In this issue: Easter in Edinburgh
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Diary and Newsletter April 2014
St Andrew’s and St George’s West April 2014 A LETTER FROM IAN – WORSHIP Singing the Easter message with passion Ian Gilmour Worship Pattern - Holy Week and Easter CHURCH LIFE April-May Diary and Announcements Launching our 40th Anniversary Christian Aid Sale 200 years of St George’s Charlotte Square
News from our bell ringers: a new peal board News from our welcome team Livingstone’s Legacy The Church at the Science Festival SPIRITUAL LIFE Singing Spirit into our lives –The Emergent Christ Understanding Scottish Identity
3-4 5-7
8-9 11-12 13-15 16-17 18 19
20 21
MUSIC A Conversation on Composition: Andrew Carvel talks to James McNeill about the challenge of setting Seven Last Words to music.
22-26
Peter Millar Reflects: Seven Last Words
27-29
News from TOGETHER: Pilgrimage Trail Update – New 30-34 Together Trustees – The Trams are coming – Holy Week in the TOGETHER Churches – website update The Small Beatitudes CONTACTS
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Email: inspire@standrewsandstgeorges.org.uk Online: www.issuu.com Thanks to all contributors Next copy deadline Mon 21 April for publication Sun 28 April. Cover: Daffodil Cross, Easter 2013. Thanks to Andrena Crawford for the photo. 2
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
Singing the Easter Message with Passion A letter from Ian One of the Easter hymns which becomes more powerful for me year on year is by John MacLeod Campbell Crum, written in 1926. He was ordained as a priest in the Church of England in 1900, ‘Now the green blade rises from the buried grain, Wheat that in the dark earth many years has lain; love lives again, that with the dead has been: love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.’ It may not have the impact or energy of ‘Jesus Christ is risen today’ written in 1708. Nor does it enjoy the grandeur of ‘Thine be the glory’, given its words in 1884 by Edmond L. Bundry, using Handel's melody from 1747. However, the ‘green blade’ has natural imagery which has spoken eloquently for 88 years. New Easter hymns are written every year so the sheer stickability of these contributions to Christian hymnology is marked. ‘In the grave they laid him, Love whom we had slain, thinking that never he would wake again, laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen: love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.’ The metaphor is brilliant, the theology accessible. It invites confidence. ‘Forth he came at Easter, like the risen grain, he that for three days in the grave had lain; quick from the dead my risen Lord is seen: love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.’ While referring to Christ’s rising in a strong and positive way, it also invites us to trace our own rainbows through the rain of our personal lives. 3
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
‘When our hearts are saddened, grieving or in pain, thy touch can call us back to life again, fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been: love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.’ This year during Holy Week I am really looking forward to our choir singing fresh pieces of Easter music written by two of their members Andrew Carvel and Stuart Murray Mitchell. It is important for the choir as a unit and for us as a congregation to keep breaking new ground in every area of our life. Only this way will we value the tradition of composing and singing new music which was necessary for Handel, Bach and others to build on for our pleasure. I wonder what congregations will be singing in a century’s time. My best thought is they will be singing the Easter hymns mentioned above. It would be most encouraging if they were also singing some compositions by Stuart and Andrew. Let’s enjoy all the signs of freshness and new forms of life this Easter while we sing, ‘Jesus Christ is risen today! Alleluia!’ Enjoy Easter 2014, Ian Come, see and hear… Let me tell you something, my friend. The resurrection story is explanation, not transaction. He is not some kind of insurance salesman, dealing in life policies where fulfilment depends on our investment. Oh no! It’s about love, my friend. A cosmic love that cannot be measured by the human mind but can only be perceived dimly, darkly, gratefully, by the hungry human heart. Ultimately, it’s all there is. Jesus equals endless love. If you still have doubts, my friend, stand outside the empty tomb and listen to the way he says your name. Come and See by Joy Cowley and Terry Coles. (Pleroma, NZ) 4
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
Worship Worship is central to the life of our congregation. We worship every day usually at 1.00pm, except Sunday when we offer worship at 9.00am (Lord’s Supper), 9.45am (All –age) and 11.00am (progressive with choir).
April 2014 Sun 6 April 11am Lent 5
Raised Up Psalm 130 and John 11:1–45
Sun 13 April 11am Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday Matthew 21:1–11
Sun 20 April 9.45am Easter Breakfast Easter Day 11am Christ Is Risen John 20:1–18 Sun 27 April 11am Easter 2
Wounded Hands John 20:19–31 Push n shove Sunday
May 2014 Sun 4 May 11am Easter 3
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Companions on the Road Luke 24:13–35
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
walk with us through Holy Week experiencing the Passion through parallel lives 40 minute evening reflections with music
Was he there?
Monday 14 April at 7pm Music by the Recorder Consort and Vocal Ensemble including J.S. Bach, Motet Jesu, meine Freude
Was she there? Music for female voices Felix Mendelssohn Andrew Carvel (b. 1989) Howard Goodall (b. 1958)
Were they there?
Tuesday 15 April at 7pm Lift thine eyes Truly, I say to you Love divine
Wednesday 16 April at 7pm
Music for men’s voices Andrew Carvel (b. 1989) Father, into your hands plainchant Nunc dimittis Stuart M. Mitchell (b. 1988) By an’ by (2014)
Were you at the foot washing and the last supper?
Maundy Thursday 17 April at 7pm
Music for Flute duet - Laura Cioffi, Clara Galea – Flutes
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St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
Were you there Good Friday 18 April at 7pm when they crucified my Lord? Choral music sung by the choir William Billings When Jesus wept Andrew Carvel Seven Last Words (2014) Bob Chilcott Were you there, when they crucified my Lord Directed by Brigitte Harris
TOGETHER SERVICES Service of Three Hours Seven Last Words, interpreted by seven preachers from different traditions Friday 18 April noon-3pm at St John’s Episcopal, Princes St
Creative Worship for Easter Eve Join the three TOGETHER Congregations in an opportunity to worship together creatively, based on the great Easter vigil readings with an opportunity for personal reflection as well as corporate prayers Saturday 19 April 7.30pm at St Cuthbert’s, Lothian Road
Celebrate Easter with us Easter Day at STAGW 7.30am (at St John’s) TOGETHER Dawn service 9.00am 9.45am 11.00am
The Lord’s Supper (no music) Easter Breakfast Christ Is Risen! (with Choir)
Choral music by Andrew Carvel 7
Wind Ensemble
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Diary March – April 2014 March Sun 30 Mar
9am, 9.45am 11am services 1.30pm Concert for Passiontide
April Sun 6 April
Mon 7 April
Tue 8 April Sat 12 April
Sun 13 April Palm Sunday Mon 14 April Tue 15 April Wed 16 April Thurs 17 April Fri 18 April Good Friday Sat 19 April Sun 20 April Easter Day
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9am, 9.45am 11am services Fellowship Lunch for Edinburgh Women’s Aid Retired Ministers Open Meeting Poverty Truth Commission Making Change Together Kirk Session Scottish Fiddle Society Nathaniel Gow Anniversary Concert 9am, 9.45am 11am services and dedication of Peal Board Music and reflection for Holy Week Music and reflection for Holy Week Music and reflection for Holy Week Music and reflection for Holy Week Music and reflection for Holy Week TOGETHER Easter service 7.30am (St John’s) 9am Communion 9.45am Easter Breakfast 11am Easter Worship
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
Sun 27 April
9am, 9.45am 11am services Quarterly Communion “push and shove Sunday”
Key dates Christian Aid Sale Push n Shove Sunday 27 April Sorting 28 April – 9 May CA Sale 10 May, 12-16 May Heart and Soul 18 May Affirmation 18 May Scotland Service General Assembly 17-23 May
St Andrew’s and St George’s West at Festival Time
4-23 August
The Soul of Scotland Lecture Series Wed 28 May 7.30pm Wed 4 June 7.30pm Wed 11 June 7.30pm
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Alistair Moffat : The Great Tapestry of Scotland and Scottish Identity Prof George Newlands: The Power of Scotland Dr Donald Smith: Scotland – Grounding our Choices
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
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St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
Christian Aid
Launching the 40th Anniversary Sale When he came to us 3 years ago the Minister was swift to perceive the significance of the one tree in George Street, which had been planted on the west side of the church in 1967 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the New Town. I now venture to suggest that when one of our first women elders brought books to be sold here for Christian Aid 40 years ago, on the east side on the church as I recall, she planted another tree, a figurative one, in George Street. Like the Norway Maple, the Book Sale one flourishes and blossoms in May. Is this a coincidence? Like its counterpart it is a large, spreading tree with strong branches – and many leaves, suggesting those in the books perhaps – The piles of envelopes in the vestibule today symbolise the relationships which have developed like branches, some having endured for 40 years. We earnestly hope you will take away many of these today, to deliver or post. They are for our loyal helpers from other Edinburgh churches and places, and further afield too; for our friends in the city and beyond; for people in the institutions of the City; for staff in the city centre shops and offices; for Scots writers, artists, musicians, antiquarian book-sellers, dealers in Art. We aim for hand-delivery not just to save money, important though that is, but also because of the proven importance of personal contact. When I told a young shop assistant in Waterstone's that he would receive leaflets in an envelope addressed to himself, he said: “That's cool.” In this Anniversary year our patron is Alexander Stoddart, The Queen's Sculptor in Ordinary in Scotland, a royal patron indeed. Two of his neo-classical sculptures – James Clerk Maxwell and Clio, Muse of History, are but yards away from here. His work signifies the branches of learning we hope to have 11
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
represented in this year's Sale, when books on History, Science and the Social Sciences, Art and Literature and Music should fill church and courtyard. What I will venture to call the Christian Aid Tree has been rooted as firmly in the George Street for 40 years as the Norway Maple has for the last 47. While the majority of our volunteers are the embodiment of the outreach in which we rejoice each year, everything we do for Christian Aid stems from here, from this church, with its wonderful site and congregation. The success of the sale will depend on effective distribution from here of information and appeals city-wide, country-wide and indeed worldwide. In the words of Our Lord: “You can tell a tree by its fruit.” Those who have prepared the envelopes for this morning trust that you will go forth with them so that once again the tree that is here will bear fruit. Mary Davidson
St George’s Charlotte Square: marking 200 Years June 2014 marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of St George’s Church in Charlotte Square and the 50th anniversary of its union with St Andrew’s Church. There will be a special service on Sunday 1st June to mark the occasion. We’re also mounting a small exhibition so we’re appealing for anything interesting you may have from St George’s – photos, ephemera, orders of service. If you have anything that you would be willing to lend, Jean Mackinlay or Barbara Ross would love to hear from you as soon as possible. You can contact then via the church office. 12
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
Peal Board a piece of history Simon Aves During the 11.00 service on Sunday 13 April we will be dedicating a new ‘peal board’ which is to be placed on the wall of the stairs leading up the gallery. A similar board has hung above the west staircase since 2007, but what does it mean? Every Sunday our band of ringers sound the bells for about half an hour after service, usually in short spells of about five minutes. Listen carefully and you will notice that sometimes the bells play a repeated sequence of notes that changes gradually, and sometimes there is no repetition at all – no apparent ‘tune’, just rhythm. This latter version is in fact a weekly demonstration of the art of change-ringing, or ‘campanology’ as it is often referred to. Change-ringing actually requires there to be no repetition of the order in which the bells are rung, each ringer concentrating on making sure their bell sounds at a different position in the sequence each time – first, second, third, etc. Over hundreds of years many methods of doing this have been devised, each with its own name (often commemorating the place it was first achieved). For a performance to be recorded as a ‘peal’, it must consist of a minimum of 5,000 different and unique sequences – a feat of extraordinary continuous concentration lasting on average 3 hours! Since the earliest days of ringing peals, there has been a tradition of recording special performances on boards placed in the belfry. In most churches the room in which the ropes hang is high in the steeple and rarely visited by the public so few people have the opportunity to view these pieces of history. The reason for the historical record may have been an achievement of remarkable difficulty or length, but more usually the board records a peal rung 13
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
Change ringing at St Andrew’s and St George’s West 14
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
to mark a significant event in the life of the nation (coronations and royal weddings), or of the church in which the board hangs. The full details of the peal are set down for posterity – the names of the people involved, the method rung, the time it took, and why they rang. In our church we are fortunate that the ringers are visible and accessible. Our two boards relate to the first peal rung following the restoration of the bells in 2006, and now to a peal rung to mark the return to worship in this building following the refurbishment and to give thanks for the life of Donald Gorrie. If you would like to learn more about our historic bells or campanology in general, or might be interested in learning to ring, contact our Tower Captain: Mike Clay, or come along to the Monday evening practice 7.30 – 9.00
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St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
Welcome! Deborah Miller During the period 26th August to the 25th January over 1400 people visited the Church. This figure does not include the adults and the children who came to see the Christmas Tree Festival, nor those who were bound for the Undercroft CafĂŠ. The figure of 1400 may be a slight over estimate as some people regularly pop into the Church, but they will be counted each time they visit the Church as the member on Welcome duty changes on a daily basis. Not everyone who visits the Church gives a reason for coming. However over the five month period analysed 300 did give some indication as to their motivation. Interestingly almost a third of visitors come to say a prayer or because they were seeking a place where they would find peace and quiet. Surely this alone justifies having the doors open! Those coming to see how the Church has been refurbished is tailing off, but still over 37 gave that as their reason. A surprising number, 22, came because they or their family had past connections with the Church, in one or two cases these connections went back a very long way. The church is gaining a well deserved reputation for hosting high quality events, be they musical, dramatic, talks or debates, and 35 visitors came to enquire about these events. Others came to look at specific exhibitions. 16
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
I believe that the fact that we had over 1400 visitors during the five month period means that it is really important that the Church doors are open. Recently we have started opening the doors for three hours on a Saturday between 11am and 2pm. The number of visitors who come in on a Saturday fully justifies our extending the opening hours, but it also poses the questions as to whether we should not extend the hours even further. Both a weekday evening opening and a Sunday afternoon opening have been mooted. Sadly it is not possible to have the Church open to visitors without members on the door to welcome them, so extending the hours would depend on the good will of our members being prepared to join the Welcome Team. For those who might consider joining the Welcome Team, the feedback from those who are already members is that they really enjoy it. They meet people from all over the World, and hear fascinating stories, but it does involve a regular time commitment, even if that is only once every six weeks. Interested in being part of our Welcome team? Please contact Astrid Gorrie or Deborah Miller via the church office.
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St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
Livingstone’s Legacy Education and Equality Alison Campbell A half day conference run by the Scotland Malawi Partnership and the Open University marked the end of Livingstone 200, the bicentenary of David Livingstone’s birth, which we celebrated at our church through supporting Mulanje Mission Hospital – and not least in providing Stuart Murray Mitchell to play the part of David Livingstone in Mulanje’s own celebration! Rev Professor Kenneth Ross spoke about Livingstone as “internationally, one of the best known Scots”. “Never without his critics “, he said, “he continues to rise above them to attain the kind of stature achieved by Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King. Many Malawians would revere him as an ancestor – someone whose life in the past was instrumental in making them what they are today”. Mrs Roselyn Makhumula, the senior civil servant in the Ministry of Gender in Malawi’s Government, spoke about the importance of educating girls, and the “push” and “pull” factors. “Push” factors towards education include earning potential, scholarships; pull factors away from education include early marriage, poor school infrastructure and, especially for girls, poor school sanitation and privacy when they reach puberty. We should be proud in our congregation of the small part we played in celebrating Livingstone 200 and we look forward to building on what has been done. 18
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
The Church at the Science Festival
Cosmologies, Faith and the Environmental Crisis How do the cosmologies of the world’s religions affect human behaviour and what does this mean for evidence based science? Saturday 19 April 8pm at the National Museum of Scotland Presented by Eco-Congregation Scotland http://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/whatson/categories/talk/cosmologies-faith-and-the-environmental19 St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk crisis
Spiritual Life Singing Spirit into our Lives with Jenny Williams At Morningside United Church Come and experience a new way of praying involving the whole of your being. Always working with Biblical text, learning the original words in Aramaic, singing and hearing them, experiencing them through simple movements which help to feel the vibration of sound in your body. Praying with Aramaic Sounds of the “I Am” Statements April 27th, May 25th, June 29th 2-6pm You are welcome to come to any individual Sunday, or all. £15 (£10) Pay on the day but please book in advance jennywilliams@morningsideunitedchurch.org.uk Tel: 0131 447 0050
The Emergent Christ A Journey with Sr Ilia Delio Ilia Delio is an author and teacher of world standing. She is a part of Richard Rohr’s ‘Living School’ and he says of her: “There are almost no teachers on the scene who combine Franciscan spirituality, cosmology, solid theology, and evolutionary thinking as well and as clearly as Ilia Delio. She will change your life!” At the Bield at Blackruthven Saturday 14th June 2014 9:30am – 4.30pm Cost £40, including refreshments and light lunch http://www.norwichmeditation.co.uk/Groups/227396/Norwich_Medit ation/Speakers/Ilia_Delio/Ilia_Delio.aspx 20
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
Understanding Scottish Identity Day Conference – 30 April 2014 from 9.30 am – 4.00 pm in the Assembly Hall, New College. Co-sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities and the Centre for Theology and Public Issues at the University of Edinburgh, this conference will explore aspects of Scottish identity, their historical development and recent expression. Subjects to be tackled by academic experts include history, law, literature, language, religion and sport. A concluding panel discussion, chaired by Sheena McDonald will explore current constructions of Scottish identity. Participants Co-chairs – David Fergusson (Professor of Divinity and Principal of New College), Jo Shaw (Salvesen Chair of European Institutions and Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities) Speakers – Tom Devine (Senior Research Professor in History), John Cairns (Professor of Civil Law), Penny Fielding (Professor of Nineteenth Century Literature), Will Storrar (Director, Center of Theological Inquiry, Princeton), Grant Jarvie (Professor of Sport) Panellists – Sheena McDonald (broadcaster), Mona Siddiqui (Professor of Islamic and Inter-Religious Studies), Christine Bell (Professor of Constitutional Law), James Robertson (novelist), Magnus Linklater (journalist) Here’s the link: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/divinity/news-events/events/upcomingevents?rm=3&filter=0&page=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fcalendar%2Ffeeds%2Fg5m1q6edu459eh3o4s 8dcnhtvk%40group.calendar.google.com%2Fpublic%2Ffull?start-index=1&maxresults=5&singleevents=true&futureevents=true&sortorder=ascending&orderby=starttime&cw_xml=index.php 21
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
“To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time” Leonard Bernstein composer
Andrew Carvel working on Seven Last Words
A conversation on composition For Lent and Easter 2014 St Andrew’s and St George’s West commissioned a new work from composer Andrew Carvel. Here Andrew, who is also our current organ scholar, discusses the creative process with James McNeill, advocate, choir member - and OU music student. 22
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
JM Andrew, when you start with a given text, how do the ideas come to you for appropriate melodies? AC That's a really good question. I find it’s trial and error. I usually sit at the piano and try and work out something that I feel fits. This stage has a lot of revisions! I'll write something and then I'll sing along to it and think where the stresses in the line will be. I try and find something that evokes the mood with the melody and then I'll try and fit the words in. JM Do you have a stock of melodies in your head? AC No. I often find that with melodic material I'll sing it. I usually find that what I sing fits better with the voice than anything that I play on the piano. JM What's the next thing that you have to do? AC With this work the texts are very short so it's a case of working out the form and thinking where the repetitions are going to be. I had to think a lot about form because the longest text is just a sentence and the shortest one is two words. After I find the melody and form I think about harmony and then last of all I think about orchestration 23
Seven Last Words ‘Forgive them, Father. They don’t know what they are doing.’ Luke 23:34 ‘I promise you that today you will be in Paradise with me.’ Luke 23:43 ‘He is your son: she is your mother.’ John 19:27 ‘My God, my God, why did you abandon me?’ Mark 15:34 ‘I am thirsty.’ John 19:28 ‘It is finished.’ John 19: 30 ‘Father, into your hands I place my spirit.’ Luke 23: 46
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
and what the instruments are going to be playing at any given time. JM Well, why is repetition important for you? AC It gives a nice sense of emphasis so you can completely change a movement by how you repeat the words. You can introduce new musical ideas as you introduce the next bit of the text which I think helps to develop structure to each movement. JM Now you mentioned harmonies – vocal and orchestral. How do these two fit together? AC I often will think of a kind of harmonic framework so if I have a melody I'll work out the harmony that will go with that and then I'll start writing individual voices making sure that each chord has the notes required for that given harmony. So you usually think up the harmony first just in what chord will this moment be and then I'll write the lines that kind of weave in and out of that. JM Why is harmony so important in Western music? AC It kind of underpins everything that we listen to. I think in that if we hear a single melody on its own it doesn't evoke that much emotion. Generally it’s the harmonic progression that people will say "Oh that sounds lovely" or "that's really happy or sad". JM Although you are doing things which are totally original in your work are there rules that you try to keep to up to a point? AC Yes, yes there are. So there are certain things you don't do because it's difficult to sing or the intervals would be strange but then you do try and push the boundaries so that you create a sound that people aren't necessarily expecting. So it’s constantly trying to keep within the rules but push them at the same time.
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St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
JM You are doing a lot of composing at the moment - are you finding that you are moving towards a sort of individual voice which is the Andrew Carvel sound? AC I wouldn't say so yet! Though I think there are certain things that you become better at doing. I wrote the choir parts for the last movement fairly quickly due to deadlines and I did that just in my head without the piano. So you do get to that stage where you can imagine how things are going to sound before you play them. JM Do you use different techniques for writing for a voice than for writing for an instrument? AC Yes, I think with the voice you need to think about pitch far more: so where the tenor's going to get that note from and is that jump really difficult to sing. The instruments are easier because they can just play the note where it is. So I think writing a nice line for the voices is far more important whereas the strings can do different kind of effects like plucking the strings and things like that to create different colours that you can't necessarily do with the voices. JM Do you think that when a composer is writing for voices that it helps that the composer is also a singer? AC Oh definitely. One hundred percent. JM How do you try to make the movements fit together, flow into each other, not be too much of a jump? AC There are a lot of very short movements in this piece so it has been hard to map out a structure and to vary the key while keeping a nice flow. JM Right. Is there anything important I haven't asked you? 25
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
AC I think the last thing with this work is the emphasis on the text. The Last Words from the Cross are a huge bit of the Passion narrative and it’s been quite daunting for me to kind of tackle that kind of text with music. You really feel you have to stand up to the mark. So I hope I have done and everyone that's given me comments so far seems to have really enjoyed it whether it’s singing or hearing it. So let's hope that next Sunday it goes well! JM I look forward to listening to it then Andrew. Thank you very much indeed. AC Thanks very much.
Seven Last Words premieres on Sunday 30 March at our choir’s Concert for Passiontide. You have another chance to hear excerpts from it during Holy Week meditations and a chance to hear the full work on Good Friday at 7pm.
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St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
Seven Words of Christ from the cross Peter Millar reflects Each day we read in our papers and see on our screens the deep scars that permeate so many lives near and far. We are all wounded in one way or another, yet the journey through Lent reminds us that there is a road of healing upon which we can walk each day. To say this is not to minimise the sorrows of the human soul which we know all too well, but to catch a glimpse of that place of sunlight which is the heart of God for every human being. For in the days of Lent we encounter not just the wounds in ourselves but also the vulnerability of the One who holds us. There is no real hope for our human condition unless we believe that God also suffers, weeps and carries pain. Suffering is both at the heart of life and in the heart of God - a truth which is expressed clearly in the events of Good Friday. Over many years, I have been challenged by the Seven Words of Christ from the Cross and in various articles and books have written about them. On many Good Fridays I have spoken about them. They reach into the deepest places of our being. The Seven Words are taken from different Gospels and have provided a pattern of prayer and reflection for Christians through the centuries. Yet I have never thought of them as Words only for believers in Christ for they speak to us all in every age, not least the first of the Words. “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23: 34) Just look around. Is there anything every country needs more than practical, deep-rooted acts of forgiveness? And not in just in those 27
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
places of war and violence, but also in these areas where it all appears calm and pleasant on the surface, yet beneath is a seething cauldron. Take my own country. In the UK, let alone in any other nation, deeper racism, increasing intolerance of the stranger, an ever widening gap between rich and poor, (the top 5 (yes, five!) wealthiest families in the UK according to a recent report from the charity OXFAM own between them more than the poorest 20% of the entire population) and an inward-looking political system often devoid of wisdom are all social markers. Sure there are signs of hope in society which we can celebrate, but as Christ said from his Cross all those centuries ago, we do need forgiveness for very often we don’t know what we do either as a nation or as individuals. And this is not about an abstract form of forgiveness. It is about practical things in our daily lives. Take our approach to other faiths. Few of us, including myself, seldom take the time and effort to be in touch with those who belong to other faith traditions. In relation to Islam there is huge distrust. Often fear. Yet there are those who go against the tide through acts of compassion and outreach. A church near my home recently invited the local Imam and his people for a shared meal, taking great care with the diet of their guests. It was a tender way of saying sorry for the many times all of us have forgotten those of other faiths living near us. And such healing acts are happening in many communities. These encounters open a path to understanding the other person which is the starting point of forgiveness. When we close the door to other faiths, to the poor, to those who are different from us, we truly do not know what we are doing, for all of us share a common heart-beat and carry God’s image within us.
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St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
A short, yet profound prayer used by the Iona Community has helped me to refocus both on God’s forgiving love toward me and on my ability to forgive others…. May God forgive you, Christ renew you and the Spirit enable you to grow in love. In the light of these words which mirror those of Jesus, I understand the first words from the Cross as a beautiful invitation from the Source of Life to realise that we are not to be imprisoned within resentments, anger and bitterness. At both an individual and global level there is here a path of liberation from these realities. Wherever we see genuine acts of compassionate reaching out to the other, we see forgiveness at work. And when we release our own resentments we see that same power at work in ourselves. From the place of agony as death drew near, You offered surprising words of life. Words of tenderness – elevating our human condition as they invite us to move beyond our imprisoning angers – to that place where all souls can sing of freedom in the light of Your forgiveness. Wild Goose has also just brought out a group of prayers, written by myself based on the Seven Words From The Cross. This is a small down-load. Details for this are at: http://www.ionabooks.com/your-life-in-us-pdf-download.html Details about all the Wild Goose Publications are found at: www.ionabooks.org This piece was first published at petermillarreflects.blogspot.co.uk. Thanks to Peter for allowing us to share it. 29
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
TOGETHER City Centre Pilgrimage Trail: Update It may have been very windy and rather wet on Sunday 23rd February, but that neither blew away nor dampened the enthusiasm of the group of nearly 30 people who spent the afternoon walking round the proposed Together Churches pilgrimage trail. Armed with worksheets and in the company of friends and new acquaintances, this was the opportunity be an important part of this exciting new project, putting some flesh on the bones of the idea. All three churches tell their own stories very well already; this project will enable us to share the links in our stories with visitors and members alike and to provide city ‘pilgrims’ with a reflective way of experiencing the city centre. A few fascinating historical links discovered: William Burns, the architect of St John’s became an elder at St Andrew’s Church George Kemp, architect of the Scott Monument was a member of St Cuthbert’s, while Walter Scott’s mother is buried at St John’s James Clerk Maxwell, the world-famous physicist, was baptised into St Andrew’s and later in life worshipped at St John’s. What are the next steps? This is a project which deserves to be a venture of high quality. We need people with a variety of skills to become involved now to help to take it forward. Can that include you? Have you an interest or skill in: Writing; history; design; IT: contemporary issues in our churches If so, please consider getting involved. The success of this project will rest on the enthusiasm and involvement of all three congregations. At the moment there are a number of interested and committed people willing to be part of a working group from St Andrew’s and St George’s West and one person from St Cuthbert’s. Can you help the balance? If so, please get in touch with Frances Cooper or Ian Gilmour via the church office.
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St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
Who are the TOGETHER Trustees? Here is an introduction to some of the more recent recruits.
Christina Bowen I work at Cunningham House, a Crossreach hostel for homeless people. Previously, I was a United Methodist missionary teaching in seminaries in Ecuador, Mexico and Chile. I have postgraduate degrees in Education and Theology. I joined STAGW in 1997 and I’m really looking forward to working with ‘Together’.
Lynn Deans I am privileged to be one of the elders at St. Cuthbert’s. Educated in Scotland, and then trained as a nurse in Falkirk Royal Infirmary. I am married with two daughters and 6 grandchildren. I was a member of Erskine Church Falkirk, St. Andrews Chester, and The Scots Church Rotterdam, travels due to my husband's work. Being a trustee of TOGETHER is a privilege which I very much enjoy.
Charles Revolta I have been connected with St Cuthbert's since infant baptism there some years ago and became involved with CWEC (The Council of West End Churches, a forerunner of TOGETHER) since helping at the Cornerstone Cafe from 1977 until it closed as a CWEC project. I subsequently participated in the CWEC management committee at the time that the Rock Trust was formed.
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St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
The Trams are coming!
Tony Bryer takes a trip
In fact, they’re already here; any readers who are frequently in the city centre Monday to Friday will have seen trams on Princes Street. Even three weeks into testing along the whole line, there are people whipping out their mobile phones to take pictures that ‘prove’ the trams are a reality. It won’t be long before they are carrying passengers. As tramways are legally ‘Light Railways’ there has to be a long period of empty running to test and prove the safety of every aspect of the system. It also allows pedestrians, bus drivers, and other traffic to get used to them. How do I know all this? Well, since January I have been the chaplain to Edinburgh Trams. This has meant that I have visited the depot at Gogar many times to meet the drivers, the TSAs (onboard advisers) and senior managers. I’ve introduced the chaplaincy role to everyone, and have been well received. Once all staff have been recruited, there will be around 200 people based at the depot – although, of course, most will be out on the route most of the time. It’s a completely new company, with new staff and it’s good to be able to offer chaplaincy from the start. And, yes I have had a ride on a tram! On my induction afternoon, I went from the depot to the airport and back. Tony Bryer, Workplace Chaplain. 32
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
TOGETHER Churches Holy Week Holy Week is the central event in the liturgical year. Together with Christmas and Pentecost it commemorates and celebrates the core of Jesus’ story, proclaims profound and bold theological statements, reveals deep insights into the nature of God, and offers pathways into the Good News of God in Christ. And of course, Holy Week centres on something common to all Christian churches. There is already a tradition for the TOGETHER churches to share an Ecumenical Easter morning service at 7:30am, followed by breakfast. This year we will gather at St John’s. Last year, we added a creative service on Holy/Easter Saturday focusing on Jesus’ time in the tomb. Lay and ordained leaders from the TOGETHER church will again plan a service for Holy/Easter Saturday at 7:30pm, combining elements familiar to those attending the St Cuthbert’s Soul Space services with other ideas. This year there is a further addition. On Good Friday you are invited to attend the “Service of Three Hours” at St John’s from 12noon to 3pm. It commences at the time when according to the synoptic tradition a darkness started to cover the land on that first Good Friday and ends at the time of Jesus’ death. It is a time of prayer, psalms, words from the Hebrew Scriptures, hymns and silent contemplation of the meaning of Good Friday. However, the main focus lies on the so-called Seven Last Words of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels. These sayings form the basis for a sermon, which in turn becomes the centre of one of seven mini-services of about 20-25min. This year, there will be a bit of a twist at St John’s: Seven preachers from seven different traditions will preach the seven sermons: 33
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
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- The ministers/rector of the three TOGETHER churches Pater Dermot Morrin, OP (prior of the Edinburgh Domincan priory) Revd Ruth Scott (a Church of England priest and broadcaster) Rabbi Mark Solomon (Interfaith Consultant for Liberal Judaism, part-time Rabbi of the Edinburgh Liberal Jewish Community and Rabbi of Manchester Liberal Jewish Community) a lay representative of Central Church involved in battling the environmental crisis.
This promises to be a full line-up of diverse voices with different, yet equally engaging and spiritually insightful inputs. Please mark your calendars. You are all very welcome… bring a friend! Rev. Markus Dünzkofer
Update on the TOGETHER website Delay on upgrading the website is entirely due to the Secretary’s work commitments: it will be functioning by Easter. There are sections on our various projects, spaces for events and an opportunity for a good selection of photographs. As our congregations work more closely together we will be able to use it to increase our presentation of our individual work and enhance our joint witness in the City Centre. James McNeill
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St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
The Small Beatitudes Joseph Folliet (1903 -1972) French priest, activist and poet Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves: they will have no end of fun. Blessed are those who can tell a mountain from a molehill: they will be saved a lot of bother. Blessed are those who know how to relax without looking for excuses: they are on the way to becoming wise. Blessed are those who know when to be quiet and listen: they will learn a lot of new things. Blessed are those who are sane enough not to take themselves too seriously: they will be valued by those about them. Happy are you if you can appreciate a smile and forget a frown: you will walk on the sunny side of the street. Happy are you if you can be kind in understanding the attitude of others: you may be taken for a fool, but this is the price of charity. Happy are you if you know when to hold your tongue and smile: the Gospel has begun to seep into your heart. Blessed are they who think before acting and pray before thinking: they will avoid many blunders.
Thanks to Barbara Finlayson for contributing this. 35
St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk
St Andrew’s and St George’s West, 13 George Street Edinburgh EH2 2PA 0131 225 3847 www.stagw.org.uk Office open Church open Undercroft Café
Mon - Fri 9am - 4pm Mon - Fri 10am - 3pm: Sat 11am-2pm Mon - Fri 10am - 2pm
Sunday worship 9am, 9.45am, 11am Weekday worship 1pm Monday – Friday Minister
Rev Ian Y Gilmour
Joint Session Clerks
George Burgess Barbara Finlayson
Joint Treasurers
John Innes Allan Sim
Director of Music
Brigitte Harris
Church manager
Jean Howard 0131 225 3847 churchmanager@stagw.org.uk
Church secretary
Joyce Garland (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) 0131 225 3847 info@standrewsandstgeorges.org.uk
TOGETHER Chair TOGETHER City Centre Chaplain
Ian Gilmour Tony Bryer 0131 229 6542 or 07834 748129 tbryer.wpcscotland@gmail.com
TOGETHER Trustees from St Andrew’s and St George’s West: Christine Bowen, Frances Cooper, Rev Ian Gilmour (chair) and James McNeill (secretary) St Andrew’s and St George's West Church of Scotland, Edinburgh is a registered charity. Charity number SC 008990.
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St Andrew’s and St George’s West Edinburgh April 2014 Diary and Newsletter www.stagw.org.uk