KILRENNY PARISH CHURCH

 

Contact: Corinne                                                                                            

email: corinne@peddies.com                                

or telephone (01333) 311408

KILRENNY CHURCH CHRONICLE

ISSUE 21 Sunday 9th August 2020.

 

Kilrenny Church website

https://e-voice.org.uk/kilrenny/

 

EMERGENCY HELP:

East Neuk Covid19 Emergency help numbers:

0800 999 6543 - 07818 414178.

 

 Worship and personal reflection:

''Our homes are in a Real and Important way the places of worship''

 

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10

This week our worship is the second worship service prepared for congregations by The Moderator of the General Assembly - The Right Reverend Dr Martin Fair

 

Let us worship God, Praise the Lord all you people.

HYMN Love divine all loves excelling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGGcqhKShQ8

Love divine all loves excelling, joy of heaven to earth come down

Fix in us thy humble dwelling all thy faithful mercies crown

Jesus thou art all compassion pure unbounded love thou art

Visit us with thy salvation enter every trembling heart

 

Come almighty to deliver let us all thy life receive

Suddenly return and never, never more thy temples leave

Thee we would be always blessing serve thee as thy hosts above

Pray and praise thee without casing, glory in thy perfect love

 

Finish then thy new creation pure and spotless let us be

Let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee

Changed from glory into glory till in heaven we take our place

Till we cast our crowns before thee lost in wonder love and praise

 

Ephesians 2:1-10                                              (Good News Translation). 

 

In the past you were spiritually dead because of your disobedience and sins. ² At that time you followed the world's evil way; you obeyed the ruler of the spiritual powers in space, the spirit who now controls the people who disobey God. ³ Actually all of us were like them and lived according to our natural desires, doing whatever suited the wishes of our own bodies and minds. In our natural condition we, like everyone else, were destined to suffer God's anger.

⁴ But God's mercy is so abundant, and his love for us is so great, ⁵ that while we were spiritually dead in our disobedience he brought us to life with Christ. It is by God's grace that you have been saved. ⁶ In our union with Christ Jesus he raised us up with him to rule with him in the heavenly world. ⁷ He did this to demonstrate for all time to come the extraordinary greatness of his grace in the love he showed us in Christ Jesus. ^8-9 For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it. ¹⁰ God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.

 

REFLECTION

Last time when we were together, we were reflecting on one of those big questions, who am I; this question of our identity. I spoke a little bit about the book Sophie’s World. How it happens in the book is simply this; Sophie checks out the mailbox at her house and she finds in it a simple envelope and in the envelope, there is one piece of paper and on that piece of paper are three words only – WHO ARE YOU? As Sophie reflects on that she begins to realise she has no idea. She finds it odd to think that she really doesn’t know who she is.

 

I wonder if it is all that odd? I wonder if in fact it’s true of many of us, that we are not all together sure of who we are. How would you answer that question? If you had picked up that envelope today, if it had been posted through your letterbox and you opened it and on that one piece of paper were those three questions WHO ARE YOU how would you answer? Last time I defined my identity by saying first and foremost that I am a child of God. I am a child of God and flowing out of that, as I try to work out about what it means to be a child of God, then I begin to think about my connectedness, my relationship to God Himself, to other people, those around me and to the very planet on which I live. That’s at least a beginning of an answer to the question who am I from a Christian point of view.

 

Following on from the question who am I, which as we’ve said is about our identity. Following on comes this question, why am I here? Which is a question of purpose. What is the point of my existence? Is there any reason? Is there any point in me being here? We all need at some point to work out our purpose.

 

Of course, as a Christian there are so many parts to that answer and I’m sure it’s not one against the other but a combination of those many different aspects. We could think, for example, back to Jesus when he called those first disciples, when he said to them, “Follow me and I will teach you to fish for people.” Maybe that is part of our purpose, yes to follow Jesus and to fish for people, which is about embracing other people in the net of God’s love, expressed in Jesus, or at the end of the gospels when we find Jesus again with his followers now after of course his death and rising again and saying to them, “Go into all the world, make disciples of all nations baptising them and teaching them all that they must obey. So surely that for the Christian will be part of our purpose; to go into all the world to share the good news of Jesus and to lead others into that life of following after him as his disciples.

 

Or what about this as we consider further the question of our purpose. The very last verse we heard read to us from the letter to the Ephesians this morning; God has made us what we are and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds which he has already prepared for us to do.

 

Sometimes people get a bit cagey when you begin to talk in these terms.   Folks, I want to say is we are not saved by doing good works, good deeds. No of course not and we don’t need to go down that road. Clearly it says just a little earlier in the passage; it is by grace we are saved through faith, the amazing grace of God shown to us through Jesus Christ it is by grace we are saved. So, we are not saved bydoing good works, good deeds but it is abundantly clear in the passage that we are saved for a life of good deeds.

The jaw dropping part of this passage is when it says that God has already prepared in advance this life of good deeds for us, this life of good works and service.

 

Folks stop and think about that for a moment. The Almighty God, Creator and Sustainer of all things bothers about us, about each one of us and has plans and purpose for our lives. I wonder if at time folks are looking for perhaps something more dramatic. Well maybe that comes but isn’t it a great starting point in terms of thinking about our purpose, about why we are here, to think in terms of those good works that God has prepared for us to do. It seems to me that if we started there we’d be on the right road.

 

Maybe the way to begin is by simple acts of random kindness. I noticed in our town, just a street or so away from where we live, one household has put a cardboard box at their doorstep. It has been there pretty well all through lockdown and in that box they put items one after another and there’s a simple sign on it which says, “Please take anything that you need.” Well there’s an act of random kindness. It warms my heart to see that kind of thing taking place.

 

And two observations I make are these:

Number one, do we have to stop these acts of kindness when we get back to something like normal and out of lockdown. I’d love to think our communities would continue to be kind in those kinds of ways.

And the second observation is this, of course kindness is not restricted to Christian people or churches. Far from it. Many folks are showing kindness now, many folks are engaging in these good works and good deeds. And I for one rejoice to see that.

Acts of random of kindness may be the starting point for us as we seek to put into action the purpose for which we have been created. But there’s more to it for sure. We might at one moment be random and at the next very deliberate. And it comes to that deliberate working out of our purpose then I think we need to look no further than what’s offered to us by the prophet Micah, who encourages us to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God. Now when we begin to take these things together then we have the beginning of a strategy, a deliberate way of living in terms of our purpose being enacted.

 

What would this acting justly begin to look like in a world that is still so horribly divided? What would acting justly look like when some have so much and others next to nothing? What would acting justly look like in the face of, for example, this recent pandemic when it has been so abundantly clear that those in poorer communities have suffered considerably more so than others and in the light of the most recent debates what would acting justly look like when some are still treated differently because of the colour of their skin, because of their ethnicity? It can’t go on. Acting justly is what is called for from all of us as we seek to work out our purpose, why we are here.

 

And what would it look like as we started all the more to love mercy. Might it be that we would be engaged with forgiving much more than is perhaps the case? Might it be that loving mercy might require of you to forgive that person or those people who have offended you, who have hurt you beyond measure? Would love mercy involve reaching out to them?

 

And walking humbly. Might that mean that we have to listen more than tell? Might it mean that we had to begin to defer rather than insist and might it mean that we move well beyond it’s all about me.

 

So, I am a child of God and so are you and as God has plan and purpose for my life and as for me so for you. Go and live.

HYMN: What a friend we have in Jesus

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XRmGEbH0qs                       

 

What a friend we have in Jesus all our sins and griefs to bear

What a privilege to carry everything to Him in prayer

O what peace we often forfeit O what needless pain we bear

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer

 

Have we trials and temptations is there trouble anywhere

We should never be discouraged take it to the Lord in prayer

Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share

Jesus knows our every weakness take it to the Lord in prayer

 

Are we weak and heavy-laden cumbered with a load of care

Jesus is our only refuge take it to the Lord in prayer

Do your friends despise forsake you take it to the Lord in prayer

In His arms He’ll take and shield you will find a solace there

 

PRAYER OF INTERCESSION

(The Very Reverend Dr Susan Brown Convenor of the Faith Impact Forum)

 

Faith Impact is where the Church hits the ground running! The job of the Forum is to help individuals, congregations, Presbyteries and the Church as a whole, to live out Jesus call for ‘all to have life and have it in fullness’ (Jn 10:10)

We are about caring for those on the margins - in Scotland and in every corner of the world

And we are about caring too, for the world itself.

How do we pursue the peace and justice Jesus called for - for people and the world?

How do we work with our Lord in transforming this world in the light of God’s love?

By listening to people’s stories. By speaking out. By standing up and reaching out. By holding and of course by praying.

 

So let us pray:

Heavenly Father, since the beginning of time you have so generously given to us.

The breath you breathed in creation brought every living thing into being,

Help us we pray, not to take that creation for granted

But to care for it, protect it nurture it

As well as enjoy it…

Help us to live responsibly.

 

You have given us people too, to share this world with.

When we fail to notice the needs of others,

When we don’t hear their cries or see their tears,

Open our ears and our eyes our hearts and our hands

To hear and see

To heed and help.

 

Father, You sent your Son for the sake of all humanity -

Inspire us to live as sisters and brothers

And to live that connectedness

Generously and lovingly

Enjoying the companionship of your people in every part of the world

As we journey through this life together.

 

Heavenly Father, like your Son,

Plant in us a discontent with injustice.

Give us the courage to stand against what is unfair

And help us to reach out to those who are suffering…

Suffering through poverty, prejudice or oppression

 

May we dare to speak out for change in systems

That perpetuate such suffering

And model that change in the way we live

As individuals

And as a Church.

 

Give us the courage, Lord God, to love even as we are loved

And to do so in the name of Jesus Christ and for his sake… Amen

 

The Celtic Blessing in Gaelic and English

 

May His favour be upon you and a thousand generations and your family and your children and their children and their children.

 

May His presence go before you and behind you and beside you, all around you and within you.   He is with you, He is with you in the morning, in the evening, in the coming and the going, in the weeping and the rejoicing, He is for you He is for you.

 

BENEDICTION

And so send us out Lord with your blessing, with your favour which lasts from generation to generation which extends to our children and children’s children.

 

Send us out knowing that we are children of God and that our purpose is in serving you. Show us how you would have us live and may the blessing of God Almighty Father Son and Holy Spirit be upon each one of you today and forever more Amen

 

The Lord bless you and keep you, make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace.

 

 Let us Pray together, Our Lord's prayer,

(Allan)

 

Our Father, who art in heaven, 

hallowed be Thy name;

Thy kingdom come;

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory,

for ever and ever.

Amen.

 

A Reflection

Rev Ian W. F. Hamilton

“A WEDDING WHERE THE MINISTER LANDED IN THE SOUP!

A delightful privilege of a minister is to join couples together in Christian marriage. That privilege has been mine over many years of parish ministry and I’m happy to say it continues in retirement. Each wedding is special, not just for the couple but for all their guests present with them. However, I always assure each bride and groom that their wedding is particularly special for me as, by the grace of God, I have the privilege of joining them together as husband and wife and of invoking God’s blessing on their union.

Occasionally, in the heat of the moment there’s a wee slip! Like the time when the groom misheard the vows, and promised to be a “loving, faithful and BEAUTIFUL” husband!” to the lovely lass on his left. Of   course, the word he really wanted was “DUTIFUL!”

However, one wedding I will ever remember was that of Elizabeth and Charles, standing before me there in church together with best man and bridesmaids, and the service was about to start. The Hymn Sheets were behind me on the table, one for each of the bridal party. “On this happy day, let us worship God by singing the first hymn on the Order of Service,” said yours truly, stretching behind me for the Hymn Sheets.

 

When I opened it I couldn’t believe my eyes, it wasn’t the Hymn Sheet, it was the MENU for the hotel Reception to follow! The Hymn Sheets and Menus, beautifully produced, were exactly the same size and had the same cover page…and the Bridal party found themselves with Menus rather than Hymn Sheets!

We just couldn’t contain ourselves up there in the chancel when we realised the mix-up, so I just had to say something to the congregation, now all too aware that something wasn’t quite right!

 

“The Minister has opened the Order of Service and has discovered that he has landed in the soup…. Roast Tomato with Smoked Ham and Juniper Berries in fact!” The guests were rolling in the aisles especially when I continued, “This wedding has given me food for thought as never before!”

But the mix-up certainly brought a welcome touch of humanity to the family occasion, and it put the bride and groom at their ease for the remainder of the service…if not the Minister!

 

Later in the service I spoke about the meaning of Christian Marriage reminding the couple that God was very much present with them, just as Jesus was once present at a family wedding in Cana in Galilee. That wedding turned out to be memorable too because it was here that Jesus performed the miracle of turning water into wine, and this story has been, and will continue to be heard by millions.

Elizabeth and Charles’ wedding story may not be heard by just as many, but perhaps you’ll agree, it’s a very human, family story where God the Father of all families was surely present, a love story just begun and blessed richly by the God of love. (Ian)

 

Postcard from Kingskettle                   (Rev Michael Allardice)

Walking around the village, it’s become more apparent how we are not only adjusting to life in the current circumstances but also finding ways to return to something approaching “normality”. Houses that have been up for sale for months are now sporting “SOLD” signs and looking relieved. People who have obviously been holding off moving house are now taking the first steps and “For Sale” signs are now springing up in windows and gardens.

 

We were very sad when the Tea Room in the village was forced to close, but rumour has it that it’ll re-open soon under new management. Like so many villages across the country, Kettle has lost its shop and Post Office. Those who’ve lived in the village for many years tell us that there were many more shops – indeed the house we live in was apparently the sweet-shop, with a grocers next door. That might explain the odd arrangement of rooms we have at the back of the house! Anyway, the news that the Tea Room is to re-open is a real boost to everyone as it’ll provide us all with a place to meet and also act as a draw for passing cyclists and day-trippers.

 

Normally, for a village like Kettle, the Church is the centre of so much activity. The Bowling Club and local Pub are the other gathering points for locals, but these have all been closed for so long, and the processes involved in bringing them back to life are so time-consuming and expensive, that it will take many more months for them to resume their central roles in the lives of everyone in the community.

 

As things stand, the decision has been taken at the Howe of Fife Parish to delay the resumption of Church services until September. In part this is because of the restrictions that all churches are facing, but also because the Minister – Bill Hunter – has been using Zoom and Facebook to provide regular worship for those able to access the internet. As you all know at Kilrenny, each Church/Parish has it’s own character and Howe of Fife has four church buildings scattered around the villages of the Howe, but only one suitable for use at this time. The challenge of co-ordinating cleaning and prioritising who wants to come to worship, as well as ensuring the safety of everyone involved is something few of us have ever had to deal with.

 

At Kilrenny, you have been preparing for the resumption of worship for a significant period of time and hopefully that will happen very soon. It’ll be a while before the experience of worship will feel “normal”, but for many people just the opportunity of entering the sacred space of a Church will provide a sense of peace that has been missing for so many months.

 

However we worship, part of that experience is the sense of being with others who are sharing that time with you and with God. Naturally, our access to God’s grace is not dependent on where we are or the time of day, we seek God out, but there is something about being within a Church building that helps us to focus our attention on God and on ourselves. For some, the building is irrelevant, but for many others, especially in a Church like Kilrenny where there are so many memories and associations, the building really makes a difference.

 

Each Church and each congregation must decide how they wish to do things in the weeks ahead. I am looking forward to sharing worship – in whatever form – with you all sometime soon as you take those first steps back into the world as a worshipping community. In the meantime, I hope you will continue to support each other through phone calls, messages, and this newsletter that Corinne puts together so well each week. In doing so, we continue to worship and maintain community – just in a different form. (Michael)

 

Additional worship & Personal Prayers

 

Sunday Worship on Radio 4 at 08:10 Songs of Praise on BBC1 Sunday 1.15 pm.

Church of Scotland - Kirk Services online

www.churchofscotland.org.uk/worship   Rev Dr Amos Chewachong:

http://www.notchurch.co.uk

 

The Divine Weaver                                 Thanks to Jane MacDonald for this poem, (author unknown).

 

Man's life is laid in the loom of time

to a pattern he does not see

While the weaver works and the shuttles fly till the end of eternity.

Some shuttles are filled with the silver thread and some with threads of gold, while often but the darker hue is all that they may hold.

 But the weaver watches with skilful eye

each shuttle fly to a fro, and sees the

pattern so deftly wrought as the loom works sure and slow.

God surely planned that pattern – each

thread – the dark and the fair – was chosen by his master skill and placed in the web with care.

He only knows the beauty and

guides the shuttles which hold the threads so unattractive as well as the threads of gold.

Not till the loom is silent, and the shuttles

cease to fly, shall God unroll the pattern and explain the reason why the dark threads are as needful in the weaver’s skilful hand, as the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He had planned.

           

 

CHURCH NEWS

Church Worship - update:

 

St Andrews Presbytery has requested additional information and photographic evidence of compliance with the health and safety requirements laid down by both the Church of Scotland and St Andrews Presbytery from all congregations. This has been submitted and we await the approval of St Andrews Presbytery to reopen Kilrenny Church for worship.

 

Until approval is given, I cannot state with any certainty the date for reopening the church, but I am hopeful that Presbytery will give approval during the latter part of the forthcoming week, and that I will be able to confirm a definite date for reopening for worship in the next issue of the Chronicle.

Last week I attached a copy of the Church of Scotland Assessment Tool.

I would be grateful if you have made a decision not to attend the Church for worship if you would let me know, as the Kirk Session is desirous to ensure support for all members and quite understand any decision not to attend Church during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. (Corinne)

 

News of those wearing a Dog collar!

Doddie's diary and the trials of Ann       At last – signed off the sick list! You know when a child is getting better as they get cranky and bored with the restrictions. Doddie has been on lead exercise only for 10 days and he has become increasingly frustrated. I am sure my right arm is now longer than my left trying to modify his exploratory tendencies. That and being spun round like an old-fashioned top as he has strained to join in the other dogs’ games has had me tied up in all kind of knots.

 

I have been doing all that has been advised to ensure good healing of his wound. So it was with some dismay that I watched him walking in front of me and observed that he was limping. My first reaction was - “silly dog, what have you done now?” This is because at home it is impossible to stop his frequent moments of madness. I reeled him in and checked his back legs first, no apparent problem. Then I discovered it was “silly me”! I had put both his front legs down one hole of his harness so that I had him trussed like a turkey, no wonder he was hobbling along!! ( Ann)

 

 

 

Susan and Alfie.                              

Hello Everyone. It's Alfie again. Hope you are all well. Here is my latest update. I have enjoyed walks in Kingsbarns, Shell Bay and Kilrenny Common as well as my usual walks up and down the wynds in Pittenweem. In Kingsbarns I went for a swim with Mum's niece Ilona. Very strange never been swimming with a human before!! Lastly, I went up to the kennels for a quick visit to see my doggie day care mates.  Went for a lovely walk and had great fun. Mum says I spent the rest of the afternoon snoring loudly!!! All for now. Take care lots of love Alfie and Susan xx 

 

Allan & Sybil's Quiz answers

Bible crossword

(Bible Crossword by BiblePuzzles.org.uk)

 

Across: 1 Shekel, 4 Appeared,

10 Ephesians, 11 Cubit, 12 Rare,

13 Meditation, 15 Raisins, 16 Nathan,

19 Agreed, 21 Torches, 23 Atonements,

25 Baal, 27 Glean, 28 Millstone,

29 Teachers, 30 Rashly.

 

Down: 1 Shearers, 2 Exhorting, 3 East,

5 Passion, 6 Enchanters, 7 Rabbi,

8 Doting, 9 Bakers, 14 Nineteenth,

17 Ashtaroth, 18 Psaltery, 20 Dreamer,

21 Tittle, 22 Taught, 24 Omega,

26 Asia.

Allan & Sybil's Quiz

 

This week it is a Bible Word Search

 

 

The Naughty Choirboy

 

Our offspring had long since taken off on their own holiday trips when, in the spring of 2014, the Session Clerk and I found ourselves on a wee break in Italy.

Her Honour's normal diligence in keeping abreast of world affairs informed us that the Pope John XXIII (Papacy 28/10/58 - 3/6/63) known as Good Pope John (il papa buono) in respect of numerous benevolent acts of his, was to be Canonised on 27th April, 2014.

"Now there's an experience!" we thought, "to observe such an event" We decided to make our way there early on that Sunday morning, as did thousands of other people, including Royalty and Government representatives from all corners of the globe.

 

It wasn't until we had arrived there, positioned on the very outer echelons by gentlemen you didn't argue with, that we discovered we had happened upon a historical double Canonisation, as the Pope John Paul II (papacy 16/10/78 - 2/4/05) was also being Canonised on the same day, in respect of acts of his more related to the major governance of the Roman Catholic Church.

 

As we were to discover, this double event created divisions of opinion among those who cared one way or another, and media types seemed to be everywhere.

 

In the midst of all this activity, I was aware of a youngish woman with presence, reminiscent of a loaded tanker punching through an ice floe, bearing down on me through the crowd, wielding a microphone like a sword, and dragging a poor cameraman behind. All my life, I was aware that only in the eyes of my dear, late Mother was I regarded as one in a million, so to be selected in this crowd, of I believe, half a million, wasn't too bad, was it?

 

She was not Italian, which made me think she was deliberately selecting non-Italians to conceal her own linguistic deficiencies, as it proved impossible to use my polite day-to-day Italian words to engage in a conversation. So we tried French! To her stuttering astonishment, my French was so superior to hers that she quickly surrendered and said "English?"

So we spoke in English and I, being a gentleman, was very patient with her. (The Session Clerk was becoming less patient by the second!) The interviewer wanted to know my opinion on whether or not the double Canonisation should take place. I replied that it had only been during the previous hour that we had become aware of the situation, but that, in any case, I would respect the decision of those nominated to make it.

 

"You are member of English Church?" she asked me.

"I am Scottish, and I am a member of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of Scotland"

"And what will be the opinion of that Church my friend?"

"Well," I replied, "I think that during the forthcoming General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, a Committee may be set up to consider the matter, and to reply in three years time. That's what usually happens"

"But surely, sir, after three years, people will ignore their opinion"

"Aye," said I "That's what usually happens"

 

Members Stories

Mary's Story

 

Part 2. Davidson wis the grocer on Shore Street, Ainster, an he aye geid us a calendar at Christmas. The Calander an a paper rack an a letter rack were aa hung at ma fether’s side o the fire and at ma mither’s side wis the preen cushion an the shears. The schule holidays was aa the holidays we ever had except St Aundrews Market. That wis on the second Tuesday o August, an still is. It’s kent as the Lammas Fair. We hid the weeks an the days counted tae Market day. We wid aa be scrubbed clean the nicht afore an ma hair pit in rag curlers. O I dinae like thae rag curlers. Whit a fecht tae get us aa ready in plenty time, for we had a three mile walk tae the station at Crail. Ma fether wid hae tae shave wi his auld faurant razor an mebbe cut hissel an gan aboot wi a lump o paper stuck on his chin tae stop the bleedin. Then he hid tae get his dickie on an ma mither wid hae it stairched that hard he widnae could get the studs in. O dear whit a fecht tae get ma fether ready for the market. We wid forget aa that by the time we wid get in the train. It wad stop at Kingsbaurns, Boarhills, Strathvithie afore we wid be at St Aundrews. The streets wis fou o shows an crouds o folk. Habby horses, show boats, the motors, stauns whaur you could get het pies, sugar herts, curly andras an yer haund read. Then the train hame again an that long weary walk. Ma mither wid licht the fire an get the black iron kettle on tae mak oor supper. Ma fether wid get oot the studs an say “Goad Anne, I’m gled tae get that dickie aff”. Efter market day it wis hervist time then tauttie time, an ma mither wid clout her creel. That wis the basket she gathered the tautties in. She covered it aa wi a seck cut tae fit, an shewed that on wi a seck needle an the creel wid last longer. I hae her seck needle yet an I hae the rug hook as weel. Gin winter time ma fether wid pit on a getherin coal on the fire an it burnt aa nicht an the kettle wid be sining ready tae mak the parritch in the morning. The fire on aa nicht wis haundy if ye hid a hoast. Ma mither wid pit some sugar and butter in an auld iron spune an haud it ower the fire till it wis toffee, by ye niver tasted toffee like thon. Gin threshin time we wid hear the big mill comin rattlin along the road, whit a din. Whit did we like about threshin time?. The workers got beer an baps an we got new chaff for pour tikes. Whit a graund reeshle an barmy smell has a new chaff tike. We wicnae be long an sleepin an be geu sweirt tae waukin gin morning. Setterday wis the day the man wid come tae kill the pig. Ma mither wid hae the byler fire on an the watter bylin tae plot the pig. The men wid pour on the bylin watter an scrape aff the hair. Then it wis hung up an cut doon the middle. We wid be waitin for the blather tae mak a fitbaa. We got a bit shank aff ma fether’s clay pipe tae blaw it up. I can mind o staunin on a chair an haudin up the puddins an mither wid pour the watter doun tae clean them. She made mealy puddins, black anes an potted heid an skirlins. We hid graund feeds when the pig wis kilt. Ma fether cut the big bits an rubbed them wi a mixture o saut an saut-petre an broun sugar. Thae bits wis packed in a barrel an efter a while they wid be cured an wid be hung up on a cleik on the rafters. Ma fether wore corduroy breeks like aa the ither farm workers an some o the pluemen wore carseckies in the summer time. A carseckie wis a sleeved waistcoat. We hid a packman every three weeks. That wis his nem, Peter three weeks. He selt sarks, an drawers an worsit. We had a fisherman asweel caaed Peter Cleek, his left haund wis a cleik an I wis awfie feart o that cleik. He selt herrin, an if the minister cam alang the road at the same time, he widnae tak herrin in his cairridge so ane o us bairns wid hae tae tak the herrin in a basin tae the manse back door an mebbe gat a ha’penny an rin tae Mrs Gold’s sweetie shop in Kilriennie for a lucky bag. A lucky bag wis a wee poke wi a wee drap sherbet an a big sugarelly tae souk out the sherbet. ( Ane o the delights o my childhood). Ae day Gordie an me thocht we widnae gan tae the schule an were gaun tae the sea whin we saw the whupper – in comin on his byke. We lowpit ower the dyke bit he hid seen ma white peeny an cautched us. We hid tae gan wi him tae the schule an the heidmaister geid us six o the tawse on baith hauns. I widnae be seven ear auld an ma wee hauns an ma wrists wis aa reid an blistert. Whin we went hame for wir denner ma mither says “Whit did ye get that fur” We telt her an she skelpit our dowps an sent us back tae schule an nae denner. So we didnae dae that again.

Concludes next week. (Malcolm)

 

Dictionary!

A bunch of SOUROCKS = Sourocks are young tender docken leaves children would chew.

LOCUST BEANS = Cattle feed, children would chew until only fibre left.

DULSE for oor denner = An edible red seaweed, (similar to a cabbage)

SAFT BACKS = Young green crabs shed hard shell every year.

 

The Kirk Session wish you a very safe, healthy and happy week ahead.

           

To Father, Son and Holy Ghost,

the God whom we adore,

be glory, as it was, and is,

and shall be evermore.

Amen.