CAFE CHURCH
Worship on Sunday 30th October was a Café Church in the Dryburgh Churches Hall. This service was our first Café Church since 29 September 2019 - largely because of Covid restrictions! It was a friendly, informal service led by Fran Selkirk and organised by our Stewardship Committee on the theme of Stewardship the Earth and our local community. After an opening prayer led by Fran, we enjoyed singing hymns, chosen on the theme and accompanied by Helen on the keyboard.
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We were treated to coffee, tea or juice with some tasty treats while we sat in tables and chatted about God’s creation and our task in caring for this generous gift. We looked at topical stories on our theme from local and national newspapers and each group had a spokesperson who summarised their findings. These included discussion on recycling, local nature efforts, human rights, appreciation of our local area, reducing plastic use, global warming and making sure we listen to our youth as the elderly don’t have a monopoly on wisdom!
We meditated on Hymn 244 while Helen played a beautiful improvisation.
Earlier this year the Stewardship and Fund-Raising Committee initiated a photographic “competition” which was the source of some wonderful photographs of our local area. Some twelve of these were chosen by the Committee to illustrate our Dryburgh Churches Calendar for 2023. All of the entries were shown in a 10-minute slide show to the congregation and thanks were extended to all the entrants.
Our discussion led to challenges for the Congregation and to our community to be more environmentally aware and to encourage each other in this. We want there to be lasting benefit from this Café Church and we were encouraged to:
We meditated on Hymn 244 while Helen played a beautiful improvisation.
Earlier this year the Stewardship and Fund-Raising Committee initiated a photographic “competition” which was the source of some wonderful photographs of our local area. Some twelve of these were chosen by the Committee to illustrate our Dryburgh Churches Calendar for 2023. All of the entries were shown in a 10-minute slide show to the congregation and thanks were extended to all the entrants.
Our discussion led to challenges for the Congregation and to our community to be more environmentally aware and to encourage each other in this. We want there to be lasting benefit from this Café Church and we were encouraged to:
- Eat seasonal foods and to continue with more vigour to have two days a week which are meat or fish-free.
- If appropriate, pledge to donate at least part of your fuel payment from the government, to a charity that looks to help those who are in fuel poverty such as Energy Action Scotland https://www.eas.org.uk/
- Use Royal Mail for deliveries where possible
- Don’t buy bottled water
- Make small changes (they all count)
- Recycle more
- Use and offer community transport
- One starfish makes a difference – you had to be there!
The Stewardship Committee at Dryburgh District Churches are keen to support the ideals of good Stewardship. We are Stewards of all that God has placed in our care.
Stewardship plays a very important role in the life of the Church. Many people tend to associate Stewardship with raising money for the Church but that there is much more to Stewardship than just that. Finance plays an important role but God's gifts of Time, Talent and Creation are also vital elements in the role of good Stewardship.
Finance
We always welcome donations and legacies, no matter their size.
If you would like to help please send a cheque, (payable to Dryburgh District Churches) to:
The Treasurer Mr Brian Evans, Alderwood, Main Street, St Boswells TD6 0AP Tel: 01835 823031
If you are a UK taxpayer, please consider Gift Aiding your donation. Further information is available from our Gift Aid Treasurer, Mrs Lucy Smith, Sunnybank, Main Street, St Boswells TD6 0AT Tel: 01835 822425
Time
The gift of time is a precious one. Many of us don’t have enough hours in the day to do everything that we would like to do. The Stewardship Committee encourages everyone to explore the use of their time.
Time spent with family and friends, time for ourselves, time spent at work, time for recreation, time for Church, time for God, time for your local community are all important issues but do we have the correct balance? If you feel that you are able to offer some of your time to assist us in the running of the Church, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Talents
We all have talents, though many of us probably do not realise this. The Stewardship Committee is keen to identify those talents, our skills and strengths and to offer these for the work of the Church. Perhaps in these difficult economic conditions you struggle to donate money to the Church, or to increase your level of givings but do you have any skills, or strengths, or ideas which can be put to use for the good of the Church? If so, then we would really like to hear from you.
Creation
We are the Stewards of God's Creation. Dryburgh District Churches are proud to be an Eco-Congregation. The Stewardship Committee are keen to explore and highlight environmental and economic issues such as climate emergency, pollution, recycling and the effects of affluence and consumption on poorer nations and on future generations. Last year we were asked to consider if appropriate, a pledge to donate at least part of our fuel payment from the government, to a charity that helps those who are in fuel poverty such as Energy Action Scotland (who help those in fuel poverty).
Stewardship plays a very important role in the life of the Church. Many people tend to associate Stewardship with raising money for the Church but that there is much more to Stewardship than just that. Finance plays an important role but God's gifts of Time, Talent and Creation are also vital elements in the role of good Stewardship.
Finance
We always welcome donations and legacies, no matter their size.
If you would like to help please send a cheque, (payable to Dryburgh District Churches) to:
The Treasurer Mr Brian Evans, Alderwood, Main Street, St Boswells TD6 0AP Tel: 01835 823031
If you are a UK taxpayer, please consider Gift Aiding your donation. Further information is available from our Gift Aid Treasurer, Mrs Lucy Smith, Sunnybank, Main Street, St Boswells TD6 0AT Tel: 01835 822425
Time
The gift of time is a precious one. Many of us don’t have enough hours in the day to do everything that we would like to do. The Stewardship Committee encourages everyone to explore the use of their time.
Time spent with family and friends, time for ourselves, time spent at work, time for recreation, time for Church, time for God, time for your local community are all important issues but do we have the correct balance? If you feel that you are able to offer some of your time to assist us in the running of the Church, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Talents
We all have talents, though many of us probably do not realise this. The Stewardship Committee is keen to identify those talents, our skills and strengths and to offer these for the work of the Church. Perhaps in these difficult economic conditions you struggle to donate money to the Church, or to increase your level of givings but do you have any skills, or strengths, or ideas which can be put to use for the good of the Church? If so, then we would really like to hear from you.
Creation
We are the Stewards of God's Creation. Dryburgh District Churches are proud to be an Eco-Congregation. The Stewardship Committee are keen to explore and highlight environmental and economic issues such as climate emergency, pollution, recycling and the effects of affluence and consumption on poorer nations and on future generations. Last year we were asked to consider if appropriate, a pledge to donate at least part of our fuel payment from the government, to a charity that helps those who are in fuel poverty such as Energy Action Scotland (who help those in fuel poverty).
Our Generous and Joyful God
Our God is generous and joyful. In Genesis 1 we read about the wonderful gift of creation and see God’s own joyful response at the end of each day: ‘God saw that it was good’. God took joy from the work of His own hands. He took pleasure from creating something good, something to be shared. From the beginning, generosity and joy are inextricably linked.
Our Generous Response
It is a joy to give to those we love. We do it cheerfully, gaining as much pleasure from giving as we do from receiving.
In Deuteronomy 26: 11 we see generous giving closely followed by rejoicing in all of the good things God provided.
"So you shall rejoice in every good thing which the Lord your God has given to you and your house, you and the Levite and the stranger who is among you."
When we give generously to God in thankfulness for all that He has given, we do so with joy and we are richly blessed in return.
Our God is generous and joyful. In Genesis 1 we read about the wonderful gift of creation and see God’s own joyful response at the end of each day: ‘God saw that it was good’. God took joy from the work of His own hands. He took pleasure from creating something good, something to be shared. From the beginning, generosity and joy are inextricably linked.
Our Generous Response
It is a joy to give to those we love. We do it cheerfully, gaining as much pleasure from giving as we do from receiving.
In Deuteronomy 26: 11 we see generous giving closely followed by rejoicing in all of the good things God provided.
"So you shall rejoice in every good thing which the Lord your God has given to you and your house, you and the Levite and the stranger who is among you."
When we give generously to God in thankfulness for all that He has given, we do so with joy and we are richly blessed in return.
- In what ways has God been generous to you?
- Share a story of how you have responded to God's generosity, or your experience of faith and generosity in action together.
- Does being generous come naturally? How might you deepen your generosity? How might your generosity become more joyful?
- Has being generous ever meant you have had to make a tough choice? How did it feel?
- What might be the effect on your congregation/community of practising Christ-like generosity?
- Where do you notice generosity in everyday life and how does it affect our own generosity?
Joyful Generosity : Encouraging Personal Giving- a link to CoS Stewardship
THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND STEWARDSHIP AND FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Online Stewardship Surgery
28 February 2022 click HERE for Q&A session
Online Stewardship Surgery
28 February 2022 click HERE for Q&A session