ANY IDEAS? - A different questionnaire
by a couple of bright sparks

We’d like to know if we could help,
By offering something new.
It’s up to you to tell us
What YOU would like to do.

Do you think we’re too set in our ways?
“Aye Been” still the popular phrase?
Do you walk into Church and feel welcome
Or leave and wish you hadn’t come?

What would make Sunday more appealing to you?
We really need your point of view,
Suggestions, ideas, thoughts on the day,
We’re not too old to change our way.

MELROSE REEL CLUB

Autumn will soon be here and it will be time to dance again. Our class will start on Wednesday 20th September at 7.30 in the Church Hall. We are very lucky to dance in such warm, pleasant surroundings.

We enjoyed a successful year 2005 – 2006 with a membership of 24 and regular attendance of 20. We are mainly ladies but we do have one couple. This is a happy group and we learn new dances and repeat old favourites in the capable hands (and feet) of our teacher Connie.

Our open dance is always the second Friday in March in the Corn Exchange, with a live band, when we can attract a company of 100 dancers from all over the Borders for an evening of dancing, and of course, supper at half time provided by the host club.

We always need new members so why not come along on Wednesday 20th and see how you like it. You will be made most welcome.

Eleanor Connochie
(01896 823192)

HAISLEY MOORE AT 40 YEARS YOUNG.....
Retained from earlier edition.

The event to mark the end of my four year post as Pastoral Associate at Melrose was delayed to coincide with the 40th Anniversary of my Ordination, and I am truly grateful for the kindness shown to Jill and me in the gifts of a generous cheque, flowers, and a lovely lunch. To you all, and to Elsa Barker and her team – a big thank you.

The forty year Term of Ministerial work is conveniently divided into special periods………half of it in the traditional Parish Ministry, 11 years in industrial Lanarkshire with its steel works and foundries, and nine years in the triple-linked rural setting of the Scottish Borders with milk quotas and hill farming.

Specialist Ministries were with the Army ( 5 years) , and a special Youth Ministry as Scottish Secretary of the Boy’s Brigade ( 5 years). These were both challenging assignments with their quotas of fulfilments and frustrations.

Retiring from the BB Post , aged 60, I had another special ten years to run in a series of Locum-ships, beginning in the Central Belt with Airdrie High and Bathgate High.

On returning to live in the Borders we were engaged in Hawick Old & St Mary’s with Cavers & Kirkton, going south to Bonnie Langholm ( a favourite place) with Langholm, Ewes and Westerkirk with Canonbie. So, for a second time, I found one of my Parishes straddled the English Border – previously at Edgerston – a few miles north of Carter Bar……..and then Canonbie leading to nearby Carlisle.

A decision was then taken to return permanently to the Borders proper…..this coincided with an emergency posting to Peebles with Eddleston, followed by my part-time Appointment as Pastoral Associate at Melrose – in turn leading to a simultaneous appointment as Locum at Galashiels St. Ninian’s with Caddonfoot.

Alistair Bennett had a double hold on me as Interim Moderator at Caddonfoot and Galashiels St. Ninian’s – which meant we had gone full circle since our ministries overlapped earlier in Lanarkshire.

In all of this I have been Chaplain at 21 Schools, have taken countless School Assemblies and considerable class work – a great privilege.

In each situation I saw the great work done by our unsung heroes – the Office-bearers in our Congregations – Session Clerks, Treasurers, Sunday School / Youth Leaders, Organists and Choristers. What a wonderful contribution they have made to the ongoing work.

One makes ones friends from among the work force – and so Jill and I have pockets of friendships from Inverness in the North to Bonnie Langholm in the South. Christmas cards focus on this but so do the prayers offered most Saturday nights.

Ending up in Melrose Parish Church has been a bonus – not only for sharing the privileges and problems of the Pastoral Ministry in the best of times and the worst of times – but also in finding a spiritual home for ourselves.

As I said at our lunch on 5th February, Melrose constituted but 5% of my Ordained Ministry, but a special 5%, because here we are at home appreciating the lifestyle of the Church – not least its music, but especially its friendships. That is real enrichment.

From time to time I will cover for Alistair in the pulpit, but each of us is happy to be one of the flock, happy to share a post-script to our working lives in this place with these people.

For that we both say a big thank you.

Haisley & Jill Moore

'ALLO ROSIE!' or WATERSHIP DOWN (MELROSE WAY)
from your Gardening Correspondents, Bill and Ben

Rosie has been much in evidence on our streets since the beginning of June, as part of this year’s campaign of Melrose in Bloom. Last year’s Silver Gilt success will be hard to beat, as standards and expectations grow.

The Committee, however, had been working hard, well before Rosie’s entry on the scene, at the tasks of planning, preparation, administration and planting up of this year’s planters and baskets in the town and in the other areas such as the Nutwood, the Cauld and a multitude of extra locations in the programme. This year brought a new Chairman in “Auntie Viv”, whose word of command is to be obeyed. She is well supported by “Dunc”, whose ever-skilful and meticulous scheduling and patience is essential for a well-oiled (should that not be ‘smooth-flowing’?) watering rota: and by the unstinting and watchful efforts of a Ray of sunshine, whose overall commitment and contribution is invaluable. [Commitment? to avoid any suggestion of ’wasting’ water this lady has been seen taking buckets of water from the Malthouse Burn to keep the plants going.] The whole effort is backed up by the dedicated band of volunteers on the Committee.

The number of planters and baskets has now exceeded the 100 mark. Each of them is watered once a day under Dunc’s two-shift rota system.

The watering squads have a number of new faces, which is always a welcome factor. The addition of a retired Minister to the ranks brought a well-needed air of reverence to the team, and gave some blessing to the hard-working plants. Despite the rumours, thoughts of sanctification for Rosie would be premature.

‘check the deadheading’

As for ourselves, Bill and Ben were invited to return to the team for a third year, and can be observed plying their trade on the early shift. Their claim to be the ‘Top Team’ unfortunately could not be sustained. In fact, some on-the-job re-training became necessary, due, it was said to ‘short-term amnesia’. The Chairman’s words became their mantra: “Don’t forget the Planters at the Gibson Park car-park, which were a wee bit dry at the front”. Commandment no. 2 was Ray’s exhortation to check the deadheading and, at the other extreme, not to overwater the planters.

The inspection process keeps everyone on their toes (well, us anyway).

The town’s one-way traffic system has meant some changes in Rosie’s route. She now has to weave her way in and out of the bollards and past the various bus stops, as well as going round the new planters in the Square – a wonderful contribution this year by Scottish Borders Council. Chicaning (lovely word) round the pantechnicons parked in the High Street in the early morning demands some dexterity on the part of the Rosie driver and considerable agility by the waterer with the lance. ( Drives you up the pole, chaps?)

‘a wonderful tapestry of colour’

The flowers, baskets and planters have been in full bloom since early June, benefiting from the wonderful summer we have had thus far. ‘Oor toon’ has been a picture of colour and we humble Aquarians (get it?) venture to suggest that the Committee’s decisions and selections of plants this year has been superb – for range, contrast and sustainability. They have been supplemented by the Council’s planters and their different combination of plants. A wonderful tapestry of colour has been provided, and people going to the early services on a Sunday morning, have probably seen it at its best, when the streets are quieter and there is time to look about and admire it all.

The contributions from local businesses again this year have been most generous, as have been the donations from individuals and families. All deserve praise and thanks. Even the Trimontium leaflet joined in, the headline exhorting visitors to ‘Make for Melrose in Bloom’ – and see all it had to offer, including gardens, the Abbey – and the Romans.

Funny stories? We have few incidents to report but on one regrettable occasion we had to disappoint one early-morning punter. He asked us for ‘a cold lager’. We sympathised but had to confess that off-licence facilities were not yet available on Rosie. Dog –minding also came our way when we had to provide this unscheduled duty for Dunc’s hound-dog while he (Dunc) supervised an ongoing repair to Rosie’s water-passing capability. ‘Undertaking’ – last year’s Gibson Park camper’s suggestion for us – is off the agenda, thank goodness.

‘thankyou, Rosie’

Judging for this year’s Awards has taken places in two phases. It is rewarding to report that we are in the final for our class, the selection and placings for which are due to take place in Dunfermline in September. Fingers crossed! In any event, full credit to Viv and her Committee, the waterers and everyone else who has helped in whatever way to give Melrose another excellent show. And thank you too, Rosie. A winter holiday this year as usual, is it?

COUNT ROTA
The counting of the offering is undertaken each Monday morning. A rota of persons undertaking this duty is published and would normally be shown in this space.

We await a revised listing.