Welcome
St Ninian’s Church
Glencairn & Moniaive Parish Church is a linked charge with Dunscore Parish Church and is within the Presbytery of The South West.
The parish of Glencairn & Moniaive is located at the northern end of the scenic Cairn Valley in mid-Nithsdale, which is part of the Dumfries & Galloway region of South West Scotland.
The community is centred around the village of Moniaive.
We aim to play an active part in the community we serve, reaching out with the love and joy of Jesus Christ.
Our vision is ‘To convince all people of God’s love for them’.
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Message from our Minister
4th October 2026
Today both our congregations gather to celebrate Holy Communion, remembering Jesus’ sacrifice for us and all people. As we remember we are challenged to follow Jesus’ example and live for others.
As congregations we aim to do this in a variety of ways. As Eco-congregations, as Fairtrade congregations, as Christian congregations, as local congregations …
We also try to do it as individuals.
BUT … it isn’t easy!!
Today we think about the Apostle Paul. A man who, as Saul the Jew, Pharisee and expert in the Law, had every reason to think that he was alright with God! He came from the right tradition, a good family, had in-depth knowledge of Scripture, and did everything that the Law required of him!
Saul, named for the great king, became Paul (the small) after his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. Quite a change! Quite a challenge!!
In his letters he tries to help the early Christians understand what he had learnt – that God’s Way is shown in Jesus, the Way of self-giving, the Way of sacrifice.
Join us to make the change – come Jesus’ Way!
God Bless,
Mark
PRAYER for this week:
Lord God,
I thank You for the many gifts you have given to me;
I thank You for what Jesus has done for me;
I thank You for the Holy Spirit helping me;
Lord God,
You have given me gifts to benefit others;
Jesus has shown me how to live for others;
The Holy Spirit guides me towards others;
Lord God,
I now see others as You see them,
help me live in Your Way – for others!
PRAYER THEME:
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you use the gifts you have been given for the benefit of others.
From the Manse –
AUTUMN FALLS FAST … BUT IT’S NOT DOWNHILL FROM HERE !
September seems to have come round very quickly this year! Schools are back in full swing and the season shifts into shut-down mode. Everything around changes … leaves fall, flowers droop, temperatures drop, winds rise, days shorten. After the joys of the Summer, the drudgery of routine kicks back in. Does that make me sound like Eeyore?
For the church, we start The Season Of Creation – a time when we celebrate the world around us, reflecting on the good things which surround us and how we are called to be stewards of those good things. September is definitely a month of celebrations!
On 6th we have a BAPTISM and celebrate new life in this world and New Life in Christ.
On 13th we hold our HARVEST FESTIVAL. We thank God for the harvest and “all good things around us”. Donations of food (tinned goods preferred) or money will go to help the work of the local Food Bank. Join us to celebrate this ancient festival, as we mark the change of seasons together.
We then welcome Rev David Coleman (Chaplain for Eco-Congregation Scotland) to join us at a special CREATION CELEBRATION on 20th – a joint service with our friends at Dunscore Church. (Minibus from village at 10am.) David will bring his unique mix of wisdom, insight and song-writing to share with us the importance of caring for the world around us. This is a reminder of the first job given to humans in the Bible, to work and take care of the Garden of Eden!
Our celebrations across September end with a great BLUEGRASS GOSPEL WORSHIP at St Ninian’s as part of the Moniaive Michaelmas Bluegrass Festival. In the midst of the chaos, uncertainty, and complexities of life, we come together to give thanks for all the good things we have.
The Bible challenges us to have an attitude of gratitude, to consciously be grateful for the good, even in the face of the bad. Many of the Psalms are written in the face of personal trauma, national crises, or general bewilderment at the state of the world, yet time and time again they remind the reader to give thanks, be grateful and re-focus on the good. By doing this we can all begin to play our part in making the world a better place.
Autumn is about being ready, storing-up what is needed for the future, paring back and simplifying. Are you ready to live simply so that others may simply live? Are you looking beyond this life to what is still to come? Is satisfying your wants outweighing, overwhelming, and frustrating the meeting of your basic physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs?
Join us on a celebratory journey through the maze that is life.
May God Bless you,
Mark RS Smith
