HARVEST OCTOBER 2020 1
THIS IS A REDUCED VERSION OF THE MAGAZINE FOR GENERAL PUBLICATION. MEMBERS AND ADHERENTS WHO WOULD LIKE A FULL PRAYER, PASTORAL and BEREAVEMENT OR THANK YOU LIST, OR A FINANCIAL UPDATE OR ARE ASKED TO CONTACT: magazine@pilrigstpauls.org.uk
General information re donating to Pilrig St Paul’s and information re articles for Pilrig St Paul’s magazine can be found on the inside back cover.
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PILRIG St PAUL’S CHURCH SEPTEMBER 2020 While we are unable to use our buildings, there is a short act of worship each Sunday at 10am on Facebook, and repeated later on our website. Our Facebook Page provides some items for personal reflection as well as our normal news updates. Church website: http://www.pilrigstpauls.org.uk Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pilrigstpauls/ If you wish to follow the readings that we use in church each Sunday you can access them at https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu// CHURCH ACTIVITIES and INFORMATION
Please see our magazine, website and facebook page for updates. For information regarding Girl Guiding and Scouts: www.girlguiding.org.uk hello@scouts.scot Radio, TV, Internet Audio and Visual clips and some live streaming worship services that you can listen to and watch from home: Thought for the Day: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00szxv6 BBC Radio Four Sunday Worship: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qnds Songs of Praise: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006ttc5 Recommended Podcast: https://robbell.com/portfolio/robcast/ BBC Scotland have been showing ‘Reflections at the Quay” each Sunday. The times of the broadcasts vary. 3
You can also subscribe to receive the church magazine and weekly intimations at LINK. WordPress site is at https://onecfl.wordpress.com/ where you will find prayers, reflections and other items provided by the Ministers from the four Leith churches.
Pilrig St Paul’s Foodbank
We are delighted to tell you that we re-opened our Foodbank facility on Wednesday 23rd October. (This is our only activity open at present, but see pages 5, 6 and 7.) We have enough volunteers at the moment, but if you would like to help in future, please contact Maria Croall at hall let: psp.halluse@gmail.com or phone the Church Office 0131 553 1876. There is further news of the Foodbank on page 12.
CELEBRATION OF HARVEST FESTIVAL Our Harvest Festival Service will take place on Sunday 3rd October at 10am on Facebook, and repeated later on our website. Please collect non-perishable items and toiletries for harvest, thank you. We will be delighted to receive them when we are open again. Details of how to do this will appear in the next magazine.
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From our minister, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:” ~ Ecclesiastes 3: 1 Dear All, Outside my window, the cherry tree leaves are starting to tinge with streaks of red and gold. Each breeze brings a fresh crop of windfall apples on to the lawn and some mornings there is a distinct freshness in the air. Sunrise and sunset are inching south toward the equator as the miracle of autumn arrives: the season when change is decidedly beautiful; the days when creation testifies to the power of rest and death to make room for new life. In Church life, the season of autumn marks the return of church groups and meetings. Individuals return replenished by the break of summer months. How different things are this year! Plans are well underway for our return to the church building, but things will be different from previous years. As with all other aspects of our lives, we will need to adapt and change to the new circumstances we find ourselves in. We will have to practise new ways of using our building and new ways of worshipping in our sanctuary. Many of the traditions and services we have held in the past will need to be re-envisioned and adapted as we go forward. The above passage from Ecclesiastes reminds us that it is part of God’s plan that all things must change, and grow, and develop – “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity”. Like the season of autumn, some of the things we did before must now have to wither and fade, but only for the miracle of new life and growth to occur and replace them. This year our celebrations of Harvest, Remembrance, Advent and Christmas will have to take on new forms as we adjust to this new 5
season in the life of our world. Who knows what new meanings we will find or what new discoveries we will make as we seek to worship God in news ways? Amidst all the changes we face we are also reassured of God’s unchanging and abundant love for us, and of the assurance of God’s abiding presence as we journey forward in faith, hope and love. Wishing you all God’s richest blessings Mark CROSSREACH CHRISTMAS CARDS I am so sorry that, this year, because we are not meeting as a Congregation due to current restrictions, I will be unable to collect and deliver orders for Crossreach Christmas Cards and Calendars. Any member who would like to receive a copy of the Crossreach Christmas Card Catalogue should telephone Crossreach on 0131 454 4374 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays. If you subsequently decide to place an order, you can do so by post or by phoning your order to the number shown above. Any member who has access to the Internet can order cards from the Crossreach Web Shop at shop.crossreach.org.uk. Crosssreach will be most grateful to anyone who feels able to place an order by any of the methods detailed above. All profits from the sale of cards/calendars go towards raising much needed funding for the many and varied ways in which Crosssreach cares for the most vulnerable in our society across the length and breadth of Scotland. Christine Edington (Crossreach Contact)
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September update from COVID-19 Planning Group The Presbytery of Edinburgh has signed off all the necessary permissions and requirements needed for us to reopen our sanctuary for the purposes of worship and the Foodbank. We are still waiting for the necessary permissions and approvals to open the church halls, kitchen, etc. for church groups and user groups as soon as it is legally permissible. Our plan is to have a phased return into the building for worship, whilst still retaining the online services for all those who are unable to attend in person. We will start in October with a couple of small trial events for those directly involved in worship, which will help us to familiarise ourselves with the new Audio Visual equipment that has been purchased. All going well, this will be followed by a couple of services (including the October Communion) where a small number of members will be invited to join us. We would hope to increase the numbers slowly over the coming months, but will be limited by the maximum numbers allowed in our building and any further local, regional, or national restrictions that the Scottish Government may need to impose. It is hard to describe the enormity of the work that has been required to ensure that our building was kept secure during lockdown and is now fit to re-open for worship; but it is important to thank the small team of volunteers and others who have given so much of their time and talents in order to ensure our safe return in the coming months. We thank you for your continued support and prayers. Rev Mark Foster (on behalf of the COVID Planning Group) Please see also the Congregational letter on the centre pages All information is subject to review as new advice emerges. 7
CONGREGATIONAL LETTER
Dear All, As you will have read in the church magazine, or heard from others, we are preparing to re-open the church building for worship starting on Sunday 1 November. A lot of hard work has been done by the COVID Planning Group in order to ensure that the risks have been minimized and that all safeguards are in place to ensure that worshipping is as safe an experience as possible. A couple of test services will be held in October in order to ensure that all our new systems are running smoothly. At present we are only allowed to open with a number of restrictions in place, which will continue to be updated in relation to the latest Scottish Government and Church of Scotland Guidelines. This sadly means that places will be limited due to the numbers we are allowed to accommodate under the current rules. In order to help us, and to ensure that no one is turned away at the door, you will be required to book for worship in advance. To make a booking please contact the Church Office by telephone (553 1876) or email bookings@pilrigstpauls.org.uk before Thursday 12noon, of each week. The following information will hopefully help answer the many questions you have: What can I expect when entering and leaving the building? - Entry to the building will be by the middle set of doors on Pilrig Street. - As you arrive, enter and exit, please maintain a physical distance of 2 metres from others. - Please do not congregate outside the church doors as you arrive and leave. 8
- You will be required to use the hand sanitizer available. (If you re-act to this, please wash your hands on our premises, or wear disposable gloves for the full visit and sanitize them.) - You will be shown to a specific seat for the service. This may not be your usual seat as we have to maintain a specific seating pattern due to social distancing regulations. - You will be required to wear a facemask throughout the time you are in the building. - At the end of the service you will have to leave in order of seating. Those on the duty team will be on hand to help direct you. What can I expect during worship? - Worship will last for approximately 30-40 minutes in total. - There will be no hymn books, bibles, or orders of service. - There will be no singing. - You will be able to give your offering at the entrance into the church before the service. What else do I need to know? - There will be no tea/coffee after the service. You may wish to bring your own bottled water if you think it may be needed. - Services will continue to be recorded and/or live broadcast from the Church website and Facebook Pages so that people can still join us remotely for worship each week. Thank you for your continued support and co-operation during these difficult times. The COVID Planning Group (Rev Mark Foster, John Innes, Aileen Fraser, Mark Wexelstein, Catriona Blackwood, Maria Croall) 9
THANK YOU
We have received thanks from many members for prayers, flowers, cards, visits, phone calls, texts and support received following illness, celebrations, bereavements and accidents. THE MAGAZINE Thank you for all the contributions this month. The next magazine will be out at the end of October or the beginning of November, so I would like articles by 21st October, please. Looking ahead to Christmas, there will be the usual display of Christmas messages from members in the December edition. As we will probably not be able to have our greetings tree and exchange of cards in the building, many more members may wish to take advantage of this and I will be happy to receive them by post, phone or email. There will be more information in the November edition, but I am planning a centre page display for this. I have been posting magazines for much longer than initially hoped. Thank you to everyone who has sent extra 2nd class stamps to help with this. If you receive a magazine by post and are able, I would appreciate a further 3 x 2nd class stamps, thank you. Catriona Blackwood 0131 554 6183 magazine@pilrigstpauls.org.uk
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The Guild Hello to all Guild members, and we hope you are well. We do not have a starting date yet, but will keep in touch and let you know when we will be able to begin. Guild Committee
PASTORAL CARE - KEEPING IN TOUCH by PHONE AND MAGAZINE I have been told by many people how much they enjoy receiving news of our Church by telephone tree or other calls and via magazine by post or online. It is really good to know how many people are able to keep up with each other. If you know of someone who is not getting information, please contact the minister, Aileen Fraser or me, thanks. It is also really helpful to receive information about members so that we can send cards or flowers if appropriate. (Contact details are on the back cover.) I have a large box of Life and Work to distribute once we are in our buildings again! So far, there is no information about next year’s arrangements. Best wishes to all, Catriona Blackwood Pastoral Committee Member
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If you can, please continue collecting‌‌‌ Plastic milk bottle tops: blue or green with a 2 or 4 on them, Plastic tops and lids with other colours and sizes Flower bags Stamps: used postage stamps should be cut out (leaving a 1 cm margin) These will be gratefully received once we are up and running again. Thank you
Part of a message from the Rev Iain May, Chair, Edinburgh NE Foodbank: The management team of Edinburgh NE Foodbank agreed some time ago to appoint a General Manager to have overall control of the foodbank. This is a new role and an important one that will ensure the foodbank delivers for all those whom we serve. Therefore, it gives me great pleasure to announce that Alison Roxburgh, who has been part of the Management Team since the food bank was set up, has agreed to take on this role. Alison has extensive management experience and being in charge of many successful projects and will be an excellent General Manager. Alison will be commencing this new role on Monday 2nd November. I am sure you will join me in congratulating Alison in agreeing to be the General Manager and that she can be assured of your continuing support and encouragement. 12
It is possible to make a donation by visiting our website www.pilrigstpauls.org.uk and donate using the PayPal button. You can also use the QR code below by scanning it on your mobile phone.
We have also setup a JustGiving page and the url is https://www.justgiving.com/edinburghpilrigstpaulsparishchurch We do have to pay a handling fee for any donations received through PayPal or JustGiving so don’t receive the full amount donated. If you shop online you can support the church when you shop on Amazon. If you are using their webpage can you go to https://smile.amazon.co.uk/ and you can select Edinburgh: Pilrig St Paul’s Parish Church of Scotland as the charity. For certain purchases we will received up to 1.5% as a donation. You can now change the settings on their app and select the same charity name. Thank you for your continued support and hopefully we will all be able to meet again soonish to worship together. Mark Wexelstein Email treasurer@pilrigstpauls.org.uk
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Phone 0131 665 6881
INFORMATION re PILRIG St PAUL’S MAGAZINE We welcome articles and thank you letters from members and friends. Articles are published in both the printed magazine and on-line, unless otherwise arranged with the editor (eg. where personal information is concerned, including the names in the prayer corner, it would normally be omitted from the on-line version). All contributors must provide their name, please, which is normally attached to the article. We reserve the right to edit articles. Changes other than spelling or grammar will, where possible, be discussed with the contributor. The views expressed are those of individual contributors and not necessarily those of Pilrig St. Paul’s Church or the Church of Scotland.
CONTACT DETAILS PILRIG St PAUL’S CHURCH 1b Pilrig Street Edinburgh EH6 5AH www.pilrigstpauls.org.uk
Church Office 0131 553 1876
HALL LETS - NO BOOKINGS ARE BEING TAKEN MEANTIME When we are able to re-open our halls we will publicise this on our website, intimations and the magazine.
Scottish Charity no. SCO07277
www.leithchurchesforum.org.uk
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