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Welcome

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’.

 

News from the Kirk’s Website

Read about the latest News and Events.  Click here.

 

Message from our Minister

16 August 2026

Today we reflect on the nature of God’s Kingdom through some of Jesus’ parables. You know the sort of thing, usually starting “the Kingdom of God is like …”. Jesus uses parables, some short, some long, some dramatic, some simple, some complex, to help us begin to understand what God is up to. He does this because our finite minds cannot grasp the infinite work of the Kingdom of God.

Most of Jesus’ descriptions of the Kingdom of God surprise us. They do not paint a picture of grandeur, pomp, ceremony, or formality. They seem to relate to everyday life – ordinary things around us. Seeds growing into trees. Yeast raising dough to make bread. They portray something worth looking for – a treasure beyond value!

Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of God is at hand, close by, not far away. Many of us look into the distance to find spiritual help, yet it is closer than you think. Not in the ‘heavens’ or the mountain-top experiences or mysterious distant teachings. At hand!

Join us to find what is near,

God Bless,

Mark

 

PRAYER for this week:

Father, You looked upon the hearts of Your people.

You saw our messy, chaotic lives

and loved us enough to send Your Son, Jesus.

Jesus, You came, a treasure from Heaven to walk this earth,

teaching and serving before suffering,

for the love of those You came to save.

Holy Spirit, You reside in and with us.

You remind, prompt and help us with all that we need

to navigate our days in integrity and love.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we give You thanks and praise.

 

PRAYER THEME:

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you live as a citizen of the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Love.

 

From the Manse –

SUMMER 2026 – Beginning? or ending? …

I am writing this on the hottest day of the year (so far), a few days after the astronomical start of Summer (21^st June), a few weeks after the meteorological start of Summer (1^st June), just before the end of the school term.

As with much of life, the seasons bring endings and beginnings. In the ebb and flow of life we must adapt and ride the mixed emotions which come with the constant change we face.

Many of our children will be changing school at the end of their Summer Holiday – some will be glad to go to the ‘big’ school, others will be fearful of what it will bring for them. For parents, it means guiding children through the emotional rollercoaster that this particular change will bring with it. Hopefully, learning to face this change will give children the tools to face the ‘changes and chances’ which crop up throughout life.

In a country where we cannot trust the weather, how do we cope? Physically, the thermals are not yet in the loft. Vests may be off, but they are near at hand. Remember the frosts in May before the last mini heatwave? Waterproofs are never far away, either.

But what about life itself? We never know what ‘curve balls’ are coming our way. We need to be adaptable and well-grounded. Open to change, yet solidly fixed to our base.

Jesus told a parable about a Wise builder and a Foolish builder. The Foolish builder didn’t have a solid foundation so that when the storms came, the rain came down and the floods went up, his house was easily washed away in the torrent. The Wise builder took care over her foundation so that when the storms came, the rain came down and the floods went up, her house upon the rock stood still. I suspect some of you will have been singing the familiar song as you read that bit! Did you do the actions too!?

For Christians Jesus is the Rock, the foundation of our lives. Whatever goes on around us, we trust Him to be alongside us each step of the way. A bit like our seasonal wardrobes, Jesus is always at hand, nearby, whatever the storms of life bring. He goes through life’s ‘stuff’ with us.

Most of you will be familiar with the Footprints story – can you think of times when Jesus has carried you? Whether you asked Him or not!

Being part of something bigger can often help when we face the changes and challenges of life. Our family, our community, our congregations are all important ways of being together, meeting the chALLenges we face – see what I did there!?

The various Summer Activities in our communities help us come together to celebrate the good things which are not weather-dependent – each other. Join us in Dunscore Church, St Ninian’s Church, or even in the Gala Marquee, to find out more about how much God values you and those around you.

Whether Summer feels like a beginning or an ending, join us to put your life on a solid foundation – Jesus, the Rock.

May God Bless you,

Mark RS Smith