PILRIG St PAUL’S CHURCH
ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS DECEMBER 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 ANY THANK YOU NOTES AND CHRISTMAS GREETINGS INCLUDED IN THIS VERSION ARE PRINTED WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE ORIGINATOR.
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.
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PILRIG St PAUL’S CHURCH DECEMBER 2020 We are now able to open up our booking system for attending worship. Please email bookings@pilrigstpauls.org.uk or phone or text 07738 620369 and leave a message. Please email or text if possible, as they don’t depend on the phone holder being free at the time to answer! You will be contacted if we are able to accommodate your booking. Priority will be given to church members, particularly those who have not been able to attend church recently. The number of seats in the church is limited to 18, 5 of those can accommodate couples. We cannot accept people turning up at the door on a Sunday without a confirmed booking. The service each Sunday is now streamed live on Facebook and the recording posted to the website once the stream has ended. 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// (Covid Planning Group members: Rev Mark Foster, John Innes, Catriona Blackwood, Maria Croall, Aileen Fraser, and Mark Wexelstein) 3
CHURCH ACTIVITIES and INFORMATION As well as the magazine, updates are available on the website and facebook page. 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. WordPress site at https://onecfl.wordpress.com/ where you will find prayers, reflections and other items provided by the Ministers from the four Leith churches.
Christmas greetings are on the centre pages
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Dear All, Many of you are old enough to recall the days when Christmas Day was still a working day for most people in Scotland (A hang up from the post-Reformation suppression of Yule Tide celebrations by the Kirk). It wasn’t until 1958 that Christmas Day become a public holiday in Scotland and even then our Christmas celebrations were somewhat muted when compared to other countries and also overshadowed by our celebration of Hogmanay. Things began to change during the 1980’s with the commercialisation and secularisation of Christmas brining us to the point where the retail preparations for Christmas start earlier each year (In some shops even before the Halloween decorations have been taken down!). This year we are being told to prepare for a “digital Christmas” as we face restrictions on many of our usual seasonal activities and celebrations. I love celebrating Christmas and I love the opportunity to “eat, drink, and be merry” [Ecclesiastes 8:15] as much as the next person. Yet, I also believe that this year we are being given the opportunity to press the re-set button when it comes to our celebrations for Christmas. Just over 2000 years ago a child was born in far from salubrious circumstances: in a country living under occupation; in a small provincial village where there were no spare rooms; and in the place where they kept the livestock. He started his early years fleeing for his life and living as a refugee in a foreign land. (All of which seem a far cry from our celebrations today.) He came to show us the love of God and the power of that love when 5
applied to the lives of others. He brought wholeness, healing, acceptance, and compassion into the lives of others. Through his words and actions he showed his disciples and followers that they too could do the same. This year we may not be able to meet with our families – but for many in our world it will be just another day of isolation. This year we may not be able to feast with friends – but for many in our world it will be just another day of hunger. This year we may struggle with restrictions to our freedom – but for many in our world it will be no different from the restrictions they face to their freedom every day of their lives. The circumstances we face this Christmas will be temporary – but for many in our world this is the everyday reality of their lives. There are many ways we can choose to celebrate the birth of Christ, but perhaps the most fitting ways are the ones which show the love of God and the power of that love when applied to the lives of others. Perhaps we can move away from a Christmas that has been developed around the notion of ‘how much can we get?’ to a Christmas that is re-built around the understanding of ‘how much can we give?’? This year, may we think of ways in which to mark our Saviour’s birth which show God’s love in action, especially to those who have little to celebrate and even less to celebrate with. Instead of extending the Christmas season forwards as secular society is doing – let us extend it outwards, both into our lives and into the year ahead, as we take God’s love into the lives of others. May the peace of the Christ Child born in Bethlehem move all our hearts and minds this Christmas and beyond. Mark 6
THANK YOU Thank you for my flowers and card from the church on my 60th birthday. Aileen Marjory and Andy would like to say thank you for the flowers they received. It was a great surprise and they are beautiful. On behalf of my father Charlie, I would like to thank you for the lovely flowers delivered to his flat. It was extra special to receive them on that particular day as it was the 4th anniversary of my Mum’s passing. Thank you once again. Anne & Charlie Thank you to everyone for kind messages of support for me, David, during and after my stay in hospital. I am improving slowly. Thank you for the card and flowers for our wedding anniversary. Congratulations to Margaret and David for both their 60 th wedding Anniversary AND the birth of their first great grandchild in Japan. Both these events have taken place this week. Ed Thank you for the lovely flowers I received from the church and to the people who have been phoning. Irene W Thank you all very much for the cards and lovely flowers I received for my 80th birthday. Ron Andy would like to say Thank You for his card for his big birthday and also the card and phone calls from Mark after his op. He is now fine except for his voice, but that’s okay because I don’t mind speaking for him. Thanks again, Marjory
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We wish all our friends in the church a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Margaret and David
Marjory and Andy would like to wish all our friends at church a happy Christmas and hopefully a “guid new year”
Happy Christmas and all best wishes for 2021 to all our friends Ron and Maureen
We wish everyone peace, joy, love and hope at Christmas and in the year to come. Alec and Christine
May the blessings of the Christ Child be with you this Season Revs Mark and Joanne A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my friends at Pilrig St Paul’s Church. Love and blessings from Irene E.
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Christmas Greetings and all good wishes for 2021 John
Christmas Greetings and Best Wishes for 2021 to you all. Alex and Nancy Fiona, Maureen and Marjory would like to wish all the Guild members and their families a Happy and Peaceful Christmas and hopefully, a much brighter New Year. We have all missed our meetings and hope and pray we can get together soon. Stay safe and take care
Christmas greetings to all our friends in Pilrig St Paul’s. We hope that we will have eased restrictions and a healthier year in 2021. Catriona and Bill
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Best wishes for Christmas and a better New Year (2021) to all my friends at Pilrig St Paul’s from Antje with love.
GIRLGUIDING
We thought we would let you know a little bit about how the 41st Guide Unit has coped since the March lockdown. We met up in Pilrig Park when the nights were lighter and now we are having Zoom meetings. We are adapting all our usual activities to suit. Baking microwave cakes in mugs was a success and we have also had quizzes and games. Badges have been completed at home with the results photographed and e-mailed to the Leaders. We were pleased to be able to send a Guide Eva into the Church to lay our Wreath at the Madge Barnes Plaque. We should be well under way with our preparations for our 95th Anniversary but unfortunately there will be no Church Service, Party or Weekend Away this coming March. We have celebrated with our members and exmembers every 5 years since our 40th Anniversary. With us having to use a School Hall we have no idea when we will have normal meetings but we are doing our best to carry on through these difficult times. The 41st Leadership Team
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Orders are now being taken for Life and Work. There will be no discount this year for orders taken via the Church - it will cost £36. Please let me know if you want me to order you a copy. HOWEVER, due to the restrictions they are offering a new service where the magazine will be sent directly to a subscriber’s home, at a discounted rate! Please contact me for further details. Catriona Blackwood 0131 554 6183 magazine@pilrigstpauls.org.uk CROSSREACH On behalf of Crossreach, I would like to thank everyone who purchased Christmas cards or calendars from the Catalogue this year. Your kindness and generosity are much appreciated. 2020 has been a difficult year for us all, but perhaps even more so for those whom Crossreach seeks to serve – the poor, the lonely, the sick and the powerless. Please pray for all such as these, and for those who, through Crossreach, seek to care for them in Christ’s Name. May God bless us all this Christmastide. Christine Edington (Crossreach Contact)
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COMMUNITY OUTREACH Our usual Christmas support for others is being managed a little differently this year. Traditionally we have collected gifts for Circle Families, The Sailors Society, and many of our housebound members, as well as supporting the work of local charities through our Christmas Offerings. If you would like to support all or any of the above projects and feel able to do so, then we are asking that you make a donation to the church. You can do this in a number of different ways. If you are attending worship during December you can leave an envelope in the collection plate clearly marked “Christmas Offerings” and we can split it among the above causes. If however you wish to support a particular cause then you can mark your envelope “Circle Families”, “Hampers for Refugees”, “Seafarers Collection” or “Christmas Gifts”. Alternatively, if you are passing the church you can post your envelope through the middle doors on Pilrig Street. If you are a UK tax payer please remember to also mark your envelope with the words ‘GIFT AID’, which will increase the values of your donation at no extra cost to yourself. You can also donate via PayPal, BACS transfer and Cheque by contacting the treasurer. Thank you.
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PASTORAL CARE AND MAGAZINE Dear All, It has been so good to be back in the church again, even if it is just a few at a time. The booking system is now organised and details can be found on page 1. We continue to send cards and flowers to members at significant events in their lives, and rely on other members to keep me up to date about this. Thank you for all the greetings and other contributions this month. The next magazine will be out at the end of January/beginning of February. There will be no magazine at the end of December for January, but updates will continue via intimations, telephone trees and facebook. Please may I have contributions for February 2021 by 20th January? I hope as many members as possible are well and wish you a Happy Christmas and hope that 2021 is more relaxed for us all. Catriona Blackwood Pastoral Committee Member 0131 554 6183 magazine@pilrigstpauls.org.uk
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Prayer Corner Please remember in your prayers members and friends of the congregation who are ill or infirm at this time. A full list is available in the printed version of the magazine. Please let the minister or me know of someone to include in this section. Catriona Blackwood
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Please consider making 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 set up a JustGiving page and the url is https://www.justgiving.com/edinburghpilrigstpaulsparish church 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 Phone 0131 665 6881
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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
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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