When: Tuesday Afternoons at 1.30pm (September – Easter)
The organisational life of our congregation doesn’t only focus on our young people. Very early in the life of our new Church building, during the ministry of the Rev. John Livingstone, the women of the Church were organised in a Dorcas Society (Acts 9, vv, 36-41). The Dorcas Society continued till the end of the ministry of the Rev. Matthew Miller, when it became known as “The Women’s Work Party”. In 1933 the Work Party became affiliated to the Church of Scotland Women’s Guild and a branch of the Guild was formed under the Presidency of Mrs. Stark, the minister’s wife. The Guild has continued o flourish and fosters the spiritual development of its members as well as contributing to the material well-being of the Church. The Guild takes an active interest in the wider work of the Church. Some present members, along with members from Ardeer, also volunteer at Crosshouse Hospital in the shop and tearoom.
With around 24,000 members, the Church of Scotland Guild is one of Scotland’s largest voluntary organisations. The Guild at Livingstone Church started as the Women’s Guild and, since 1997 has been ‘The Guild’. Open to men and women who agree to the aim of the Guild to encourage members to commit their lives to Jesus Christ and to enable them to express their faith in worship, prayer and action. The aim has been accentuated in the motto ‘Whose we are and Whom we serve’.
We have an enthusiastic and faithful membership who meet on Tuesday afternoons at 1.30pm from September to Easter.
In recent times the work of the Guild has been divided up into 3 year strategies with a three part Theme and Topic to discuss, and six chosen projects to support. The new strategy for 2018-2021 is One Journey, Many Roads.
The Themes are:
2018-2019 – Seeking the Way
2019-2020 – Companions on the Road
2020-2021 – The Extra Mile
The Topic for 2018-2019 is: The Unexpected Journeys.
The six projects that accompany the new strategy are three based in Scotland and three from abroad.
2018-2019 ‘A Chaplain for our Ports’ from Sailors’ Society.
2018-2019 ‘Seema’s Project’ from Free to Live Trust.
2019-2020 ‘Join up the Dots’ from Crossreach.
2019-2020 ‘Empowering Teenage Mothers in Zambia’ from World Mission Council.
2020-2021 ‘Faith in Young People’ from The Boys’ Brigade.
2020-2021 ‘Growing the Future’ from Malawi Fruits.
In Livingstone Guild we support two projects in each of the three years.
Please do not think that everything about the Guild and Guild meetings is solemn and serious. Far from it! Every year we have a varied syllabus to interest all tastes and yes, they do include a great deal of fun and laughter, concerts, visits, supporting charities, gaining information on a great many subjects and so on.
New Guild members are always welcomed!