Lunch time ZOOM meeting - Paster Matthew Marshall giving us a talk on his Rumanian project and transforming old Council offices into new Baptist church and introducing the Bridge Café into his building

On Thursday 17^th December 2020 President Geoff Sampson welcomed 15 Club Rotarians.  Speaker Paster Matthew Marshall and guests of the president, Derrick and Betty Brown to this lunch time meeting held by ZOOM.

Three Rotarians apologised for non-attendance.

Our speaker this week was Paster Matthew Marshall who gave us an update on the Romanian project, which we were given a talk about 12 years ago. Matthew returned from Romania in 2015 when Callum King took over the project. In 2012 The Rev. Jacob Brothers (Lead Elder) who was originally from Kentucky, and Matthew had a look at the Baptist church and how they could take the ministry in Glenrothes forward as they moved the Baptist church in Glenrothes previously at the Morrison’s roundabout and now in the old Council buildings at Unicorn House at the Town Centre. The original estimate to transform the derelict building. With an estimate cost of £2.1million pounds to make the building habitable received the help of Baptists from all round the world which brought the cost in at less than half of that. Looking at introducing a solar system and with a zero-carbon basis they introduced the biomass pellet system. Opening in 2020 just prior to the COVID19 pandemic the highly successful Bridge Café staffed originally by 5 people has increased to 9. They have also launched the random kindness board where customers lay aside a payment for those who are struggling financially to take a gift ticket from the board to enable them to have a drink or a meal. They have also given out 30 family meal invites to Southwood, Warout and Carleton Primary pupils. Matthew finished his update by giving us his Christmas message by saying that the people who walked in the darkness have seen a great light.

The Rotary vote of thanks was given by President Geoff Sampson who took pride in thanking Matthew who used to be one of his paperboys and was so proud to see what Matthew had achieved.

Our Christmas appeal which raised £1264 plus loads of Food, Selection Boxes / TV / Books / Clothes / Toiletries and lastly mincemeat pies, all items and money have now been distributed. Rotary would like to thank everybody who has participated and hope that all the organisations we have supported have also done well in achieving their own goals for their Christmas collections. Everybody is so generous.

Iain Oates and President Geoff Sampson covered a few hours as Santa’s at the Love Oliver, Children’s Cancer Charity shop at the Town Centre last Saturday. So, rewarding when you see not only the children’s faces but parents as well.

Eight of our Rotarians are helping Collydean Community Centre from Sat 19^th to Wed 23^rd December as the Santa sleigh goes round the streets of Leslie, Whinnyknowe and North Glenrothes.

An email received from Asthma UK as a huge thank you for our donation would more than cover the cost to pay for their specialist asthma Nurses to support two people on our Helpline via phone or WhatsApp, offering potentially lifesaving advice to the people who need it.  The COVID-19 pandemic saw an unprecedented number of scared, vulnerable people need Asthma UK’s free support and advice services.  During this time, they have had over 24,000 people call our Helpline. Thanks to this donation they are one step closer to a cure.

Into the New Year Iain Oates will be lead Rotarian in pushing the Old Tools project and Wilna Roger lead Rotarian in pushing the Books abroad project.

We now go into our Christmas and New Year break with the next meeting not being until Thursday 7th January 2020 at 1pm on ZOOM. If you would like to join us to hopefully listen in to a speaker from Fife Women’s Aid

The Rotary vote of thanks will be given by Wilna Roger.

If you were interested in supporting the community and international projects get in touch by Private message on The Rotary Club of Glenrothes Facebook page. You will be made most welcome[GS1] .