Summer Focus 2011: 3rd-9th July

---

Cafe The heartbeat of the Summer Focus week is the cafe. Open every morning from 10am and through lunchtime (till about 2pm), and then again in the evening, it's a great place to grab a coffee (and some home baking!) after you've dropped the children off at their activities, or to meet a friend - or just to come along and enjoy some company. Light lunches are available, and you are welcome to stay and chat for as long as you want. There is plenty of information about what else is on during the week, in a relaxed atmosphere, and all at very reasonable prices - and free refills!!

Seaside Rock (for the Children) In Primary school, or just finished it? Looking for something fun to do with friends? The children's activities run from 10am to midday every morning, and cost £5 per child for the week. It is open to anyone who has just completed a year at primary school (P1-P7). There will be a range of games, activities, songs and bible stories. Come on your own, or come with your friends. (Signed parental permission will be needed for everyone who comes along. All of the leaders have completed Child Protection training, and the programme operates in accordance with the Church of Scotland's child protection guidelines.) If you missed registration on Saturday, don't worry! Just come along a little before 10am on Monday morning and we you can register your child then!. You can also stay on after Seaside Rock, bring a packed lunch, and then from 1pm-3pm join in the rehearsals for the musical, "Sonrise".

Adults Summer Focus isn't just for the youngsters! As well as the cafe there are a variety of events and activities throughout the week. The cafe is open every evening from 7:30pm to 9:30pm, and there will also be something happening: Monday Cafe: You are welcome to a relaxed evening in the Cafe, with table-top games, jigsaws and a chance to chat Tuesday Chill Out: Stay at the Cafe and chill out with friends for an evening of pampering or join in with our work in the community (7pm-9pm). Wednesday Walk: the Cafe is open but if you want to come on the walk, please come to the church early at 6:30. Thursday Charity Evening: for the Iwate Relief Project, enabling Japanese Churches to bring aid to the people affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. John and Elspeth Taylor who lived many years in Sendai will tell us about the Iwate Relief Project. Japanese people who live in Dundee will demonstrate how to cook sushi. A Japanese girl will give an origami demonstration. Friday Ceilidh: Come and enjoy an evening of Scottish dancing with our new live Ceilidh band, The Reel Deal. Drinks and snacks will be provided or you can relax and enjoy the food in the Cafe.

Any children who come to any of these events must be accompanied by an adult.

For the Community Fancy making Fintry a nicer place to live - even if only in a small way? During Summer Focus we are planning to have some opportunities for helping out in practical ways in the local area. We hope to help some folk with their gardens. If you would like to get involved, pop by the cafe at the beginning of the week and see what is happening. We've pencilled in Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, from 2pm or 2:30pm (and on Tuesday possibly on into the evening), and we look forward to mucking in together.

Prayer We believe in a God who is interested in our lives, and in a God who invites us to talk with him about our lives. During Summer Focus we have a room specially set aside for anyone who would like somewhere quiet to pray. And we are also very happy to pray for you - you can either ask for someone to pray with you, or just let us know what it is you'd like prayed for and we will pray for you. We have slips of paper that you can use to let us know what you'd like prayed for available throughout the week in the cafe.

The Musical: Sonrise In the last couple of years the week of Summer Focus has finished with a musical, often reflecting something of the theme of the week - this year our theme for much of the week is the life of Peter, and how he discovered something of who Jesus is. The musical is Sonrise and it will take place on Saturday afternoon. Anyone can get involved, and many of the children who come along during the week play a leading role. As well as having loads of fun, everyone involved grows in confidence and learns new skills as they practise and perform together. (Practises for the children will take place during the week in the afternoons, from 1pm-3pm. Children can bring a packed lunch and stay after Seaside Rock for the rehearsal.)

Focus and Reflect If life is a journey, where is it heading? For many of the people involved in the Summer Focus week our journey has led us to Jesus, and now we seek to follow his lead. Is Jesus more than just a figure from history? Does he somehow shows us what God is like? At the beginning and end of each day, for anyone who wants to think a bit about the bigger questions of life, there is the chance to Focus (in the morning) or Reflect (in the evening) on what the Bible says, and follow the story of some people whose journey the Bible follows.