2019 has been an exciting year for St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, locally known as “The Kirk on the Hill” in New Glasgow.
It’s been 200 years since the Rev. Donald Allan Fraser formed this congregation on Fraser’s Mountain, very near the present-day site. Information on the long history of the congregation was provided weekly during the year.
Many events took place throughout the year, culminating on Sunday, Oct. 20 with two services. We held two coffee parties, a tea, three breakfasts, bake sales, a potluck supper and a Korean cuisine dinner held at Pictou Lunch Box, Lyons Brook and a well-attended church family dinner catered to by the ladies of the Plymouth Fire Department.
On May 12, Good Shepherd Sunday, we held a “Good Shepherd Concert” – a program of songs and hymns featuring the combined choirs from St Andrew’s, First Presbyterian, Trinity United and St. George’s Anglican churches of New Glasgow.
Our Advent Alms Giving was in support of Presbyterian World Service and Development’s work with education for many children in the developing world - ‘A Classroom for Every Child.'
In July we held a very successful ABBA concert “Dancing Queen” with Adam Johnson and friends.
Betty Murphy did a yeoman’s job in creating A Memory Tree, A Memory Room, Guess Who Quiz and Scavenger Hunt Quiz.
During the anniversary weekend the Atlantic Mission Society quilt was on display. The quilt was made by Mary Condon, Pictou Landing, and the names of all presidents from 1876 to 2016 are acknowledged in the squares.
Our sister church, First Presbyterian, was invited to join us for the morning service on Oct. 20. The Rev. Dr. Joon Ki Kim extended a warm welcome to all. The choir, accompanied by Ian Grant on drums, sang ‘Hallelujah Round of Praise’ as their anthem.
The Rev. Richard Sand was the guest speaker and began his message, “Promises” with a review of the ministers who have served this congregation since it was founded by Donald Allan Fraser. He stated “their service in the ministry here at St. Andrew’s has left a lasting imprint – of tolerance of diversity, acceptance of compromise, and agreeability that seeks what is good, honourable, just, kind, decent in people.”
He then spoke about living in difficult times, using the passage from Jeremiah, ending with God’s promise of a brighter future. Like the woman in the New Testament lesson, the people of St. Andrew’s pursue justice without giving up: economic justice, the equality of all human beings, justice for the earth.
The evening service was conducted by organist Sandra Johnson. She explained the history of our hymns and psalms, describing their 200-year evolution. Two hundred years ago, Presbyterian ministers, mostly from Scotland, brought to the Maritimes the metrical psalms of 1650. At the beginning of the 19th century all church singing was unaccompanied. In fact, the organ at one point was referred to as “a carnal instrument”. After 1872 pipe organs were permitted. In 1907 the first pipe organ was installed in St. Andrew’s church at a cost of $2,450.
The first Book of Praise was published in 1897, followed updated editions in 1918, 1972 and in 1917 the one we now use. It includes songs and hymns spanning many countries, styles and faith traditions. A few musical choices we sing in morning worship services now are not explicitly sacred, but whose message does express the teachings of Jesus. Congregational and choir singing occurred between Sand’s presentations Both services concluded with a time for fellowship, conversation and refreshments.
