EASTER at PILRIG St PAUL’S CHURCH
APRIL 2015
CHURCH ACTIVITIES Regular activities: Sunday - Children’s activities from 10.50am, creche for younger children and activities based on the Church calendar for those of school age - just come along and speak to our welcome team. - The choir Colin Grey 07901 556 217 or at Church on a Sunday Mondays - Rainbows and Brownies Christine Buchanan 554 2941 Tuesdays - The Guild 2.00pm see page 1 for dates and details Irene Wexelstein 476 1385 The 5th Leith Scouts Pilrig (5th Leith) Edinburgh North East Broughton Primary gym hall contact Evelyn Torrance 552 1657 Beavers, Cubs and Scouts 5 3/4 - 14 years Wednesdays - Lunch club 11.30 contact Alex Allan 554 3174 Thursdays - Rainbows and Brownies (Ann Urquhart 554 8387) Guides (Karen Wood 554 5493)
THERE ARE MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES HELD ON OUR PREMISES, SEE THE NOTICE BOARD IN PILRIG STREET (MIDDLE ENTRANCE) IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RENT OUR PREMISES, PLEASE CONTACT psp.halluse@gmail.com
PILRIG St PAUL’S WELCOMES YOU APRIL 2015
WE WELCOME YOU TO ANY OF OUR SERVICES SEE PAGE 2 FOR INFORMATION ABOUT EASTER WORSHIP Every Tuesday and Thursday – Open doorway 11am-1pm for tea, coffee and a chat, or some quiet time in the sanctuary Every Wednesday – Foodbank distribution. See page 11 Tuesday 31st March 7pm The Anointing at Bethany Sunday, April 5 11:00am Easter Celebration Thurs 9 April 7.30pm Foodbank Volunteers meeting, South Leith Sunday, April 12 11:00am Sunday Worship Tuesday April 14th 2pm The Guild Beetle Drive Thursday, April 16 7:30pm Kirk Session 7.30pm Foodbank committee meeting at South Leith Sunday, April 19 11:00am Sunday Worship Sunday, April 26 11:00am LCF JOINT COMMUNION at SOUTH LEITH PARISH CHURCH THERE WILL BE NO 11am SERVICE IN PILRIG St PAUL’S 2.30pm in PILRIG St PAUL’S - MEMORIAL SERVICE see page 5 Tuesday, April 28 2:00pm The Guild A.G.M. Providing Church Flowers in April 5th April Lily Gilhooley 12th April Margaret Cameron 19th April Frances & George McPherson Please speak to Aileen Fraser about a date if you would like to contribute flowers. Please contact Catriona Blackwood if you would like to write a few lines about the significance of your chosen date. 1
29th March
30th March
31st March
1st April
2nd April
3rd April
5th April
From our minister
Be Resurrected!
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ – John 20:19
Sometimes when we’ve had a series of tough knocks in life, all we want to do is hide away from others. Great disappointments can be such a cruel blow that all we want to do is lock ourselves away from the world and stop trying new things because of the fear that we will experience further heartache and pain in our lives. It seems easier to stay within the confines of our current situation rather than open up our hearts to the possibilities of something new or something better, but in doing so we often end up suffocating our souls and stop living our lives. The Easter message calls us out of heartache, pain, and death to the possibility of new life. Jesus called this kind of life “abundant life”, or, as the New English Bible phrases it, “life in all its fullness.” It is life full of meaning, full of purpose; a life that empowers us to healthy, spiritually centered lifestyles, staying fully alive ourselves, and contributing to the well being of the families, communities, and society we belong to. The Easter message reminds us that the man who suffered his own heartache and pains, and who even 3
gave up his life for the sake of love, is paradoxically the most ‘alive’ person the planet has ever known. The hope that the Easter story gives us today, is that God does not let death and despair have the final word. Whenever we are hit by the heartaches of life, we can lock ourselves away from the world and stifle our spirits, or we can open ourselves up to the transforming power of resurrection and live life in all its fullness. Resurrection happens because God is Spirit and is not bound by mortality. The promise of new life, even life beyond death, is real because those who live in God live beyond the boundaries of our own mortality. Resurrection happens whenever we open up our lives to the transforming love of God in our lives. It happened in the lives of the fearful, confused, and grieving followers of Jesus over 2,000 years ago, and it can happen in the lives of all those who follow his message of living “life in all its fullness” today. May you know the power and blessing of God’s resurrection presence in your lives this Easter. Shalom Mark The Magazine Thank you for your articles this month. There is a lot going on. Please may I have articles for next month by 19th April? Catriona Blackwood 4
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THANK YOU I would like to thank you and all at Pilrig St. Paul's for the lovely flowers and good wishes received following my knee replacement operation. It was a lovely surprise and appreciated by both of us. Hope to be out and about more and see you all soon, Menzies (and Moira) Johnston Just to say thank you so much for the beautiful roses I received from Lily for my birthday weekend in February. They lasted for over a week. Moira Fergie Thank you for our beautiful flowers and also our much appreciated Christmas Gift. Willie is slowly getting better. Martha and Willie Cruikshank Many thanks for the lovely flowers that were given to me by Linda today. They sent me on my way with a big smile!! Hilda Winton Thank you very much for the beautiful flowers I received from Aileen Fraser on behalf of the church. Isa Osborne Thank you very much for the beautiful bunch of flowers which I received last Sunday. A most pleasant surprise. Sybil Muir Thank you to the minister and Congregation for my lovely flowers. They are very much appreciated. Joyce Forman Thank you very much for the lovely flowers I received. I would like also to say thanks for the sympathy cards and get well cards. They were much appreciated. Betty Lauder CONGRATULATIONS to KAREN and ROBERT WOOD who celebrate their silver wedding at the end of April. 6
CONGRATULATIONS TO JESSIE CORMACK I visited Mrs Cormack just before her 100 th birthday, earlier in the month. She was bright and cheerful, managing well at home, with some help. She does a lot of own housework, but is not able to get out. Mrs Cormack was asking for all her friends at Pilrig St Paul’s and reminiscing that she used to like coming to Church when she was able. She sends thanks to Irene Wexelstein for visiting with the magazine and bringing her up to date. I took her flowers from the Church for which she sends a big thank you to everyone. I spoke to her today (24th March) and her birthday had gone well. It was lovely to have her daughter over from America and her niece did a buffet in the house for her. Catriona Blackwood Prayer Corner Margaret Cameron and family Moira and Jim Fergie Isabel Hannay Matthew Green Agnes MacAuley Evelyn Turner Lorna Burke Murdo and Joy MacLeod Mary Currie Margaret Gunn
Jack McArthur Jim and Jean Tait Helen Grieg Frances Chambers Betty Lauder and family Isabel Fyfe Pat Murray and family Charlie and Joyce Forman June Welsh Isabel Pert
Please inform Roy Eprile of any changes to be made, so that we can keep the prayer list up to date.
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Pastoral Care Team
Young at Heart By the time you are reading this the Young at Heart our event will have taken place. The tickets were all sold and all the various groups have confirmed their attendance. Our aim for the event was to have a fun afternoon and also introduce those attending to new hobbies and interests, supporting the ethos of being Young at Heart that you can take up a new hobby or interest at any time. Fairy tales can come true It can happen to you if you're young at heart For it's hard, you will find To be narrow of mind if you're young at heart You can go to extremes with impossible schemes You can laugh when your dreams fall apart at the seams And life gets more exciting with each passing day And love is either in your heart or on it's way Don't you know that it's worth Every treasure on earth to be young at heart For as rich as you are It's much better by far to be young at heart 8
And if you should survive to a hundred and five Look at all you'll derive out of bein' alive And here is the best part, you have a head start If you are among the very young at heart Helping Hands At a recent team meeting we agreed to alter our Helping Hands cards to include an option for you to ask for us to add someone to our prayer corner in the magazine each month. Fresh copies of the new form will be available soon. If you do want to add someone please make sure that they are happy for their name to be in the magazine before completing a form. Pastoral Visiting and Care 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. 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 Jennifer Stark - Leader Leith Churches Outreach Project 9
In April we are pleased to be welcoming Dr Jim Jenkinson from Morningside Parish Church to meet with our team. He is long standing elder who has responsibility for bereavement visiting for his Church and will be sharing his approach with us. If you would like to join us at this session please let me know. It is taking place on Tuesday 22nd April at 11am in the Session Room of the Church. This will prepare us well for the service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance on Sunday 26th April at 2.30pm to which all are welcome. Linda Gill Pastoral Care Team Leader 669-7409 or helpinghands@pilrigstpauls.org.uk
Relish Project - Pilrig Preserves Thanks to everyone who supported the Relish Project by buying some of my cucumber relish, this first produce from the project has raised ÂŁ14 for church funds. We have now received jams and chutneys from Chris Blacklaw and George Munro so thanks to them for their fantastic tasty contributions. My plan is for everyone to join in as they are able, making produce, supplying materials or empty jars to keep the project going or buying the results. All the money raised from the sale of jams and relishes will go towards church funds and we hope that the project brings people together swapping recipes, growing fruit and so on. So enjoy the jams and chutneys if you are lucky enough to buy some and return the jars when they are empty to keep the project going. John Innes 10
THE DONATIONS BASKET IS IN THE VESTIBULE. 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 centre 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. For further information, please contact Roy Eprile. From Ian Bethune As the fallout continues 6 months after the last election we are in the throes of another one. In The U.S.A. there is a saying that winning is not everything ......but losing is nothing. Winning is not everything ( you might just get a wooden spoon ) but I would add that losing with grace and dignity is something and would hope that the political parties concerned do so. Ian Bethune 11
Do you shop on-line or know someone that does? Do you want to help raise funds for Pilrig St. Paul's Church? Register as a supporter for our cause on easyfundraising.org.uk Start your shopping on their home page by searching from the wide range of retailers available. Booking a Holiday or buying Insurance - come through easyfundraising.org.uk and raise even more money! Pilrig St Paul's will receive donations for every item purchased through this method. Go to http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/psp2/ or go to the church website http://www.pilrigstpauls.org.uk/news.php and visit our new fundraising page.
Once you are registered, use the search box to find a retailer and click on the big green button to activate the donations. You will then be taken to the retailer's site and you just shop as normal. The church will receive a donation (plus Gift Aid) for every confirmed purchase. We don't see what you've bought, just the donation amount returned. This is a simple and effective way of generating funds for the church, it doesn't cost you anything and you get the same great offers and service you expect from your on-line retailers. You can also get donations when buying your holidays, train tickets and insurance. Register today and start raising funds! If you want more information, or are unsure how to do this, and would like to, please speak to me. Mark Wexelstein Treasurer
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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 up to June 2015 as follows:
Wednesday 15 April
St James’ Episcopal Church
Wednesday 13 May Scotland
Pilrig
Wednesday 10 June
Ebenezer U. F. Church
St
Paul’s
Church
of
We meet at 1pm. All welcome! For more information on churches in Leith, visit our website www.leithchurchestogether.org.uk
Scottish Charity no. SCO07277 www.pilrigstpauls.org.uk www.leithchurchesforum.org.uk OUR WHEELCHAIR ENTRANCES ARE IN PILRIG STREET
Cover design by Catriona Blackwood
MINISTER Rev Mark Foster minister.psp@gmail.com (332 5736) 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 Grey (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)