Holy Week Services
All start at 7pm and will last no longer than half an hour.
Monday 29th March:  Tweedsmuir 'I am thirsty' John 19:30 led by Nan Burnett and Brian Bushell
Tuesday 30th March:  Drumelzier 'He is your son...she is your mother' John 19: 26-27 led by Julian Birchall and Pamela Strachan
Wednesday 31st March: Broughton 'Forgive them Father' Luke 23:24 led by John Burnett and Jane Gillham
Thursday 1st April: Stobo 'My God why have you forsaken me?' Mark 15:34 led by Bob Milne and will include Communion
Friday 2nd April: Skirling 'Father in your hands I place my spirit' Luke 23:46 led by Rosemary Hall and Isobel Hunter
Easter Sunday 4th April at Glenholm Churchyard at 8am
'Do not be afraid' Matthew 28:10 led by Rev Bob Milne
Followed by breakfast in the Glenholm Centre
Easter Sunday Services in Broughton and Skirling will be led by Rev Frances Henderson and in Tweedsmuir and Stobo by Rev Bob Milne

Singular honour for Mrs Rosemary Hall
The 23rd June was a proud day for our Clerk to the General Kirk Session, Mrs Rosemary Hall for on that date she was elected and installed as Moderator of The Presbytery of Melrose and Peebles.  This is a singular honour for Rosemary and is well deserved recognition of many years of service to the Presbytery as Presbytery Elder for Stobo and Drumelzier.
Rosemary conducted worship at the Presbytery meeting of 1st September which was held in Stobo Church.   It was a very well attended service and included a celebration of HolyCommunion.   Rosemary's address was well researched 
excellently delivered and left a lasting impression on those present.
Rosemary has made an impressive start to her year as Moderator and we all wish her the very best and God's Blessing during her tenure.



Come to Church Sunday
The Parishes are planning a "Come to Church Sunday" on the 27th September.  Invitations were included with Kirk Matters and it is hoped that those who do not normally attend will pop in to see what goes on, and that regular attenders will bring along a friend or neighbour.   
Dress is informal, singing optional(but enjoyable) and friendliness guaranteed.

25 years of Kirk Matters
The Autumn 2009 edition  Kirk Matters celebrates 25 years of publication, there are several articles from early editors and from both Ian Rennie and Rachel Dobie.   The early technology used to produce the magazine sounds anything but easy to work with.

Links with Malawi
Our twinning with Matiti Parish in Malawi as part of the Presbytry twinning with Zomba Presbytery is proceeding slowly.   Matati is a rural parish 15 miles from the regional centre of Zomba on tar and dirt roads.     The minister retired 4 years ago due to a stroke and they are awaiting a replacement.   Matiti is a remote parish with few of the congregation speaking or writing English, but there is a primary school with teachers eager to be involved in some kind of relationship, so we shall persevere despite the communication problems.

The Guild Summer Fete took place on Sunday 26th July, happily the sun came out in the afternoon so it took place in Tom Shearer's garden.    The sum of £750 was raised and the event was much enjoyed by the many who attended.

A team of 6 readers from the Parishes took part in a reading of the entire Bible in Traquair Kirk.   Our passages were from Acts and Romans on the afternoon of Thursday June 11th.   Those taking part found it a very uplifting experience.

Our Christian Aid fundraising week raised £1,816, thankfully there was good weather for the Car Boot Sale.

Rev Bob Milne inducted
On the evening 27th of March the induction of Rev Bob Milne to the Parishes of Upper Tweeddale took place, with all of the ceremony and speeches and hymn singing that entails.  There were a large number of people present from the Presbytery, from Bob's previous Parish of Langholm, Eskdalemuir, Ewes and Westerkirk, as well as from the Parishes of Upper Tweeddale.
The social which followed was a great success and it was clear that Rev Bob Milne was held in very high regard by his old Parish as testified to in the speeches and by the large number of people who had made the long journey from Langholm on a miserable night.

 

 We are looking for a leader and helpers to revive the Cool Club.   This is an afterschool club at Broughton Primary which ran successfully for several years.   We are also looking for volunteers to lead and help with this summer's Holiday Club.   We have had three very successful clubs and we are very keen to keep them going.

 A Farewell to Rachel Dobie

Around 180 people gathered at Broughton Village Hall on the evening of the 16th August to celebrate Rachel Dobie’s 12 years of ministry in Upper Tweeddale and to wish her and her husband Kirkpatrick well in their retirement.   An excellent cold buffet, witty speeches and swinging entertainment all added up to a most enjoyable evening.   Pat Middlemas and John Burnett are to be congratulated on all of their hard work and organisation…a future in event management clearly beckons!

Rachel and Kirkpatrick started off the evening in style as they were driven from the Manse at one end of the village to the hall at the other end in a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow.

Before supper Rachel conducted the assembled crowd in a very acceptably sung three part Grace.   Her musical work with the congregations has not been in vain!    Then table by table everyone filed through to the small hall to be met by a wonderful array of food.   Main courses were provided by Broughton elders, salads by Stobo & Drumelzier, and sweets by Skirling and Tweedsmuir.   The hall was full of lively chatter as the good food and the plentiful supplies of wine were enjoyed.

John Burnett then gave a witty address in Rachel’s honour and presented her with a locally hand crafted console table and a television, which she and Kirkpatrick should now have time to watch.   Betty Eastland presented Rachel with a cheque for the balance of the £3,400 plus that had been collected, and the Session Clerk of Edinburgh Old Church with whom we are twinned presented her with some beautiful flowers.   Rosemary Hall presented Kirkpatrick with the two volumes of Fairburn’s crests and Mottos, and he also picked up a bouquet of flowers and kisses from at least two ladies.  Rachel made a fond speech of thanks saying how what a privilege it had been to share the life of the community of Upper Tweeddale for twelve years. (Potential applicants for the Vacancy please note.)

After the excitement of the speeches and presentations everyone sat back and tapped their feet to music from The Peebles High School Swing Quartet.   These four then joined up with the other members of The Biggar Big Band and regaled the room with numbers such as Glen Millar’s ‘In the Mood’.   A very successful evening, thoroughly enjoyed by all who were there.