News

Our News

Church Services Recorded

The 10:00am services at Dunscore Church are also live on Zoom, at the usual link.    Afterwards, a link to a recording of the most recent service can usually be found here

 

Our Minister

Rev Mark R S Smith, was Inducted to the charge of Dunscore linked with Glencairn & Moniaive in March 2020.

Read more about our minister by clicking here: MS

Associate Minister

At a meeting of the Kirk Session in October 2019,
the Reverend Tim Harmer was welcomed to his appointment as Associate Minister to the linked congregations of Dunscore with Glencairn and Moniaive.

Read more about Tim by clicking here: TH

Booking of Premises

The procedure for booking our premises has been updated. Look under the “Bookings” tab at the top of this page for details.

Church Family Notices

The Church Family Notices (CFNs) are available on this website before the service each week, providing details of the service and a look at the church diary for the coming week and beyond.  The CFNs can also be emailed to you. Send a request to gm.cfns@gmail.com

New items for inclusion should be sent by email to this address also.  See the latest issue (below) for the submission deadline.

Latest issue: Church Family Notices.

Church Finances

The costs of maintaining the ministry and the church buildings continue as we catch up after the pandemic closures. For those of you who are unable to give an Offering on a Sunday, please consider how you can continue to make your gifts regularly.

  •  Pass on your donations to your Elder, or to the Session Clerk or Treasurer.  The blue envelope donation scheme has been discontinued.
  • You could set up a standing order with your bank to make direct payments to the church on a weekly or monthly basis.  Our Bank account is “Glencairn and Moniaive Church”  with Sort Code: 80-19-02 and Account no: 00147516, or click on standing order for a sample formPlease contact the Treasurer, preferably by email (gmtreasurer@gmail.com), for further assistance should you need it.
  • Alternatively, one-off donations are welcome at any time in the year.  Please use the bank details, as above, or the Treasurer would be pleased to receive your cheque.

Thank you.

The Trustees have approved and signed off the Congregational Accounts for 2023. The Accounts have been examined by the Independent Examiner and have been put forward for approval of Presbytery and OSCR. Click here to read or download a copy of the Accounts. Certain detail has been omitted for security purposes.

A Church for Scotland… changes afoot in our Parish and beyond

As many of you will know, the Church of Scotland is facing a difficult time.

Church attendance is DOWN. Church income is DOWN. The cost of running buildings is UP! Insurance, inspections, and compliance all add UP. Even a small simple building like St Ninian’s, stretches the church coffers.

There are fewer Full-time Ministers to go round – who would have thought that our Minister is now an endangered species! Fewer new Ministers are training and those who are already in place will have to take on extra congregations.

The Church of Scotland is implementing a series of plans (called Presbytery Plans) across the country and this area is not immune to grappling with change.

Glencairn & Moniaive Parish (YOUR PARISH) is fortunate -we are not being asked to shut our building … Moniaive will keep St Ninian’s, YOUR LOCAL CHURCH. Please help us keep it open by using it, choosing it for your event. We have good facilities – small kitchen, two toilets(!), audio & video system, even Internet if needed. Chairs and pews are movable and we even have a decent piano. Many of you have attended various events there over the years, and know what a good space it is. Hire charges are reasonable.

Blatant plug over… back to the reality of change facing us… The plan is that we will unite with our friends at Dunscore – this is an upgrade from the current linkage and simplifies some of the admin practicalities for both congregations. They, like us, will keep their building but face increasing costs.

We are also being asked to work towards a linkage with the congregation from Penpont. They are being asked to review the future of their current building and once the future of that is decided we will be able to start conversations about how a new linkage would work.

This all means that change will come. Our Minister will end up with more work – an extra congregation and communities (Keir, Penpont, Tynron) to serve. It will affect how often we have him with us on a Sunday It will probably mean different service times, varied service formats, and services mid·week alongside Sundays.

As congregations, both St Ninian’s and Dunscore have already begun using a variety of formats for their Sunday services, so we will be able to build on this for the future. It might well mean fewer formal services, more cups of tea and, possibly, more cake! It may involve the use of Zoom and/or video materials. It will need imagination and stretch the talents of our congregations. In some ways it is an exciting time. In many ways it is daunting!

It will mean more work for our Elders, overseeing the times when the Minister is not available or present. As the poet John Betjeman wrote: “Let’s praise the man who goes to light the church stove on an icy night.” Thanks must go to the Church Elders and Board Members who work so hard, often unnoticed, to keep our buildings and finances in good shape. The poem finishes: “And though they be but two or three, They keep the church for you and me.” That’s for the whole community – you and me. Be thankful for the ongoing presence of our local church – a beacon of light, a symbol of love, a statement of God’s presence with us.

As the future unfolds we will keep you all informed about the future for your local church. Thank you for your goodwill and support over many years. Please keep joining with us.

Gift Aid

Your Church’s funds continue to benefit from your offerings that are linked to Gift Aid. In the past year, almost £4300 was recovered from the government through the scheme. Single or regular donations can qualify for 25% tax back from the government, at no cost to the taxpayer. If you are not already giving this way, please do sign up. Details from the Treasurer.

Eco-Congregation Scotland

Our congregation has joined the ecumenical eco-congregation movement to show that our church is concerned about the environment and wants to do something about it in the future.

Read more: Eco

Food Bank

The Congregational Board have decided that we should have the opportunity to support the local food banks on a regular basis.  There is a box in St Ninian’s Church to receive your donations, and a list of some ideas of what you could give.

Alternatively, please support the First Base Food Bank with a money donation by clicking the link here.

Glencairn Church

The Congregation previously decided that the best stewardship of its limited resources was to dispose of Glencairn Church, and to concentrate activities within the village of Moniaive.  These decisions and the events up to disposal are recorded here:  GC milestone

The Congregation ceased to use the building from early-September 2020, when it was sold to a private buyer.

The adjacent cemetery is the responsibility of the Dumfries & Galloway Council.

Life and Work

The magazine of the Church of Scotland is published monthly and copies are available by subscription.  You can now read additional content on the internet at www.lifeandwork.org.  It’s just a click away here.

A Message from Lubuto

Christmas 2023

You can see a Christmas message from Rev Friday Sinkonde of the Lubuto congregation in Zambia at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsRXqJUXeLA.

Upgrading and Refurbishment of St Ninian’s Church

In 2022, the Board agreed to proceed with upgrading of the Kitchen facilities and associated fabric works. The Kitchen refurbishment and provision of an additional Toilet is complete.

Costs were partly met from Church funds held by the General Trustees, taken from the sale of Glencairn Church. This was supplemented by grants from awarding bodies.

Prayer Diary

The Social Care Council of the Church of Scotland, operating as CrossReach, has prepared a Prayer Diary for the week.

 

Tea and Coffee

Glencairn & Moniaive Church is one of the ever-growing number of churches making the connection between trade and poverty and committing to using Fairtrade products including tea, coffee, sugar and biscuits.

Refreshments are served on Sundays at St Ninian’s Church, either after the 10:00am service or before the 11:30am service, on the first Sundays of the month.

The Blessed Thing

The Blessed Thing newsletter is incorporated into the local and widely circulated “Glencairn Gazette”, which is published several times a year.  This contains church news and other items. Contributions for the next issue should be sent to the editor, Sue Grant, on email: suegrant23@me.com

The Church of Scotland

Keep up to date with what is happening in the wider Church. Click here.

Toy Library

Over the past few months a small number of youngsters have enjoyed meeting to play together in St Ninian’s. Due to the small numbers attending, the group have decided to move to The Paterson Rooms. It is hoped that the group will be able to continue. If you or anyone you know would like to become involved, please get in touch with Janet Yule (200373) or Sandra Neill (200416) and if enough people come forward then perhaps the group will be able to keep going. The group runs in The Paterson Rooms which has a lovely outdoor area suitable for outdoor play. Not only is it a chance for the younger children and babies to socialise, it is also ideal for the adults to have a chat and a cuppa. Anyone is welcome to pop in for a coffee and a play!! They meet on Friday mornings from 9:30am to 11:30am.