The quarterly magazine of Leith Churches Forum
North Leith, Pilrig St. Paul’s Leith St. Andrew’s, South Leith March 2017 Vol. 62/17
From the Chair Rev Iain May, Minister, South Leith Parish Church ‘One Church for Leith’ Leith is changing. Depending on how you define the geographical area of Leith, the population is estimated to be between 50 and 70,000. However, the make up of this population is very different. Almost 60% or six out of every ten persons in Leith are aged between 25 and 45 and most likely to be single. No longer are people born here, live here all their life, work and play here. So the challenge is – how does ‘the church’ respond and serve such a rapidly changing community. The challenge is that ‘the church’ is not always the best at responding to the changes it finds on its doorstep. We could, if we did not care, just close our doors and retreat into our comfort zone of our familiar and cosy wee club. Thank fully, our church community is more outward looking and has been working hard on a new initiative: ‘One Church for Leith’ First, let me explain what these words do not mean. They do not mean that there will only be one church in Leith, one building, one minister, one parish, one set of church halls. We have formed a ‘futures group’ to look at what shape the church should look like to serve those in our community, to be an outward looking, engaging and mission driven Christian community that is prepared to share the gospel message with all within our community. We all, it seems, accept we need to change but words are easy, it is putting our words into action that matters. So what has the ‘Futures Group’ done and what is it doing? The ‘Futures Group’ is made up of representatives from each of the four Church of Scotland’s congregations, here in Leith.
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The group has met on a number of occasions to discuss the future shape of the church in terms of Ministry, buildings, communication, sharing what we do in physical and social way. 1. A sub group will be visiting each church in the coming weeks and reviewing the buildings and their use, with the objective of putting together a report on what the various church buildings are best suited to in relation to what we want to be as the church here in Leith. 2. A sub group is meeting in the coming weeks to look at how we can offer alternative worship opportunities for those who perhaps do not see 11am on a Sunday morning as the time they want to engage with church. 3. At Presbytery level we are looking at conducting a joint Local Church Review (LCR). Each church has individually been reviewed over the last year. This year, using a similar format to the LCR report, a joint report will be produced. 4. We are hoping to have a joint Kirk Session meeting in the very near future. 5. On Sunday January 29th we held a joint Burns Night in South Leith Parish Church to get to know each other a bit more. 6. Our communications sub group have come up with the ‘One church for Leith’ logo and this will be used on all our various communications, newsletters, orders of service and on the free mug that I hope you have received. So every time you have a cup of tea, we want you to think what ‘One church for Leith’ means for you and for you to then share it with your friends within and outwith church, with your Elder, Minister. Change is never easy but if we work together, come together, pray together it is amazing what we could do. Blessings – Iain. -----------‘The greatest gift of Easter is hope – Christian hope which makes us have that confidence in God, in His ultimate triumph, and hope in His goodness and love, which nothing can shake.’ (Basil C Hume (1923 – 1999) Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster.) 3
Some services & events in the Forum congregations to which you are invited to attend. Easter Day services in all churches on 16 th April. What is Easter? Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the most important Christian festival, and the one celebrated with the greatest joy. Holy Week services: not finalised but hopefully in different churches over the week, culminating with the Stations of the Cross at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea on Friday evening. The Leith Churches Together monthly service: will be at Leith St Andrew's on Wednesday 8th March at the earlier than usual time of 10.15. Forward note : - LCF joint Festival Service will be held on Sunday 11th June, venue to be advised. Leith St. Andrew's Messy Church: dates are 30th March, 27th April and 25th May.. Meet 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: will restart on Wednesday 1st March. A short reflective prayer service followed by a cuppa and chat all welcome. 10.15 in the Church. North Leith Lenten Evening Services @ North Leith - from the beginning of Lent through until Easter Day we will be hosting services each Sunday evening at 6:30. These will take the form of sung evening prayer. Traditionally Lent was the period where people were prepared for Baptism and Admission into the Church; to assist in this process creeds were constructed, versions of which we still use. This year our services will take parts of the Apostles' Creed as the basis for our reflections. The first service will take place on 5th March, and then each Sunday until 16th April. South Leith Worship at One at South Leith church every Thursday at 1pm – prayers for the community and the world.
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Pilrig St. Paul's Open Doorway Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10.30am to 12.30pm. Serving tea / coffee and biscuits. All welcome to pop in. South Leith Community Café The Community Café in the South Leith Parish Church Halls in Henderson Street – a new menu with daily specials, all freshly cooked to order. And there is now a £4.50 meal deal offering soup, a main course and ice cream. For people in a hurry, Shirley will provide meals to take away, but the main attraction of the Café is the opportunity to relax and catch up with friends in a peaceful environment for a cup of tea or coffee with home baking, or a hot lunch. The Café opens at 8.00am so early birds can enjoy a breakfast deal (sit in or takeaway) until 11.00am – two hot rolls and a cup of tea or coffee for just £3.00. The South Leith Community Café is open Mondays to Fridays from 8.30am to 2.30pm, with hot meals available to 2.00pm. Give it a try – you’ll be pleasantly surprised -----------North Leith have a coffee morning on Saturday 18 March, church hall, 10.00 – 12:00 The North Leith annual Help for Heroes concert is on Monday evening 24 April @7:30 in the church. ----------An Easter Prayer Of all of God's gifts Easter shows us our fate Forgiven we will rise and pass through Heaven's gate. This Easter remember the sacrifice of a Son And through His resurrection eternal life we have won. This Easter let us pray that the love of God Is resurrected, reborn, renewed inside our hearts. God Blessing on all of us.
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Pilrig St Paul’s Church Pastoral Care Team Linda Gill Pastoral Care Team Leader Pastoral Activity The Pastoral Care Team have met to set our plans for this year and look for ways in which we can further support our congregation and those in the wider parish. We are hopeful that we can arrange another joint meeting of the forum Pastoral Care teams again this year. It is always good to share the work that we do and find from each other new ways of working. The Knitting Bee Our Knitting Bee is off and running for the year with two key projects on our plan. Knitted bunting using odds of wool that we plan to use for social events held in the church. We are also knitting a variety of items for new born babies that will be gifted to new babies born in our parish with the best wishes of the Knitting Bee. All are welcome to come along to our Knitting Bee, even if just to see what we get up to and have a cuppa with us. Training and Development We are running follow up training for the Food Hygiene course to ensure that anyone involved in preparing and serving food is up to speed with the current food standards. If you would like to join our training please let me know. It will be a three hour session run in our halls. Leith Community Cinema Update This year we are putting organisational structure in place for the cinema that will enable more people to be part of the planning and running of the cinema and it will also help us when seeking funding as this is often a requirement from funders. We have a full programme of films planned for the year with the first taking place in February with two screenings Moana which is the latest Pixar film on the Friday and the sing along Mamma Mia on Saturday 19 th February. We look forward to seeing you at the cinema this year. Mark Foster: Minister, Catriona Blackwood: Elder, Safeguarding Officer and Magazine Editor, Christine Edington: CrossReach Congregational Representative,Ella Gilfillan, Linda Gill: Elder and Pastoral Care Team Leader, Cathy Purdie: Special Needs Officer, Fiona Rankin: Elder, Jeanette Sime: Elder and Roll Keeper. helpinghands@pilrigstpauls.org.uk 6
Heart and Soul 2017 Sunday 21 May Princes Street Gardens Edinburgh Join us in the heart of Scotland's capital at our critically acclaimed festival, of the 2017 theme 'Word of Life' What is Heart and Soul? In 2011, we decided that not enough was done to celebrate the life and work of the church with those who very much keep it alive and working – the members, volunteers, ministers, and congregations alike! It was then that we hosted our first public celebration in Princes Street Gardens, called "Roll Away the Stone". With live music, arts, exhibitions, and a massed open-air worship in the gardens' Ross theatre, the event proved itself successful in bringing our church family together. It was in 2012, that Heart and Soul became the new incarnation of Roll Away the Stone, and has stuck with us each year since – building on the vibrant atmosphere every time. As ever, Heart and Soul 2017 promises an exciting programme for all ages; with even more live music and performances on either of our "main stages", more energy and fun in our children and youth zones, and an even greater worship experience – all with Jesus at the centre. ------------
Who Died It was the One by whom the worlds were made who suffered; the maker of the minds which devised His death who died. No wonder that skies were darkened and earth trembled when that heart broke. How can it be that some men’s minds were undisturbed? Were the rocks more sensitive than they? (Godfacts by Dick Williams) 7
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