A date for your diary – the annual Old & Abbey Picnic will be held on
Sunday 23rd June - more information to follow!
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Old & Abbey Eco Newsletter – Latest Edition
The May-June 2013 edition of the church’s Eco Newletter is available to view or download from the ‘Eco News’ page. We hope you enjoy reading it.
Girls’ Brigade Parents’ Evening
Come and join the girls and their leaders to celebrate the end of another successful year for the 2nd Arbroath Company of the Girls’ Brigade. We look forward to seeing you at 7pm on Thursday 30th May in the Church Hall.
Street Pastors Founder to visit Arbroath
On Tuesday 28th May as part of a whistle-stop tour of Scotland, Street
Pastors founder, Rev Les Isaac, will deliver an address at a meeting to be held in the Old & Abbey Church Hall at 7pm.
Why not come along and listen to this inspirational speaker? Your Arbroath Street Pastors team would really appreciate your support. For more information on Street Pastors, visit www.streetpastors.co.uk
Nominating Committee
At a Congregational Meeting held on Sunday 28th April the following members were elected to the Nominating Committee of the Old & Abbey Church:
| Ian Townsend (Convener) | Carole Munro (Clerk) |
| Yvonne Cargill | Maureen Fulton |
| Linda Garden | Jenny Lyon |
| Jayne McKay | Olwen McNeill |
| Rosemary Menmuir | Alan Milne |
| Avril Muir | Fiona O’Connor |
| Bob Reid |
Ordination & Admission of New Elders
On Sunday 21st April 2013 eight new elders were ordained by the Rev Alastair Morrice. They are Jackie Crichton, Linda Garden, Eileen McDonald, Bill McDonald, Helen Muir, Fiona O’Connor, Norma Spence and Fiona Wilson. Mike Muir, who was unavailable due to work commitments, will be ordained at a later date. Andrew Dawson, who was ordained a number of years ago when living in St Andrews, was also admitted to the Kirk Session of the Old & Abbey.
Following the service a short welcome celebration was held in the hall for the elders and their family and friends. The images below show some of those attending.
Church Magazine – March to May 2013
The latest edition of the church magazine is now available on the Congregational News page.
Thank You, Jenny!
Jenny Lyon, who has
been Session Clerk at the Old & Abbey for the last four years, has retired from office due to work pressures. Jenny, the first woman Session Clerk the Church has had, brought many talents to the job and was a very able and organised leader. The Old & Abbey owes her a huge debt of gratitude for everything she did during the four years but especially the way in which she kept things going during the Minister’s absence last year.
Jenny was presented with a gift by the Kirk Session as a token of their gratitude and tributes were paid by Sandra Ferguson, Jenny’s Depute and Ian Townsend, a former Session Clerk. Both were full of praise for a job well done.
Many, many thanks, Jenny, and good luck with the studying and exams in the coming year.
Happy Anniversary Harry & Muriel !
Our Senior Elder, Harry Whitton, and his wife, Muriel, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on 1oth March. Harry is currently a patient in Arbroath Infirmary but the staff there kindly arranged for the use of a room so that friends could gather for a surprise party organised by Mary Anderson and Elizabeth Cunningham. Congratulations Muriel & Harry!
What’s My Line?
On Tuesday 12th February, Eileen McDonald, Guild President, welcomed a large gathering to a fun evening that took the form of ‘What’s My Line?’ based on the television programme first broadcast during the 1950s.
Ian Townsend had recruited a panel comprising Bob & Moira Reid, Sandra Ferguson and Ian Gray whose job it was to guess the ‘occupations’ of the ‘actors’ Vivien Townsend, Andrew Dawson, Jim Mann, Jim Howie, Fiona Wilson, Elinor MacKenzie and Carole Munro. The ‘mystery guest’ – Santa Claus – truly flummoxed the panel who had shown great skill in working out many of the other mimes.
Greta Beatt, who had organised the evening, presented the panel, actors and host, with gifts from the Guild and the evening concluded with tea, sandwiches and pancakes (since it was Shrove Tuesday).
This gallery shows images of the evening:
A Fond Farewell!
A large congregation of over 300 members and visitors gathered on Sunday 10th February to celebrate Holy Communion and to say thank you to Rev Dr Valerie Allen who is leaving the Old & Abbey Church after 16 years as its minister.
Worship that day focused on how we, as Christians, have many gifts and skills to offer in serving God and engaging in ministry projects, but in the end it is God who makes the “seed grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:1-9) The ministry we do in Christ’s name is not our work, it is God’s work. And so we gathered to thank God for God’s presence with us through these years together. The text of Valerie’s sermon is available on the ‘Worship’ page of the site.
Following worship, thank you’s were said and Valerie was presented with various gifts. We then gathered in the New Hall for some very welcome refreshment! Photographs of the gathering are available on the ‘Congregational News’ page.
On Wednesday, 13th February Valerie led her final worship, the more reflective midweek Service. At the end of worship Valerie went around the circle and individually blessed each person present. As one member said, Valerie “left us with an emotional and very spiritual, heart-felt last impression. I considered Sunday’s service to be one of the most moving services I have attended – that was until Wednesday.” As tears and love flowed, truly God’s Spirit was present in that place. Attended by over 50 people, again worship was followed by a beautiful reception allowing Valerie and Len the opportunity to say goodbye in person to everyone present.
We wish Valerie and Len God’s blessing and every happiness as they move into the next chapter of their lives.