PILRIG ST. PAUL’S CHURCH OCTOBER 2010
1
NOVEMBER IN PILRIG St PAUL’S SATURDAY 6th Guild Coffee Morning 11am-1pm Tickets £1 for tea/coffee and biscuits Bacon rolls/soup and crusty rolls also on sale 7.30 pm concert and exhibition see page 4 TUESDAY 9TH Guild Walk through the Botanics SUNDAY 14TH 10.50am Remembrance Service see page 5 3.00pm Leith Remembrance Service see page 13 TUESDAY 23rd 2pm Guild Thornton's Chocolates SATURDAY 4TH DECEMBER party see page 9
Flower Diary 7th November
Elsie Lister
14th November
June Welsh
21st November
Sheilagh Green
28th November
The Guild
Thank you for all the donations given to the Flower Fund.
Marlyn.
2
PILRIG St PAUL’S CHURCH
NOVEMBER 2010
Dear Fellow-members, Thanksgiving and remembering are very much in mind at this time of year. As I am writing this we are approaching our autumn quarterly Communion and the beautiful shades of autumn leaves are all around with echoes of Harvest Thanksgiving. Both of these stirring powerful feelings of thanks and remembering - remembering God‟s goodness to us in providing for our needs and his great love for us shown to us in Jesus Christ his only Son. Traditionally also of course this is the special time when poppies on sale and on display call us to focus on remembering those killed and injured in conflict down the years since the awful days of the First World War, ninety two years ago. And also to remember the suffering of those who live today coping and struggling with the after effects of active service in war. For a good number of years last century – indeed up until not all that long ago Remembrance was gradually becoming an activity for those with long memories. Increasingly it was becoming difficult for the young people in youth organisations on parade on Armistice Sunday to relate to what was happening. In many ways this was good as it perhaps meant that the horrors of war were receding and perhaps peace was becoming a reality. Sadly once more today war is all too much a living reality for many young people and their families. Daily we hear of young men and women killed while on service with the armed forces in Afghanistan. Regularly we see television programmes telling of the magnificent struggles of ex-servicemen and women coping with life without limbs – benefiting
3
from the advances in prosthetic technology but still requiring incredible levels of grit and determination to overcome the temptation just to give up. Once again we will hold them all in our prayers and in our memories as we give thanks for their courage and skills in the service of peace and in the service of freedom. Once again we will renew our prayers and our commitment in the cause of peace - the peace of which we are champions – the peace that only Christ can give. In our remembering and in our thanksgiving may we hold fast to the service of Jesus Christ who faced the worst of human violence and hatred and over came it all with love. May God bless you all. John
THE MAGAZINE Thanks for all the articles this month. Please may I have articles for next month by November 21st. I am now taking orders for Life and Work for next year. The price is ÂŁ17.40 for the twelve monthly editions. Thank you, Catriona Blackwood 4
A CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS 2010 TUESDAY 14th DECEMBER AT NORTH LEITH PARISH CHURCH 7.30pm IN SUPPORT OF CHRISTIAN AID By popular demand, the Forum churches are repeating the joint Celebration of Christmas that was inaugurated at Pilrig St Paul‟s last year. Come along and bring your friends, neighbours and family for a cracking night out singing along to favourite Christmas carols and songs and listening to local guest choirs. It‟ll be a fun evening – but one with a heart, as it‟s designed to raise money for Christian Aid – and you‟ll be rewarded for your efforts with mince pies and drinks afterwards! There‟s no admission charge, but donations to Christian Aid are hoped for – can we beat the fabulous sum raised in 2009? Let‟s hope so! CONCERT AND EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS Some of you will be aware that there has been a Concert Series running in St Margaret‟s Church in Easter Road for some years now. These concerts usually take place in the second Tuesday of each month, and vary form Light Classics to Concert Band music and Songs from the Shows. November‟s concert has had to be moved, changes being necessary in both date and venue, and will take place in Pilrig St. Paul‟s Church on Saturday November 6th at 7:30 p.m. The musical content will be Light and Popular Classics played on Violin, Piano and Organ by Andrew Lees, Colin Dundas, and Jeremy Cull. There will be paintings by Shona Thompson, and Photographs by Monica Szczepaniak. This is a rare opportunity to hear and see the work of local performers and artists. Admission is free - donations will be welcome. There will, 5
in the tradition of St Margaret‟s Concerts, be refreshments at the interval (no charge). Hope we see some of you there! Bill Blackwood. REMEMBRANCE AT PILRIG ST PAUL’S Our Remembrance Service is on Sunday 14th November. As normal flags will be paraded by our Youth Organisations as we together remember those who have been killed and injured in warfare down the years since 1918. The service begins at the earlier time of 10.50am to allow for the 2 minute silence to be observed at 11.00am.
POPPY SCOTLAND At this time of year we focus on Remembrance and on the Poppy Appeal. Buying poppies greatly helps the work supported by Poppy Scotland. However they tell us that, “the requests for support coming in from young men and women who have recently left the Armed Forces having served in Iraq and Afghanistan are becoming more frequent. The face of veterans in the UK is changing- young men and women and their families are the new generation coping with the aftermath of selflessly serving their country. Those with physical wounds account for only a fraction of veterans who will need our support. Emotional, psychological and practical support is funded by Poppy Scotland to help those who return to civilian life.” Year round support is needed. Your donation can make a big difference. For more information see the web site; www.poppyscotland.org.uk or phone 0131 557 2782. 6
CHRISTIAN AID Give something unexpected this Christmas! PRESENTAID, the charity gift scheme from Christian Aid, is launching a range of exciting new gifts for Christmas. Each gift represents a donation to Christian Aid and will change the lives of families. GIVE TOGETHER Included are four group gifts. Club together in your school, church, workplace or with friends and family and make a big difference to the lives of families living in poverty around the world. You could provide a gift to enable a child in Haiti to return to school (£100) or provide a sturdy bamboo shelter for a Burmese refugee family (£230). Each group who purchases a gift from Present Aid will receive a special certificate of thanks. GIVE SOMETHING WHATEVER YOUR BUDGET. Present Aid gifts start from as little as £7 - perfect stocking fillers. You could buy wriggling worms (£7) ; life saving mosquito nets(£15); or fruit trees (£11) and much more! Go online at www.presentaid.org. You can buy Present Aid gifts online right up until Christmas Day and there are also special gifts online that you won‟t find in the printed catalogue. If you spend more than £50 you will receive a 2011 calendar FREE – normal price £4.75
7
Thank you Thank you to the minister and the Church for the lovely flowers we received recently. Also thanks to Ronnie Cameron for delivering them. Joyce and Charlie Forman Andrew Forrest sends his thanks for the flowers he received recently “they were wonderful” he says.
JOINT CHOIRS EVENT 7th NOVEMBER at 5pm in BROUGHTON ST MARY’S Following an invitation from Nancy Crook, organist at Broughton St Mary‟s, our choir will be joining with that of Greyfriars‟ Kirk to sing a special service for the season of All Saints. We‟re singing great music in a lovely church and we hope you‟ll be able to join us for the service at 5pm, although we‟ll have been rehearsing from 3pm! Please note the revised time – with apologies for the earlier error. Martin Ritchie
8
DOORS OPEN DAY 2010 Thanks to everyone who helped to make this a wonderful opportunity for us to make connections with the community and to show off our buildings! We estimate that we had around 300 people through the doors – with the first waiting outside before 9am! The cafe did a steady trade all day and raised almost £300 – thanks to all the bakers and the helpers who manned it. Around 15 members of the congregation acted as stewards and did a great job of making visitors feel welcome. Thanks too to Stuart Sime for his informative tours and the fascinating archive materials that he very kindly arranged for display. The many kind comments in our visitors book record the impact that our church made on them. Here are a few: “Passed this all my life and never visited – great interior!” “Wonderful and amazing – nice people too! “Beautiful church - excellent home baking!” “The whole church is a gem – thanks!” “Very lovely sounding organ.” “The organ music and the church complimented each other beautifully.” “Thank you for providing so many relevant documents. Lovely atmosphere and beautiful organ music.” “Beautiful windows – good atmosphere.” “Peaceful and friendly.” “Very beautiful. So interesting, as I pass all the time and had not imagined all the colours from the outside!”
9
“Enjoyed seeing inside after years of passing and seeing from outside. Thank you. Beautiful church and a lovely welcome.” “Passed many times – lovely church, especially the foyer.” “Inspiring stained glass windows – most fitting tribute to God.” “Lovely church and lovely people.” WELL DONE PILRIG ST PAUL’S!! Martin Ritchie
FESTIVE FRIENDS PARTY We are holding a Festive Friends Party on Saturday 4th December in the Church Halls. Our plan is to gather everyone together for an afternoon of festive cheer. We also want to extend the hand of fellowship to family and friends of our members so would encourage you to tell your family and friends about the party and encourage them to come along too. You should plan to arrive for 12.45pm as the food will be served at 1pm sharp. Doors will be open from 12.30pm. After lunch we will head to the upstairs hall for a festive film for us to watch and, of course, an ice cream to enjoy with that. We will wind the afternoon up with a cup of tea and some community singing. Tickets are on sale each Sunday after church or from Linda Gill 0131-6697409. Linda
10
HOW GREEN ARE YOU? A simple quiz to help you answer this question. 1. When you buy food do you : (a) pay little attention to how far your food is transported? (b) buy mostly fresh and locally grown food? 2. Do you: (a) buy newspapers and books? (b) share newspapers and borrow books? 3. Do you: (a) use standard appliances and leave them on standby? (b) use low energy appliances and turn them off? 4. Do you: (a) have poor insulation and turn your heating up high? (b) have good insulation and use your heating sparingly? 5 Is most of your waste: (a) recycled? (b) thrown away? 6. When you go on holiday do you (a) take short flights or overland trips? (b) take at least one long haul flight per year? 7. Do you travel (a) mostly by car? (b) mostly by public transport, bike or foot? 8. How much water do you use? (a) take lots of baths and use a dishwasher and a hosepipe for the garden? (b) take mostly showers, wash up by hand and use a watering can for the garden?
11
Give yourself the following points for each of your answers and then add up your total score. (1) a. 170
b. 85
(2) a 340 b 85
(3) a 680
b 255
(4) a 850
b 510
(5) a 170 b 510 (6) a 170
b 935
(7) a 1360 b 340
(8) a 255 b 85
Scoring If you scored between: 0 and 1000 congratulations, you are living a sustainable lifestyle! 1000 and 2000 - if everyone lived like you we would need 2 planet earths to support global consumption. 2000 and 3000 - if everyone lived like you we would need 3 planet earths to support global consumption. 3000 and 4000 - if everyone lived like you we would need 4 planet earths to support global consumption. 4000 and 5000 - if everyone lived like you we would need 5 planet earths to support global consumption. 5000 and 6000 - if everyone lived like you we would need 6 planet earths to support global consumption!
As Christians we are called upon to care for God’s world and look after it for generations still to come. Quite a challenge! Are you up to it?
12
TREATMENT FOR TRAUMA: A MORE EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO SUBSTANCE MISUSE? This will be the focus at the Dr Bell’s AGM 2010 being held in the Leask Hall , South Leith Parish Halls, Henderson Street on 18th November from 4.30pm-6.30pm. Recent research coming from residential rehabilitation centres indicates that unresolved trauma can be a factor in substance misuse. Given the considerable impact on children of being part of a family where substance misuse is an issue, Dr Bell‟s has been offering trauma treatment since October 2009 and at their AGM they are bringing together a panel of “experts” to give local people and agencies the opportunity to hear about what the research is saying and to ask questions. oOoOoOoOoOoOo friendsfirst, the off-line Christian friendship and dating agency, has this year celebrated their 10th anniversary and have been celebrating the fact that over this period God has continued to use them help Christians find soul mates and long term partners. Despite many changes in the „ dating‟ world - not least the rise of the internet, friendsfirst has faithfully provided a personal one-to–one service which they are sure is one of the key reasons why they are so successful and have so many happy clients. If you‟re looking for someone special, then ring friendsfirst for an informal and confidential chat about how membership could help you too. Ring Katherine on 0141 530 9394 or look at their website
www.friends1st.co.uk
13
LEITH REMEMBRANCE SERVICE This service is held on Sunday 14th November at 3.00pm in the Outpatient Department of the Leith Community Treatment Centre in Junction Place. Our preacher this year is Rev Duncan MacLaren the Priest at St James‟ Episcopal Church. As normal there will be refreshments following the service. All are welcome to attend.
VOCAL VIBES Following my recent workshop and assembly visits to local schools I‟m delighted that we‟ve been able to welcome a number of new recruits to both Vocal Vibes 1 and 2. There are eight new primary 3 and 4 children in Vocal Vibes 1, and we‟re enjoying singing and rhythm games as well as beginning to find out about musical notes and signs. Vocal Vibes 2 now has around 30 singers and we‟re getting to grips with a diverse range of repertoire from “Don‟t Stop Believin‟” to Oliver songs via Christmas music. It‟s great to have so many new faces, but the numbers are beginning to test our rota of supervising volunteers! If we could roster one additional helper per session for Vocal Vibes 2 that would be brilliant – can you or anyone you know help? Thanks for all your support. Martin Ritchie
14
EDINBURGH CITY MISSION. This year once again we focussed on the ECM Basics Bank Project as the recipients of our Harvest Gifts. Thanks to all who donated gifts of the various items highlighted by the ECM – tinned goods of many kinds, toiletries etc. – all basic items which they give out to people referred to them as genuinely requiring a helping hand in having the basics for themselves and their family. This is just one aspect of the work of Edinburgh City Mission. Working alongside the churches ECM reaches out to support the weak and to give practical expression to God‟s love in action. Thanks to all who regularly donate goods for ECM. Others can help by offering their prayers and/or offering financial help. More information available on the ECM website www.ecm.org.uk
15
PRAYER CORNER Matthew Green Mary and Jimmy Rennie Peter Sinclair Stanley McCubbin Murdo and Joy McLeod Linda Connelly Jack McArthur Mairi and Robin Leach
Please contact Roy Eprile with any names you would like included in this section.
16
Baptism 17/10/10
Samuel Irvine – infant son of Laura Irvine 22 Cambridge Avenue
Parish
Funerals
25/9/10
Mr Jack Smith
9 Sloan Street Parish
12/10/10
Mr James Rutherford
2 Lorne Place Parish
13/10/10
Mrs Rita McBain
39 Balfour Street District 4
17