The magazine of Leith Churches Forum
September 2014 Vol. 51/14
From the Chair Rev Rob Mckenzie One key question we occasionally ask ourselves at the Leith Churches Forum is ‘What are we trying to do?’ Or perhaps it’s better expressed as ‘What is the point?’ It might seem like an obvious good thing for Congregational representatives to meet together, share stories and plan occasional events, but sometimes groups can end up having meetings for the sake of having meetings. At its worst, we can begin to feel we’ve achieved something simply because we’ve met, even though we may have used up time better spent doing something else. But I think there are definite signs that the LCF is not just about easing our conscience by looking as if we’re interested in working together by having meetings. Firstly, the joint services we have do have a point to them and come at key times of the year for the community in Leith. Secondly, initiatives such as the Food Bank would not have been possible without the Forum taking a lead role. Well, perhaps it could have happened with a single church doing all the initial planning and volunteering but it would have taken much longer and would have put great strain on that congregation. The Food Bank is one example of what can happen when people come together and pool their energy and talents. And we do hope that further Forum-led community initiatives can come to fruition in the next few years. But there is a third thing. As we all know, this is a time of change for the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh and throughout the country. There is a financial crisis within the church and there is a crisis due to lack of new ministers, particularly young ministers. Many congregations, especially those in rural areas, are adapting to the fact they will have to exist with only lay leadership for the foreseeable future. And many urban congregations are being grouped by Presbytery into new patterns: groups of congregations with a small number of buildings and leadership teams consisting of ordained ministers, deacons and paid lay workers. You could see all this as an opportunity and it’s good, necessary even, to put a positive spin on things, but the reality is that the church is being forced to make those changes due to the shortages mentioned above. It has no choice but to deliver drastic measures and congregations are then also coerced into drastic changes by Presbytery decree. One vital role of the Leith Churches Forum is to set our own agenda for working together while we still can. …............... See our sponsor Garry's advert on the back page and support him if you can.
If we can find positive ways forward for ourselves, consider the use of our buildings and explore ways of reducing our respective deficits by pooling resources, we might leave the Edinburgh Presbytery with little work to do when it comes looking at Leith in a few years time. Ideally, we’d like it to look at what we’re doing together and the plans we ourselves have set as a Forum, and decide that this is the best way forward. In other words, we can establish the best way forward before we are told what to do by a central body. It will be difficult, sacrifices will have to be made by each individual congregation, but we will have set an effective agenda for ourselves and for Leith and won’t need to be forced into changes that no one wants to make. This is a huge challenge. Together, we must walk with God and show we are up to it. -----------A letter from God My dear child, I love you. I shed my own blood for you to make you clean. You are new, so believe it is true. You are lovely in my eyes, and I created you to be just as you are. Do not criticize yourself or get down for not being perfect in your own eyes. This leads only to frustration. I want you to trust me and take one day at a time. Dwell in my power and love and be free. Be yourself. Don't allow other people to run you. I will guide you if you will let me. Be aware of my presence in everything. I give you patience, love, joy and peace. Look to me for answers. I am your Shepherd and will lead you. Follow me only. Do not forget this. Listen and I will tell you my will. I love you, I love you! Let it flow from you, spilling over all you touch. Be not concerned with yourself; you are my responsibility. I will change you without you hardly knowing it. You are to love yourself and to love others simply because I love you. Take your eyes off yourself; look only to and at me. I lead, I change, I make, but not when you're trying; I won't fight your efforts. You are mine. Let me have the joy of making you like Christ. Let me give you joy, peace and kindness. No one else can. You're not your own. You have been bought with blood and now belong to me. My only demand is to look to me and only me, never to yourself and never to others. Don't struggle . Relax in my love. Stop trying. Let me make you what I want. My will is perfect, my love is sufficient. Look to me, I love you, The Lord.
Edinburgh Hairy Haggis Relay Marathon 25 May 2014 The day finally arrived and with it a typical Scottish dreich day – yep you've guessed it torrential rain. However this did not dampen the spirits of the intrepid adventurers. Leg one was due to start at 10am, however because of the high number of entrants, Linda did not step over the start line until 10.15am. Then it was best foot forward. The atmosphere was fantastic and was not dampened at all by the weather, and running along the route was made more exciting by the vast numbers of spectators cheering us on, regardless if they knew us or not. At times you feel like you are running on air and at other times it feels more like trudging through treacle, but at all times the end goal is in sight and the target to keep running no matter what is at the forefront of our minds. At the Links in Musselburgh, 8 miles and 1 hour and 26 minutes later, Linda handed over the bracelet (easier to keep a hold of than a baton) to Stewart who ran Leg Two, to Cockenzie and Port Seton. The rain, which had managed to stay away over the first leg unfortunately now started to make itself felt and although intermittent, the runners were caught in the downpour. Keeping our team on course to the finish line Stewart arrived at Leg Three, 57 minutes later to hand the bracelet onto our third runner, Ewan, then head off to the important Hibs match. Ewan ran the leg from Cockenzie and Port Seton to Longniddry, then back to Cockenzie and Port Seton. A total of 8 miles, in 1 hour and 20 mins, in very heavy rain. What makes this more amazing is that Ewan had just run the 10k race the previous day! Either very fit or a glutton for punishment- the jury is still out on that one. Finally, it was the turn of Anne to take the bracelet and run the 4 miles of the Glory Leg back to Musselburgh and the finish line. This she ran in an impressive 37 minutes. Running a race can be very emotional, as this is the culmination of many months of blood, sweat and tears and the adrenalin rush of the race itself. However, the emotions of the day had an added dimension in that we were running in memory of Peter Marshall. Although no longer with us he was very much in our thoughts as we ran. I'm sure he would have had some "complimentary" comment to make about our running styles. Following on from the race day we have been busy collecting in all the sponsorship monies kindly donated by a lot of people. We have been bowled over by the generosity of folks and can now reveal that the total raised was £1,500. The decision
to enter this race was two-fold: to raise monies as a joint forum initiative for the Edinburgh NE Foodbank and in memory of Peter Marshall. We think Peter would have been very touched and proud of the result. A big thank you from the team for your support, prayers and generosity. Thank you all for your support. Linda Mckee, Stewart Lowe, Ewan Bruce all from North Leith and Anne Rutherford from South Leith.
-----------Superb Choice Club Holidays Lorna Duffus Just been on holiday? Thinking about your 2015 holiday? Stuart and I had a marvellous week in May on a walking holiday in Menorca organised by Superb Choice Club. This was our sixth holiday organised by this Christian charity. We have also enjoyed various days out all over Scotland. We appreciate having all the travel and accommodation arranged for us and the company of like minded folk. Every holiday has leaders who organise daily trips and activities – you can join in or do your own thing as you wish. It is stimulating meeting folk from other churches and sharing with them in daily devotions. There is a good selection of holidays (nineteen in 2014), in the U.K. and abroad throughout the year. Travel is by coach or air and for Scotland, using your bus pass if you are retired! We would love to tell you more about the club or you can have a look at the website – superbchoiceclub.org.uk
The Edinburgh North East Foodbank Arthur Mathieson Leith Churches Together identified the need to help feed hungry people. And to help ensure action happened sooner rather than later the Leith Forum of Church of Scotland congregations decided to start up a Trussell Trust model of foodbank in Leith. Led by Rev. Iain May this got off the ground in October 2013 and by July after 8 months of operations we have redeemed 652 food vouchers feeding 1496 people (944 adults and 552 children) with some 5868 meals. Using the Trussell Trust model means we supply food vouchers to front line care professionals such as doctors and social workers who in caring for their clients now have this extra resource to help when their client falls into a crisis or emergency situation with little or no food or money. The Edin NE foodbank has 60 agencies signed up and provide food boxes to 20-25 people and families each week. The need to help feed hungry people remains and the next stage beckons where we help set up other foodbank distribution points perhaps in Restalrig and Portobello for example. The food boxes vary in size from a single person (12 kg) to a couple to a family to a large family ( 29 kg). Each box provides enough for 3 days of food. People visiting the foodbank are also welcomed with refreshments, listened to and sometimes signposted to other places that can provide help. We have several leaflets offering help and a list of where cheap and free food (meals) is available. With the 4 congregations backing the foodbank this enabled us to open each day and so we have distribution centres (which is the face of the foodbank where people come to redeem their voucher) in each of the 4 church halls. North Leith also kindly provides the space for stock in their session room and church which we call the ‘warehouse’. We have some 50 or so volunteers from the 4 congregations and also a further 15 or so from other Leith churches and the community. The food is all donated. The supermarket drives provide a great deal. Tesco Duke St has supported us very well and is very generous. We have had 2 days in Asda Newhaven. The congregations at Harvest and ongoing provide lots. Bethany passed us their Harvest donations. And we now have a number of offices and other organisations supporting us. Individuals also support us and a number of bags of groceries are handed into South Leith church halls being very local and open. We can always be doing with more donations so please encourage all and any ways of receiving more. We can collect where the donation is large. Donations of toiletries are also most welcome including toothpaste and brushes, nappies and toilet rolls.
Being a Trussell Trust model we collect the data from the vouchers and feed into the national stats (along with the other 420 TT foodbanks across the UK) so providing hard and fast facts which the The Harbourmaster's House, Hot Pot Wynd, Dysart, Fife, KY1 2TQ Trussell Trust put to government to help understand the consequences of today’s benefit measures and low incomes and also to work out how to begin to make the situation better. We have the facts and so we know why people are needing to use the foodbank. The main reasons are benefit changes, low incomes, and benefit delays. Listening to and speaking with people who need to use the foodbank helps you understand how tough it is for people who are not able to live the comfortable lives that most of us live. The Edinburgh North East foodbank is one way of helping feed hungry people and is one of the more recent set ups. Another recent set up is with the Basics Bank operated under the Edinburgh City Mission model and operating each Wednesday morning out of the Ebenezer Church. The walk up hot breakfasts each Sunday morning at South Leith Parish Church halls (40-50 people each Sunday) together with a small parcel of food has helped for more than 20 years. And so has the walk up (small) food parcels each Thursday teatime (5.30pm) at SL Parish Church halls. Please see the websites for other information. Please feel free to speak to people you know working in the foodbank. Arthur Mathieson 552 2511 07949 536 942 mathiesonfamily@hotmail.com -----------A minister was asked if it was a sin for an average family to own two cars and a boat, replied, “It would depend on where they were parked on a Sunday morning.”
Some services & events in the Forum congregations to which you are invited to attend. All of our congregations will be holding Remembrance services at 10.45am on Sunday 9th November. Leith St. Andrew's Messy Church meets from 5-7pm on the last Thursday of each month. A fun, noisy, messy time for families. Oasis of Peace at Leith St Andrew's: Our quiet reflective prayer services on Wednesday at 10.15am. A time of peace, worshipping, sharing and praying followed by a cuppa and chat. We meet in the Church. All are welcome.
South Leith Worship at One at South Leith church every Thursday at 1pm – prayers for the community and the world. 5th October: Harvest - 'A year on for NE Edinburgh Foodbank' Zambian Independence Service The service on the 19th October is to celebrate Zambian Independence in October 1964 and to recognise the relationship of over forty years that South Leith Parish Church has had with Zambia, in particular, with the United Church of Zambia (UCZ). The service will be attended by representatives of the Zambian Government and Zambian community here in Edinburgh and Scotland. There will also be representatives from the the UCZ Church in Mindolo with whom South Leith is developing a faith based twinning. We will also be welcoming Albert Chituka, headteacher from the UCZ Girls School at Chipembi, with whom South Leith has had a long term partnership. 2nd November: 10th Leith BB Dedication Service. 16th November: Scottish Seafarers Service - Joint service for LCF - 70th anniversary of this service. Merchant Navy Wreath Laying Ceremony and Service Sunday 16th November at the Shore, there will be a Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Merchant Navy Memorial to remember all seafarers who served in the world wars and other conflicts. The service will commence at 13:30 and will be attended by representatives of the armed and civilian seafaring services and others representing the Leith Community.
SERVICES, ORGANISATIONS & GROUPS
Leith Churches Forum of The Church of Scotland September 2014
For further information on any of these services, organisations & groups provided by the Church of Scotland in Leith, please contact the Session Clerk for the congregation Leith St Andrews Parish Church, Easter Road – phone 553 8839. http://www.leithstandrews.org North Leith Parish Church , Session House, 1A Madeira Place. Phone 553 7378. nlpcoffice@btconnect.com Pilrig St Paul's Church , Pilrig Street – phone church 553 1876. pilrig@btinternet.com South Leith Parish Church , Halls 6 Henderson Street – phone 554 2578. www.slpc.co.uk.pipex.com. Information about Leith Churches Forum can be found at our web site at http://leithchurchesforum.org.uk
Worship Services - Sunday - all at 11.00 am. (Crèche at South Leith for 0 – 3yrs. North Leith – children stay in church during services: activities are provided) Evening services at North Leith, Session House Chapel @ 6.30pm. 1st Sunday of month. South Leith- “Worship at One” every Thursday in church ; summer services July & August @ 10.30am. Children's Sunday Activities Leith St Andrews – Sunday Club @ 11.00am Pilrig St Paul's - “Sunday Club” (P1-S4) @ 10.45am. South Leith –Youth Links (S1-4) @ 10.15am.; Sunday Groups (3 yrs -P7) @ 11.00am.
The Boys' Brigade (Anchor Boys P2-3, Junior Section P4-6, Company Section P7-S6) North Leith – meet at 1st Leith BB ex members Club rooms, 73, Ferry Road - Friday: Anchor Boys @ 6.00pm. ,Junior Section @ 6.00pm, Company Section @ 7.30pm.; Monday Ex Members Club @ 7.30pm. South Leith – Wednesday – Anchor Boys @ 6.15pm. ; Junior Section @ 7.00pm.; Friday Company Section @ 7.15pm. Rainbows,(5-7yrs) Brownies (7-10yrs) & Guides (10-14yrs) Leith St Andrews – contact church for further information. North Leith - All meet in church hall. Rainbows - Wednesday @ 6.00pm; Brownies – Monday @ 6.00pm; Guides - Mondays @ 7.30pm. Contact church for further information. Pilrig St Paul's – contact Christine Buchanan 554 2941. Rainbows & Brownies Monday ; At Pilrig Park School – contact Dorothy Walker 556 9493 or Karen Wood 554 6493 – Rainbows Thursday, Brownies, Guides Thursday. South Leith- contact church for further information.
Scouts North Leith – meet at Scout premises, off Trinity Road - Beavers Monday @ 6.30pm. ; Cub Scouts Wednesday @ 6.30pm; Sea Scouts Friday @ 7.15pm. Pilrig St Paul's – Beavers (5 3/4 - 8yrs) Thursday 6.- 7pm. ; Cub Scouts (8-10 1/2 yrs) Thursday 6.30 - 8pm. ; Scouts (10 ½ -14 yrs) Thursday 7.30 - 9pm. 5th Leith meet in Broughton Primary.
Other Children's & Youth Groups Leith St Andrews – Kids' Club and Tuesday Hangout - these clubs are currently under review. Please check the website for updates or call the Church Office on 553 8839. Messy church – last Thursday of the month @ 5-7pm; Play group Monday – Friday @ 9.15am. North Leith – Parent & Toddlers Group Monday & Thursday @ 9.30am. South Leith – Parents & Toddlers, Tuesdays during term time 9.30am to 11.30am ; Saturday ballroom dancing for children – contact SLPC halls for details. Adult Groups Leith St. Andrews – Oasis of Peace on Wednesday mornings @ 10.15am.; Young at Heart” club for anyone who has a senior's bus pass ; 1st & 3rd Tuesday of each month, Sept. - April 2.00 – 4.00pm.; Trefoil Guild, 2nd Thursday Oct, Dec, Feb & Apr @ 7.30pm ; Line Dancing – Tuesday 10 – 12 noon; Leith Probus: this club is for retired gentlemen and meets on alternate Mondays at 10 a.m. at Leith St. Andrews Church Hall in Easter Road. Anyone interested should phone the secretary, Bob Burrows (tel.554 0366) North Leith – Prayer Group Sunday @ 10.15am; Knit & Natter Sew & Sews (in Session House) Monday 2-4pm. ; Thursday Fellowship @ 2.00pm. In hall ; Badminton Thursday @8.00pm. Pilrig St. Paul's - The Guild (For men & women) 2nd & 4th Tuesday of month September to April @2.00pm (contact Jeanette Sime 552 9652); Argentine Tango classes Wednesday @ 6.30pm (contact Riccardo & Jenny Oria 208 6322): lunch club Wednesdays 12noon (contact Marjory MacArthur 553 2323).
South Leith- Home Group (Bible Exploration) 3rd Wednesday @ 7.30pm.(contact Stuart Duffus 669 2068) ; Prayer Chain ; Mon – Fri ; Lunch Club meet in the cafe @ 11.30am. ; Monday - Country Dancing @7.30pm. ; Banner Group @ 7.30pm.; Tuesday Yoga @ 6 – 7.30pm ; Women's Group (alternate Tuesdays) @ 7.30pm. ; Thursday Afternoon Group @ 2.30pm. ; Cinema Group 1st Tuesday of the month @ Vue Cinema, Ocean Terminal for 7.00pm; Mini Music Makers – 0-18 months from 10.10 – 10.50am and 18 months to 3 years from 11 – 11.40am term time (contact Clare Ashwood 0141 287 2943) ; Edinburgh Supported Living Lunch Club Monday 11.30am – 1.30pm (contact Marion Stout 554 2578) ; Tuesday - Line Dancing 7.30 – 9pm (contact Graham Mitchell 332 9662); Wednesday Tai Chi 4 – 5pm.(contact Lesley Craise 01899 220895); Tuesday – Bowling Club @ 6.30pm on Links; Weight Watchers – Saturday @ 10 – 11.30am. Music & Choir Pilrig St Paul's – Wildfire Ladies choir Wednesday @ 7.15pm; Sing in the City Tuesday 6pm to 9pm. Contact Kirsty.singinthecity@choirinedinburgh.co.uk Bambino Beats Mondays 9.30 to 12.00. Contact info@bambinobeats.com South Leith – Music Group (Kailyard) Monday @ 7.30pm.; ChoirThursday @ 8pm. ; Tuesday Senior Citizens Choir @ 2.30pm. Coffee Services North Leith – occasional. Pilrig St Paul's – Open Doorway – Tuesdays & Thursdays from 11am to 1pm. Coffee, tea biscuits and the opportunity to chat or have some quiet time in the sanctuary. South Leith – Perc-U-Up cafe open 9.30am to 2.30pm, Monday to Friday. Home made soup, sandwiches, extensive main courses, sweets & home baking. Carry out facilities available. Saturday coffee morning 10.00am to 12 noon with nearly new stall every 2nd Saturday.
Funeral teas at South Leith We would like to extend our services to all of the people within the Leith Community and beyond. South Leith Parish Church Halls can be booked for funeral teas. The halls can accommodate from small numbers to around 120 people. Whether it is scones and a cup of tea or a full meal, we can cater for your individual needs and requirements. If you would like to discuss this, please contact the halls on 0131 554 2578.
-----------A little boy set off for Sunday School and church with two 10p coins in his pocket - one for the Sunday School and one for the church collection. That night his mother was folding his clothes and one of the coins fell out of his trouser pocket. Fearing that he was on the road to a life of crime she asked him to explain how the coin was still in his pocket. He replied, “Well mum, I met grandpa outside church and he paid me in.” An elderly lady suggested to a minister who was moving to a new church that his successor would not be as good as he had been. Flattered he replied, “Nonsense.” She answered ,”No really, I have worshipped here under five different ministers and each one has been worse than the last.”
Pastoral Care in Pilrig St Paul’s Linda Gill Our work continues in the Pastoral Care Team in Pilrig St Paul’s and we thought you might like an update on what we have been up to this year so far. Helping Hands Cards continue to be used to identify people in need of pastoral care. Cards, phone calls, visits and flowers have all been used to reach out to our members and their families and all requested contact has been made. We are now working on reaching out to those who have not been active with us for some time. Regular notices continue to feature in the weekly intimations and monthly Parish Magazine to encourage people to let us know about members who would appreciate pastoral contact. We are finding that those delivering the parish magazine provide some of the best update information about our members. Feedback also shows how much our members appreciate the visit when the magazine is being delivered. Smarter Shopping Workshop. The workshop aimed to help with pricing, labelling, on-line shopping and some recipe ideas for nutritional meals. Edinburgh Community Food and Tesco both supported the event and there was positive feedback from the attendees. Energy Workshop. This workshop aimed to help people reduce energy costs and was supported and run by ChangeWorks charity. Information packs and radiator shields were provided to those who attended. There was also positive feedback from this event. Future Plans Over 65s conference Building on the success of the workshops held earlier in the year we are going to be holding a conference event in October. This is aimed at those over the age of 65 and will provide information on all types of activities and services available to this community. The event is open to everyone living in the Leith area so please mark the date in your diary for a worthwhile afternoon and let friends, family and neighbours know about the event. Places will be limited to make sure you book your place soon. Thursday 9th October 1.30pm-4pm in Pilrig St. Paul’s church. The conference will provide information about the following areas and will be supported by many associations and organizations. Shopping & Eating Well Reducing Energy Costs Keeping in Touch with family and friends Budgeting and Accessing entitlements Keeping active
Health and well being Social activities in the Leith area Getting on-line with Silver Surfers helping you to use technology and access the Internet Planning for the future Book your place now through your pastoral care team or directly with me either by email or by phone. I look forward to hearing from you. We are also looking at ways to support our housebound members. One way we are considering is setting up a book group with support from Edinburgh Libraries and an audio link. I look forward to updating you with how this goes in future issues. We are passionate about the work we do and are pleased to be supporting the work of the Church in our Parish. A PRAYER FOR YOU God bless you every moment And keep you in His care God send you gifts of hope and joy And happiness to share. God walk with you each morning And send His guiding light And may His everlasting peace Give restful sleep at night God take your hand in trouble, In turmoil and in strife And may the comfort of His love Forever fill your life. Amen Pastoral Care Team Mark Foster (Minister), Catriona Blackwood (Elder and magazine editor), Christine Edington, Ella Gilfillan, Linda Gill (Pastoral Care Team Leader), Cathy Purdie, Fiona Rankin (Elder), Jeanette Sime (Elder and Roll Keeper) , Jennifer Stark (Leader Leith Churches Outreach Project) Linda Gill - Pastoral Care Team 669-7409 or helpinghands@pilrigstpauls.org.uk
Leith Churches Together Jennifer Stark As I write, a number of us are recovering our energy after the Leith Churches Holiday Club, which ended just this week! This year saw a change of date and consequently, venue, to YMCA Edinburgh (the Acorn Centre) in Junction Place, where we had a twostorey venue: upstairs for the games, singing and drama, downstairs for registration and crafts. We missed the contribution of Neil Chalkley, who moved on from his post as Leith St Andrews youth worker in January, but it was great to have YMCA staff Kerry Reilly and Kiara-Lee Gallagher added to the lead team of Hayley Dunn (YMCA), Andre Barbosa (South Leith Baptist), Christine Hodge (Newhaven) and myself. The YMCA connections also brought in Katherine Seed (Grace Church Leith) and Drew and Christine van Tiem (Mosaic). Our numbers were down a bit (c. 45 children) but the recruiting network somehow spread much wider, with children from 15 different schools, not just in Leith but further afield, including some from different faith groups. The final team included volunteers from an amazing 11 churches (9 in Leith/Newhaven). The Holiday Club material this year from SU was written in Scotland and linked with the Commonwealth Games, with the theme ‘Fit for a King’ – and we all agreed the song was the best we’ve had in recent years – I’m still humming it three days later. And certainly for this volunteer, the theme was a powerful one, developed through the crafts, teaching and drama: that the love of God through Jesus is for all, freely given: as the ‘King’s Messenger’ Mr MacSporridge said in the drama episode on the last day, ‘Ye dinna need to DAE onything’. That message of unconditional love is so important for children to hear. It was fantastic to see the children belting out the theme song with so much energy and delight to their parents and carers on the last morning – look out for photos on the YMCA or LCT websites! Earlier, in June, David Scott, Boys' Brigade Development Officer and I cooperated on a weekend BB (and Girls Brigade) Awareness event in Ocean Terminal’s Community Space; we had a fair amount of competition from other events going on below us and agreed that in that environment, it needed more activities and slightly different advertising to draw people in. Nonetheless, quite a few people dropped by and several old BB connections were rekindled for David and other BB officers who came to help. (David also joined us at the Holiday Club on the last day). Leith Churches Together held its Annual Meeting on 19 June at the YMCA and welcomed Sr. Isabel Smyth SND, chair of Interfaith Scotland, as our guest speaker. One listener commented, ‘Isabel really gave us a better understanding of what is involved with the various groups that make us ‘Interfaith Scotland’ and the attitudes of each religion to the various talking points in Scotland today; and she made a great
case for us working together for peace and stability throughout the world.’ A copy of her Powerpoint presentation is on the LCT website At the business meeting, we said regretful goodbyes to Rev Andrew McMillan (Ebenezer) as our Chair, and Walter McGillivray (Leith St Andrews) as our Vice-chair. Andrew and Walter have given consistent and effective leadership to LCT over the last 2 years, a challenging time due to the almost 100% turnover in clergy in Leith in recent times. We thanked them (and Robert Munro who stepped back from the Treasurer’s post last year) with a presentation and gift, and welcomed Rev. Steve Butler of St James’ Episcopal, and Ann Monaghan of Leith Baptist Church as the new Chair and Vice-Chair. -----------How should we remember World War I? (This article by Jimmy Hudson an Elder at North Leith appeared in the August edition of Life and Work as part of the series “The Big Question”) In 2010 I accompanied a school trip of forty 13 year olds to the W W I battlefields. Our guide was well skilled in the ways of young people. Immediately all electronic devices were removed while she explained what we might expect from the following few days. What we experienced would change us she insisted. This proved correct and I am sure that the children, with very few exceptions, agreed. Towards the end of our visit we went to Tyne Cot Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth military cemetery in the world containing 11,956 graves. It is an almost overwhelming sight. After some background information our guide invited each of us to stand beside one headstone, to read the inscription and to think for a few moments about that person, to imagine what circumstances had brought them to this part of Belgium in World War 1. Then the pupils were given the opportunity to explore the cemetery for themselves. I was impressed and moved by the manner in which these normally noisy, easily distracted teenagers slowly spread out along those lines of headstones, engrossed in ones and twos by what they had encountered in those few days among the battlefields and the poignancy of the scene before them. How should we remember World War 1? By continuing to experience and understand its horror as best we can and by dedicating ourselves to a world where such events are considered as a warning for our age. -----------On a bitterly cold winter day the church was anything but warm. After intimating his text as “Many are called but few are chosen” (Matt 22 v14) the minister added with a twinkle in his eye, “Perhaps I should slightly change it to 'many are cauld, but few are frozen'.”
Port Chaplain’s Report Tim Bell The cruise ship season is in full swing, and our volunteer visitors have had the range of experiences and encounters that we never quite get used to. One lady reports how she was talking with a young Ukrainian man who wanted to go home only briefly to see his family, then he would leave quickly because he didn’t want to be recruited into the army. I heard from a colleague in Rosyth that he had come across a young Ukrainian who wanted to hurry home so he could join the army. As we mark the beginnings of the Great War we can be grateful that our young men are not caught up in such things. One young lad who wanted to skype with his wife to see their new baby was bitterly disappointed that the wifi was down in the terminal building, so someone took him to Starbucks in Ocean Terminal, bought him a coffee, made sure he was connected, and left him. Without that person he wouldn’t have had the knowledge, or the confidence, or the currency to do it. We would like to take them off the ship more, but they just don’t have time. The biggest practical thing we can do is offer phone cards. The systems are working well, now that we have been doing this for five years, so there are often crew members who are expecting our visit and are looking forward to it. We should recognise that wet days in Leith have a charm all their own. Ships carrying grain or cement can’t open the hatches, giving them a welcome bit of respite. Of course, the perfect situation for them is to arrive on a wet Friday then have a nice weekend to enjoy some festival fun in Edinburgh. These Indian seafarers didn’t mind the drizzle - they were off the ship and seeing a bit of the city, in company with Sandra Welch, newly appointed to my head office in Southampton to look after chaplains worldwide. My work in Leith is a lot easier than some of my colleagues, who battle daily for seafarers coming into some very hostile situations.
And finally, if you are interested in supporting seafarers coming to Scotland in a digital way, look up the Facebook page ‘Seafarers in Scotland.’ It is managed by two Scottish women, one of them a Leither, whose husbands are at sea. -----------The minister asked a former member of the choir why he had given up singing in the choir and was told, “I was absent one Sunday and somebody asked if the organ had been mended.”
Have faith in God my Heart Have faith in God my heart, trust and be unafraid. God will fulfil in every part, each promise He has made. Each promise He has made. Have faith in God my mind, tho' often your light burns low. God's mercy holds a wiser plan, than you can fully know. Than you can fully know. Have faith in God my soul, His cross forever stands. And neither life nor death can pluck His children from His hands. His children from His hands. Hallelujah (how he holds us) Lord Jesus make us whole, grant us no resting place. Until we rest our mind and soul, the captives of your grace. The captives of your grace. (Hymn from Salvation Army hymn book,sung at the Methodist Church in Berwick upon Tweed on Sunday 3rd August, when Lorna & Stuart Duffus were on holiday) ------------
Prayer: Lord, you know my heart; you know I am your friend. (John 21 v17). Promise: The one who obeys me is the one who loves me, and because he loves me, my father will love him and I will too, and I will reveal myself to him. (John 14 v21) (Prayers and Promises for every day by Corrie Ten Boom.) ------------A minister on preaching on tact said “Tact is a praiseworthy thing. I'll give you an illustration. Suppose one of you died and went up to heaven and met St. Peter at the gates you wouldn't say anything to him about cock-crowing. Well that's tact.�
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Co-ordinating Team Rev. Mark Foster PSP Margaret Gray SL Anne Lamont LSA Stuart Lithgow LSA Rev Alex McAspurren NL Rev. Rob McKenzie LSA (Chair) Rev Iain May SL Mark Wexelstein PSP
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