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For inspiration this week...
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1 Corinthians 12:3-7; 11-13 'No one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body Jews or Greeks, slaves or free and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." '





In this site you will find information about Freeland church, contacts and details of events and groups that are all part of our church family. There is no need to register.

Freeland Church has been at the heart of Bridge of Weir since the 1820's. During that time the church has had an emphasis on Bible teaching and community involvement. We have shown an independence of spirit and a desire to see Jesus lifted high.

How to find us - click on MAP

As a church today our focus is threefold.
  • Clear Bible teaching through an expository ministry where we explore themes and books of the Bible at our services and in our Bible Study and Housegroup meetings. We try to apply the Bible to our daily lives and through that to become more like Jesus.
  • Our services are lively and relaxed. We use a wide variety of musical styles and people are encouraged to use their own gifts in leading parts of the worship. The focus of our services is always the preaching of the Word of God. It is always our hope that people find the worship fulfilling and encouraging and that through everything in the services people are able to grow in their faith or to come to faith.
  • We are a wide cross section of people who come from many different denominational traditions. However we are a family and families are very much the focus of our mission and outreach. It is very common for the younger children to wander about during the early part of the service and we try to make sure that they know that the church is for them.
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    If you are looking for a church family or are simply searching for meaning and purpose to your life then please feel free to join us. We hope that you will feel at home among us.

You can navigate with the buttons on the top bar or just click your way through the site, find out about us, our church, our various Children's and Young People's Groups, Service times or look at the calendar or News and Past Events pages.

Our Minister, Kenneth Gray


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Feel free to leave a message
or contact our Minister Kenneth Gray
or any of our members who leave details here.

We look forward to welcoming you at Freeland.







DATES FOR YOUR DIARY


SATURDAY 25th MAY - Scotland For Marriage Campaigners Meet in Largs. (See the Forthcoming Events page for details)

THURSDAY 30th MAY - WRYT AGM (See Forthcoming Events page for details)

SATURDAY 8th JUNE - Gala Day

SATURDAY 8th JUNE - Haven Open Day (see Forthcoming Events page for details.)

SUNDAY 9th JUNE - SUNDAY SCHOOL FAMILY OUTING (See Forthcoming Events page for details).

TUESDAY 11th JUNE - 7.30pm in Freeland Church AUREA STRING QUARTET in Concert See Forthcoming Events page for details

SUNDAY 16th JUNE - Annual OPEN AIR SERVICE

Mon. 1st to Fri. 5th JULY - ARK WEEK

OUR MOST VISITED PAGES


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Worship Times:- Services

Future events:- News

ALPHA COURSE:- Alpha

Recent projects/occasions:- Past Events

Freeland Church Family News:- Members News

Info on church organisations:- Groups

Info on clubs/ groups who use our halls:- Community

Recordings of services & sermons:- Audio

Reflections on last week’s sermon topics:- Reflections

Copies of duty rotas:- Resources


CHURCH NEWS


A MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER

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Jack McHugh and myself are attending this year’s General Assembly and, in view of the reports on Monday’s events, I thought it wise to offer these comments.
In 2011 the General Assembly voted to ask a Theological Commission to bring forward proposals to the 2013 General Assembly based on what was called a ‘revisionist’ theological outlook.
In essence this was a reworking of the Bible to fit in with modern cultural values. In the event the Theological Commission was divided and brought forward two proposals.
One was for a revisionist position which would have allowed homosexual clergy to be ordained and to recognise this as the position of the Church of Scotland. A congregation would have been allowed to opt out of this situation if it decided to do so.

The alternative view put forward was for the Church of Scotland to reaffirm traditional Biblical teaching and to refuse to ordain homosexual clergy, except for those appointed before 2009.
It is important to note that all of the members of the Theological Commission acknowledged that the current position of the Church of Scotland was traditionalist and that there is nowhere in the Bible where homosexual practice is commended.

If either of the two proposals were to have been adopted then they would have been sent down to Presbyteries. If Presbyteries had supported one of them then it would have been further discussed in 2014.
In the event, the General Assembly voted for a compromise motion moved by last year’s Moderator, Albert Bogle.
There was a clear mood for compromise and the motion itself was not really fully defined. However the tenor of the motion was to be broadly conservative:
1. It reaffirms the traditional understanding of sexual practice and of the authority of the Bible.
2. It closes the door on the revisionist direction of the Church and brings us back to the theological mainstream.
3. It will permit congregations who wish to do so to call a homosexual minister in a civil partnership.
4. However, congregations will not have to accept such a minister as an Interim Moderator or Locum.
These things will be built up into a motion for 2014 and for discussion with Presbyters before returning to the General Assembly in 2015. So for the next two years nothing at all changes.
Jack and myself both voted for the most conservative position which was defeated and we then supported the compromise motion.

My own view is that the motion which was carried was the best that we could hope for given the current nature of the Church. It is important to realise that of the 3 levels of Church government, Kirk Sessions, Presbytery and General Assembly, that the last is the most liberal. It is not representative of the Church and an undue weight is given to committee people, Edinburgh staff and former Moderators who are often more liberal in outlook.
I took the view that it was better to take the fight to the Presbytery where we could have more confidence about winning.
That said, for us:
1. We remain part of a church which professes conservative, orthodox theology.
2. We are not threatened by any imposition of clergy upon us.
3. I think that I can live with the compromise and accept that the Church is big enough for different views.

We are now on a new trajectory towards a form of congregationalism and I suspect that in 10 to 15 years we will be, to all intents and purposes, a congregational Church. There will be pain on the way but I hope that we will all be able to hold together to build a church in Bridge of Weir where Jesus will truly be lifted high.

It is painful to think that there are people in the Church that hold such different views to our own. Indeed in truth, some of my dearest friends in Freeland hold views that are very different to mine.

I believe that God is at work in our midst and that we must allow Him to continue that work.



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Easter Morning Service in Killochries Field. Read more on News page.














To read a variety of TOPICAL NEWS ITEMS presented from a Christian perspective click on http://www.christian.org.uk/news/(external link)

Some current items include:

"A church in Aberdeen was blocked from holding a Sunday service in a hotel function room because of the church’s beliefs about sex and marriage.’"

"‘Quarter of kids think Easter marks Easter bunny’s birth ...... ''

"Complaints about gambling adverts see six fold rise ........"

To view the latest video 'Let's Celebrate Marriage!' from the Coalition For Marriage (C4M) click on the following link http://c4m.org.uk/marriage-minutes/(external link)


CALL TO PRAY FOR MARRIAGE

The Chief Executives of 4 prominent Christian organisations - The Christian Institute, Care, The Christian Medical Fellowship and Christian Concern - are calling for church members to pray for Marriage on 3rd February ahead of the second reading of the government's bill proposing the redefinition of marriage. For details of the letter they have jointly sent to churches click Please pray for marriage.docx.

To watch a short video on marriage from The Coalition For Marriage click the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsX7Dj6fyVQ&feature=youtu.be


West Renfrewshire Youth Trust

For the latest update on WRYT's activities click
WRYT newsletter February 2013.pdf


Don't Miss the BB Annual Display 2013 - Visit the Boys Brigade page for the photo gallery from 2012

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Freeland News The next issue of Freeland News, covering June, July &August 2013 will be available on 2nd June, 2013. All items for inclusion in this issue should reach Janet Birch by Sunday 19th May . If you have any news or intimations for the next edition of Freeland News send them here: Freeland News Editor

The latest edition can be downloaded here April/May 2013
Spare copies of FREELAND NEWS are available in the Pirie. If you live in Bridge of Weir and would like future copies delivered please complete the form at the back of the order of service or leave a note for the secretary. Or send an email here: Freeland News

CHURCH HALLS

Interested in booking our halls? Telephone church secretary Margaret Coats on 01505 612245


We have a suite of halls which are used by a variety of groups both from the church and from the wider community each week. Information on classes available can be found on the COMMUNITY page of this website.


OUR MISSION - '' To be a caring Church, growing in Christ and transforming the community"

FREELAND CHURCH OF SCOTLAND - Charity Number: SCO002293

Kenneth's Blog

Jack's Prayer Blog

BBC Podcasts

Sunday: Religious News