The International Day of Charity is marked each year on 5 September. Established by the United Nations, it encourages people everywhere to show care for others through kindness, giving and service. The date honours Mother Teresa, who died on this day in 1987 after a life dedicated to helping those most in need.

Charity is a simple but powerful expression of love in action. Whether we give time, money, practical help or prayerful support, we share in building kinder, fairer and more hopeful communities.  The Good Samaritan  in Luke 10:25–37, is an example where a Samaritan aids an injured traveller after others pass him by.

Today, charitable work helps meet urgent needs, supports people where services are stretched, and speaks up for those whose voices are often unheard.  There are different ways that we can support the organisations which help meet these needs.  We can donate money on a regular basis, put cash in a collecting tin or donate online.  We can give items we no longer need but which are in good condition to our local charity shops or buy from them.  Volunteering our time and talents is another way to contribute either with a regular commitment or to assist at one off events.

However we support them, charities are a way of not only alleviating poverty, ill health etc but giving people the tools to make life better for themselves and others.  At its heart, charity is about loving our neighbour. When rooted in compassion, fairness and humility, it can bring hope, strengthen communities and help create a more caring world for all.

As the UN has stated – Charity, when rooted in equity and ethics, is more than generosity: it’s a powerful act of global responsibility. It connects people across borders and sectors to confront poverty, uplift communities, and build a more inclusive and sustainable world for everyone.

We recently received the following statement which was read to the congregation on 2 consecutive Sundays as instructed by Presbytery.

At the Perth Planning committee meeting on 22nd April, after long discussion of the future potential for mission and worship of both the Alloa Ludgate and Alloa St Mungo’s buildings, it was agreed that Alloa Ludgate should be designated the principal place of worship for the future united Alloa congregation.

This decision of the committee will be presented to Perth Presbytery on 7th May for final decision.

The committee was highly impressed by the submissions from both congregations, and noted also the high AMBA scores that each had been awarded to each building a number of years ago.  The committee also recognises that this decision will be a particularly difficult one for the members of St Mungo’s who have done so much to maintain their building over many years, both as a place of worship and of outreach.  Gayle Lennon, the Presbytery’s Mission Implementation Officer will be working with both Alloa congregations over the coming months to facilitate the union of Alloa Ludgate and Alloa St. Mungo’s.

The committee will also be bringing forward a timetable – through the Perth Presbytery Mission Plan and bases of adjustment which would see the new united congregation come into being in January 2025, and the Alloa Ludgate building being the congregation’s principal place of worship from that point onwards.

At the Presbytery meeting on 7 May, Presbytery approved the Planning Committee’s proposal about the buildings and the decision is now final.

The Presbytery of Perth are considering using more examples of online worship, prayer and reflection.  The first example of this – Jesus – the One who restores – draws on the story of locusts in Joel 2and includes music, reflection and prayer.  It is filmed in some of the beautiful places across our Presbytery, including with Rev Chris Barlas up at Dundee Law and footage from Beinn a’ Ghlo by Blair Atholl at sunrise.  The video lasts about 14 minutes so please try to find time to watch it.  It is hoped to expand on this initiative in coming months but the Presbytery of Perth YouTube channel already has some interesting videos featuring hymns, prayers and thoughts.

We were shocked to hear about the situation in Coalsnaughton where residents of some streets have had to leave their homes at very short notice due to ground movement.  Most of us can only imagine how worrying that must be for everyone affected.  The one small ray of light in this situation is the way in which the local community have stepped up to offer practical support.  Various groups across the county have appealed to people to provide basic support for those affected and Clackmannanshire Council have asked The Gate charity to co-ordinate this.

Some of the items which have been suggested include:

• Self-care and toiletry items – Shampoo and conditioner, Shower gel and soap, Toothbrushes and toothpaste, Deodorant, Sanitary products, Baby wipes and nappies
• Easy-to-prepare food items – Pot noodles and instant meals, Microwaveable rice and pasta, Tinned foods with ring pulls, Cereal bars and snacks, UHT milk, Tea, coffee and hot chocolate
• Activities for children and young people – Colouring books and pencils, Puzzle books, Playing cards and travel games, Craft kits, small toys, Books for all ages.

If you wish to donate any of these items, they can be handed in to the church or The Gate in a bag clearly marked “Coalsnaughton Appeal” so that The Gate can identify and distribute them quickly.

It is reassuring to know that at a time when hatred and division are becoming increasingly prevalent in different parts of the world, there are many people who are doing what Jesus asked when he said “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples.”  In Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, he said, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works” and it is surely better to do that than to stir up hatred and division.

The influence of faith and the impact of legacy are significant, as congregations across the country increasingly discuss their enduring contributions to communities and beyond. This year, Christian Aid, together with church leaders from various denominations, is encouraging congregations nationwide to engage in conversations about leaving gifts in wills.

The initiative seeks to inspire members of all denominations to consider how individual generosity can drive meaningful and lasting change within communities both locally and globally. Churches already play an integral role in community life—supporting projects such as food banks, soup kitchens, and youth groups—and continue to provide essential support to those in need.

Faith Will partners maintain that wills can powerfully reflect an individual’s values and faith, allowing these principles to be carried forward for future generations. Faith Will spokesperson Tanya Jackson affirms, “Gifts in wills are already making a transformative difference in communities both near and distant. Faith Will provides resources to help your church or meeting begin this important conversation.”

Christian Aid has produced a short video on, Faith Will featuring representatives from multiple denominations discussing the significance of this initiative.

The cafe is normally open on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday each week between 10 am and 4 pm. The new  Summer/Autumn menu which was introduced in June can be found on the Newsletter tab above and there is something for everyone whether you want to have breakfast, lunch or coffee and a cake!  For a special occasion, you may want to consider an afternoon tea and booking is advised for this.  Please phone Billy to book a table on his mobile – 07395 091107.

The cafe will be closed on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 September.

The Church is open for the Sunday service, and the work of the church is continuing.  This means that there are still expenses to be covered so please help if you can. You can either fill your envelope each week ready for when you are able to join us for the Church service again or if you would like to set up a Standing Order or give a donation please get in touch using the email address connect@alloastmungos.org or contact our Treasurer, Scott Maxwell (07711148762), and he will be happy to give you more information.  If you are a taxpayer, you may wish to Gift Aid your donations which will increase the amount of money the Church receives at no extra cost to you.  Forms are available from Scott Maxwell or Ann Anderson.

To find out about the ways in which you can support the Church – financially and otherwise – please click on the Support Us tab above.

Kirk minister urges MSPs to run with endurance the race set before them

Last week, Rev Dr Graeme Wilson delivered the Time for Reflection in the Scottish Parliament as MSPs gathered for the new session.  He encouraged them to take a lead from 2 of our athletes and from Hebrews 12:1 and run the race set before them with endurance so that the best possible outcomes can be achieved for the people they represent.

School matron who died in the Holocaust recognised at Auschwitz

Jane Haining, the matron of a Church boarding school, has been recognised in a renewed section of the Auschwitz Birkenau Memorial and Museum’s main exhibition, which is devoted to hundreds of prisoners for whom no registration photographs were taken.  She was the matron of the Scottish Mission School in Budapest which had a mixture of Jewish and Christian girls.  She refused to leave the children and kept them safe for 4 years before being arrested and taken to Auschwitz where she died  – probably in the gas chamber.

Church apprentices raise £3,000 for Epilepsy Scotland

Five Church of Scotland apprentices took on a sponsored 1,000ft zip slide at Strathclyde Country Park, raising £3,000 for Epilepsy Scotland.  The challenge was organised by Naomi Tyre, who has lived with epilepsy since her late teens and knows first-hand the value of the charity’s support.  The Church of Scotland Apprenticeship Route allows people exploring a call to ministry to learn on the job with support from experienced mentors.

Moderator’s latest book review

Each month the Moderator is doing a book review and this month his chosen book is – Seth Lewis, The Language of Rivers and Stars: How nature speaks of the glories of God. The Good Book Company; 2025 (162 pages long)

Seth Lewis lives on the south coast of Ireland and is the pastor of Carrigtwohill Baptist Church. He has also written a book of silly stories for children and blogs at sethlewis.ie

This book is in two parts of 17 chapters. The core image in the book is of language and translation. Lewis uses the history of the Rosetta Stone as the necessary translation aid for Egyptian hieroglyphics to help us think about our need for a translation aid for the language of creation.

Moderator’s response to flooding in Nepal and Tibet

Flash floods have devastated parts of Nepal and Tiber with many lives lost and homes being destroyed.  The Church of Scotland has had links to Nepal dating back to the 1870’s.  United Mission to Nepal is responding to the crisis by working with partner agencies to provide essential food and other urgently needed supplies to families in the badly affected Dhading and Rasuwa Districts.

UMN initially hopes to support some 1,000 families affected by the disaster.Donations can be made through UMN’s TrustBridge giving page.  Other agencies, including Christian Aid Scotland, British Red Cross and UNICEF UK have also launched appeals for support.  The Modeator’s prayer for the area can be found on the What’s On page.

Request to Pray for Zambia

Keith and Ida Waddell, our Mission Partners in Zambia, ask us to pray for Zambia following the recent election and the subsequent arrest of opposition leaders.

We are asked to pray for a fair and transparent legal process, wise leadership, peace and unity, and dignity and justice for all.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” — Matthew 5:9

275th anniversary celebrations, St Ninians Old Parish Church.

We congratulate St Ninian’s Old on their 275^th anniversary.  They warmly invite us to join them as they give thanks for God’s faithfulness and celebrate this significant milestone in the life of their Church.  The celebrations begin with a Songs of Praise service at 7:00pm on Sunday 6th September followed by tea and coffee in the Parish Halls.  On Saturday 12th September there is a flower festival in the Church and a soup & sandwich lunch in the Parish Halls.  They are looking forward to listening to the

guest preacher, The Right Reverend Gordon Kennedy Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland at a service of Thanksgiving on Sunday 13th September.

Clackmannan Parish Church

The Church will be open each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoon 2pm – 4pm until 10 September.  The church has some impressive stained-glass windows and a graveyard dating back to the 17th century.  You can also see a display outlining the plans the congregation have for the future of their beautiful building.

Sauchie and Coalsnaughton Parish Church Fundraiser

Sauchie Community Group are holding a September Song Concert in Sauchie Church Hall on 16 September from 7-9 pm.  The event is free entry with a raffle on the night and donations will be welcome.  All money raised will go to the Church Hall.

This Sunday the service will be held at 11.15 am, as usual, in the Church and will be led by Rev Mhairi Gilchrist.  The Order of Service can be found on the What’s On page.  Please remember that you do not have to be a member to attend the Church service.  We are always happy to welcome new members as well as those who have attended in the past.

At the Presbytery of Perth meeting on Tuesday evening, Presbytery voted in favour of the Basis of Union which we voted on last Sunday.

After the service on 6 September, Rev Mhairi will chair a meeting to discuss ways in which we can celebrate our Church which has been a Church of Scotland church since the Reformation.  The meeting is open to anyone in the congregation.  If you are unable to attend but have any ideas, please pass them on to us, either by speaking to the minister, your elder or another member of session or put your ideas in the box in the porch.

Rev Mhairi is asking that over the next few months, if anyone has a favourite hymn (perhaps one that hasn’t been sung for a while or a more modern one, which she doesn’t know) could they pop their suggestions into the ‘letterbox’ beside the offering plate, and she will work them into the services over the coming months.

The Sunday School ha restarted after the summer break. We are always happy to see young people attending church and hope to welcome existing – and new – members back to Sunday School.   The Sunday School is open to children aged 3-11 and the children attend the first part of the service n the Church and then go through to the hall for age appropriate activities.

As was agreed at a previous Session meeting, the boards in the Porch highlight a different aspect of church life each month and this month the boards give information about the Guild as Guild Week is held in September.  One of the other boards has information about our wish to gather together people’s memories and feelings about St Mungo’s.  Please feel free to ask friends who my have moved out of the area to share their memories as well.

Doors Open Days take place in Clackmannanshire on 26 and 27 September.  We will be taking part again this year so please come along and learn more about the building before it is closed  and put on the market.

We have a box in the porch for donations to The Gate foodbank.  Your contributions make a difference to those who are finding it difficult to make ends meet in difficult financial times and donations are always welcome.  The Gate would also welcome donations of Bags for Life or other strong plastic bags which they use for food parcels.  We have also been acting as a drop off point for donations to the Coalsnaughton appeal and at the end of last month, Catriona  delivered a carload of donations to The Gate – both the Food Bank and Coalsnaughton.  Thanks to everyone who donates and makes a difference to the lives of others.

Jim Cochrane has set up a group to visit members of the congregation who would welcome a regular visit from another church member.  Jim has already made a start to visiting some members and his visits have been well received.  If you know of anyone that you think would like this, please speak to either Jim or Andrena.

Volunteers to help with the after-Church teas and coffees are always welcome.  Please speak to Joyce or Elma if you can help out.  Volunteers to help in the café during the week are also welcome.  If this is something you would like to do, please speak to Billy for more information.

Volunteers to help maintain our garden area are always welcome.  If this might be of interest to you, please speak to Billy.

If you know of anyone who has moved, is ill, in hospital, passed away or gone into residential care, please let either your elder or Andrena know so that we can keep our information up to date.

One of the stained-glass windows in our church is known as the Te Deum Window. It features the opening words of the ancient hymn Te Deum laudamus, meaning “We praise you, God.” The window was installed in memory of the Rev Alexander Bryson, who served as minister of St Mungo’s from 1870 to 1900.

Born in Paisley and the son of a contractor, Rev Bryson was described as a strong and commanding figure. When he arrived in Alloa, he and his wife, Julia, had three young children: Blanche, aged six; Rollo, aged two; and Frances, aged one. Rev Bryson was deeply involved in parish life. Julia also played an active role in the church and often accompanied him when he visited members of the congregation.

Their son Rollo later went to Peru to work with his uncles in a mine. He died there in 1900, aged 32, leaving a wife and child. In the same year, Rev and Mrs Bryson took a short holiday at Toward, near Dunoon, where Rev Bryson became ill and died. He is buried in Sunnyside Cemetery, as is his son Rollo.

When the window was installed, the church entrance was directly opposite it. Worshippers entering the building would therefore see the window and be reminded of Rev Bryson’s life, ministry and service to the congregation.