‘KIRK AND COMMUNITY’

In June, 1963 Mr. Wallace Adam offered to print, free of charge, a Parish

Magazine. It was hoped that the first issue would be out that October, but

it was not until 1969 that the Rev. Aiestair Bennett produced the first news-

sheet. After Mr. Bennett’s retiral in 1976 Mrs. Veronica Smart was respon-

sible for keeping the newsletter going.

When the Rev. Douglas Galbraith became the new minister in 1977 he took

over editing the newsletter. A copy of one of the first of these issues

of the magazine now called “Kirk & Community”, in June 1978 has written

in the top right-hand corner: ‘With thanks for the idea!:

Mr. Galbraith sent the following contribution from Australia:

“Kirk & Community” was a monthly news sheet which appeared between

September 1977 and June 1981 and was delivered free to every home in the

village and as far as possible to the surrounding population.

‘The editor was Douglas Galbraith, Minister of the parish for most of

that period, who saw it as a service rendered by the church to the community.

‘Regular features included a village diary (under various titles) which ad-

vertised events sponsored by any organisation, a Gossip Column (sometimes

called ‘Village People’, ‘Looking Back’ etc.) which recorded personal successes,

reports of the Community Council, PTA or other meetings, and any other

happenings in the community — like the final removal of the unsafe bell and

belfry from the Village Hall, and the 100th birthday of Kate Rook.

‘We’re New Here each month introduced new arrivals to the village. Phone

numbers of Heid Yins were regularly listed.

‘Two features were aimed at increasing residents’ knowledge and awareness

of their community. From the fifteenth issue onwards, each month a farm or

local business was described at greater length with its history, present function

and the personalities involved. From time to time, also, extracts from John

Duncan’s ‘history’ of the village were reprinted.

‘The news sheet was typed at the Manse and reproduced, as a community

gesture at the Guardbridge Paper Mills, by arrangement with the late Mr.

Wallace Adam, an Elder of the Kirk.

“Kirk & Community” was not seen as a means of ‘pushing’ the Church,

whose news and events took their place alongside the others; rather the in-

tention was to show that Church and Community belonged together, that

‘religion’ was not an isolated activity of a few, carried out in a building apart.

104