Scottish MP’s              ‘Early Day Motion’

by Harry Burnside

Certificate

Ward Bishop, Alan McArthur decided to hold a fireside in November 2018 to celebrate the chapel’s opening 50 years earlier. Local dignitaries, Colette Stevenson the Deputy Provost for East Kilbride and Linda Fabiani the Member of the Scottish Parliament for East Kilbride attended. And, unexpectedly, Dr Lisa Cameron MP also attended.

The fireside programme consisted of talks and a slide show of all the work the ward as done in the area in the 50 years. Members were asked to present pictures and musical items. Several rooms in the chapel were used for displays of members who had served missions, family histories, Church history, missionary material, and service projects undertaken through Helping Hands involvement and other work in the community.

Helping Hands

Among its many projects and contributions to their community were: helping prepare 75,000 bags of dehydrated food for ‘Rise Against Hunger’, to be sent to famine-stricken countries; assisting the Rotary Club in tidying up the War memorial garden in Cumbernauld; and selling Poppies during October. The Church laid a wreath at the East Kilbride Memorial Service on Remembrance Sunday. Additionally, the Ward’s Relief Society constantly liaises with Women's Aid in East Kilbride to provide them with help and also donate items and continues visiting care homes in the town (something it has done for the last ten years). On May 11th the ward helped with the Stake’s Helping Hands day in Kirkintilloch.

Remembrance

Both Colette Stevenson and Linda Fabiani spoke at the fireside. Dr Lisa Cameron was very impressed and said that she intended to present an Early Day Motion to the House of Commons.

On 12 December 2018, Dr Lisa Cameron, MP for the constituency of East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons entitled ’50 years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in East Kilbride’. 

Rise

Its text reads: “That this House recognises the work of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in East Kilbride for over 50 years of service since Elder John Longden, an assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, performed the dedication while the church was led by Branch President Frank Sommerville; acknowledges the community spirit and dedication that they have shown; further acknowledges the hospitality shown to all at their fireside events; and wishes them all the best in their endeavours.”

On Easter Sunday in April 2019, Dr Lisa Cameron attended sacrament meeting at the Ward to present a framed copy of her Early Day Motion. She stayed for the second hour as well

Group Photo