​Matthew 9:2-8
In healing the paralysed man Jesus offended the religious authorities because pardon of sin could only come from God. In their eyes he was blaspheming.

​Philippians 1:15-21
Paul is heartened that despite being imprisoned the gospel is still preached albeit for a variety of reasons - some for love of God and Paul and some because they want influence and status.

​Philippians 1:3-14
A very positive passage where Paul speaks of his joy with the Philippian Church. He commends them to pray for each other- something we should all be doing.

I have Tom’s blessing in making  this appeal.

In the past I have been a volunteer fundraiser for the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice. I mainly worked with Jennifer Easson, an employed fundraiser with the Hospice.  Today Jennifer contacted me to ask for help in attaining prizes for an online auction which they are going to hold in December.  They are unable to hold their usual fundraising events due to Covid restrictions, therefore their funds have been severely depleted.  As the Hospice is in our Parish, I wondered if any of you were able to donate anything for the auction?  Many of us will have been touched by cancer and life limiting disease in one way or another and the care given by the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice  is second to none.
Suggested prizes might be vouchers for afternoon tea, lunches etc, a two or four ball golf prize, bottles of whisky, champagne, wine etc.  Anything you think might do well in an auction. 

If you wish to donate anything, please contact Jennifer on her direct line - 0141 429 9882, or by email: jennifer.easson@ppwh.org.uk 

I think she would like any donations as soon as possible to organise the auction. Many thanks 

Anne Steele.

​Acts 13:32-41
Paul is speaking in a synagogue narrating the promise by God of salvation . In Jesus, Paul tells them, this promise is fulfilled.

When I belonged to the Guide movement, centuries ago, I seem to remember when I joined the Brownies, having to make a “promise” – when, before the rest of the girls and our leaders, I promised to “do my duty to God and the King” (which shows just how long ago it was!) and a bit more about obeying the Guide law.
Well, now, I think that the weather might also make promises!   For example, the wind might promise not to blow a gardener’s pile of leaves all over the place before that gardener can bag them;  and it might promise not to blow the rain onto nice clean windows after they have been cleaned by the friendly window cleaner!   And it might also promise to blow the rain away when I have just hung my washing out to dry!    And so on………..
What do you think?

​James 4:11-16
More great wisdom.
Be wary of judging others - none of us are that perfect and trust in God for the future. Make plans but commend them to God

Matthew 18:1-6
This is not an invitation to be childish but rather to take on the mantle of a child who in ancient society was of no value whatsoever : children had no status at all.

"The train now stending in Platform One, is the four-fifteen to London,
stopping at Crewe.   Would pessengers travelling on this train please make their way to thet platform!!
Aw Maggie, ah dinna think ye kin dae that - no afore ye ha' warned him
you'll no be goin' oot with him any mair!"

And that, of course, was the lady who made the announcements about trains, who forgot, as you can probably can tell, to switch off her microphone after making the announcement in her poshest voice, and continued a conversation in her "normal" voice with her pal, also in the control room!    
Made us all laugh, that did!!

​Romans 16:1-16.
Paul draws attention in this passage to the fact both women and men shared responsibility in the early Church. Pity that for the next 1700 years the Church lost sight of this early situation.

17/09/2020
At the end of August, the Heaney family, Una, George and Shona, not forgetting Alexa’s tortoise, Voldetort, travelled here to Arran for a long-awaited holiday.  Arran is a regular haunt of ours and Brodick is our second home.  Although we haven’t been here since February, the house was much as we had left it (only a few cobwebs) and we soon fell into our usual ways, long lie ins, leisurely walks along the front and pottering about in the garden.  Thanks to the wonders of technology, Shona and I have been able to participate in the Virtual Choir and we have all enjoyed the Sunday services at Sherbrooke Mosspark.  I’ve been keeping up with my yoga, gym and harp (thanks Alice) classes via Zoom and I even joined the Presbytery meeting on Webinar, which was a new experience… no need to drive home afterwards on a dark, wet night!

We’ve had the full weather experience over the past couple of weeks, with winds of various speeds and all varieties of rain, but recently it seems to have improved, clear skies and a beautiful sunset last night.  Arran is quieter than usual, mainly due to reduced capacity on the ferries.  A sign of the current situation is that the Co-op and the Post Office have “traffic lights” controlling entry.  The Brodick pharmacy conducts business in the porch outside the front door… the weary hiker can no longer browse its extensive range of footcare products inside the shop.  However, the views don’t change and Goatfell continues to dominate Brodick Bay.  We’re due home on the 24th September, but hopefully we’ll be back again soon.

Knitting!
I absolutely love knitting, and in recent times, have been finding things to knit with odd bits of wool.   For example, I have knitted lots of teddy bears!  I have knitted a black cat!  I have knitted a fox!  I have knitted an octopus!  And my most recent item?  A caterpillar!  They all take up room on my couch, so I'm going to christen my couch "The Manning Menagerie!"
​
How about that, then!

Very good system in Glasgow life gyms and lots of space and cleanliness and well managed. 
East Dumbartonshire and north Lanarkshire gyms are equally spaced, clean and well managed 🧘‍♀️🏋️‍♀️xx

How many musical people out there know Chopin's "Minute Waltz"?    When as a child we learned to play the piano, my twin brother and I thought that the waltz should be played in one minute!!   True??  Not a bit of it!!   This waltz was originally performed by a famous Polish pianist called Jan Paderewski, and though he played it like laldy, it took him just over two minutes to play the piece - so there!   Perhaps the waltz should be re-titled "Chopin's Two Minute Waltz" - but it just doesn't have the same ring to it, does it??

​2nd Corinthians 13:5-10
Paul is suggesting the Corinthians who were questioning him should take a look at themselves before he arrives for what might be a showdown.

Sunday 27 September – Climate Change Sunday
The Church of Scotland and Eco-congregation Scotland have encouraged churches to mark one Sunday during September’s focus on creation as “Climate Change Sunday”. Our own Sherbrooke Mosspark group, formed just before lockdown to prepare for the international Climate Change conference - due to be held in Glasgow but now postponed until November 2021 - will help us mark this in our worship next Sunday morning.