The Reverend John Murdoch
Minister of Colvend, Southwick and Kirkbean
The Manse
Colvend
DG5 4QN
01556 630 358 : 07578 558978 : jmurdoch@churchofscotland.org.uk
www.colvendchurch.com
A Letter for Lent : Early March 2025
Dear friends
New beginnings are but a step away: the first few days of March this year neatly dovetail with the beginning of Lent on 5th March, Ash Wednesday: the Anglo-Saxon word lencten meaning Spring, provides the derivation for our word Lent; as the days lengthen with more light after these dark days with storm Éowyn in late January affecting us all, Spring really is just around the corner. The new beginning we will mark by sharing in Holy Communion in Colvend Church at 11 am on Ash Wednesday.
11 am is also the newly agreed time for our United Sunday Morning Services, beginning on Sunday, 2nd March. The Kirk Session recently decided that the current practice of the United Services in weekly alternate venues will be the norm for the future. I thank you for supporting this new venture which has brought new friendships and fellowship in sacred spaces for the Glory of God.
It is a lovely thought that Johann Sebastian Bach placed the initials SDG at the top of each opening page of the music he wrote : Sola Deo Gloria : To God alone be the Glory.
That is surely our fervent hope and prayer in all we think and do, especially regarding our new hymn books, recently dedicated for the Glory of God on Sunday 12th January. I would strongly encourage you to consider again the scheme we initiated some months ago, to help defray the cost of the books[approx. £3000] by offering to ‘buy’ one or more, in memory of someone and donating a suggested amount of £20 per book. May I thank those who have already given generously. I know that Sarah McCormack would be very happy to hear from you and her email is : grahammccormack@btinternet.com
As we take pilgrimage steps in Lent towards Holy Week and Easter in April, may I encourage you to come to any or all of the *Lent Studies, organised by Churches Together, in March and April, to be held in St Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, Dalbeattie. Each study will be on a Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 pm for an hour and led by a different Minister on Tuesdays 18th and 25th March and 1st and 8th April. The Passion Narrative in St Luke’s Gospel, Chapters 22 and 23 will be the relevant texts. Do come along, to lean towards God in Lent, meet others from neighbouring Congregations and denominations and enjoy the generous hospitality from our friends in St Peter’s.
In closing, might I encourage you to come to the **Lent Lunch on 12th April and, as you continue on your pilgrim way towards Easter, serve God and love people: serve people and love God : grow in faith and prayer : invite others to come to Church.
With these aspirations, I want to offer the chance for anyone who would like to be Confirmed into the Church, formally becoming a Communicant Member of the Church of Scotland, to contact me. My hope is for a Confirmation discussion group.
I send my very best wishes and commend to you all of our Services, enclosed within the insert pages. Do please bring a friend or ten and, in the words of St Catherine of Siena,
Be who God created you to be and you’ll set the world on fire.
John
Lent, by Christina Rossetti
It is good to be last not first, Pending the present distress;
It is good to hunger and thirst, So it be for righteousness.
It is good to spend and be spent, It is good to watch and to pray:
Life and Death make a goodly Lent, So it leads us to Easter Day.
Some key dates for your diary:
Services in March
Wednesday 5th March : Ash Wednesday
Holy Communion Service in Colvend at 11 am
The Minister
While the Minister is on study leave for some of March, Sunday Services on 9th, 16th and 23rd March will be conducted as below.
Sunday 9th March: Morning Service in Colvend at 11 am:The Rev’d Robert Dale
Sunday 16th March: Morning Service in Southwick at 11 am:The Rev’d Richard Allen
Sunday 23rd March: Morning Service in Colvend at 11am : The Rev’d Oonagh Dee
Sunday 30th March: Morning Service for Mothering Sunday in Southwick at 11 am
The Minister
Services in April
Sunday 6th April: Morning Service in Colvend at 11 am : The Minister
followed by the Stated Annual Meeting at 11 45 am
Sunday 13th April: Palm Sunday Morning Service in Southwick at 11 am
The Minister
Holy Week Services : all conducted by the Minister
Tuesday 15th April : Devotional Half Hour Service in Colvend at 11 am
Thursday 17th April : Maundy Thursday
Holy Communion Service in Southwick at 7 pm
Good Friday 18th April: Three Hour Liturgy in Colvend Church from 12 – 3 pm
[Stay for as long or as short a time as you wish]
Sunday 20th April: Easter Day Holy Communion Service in Colvend at 11 am
Sunday 27th April: Morning Service in Southwick at 11 am : The Rev’d Richard Allen
Minister of Colvend, Southwick and Kirkbean
The Manse
Colvend
DG5 4QN
01556 630 358 : 07578 558978 : jmurdoch@churchofscotland.org.uk
www.colvendchurch.com
A Letter for Lent : Early March 2025
Dear friends
New beginnings are but a step away: the first few days of March this year neatly dovetail with the beginning of Lent on 5th March, Ash Wednesday: the Anglo-Saxon word lencten meaning Spring, provides the derivation for our word Lent; as the days lengthen with more light after these dark days with storm Éowyn in late January affecting us all, Spring really is just around the corner. The new beginning we will mark by sharing in Holy Communion in Colvend Church at 11 am on Ash Wednesday.
11 am is also the newly agreed time for our United Sunday Morning Services, beginning on Sunday, 2nd March. The Kirk Session recently decided that the current practice of the United Services in weekly alternate venues will be the norm for the future. I thank you for supporting this new venture which has brought new friendships and fellowship in sacred spaces for the Glory of God.
It is a lovely thought that Johann Sebastian Bach placed the initials SDG at the top of each opening page of the music he wrote : Sola Deo Gloria : To God alone be the Glory.
That is surely our fervent hope and prayer in all we think and do, especially regarding our new hymn books, recently dedicated for the Glory of God on Sunday 12th January. I would strongly encourage you to consider again the scheme we initiated some months ago, to help defray the cost of the books[approx. £3000] by offering to ‘buy’ one or more, in memory of someone and donating a suggested amount of £20 per book. May I thank those who have already given generously. I know that Sarah McCormack would be very happy to hear from you and her email is : grahammccormack@btinternet.com
As we take pilgrimage steps in Lent towards Holy Week and Easter in April, may I encourage you to come to any or all of the *Lent Studies, organised by Churches Together, in March and April, to be held in St Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, Dalbeattie. Each study will be on a Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 pm for an hour and led by a different Minister on Tuesdays 18th and 25th March and 1st and 8th April. The Passion Narrative in St Luke’s Gospel, Chapters 22 and 23 will be the relevant texts. Do come along, to lean towards God in Lent, meet others from neighbouring Congregations and denominations and enjoy the generous hospitality from our friends in St Peter’s.
In closing, might I encourage you to come to the **Lent Lunch on 12th April and, as you continue on your pilgrim way towards Easter, serve God and love people: serve people and love God : grow in faith and prayer : invite others to come to Church.
With these aspirations, I want to offer the chance for anyone who would like to be Confirmed into the Church, formally becoming a Communicant Member of the Church of Scotland, to contact me. My hope is for a Confirmation discussion group.
I send my very best wishes and commend to you all of our Services, enclosed within the insert pages. Do please bring a friend or ten and, in the words of St Catherine of Siena,
Be who God created you to be and you’ll set the world on fire.
John
Lent, by Christina Rossetti
It is good to be last not first, Pending the present distress;
It is good to hunger and thirst, So it be for righteousness.
It is good to spend and be spent, It is good to watch and to pray:
Life and Death make a goodly Lent, So it leads us to Easter Day.
Some key dates for your diary:
- *Lent Studies : please note the information above.
- Stated Annual Meeting : Sunday 6th April after Morning Worship in Colvend: 11 45 am
- **Lent Lunch in Colvend Church Hall on 12th April from 12 – 2. Details in March. Proceeds to Barnardo’s, supporting children and young people in D and G
- Christian Aid Lunch : Colvend Church Hall : Saturday 10th May : Details in April
Services in March
Wednesday 5th March : Ash Wednesday
Holy Communion Service in Colvend at 11 am
The Minister
While the Minister is on study leave for some of March, Sunday Services on 9th, 16th and 23rd March will be conducted as below.
Sunday 9th March: Morning Service in Colvend at 11 am:The Rev’d Robert Dale
Sunday 16th March: Morning Service in Southwick at 11 am:The Rev’d Richard Allen
Sunday 23rd March: Morning Service in Colvend at 11am : The Rev’d Oonagh Dee
Sunday 30th March: Morning Service for Mothering Sunday in Southwick at 11 am
The Minister
Services in April
Sunday 6th April: Morning Service in Colvend at 11 am : The Minister
followed by the Stated Annual Meeting at 11 45 am
Sunday 13th April: Palm Sunday Morning Service in Southwick at 11 am
The Minister
Holy Week Services : all conducted by the Minister
Tuesday 15th April : Devotional Half Hour Service in Colvend at 11 am
Thursday 17th April : Maundy Thursday
Holy Communion Service in Southwick at 7 pm
Good Friday 18th April: Three Hour Liturgy in Colvend Church from 12 – 3 pm
[Stay for as long or as short a time as you wish]
Sunday 20th April: Easter Day Holy Communion Service in Colvend at 11 am
Sunday 27th April: Morning Service in Southwick at 11 am : The Rev’d Richard Allen
Colvend, Southwick and Kirkbean Church is a registered Charity, Scottish Charity Number SCO1353