KHPC Fabric Team

I sometimes feel as if the rain will never stop, then I look at the News and see what devastation has been caused by a cyclone in India - Half a Million people affected! All things pale into consideration -  Then I think am I scared of heights - Not if I'm careful! I really would like to see St Cecilia face to face again - especially as a technology malfunction has meant that I've lost a lot of photographs taken when KH was decked with scaffolding before, many have been retrieved but the tower on the Burne Jones Window just might give me the opportunity to retake some.  Then I also remember how happy I was to be up high on a ship's look out tower. SO I'm thinking I'm going to get a new boat, an Ark perhaps?

photo courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission MONTECCHIO PRECALCINO COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION Montecchio Precalcino is a town in the Province of Vicenza, 4 kilometres north of Dueville and 16.8 kilometres north of the town of Vicenza. This beautiful place honours: Second Lieutenant HENRY BIORN HOMAN of the 66th Sqdn., Royal Flying Corps, who died aged 19 years on the 4th April 1918 Remember!

It's Official! October is a Wet and Windy Month. This last week in October has once again turned out to be one of strong gales with lots of rain.  Convoluted Drainpipes!  It's amazing how easy it is to check, when you consider that this is the 3rd October that I've been blogging about  the Fabric of KH, I can hardly believe it. For various reasons, today was actually  the first day that I ventured out this week, and I was delighted to see an old friend of KH getting ready to 'do his stuff'; clearing out all the drains within the grounds. Many will be glad to see that the Car Park no longer has a small lake in the bottom corner.  I commented to Alastair of 'Surface Contracts' that it was a horribly rainy day, to which he replied that they tended to get wet and muddy anyway, so the weather didn't really make much difference.  Still rather them than me. Anyway it's all timed nicely for anot...

At last some good news in the Financial world. The official announcement from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport follows: " The Department has announced that the LPW scheme will continue for a further 4 years from April 2011. There will be an annual fixed maximum budget of £12 million, and the Department will discuss with faith groups and denominations how the scheme can best operate within that budget. The restriction to scope already announced from 4 January will remain in place- professional fees, and repairs to clocks, pews, bells and organs, will remain ineligible from 1 April. Further announcements will be made in due course." What does this mean? For us at KH, it means that we can reclaim the VAT paid on every repair we carry out to the main structure of the Building. A very important consideration when you realise that VAT is to increase to 20% in January 2011. Despite the financial restrictions which are in place, this does show that the Government recognises...

A holiday for some only. The building is so busy during the week that, it makes sense to try and get as much maintenance work done during any holiday time. This means that the way is clear for workmen to move around the building with ease. Although I must say that , at the last count there were, I think 3 different groups all scheduled to be in KH next week. All of them have different tasks to complete, just keep your fingers crossed that all goes smoothly! And that list doesn't include the chap who's going to be outside, dealing with the Land Drains! But before all that we have our Festive Trumpets Concert on Saturday Night. One to really enjoy!

On Sunday I was approached and asked why I hadn't updated the Blog.    Oops! Friday night had come, and bed beckoned after a fairly hectic week, so the KH Blog slipped from the radar. So grovelling apologies all round, and here we go. The Plant Sale netted a goodly return, the weather was lovely and once again we were able to hold the sale in the garden at Observatory Road. The Cream Teas were much appreciated by all (my Mum's freshly made pancakes vanished very, very quickly.) It was a lovely day to be outside and I think various ladies appreciated being able to have their tea under the Gazebo. (Some didn't seem to want to leave!) So all in all a good day out; and now I just have to remember that there is always one last thing to do on a Friday.

Now we have nothing else to do but carry out our allotted tasks of bringing the 'Good News' to all. Worship continues, 4 times a week,  upstairs in the Sanctuary and downstairs in the New Session Room. Other activities continue throughout the week; day and evening. There is always something going on at KH . Enjoy!

This week saw the first real days of warming sun, enough to start bringing out the cherry blossom around the West End. Tree buds have burst into life and birds are singing for all their worth  --- but at KH we have been cast as the cruel Landlords-- evicting prospective tenants from their favourite place. I could swear that the pigeon looking forlornly down from the east tower was watching me! and waiting! Evicted!

We at KH did our bit! so for ease I replicate the thank-you in full. "I wish to thank you and your entire congregation at Kelvinside and Hillhead Parish Church for your fantastic support for WWF’s Earth Hour 2010 – helping to increase awareness about people and wildlife threatened by climate change. Sign-ups are still being calculated but early indications suggest that a staggering one billion people took part in WWF’s Earth Hour around the world. Over 4,000 cities and towns in a record-breaking 126 countries signed up. Global landmarks which switched off included Edinburgh Castle and the Big Ben; the Eiffel Tower; the Great Pyramids; Sydney Opera House; and the Forbidden City in China. Here in Scotland, this year’s Earth Hour really captured the imagination of the public leading to record numbers pledging to switch off - including 29 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, over 300 schools and nearly two hundred businesses, public bodies and other organisations. Many of the nation’s ...

'Sumptuous Angels' is a phrase which I have heard used before, when describing some of the angels on the Stained Glass Windows. However, on yet another brilliantly blue-skied day the phrase came to mind when I was standing outside the front door with a friend. Despite the bitter cold, the setting sun and the waning crescent moon bathed the carved stone of the building with a wash of silvered gold. How is it that we have been so lucky, this winter to have had so many beautiful days? A hard winter certainly, and it's not over yet, but as we continue into Lent we must give thanks for these small signs.

The view from the Front Door of the Church, looking out onto Huntly Gardens. It had been a busy couple of hours at Open Church, our visitors enjoying their time within the building and then being greeted by this glorious sky when they left. What is not evident is the glorious birdsong which resounded all around. Sometimes there is not a lot more that we could ask for.

Around this time, 2 years ago, we had been evacuated from the main part of the building. We had been dealt a severe blow in many different ways. The Kirk Session had to deal with many losses all at once. Without a Minister of our own we had a difficult time ahead of us, and then the building was damaged. Contemplating our future as a Congregation within the Church of Scotland in the West End was uppermost in most of our minds. However apart from all that we also had to deal with the tricky situation of the negotiations between Engineers, Contractors, Workmen, Architects, Insurance Companies and Historic Scotland and then there were the Church bodies as well. The blue skies of this week have shown the building in its best light. I've stood outside and looked up at the building and given thanks. Strangely enough we had blue skies at this time 2 years ago as well. However on Friday the last of the regular Hunter & Clark workmen bade his farewell. We are going to miss having regula...

Last Saturday was indeed a beautiful day, but very cold, so it was no surprise that the snow came again and lay thick all around, however, as is more normal for a city it didn't last. But just to prove that snow is not uncommon we have a guest photo, or should that be more correctly a photo from a Guest Photographer? Kelvinside Hillhead Church - March 2006 Originally uploaded by Blue Blanket Snow in March 2006. Thanks to J.Adair, who visited us again after Christmas when we were back in the Sanctuary

Golden Stonework and blue skies are a very powerful combination. Following this beatiful day we hosted a Concert in aid of Haiti and £600 was rasied. An informal Pot-Pouri is how this Concert was described. Arranged and organised very quickly by Lynda McMinn and some of her friends from the RSAMD. Many thanks to all of the Performers.

The weather, once again had a delaying effect on the planned works this week. However the scaffold is now down from around the Fleche and the slaters are busy fixing slates. The Boiler Room has had the essential fire-retardant repairs carried out that particular job is close to completion. The next (and final) part of the works will be the repairs to the High Parapet Gutters. So the beginning of March is looking like our 'completion date'. Just to prove how fickle the weather is I'm inserting a photo of the Fleche when it was partly revealed last Saturday when the Blue Skies and Golden Stones showed just how dramatic the Building we have. As I was standing in Observatory Road looking up at the building, before I'd got my camera out, another shopper walking by, made the remark of just how wonderful the building when the sun shines on it. It is indeed said I. Sometimes it takes a Stranger to jolt us away from the nitty gritty of all the toil and strife . It was indeed wo...

One of the 'nice', calming jobs which is done each week is arranging the Church Flowers. Even when we were worshipping downstairs in the Hall and Session Room, we always had flowers. Every Month of the year there is someone responsible for ensuring that there are fresh flowers in Church on Sunday. Every week there is the opportunity for anyone to 'sign-up' to contribute towards the provision of the flowers. For some people it is enough just to give money, but others also like to choose and arrange them personally. The flowers may be placed in Church in remembrance of someone or something or may just be put there for the sheer joy of seeing God's own creation. Whatever the reason, they are always special. Fortunately at KH there is no need to feel that you must be able to 'arrange' flowers in order to make your own statement. There is a varied assortment of vases available for use, and if someone was to feel completely unable to 'do' the flowers they...

Forgive me not posting last night. The delights of Byres Road beckoned. The post AGM meal of the Scottish Branch of the Institute of Acoustics was the event; and most enjoyable it was too. KH hosted the AGM itself, and the venue was voted a hit once again. 'Warm'! 'Easy to get to' 'Comfortable' 'Just the right size' were some of the descriptors used. Perhaps it's too easy for us to forget that there is another world outside KH, but if we can enable the meeting facilities within our site to be used by a greater range of people then we are surely fulfilling a need within our community. For me personally, it was most pleasing to have my own work colleagues find our facilities 'most pleasing' The 'Acoustics Community' in Scotland is a multi-cultural and talented group of people, and it was only a shortage of time which prevented Clement from playing all of the pianos in the Building, he was most impressed that the Piano in the meeting roo...

An extra event is happening, at short notice; Lynda and her RSAMD friends are hosting a Concert for Haiti on Saturday 30th. January at 19:30hrs. In the Main Hall entered from Observatory Road. Come and contribute---Songs - Music - Money----- perhaps even all three.

Not much snow in evidence today, as this shot of the Huntly Gardens proves. But still cold and wintry looking. Some of you may have noticed that the 'Green Garter' has been replaced by a 'Blue' one. It's only temporary, it's mostly to protect the workers from the absolutely biting wind whilst they are up on the Fleche finishing off the works. So it is that, while there are some up on 'top', there are also some down below, assisting us in dealing with the aftermath of a burst pipe last Sunday. The damage was in the ancilliary rooms, Thank Goodness! It has been quite a week, but we are lucky; we still have a building to work from and we still have homes, offices, shops and however much we may moan about it we still have a transportation system in place. As we watch and listen to the latest news of the devasting earthquake in Haiti, we pray that relief may get to the survivors soon. So this Sunday when we are going to have a Soup and Sandwich...