PILRIG ST PAUL’S CHURCH
APRIL 2017 1
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WELCOME TO PILRIG St PAUL’S APRIL 2017 Sunday, April 2nd 11:00am Sunday Worship Sunday, April 9th 11:00am Sunday Worship Tuesday, April 11th 2:00pm The Guild Easter Readings Wednesday April 12th 10.15am Leith St Andrew's (reflective service on the turning of the tables) 7pm South Leith (led by Boys Brigade) Thursday April 13th 7.15pm Pilrig St Paul’s (Maundy Thursday Service with meal) See page 15 if you are able to help. Friday April 14th 7.00pm North Leith (Good Friday service) Sunday, April 16th 11:00am EASTER SUNDAY WORSHIP April 23rd 11:00am Sunday Worship Tuesday, April 25th 2:00pm The Guild A.G.M. Sunday, April 30th Communion Service This is the Lord’s Table. ANYONE who loves God and responds to Christ’s invitation to join together in this feast is welcome to join us in the celebration. See page 9 for information about the films on 31 st March and !st April. OPEN DOORWAY EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY 10.30-12.30 come to the open doorway for coffee, a chat, and quiet time in the sanctuary. PROVIDING FLOWERS IN APRIL 2017 2nd Lily Gilhooley 9th Fiona Rankin 16th Frances and George McPherson 23rd Evelyn Torrance 30th Ella and Ronnie Gilfillan Please speak to Aileen Fraser if you would like to provide flowers for the Church.
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CHURCH ACTIVITIES
SUNDAY - 11am WORSHIP in the Sanctuary, followed by tea or coffee, and a chat, in the Session Room. 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’. ACTIVITIES Alternate Tuesdays - The Guild 2.00pm Every Tuesday and Thursday 10.30-12.30 come to the open doorway for coffee, a chat, and quiet time in the sanctuary Wednesdays - Lunch club 11.30 Beavers, Cubs and Scouts 5 3/4 - 14 years The 5th Leith Scouts Edinburgh North East (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 The Church contact list is on the inside back cover THERE ARE MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES HELD ON OUR PREMISES, PLEASE SEE THE NOTICE BOARD IN PILRIG STREET (MIDDLE ENTRANCE) TO RENT OUR PREMISES, PLEASE CONTACT psp.halluse@gmail.com OUR WHEELCHAIR ENTRANCES ARE IN PILRIG STREET
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Dear All, The Gospel stories clearly indicate that when the Risen Christ appeared to the apostles they were not expecting him. We are told that they were surprised, confused, and even terrified, by these encounters. That’s because they were dealing with something completely beyond their understanding or expectations. The disciples of Jesus never anticipated the resurrection. Indeed even at the final gathering of the disciples with the Risen Christ, the Gospel of Matthew states: “When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.” (Matt 28: 17) In their hearts they knew that Jesus had really suffered and died. They were shaken to their very depths by the loss of the one they ‘were hoping would be the one to redeem Israel.’ There was nothing in their experience (nor is there in ours) to provide them with even the slightest clue of a “resurrection.” You may say: “Didn’t Jesus tell them more than once about his resurrection?” Certainly, he did. “And didn’t they see him raise Lazarus from the dead?” You are right again. But Jesus’ death was so real the fact paralyzed the attention of the disciples. Yet these same stories tell us that something utterly unimaginable began to happen in their lives. Romano Guardini, the late Italian theologian, in his study of the life of Jesus entitled The Lord, writes about these biblical appearance stories: “The character of the accounts is peculiar ... Something extraordinary 5
seems to be seeking expression – something that explodes all hitherto known forms of human experience”. These words certainly reach toward the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ; it is something that “explodes all hitherto known forms of human experience”. Resurrection is not something to be taken for granted and by its very nature it should take us by surprise when it occurs. Years of hearing the Easter story repeated has dulled its impact on us: we have lost some of that surprise, and awe, and doubt. Like those first disciples we need to open our hearts and minds to something that explodes everything that we think we already know about Christ’s resurrection from the dead. This year may we let the power of the Easter Story shatter all our preconceived ideas and thoughts. And may we let it transform us again with the surprising glad news of resurrection! Shalom Mark Postcard Search 2017 - The theme of this year's search is "The Psalms". Send in a card that you feel shows a verse or verses from one of the psalms. You must write which psalm and verse(s) it is on the back of the card so that the Minister doesn't have to guess. All entries should be sent to the Church Office (1B Pilrig Street Edinburgh EH6 5AH) by Sunday 24 September. The magazine Thank you for all the articles and information received this month. Please may I have articles for May by 23rd April? Thank you, Catriona Blackwood The food bank is designed to help individuals and families in crisis through the provision of emergency food supplies. Local
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care professionals in the Leith area refer people, with a food voucher, to the Foodbank distribution point where they are given their food supplies. For further information, and to volunteer to help on a Wednesday, please contact Roy Eprile
THE DONATIONS BASKET IS IN THE VESTIBULE. DONATIONS OF TINNED/LONG LIFE FRUIT, VEG AND MEAT ARE PARTICULARLY ASKED FOR IN APRIL, PLEASE. This years' Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance will take place in the church at 2:30 pm on Sunday 7 May. This short service is held especially for all those who have experienced the death of a family member or close friend in recent years. WORKING WITH PEOPLE FROM OTHER COUNTRIES The Leith Churches Forum have sponsored the training of a Student Minister in Zambia. On completion of his training we hope that he will come to Scotland for a short placement and work alongside one or more of the sponsoring churches in Leith. The sponsorship is for three years, to cover their tuition fees and a contribution towards living costs.
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PASTORAL CARE Flower Delivery Team Last month we updated you about our plans to add to the team who deliver the flowers from our service each Sunday. We are delighted to have doubled the team and have new people join in this most appreciated aspect of our pastoral care. Please see below the names of those who are now delivering flowers. The new rota commences from April. Team 1 Team 2 Team 3 Team 4 Team 5 Team 6 Team 7 Team 8 Team 9 Team 10
Jean Ramage & Ella Gilfillan Irene Eprile & Catriona Blackwood Lily Gilhooley & Maureen Eunson Irene Wexelstein & Margaret Cameron Jeanette Sime & Lisa Innes Alec & Christine Edington Michelle Muhammad & Linda Gill Cathie Purdie & Madge McMahon Eric Fisher & David Gill Fiona Rankin & Anne Gowans
Our newly expanded team has many ‘well kent’ faces from our congregation so we are hopeful that you will recognise anyone delivering flowers from our Sunday service. As ever, however if someone arrives at your door that you do not recognise you should feel comfortable to ask for ID and if at all uncertain please do not let them in. We will not be offended in the least as your safety is prime to us. If you would like to join the team please let us know. Welcome Pack The welcome pack is now in the final stages of completion and will be available early in April to anyone who would like know more about who does what in our church and how things work. We plan to personalise these so they will be produced on request. If you would like one or know someone who would benefit from a copy please complete one of our Helping Hands cards or provide details to any of the Pastoral Care Team. 8
We are also working on the following events. • •
Support Mark with the annual service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance on the 7th May at 2.30pm. Support Mark with a new initiative of a Carers Service. This will be aimed at those in a caring role offering them the opportunity to step away from their role for a short while sharing some time with others in caring roles.
Leith Community Cinema Update Our March screenings both aimed at bringing social issues to light and encouraged us to look for ways to support those impacted by them. On Thursday 9th March we collaborated with Inspiring Leith to show a screening of the Ken Loach film I, Daniel Blake. The film follows the story of two people and how they navigate the welfare system. We welcomed 70 people and had a team of 20 volunteers running the very busy screening! It was also good that so many people stayed on to take part in the discussion we held at the end of the film. Here are some of the comments left on the feedback sheets. Enjoyed it but it is so close to home so hard watching it. Thank you for showing it and the discussion Very real film depicting the struggles that people claiming benefits have and the undue stress it causes Good attendance, catering superb More films like this. Job Centre staff should be made to watch it as part of their employment. It was a really good film about benefits Good support with food, volunteers and drinks 9
On Friday 10th March we collaborated with Gumption Girls to screen Girl Rising, an innovative documentary at the heart of the campaign to change the way the world values girls. Here are some of the comments left on the feedback sheets. My first experience of Community Cinema and I enjoyed it. The film was very interesting as I am girl's worker Excellent, thoroughly enjoyed watching it! Maybe encourage some discussion after the film Chairs were great, very comfy, enjoyed the tea/coffee and pizza. Thank you. Thank you so much thoroughly enjoyed this film. Another well organised screening, a truly inspirational film and will be spreading the word to encourage others to see the film and to take action to help girls get educated around the world. Our next screenings are on the 31st March when we are showing Trolls and on Saturday 1st April when we are hosting a Mini Film Festival in collaboration with Pop Up Scotland showing some short independent films. Tickets can be reserved via our website or Eventbrite or directly with Linda. 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. 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.
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Pastoral Care Team Mark Foster - Minister
Catriona Blackwood – Elder, Safeguarding Co-ordinator, Magazine Editor
Christine Edington – CrossReach Co-ordinator Ella Gilfillan Linda Gill – Elder and Pastoral Care Team Leader Michelle Muhammad – Congregational Board Member Cathy Purdie – Contact for Special Needs Fiona Rankin – Elder Jeanette Sime – Elder and Roll Keeper
Linda Gill Pastoral Care Team Leader 669-7409 or helpinghands@pilrigstpauls.org.uk
THE LUNCH CLUB CHECK OUT OUR NEW MENU!! Our LUNCH CLUB meets in the Session Room at 11.30am every Wednesday. We have spaces for more members A 2 COURSE MEAL SUPPLIED BY FareShare WILL COST YOU £3 A TIME, AND THERE IS A CHOICE To find out more, speak to Alec Allan at Church or on 554 3174
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THANK YOU
Thank you for the flowers we received in January. They were very much appreciated. Ronnie & Ella Gilfillan Thanks to the Knitting Bee for the lovely scarf received. Also to the kind lady who brought it to my house. Nan Ross Thank you for the beautiful flowers I received from the Church, and the Love and good wishes during my recent health blip. Roy Eprile Thank you for the beautiful flowers and cards I received recently. They were much appreciated. Jeanette Sime Thank you for the lovely flowers I received earlier this month. They are lasting so well and still look beautiful. Margaret Cameron Best wishes to Joan Blackie in her forthcoming house move.
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PILRIG St PAUL’S CHURCH OF SCOTLAND ANNUAL STATED MEETING, HELD ON SUNDAY 19TH MARCH 2017 Constitution of meeting Minutes from last year Treasurers Report
Rev Mark Foster opened the meeting. Taken as read Approved by Roy Eprile 2nd by Evelyn Torrance Mark Wexelstein presented slides showing the income and expenditure for 2016 and compared this over the last 5 years. Total income was £97,136, an increase of £17,924 from 2015.This includes money for the Community Cinema. If you remove this the income was £90,432 an increase of £11,220 from 2015. Total Expenditure was £98,981, an increase of £8,339 from 2015. If you remove the expenditure for the Community Cinema the expenditure was £95,516 an increase of £4,874. The deficit of £1,845 was less than the budgeted deficit. If you remove the Community Cinema the deficit was £5,084. We have run at a deficit for at least the last 9 years but it was good to see the reduction in the level in 2016. Offerings were £31,900, an increase of £2,954 on 2015. This was encouraging and this has continued in the first quarter of 2017. The tax reclaimed was £8,511. The claims hadn’t been made as often during 2015 so the amount is higher than previous years. Mark asked anyone that was paying tax but not currently part of the Gift Aid scheme to speak to him so this could be set up. Mark thanked Maria for her work on the completing the weekly banking and updating the information for the tax claims. Our income from hall lets was again our largest source of income and was £39,746 compared to £36,173 in 2015. The increase is good as we had no
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Congregational Statistics by Jeanette Sime
fringe shows in 2016. Fundraising was £1,6704 down by £532. The decrease was due to the fact we only held the Pilrig Parlour for three Saturdays and didn’t have extra events during the year like we did in 2015. Mark advised he hoped to do this again in 2017 under the Community Café name. He thanked all the people who had helped with fundraising. Ministry and Mission was £27,717, £78 lower than 2015. Fabric expenditure was £14,658 an increase of £10,093. This included the purchase of the new chairs and the new flooring in the Open Doorway. Energy costs were £7,081 this is £637 less than 2015. We are still members of the Church of Scotland scheme and this allows us to get the best rates available. Insurance was £9,852 an increase of 279.00. It was advised we need to switch provider to the Church of Scotland as this was an instruction from the General Assembly. Telephone, Stationery & Printing was £2,916 an increase of £56. Salaries were £19,156 a decrease of £2,425. The decrease is due to tax being paid in 2015 for 2014. Mark Foster thanked Mark for his work and Maria for her help. Mark Foster reminded the meeting that there was still a deficit but thanked everyone who had increased their offerings as these have gone up. He also mentioned the Give as You Earn Scheme that can also be used if you receive a pension. Number on Congregational Roll as at 31.12.2015 was 228 Added by Profession of Faith 0 Certificate of Transfer 1 Restoration 5 Removed by Resolution of the Kirk Session 1 Certificate of Transfer 0
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Election to Membership of the Congregational Board
Death 11 Number on Congregational Roll as at 31.12.2016 was 222 Supplementary Roll 0 Adherents 4 Mark Foster thanked Jeanette for her work. Due to come off the Congregational Board are Irene Wexelstein Alec Allan Ann Gowans has also intimated that she is unable to continue. Irene Wexelstein and Alec Allan have advised they don’t want to stand for re-election. Maria thanked them for their service over many years.
Minister’s Report
As no one else is wishing to come on the board we require power to co-opt members during the year. All agreed. Mark mentioned Path of Renewal that had been mentioned in the service. He reminded us we need to work out in the community and not just in the building. He thanked everyone who are involved with the many groups and activities that take place such as the Open Doorway, Community Cinema, The Guild and the Lunch Club. He thanked all the Office Bearers and for those who work behind the scenes to help the church to run.
The meeting closed with the saying of the Grace at 12.20 pm.
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Prayer Corner Max MacFie Christine McGonigal The Wexelstein family Jim and Jean Tait Helen Greig Robert and Karen Wood Elspeth Dixon Joyce Loughlan Matthew Green Margaret Gunn Frances Chambers Anne Dunn Norrie Frazer Sybil Muir The Davis family Isabel Fyfe Murdo and Joy MacLeod Tom Gilzean Emily Dickson and family Isabel Pert Irene Brown and family Roy and Irene Eprile David and Lynn Cameron and family Frazer and Craig Garvey and families Gary, Margaret and David Fraser Please let Roy Eprile know if you would like someone included in the prayer corner. Tea/Coffee mugs – We are still giving away free "One Church for Leith" tea/coffee mugs. You can pick one up after the service by speaking to anyone on duty at the doors. Maundy Thursday Service: This year Pilrig St. Paul's will be hosting the shared meal and service on Thursday of Holy Week (13 April). We will source the food from FareShare, but will need volunteers to help prepare and serve the meal. Please speak to the Minister if you are able to help.
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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
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CONTACT DETAILS
PILRIG St PAUL’S CHURCH
1b Pilrig Street Edinburgh EH6 5AH www.pilrigstpauls.org.uk
Church Office 0131 553 1876
MINISTER Rev Mark Foster (0131 332 5736) MFoster@churchofscotland.org.uk SESSION CLERK John Innes - (07802 917910) pilrig@btinternet.com THE CONGREGATIONAL BOARD Church address and phone number CLERK Aileen Fraser (0131 553 1876) ASSISTANT CLERK Maria Croall (07747 071545) pspcongragationalboard@gmail.com TREASURER and CHRISTIAN GIVINGS CONVENER Mark Wexelstein (0131 665 6881) mark.wexelstein@gmail.com ROLL KEEPER, GUILD CONVENER Mrs Jeanette Sime - (0131 552 9652) PASTORAL CONVENOR, CINEMA LEADER Mrs Linda Gill Linda Gill <lindagill365@sky.com> linda@leithcommunitycinema.com SAFEGUARDING CO-ORDINATOR, MAGAZINE EDITOR Mrs Catriona Blackwood (0131 554 cewblackwood@tesco.net
6183)
PROPERTY CONVENER Eric Fisher (0131 552 8982) eric.fisher@hotmail.co.uk HALL LETS psp.halluse@gmail.com ORGANIST and CHOIRMASTER Colin Gray (07901 556 217) PRAYER CORNER, FOODBANK CONTACT Roy Eprile MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTION Mrs Margaret Cameron (0131 554 2139) LUNCH CLUB Alex Allan (0131 554 3174) Scottish Charity no. SCO07277
www.leithchurchesforum.org.uk
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Leith Churches Together
Encouraging support and cooperation between the churches of Leith Leith Churches Together holds a monthly lunchtime ecumenical service, hosted and led by different churches in turn. It usually lasts 25-30 minutes and is followed by a simple lunch and get-together. Services for the first half of 2017 as follows:
April
No service - Holy Week/Easter
Wednesday 10th May
Ebenezer United Free Church
Wednesday 14th June Scotland
Pilrig St. Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church of
Wednesday 12th July
St. James Episcopal Church
We meet at 1pm. All welcome! Visit our website www.leithchurchestogether.org.uk 20