PILRIG St PAUL’S CHURCH SEPTEMBER 2021
EVERYONE WELCOME, NO BOOKING REQUIRED 1
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/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 receive 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. Mark Wexelstein Email treasurer@pilrigstpauls.org.uk 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 SEPTEMBER 2021 Services take place in the Sanctuary, and are also live streamed on Facebook, to watch live or later. IT IS NO LONGER NECESSARY TO BOOK*, JUST COME TO THE MAIN DOORS BETWEEN 1030 AND 1050 When you arrive, as we still need to maintain 1 metre distancing, you are asked to stop just before the automatic doors until called forward by those on the welcome team. While waiting, please make sure your mask is on and be ready to give your contact details, either on the written sheet or the Check In Scotland app on your phone, both are fully acceptable. This is the time to use the hand sanitiser (found on either side of the doors). Track and Trace is still a legal requirement for the church. Please have your offering ready as it will also be collected at the door. See also page 6 IT HAS BEEN GREAT TO SEE MEMBERS AND VISITORS COMING BACK, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING EVEN MORE PEOPLE ON A SUNDAY THE STATED ANNUAL MEETING IS ON 23rd SEPTEMBER, PLEASE SEE PAGE 8 *Booking is still available if you prefer, see back page for details 3
From our minister
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” - Isaiah 40: 8 Dear All, In 1976 the Public Relations Director at Lake Superior State University, Michigan, USA released a tongue-in-cheek “banished words list” as an imaginative publicity stunt to promote this littleknown university. The ‘banished words list” quickly became an annual feature of the university’s life and after 45 years it shows no signs of stopping. Over the decades, people across the U.S. and from around the world have nominated tens of thousands of words and phrases that bother them for inclusion on the banishment list. Examples of the 1,000-plus entries to make the yearly compilation include “first annual” (2000), “negative growth” (2001), “winningest” (1997), and “viable alternative” (1992). It should come as no surprise that the 2021 banished words list includes the words and phrases “unprecedented”, “In these uncertain times”, “We’re all in this together” and “COVID-19”. It would be nice if we could just leave the current pandemic behind us and banish it to the annuls of history, but we will still have to live with the effects of COVID-19 in our lives; and in the life of the Church for some time to come. Many of the things we used to do together as a congregation will require to change and new procedures will need to be adopted. Yet, amid the uncertainty that COVID-19 has brought into the life of the Church, there is still continuity. There is a long list of words that will never be banished from our vocabulary, or our lives, at Pilrig St. Paul’s. Words such as “welcome”, “justice”, “service”, “respect”, “openness”, “forgiveness”, “prayer” and “fellowship”. These words 4
will always remain at the heart of who we are and what we strive to do in Christ’s name. The words of the prophet Isaiah (above) remind us that in an ever-changing world, where all things are transient (including ourselves), “the word of our God will stand forever”. As a community of faith we will continue to proclaim God’s words of hope and love in the face of whatever circumstances the world may throw at us. We do so in the knowledge that they will always stand the test of time. COVID-19 may have banished many things from our lives, but it will not banish the enduring nature of our faith nor the proclamation of God’s words – seen in and through what we say and what we do. Blessings Mark
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2021: SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT Life and Work has released a FREE four-page summary of the main decisions, debates and speeches from this year’s General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. It is available to view on our website or full link General Assembly 2021: Special Supplement - Life and Work. Please feel free to share. You can read the magazine's full coverage of the General Assembly in the July issue of Life and Work. If you do not receive a copy of Life and Work each month, you can purchase a single print or digital copy via our website lifeandwork.org/subscribe. If you would like to see this in print, please contact me. Catriona Blackwood magazine@pilrigstpauls.org.uk 5
THANK YOU
We have received thanks from members for prayers, flowers, cards, visits, phone calls, texts and support received following illness, celebrations, bereavements and accidents.
INFORMATION RE ATTENDING CHUCRH SERVICES Members of the Welcome team are at the door each Sunday to greet you, keep you up to date with the current regulations as they apply to the church, to show you to your seat, and answer any questions. This means it takes a little longer to come in and sit down than in the past. Thank you for your patience, it helps us to get it right. Correct at the time of printing: There is no need to book. We are now singing (but still behind masks) Track and Trace, masks when seated, hand sanitizing or washing on arrival, and 1 metre distancing are still a legal requirement for the church. The Church of Scotland is in discussions with Scottish Government and hopes that some or all of the restrictions may be lifted in the not too distant future. Thanks again, The Covid Group and the Welcome Team 6
LEITH CHURCHES HOLIDAY CLUB Holiday club took place in the first week of the Edinburgh school holidays in Park Road Park. It was so good to have a proper holiday club – with some restrictions of course! The children seemed to enjoy it, and came for all the days they had booked, which might be a record. Distancing was quite straightforward and we learnt how to sanitise a portable toilet, even if none of us started with it on our “must do” list! Those of us who wondered how we would cope without the facilities of a Church Hall soon discovered how adaptable we are. It was a big help that the week was developed for outdoors, with the theme ‘Jungle Adventure’. We used the whole park, with supervised visits to the tree areas for foraging. Each group had a gazebo with no sides and two small pop-up tents. One tent held equipment and the other was to be a ‘chill’ area for anyone who needed time out. In fact, the only use made of the chill tent was by mascots brought by the youngsters. We will never know if it was the fresh air, the well thought-out programme or our entrancing interpretation of it, which kept everyone calm! 7
Crafts and games had been arranged to take account of the outdoor facilities and were enjoyed by all. The weather was mostly ideal, not as hot as forecast, which was a good thing, and very little rain. Thanks to Cassie Abousamak, Andre Barbosa and Christine Hodge for leading it all so well. Sadly, Cassie is leaving her post as Church Children and Youth Worker at Newhaven Church, but I look forward to finding out who the leader will be for next year. Catriona Blackwood Team Member Stated Annual Meeting Due to COVID 19 the requirement to hold a Stated Annual Meeting (SAM) was waived last year as it was acknowledged by the Church of Scotland and OSCR that for most congregations it would be difficult to hold this. We have been asked to hold a meeting this year but with the acceptance that for many congregations this won’t take the usual format. Since March 2020 we have been holding our Board meetings on Zoom and at present this will continue. The next meeting will be held on Thursday 23rd September at 7.30pm. At the start of this meeting we will cover the items that would normally be presented at the SAM. All members are invited to join the zoom meeting using the details below. If you want to try out the connection or require help connecting before the meeting please contact Mark Wexelstein and he will arrange a time to test the connection with you or try and help you get connected. 8
If you would like a copy of the accounts for 2020 please contact Mark Wexelstein and he will arrange to get a copy to you. Members and contacts who would like to attend, please leave a message on 0131 553 1876 or email us on mail@pilrigstpauls.org.uk for the Zoom details
PASTORAL CARE AND MAGAZINE Hello Everyone, I hope most of our members and friends have been able to enjoy something of the summer weather, either at home in the garden or a local park, or further afield. It is good to have some things a bit easier again. We have sent flowers and cards, and phoned members of the Church as ever and are pleased to see those who are able to come to Church, while thinking of those who haven’t been able to come yet. Please see pages 3 and 6 for an update on what we can now do. If you are parking during the tram works, there are temporary parking spaces in Leith Walk, available for an hour, which fits in well with our slightly shorter services. Although now blocked off at Leith Walk, Pilrig Street doesn’t seem much less congested. Buses are still going up from the Foot of the Walk to Elm Row. Please may I have articles for the October magazine by September 19th? Catriona Blackwood Pastoral Committee Member and Magazine Editor magazine@pilrigstpauls.org.uk
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CHURCH ACTIVITIES AND GENERAL INFORMATION 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/ 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. 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// For information regarding Girl Guiding and Scouts: www.girlguiding.org.uk hello@scouts.scot
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 ARE ASKED TO CONTACT: magazine@pilrigstpauls.org.uk
Prayer Corner 10
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
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 NEW BOOKINGS ARE BEING TAKEN MEANTIME We are keeping up with those who have regular hall bookings and organizing their safe return, when possible.
Scottish Charity no. SCO07277 www.leithchurchesforum.org.uk BOOKING FOR A SERVICE (not a requirement, still available meantime) 07738 620369 or email bookings@pilrigstpauls.org.uk Scottish Charity no. SCO07277
www.leithchurchesforum.org.uk
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