Rev. Jane M. Blackley M.A., B.D. seen here with Ian Gray (L) and Rev. Malcolm Rooney (R) at her ordination and induction on Thursday 11th June 2009

February 2010

Dear friends,

Every blessing to you and yours for the year ahead -though Christmas and Hogmanay seem long gone, don’t they? My first Christmas in Brechin was great - highlights included the Nativity service and of course the 85 young folk (judging by the number of glow sticks distributed) who took part on Christmas Eve. So many folk help behind the scenes: thank you to all.

Thank you too for the lovely cards …and I received a very special present on the last Sunday of the year. Some of the office bearers led the service that day, others contributed favourite hymns and special readings - and I was able to sit in the pews and just enjoy worshipping!

2010 brought the Presbytery team on their 5- yearly visit to the Gardner Memorial and to Farnell, and now we await their draft reports on both of our congregations. I’m writing this before I see anything in print! But I’m sure all will be well, and that we’ll be able to move forward with confidence on the next stage of our journey together, and continue our planning as God’s people in this community today and in the years ahead. With God’s grace, we will go from strength to strength.

There’s so much to look forward to…February begins with our celebration of Holy Communion; then there’s a fair sprinkling (!) of christenings coming up, and of course, our special meetings and services for Easter. The preliminary period of Lent begins in only three week’s time. Do come and join us (after the weekly soup lunch) any or every Tuesday between 23 February and 23 March when we’ll explore what Easter means to us today.

In all the activity though, let’s never forget why we exist as a church: not to ‘do church’ for its own sake, though of course we’re proud of all that’s going on at the Gardner. Our focus is always on ‘doing God:’ trying to discern what He is doing in our lives today, and following His will for us. As we see the snowdrops poke through the wintry earth, and realize that yes, Spring will come again, then we know that however much, or how little, we ‘do church,’ new growth in our faith is always possible. Come and join us any time…you’ll be most welcome.

May the Lord bless and keep you and yours in the weeks ahead

Jane