A warm welcome to Pathhead Parish Church which meets at 11am each Sunday. On regular Sundays, we offer online worship via Zoom for those who cannot be physically present and this can be arranged by contacting the church office. Whichever way you meet us, welcome! At 6pm most Sunday evenings (except over the summer) we have an online meeting for those wishing to look at a Bible passage, chat about it and pray. Just contact myself to get on the email distribution list for the Zoom link. I can be contacted at minister@pathheadparishchurch.co.uk
We also offer Messy Church once a month and there is a Messy Church page on this website where you can find more details of its activities.
A Busy Autumn
Autumn has arrived and we are well into a busy schedule of events and activities. It is heartening to see that the life of our congregation is not just what happens on a Sunday morning. In September, we celebrated Fife Doors Open Days with a significant increase in footfall from last year, particularly on the Sunday. Visitors viewed information boards and learned about the history of our church, they sat and listened to our organists playing songs old and new; and they enjoyed refreshments while chatting to our elders. Children participated in a hunt for Lego figures and built their own Lego church. The church garden was a welcoming space as people entered the building and a banner announced our presence and our welcome to the local community. For me, this is how seeds of the Kingdom are sown and Jesus taught that some of those seeds will grow in ways we cannot measure.
Sunday 20th was a celebration of 130 years of our Guild, with honoured guests, Renee Riddle, National Convenor and Helen MacKenzie, National Vice-Convenor of the Guild in attendance, along with our Guild Link Friends from Lenzie. A picture was presented at that service to mark this long-standing friendship and later an afternoon tea was enjoyed by everyone.
By the time you have read this letter, Harvest Thanksgiving will have been celebrated with an afternoon walk from the Pillars of Hercules to Falkland Church Hall (cakes ‘n’ all!). Well over 30 people signed up for this walk – which was a chance for mini-pilgrimage and a time to get to know others just a little bit more. Journeying in faith is a central theme in the Gospels – as we do so, we follow in our Lord’s footsteps.
Journeying together was shared with our Episcopal Friends from St. Peter’s, as they marked the 50th anniversary of their building with a special Eucharist. Their Bishop the Right Revd. Ian Paton, led the service as he bid a fond farewell, anticipating his retirement in a few weeks’ time. Bishop Ian was again present as he addressed Fife Presbytery at its meeting on Saturday 19th September, introducing two new corresponding members from the Episcopal Church, a further example of growing ecumenical co-operation. At that same Presbytery, I was privileged to hear my name announced as Moderator Elect of Fife Presbytery, my duties beginning in February of next year.
All these things took place in just one calendar month of our church. For me, they are signs of life and hope in challenging times. Offerings in our church are up 5% on last year and bookings for our halls are up an incredible 25%. Several plans are underway this autumn, both for the fabric of our building and the general life of our worshipping community (in the congregational Action Plan).
God says in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” … “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Let’s take that message to heart and serve together, knowing that with every act of faith, the Kingdom grows in ways we could scarcely imagine.d to live with a sense of purpose all the days of your life.
Every blessing,
Andrew Donald
Minister
It will be a great pleasure to welcome everyone back to worship but for those not able to join us, we shall continue with the Zoom facility so that people can join us from home. Our 6pm Sunday Bible Study will continue on Zoom and if you wish to join the regulars you can find the details along with those of the morning Zoom meeting which is sent out by email.
