Our Minister is the Rev. Alan Gibbon M.Th. Alan was born and bred in Dundee, which is over on the east coast (he is always at pains to remind us of this!). He felt the call to Ministry in his late twenties, subsequently giving up work and returning to full-time education. He completed study at Dundee College, and then a Master of Theology degree at the University of St.Andrews, graduating in June 2000. He subsequently completed a period of ministerial study for the Congregational Federation , being admitted to their Roll of Ministers in May 2002. Alan ministered at Perth Congregational Church before being called to Knightswood in September 2002. Alan is married to Pam and between them they have four daughters. Pam is also the Church Secretary. Alan is part of the Chaplaincy team at Bankhead Primary School and plays an active role in the Scripture Union lunchtime club in Knightswood Secondary School . Alan was Secretary of the Congregational Federation in Scotland from 2003-07. His hobbies include playing the guitar, music, with a liking for Bruce Springsteen, whistling (to the annoyance of most!), reading and walking! Contact Rev. Alan Gibbon on (0141) 334 1351 / 07982261640 or e-mail him. Deacons The Church is also served by deacons. Deacons are nominated and recognised by the Church members. The Deacons support the Minister in spiritual oversight of the Church. Knightswood Congregational Church is affiliated to the Congregational Federation and the Congregational Federation in Scotland .

Letters from Alan

February / March 2010

The other night on the wonderful world of Television I stumbled over Sky Arts (in a rare moment when I had the remote control for some reason)

Anyhow, there was a documentary on the rock band Genesis and it was commented on by people that they never knew that ‘Phil Collins’ (now a singer) was originally a drummer.

So this led me (in my wealth of useless knowledge kind of way) to recite the story of the band and even dig out the old 33.3rpm (let’s see how many of the younger readers of this know what this is!)

I then returned the record and mumbled something about lost knowledge and the youth of today know nothing. Probably sounding like my dad!

But how much do we really forget? How much do we really just take as red, because we have always understood things to be a certain way?

See, I sometimes feel that here in the Church we can do things like that.

We have maybe grown up with a certain understanding about certain issues and certain practices and assume that they have always been like that.

But with that something is lost....perhaps something precious.

Sometimes with the stories of Jesus, we can miss the real meaning and gloss over what we have been told down the years.

You see, I sometimes have many questions about the Gospel and how the Holy Spirit works in people.

There is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:4-42), best to have a read first.

I have always been brought up to hear the story about the conversation between Jesus and the woman.

But I have always had one big question hanging over me about the disciples.

The woman is the one that goes in and tells the people in the town all about Jesus, and the disciples who were in the same town, well....they never told a soul.

So where was the Holy Spirit working through disciples who went to the town, just brought food and came back and wondered why Jesus was chatting with her, or the woman who told the town who was at the well?

Sometimes in the original telling of a story, the heroes aren’t always who we would expect them to be and we lose something in the familiarity of a text.

Let’s not be frightened to ask questions of this fantastic book, and to be searching out a meaning that helps us understand Jesus better. Take the time to sign up for a house group this year. You are never too old to learn more.