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September 2014

Minister's "Office Hours"

  • 25 September 2014
  • liz.dyer

Our minister, Rev Dr Nanda Groenewald, now has regular "office hours" once a week at both churches.This is an opportunity for people to meet her locally.

She extends a very warm welcome to members of the congregations and the communities who wish to meet with her for an informal chat or just pop in to say ‘hello’ over a cuppa.
Funerals permitting, Nanda will be available as follows (except in school holidays)
Polbeth Harwood Quiet Room on Tuesday mornings 10.30am— noon
West Kirk vestry on Wednesday mornings 10.30—12 noon

This arrangement will be reviewed after December 2014
 

October 2014 Letter

  • 25 September 2014
  • nanda.groenewald

Dear Congregations
Change. Something most of us aren’t very fond of… But where there is no change, there is no growth either.
This time of year lots of changes take place in nature – the leaves start to change colour and fall down from the trees, it’s starting to get much cooler outside and the nights are drawing in. Walking my boys to school the other morning, I said (with a sigh in my voice): “Winter is almost here guys – I can’t believe the summer is over!” But I guess when you are 5 or 7 years old, you are still able to see the positive in every situation, because they jumped with joy and said: “That means Christmas is getting closer!!”

Summer, autumn, winter, spring. Change.
In order to grow as people, we need to change too. In order to grow as Christians, we need to allow God’s Spirit to change us. But that’s not always easy. Just like nobody is keen to put their sandals away and look out their gloves and scarves again, nobody really likes to change old habits. But this is the time of year to let go of all the things that shouldn’t be part of a Christian’s life. We should let go of these things like a tree sheds its leaves in the autumn. And then we should bear the fruit of the Spirit – all year round.

In Galatians 5:22 we read that “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

With the Scottish Referendum now behind us – this is not only a time for change within us, but also for change around us. Because we are all on a new journey now – a journey towards our future together. Let us be the bearers of the fruit everybody around us need to sustain them on their path ahead!
May God bless you all in this season of change.
Nanda

New! - Calder Kids

  • 25 September 2014
  • liz.dyer

Calder Kids

An exciting new venture is starting up in West Kirk hall on Wednesday mornings.
From 8th October, for anyone who has or looks after babies and toddlers, this will be a friendly place to meet, chat and enjoy a cuppa while the kids meet and play.
The group, set up by local Mums, will meet from 9.30am and finish at 11am.
Tea and coffee will be served by church volunteers for the adults and a snack will be provided for children.
There will also be occasional short 15 minute talks / demonstrations on topics of interest.
Cost: Adults £1; 50p per child
A warm welcome awaits everyone who is able to join us!

September 2014 Letter

  • 3 September 2014
  • nanda.groenewald

Dear Congregations

What a busy summer it’s been! I think we have been really lucky with the weather – most days it actually felt like summer! My family and I had a lovely time. I always enjoy the summer, because then I get to spend lots of time with my boys (all 3 of them!). This summer Andre’s mum visited us with the purpose of babysitting, so we could work. But we also took her on a wee trip up North and she absolutely loved it! She thinks that Scotland is the most beautiful country in the world.Then of course there was the hugely successful Holiday Club (which I enjoyed just as much as all the kids who attended) and we also had a trip to the south of France – lots of adventures there! Hope you had a good summer too.

My younger son, Nehan, started school after the summer, and Henro is in P3 this year. Where has the time gone?! André is still enjoying very much being minister at Kirknewton & East Calder, and I am absolutely loving being the minister here in our parishes!

Since everything is back to normal now, I would just like to share a few administrative details with you. From 23rd September onwards in school term time, I will have office hours once a week at both churches. This is an opportunity for people to see me locally (due to the fact that manse is in East Calder). I will do this for a trial period up to the Christmas holidays, and then review the situation. So every Tuesday, from 10:30 – 12:00, I will be at Polbeth Harwood, and every Wednesday from 10:30 – 12:00, I will be at the West Kirk. Please pop in for a cuppa and a blether!

I have an open door policy – please feel free to contact me any time about anything. I now have my own telephone number in the manse: 01506 884 802. André and I have decided to take a Monday as our day off – but please don’t hesitate to contact me in a crisis.

I’m looking forward to this new session ahead of us, and I hope all of you are too! Time goes by so quickly, we should really make the most of every single minute. Just like all the farmers are making use of the good weather to get their harvests in, we, as children on God, should do the exact same thing. My boys LOVE looking at the tractors pulling huge trailers full of hay bales – “wow mummy, that’s awesome!” they would say every single  time we see one!   

In Proverbs 20:4 we read: “A sluggard does not plough in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.” That should never be true of us. As labourers in the fields of God, let’s sow the seeds of faith everywhere we go – starting right now – so God’s harvest can be plentiful.

May God bless us all to do just that!

Nanda