Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthenasia

As a contibution to the debate here is an interesting read about a French journalist who has has a heart attack and can subseqently only communicate by winking his eye. With the help of a Care Worker he writes a book giving his thoughts on his life.

Report from Lesotho

Duncan and I had a fascinating trip to Lesotho at the start of this month. I was there for a week, with Duncan staying a few days longer. Robyn and Palesa have settled in really well and both seem to be enjoying life back in Lesotho. They have a good network of friends and a busy life. They also have a 14 year old girl, Nthuseng currently living with them.

We spent most of our time visiting orphanages and other organisations working with street children in Lesotho to try and help Robyn finalise her plans for her work and also to help her form links with other organisations and individuals working with street children in Lesotho. Robyn is currently volunteering with some existing organisations who work with orphans and street children and has also built up good relationships with a number of street boys. Her hope is to establish a centre for the boys, with a view to re-integrating them back with their wider families where this is possible.

Robyn is living in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho, which has a population of over 200,000. It is right on the border with South Africa so there is a big South African influence. As in much of southern Africa, AIDS is a real problem, and the main reason why children end up on the streets (when they lose their parents). As Leostho is a mountainous country and fairly far South, winters can be very cold and hard for children living on the streets.

Whilst we were in Maseru for most of our time, we did spend a night in a remoter area with friends of Robyn who are working for YWAM on an agricultural project which gave us a great opportunity to see some more of the country and to experience life without the mod-cons available in Maseru.

Duncan and I hope to share a bit more of our experiences at the Impact Cafe in March. In the meantime please pray for Robyn and Palesa that God will keep them safe and bless them. Please pray for Robyn as she looks to establish her work and secure a suitable property for a centre. Please also pray for the street children and orphans that Robyn works with that she will be able to bring God's blessing to them. Give thanks too for safety for both Duncan and myself travelling and pray for Duncan's safety as he returns home from Tanzania this week.

I'm a bit restricted in what photos I feel able to put on the blog but I have a lot more on Flickr (click here - you'll need a Flickr or Yahoo account to see them).

Rod MacLean

Lectionary Readings

Lectionary Readings for Sunday 1st March
Genesis 9: 8-17; Psalm 25: 1-10
1 Peter 3: 18-22; Mark 1: 9-15

Weekend Away

I have just had a quick look through the photographs I had taken of our weekend away with the young folk down at the Cairngorm Christian Centre, Kincraig. What a fantastic weekend we have just had. The young people of our church are brilliant. We are very blessed as a church to have such a great group of young folk. I just want to say a huge thanks to those who helped make the weekend possible - Shona, Rachel, Stuart, Rosie, Jonathan, Gillian, Angus and of course our amazing cooks Margaret and Sandra. Thanks also to those who donated homebaking, very nice indeed.

Chris

Look out for some more photos at next weeks morning service.

The second service

This is a heads up for everyone that the second service is kicking of again on March 1st in the Lighthouse at 11.30. It'll be headed up by Jonathan Fraser with a team of others that will preach from time to time. All are welcome and if you know of anyone that you think might like to join us but doesn't read this blog, please let them know.

Lectionary Readings

Lectionary Readings for Sunday 22nd February 09
2 Kings 2:1-12; Psalm 50:1-6
2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Mark 9:2-9

Hilton Church Sermons Online

Hilton Church Sermons can now be heard regularly online by following the link on the Hilton Church web site Home Page. To short-cut you to Jonathan Fraser's morning sermons from last week and yesterday click here

Valentine's Day @ the Light House

Come along to the Light House Cafe today, for Love Heart biscuits, heart shaped marshmallows on your Hot chocolate and a special valentine's day atmosphere!!
Lunches are also now being served at the Light House and are proving to be so successful that we need more volunteers to help please! If you have some time to spare between 10 and 4 Tuesday to Saturday and would like to volunteer to help out in the cafe, please don't hesitate to speak to me, Gwen Barlow or Susie Fraser or give us a call on 01463 224477. Blessings!

So what about euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide?

We are continually being confronted by the issues of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS). Margo MacDonald MSP recently presented a television documentary about this, and has now launched her consultation paper, in the hope that a Bill will be passed by the Scottish Parliament to legalise euthanasia and PAS. Opinion polls suggest that such legislation would be favoured by the majority in our society. Is that what you think?

On Thursday 26th February at 7.30pm in the Church, Dr Stephen Hutchison will give a presentation about the proposals and about what happens elsewhere in the world where these actions are legal. Most people hold strong views on all this, and a significant part of the evening will be available for discussion.

Young folks weekend away...Homebaking

All the young folk from Teenscene and Nitelife are heading off to the Cairngorm Christian Centre next friday for a weekend together. We are all really looking forward to it and hoping that it will snow some more next week.

Our cooks for the weekend are Margaret, Sandra and Susie and they would like some help in the homebaking department. So, if you feel you could provide some homebaking for us young folk (yes I am still fairly young) then please speak to Margaret Lamond or leave some in the church kitchen before 6pm on friday 20th Feb.

Thanks
Chris

Weddings Are Easy. Marriages Are Difficullt.

When I talk with people who come to me in preparation for marriage, I often say, “Weddings are easy, marriages are difficult.” The couple want to plan a wedding; I want to plan a marriage. I can do a wedding in twenty minutes with my eyes shut but a marriage takes year after year of alert, wide-eyed attention.” (Rev Eugene Peterson. “The Quest”)

"Connect 2" – is about taking time out to enrich your relationship through 5 sessions: 1.The Power of Commitment 2. Communication, Communication, Communication. 3. Resloving Differences, Great & Small 4. Intimacy & Togetherness 5. Living With An Eye to the Future.

Dates.
Tuesday 3 March / Tuesday 17 March / Tuesday 14 April
Tuesday 28 April / Tuesday 12 May
(Friday 13 March Ten Pin Bowling)

All sessions 8-10pm
Location: The Light House, 4, Tomatin Road
(Beside the Church)
Cost £20 (excluding bowling)

Contact: 01463 233310 / 07746 770 695
families@hiltonchurch.org.uk

Hyphop - friday past

Around 25 kids braved the snowy conditions and came along to Hyphop this past Friday, it was good to see them all. We actually thought nobody was going to turn up as there was only one child in the hall at 5.58pm, but within those remaining two minutes before 6pm they all just appeared from nowhere.

We played some games to warm us up then sang a few songs, listened to a wee bit more Moses' story, had some juice and biscuits then sang another few songs before sending them all home. It was another good night.

Still needing a few more helpers.....

Chris

Ignite - 14th March 2009 at the Ironworks

The video explains what Ignite is all about.

Night out with Buddy Holly

Men’s Night Out
Saturday 18th April 8pm
Interested in going to The Buddy Holly Story?
Tickets £20-25 approx.
Sign-up with your buddies,
in the Church foyer by Sunday 22nd Feb.

Fancy a game.....?

Men's Games Night
Starts Monday 23rd Feb and will run on the last Monday of every month. Hilton Church Large Hall from 7.30pm. Table Tennis, Pool, Snooker and Darts will be the main activities.
Are you up for the challenge?

Strictly Come Praying - SU Event. (Oh and it's a Snow Day)

At last Inverness gets the snow...woohoo. Shame I only live round the corner from the church or I could have stayed at home and built a snowman, I'm sure that is what Susie and Jonathan are doing up in Milton of Leyes....lucky them.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you about an event being run by Scripture Union on Saturday 18th April 2009. It is called Strictly Come Praying and is an event for young people in P7 to S6 to gather together for a whole host of things including, praise and worship, teaching on prayer, workshops, multi-sensory prayer stations, dinner and chat. They are hoping for around 600 young folk this year.

So, Strictly Come Praying, Saturday 18th April 2009, 11am till 4pm at Culduthel Christian Centre. Tickets cost £3. To book call 0141 352 7632 or email schoolsprayernetwork@suscotland.org.uk

More info on the event can be found here.


Chris

Assemblies and stuff

Wednesday is my day at Hilton Primary School with two assemblies in the morning and an SU group in the afternoon. For the past couple of months I have also been helping out with the Cycle Proficiency test for the P6's, helping the kids to stay in control of their bike and understand the rules of the road when cycling. Great thing to be involved in.

I am just back from this mornings assemblies where we played the game 'Risk it for a Biscuit', where the kids get a chance to win a four fingered kitkat just by answering a few questions. There are some maths, english and geography questions in there, plus a Bible question at the end and if answered correctly wins them a Four Fingered Kitkat....lots of fun. The Bible question this morning was linked to the parable of the Good Samaritan, and at my next assembly we will look at that parable in more detail. My thought is to get the SU group to act out the story first before talking about it. So this afternoon at SU Group we will be rehearsing the story of the Good Samaritan, teaching the kids to 'love thy neighbour'... or the person they don't really get on with in the playground.

Chris

Saturday Opening at the Light House Cafe

Hello everyone, Gwen Barlow here announcing the opening of the Light House Cafe on Saturdays from this Saturday onwards. This Saturday it will be open from 10am to 2pm serving the usual coffees and cakes but from next week onwards we are serving lunches!
The opening hours from next Tuesday 10 February onwards will be:
Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm
We look foward to seeing you :)

Blessings!
Gwen

Lectionary Readings

Sunday 8th February 09

Malachi 3:1-4; Psalm 24
Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40