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Our next BookBug session is planned for Thursday 19th December, 1.30pm - 2.15pm. Everyone under five years welcome with a grown up.

Well will be reading Christmas stories and enjoying some activities.

Donations of £353.47 were collected towards the Kirkcaldy Food Bank at the Community Christmas Sing last Friday evening. A big thank you to all who donated, or just came along to make it a successful evening.

On the afternoon of the 9th December there will be a Dementia Friendly Service at 2pm in the church, which will be followed by afternoon tea till 4pm.

This has been jointly organised with Alzheimers Scotland, and Dunnikier Primary will be singing at the service. All are very welcome to come along and join in.

The November 2019 newsletter is now available from our missionary partner Jenny Featherstone in Zambia.

You can read her latest news by clicking here ...

The Flower List for 2020 is now available in the vestibule of the Church. If you wish to donate flowers, please put your name on the list against the appropriate date or speak to Senga Booth.

If you wish to have a poinsettia(s) in the church for a friend or in memory of a loved one, please put your name on the Poinsettia List in the vestibule of the church by Sunday 8th December. These plants will decorate the church on Sundays 15th and 22nd December. After the service on 22nd December you can take the plants home. The cost of a plant will probably be £6 and these are large plants. Payment should be made to Senga Booth.

Bennochy Guides (Rangers, Guides, Brownies & Rainbows) are holding a fundraising Christmas Fayre on Wednesday 11th December from 6-8 p.m. with stalls and a photo booth. All are welcome.

The total collected on Remembrance Sunday for Poppy Scotland was £390.29.

Update: A letter of thanks has been received from Poppy Scotland for our recent donation of £390.29. It is only through such donations that they are able to continue offering help and support to the families of those who have served, and are still serving, in the armed forces.

We have received the following letter from the Kirkcaldy Foodbank:

Gabi Paterson, our local artist, is again exhibiting this year at the Olive Branch Cafe on Thursday, 14th November. Specialising in birds, on show will be a selection of her latest paintings including a range of greeting cards. A raffle for one of her paintings will take place with proceeds being donated to the Cafe Project. For anyone thinking of a unique gift this is definitely worth a look.

Thank you very much to everyone who filled a shoebox or gave a donation. 87 boxes were filled by the congregation and 25 boxes were filled by children of Dunnikier School and Nursery. Also, donations amounting to £135 were received from people who were unable to fill a shoebox. This was greatly appreciated by the driver and his passenger who have done voluntary work for Blythswood for a number of years and love to come to the cafe’ when they come on a Thursday to uplift the boxes.

By filling a shoebox with simple things you can bring a smile to someone living in poverty this Christmas. Thank you to everyone who helped in any way to make the Shoebox Appeal so successful. Well done Bennochy Church!

Update: A letter has been received from Blythswood Care thanking everyone for being an important part of the 2019 Shoebox Appeal. Every gift in every shoebox makes a difference and lets somebody know that they have been thought about and loved. The impact can last longer than the festive season, it can bring a smile and transform a life. Thank you all for bringing a smile this Christmas.

Our next BookBug session is planned for Thursday 31st October, 1.30pm - 2.15pm. Everyone under five years welcome with a grown up.

We will be sharing the book Winnie the Witch by Korky Paul and Valerie Thomas. The theme will be based around cats and colours.

The Walkers next walk is on Sunday 3rd November. The walk is the Coaltown of Balgonie circuit . It's an easy walk on good paths for 4 miles. Our refreshments will be at Kirkcaldy Garden Centre. We will leave the church at 12.45pm and as usual all are welcome to join.

The Family Quiz Night is on Saturday, 19th October at 6.30 p.m. in the Methven Hall. Tickets on sale now from members of the Women's Group.

Teams of four please.

The Stewardship season for 2019 will be Sundays 13th and 20th October. Please note change of dates. This is to allow for a Kirkcaldy wide service to take place on Sunday 27th October in Pathhead Church, starting at 11am.

Please let an office bearer know if you will require a lift to Pathhead. The service will be led by the Revd. Peter Neilson.

The Walkers next walk is on Sunday 6th October. The walk is the Beveridge Park Circuit, taking in the Raith Lake and the Mill Dam. Our refreshments are at the Buffalo Farm, somewhere new for us to try. We will be leaving from the church at 12:45 pm as usual. All welcome.

Our Harvest 2019 service takes place on Sunday 6th October, when again we hope to have Jenny Featherstone joining us on Skype from Zambia.

There will be an offering taken for Jenny's work in Zambia and donations for Kirkcaldy foodbank.

There is a high demand for food at this time. Suggested food items are –

• Canned Fish
• Canned Meat
• Canned or Dried Fruit
• Canned Vegetables
• Canned Soup
• Canned Beans or Spaghetti
• Long Life Milk (UHT)
• Long Life Fruit Juice (UHT)
• Rice
• Pasta
• Pasta Sauce
• Cereal
• Tea and Coffee

Our food donations went to the Kirkcaldy Foodbank, where they were most gratefully received.

Our next BookBug session is planned for Thursday 26th September, 1.30pm - 2.15pm. Everyone under five years welcome with a grown up. Come along for some nursery rhymes and activities based around the book "Farmer Duck" by Martin Waddell & Helen Oxenbury.

Next time you have a celebration with family and friends, why not hire a section of the church’s bunting to decorate your venue?

£5 per hire - 19 flags on the bunting.

Contact G&Q on 07980 367632.

This year’s Christmas Lunch at the Olive Branch Cafe will be held on Thursday 5th December. Menu and tickets are available now.

The Old Kirk is celebrating its 775th anniversary, going back to 1244, and is holding a special Service of Thanksgiving on Sunday 22nd September at 3 pm. which our minister and members of our congregation are invited to attend.

The invitation is also being extended to all the Christian churches in Kirkcaldy because the Old Kirk is the mother church of all the congregations and denominations in the town. Bennochy Church has a special relationship with the Old Kirk as the former St John’s was a daughter church of the Old Kirk. If anyone is interested in knowing more of the history concerning this please speak to our Session Clerk or minister.

It is time again to think about those less fortunate than we are - by filling a shoebox with gifts for people that have so little we can make a difference. Shampoo, socks, a notepad, a small toy, a bag of sweets, toothpaste and toothbrush, scarf and hat - these are just some of the things we take for granted but will seem like luxuries to people living in poverty.

Please support this appeal and bring some happiness to someone in need this Christmas. Covered shoeboxes will be available from next Sunday and the filled boxes will be uplifted at the beginning of November. Please bring your shoebox to church on Sunday, 3rd November or the Sunday nearest to that date. (not 27th October). Thank you.

On 1st September there will be a display of children’s beanie hats in the Methven Hall. Green and Quirky team members have knitted these from donated wools. Most will cost £2.50 each.

Anyone starting to think of their Christmas shoebox contents? Here’s a beanie to get you started!

The Messy Church experience continues with a Mercat Messy Church on Saturday 24th August, from 11am - 3pm, every one welcome to pop in and take part or just say hello. Children must be accompanied with an adult.

On Sunday 22nd September, Messy Sunday will be happening at Bennochy Parish Church. The day will begin with the worship service at 11am and a BBQ at 1pm to begin the afternoon activities. This year we welcome Kirkcaldy North Primary Choir, Police Scotland and Cycling UK bringing particular activities to our Messy Sunday. Hope you are able to join us. This is a free event.

If you have a static exercise bike that you could loan to Messy Sunday to be used on the forthcoming Messy Sunday afternoon, could you let George Drummond know please. If required arrangements can be made to pick them up.

If you are in a position to help on the day, please contact Louisa Turner, Development Worker.

Our next Book Bug session is planned for Thursday 29th August, 1.30pm in the Prayer room. Under fives are welcome with their grown up to enjoy singing, rhyming, some play and a story. This is a free event.

The Open Door Project will be representing Bennochy Parish Church in the Mercat on Saturday 7th September from 11am - 3pm in the Community unit in the Mercat as part of Diversity week. Pop in and say hello and take a look at the other faiths which are being represented at the Interfaith event.

Free Sanitary Products are now available at Bennochy - As part of the Scottish Government's strategy to tackle Period Poverty, funding was sought to purchase sanitary products.

As Bennochy Church opens its doors to the wider community through our youth organisations, Olive Branch Community Café, Community Choir and other groups, we were successful in a bid to receive products. Free sanitary products are now available in all toilets in the building, including the gents. Please take what you need for you and your family.

If more are required, please contact Louisa Turner, Development Worker, as we have extra supplies and can request more.

Over the summer, as well as our joint services in July (see below), the Kirk Session has agreed to trial earlier services during August. These services will begin at 10.30am and not at 11am.

This will then be reviewed, to consider earlier start times in the future.

The summer Joint Churches services will all start at 11am at the following venues:

• 7th July at Linktown Church
• 14th July at Abbotshall Church
• 21st July at St Bryce Kirk
• 28th July at Bennochy Church

Our next Book Bug session is on Thursday 30th May from 1.30-2.15pm, when we will be sharing the book 'The Teddy Bears' Picnic'. Children under five, with their adult, are welcome to join us.

A Home League Rally will be held by the Salvation Army at 2pm on Monday 13th May at their Hill Street building beside the bus station.

There will be special guests from their East Midlands and Edinburgh divisions alons with singers and an accordian.

Refreshments will be provided.

Our next Book Bug session is on Thursday 25th April from 1.30-2.15pm, when we will be sharing the book 'Rosie's Hat' by Julia Donaldson and Anna Currey, with songs and rhymes. Children under five, with their adult, are welcome to join us.

Christian Aid Week this year is from 12th - 18th May.

The Christian Aid Soup and Sweet Lunch is on Sunday 12th May immediately after the service. Tickets available from Christine or Charlie Low and Angela Stewart.

Update: As a result of the morning service collection on 19th May, £478 was raised. Added to the previous Sunday's Soup and Sweet Lunch total of £507 and the reclaim of tax through Gift Aid of £75, the overall total is £1060.

Thank you most sincerely to everyone who donated in any shape or form towards achieving this very acceptable sum and to the benefit it will bring to others in need.

Our new Yoga Classes start on 25th April and cost just £5 per class. Dru Yoga classes use traditional Yoga postures as well as simple Tai Chi based sequences to bring peace and calmness within.

Each class is suited to men and women and is tailored to the needs of the attendees.

The Walkers next walk is on Sunday 7th April. The walk is to Lochore Meadows on 7th April leaving church at the usual time of 12.45pm. Only 3.5 to 4 miles flat walking so not too taxing. Refreshments at the cafe near the loch. All are welcome.

The Kirk Session recently decided that Bennochy Church should no longer appear in the weekly ‘Church Notices’ section of the Fife Free Press, which is proving costly. Instead details of services and news of events & organisations etc will appear in the ‘Community News’ section as and when required.

If you wish anything to be included in this please let Liz know by the Sunday morning. All such information can also be found on our website.

The Women’s Group Bunny Drive will be on Tuesday 9th April at 6.30 p.m. in the Methven Hall. Tickets, £4 adults & £2 children, are available from Group members. Come along and join in the fun.

Update: The ladies of the Women's Group wish to thank everyone who attended or helped in any way to make their recent Bunny Drive such a successful and enjoyable evening. The sum of £502 was raised.

There will be a Spring Coffee Morning on Saturday 30th March, 10.30am in the Methven Hall. Home baking and a ‘musical interlude’. Donations of baking welcome. Tickets £3.

Update: The final amount raised at the Spring Coffee Morning at Bennochy last Saturday is £665.00. Grateful thanks to all who baked, donated, served and helped in any way, and also to Wesley for his much appreciated musical accompaniment.

The 2019 joint Lent Studies course, along with Linktown, Abbotshall, St Bryce & the Congregational Church, begins on Sunday 3rd March at 7pm in Abbotshall Church hall and will run for 6 weeks. The second meeting will be at Bennochy on 10th March, then Linktown, Congregational, St Bryce and finishing back at Abbotshall on 7th April. The subject is ‘Manna & Mercy for Lent’ and all are welcome to attend any or all the meetings.

Messy Church will be returning on Sunday, 24th March, from 2pm – 4pm. The theme will be ‘Welcome Back’ and following the adventure of the Prodigal Son. Plenty of messy play, crafts and activities are planned. Everyone welcome, children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, please contact Louisa Turner, Development Worker.

A date for your diary! Wednesday 13th March, 11.15am – 12.30am, Dementia Friendly Awareness Course. Open to all, who would like to become a Dementia Friend. The course is being delivered by Ruth McCabe, Project Manager, Dementia Friendly Fife. By attending the course, you would be helping Bennochy Parish Church gain their Dementia Friendly Space Award – we would then be the first church in Kirkcaldy, to gain such an award. To book your place, please contact Louisa Turner, Development Worker.

The Community Garden team will resume meeting after their winter break on Monday 18th February, 10am – 12 noon. We will initially meet in the Elgin room and then go outdoors. Please dress appropriately for the weather – we have some tidying up to do in the garden, however if the weather is inclement, there are indoor preparation jobs which can be tackled! Everyone is welcome. Come along for a blether, even if you feel that you are unable to be active in the garden, you could help by popping on the kettle! For more information, please contact Louisa Turner, Development Worker.

The Open Door Project are pleased to be delivering their first Bookbug session: in the Prayer room at Bennochy, on Thursday 21st February, from 9.30am – 10.00am. There is no charge for the Bookbug session.

We will be sharing a book, singing familiar songs and rhymes, and having fun with Lycra! The session is open to parents/carers and under-fives. However, if you were part of the intergenerational ‘adopt a grandparent’ Bookbug sessions in 2018, you are welcome to join us.

The Olive Branch café will open early that day to offer attendees refreshments after the session.

What is Bookbug?

• Develop a child’s language skills
• Give time to cuddle and help with bonding with the child
• Help you and the child feel more relaxed
• Boost the child’s confidence
• Encourage the child to draw and write
• Give the child a head start in life

For more information and to sign up for a place at the Bookbug session, please contact Louisa Turner, Development Worker.

The G & Q needs the following items you may find lying in the garage or in your sewing box. Pat, Rona, Pamela or Dianne would love to have them if you have no further use for them:

• Hessian
• Small Pieces of lace Small piece (18 x 18 inches) fine plastic mesh.
• Flower wires or similar.
• Chunky polystyrene.
• Very small amount bold coloured gloss paint.
• Small amount undercoat.
• 2 paintbrushes
• Paint stripper