EASTER AT PILRIG St PAUL’S
MARCH 2016
PILRIG St PAUL’S WELCOMES YOU MARCH 2016
The food bank is designed to help individuals and families in crisis through the provision of emergency food supplies. Local care professionals in the Leith area refer people, with a food voucher, to the Foodbank distribution point where they are given their food supplies. WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE HELPERS, EITHER FOR A WEDNESDAY 4.30-6pm IN THE OPEN DOORWAY OR TO COLLECT SUPPLIES. For further information, please contact Roy Eprile
THE DONATIONS BASKET IS IN THE VESTIBULE.
If you want more information, or are unsure how to do this, please speak to Mark Wexelstein, Treasurer
CHURCH ACTIVITIES
SUNDAY - 11am WORSHIP in the Sanctuary, followed by tea or coffee and a chat in the Session Room. Children’s activities from 10.50am: There is a creche for younger children, while those of school age join the congregation, including taking an active part in the all age 'Time to Talk' and then follow activities or projects. TUESDAY AND THURSDAY - 10.30-12.30 open doorway for coffee, a chat and quiet time in the sanctuary CONTACTS Music and Choir - Colin Gray 07901 556 217 or at the Service Tuesdays - The Guild 2.00pm (Irene Wexelstein 476 1385) Beavers, Cubs and Scouts 5 3/4 - 14 years The 5th Leith Scouts Edinburgh North East Broughton Primary gym hall contact Evelyn Torrance 552 1657 For Rainbows, Brownies and Guides please send all enquiries to www.girlguiding.org.uk . We have two groups associated with Pilrig St Paul’s THERE ARE MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES HELD ON OUR PREMISES, PLEASE SEE THE NOTICE BOARD IN PILRIG STREET (MIDDLE ENTRANCE) IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RENT OUR PREMISES, PLEASE CONTACT psp.halluse@gmail.com 1
We said OK! In a recent press release (February 2016) the Anglican Bishop of London, Richard Chartes, and the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Cardinal Nichols, said that practising Christians are now a minority group within the UK. Although the 2011 census shows that 53.8% of the population in Scotland professed to be Christian (32.4% Church of Scotland), we know that these figures do not reflect the numbers involved in the life and worship of the Churches in Scotland. The secularisation of society has meant that for years those with no faith have been telling us to get God out of our schools, to get God out of our politics, and to get God out of our lives. And we said OK. People complained that they didn't want religion in our schools, and we said OK. Religion says do not kill, do not steal, and love your neighbour as yourself. But we still said OK. People complained that they didn’t want religion in our government, and we said OK. Religion says care for the sick, seek justice for the oppressed, and feed the hungry. But we still said OK. People complained that they didn’t want religion in their lives, and we said OK. Religion says let love be genuine, hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good, and love one another with mutual affection. But we still said OK. Or rather we said very little, which was as good as saying OK. Now we're asking ourselves why some people have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why the suffering and death of others doesn't bother them. 2
When was the last time you talked about your faith with a friend or colleague? We all share jokes; talk about our political views; speak passionately about our hobbies and sports teams; tell folk where we’ve been on holiday; swap news about our families – sometimes with people we hardly even know; but when it comes to speaking about our faith we think twice about sharing the good news, even with our closest friends. If we’re not prepared to speak about our faith and our belief in God, then how do we expect others to know about these things? By remaining silent we are continuing to say OK to the growing secularisation of our society and the resultant decline in the values that people hold. So, the next time someone comments on the state of our schools, our government, our society, our country, or the state of our world, what will you say? Shalom Mark ANNUAL STATED MEETING The Annual Stated Meeting of the Congregation of Edinburgh: Pilrig St. Paul's, will be held at the close of the 11 am service on Sunday 3rd April 2016. At this Meeting the Audited Congregational Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st December, 2015 will be submitted together with the Congregational Statistics and Elections to Membership of the Congregational Board made as appropriate. The Board look forward to welcoming all members of the congregation for this short, important meeting. Aileen Fraser Clerk to the Board 3
Providing Church Flowers in March 6th Jean Ramage 20th Margaret Cameron
13th Flower fund to be arranged
29th
Please contact Aileen Fraser about a date if you would like to contribute flowers and Catriona Blackwood if you would like to write a few lines about the significance of your chosen date. Thank you We would like to say thank you for the lovely flowers from the service the weekend we moved house and also for all the lovely cards and best wishes we have received from all our friends. It has been a bit of a change after 41 years in one house, however we are getting settled in and very much enjoying our new home. Ella and Ronnie Gilfillan It was lovely to receive the Church flowers recently. My leg is improving slowly. Thank you. Jeanette Sime Many Thanks for the beautiful flowers I received on Sunday. The lovely message was much appreciated too. Alison Kennett A special Thank You from Neil and Paulette Garriock for the lovely flowers given to them on Sunday, 31st January. The day their first grandchild, a girl, was born. Thank You for the lovely gift brought to me by Maureen Eunson. It was lovely to see her and have a chat. Helen Grieg David and Margaret Fraser would like to thank the Church for the lovely flowers they received on behalf of Gary’s coming treatment in the next few months. Your good wishes and prayers are much appreciated. 4
PASTORAL CARE TEAM Leith Community Cinema We have one screening under our belt already this year and it was a full house. We were delighted to have the star of the film Ae Fond Kiss with us to join in the discussion after the film had been shown and also some lovely food from Punjabi Junction, the evening was a great success. Our next screening is on Friday 18th March when we are showing Bride and Prejudice. An all singing all-dancing Bollywood spin on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. A quintessentially English romance collides with classic Bollywood bombast, trading in the discord of love across borders. Directed by Gurinda Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham, Bhaji On The Beach). “Witty and mischievous” - BBC Tickets can be booked via our website through eventbrite and are priced £3 which you pay on the day at our ticket booth, or you can put your name down on the list in the Open Doorway. Doors open at 6.15pm when our café will be serving traditional Indian snacks and the screening commences at 7pm. We look forward to seeing you there. For more info please visit our website on http://www.leithcommunitycinema.com If you would like to help or be involved in any way with the Community Cinema and Café please let me know, as we are keen to create a team to work with us on the on-going development of the cinema. 5
Dance Class Our next Dance Class is being held on Wednesday 3rd March at 11am in the Session Room. They will run until June on the first Wednesday of each month. If you would like to join the class please add your name to the list in the Open Door. The class will cost £3 each week you attend. Helping Hands Please remember to let us know if you would like a visit or phone call from us or would like to arrange this for a member of our congregation you feel would appreciate this type of support. Our team are trained and able to support in a number of ways with pastoral care. All you need to do is complete a Helping Hands form and pop it into the box in the Open Doorway of the Church or speak/call any of our team. A reminder to the Pastoral Care Team that our next team meeting is being held on Tuesday 1st March at 10.30am in the Session Room. Pastoral Care Team Mark Foster - Minister Catriona Blackwood – Elder and Magazine Editor Christine Edington Ella Gilfillan Linda Gill – Elder and Pastoral Care Team Leader Cathy Purdie Fiona Rankin – Elder Jeanette Sime – Elder and Roll Keeper Linda Gill Pastoral Care Team Leader 669-7409 or helpinghands@pilrigstpauls.org.uk Thanksgiving and Remembrance event 6
Prayer Corner June Welsh Mark Wexelstein Isabel Hannay Matthew Green Agnes MacAuley Evelyn Turner Margaret Gunn Murdo and Joy MacLeod Mary Currie Norrie Frazer
Jack McArthur Jim and Jean Tait Helen Greig Frances Chambers Betty Lauder and family Isabel Fyfe Isabel Pert Charlie and Joyce Forman Gary Fraser Jackie Allan
Please contact Roy Eprile if you have a name for this list.
The Magazine Thank you for all the items for the magazine this month. Please let me have articles for the April edition by 22nd March. Where has it gone? The contact details can now be found on the last page before the cover. Please note the minister’s new email address, thank you. Catriona Blackwood
Cover photo by Catriona Blackwood
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MINISTER Rev Mark Foster (332 5736) MFoster@churchofscotland.org.uk SESSION CLERK John Innes - 33 Monktonhall Place, Musselburgh (07563 248722) pilrig@btinternet.com THE CONGREGATIONAL BOARD CLERK Aileen Fraser (07936 716 765) ASSISTANT CLERK Maria Croall (07747 071 545) CORRESPONDENCE to: pspcongragationalboard@gmail.com The Clerk to the Congregational Board Pilrig St Paul’s Church, 1B Pilrig Street, Edinburgh EH6 5AH TREASURER Mark Wexelstein (665 6881) mark.wexelstein@googlemail.com ROLL KEEPER Mrs Jeanette E. Sime - 1 South Trinity Road (552 9652) PASTORAL CONVENER Mrs Linda Gill (669 7409) SAFEGUARDING CO-ORDINATOR Mrs Catriona E.W. Blackwood - 4 Cambridge Gardens (554 6183) cewblackwood@tesco.net PROPERTY CONVENER Eric Fisher (552 8982) 104 Crewe Crescent HALL LET GROUP psp.halluse@gmail.com ORGANIST and CHOIRMASTER Colin Gray (07901 556 217) SUNDAY CLUB LEADER Mark Wexelstein (665 6881) mark.wexelstein@googlemail.com CHRISTIAN GIVINGS CONVENER Mrs Irene Wexelstein - 15 Upper Hermitage (476 1385) MAGAZINE Editor - Mrs Catriona E.W. Blackwood - see above Distribution - Mrs Margaret Cameron - 35 Lorne Street (554 2139) Scottish Charity no. SCO07277 www.pilrigstpauls.org.uk www.leithchurchesforum.org.uk OUR WHEELCHAIR ENTRANCES ARE IN PILRIG STREET
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Do you know someone who would appreciate being remembered in our prayers each Sunday, a visit, a phone call, a card in the post or perhaps some flowers from us? Please provide the details below and put this card into the box in the Open Doorway or contact: Linda Gill on 669-7409 or helpinghands@pilrigstpauls.org.uk Postal address: Linda Gill, Pastoral Care Team Leader, Pilrig St Paul’s Church, 1B Pilrig Street, Edinburgh EH6 5AH Member's Details Name .................................................................................................................... Address ............................................................................................................... Phone number................................................................................................. Please choose from the following, which you think would be most appropriate. You can tick more than one option Remembered in our prayers each week ……. Visit to their home ……. Flowers from the Service ……. Phone call........ Card posted to their home……. Would you like to help with this? Yes / No (If you select yes please also provide your contact details) ................................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................................. Pilrig St. Paul's Church SCO 07277
Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance Event 24th April at 2.30. There will be more information next month.
CAN YOU VOLUNTEER TO HELP AT PILRIG St PAUL’S? There is plenty to do with the open doorway, foodbank, coffee on a sunday, pastoral work etc. Do you have ideas for other projects led by the church? Whatever your skills, you could be of help and inspiration to fellow members.
If you are interested in helping with any of these, please contact the leader/convener who will be happy to tell you about what is entailed
Some of these voluntary posts involve being on our safeguarding register. if you are not already on it, the safeguarding co-ordinator, is happy to advise you about this and set up all the necessary details.
Scottish Charity no. SCO07277 www.pilrigstpauls.org.uk