1968(Part 2)

Advertising revenue for the Crusader magazine had dropped considerably, and so an increase in donating through the Crusader Box from £27 4s in the first four months of 1967 to £30 7s 10d for 1968, and a donation from the Men's Association of £7 were very much appreciated.

The Garden Committee, having worked hard on the grounds, and with additional “skilled work on the rose-beds” from the Woman's Guild, ensured all would be in good condition for the Fête.

Mr and Mrs R. Adams of Dougrie Terrace celebrated their Golden Wedding in April with a small family party.

Miss Morag Erskine of Arnprior Road and Miss Margaret Mathieson of Farne Drive, Simshill completed their training in nursing successfully, Morag as a State Registered Nurse and State certified Midwife, and Margaret as a State Enrolled Nurse. Both had been Sunday School teachers in Castlemilk West, as well as being active in the Girls' Brigade, Youth Fellowship and Youth Club.



The Boys' Brigade Seniors now did Circuit Training, a modern method used by football clubs, Olympic coaches, etc. where they began by doing fairly ordinary exercises in a series of six, and speeded them up and increased them till exhaustion. The Junior Company Section under Mr Piggott took part in games and light exercises.


A new uniform appeared among the Senior Section boys, consisting of a forage cap, similar to Staff Sergeants, and small lapel badges, with no haversack, bandolier or belt. The aim of the Company for the next session was to associate themselves more closely with the work of the church, and in particular involve themselves as far as possible with the “Impact '69” campaign.

The church reopened for public worship on Sunday 1st September, when the minister preached on the three things you expect to find when you come into church. The first was the Lord, the second was what was needed to walk life's way and live for Christ, peace, joy, strength, faith and love, and the last was friendship.

The church had been made available for four weddings on the 24th August, only because of the hard work of “a huge labour force” of 40 to 50 men, women and children who turned up from the congregation, each with his or her own paintbrush on Monday to Wednesday of the week before the weddings to paint the pews. A group of elders had previously spent a hard fortnight stripping the old paint off. On the Thursday and Friday “a large force of ladies” moved in and scrubbed the floors, and “the miracle was complete.

Mrs Betty McKay, who had been a member of the congregation since the early days, was typical of several very loyal lady workers in Castlemilk West. Being already treasurer of the Building Fund Committee and a member of the Congregational Board, she had now become a member of the Impact '69 Committee and was in charge of the hostesses at the Family Meals. She had also taught in the Sunday School for some years. Her husband,Tom, was also an enthusiastic member of the church and could be relied upon to give of his services when required.



The Grand Christmas Fayre, with Santa Claus Grotto, took place in the Church Hall on the 23rd November at 2.30 p.m. A dance with a Buffet Tea was held the following Saturday and tickets were 5/-.


The Woman's Guild began the session with a “Getting to know you “ evening, and there followed a series of evenings like “Film of Coventry Cathedral”, “Holiday in the Bulb Fields”, “Some Songs Old, Some Songs New”, “My Life in Radio” by Mr Howard Lockhart and “Talkback” about housekeeping money.


In far-off Jerusalem, the minister of the Scots Church, St. Andrew's, and the Hospice, Rev. Gardiner Scott was able to visit all his parishioners, as Jerusalem was again without its dividing wall. Previously he could only go twice a year or by special permit to members “on the other side”.The church and hospice had been built to commemorate the deliverance of Jerusalem during the 1914-1918 war and in memory of Scottish and other soldiers who fought and died in the Holy Land.


Christian Aid Week in Scotland raised a record figure of £135,000, the most popular event being a sponsored walk which raised £30,000.


Miss Jean Cochran returned after a year working in Uganda under the auspices of Voluntary Service Overseas. She had been working as School Secretary in Gayaza High School, 10 miles to the north of Kampala, the capital city. There were four hundred and forty-three girls who attended the school and slept in dormitories.


Miss Jacqueline Petrie, who had been an active member of the Youth Fellowship and a Sunday School teacher for some years was accepted for St. Colm's College, Edinburgh for training as a deaconess of the Church of Scotland.


Mr Howard Marshall, son of Mr and Mrs Alex. Marshall, who lived in Dougrie Road before leaving for Cumbernauld, returned to an evening service in Castlemilk West. Howard was at Glasgow University and was hoping to study for the ministry. Mr Marshall, sen. had been a highly esteemed member of the Kirk Session of Castlemilk West.


Miss Joan Sherriff of Downcraig Road, a leader in the Junior Boys' Brigade and a Sunday School teacher gained her Teacher's Diploma at Jordanhill College of Education. Miss Morag McGrath of Glenacre Terrace graduated B.A. at Strathclyde University. Miss Margaret Thomson of Dougrie Road graduated B.Sc. at Glasgow University.

Mr and Mrs David Shaw (Anne McLay) thanked the officers and girls of 74B company of the Girls' Brigade for the smart Guard of Honour at their wedding in September.

A special appeal was launched in June by the Moderator of the General Assembly for aid to Nigeria-Biafra. By the end of August, the amount raised, mainly by children holding impromptu fund-raising efforts such as back green concerts and jumble sales, amounted to £25,116. The money was being channelled through Christian Aid, the British Churches' refugee and relief agency. Thirteen Church of Scotland missionaries were still working in Biafra. The retiring offering at the September Communion services in Castlemilk West was allocated to the Appeal Fund and amounted to £32.



By the end of the year, the total contributions, which included the Nigeria-Biafra Appeal, raised by Church of Scotland congregations to the Co-ordinated Appeal amounted to a record £976,871, the target being £980,000, the smallest gap since the Co-ordinated Appeal began in 1961. The Co-ordinated Appeal was the joint fund for work in such fields as overseas mission, youth and education work, social and moral welfare, home mission, and church extension. Castlemilk West contributed £500 to the Co-ordinated Appeal and also repaid another £1,000 towards the building debt, leaving £468 to pay. This was paid in two instalments – one in March and one in June of 1969.
 
From September to December well over a hundred ladies in the congregation went from door to door inviting members of the congregation to one of the Impact Family Meals. In all, seven evenings were arranged, with an average of one hundred and forty at each, and they seemed to be a resounding success. Having invited the people, the hostesses on the night waited on them during the actual meal; clerical staff checked and rechecked lists of names; speakers had the task of putting over the message; kitchen staff worked hard and efficiently behind the scenes to prepare the meal; and visitors called on the members afterwards in their homes.

Members were able to sit around the tables together and it gave them the opportunity to meet and talk to people in their district who were also members of the church. This gave them the feeling of being part of the family.
Dedication cards were completed by those who had attended, indicating their desire to enter more fully into the worship and service of the church, and in some cases they indicated what they were able to do and how they were prepared to help in the work of the church. There was no question of “bribery” or “blackmail”, and no pressure was exerted to make them do anything they were unable to do. The first words on the Dedication Card were:
I renew my pledge to attend worship regularly, to serve as I am able, and to give regularly and as liberally as I can in the work of the Church.


The Crusader donations reached an all-time record of £108 19s 4d, exceeding the previous best (1967) by over £21, but there was still a deficit of £35 over the year, largely due to reduced income from advertising.