News Archive 2006/7

Saturday 29 July 2006The Brigades repertoire for 2006 / 2007 has been updated on the repertoire page. Full programme notes will appears soon.

Tuesday 25th July 2006Our Vison of Hope team returned safely from Ukraine. A full update will be available on the Vision of Hope website available from the links page soon.

Songster Fraser Ramsay was awarded 'Top Boy' at the recent Irish School of Music. Best wishes to all attending the Scottish School of Music and

Drama on Saturday 29 July 2006.

Friday 14 July 2006The Webmanager will be away for 12 days and unable to provide news updates due to severely limited computer snd web access.

Wednesday 12 July 2006After almost a year of operation and almost 18,000 visits the appearance of the site has been updated to (hopefully) give it a brighter, fresher look. Members log in has moved to the bottom of the Welcome page

Monday 26 June 2006The final rehearsal before the break in rehearsals for the summer saw 65 past & present songsters share in song and fellowship. Songs included "Jesus is Alive", "He had to hold to Calvary", "War on the Floor", "There's never been a mountain". From Gems for Songsters we included "Is it nothing to you? and "The greatest of these".

The songsters sang "Compelled by Love" after which remembered in prayer those in the Rehabilitation centre in Windsor, Canada with whom we shared that particular song. We prayed for those from Govan, Winton, Gorgie & Sheffield as they set off to minister in Ukraine and prayed for our own community in Govan where needs are great.

Commissioners Keith & Pauline Banks shared in the rehearsal with Pauline sharing her testimony and Keith leading a very challenging devotional period.

S/Ldr Chic Ramsay announced that following over 60 years service in Govan Songsters Cathie Jenkins is stepping into retirement, Cathie received the biggest accolade possible as members of the brigade stood and applauded in appreciation of her service. We thank God for her service, commitment and the example she has set over the years. We wish her a long and happy retirement.

The evening concluded with a further time of fellowship over refreshments.

Rehearsals will resume on Monday 7 August 2006, although the Brigade will be participating at the installation of the Divisional Commander on Sunday 6th August in Hamilton Temple.

Monday 19 June 2006The brigade enjoyed a very good night of food and fellowship at our curry night in Renfrew. The restuarant seemed to be given entirely over to us, and given the amount of food consumed it was probably just as well. After a bit of belt loosening the brigade made the most of the buffet dishes. After what has been a very busy couple of years for the Brigade it was very worthwhile for us to enjoy a relaxing evening in each others company. Chic - I think the suggestion that we should go for a curry every Monday instead of Songster rehearsal was meant as a joke (????). Photographs should appear shortly, although none will be as funny as a certain passport photo. We now look forward to our last rehearsal before the summer break when we will be joined by a number of former Govan Songsters.

Thursday 15 June 2006New Shimla in Renfrew is booked for a party of 40 for 7.30pm. Cost is £7.95 (each - not for 40!!)

Monday 12 June 2006In our last 'normal' rehearsal before our summer break, the Brigade rehearsd a number of the new songs which will feature in our repertoire for the coming year. These included 'Know my heart, With wings as eagles, In Christ alone and others. We also rehearsed two songs from the Gems series that will be used in our final rehearsal which will be attended by a number of former songsters. Next week will be our Brigade Curry Night at New Shimla in Renfrew. 40 of the brigade will be enjoying some well earned 'down time'.

Monday 5 June 2006The trial of the Brigades new seating formation proved succesful with favourable comment from around the Brigade. We will continue the trial next week and assess its effectiveness. A/S/Sgt Major Maisie Bellshaw continues to recuperate at home, although still in plaster.

Sunday 4 June 2006For our Pentecost Sunday contributions the Brigade sang His Provision in the Holiness Meeting, and Dare To Be Different in our Songs of Praise.

The Brigade will be experimenting with a new seating formation for our next two rehearsals from tomorrow evening.

Friday 2 May 2006.The brigade and Timbrels were priveleged to participate with the Band in the Govan fair procession. Throughout its two and a half mile route the pavements were lined with onlookers.

Sunday 28 May 2006Being a holiday weekend the Brigade were fewer in number than usual, however they did contribute ' Close to me' by Andrew Blyth during the Holiness Meeting.

The Brigade would also congratulate Brian Keachie on being commissioned Bandmaster of Govan Band

Friday 26 May 2006The Brigade say au revoir to Stefanie Glassford, who is off to Camp America for three months. Have a great time Stefanie, and we look forward to hearing all about it when you come home.

Tuesday 23 May 2006After what has been a very busy last two years, with preparations for Govan Songsters first CD being quickly followed by our tour of Canada in October last year, it was felt that some social time together would benefit us as a Brigade. With our last rehearsal being on 26 May, when we will be joined by former members, the week before will be a Curry Night at our usual restuarant.

Monday 22 May 2006Deatils on additions to our repertoire added to Repertoire page

Sunday 21 May 2006Today was Home League Sunday at Govan. The Brigade sang 'Somebody prayed for me in the Holiness meeting and 'Rock Eternal' in the Praise and salvation meeting. Arrangement for our visit to Boston are coming together. One new facet for the Brigade will be to Hold Holiness meetings at three different Salvation Army centres on the Sunday morning before coming together again for a festival on the Sunday afternoon.

members of our brigade and Corps family who have suffered bereavement.

Monday 15 May 2006Rehearsals again featured some new music to further develop our repertoire. Included were Benjamin Harlans 'Know my heart' , Leonard Ballantynes ' Cornerstone', Joseph Martins 'Great, Great Morning' and 'God of my praise'. Attempts will be made to organise a Brigade Curry Night befor ethe summer recess.

Sunday 14 May 2006The Brigade contributed the Eric Ball classic 'In the secret of Thy presence' in the Holiness meeting, and drew much favourable comment from those who felt uplifted by this fine song. To complement Major David Radfords bible thought the Brigade sang Ernest Rances' To The Hills' which uses the his own tune Ochills.

The Webmanagers technical gremlins are now a thing of the past, and a full update including engagements, Govan Corps page and Thought for the Week will be made soon.

Monday 8 May 2006Rehearsals continue to go to plan as we look to develop our repertoire further. Updates on our repertoire page will appear as soon as the webmanager has got rid of the last technical gremlins. Again the Mercy Seat was used during our devotions.

Sunday 7 May 2006This Sunday saw the retiral on Over Sixties Club secretary Mary MacFarlane after 34 years service in the role. Mary requested that the Brigade sang 'From the first hallelujah' as their contribution. In the Praise and Salvation meeting the Brigade sang ' By His Hand'

Thursday 4 May 2006This year Govan Corps will celebrate its 125th Anniversary. Special meetings are planned in November to recognise this. Full details will be published in the next few days.

Sunday 30 April 2006There being only a Holiness meeting at Govan due to the holiday weekend, the brigade contributed 'All that I am' during the meeting. We were also saddened to learn of the sudden Promotion to Glory of a former Govan Songster, May Gillespie. Our thoughts and prayers are with Charles, George and Helen at this time.

Wednesday 26 April 2006Due to technical difficulties there will be no news updates for a few days from 28 April. Normal service should resume next week.

Monday 24 April 2006

Our rehearsals over the next few weeks will be based around the introduction of new music to our repertoire. As we have no more programmes to fulfil before the summer we will continue the development of our programme for engagements at the end of the year and our new CD recording in February next year. The repertoire page will be updated shortly.

Sunday 23 April 2006Our Commanding Offiecers have returned from holiday and led our Sunday meetings. The Brigade contributed Grace alone in the Holiness meeting and Holy Ground in the Salvation meeting. Holy Ground was specifically requested to fit in with the theme of the Salvation meeting. It was good to sing this number again having not used it since our return from Canada.

Monday 17 April 2006Easter Monday being a public holiday, in an gesture of kindness the S/Ldr cancelled our normal Monday night rehearsal.

Sunday 16 April 2006The West of Scotland Division Easter Celebration was held at Govan Citadel. The Brigade featured the theme song from our recent tour of Canada, Alive!. What song could be more appropriate for Easter Sunday morning.

Saturday 15 April 2006As part of the West of Scotland Divisional Easter celebration, the Brigade drama group portrayed their powerful piece 'The Light of the World' which was so effective and meaningful on the Brigades tour of Canada last year. A number of other groups from within the Division including Cumbernauld Singing Company, Clydeband Praise group and vocal soloists, contributed items.

Sunday 9 April 2005Our Commanding Officers, Majors David and Ann Radford were on furlough, and Assistant Songster Sergeant Major Maisie Bellshaw led our Holiness Meeting, with the Brigade singing He Had to Hold to Calvary. Our evening meeting was led by Captain Russell Tucker and the Brigade sang 'From the first hallelujah'

Wednesday 4 April 2005Dumbarton Baptist Church was filled to hear a programme of music from the Band and Songsters. The band taking the first half of the programme, and the Brigade the second. This has proved to be a succesful formula in recent concerts. During the second half of the programme the brigade featured There's never been a mountain, His strength is perfect, Horn solo Demelza, Surey He has borne our griefs, When I survey, He had to hold to Calvary and a "first" rendition of With wings as eagles.

Friday 31 March 2006As previously indicated, the Brigade will visit the Boston Corps later this year. A link to the Boston Corps website has been added to the Links Page

Thursday 30 March 2006As Govan Corps celebrates its 125th anniversary this year, a number of special events are planned for the second half of the year. The Brigade will feature in a number of these, and full details will be appearing soon. The webmanager will be on holiday for a couple of weeks from this weekend. News updates will be less regular than usual, but if you have any they can be emailed to me and the website will be udated when possible. (Probably from under an umbrella beside a pool or on a beach)

Wednesday 29 March 2006The Brigade are delighted that Songsters Audrey Ramsay and Fraser Ramsay have been invited to be soloists at Rutherglen Corp Music Ministry Weekend on Saturday 20th May.

Monday 27 March 2006At the end of our rehearsal in preparation for our visit to Dumbarton Baptist Church, the Brigade shared in a time of testimony with a number of the brigade sharing their current experience of Gods workings in their lives.

Sunday 26 March 2006Before the Holiness Meeting on Mothers Day the Brigade set the tone for the meeting with 'My Strength Alone', and during the meeting the Brigade contributed a fine rendition of Yvonne Fields 'Christ in me'. In the Praise and Salvation Meeting the Brigade contributed 'Would you know why I love Jesus?'

Sunday 19 March 2006With a number of the brigade members assisting at Paisley Citadel, the Brigade were led by D/S/Ldr Colin McFarlane in the Holiness meeting and contributed 'Close to Me". The full Brigade sung "Rock Eternal" during the Praise and Salvation meeting.

Saturday 18 March 2006A well filled hall heard the brigade present a fine programme of music at Paisley Citadel. Items included, Alive, The Majesty and Glory of Thy Name, War on the floor, and Rock Eternal. The soloists were Elizabeth Hay and Moira Wilson. At the end of the evening a cheque for £500.00, the proceeds of the event, was presented to Sheila and Colin McFarlane as Paisley Citadels contribution to Govans Vision of Hope 2006 - Ukraine Project. A group from the brigade will be joining with our friends at Paisley on Sunday to assist in their meetings which will be led by S/Sgt Elma Stewart and Songster John Stewart. The brigade would again wish to thank Joyce an Ann for their accompaniements.

Monday 13 March 2006The weather did relent to allow our rehearsal!! Thanks to Ann and Joyce for accompaniements.

Sunday 12 March 2006The brigades acivities were severely curtailed by the fall of 12 inches of snow in Central Scotland. S/Ldr Chic Ramsay telephoned Deputy Colin McFarlane at 9.00 am to say that he was snowed in and ask if Colin could assist, only to be met by the response that roads in his area too were closed. Hopefully roads will be open to allow an important rehearsal in preparation for our visit to Paisley Citadel on Saturday 18 March.

Saturday 11 March 2006New link added to Derby Central Songsters website. (See Links page)

Friday 10 March 2006The brigade are delighted to accept an invitation to travel to Boston Corps for a weekend in October this year. This is our Commanding Officers, Majors David and Ann Radfords previous appointment, and we look forward to worshipping with our friends at Boston.

Thursday 9 March 2006

Our accompanist, Brian Allan from the Bellshill Corps, will be unable to join us at Paisley Citadel due to an engagement with Bellshill Band on the same evening. The brigade are delighted that two of our own songsters, Joyce Ramsay and Major Ann Radford will be able to share the accompanists duties for the evening. Consequently Songster Leader generously allowed Brian to have a Monday Rehearsal off on the 13th March.

Sunday 5 March 2006The brigade were happy to support the Govan Citadel Spring Festival. Centred round our own young people and those of Kilbirnie Corps with guest soloists. The brigade contributed 'There'll never be a mountain' and 'Jesus is alive!' Our Sunday meetings were led by Majors Robert and Rita Pearce. The brigade contributed ' Grace Alone' in the Praise and Salvation meeting.

Tuesday 28 February 2006As the website passes 10,000 hits since opening 7 months ago, Govan Songsters would like to express their thanks to all who have shown an interest in the Brigade.

Friday 24 February 2006.The songsters sung to a capacity congregation is Springfield Cambridge Church. The brigade sung new additions to our repertoire including War on the floor, There'll never be a mountain and When I survey amongst others. Elanor Baxter featured as vocal soloist with 'Wade in the water', with Audrey Ramsay featuring in 'He had to hold to Calvary". Fraser Ramsay contributed the horn solo ' Demelza'. The brigade were warmly received by the very receptive congregation. We were grateful, again, for Brian Allans accompaniments.

Tuesday 21 February 2006New links to International Staff Songsters and International Staff Band added to links page. If you want a link to your site - email the WebManager

Sunday 19 February 2006Before the commencement of the Holiness meeting the brigade used Joy Webbs ' Come into our world' to great effect, and set the atmosphere for the day. During the holiness meeting the brigade contributed ' You are the Light". A first performance of War on the floor' was featured during the Salvation meeting, with many commenting on how the brigade had obviously enjoyed portraying this song to the congregation. There will be no songster practice on Monday 20th as the Corps will be involved in a 'safe and Sound event on the 21st, and the brigade will be performing a program of music at Springfield Church on the 24th.

Monday 13 February 2006

It is with regret that Govan Songsters announce that they will have to postpone their visit to the Winton (Bournemouth) Corps which had been scheduled to the weekend of the 27 and 28 May 2006. This being a holiday weekend means that the cost of flights to Bournemouth would run to several thousand pounds and could not be seen as effective stewardship. The brigade is keen to visit in the not too distant future to renew friendships made when the Winton Songsters visited Govan Corps. A number of options are under consideration and an announcement regarding an engagement in May will be made soon.

Thursday 9 February 2006

The songsters will be featuring a number of the new additions to our repertoire at our festival in Bishopbriggs, Glasgow on Friday 24 February. The programme will include War on the floor, Would you know why I love Jesus, To the hills, When I survey, and a number of others.

Sunday 29 January 2006

Whilst our Commanding Officer Majors Ann & David Radford are on furlough, our Sunday meetings were led by A/S/Sgt Major Maisie Bellshaw, Holiness Meeting, and S/Sgt Elma Stewart, Praise and Salvation Meeting. The brigade contributed To the Hills, My Strength Alone and His Provision. Link to www.brasslink.nl placed and Links page. This is a site for SA Bands run by Steef Klepke, a Salvationist from the Vlaardigan Corps in the Netherlands.

Tuesday 24 January 2006Repertoire page updated with new songs, To the Hills, Sanctify Us, When I survey the Wondrous Cross, Come into our world, and There's never been a mountain.

Monday 23 January 2006Link to Newcastle City Songsters put on Links Page. Please visit!!!

Sunday 22 January 2006.Our Young Peoples Weekend meetings were led by Captain Peter Ross. The Songsters contributed 'Rock Eternal' in our Praise meeting.

Sunday 15 January 2006We were delighted that Rachel Ritchie received her commission as a Songster. We offer our congratulations and our prayerful support as Rachel enters this new avenue of service for the God.

Monday 9 January 2006Tonight saw our first rehearsal of 2006, with a number of new songs being introduced to the brigade as we prepare for what already looks like being a busy years for the brigade and the Corps. These included a lovely arrangement of When I survey the wondrous cross by S/ Ldr Joan Spencer. This was previously used at the Scottish School of Music and Drama. Other songs were There's never been a mountain, You're not alone - which was used as preparation for a period of reflection, and Sanctify Us. Full details will appear in the repertoire page soon. It was also good to welcome S / Co / Ldr Claire Williams and C / T Stephen Jacques to our rehearsal.