WHAT'S ON
At Fairmilehead Parish Church, we host a variety of services and events throughout the year for all ages.
There's something for everyone!
The Fairmile Project
The Fairmile project was the vision of our Minister to help combat isolation and loneliness in our community. It is run by our Deputy Session clerk Val Walke and a small team of willing helpers.
Every Monday afternoon the project offers a different activity. It is held in Caerketton or in Swanston. Just come along. No need to book. A warm welcome awaits!
The first Monday of the month is Crossroad island discs, which is an afternoon hearing about the life of someone in our church or community through their music choices, followed by tea and coffee. It starts at 2:30 pm, and it is open to everyone and no church connection is needed. There is no cost. Donations only.
The second Monday of the month is a Monday meetup. Tea and coffee feature, as does a different activity each month. It starts at 2:30 pm and it’s open to everyone and no church connection is needed. There is no cost, donations only.
The third Monday of the month is our afternoon tea, with delicious home, baking and scones. It starts at 2:30 pm and it’s open to everyone and no church connection is needed. There is no cost, donations only.
On the last Monday of the month we have our singalong afternoon. This also starts at 2:30 pm with some hot soup, and then a hearty sing along to some of our favourite songs, led by our organist Iain Whyte.
Tuesday Knitting Group
On the second Tuesday of every month, our church knitting group meets in Caerketton.
The group knits for different charities including the church which is also a registered charity. It’s a great place to knit, chat and make friends.
You don’t have to be a church member to come along. All are welcome!
Crossroads Pop-Up Cafe
Crossroads Pop Up Café in our Church Centre is open on Wednesdays at 10 am for coffees, teas and homemade cakes. The café area can seat up to 40 people.
To volunteer as a helper, contact June or Carolyn via the Church office. A children’s area has been set up with a table, bench seat and basket of toys.
Play Café - In the corner of our pop-up café, we have an area set aside, especially for little ones to play happily while their parents get a coffee and a cake and a chat with one another.
First Steps - First steps is a group of parents, who get together around a table in our café on Wednesday morning at 11 am, creating friendship and support for one another.
The Guild
The Church of Scotland Guild is a movement within the Church of Scotland which invites and encourages both women and men to commit their lives to Jesus Christ and enables them to express their faith in worship, prayer and action.
With around 15,000 members, the Guild is one of Scotland's largest voluntary organisations. Here at Fairmilehead Parish church our Guild meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 2 pm with a varied and interesting agenda each year. If you would like to be part of the Guild, please come along to one of our meetings.
Tots
Tots is our lovely little group for parents and grandparents and carers, who come along with their children and grandchildren for an hour of crafts, songs, stories, tea, and coffee, juice and biscuits. Every story has a wee theme about kindness, sharing, or helping others. All are welcome. No church connection is needed. Suggested donation of two pounds per child.
“It is lovely to see the toddlers all engage with each other and enjoy singing making crafts and playing chase“
SPECIAL DATES DURING THE YEAR
January Join us for Marmalade toast breakfasts with tea, served before worship by all our young people. Sticky fingers guaranteed! All donations to Mediterranean Hope.
February Souper Sunday. Join us for Souper Sunday. This is a special act of worship led by elders to raise awareness of the many issues around HIV, as well as to raise money for HIV initiatives around the world. The worship is followed by a simple lunch of soup and bread and cake!
March/April Depending on when Easter falls, March and April are months, when we journey through Lent, until we reach Holy Week, where we have an evening of music and readings on the Wednesday, a special service on Maundy Thursday of Communion, and on Good Friday at noon, we have a short service of readings and meditations with music. During Lent, we also celebrate Mothering Sunday, recognising the role and tradition the church has on this day. It’s often the day when our children hold a cake sale, selling upside down fruit cakes or Simnel cakes. It’s a wonderful service when we also invite back all our Baptismal families. In April, we often host the Dovecote singers in our sanctuary as a joint fundraiser.
May In May, we usually celebrate Pentecost, the birthday of the Church, although it does depend on when Easter falls. When it’s Pentecost we fill our church with balloons and bake a huge cake in the shape of our church! May is also the month when we hold a special Christian Aid service in church. After the service, we have a bacon brunch together and all donations for the bacon brunch go towards the incredible work which Christian Aid does around the world.
June June is when we celebrate all that we are and all we’ve achieved as a church from August until June. We call it our Celebration Sunday and we have a special service with a barbecue afterwards. Often our Scouts help us with the barbecue. At the end of June, we also often host a concert showcasing all the talent we have in our church. This is a much enjoyed fundraising event with tea and coffee and home baking afterwards.
July In the third week of July, we hold our holiday club! It usually sells out very quickly so keep your eyes peeled and follow our Facebook page for information. It’s for children going into primary one upwards. It runs from Monday to Friday usually from around 9: 30 am to 12:00.
August Sundae Sunday. In August, we hold our “Back to school Sunday”. That’s when we celebrate all our young people going back to school, and we bless their school bags, and then share an ice cream after the service!
September September is our Creation Month, when we have different speakers coming each Sunday to share a little on how we can look after the world which God made for us. We have had Tearfund each year, and their excellent speakers, we’ve had speakers from fair trade, and also the eco-chaplain from the Church of Scotland , telling us all about dinosaurs!
October This is the month when we celebrate our Harvest Thanksgiving. Over the years we have gathered donations at this time of year for our baby bank, which reaches out to families who are struggling with essentials for their babies and children.
November November is a special month for remembering. We transform our church gardens into a garden of remembrance, and we hold a church service for all our uniformed organisations on the Friday before Remembrance Sunday. On Remembrance Sunday we stop at 11 am and remember and give thanks for the freedoms which we too often take for granted.
December In December, as you can imagine, we’re very busy in the lead up to Christmas. From Christmas parties for our young children, to a service, which we call Blue Christmas, for those who find Christmas difficult, we try to ensure that we reach out to everyone at this time. On Christmas Eve, we hold our very popular Christingle service, everyone comes along with their Christingle (you’ll get more info on our Facebook page how to make one) and we sing our favourite Christmas carols. Then at 11:30pm on Christmas Eve, we all the service that takes us through midnight into the beauty of Christmas Day. When Christmas Day falls on a Monday we don’t hold a service. In fact this year 2023 there will be no Christmas day service in our church, but our neighbours nearby. Will look forward to welcoming you if you wish to worship on Christmas morning. This December 2023 we will be hosting Out Of The Box! They will be coming to our church on the 16th of December at 2 pm for an afternoon of Christmas laughter and music. This year the Christmas musical is called Mary and Joseph and Hank the donkey.