Page 6 - Contact Spring 2021
P. 6
Congregational
Secretary Report
2020!!! What can I add to the multitude of Ministries stopped, taped off areas, closed
column inches already dedicated to this past toilets, waiting for an invite to church or having
chaotic year? Now that is a challenge. I guess to book a slot, QR Codes on our phones,
it has been a collective traumatic experience queuing outside, checking in on arrival and
which we have all journeyed, struggled and using space-age fogging machines to spray
fought through. Nothing has come even close chemicals throughout our buildings! It was
since the last world war and few are still with tough going getting these changes into place
us who remember those days. 2020 has felt like to ensure we had a safe and reassuring space
being at war. Suffering isolation from our for worshippers to return to the Sanctuary, but
families, lockdowns, quarantines, seeing huge together we managed it.
death numbers in our country and so much
more. For me, it felt my life was suddenly It falls to me then to recognise and thank
catapulted into a swirling upward moving those people who serve voluntarily in the
ferocious hurricane, something like the house congregational committee and who are pivotal
in the Wizard of Oz movie. My familiar to the functioning of High Kirk through such
surroundings spinning out of control, normality tough times this past year. Thank you to Uel
blurred, hanging on to the seat by my Marcus and Gary McQuoid for their tireless
fingertips, while avoiding the arrows of anxiety efforts as we strove together to interpret PCI’s
and doubt whizzing around me. Thankfully, safety directives which ensured we could all
life did return to earth, but it felt extremely meet as a fellowship once more.
turbulent for a long time. Who amongst us The Technology team headed up by Brian
would have thought twelve months ago that we Adams carried a heavy burden after the first
would be viewing funeral services on-line lockdown in March as they recorded, edited
because we could not attend in person? and streamed the services on-line.
Stopped from gathering in Churches, no The communications team headed by Philip
visiting family and friends. Having to wear McCartney were extremely busy with a new
masks, sanitising our hands constantly, keeping website and Sylvia McCartney carrying
our distance, no haircuts and suffering the through untold work in getting ChurchSuite
anxiety of whether there would be enough loo performing to the level required so we could
rolls in our shops! It is still a surreal time and I meet. Jim Millar who heads those tasked with
am sure lots of you will have suffered your own our Administration and Personnel completed
trials. Now, this all sounds extremely negative mammoth amounts of work with staff
but for those who persevere light and joy furloughs and employment contracts. Marie
is coming and to that end, there is an Hamilton oversaw the area of hospitality
encouragement for you at the end of this suspended at the March lockdown and
short report. currently still sits under these restrictions.
However, she continues to motivate and
Amidst this turmoil, we still managed to get encourage her wonderful team of volunteers.
Church back together after the first lockdown Lastly and central to our fellowship are our
in March as we resumed on 13th September. finances. Adrian Pogue who stepped into the
Significant changes to how we gathered had to post of Treasurer in February has taken on the
be put into place. We got new hand sanitising role seamlessly and has continued the sterling
stations, we needed to keep a distance from work of the outgoing James Hamill. Church
our friends and church family; no more Treasurer is a highly responsible and complex
refreshments between services meaning the role and we thank God for both these men.
familiar buzz of chat and laughter were now
missing.
