! Many of us are grateful to have been given this opportunity.

Marie AlexanderObo/the Mission team

Deadline for Summer Edition is 11th May 2018

Service Themes & Preachers

Date Theme Preacher

4th March Rev. Kim Hurst Lent 311th March Diana Nye Mothering Sunday – Lent 4

Kim at Presbytery18th March Rev. Kim Hurst Annual Congregational

Meeting 25th March Rev. Kim Hurst Holy Communion–

Palm Sunday30th March Rev. Kim Hurst Good Friday 1st April Rev. Kim Hurst EASTER DAY 8th April Rev. Kim Hurst15th April Rev. Kim Hurst Mission Speaker22nd April Rev. Kim Hurst Holy Communion29th April Rev. J. Brown Sponsor’s Council 6th May Rev. Kim Hurst All Age Worship13th May Rev. Kim Hurst20th May Rev. Graham Maskery27th May Rev. Graham Maskery Holy Communion 3rd June Rev. Kim Hurst All Age Worship10th June Rev. Kim Hurst17th June Rev. Kim Hurst Missions Speaker24th June Rev. Kim Hurst Holy Communion

Whenever possible the Rev. Kim plans to have Monday as her rest day so please try to refrain from contacting her on a Monday unless it is an emergency.Thank you for your understanding

Duty Elder

4th March Marion Chessell11th March Dot Hunter18th March Clement Okoro25th March Christa Wiegand30th March David O’Neil

1st April Diana Nye 8th April John Lejman15th April Sharon Abbot22nd April Christa Wiegand29th April Clement Okoro

6th May Dot Hunter13th May Brenda Pleasance20th May David O’Neil27th May David O’Neil

3rd June Diana Nye10th June Dot Hunter17th June Clement Okoro24th June Christa Wiegand

Door Elder & Greeter

4th March Diane Vella Anne Catherall11th March Paul Slater Diana Nye18th March Diana Nye Franklin Wilmot25th March Norman Alexander Jenny Psaila30th March Doreen Portelli Mary Pace Bardon

1st April Paul Slater Clement Okoro 8th April Norman Alexander Doreen Portelli15th April Doreen Portelli Clement Okoro22nd April Diane Vella Anne Catherall29th April Paul Slater Jenny Psaila

6th May Doreen Portelli Mary Pace-Pardon13th May Diana Nye Adam Pleasance20th May Jenny Psaila Franklin Wilmot27th May Diana Nye David Smith

3rd June Diane Vella Anne Catherall10th June Paul Slater Diana Nye17th June Diana Nye Franklin Wilmot24th June Norman Alexander Jenny Psaila

Readers

First Reader Second Reader

4th March Diane Vella Anne Catherall11th March Dot Hunter June Pritchard-Griffiths18th March Clement Okoro John Lejman25th March Dian Nye Steve Hurst30th March Sharon Abbot Paul Slater

1st April Marie Alexander Norrie Alexander 8th April Diana Nye Paul Slater15th April Marie Alexander Norman Alexander22nd April Diane Vella Anne Catherall29th April Jo Austin Sharon Abbot

6th May Dot Hunter Paul Slater13th May Brenda Pleasance Adam Pleasance20th May Doreen Portelli Clement Okoro27th May Sharon Abbot Diane Vella

3rd June Diana Vella Anne Catherall10th June Dot Hunter June Pritchard-Griffiths17th June Clement Okoro John Lejman24th June Diana Nye Steve Hurst

If you are unable to do your duty please find a replacement and change the lists in the vestibule & hall

A prayer chain is a group of like-minded people who wish to pray for people and their situations that arise during our daily lives. It is also used for praise.

This started in our previous church also called St. Andrew in Cardiff 34 year ago. When it was started there it was all done by phone as no one had a computer back then.

A Coordinator was informed of a person who needed prayers. There would be about 4 or 5 "Chain Leaders" who would each receive the message, and they would then contact the person underneath them on the chain, who would then contact the next one on the list, and so on, there may 6, 7, or even more hence the chain. So with the exception of the Coordinator no one had to call more than one person. It was a wonderful feeling to know that people were praying you’re your situation.

With the advent of computers being owned by lots of people now, it was suggested to me a couple of years ago that I might want to move with times and bring the prayer chain into the 21st century by using email as well. It made a tremendous difference, as people who had odd working hours and/or used their computer a lot were able to participate more easily. Of course there are people who don't have a computer, or just prefer a phone call which is fine.

The power of prayer is truly amazing.

If anyone would like more information or to join the prayer chain, please don't hesitate to contact me.

My details are as follow: June Pritchard-Griffiths, Landline: 21311277 / Mobile: 7951 1406Email: junepg1951@yahoo.co.uk

Get up-datesRead interesting and funny stuffJoin inand hear from people and congregations from all over the worldwith "saintandrews scotschurch" on Facebook

St. Andrew’s Scots Church is on www.standrewsmalta.com

there is also a link to our Foodbankhhtps://www.facebook.com/groups/standrewsmalta/

Malta Microfinance is also on Facebook and the website is: www.maltamicrofinance.com Lombard Bank Malta plc, 67 Republic Street, Valletta VLT 1117SWIFT/BIC code LBMAMTMTOur account is St Andrew's Scots Church, St Andrew's House, 210 Old Bakery Street, Valletta, MaltaAccount number 0144010357901IBAN MT18 LBMA 0500 0000 0001 4401 0357 901Please include as reference your name

ST ANDREW'S SCOTS Church of Scotland / Methodist

St Andrew's Scots Church, Valletta, is a Local Ecumenical Partnership between the Church of Scotland and the Methodist Church of Great Britain. A Methodist church has existed in Valletta since 1824, when Rev John Keeling founded the first non-Roman Catholic Church in Malta. A Presbyterian church has existed on our site since 1843 and our present building was built in 1857 through the efforts of a Presbyterian minister, Dr George Wisely.

We are a cosmopolitan church with a wide variety of nationalities and church backgrounds making up our normal Sunday morning congregation, which often also contains a high proportion of visitors. Our aim is to serve God and our neighbours through Christ and in the strength of his Spirit. We share our building with the Andreas Gemeinde of the German Lutheran church. A service in the German language is held at 10.30 am on the first and third Sunday of each month.

We hope that you will find Crossroads informative and helpful. lf you have any comments about anything you find in Crossroads or any ideas about items for inclusion in a future edition, please contact our editor, Mrs Pat O’Neil. If you would like to make a donation to the church, please contact our Treasurer, Mrs Hazel Dunlavy or find bank details at the end of the booklet.

HOW TO FIND US