So sings Ian White on one of his recent records, and the words speak to me at this time of lengthening days, and as we approach the end of another session in the life of the congregation. The Boys Brigade and Girls Brigade have now held their annual displays and we have seen what they have learned in the last year. Youngsters are now sitting their annual school examinations after a year of study. The Sunday School will shortly celebrate with its annual prizegiving. How about us? What have we learned in the last year of our church’s life?
We give thanks to God for the preaching of His Word here in Baillieston Sunday by Sunday. We give thanks for our church family and another year of service, thinking especially of those who carry responsibility. We thank God for the health and strength that we have enjoyed in the last year, when we have been able to join with God’s people here in our church building, and for those who look after it. So what have we learned? Through Jesus’ birth, the greatest gift the world can receive, to Jesus’ death and our certain hope of eternal life, we have heard again God’s Word. We have been reminded how the books of the Old Testament point time and again to the coming of Jesus. We have read the gospels and epistles, thinking of the way we are taught to lead our lives, and how short of that we fall. We have seen the curtain torn in the temple, and heard God’s promise that through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we can speak directly to God, and He wants to hear us. We approach a time of holiday. Rest and relaxation. Let us not be resting from God’s Word. Through picking up and reading our Bibles, praying in our own homes and as we come together on a Sunday morning, let us continue, as Paul would stress in Hebrews 12, “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God”.Please remember our Minister, Rev Alisdair T. MacLeod-Mair, at this time of illness. Pray that he will be swiftly restored to health and strengthened to lead us once more.
May was the last month of the 2010-2011 session which was rounded off at our Annual Display on 13th May when we were privileged to have Rev. Murdo MacLean (Chaplain, 27th Glasgow Coy) as our Inspecting Officer. The Company would like to thank all parents, relatives and members of the Congregation who attended our Display. Your support is greatly appreciated.
The Company will be in recess now until the first week of September when all three sections will resume for the 2011-2012 session.
The Company Section and Junior Section will be once again holding a joint Holiday Weekend Camp at Moffat from 16th – 18th September. This is slightly later in the year than in previous sessions but this is due to difficulties in obtaining our preferred dates at the Well Road centre where we hold our camp. However, we are sure the Officers and Boys will have the same enjoyable time regardless of the date!
The Prospects Group held their coffee evening and bric-a-brac stall on Thursday,
7th April 2011. We raised £252.10p on the evening and someone gave a donation of £40 making a total of £292.10p towards Prospects’ funds. Thank you to everyone who attended and help make this a very successful evening.
From 3rd–5th June some of the team members and the group went on the annual visit to Gartmore, where they met up with other Prospects groups from all around the country.
I can safely say that all who attended would have thoroughly enjoyed themselves in participating in the activities during this event.
Our summer outing is on Saturday, 18th June 2011. This year we are visiting Ayr where we will be able to either visit the beach or shops, depending on the weather, which has been brilliant our last few trips. We will all then meet up later in the day for high tea before making our way back home.
All articles for the September issue of the STAY magazine should be handed to the editor by Friday 19th August 2011.