EASTER AT PILRIG St PAUL’S
APRIL 2014
WELCOME TO PILRIG St PAUL’S APRIL 2014
Thursday, 3rd April 7.30pm Kirk Session Sunday, 6th April Sunday Worship 11:00 Tuesday, 8th April 2pm Guild Talk on St Kilda Sunday, 13th April Sunday Worship 11:00 Sunday, 20th April Easter Sunday Worship 11:00 Tuesday, 22nd April 2pm Guild Easter Readings Sunday, 27th April Sunday Worship 11:00 Holy Communion 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. Tuesday, 29th April 2pm Guild AGM On Tuesdays and Thursdays visit the “OPEN DOORWAY” for Tea, coffee and a chat or for a short time of quietness in the sanctuary PILRIG St PAUL’S ORGANISATIONS (please contact leaders for time and place) Mondays - Rainbows and Brownies (Christine Buchanan 554 2941) Tuesdays - The Guild 2.00pm (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 12 noon (Marjory McArthur 553 2323) Thursdays - Rainbows and Brownies (Ann Urquhart 554 8387) Guides (Karen Wood 554 5493) There is a full list and more information inside but these items are most needed at present: TINNED FISH AND MEAT, FRUIT JUICE, STEAMED PUDDINGS, UHT MILK Please leave contributions in the basket at the entrance. Thank you 1
In the footsteps of Jesus Dear All, As I write this I am preparing to lead a group of Church members on pilgrimage to Israel and Palestine, where we shall be visiting many of the sites associated with Jesus’ life and Ministry. From Bethlehem to Cana, Jericho, the shores of Lake Galilee, the streets of Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives and the Garden at Gethsemane – you could say that I will be following in the footsteps of Jesus. But Jesus left no discernible physical tracks in any of the places I will be visiting – so what does it mean to follow in his footsteps today? In the sixth chapter of Luke’s gospel Jesus says: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6: 31). And a few verses later (3738) he says: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” Jesus summed this all up when he said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.” (Luke 10: 27) Following in the footsteps of Jesus is not just about loving God it is also a call to respect others and to share our wealth, time, and talents in serving others – just as Jesus did. The message of Scripture is that we don’t need to go to the Holy Land to be able to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. We can follow in Jesus’ footsteps on the streets of 2
Edinburgh as easily as on the streets of Jerusalem. We can find his presence on the shores of Leith as much as on the shores of Galilee. We can be part of the Church, his body on earth, whether we gather to worship in Pilrig or Palestine. Whenever, and wherever, we are loving God and serving our neighbours, we are following in the footsteps of Jesus. May we do so joyfully, faithfully, and in the knowledge that the Risen Christ is walking before us and beside us every step of the way. Mark The Magazine This month we have a feature about bereavement and a Service to be held in Pilrig St Paul’s on Sunday 11th May. There is information about this in the back of the magazine. It is great to have so many articles, and lots of Thank You letters. Please give me any contributions for May by Sunday 20th April, Easter Sunday. Catriona Blackwood PRAYER CORNER Ina Grierson Janice Campbell Isabel Hannay Matthew Green Jimmy Rennie Evelyn Turner Lorna Burke Murdo and Joy MacLeod Linda Connolly Jack McArthur Morag Davidson Ann Taylor
Marion Murray Barbara Graham Helen Grieg Frances Chambers Harriett Sceales Isabel Fyfe June Welsh Charlie and Joyce Forman Phil Howe Helena Aide Isabel Pert Agnes MacAuley
Contact Roy Eprile with any names you would like included in this section, please. 3
Pastoral Care - Helping Hands Smart Shopping Workshop How lovely is it that we start to see the days stretch out and the sun peeking through to cheer us on our way. Spring is certainly on its way with trees and plants starting to waken up from the depth of Winter. Spring is also a time when we tidy out in our homes and gardens and start afresh. We would like to invite you to consider one way to make changes by attending our ‘Smart Shopping’ workshop. This is one of the new initiatives the Pastoral Care Team are looking to implement this year. The workshop is aimed at helping clear the mystery of the sometimes confusing pricing and labelling approach used by supermarkets and shops. We aim to help attendees be clear on the items with the best value and how to optimize the deals offered by most supermarkets as well as looking at the power of group buying and on-line shopping. The overall aim will be to do our best to reduce the cost of your regular shopping bill. The workshop will be held on Friday 9th May from 2pm -3pm in the Open Doorway of the Church. We would like to know in advance who will be attending so would ask that you let one of the team know that you would like to attend or alternatively call/e-mail me. There will be an opportunity to ask questions so please bring along and till receipts, photos of price labels or packets on the day. We look forward to helping you enjoy making the most of your shopping budget. Supporting the Bereaved Last month Jennifer Stark updated you about a bereavement support seminar that we both attended. It was a worthwhile event attended by around 50 people from churches all across Edinburgh. Our Interim Moderator Rev Jack Holt was a familiar face on the panel where he was joined by Rev Sandy Young, Healthcare Chaplain, Gordon Smith, Celebrant and Andrew Combe, Funeral Director. The event was organised and run by Rev Carol Ford supported by her Social and Community Interests Committee and our very own Jennifer Stark. The day started with a short talk from Rev Tom Gordon who has written books on the subject and also spent time as Chaplain to the Marie Curie Cancer Centre in Edinburgh so has lots of valuable experience to share. 4
His talk was interesting and informative and for me the key learning was about how much support people need in the weeks and months after a loss. There were also group discussions and a question answer session with the panel of guests. (See also Jennifer’s article on p9) As you know our plan is to introduce new approaches to bereavement support for members and relatives of those from our Parish requiring this type of support. We will also be sharing the detail from the workshop with the Pastoral Care Team and we may plan offer a similar event with the other Churches in Leith. One way people can gain strength and support is through a memorial or remembrance service and Mark Foster has arranged for one to be held in our Church on Sunday 11th May at 2.30pm so please mark this date in your diary if you feel you need help with your grieving. The service will offer the opportunity for you to be in the Church to reflect, light a candle, listen to music and to hear poems being read out. There is no formal aspect to this service, it is very much for you to use as a means to renewing your strength and potentially finding others in the same place as you. Poem: Unknown Author I took God's hand when I heard God call, I could not stay To laugh, to love, to work, to play. Tasks left undone must stay that way. If my parting has left a void, Then fill it with remembered joys. A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss, Oh yes, these things I, too, will miss. Be not burdened with times of sorrow, I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow. My life's been full, I've savoured much, Good friends, good times, A loved one's touch. Perhaps my time seems all too brief, Don't lengthen it now With undue grief. In the meantime, if you need support please let one of the team know or fill in one of our Helping Hands pew cards. 5
Fiona Rankin and Aileen Fraser are in the final stages of producing the cards we have previously mentioned. They will be available to purchase in the Open Doorway soon so please watch out for them. We continue to get good feedback from people receiving flowers, phone calls, cards or visits from the team or others in the congregation, which is very encouraging. As ever, please let me or any of the team know if you think someone needs our support. A card, flowers from the service, a visit or a phone call. We are happy to arrange for any of these to happen. The Helping Hands cards are back in the pews so please remember to use them if you feel someone needs support including yourself. I look forward to updating you next month. Linda Gill Pastoral Care Team 669-7409 or helpinghands@pilrigstpauls.org.uk Pastoral Care Team Mark Foster, Catriona Blackwood, Christine Edington, Ella Gilfillan, Linda Gill, Cathy Purdie, Fiona Rankin, Jeanette Sime, Jennifer Stark
If you are able to help, these are the foods we use, thank you. Milk (UHT or powdered), Sugar (500g), Fruit Juice (carton), Soup, Pasta sauces, Sponge pudding (tinned), Tomatoes (tinned), Cereals, Rice pudding (tinned), Tea bags/instant coffee, Instant mash potato, Rice/pasta, Tinned meat/fish, Tinned vegetables, Tinned fruit, Jam, Biscuits or snack bar Please contact Roy Eprile for further information 6
THANK YOU Dear All, Joanne and I were both deeply touched to receive the beautiful picture of the church and generous cheque as wedding gifts from all at Pilrig St Paul’s. The picture has been hung in my study where I hope it will be of inspiration for many years of sermons to come! Joanne has settled into the manse and thanks you all for the warm welcome she has been given from the congregation and for all the prayers of support she has received. We look forward to many happy years in the manse together and your continued prayers and support. Warmest regards Mark and Joanne Many thanks to the members of the church for the beautiful flowers I received, they were a lovely surprise. Thank you to the ladies who delivered them. Maisie Ritchie Thank you for the flowers received from the church. They were much appreciated. Ronnie Gilfillan To Friends in Pilrig St Paul’s Church. This was a most unexpected gift and much appreciated. The flowers are beautiful. Thank you all for your visits to Sarah “Bunty” Munro at the Western Hospital. She is doing O.K. and as she says ”keep her seat warm for her”. George and Kay (Bunty’s son) Stuart Archibald would like to say thank you for the flowers he received and thanks to Maureen who delivered them. Thank you to all my friends at Pilrig St Paul’s for the beautiful flowers that Christine Edington brought to me. They brightened up my day. Irene Eprile 7
Thank you so much for the flowers recently given to me and for thinking of me at this, for me, so difficult time. Antje Armstrong I would like to thank everyone at Pilrig St Paul’s for the lovely flowers I received. Mrs Beveridge Many thanks to the Church and to Margaret Fraser for the beautiful flowers which I received a few weeks ago. They were a lovely surprise and very much appreciated. Evelyn Torrance Once again – a belated thank-you for the lovely bouquet of freesias and roses received some weeks ago. They lasted well and cheered me up. Thanks to all. Marjory McArthur It was lovely to have a visit from Jeanette and Lisa with the church flowers just after I came home from hospital. To those who sent cards or telephoned – my sincere thanks. I am now making good progress and getting around rather slowly. I have been well warned to proceed with caution and I am trying to do what I’m told!! I hope you have a happy Easter. Lily (Gilhooley) Just a short note to thank you so much for the lovely flowers Maureen Eunson delivered last Sunday. As I have just had a foot operation three weeks ago it was a very kind thought. Thank you again, Gil Anderson CAN YOU VOLUNTEER TO HELP WITH ANY OF OUR ORGANISATIONS OR THE PASTORAL GROUP AT PILRIG St PAUL’S? IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING WITH ANY OF THESE, PLEASE CONTACT THE LEADER WHO WILL BE HAPPY TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT. These voluntary posts usually involve being on our safeguarding register. Catriona Blackwood, the safeguarding co-ordinator, is happy to advise you about this and set up all the necessary details, if required. 8
DYING, MOURNING, CARING: SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE FUNERAL AND BEREAVEMENT CARE SEMINAR As will be evident from what Linda has said in her Pastoral Care report, we both found this a really interesting – and often moving – morning. In his talk, Rev. Tom Gordon began by asking, ‘why are funerals important?’ and gave four reasons. Legal – it is important to know who has come into the world and who has gone out of it. Societal: a community is diminished by a death and we have a deep need to show this publicly in some way. Emotional: the funeral, and what comes before and after, is crucial in helping the bereaved move ahead through grief, loneliness, confusion and all the other emotions that death can bring. And finally, spiritual: the search for meaning, whether within a specific religious system or not, is particularly acute at a time of death and loss. (When we broke into groups, it so happened that my group included a civil celebrant; he felt this wasn’t true of everyone and led to a lively discussion of exactly what we meant by ‘spiritual’!) Tom also took us through some of the changes in funerals in the last 40 years, and the expectations people now have of them. He recalled a description of a village funeral in the Western Isles, where it was normal for a child to be taken into a cottage and lay his hand on the forehead of the dead person. Even in that same village, it’s unlikely – though not impossible – that that would happen now. Then, it was accepted that a funeral service would be clearly Christian, with the minister in charge and only religious music played; now, there is more concern to work together with a family to create a service that will bring comfort and may include some very personal choices of music (we heard a wonderful example at the recent funeral of Norman Lindsay of North Leith Parish Church!)
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From the collected feedback on the seminar, here are just a few points:
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It was enormously helpful to hear speakers from different perspectives – this raised awareness of areas we didn’t know about Several people were impressed by the contribution made by the funeral director to the debate and asked whether there could be follow-up on what they offer The importance of offering good post-bereavement care, and the need for training in this Civil celebrants have a system of mentoring and mutual ‘critique’ – could this be a helpful model for other funeral celebrants? Managing the fine line between what is acceptable and not acceptable - who makes the judgment? The need for information and training on care for bereaved children (Richmond’s Hope was mentioned)
Some years ago, Tom’s concern with bereavement care led him to set up a programme in Edinburgh called ‘Acorns’. This is a free 6-session programme for those recently bereaved and is advertised and supported mainly through funeral directors and the NHS. It includes specific sessions on areas such as finance, health, nutrition, socialising; however, the main aim is simply to help people navigate their way, alongside others experiencing similar feelings, through a distressing and confusing time. I was very grateful to Tom for enabling me to sit in on a programme in 2011, and found it both moving and rewarding. In particular, I learned something of how spiritual issues can still be handled and shared within a non-religious setting. You can find Tom’s keynote address on the Edinburgh Presbytery website at http://www.edinburghpresbytery.org.uk/content/pages/documents /1393843943.pdf (or just go to the website and look under ‘Filing Cabinet’.) Jennifer Stark
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PILRIG ST. PAUL’S CHURCH EDINBURGH
A Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance Sunday 11 May 2014 at 2:30 pm
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 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 SC007277
MINISTER
Scottish Charity no. SCO07277 www.pilrigstpauls.org.uk www.leithchurchesforum.org.uk
OUR WHEELCHAIR ENTRANCES ARE IN PILRIG STREET
Cross design by Catriona Blackwood
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) PASTORAL LINK ELDER and SAFEGUARDING CO-ORDINATOR Mrs Catriona E.W. Blackwood - 4 Cambridge Gardens (554 6183) bill.blackwood@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 CONVENERS Mrs Ella Gilfillan - 8 Paisley Terrace (661 2281) 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)