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During the month of January, the Methven Hall will be open for two hours, three days a week as a 'warm space' for anyone who would like some social contact, play boardgames/jigsaws or just relax with a hot drink or a bowl of hot soup. There will be some background light jazz/blues but we hope people might like to bring along their own instrument (not electric or mics however) and play to a small audience.

Cosy knitted blankets and wheatbags will be available. We want to warm you Inside and Out.

There will be a warm welcome for you on:

• Sundays 1pm - 3pm starting on 5th January
• Mondays 11.15am - 1.15pm
• Thursdays 3pm- 5pm

These events are free.

More information from Dianne on 07980 367632.

We are running a session of Advent Blethers this season:

• WHAT? Four weeks of reflections on Advent Bible readings
• WHERE? St. Andrews Hall
• WHEN? Thursday morning at 10am starting 28th November
• WHO? Anyone!
• WHY? Why not?

December 8th is our Salvation Army Toy Appeal Sunday.

A representative from the Salvation Army will be there to collect gifts (unwrapped) for children. New presents for all ages are welcome, but especially for older boys, which are traditionally in short supply.

There is also an appeal for voluntary help to make up gift parcels for delivery. If you are able to assist with this please contact the Salvation Army at kirkcaldy@salvationarmy.org.uk for details.

On Saturday 7th December there will be an Adult Gift Day/Coffee Morning in the Methven Hall from 10am-12 noon, when you are invited to bring a small gift or some toiletries which will go to the parents of the children receiving the toys. We have done this for the past couple of years and it has been greatly appreciated. Pay at the door on entry.

Shoe boxes are now available for the 2024 appeal. If you wish to fill a box there are leaflets inside detailing what is required and what is banned.

There are envelopes marked Blythswood Care available at church. Please put your donation in an envelope, seal it and return it to church.

Shoe Boxes should be returned by 20th October.

The G & Q Project Team is planning a winter project - The January Blues.

This will provide a warm space in the Methven Hall 3 days per week for 2 hours during the month of January. The days are likely to be Sunday, Monday and Thursday. It's purpose is to Warm People, Inside and Out.

Full details can be found in the January Blues overview.

We need soup makers to make this happen. If you are able to help by making a pot of soup in the church kitchen, please speak to any of the G & Q team, Pat Beveridge, Margaret Philp, Liz Dall, Rona Traill and Dianne Waddell. We will also need knitters very soon to start making lap blankets - If anyone has any odd balls of wool at home, would you kindly donate them to the G & Q.

We have now received the following information from our Interim Moderator.

The results of the vote held on Sunday 18th August were as follows:

The total results represent 73% in agreement.

In the congregational votes held in the four Kirkcaldy Town Centre churches, two churches voted to agree the Basis of Union, while two voted against. Following this, the Fife Presbytery Mission Plan Implementation Group met to discuss the way forward.

Since a clear majority of members voted to agree when the four votes are taken as a whole, and since all four Kirk Sessions had agreed the Basis of Union, Presbytery has decided to use its powers under the Presbytery Mission Planning Act to overrule the two congregations who disagreed. While this is not an ideal start to the united charge, it does mean the process to unite the four churches to form Langtoun Central will continue as planned.

Notice will be given in due course for representatives to attend the Presbytery meeting on 21st September.

Morag Wilkinson, Interim Moderator.

The final document for the Basis of Union is now available.

This has been circulated to members and adherents of all four churches and voting will take place in each church after morning worship on Sunday 18th August.

An edict will be read out on the two preceding Sundays.

Voting will be in person by secret ballot.

You can read the final document by clicking on Basis of Union Final Document.

First of all, we are blessed to have the talents of Stuart, Sandra and Bruce providing us first class music for worship on Sundays.

Secondly, the Church of Scotland has just launched a supplement - “God Welcomes All” - to our hymn book, with over 200 new hymns and songs.

Thirdly, you have a chance to contribute to how we worship every Sunday: on June 16th after the service, Stuart would be happy to hear from anyone interested in being part of a singing group taking a regular part in Sunday worship.

Please speak to him, and find out what we might do, beginning after the summer, including exploring music from the new hymn book, and learning new songs and hymns to share with others.

Please consider taking part!

The Walkers next walk is on Sunday 7th July.

The very last walk under the name of Bennochy Walkers will be leaving church after morning service. We’ll be travelling to Leven on the new rail line (barring any last-minute hold up), walking 3.5 miles to Lower Largo then returning either on foot or by bus to Leven, and train home again.

Our refreshment stop at Lower Largo will be at The Aurrie, a community café in the old Baptist Church. Even if you have never walked with us before, come and join us for our swansong. Let Dianne, Rona or Janis know you’re coming so we can tell the Aurrie how many scones to bake!

The G & Q (Green & Quirky Upcycling Project) team is working away making items to sell at a fayre in August which you will hear about very soon. If you have any of these items at home that you are finished with, we can try to give them new life and purpose.

• Old photo slides, any landscape
• A lamp with/without shade
• A couple of bamboo canes (hollow)
• Small wooden piece of furniture that can be sawn.
• Small amount baby pink paint
• Small amount varnish

And if you are a grower, we’d love some carrots ready for eating in August if you could spare some.

Update (2nd June): Items are no longer required. Thanks for everyones help.

Please see our ECO Fayre 2024 flyer for more details.

Update (11th August): The Fayre was a great success with over £700 raised. We have a Video from the Fayre which covers all the stalls and activities.

I am researching the history of the bells we use today and would be glad of any information available, They were an integral part of music making in the Boys', Brigade alongside the Pipe, Bugle and Silver bands.

Is there anyone here who played the bells, or has a contact who did so, over the years from the 1950s onwards?

If so please contact Margaret Simpson. Thank you.

Please note this event has been CANCELLED due to illness

Bennochy Community Choir would like to invite members of the congregation and friends to our end of session performance on Monday 3rd June at 6.30pm in the Sanctuary.

It will be followed by light refreshments in the Methven Hall.

It is free entry but we would be grateful for any donations to our charities. Please come along and support our enthusiastic group of singers!

Join us for another series of three Bible Blethers, focusing on an eco/environmental theme. They begin on May 2nd and continue on May 9th and 16th.

We meet in Bennochy Church halls, from 9.45am, aiming to finish in time for the Olive Branch Cafe opening at 11am. All welcome.

• May 2nd Genesis1 vv 20-31…” To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow “ (Audrey Hepburn)
  
  
• May 9th Noah : Genesis 9 vv 7-17 …” I think we are lucky to be living when we are because things are going to get worse“ ( David Attenborough)
  
  
• May 16th Luke 12 vv 13-31 …” So we can’t save the world by playing by the rules, because the rules have to be changed.” (Greta Thunberg)

The Women’s Group annual Bunny Drive is on Tuesday 9th April at 6.30pm with raffle, prizes and a light supper.

Tickets, price £4 adults and £2 children are available from Group members.

Update: The members of the Women's Group thank everyone who attended and supported their recent Bunny Drive. The splendid sum of £384 was raised for Church funds.

Eco thoughts……

Let’s start conversations about how best consumers can try to avoid food waste. For example:

• As the picture suggests, try buying loose potatoes rather than a kilo or more in a plastic bag.
• Buy unwrapped caulis and cabbages, halve and share with your neighbour.
• Make any vegetables left in your fridge at the end of the week into soup or curry.
• It’s ok to buy one ripe banana.
• It’s ok to buy one piece of fish.

If you have ideas on how to avoid food waste, pass them on to Liz in an email and they will appear in the order of service next Sunday under the new section called:

Would you believe that:

MORE THAN 1/3 OF ALL FOOD IS BEING WASTED

• Food Waste is responsible for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions (that’s more than the whole aviation industry).
• We waste 2.5 billion tons of food annually, whilst 828 million people go hungry every day.
• Wasting food costs $1.2 trillion each year.

We have the following services for Holy Week:

• Sunday 24th March - Palm Sunday Service in Bennochy, led by the Worship Group, 11am
  
  
• Tuesday 26th March - Service in Linktown, 7pm
  
  
• Wednesday 27th March - Service in Abbotshall, 7pm,
  
  
• Thursday 28th March - Maundy Thursday service in St Bryce, 7pm
  
  
• Friday 29th March - Good Friday service in Bennochy, 7pm
  
  
• Sunday 31st March - Easter Sunday service in Bennochy, joint with St Bryce, led by Rev Stewart McPherson, 11am

Saturday 20th April is International Organ Day 2024, promoted by the Royal College of Organists, and Stuart, our organist is organising a special event in the sanctuary of Bennochy Church between 3.45pm - 6pm.

Some of his piano students will be showcasing their keyboard skills and there will be a chance to try the organ yourself.

Admission is free but donations for the upkeep of our organ will be gratefully received. For further details please speak with Stuart after the service or contact the office on 07483 162346.

Donations can be transferred via the following details:

Account Name: Bennochy Parish Church
Sort Code: 80-16-84
Account number: 06022892
Reference: Organ Fund

We have published a Video of the Organ Day.

Following a process where all members were invited to submit a suggested name for our new congregation after the union, your Strategy Team, then each Kirk Session, drew up a short list.

This was then refined by the Strategy Team with two names emerging as the strongest and most favoured candidates: Kirkcaldy Central Kirk and Langtoun Central Kirk.

All members were then invited to select their preference, resulting in a majority decision for:

Langtoun Central Kirk.

The name expresses a fondness for the intimate friendliness of the Langtoun name while also indicating the geographical location for the new congregation’s ministry and mission. Officially, it will also include something like (Church of Scotland, Kirkcaldy) in brackets on official documents.

This name will be included in the Basis of Union (along with other items) on which each congregation will vote in due course.

Thank you to all who participated and contributed.

Stewart McPherson, Interim Minister

Following the success of the pre Christmas Advent Bible Study, we are offering six weeks of Lent Bible Study on the theme of Food.

They will be held on Thursdays, in the St Andrews Hall, from 9.45am to 11am, finishing in time for the Open Door Cafe opening. Each week is a stand alone exploration in conversation, of a Gospel passage: a Bible Blether…

The first one is on Thursday 15th February when “Local Food Hero” will look at the Wedding Feast at Cana: everyone is welcome!

If you have any questions, speak to, or contact Nancy Gilmartin.

A Mission Conference will be held in Linktown Church Hall on Saturday 10th February from 10am – 12noon and is open to all from the four town centre churches. Please let our session clerk know if you wish to attend.

Coffee will be available from 9.30am.

The conference will be led by Lorraine Orr, the mission director from Fife Presbytery. This will be an opportunity to focus on the shape of the future mission as a new congregation in Kirkcaldy.

The Bennochy Community Choir will be taking part in the 42nd Fife Festival of Music which runs from 30th January - 9th February.

A Scottish Night has been organised by the 4 Churches Social Group for Wednesday 31st January in Abbotshall Church hall. Tickets, price £3, are available now.