No.14 16th February 2024
Hi,
We are heading into a couple of important weeks for the New Church - Scott's letter below outlines some key areas to discuss, and has details on how we can ask questions about them too. Last week's notes re the voting process on the 25th re the Free Church is repeated below too.
Remember, this Saturday morning the
Christian Institute meeting re prayer and conversion therapy is at the Baptist Church - see last week's mag for details on that.
Enjoy the mag.
M
Sunday 18th February, 10.30am
Rev Paul Clark
Reading - Titus 2:11-3:8
Followed by refreshments and
Q&A after the service
Getting to Church: Should anyone require a lift to Belmont House School, then please do let us know. Please email office@nmnewchurch.org.
From the Manse
Dear Congregation, 
I want to ensure that we are all informed about the process Newton Mearns New Church will engage in over these coming few weeks.
On the 25th February all members of Newton Mearns New Church will be invited to vote on the elders’ recommendation to join the Free Church this May/June. (Details of the voting process can be found in the magazine.)
I want to expand on two related issues:
Finance and Kirk Session
Below is just an extract of the information and update on these two important issues - please click here to read in full.
Re FINANCE:
I distributed information this week by email and this covered some financial aspects relevant to joining the Free Church.
Calculating what actual remissions we might have to make to the central Free Church is not straightforward because the levies will depend on:
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Our income (which we are just getting a feel for)
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How we will steer our giving to “restricted funds” (which reduces the calculation for the missions levy)
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The period of grace which the Free Church may afford us so that we can become an established congregation.
I think it important that this coming Sunday (18th) after worship, we take the opportunity in our meeting to ask whatever questions are necessary to clarify that which might still be unclear.
I will ask the elders who are most familiar with these matters to make themselves available for questions during the meeting (and after as necessary).
Re. THE KIRK SESSION
As indicated when we departed from the Church of Scotland, several of the Maxwell elders would become the initial elders of Newton Mearns New Church. We listed these Elders in our magazine on the 24th November 2023:
If the vote on 25th February concludes that we should indeed enter The Free Church of Scotland, we shall immediately present to the congregation a list of candidates to become our first elders in The Free Church.
In addition to this election of “ruling Elders”, it will be necessary that my name is also placed before you so that you can approve me as your first minister for the Free Church. The Free Church have indicated that should I be acceptable to you, I will be acceptable to them also!
We will say more about this process after the vote on 25th is known.
Rev Paul Clarke:
We are looking forward to having the Rev Paul Clark with us this Sunday. Paul is minister of St Andrew’s Free Church. Paul will not be representing the Free Church in a formal way. However, he has kindly agreed to share his experience of entering the Free Church from the Church of England. Paul comes with considerable knowledge of the Free Church as he currently serves as Convenor to The Board of Ministry.
Sunday Q&A session
In regards to my comments above we may also want to ask Paul Clarke how the Free Church requirements impact his local congregation in St Andrews.
Paul has agreed to share in a Q&A session after worship. It would be helpful if you could email me your questions in advance so that Paul has time to reflect on answers. However, questions will be permitted during the conversation and we will also create a system for questions to be asked anonymously at the time.
With warmest regards,
Scott
B.Y.O.C.
CAN YOU HELP?
Many people have commented that having time to catch up with one another after the Sunday service over a cup of tea or coffee has been a great part of the New Church.
We are grateful to the team who look after this each week.
However, it makes such a difference if people bring their own cups rather than using the disposable ones.
Many people already do bring their own, and apart from David Merriman, everyone seems to be able to take the lids on and off quite easily without creating a fuss or a long queue at the hatch.
25th February - Church Vote
The opportunity to express support for Newton Mearns New Church joining the Free Church of Scotland
The Newton Mearns New Church (NMNC) Kirk Session has recommended that we should join the denomination of the Free Church of Scotland, and this would happen at the Free Church’s General Assembly in May 2024, if supported by the NMNC congregation.
Members will be given the opportunity to vote on this.
Full details of the VOTING PROCESS can be accessed HERE to allow you to prepare for this meeting on the 25th February.
The following Questions will outline the voting process, and answers are dealt with this in document:
Q1. Who is overseeing the voting process?
Q2. When will I get my voting paper?
Q3. When and where will the vote take place?
Q4. What will I be asked to vote on, and what responses can I choose from?
...meets Newton Mearns New Church
Between 5th and 9th February each evening two volunteers from Newton Mearns New Church assisted at The Glasgow City Mission. I asked for them to share some feedback. Here are just a few of the things they said.
Scott
Sue and Lesley
We had a very informative evening at Glasgow City Mission. This was a new experience for us both, which we were unsure of what to expect. However, we were greeted by Tim (manager) with warmth and friendliness who explained our role for the evening, plus we were supported by all the other team of volunteers.
Our purpose was to sit at a designated table and have an enjoyable meal with the visitors. They were interesting and enlightened us with the reasons why they were at the GCM, and about their lives prior to being a refugee or homeless in Glasgow.
During the evening, one of the volunteers gave a message and song of hope through the Lord.
Would we go back?– yes, definitely without hesitation.
Debbie
We had a really good night helping serve the food and clearing up after, but we pretty much just sat chatting with people!
Charles
106 "guests" (plus volunteers) served! The numbers were apparently exceptionally high, presumably because of the weather.
We were made very welcome. We were given clear instructions and there was plenty of grace shown when we made mistakes!
The two of us from NMNC were each allocated a couple of tables to serve and eat with. There was a high proportion of foreign people, probably refugees.
Some asked whether the meat was pork (it was Halaal beef sausages). Others preferred to have just the pasta and sauce.
Most talked amongst themselves in foreign languages, but once a few had left, it was easier to engage. I spoke to two regulars, James and Dana. James was Scottish, 68 and was obviously well educated. We had some interesting discussions.
Dana is a Syrian refugee from Aleppo, where his family is still living. He asked what was meant by something in the prayer that the leader had said. Dana has been in the UK for just over two years, with the last two months in Glasgow. His account of the devastation caused by the forgotten war in Syria made for painful listening. Now that he has realised he can get free meals at Glasgow City Mission, he is hoping to send some money to his brothers and sisters back in Syria. As there is not a functioning banking system, it is very expensive to send money, so precious little gets through.
It was a good experience that I would recommend.
Margo
It was a miserable night of wind and rain last week when I went down to the City Mission with Charles.
I hosted a bunch of guys from Syria and a bunch of guys from Carntyne. It struck me how it was possible to be involved in global and local mission from one dinner table!
Ewen Clydesdale the centre manager spoke from Psam 61 about God being our refuge and gospel conversations flowed from there. These guys aren’t shy about asking questions- be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have!
The staff at the mission are gently directive so if you get carried away eating or talking (as I did) they give you a nudge so the whole night runs smoothly and no one goes home hungry (in either sense of the word )
When I was driving away I thought Glasgow is flourishing in there by the preaching of His word and the praising of His name. Its such a privilege to be part of it.
Wednesdays 7.15-8.15pm.
Meeting at Debbie and Sandy McDougall's.
If you need a lift please email office@nmnewchurch.org.
Why not come and join us!
Tuesdays at Newton Mearns Baptist Church - 1.30pm
Preparing for Easter
John Piper has a great little book- 50 Reasons Jesus Came to Die
- just a couple of pages for each day looking at the message of the Cross for 50 different verses. Each day is packed with great Gospel truth.
The book is still available on Amazon but you can access it for FREE here.
Ladybird Book of New Church
You might notice a new logo being used around the church -
We wanted the Bible and the central message of the Cross to be the focus.
We gather round the Word in our meetings on Sunday and other times, and we hold to it as the revealed Word of God for us today.
For the next few weeks we will look at what we believe about the Bible, and why it is vital to have these views.
Andrew Wilson writes so well about this in his short book 'Unbreakable' and this will be our template...
WHERE DO WE START?
Books and talks on the Bible, in general, start from one of three places.
Some begin with the questions and problems people have with the Scriptures, and go through them one by one, explaining how best to think about them. I get that. The Bible contains puzzling details (swapping sandals in the middle of a love story), and upsetting stories (destroying Canaanite cities), and dramatic miracles (parting the Red Sea, really?), and factual difficulties (how did Judas die, again?), and unpopular teachings (sex is only meant for one man and one woman in marriage), and a confusing canon (what on earth is the apocrypha, and why don’t we read it?), and so on. Therefore most of us have questions about the Bible – big, difficult, sticky questions – and engaging carefully with them is very important. But if we start from there, we risk putting ourselves immediately on the defensive and implying that our questions (which are different, as it happens, from the questions many cultures have asked) are the most important thing on the table. The chances are they’re not. So that’s not where this book begins.
Others begin with what the Bible says about the Bible. As circular as that might sound, it’s actually quite sensible, because all sets of beliefs have to start somewhere; you trust reason because it’s rational, you trust experience because it fits with your experience, you trust the Bible because it’s biblical, and so on. Personally, though, I don’t tend to do that, mainly because it looks suspiciously random (as in, why didn’t we start with the Qur’an as our ultimate authority, or the Bhagavad Gita, or for that matter the Daily Mail?). So that’s not where this book will start, either.
Instead, this book will use Jesus as the starting point. (That’s controversial, I know.) Ultimately, you see, our trust in the Bible stems from our trust in Jesus Christ: the man who is God, the King of the world, the crucified, risen and exalted rescuer.
1 I don’t trust in Jesus because I trust the Bible; I trust the Bible because I trust in Jesus. I love him, and I’ve decided to follow him, so if he talks and acts as if the Bible is trustworthy, authoritative, good, helpful and powerful, I will too … even if some of my questions remain unanswered, or my answers remain unpopular.
2 Don’t worry: we’ll get to some of the big questions, and the witness of the rest of the Bible, as we go.
But we begin where the gospel does, and where Christianity does. We begin with Jesus.
And God Said:
THE STORY OF SCRIPTURE
You could summarise the biblical story like this. In the beginning, God.
Everything was shapeless, and empty, and dark. Blobs of unsorted, unformed matter drifting through space. An enormous cosmic splodge. A scribble.
And God said, ‘Lights.’ And it happened. And God said, and it happened.
And God said, and it happened.
And God said, and the earth did. And God said, and the animals did. And God said, ‘Go, have sex, have children, explore, rule, guard, keep. Have the run of the place. Watch out for one thing – that particular tree brings knowledge of good and evil, and you don’t want a piece of that – but otherwise, it’s all yours. Enjoy.’ And the humans did.
And the snake said, ‘Did God really say that? Are you going to let your lives be restricted by what you think he said?’
And the humans didn’t. And it all went wrong.
And God said, and it happened. And God said, and Abraham did.
And God said, and it happened.
And God said, and Israel didn’t, although sometimes they did, but mostly they didn’t.
And God said, and it happened.
And God said, ‘Here’s my boy. I love him. Listen.’
And the snake said, ‘Are you really the Son of God? Why not do this, then?’
And Jesus said, ‘It is written.’ And the snake said, ‘Well, what about this, over here?’
And Jesus said, ‘It is written.’ And the snake said, ‘Or this?’
And Jesus said, ‘It is written.’
And the humans said, ‘Who do you think you are? What are you playing at? Nobody can do that, except God. If you go there, you’ll be killed. Are you mad? Are you demonised? He’s blaspheming! No, Master, this will never happen to you.’ And stuff like that.
And Jesus said, ‘It is written in the Scriptures.’
And the snake said, ‘Give it up, Miracle Boy.’
And Jesus said, ‘How else will the Scriptures be fulfilled?’
And the humans said, ‘Crucify him.’
And it happened. Silence.
And the humans waited.
And so did the angels.
And so did creation.
And so did the snake.
‘Did God really say?’ Silence.
And God said, ‘Lights.’
And it happened.
NEXT WEEK :
AUTHORITY AND INSPIRATION OF SCRIPTURE
Up and Coming Events
The magazine has flagged up a number of notices for events happening at Newton Mearns New Church and further afield.
See all the the details of the events below in Magazine No.10 here.
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New Church Congregational meeting and vote - February 25th.
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Raising Confident Kids in a Confusing World - Mon 22 April
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Inspiration Orchestra Festival - Sat 25th May
Safeguarding at Newton Mearns New Church
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:
Sue Anderson – 07970 261429
Giving at NM New Church
There are a number of ways to support the church financially. The giving page gives details - click here
A number of people have been asking if cash or cheques can now be given. From this Sunday you will have the opportunity to leave offerings in the plate or basket on the table at the back of the church.
If you have any questions please speak to our Treasurer Sandy or email him on finance@nmnewchurch.org "
The New Church has a What's App Group for Prayer
See magazine no.4 for an outline of how this Pray Now group operates.
Speak to Margaret Boyd if you would like to be added to this group or email your details to mandmboyd@hotmail.co.uk
You need WhatsApp on your phone to get set up
We live stream our services on YouTube from our first Sunday. You can find the service here.
You can also find the service by searching on YouTube for Newton Mearns New Church.