The Guild

The aim of the Church of Scotland Guild:
To invite and encourage women and men to commit their lives to Jesus Christ and to enable them to express their faith in worship, prayer and action.

October 21 Update

The committee has met and is planning to start the Guild Meetings again on Wednesday 13th October at 1.30pm in the Glebe Street Hall.

So far we have managed to arrange a programme for the first three meetings:

> October 13th:  2021 World Day of Prayer Service.

> October 27th:  Cruise down the Danube: Powerpoint show with David Atkins  (which we had to cancel 18 months ago). 

> November 10th: New Rules for Fire Safety in the Home. (Speaker from the Fire Service)

We hope in time to be able to plan for our fortnightly meetings right through to March as we used to do, but wanted to share these with you as soon as possible.

 

Under the present rules in East Kilbride Old Parish we have to:

> be seated one metre apart on chairs only, without sitting around tables as we would normally do.

> wear masks (except for the speaker). NB: I will try to limit meetings to an hour as a result

> use hand-sanitiser on entering and leaving.

> give name and phone number to be noted on arrival (for Track and Trace).

> forgo tea, coffee or biscuits as at present there is no use of the kitchen.

 

Hope for the future?

Later if the rules change we could be seated three to a table, have tea and coffee and wrapped biscuits. There is to be no movement around the hall. Continue to wear masks (except when eating). Only 2 persons in the kitchen and serving. Use of dishwasher for hygiene.

All of this is difficult but I hope you will feel able to come along and join your friends and enjoy the Guild again. The Guild headquarters is keen to encourage Guilds to start again and has offered useful guidance. They have even reduced the capitation fee to £9 .This supports the work of the Guild throughout Scotland.

Hope to see you soon.

Mary Smith (President)

 

Church of Scotland Guild Advent Big Sing 2020

This Advent the Church of Scotland Guild produced a special online Big Sing event, broadcast online on 4th December.

Introduced by the Guild's National Convener Mabel Wallace, the Advent 2020 Big Sing featured Rt Rev Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly, offering a special reflection from Arbroath Abbey. Ms Wallace said:

 "Even though we may not be together in person this year, we will be together in spirit as we celebrate the Guild in our traditional style. As we are all in separate spaces we can sing our hearts out in perfect safety. This Advent may be different but we can still be Guilds Together."

As well as a selection of favourite hymns, the Big Sing included prayers and reflections from all four of the Guild's national vice-conveners as well as singing from the girls of the Journeying Together project in Zambia and choirs from Malawi.

You can find a link to the video of the event when you Click Here.

 

The Guild Annual Gathering 2020 

Click Here to watch a video of the Guild Annual Gathering 2020 - a digital event

Themed around ‘the extra mile’, members were able to take part from the safety of their own homes, via the internet.

Featuring singing and worship led by the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Rt Rev Dr Martin Fair, the specially created video helps us recreate the Guild’s joyful atmosphere and feeling of togetherness despite being unable to physically meet.

As usual this year’s Annual Gathering offered the opportunity to welcome the Guild’s new national convener, Mable Wallace, along with a chance to bid farewell to the outgoing national convener, Marian Macintyre.

Mrs Macintyre said: "During lockdown, Guild members all over the country have proved to be true 'companions on the road', especially by keeping in touch with those in their groups who have no access to technology—via phone chains, photocopied printed versions of the eNews (which has been steadfastly produced every single week), socially distanced visits.

“Now we are going 'the extra mile' - we can't be all together in the Caird Hall on 5th September, so we have produced a 'Virtual Annual Gathering ' which is available on the Church of Scotland website.

Other sections will include contributions from Rev Richard Baxter of Fort William Duncansburgh MacIntosh Parish Church, and news about our current Guild projects.

Those watching from home are advised to have bread and wine on hand in order to take part in communion.

Iain Whyte, general secretary of the Guild, said: “We were delighted to have sent out hundreds of DVDs and USB sticks to those without internet access in the run up so that hopefully everyone who wanted to was able to take part.

“It was very cheering to hear about small groups of Guild members who were planning to meet and watch the Annual Gathering together whilst still following the government’s guidelines."

 

 

The Guild normally meets on alternate Wednesdays 1.30pm-3pm in the Glebe St Hall from October to March. We'd love you to join us when we finally return to more normal times!  

 

Guild Projects we  supported last year:

• 'Seema’s Project' - to build homes and a rehabilitation centre for abandoned children and trafficked women of Pune in India.
• 'A Chaplain for our Ports' - Sailors’ Society chaplains provide a warm welcome, comfort and practical support to the thousands of seafarers who arrive in our ports

 

ONE JOURNEY.  MANY ROADS

‘A Guild is, by definition, about companionship and sharing’. (Guild Notes)

Our theme for 2019 – 2020 is 'Companions on the Road': 

Come along to the Glebe Street Hall and travel with us every second Wednesday afternoon as we journey through our 2019 - 2020 syllabus...

 

2019

Wed 9 Oct         Colin Thomas       (Music)

Wed 23 Oct       Valerie Reilly:        All is safely gathered in (Harvest)                                           

Wed 30 Oct       Guest Afternoon:  Strathaven Strummers (ukelele music)                                                                   

Wed 13 Nov      Guild Project:        Seema’s Project                                                 

Wed 27 Nov      Roy Johnstone:     Emily Pankhurst and the Suffragettes                 

Wed 11 Dec      Christmas Lunch

2020

Wed 15 Jan       Rev Anne Paton            

Wed 29 Jan       Glickman’s Confectionary                                                    

Wed 12 Feb       Liz Macintyre:       Nan’s Story               

Wed 26 Feb       Guild Project        'A Chaplain for our Ports' / Bring and Buy

Wed 11 Mar       Home Brew          Guitar, accordion, singing trio      

Wed 25 Mar       David Atkins:        Passage to Eastern Europe / AGM

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