OUTREACH St. James the Less Scottish Episcopal Church, Penicuik
Magazine Issue 129, May, 2006

 

Contents

Service Times...................................................................................................... 2

Rector’s Letter..................................................................................................... 3

Choir News.......................................................................................................... 5

Church Women’s Fellowship (CWF).................................................................... 6

Mothers Union News............................................................................................ 6

Vestry Business Report........................................................................................ 7

Bethany Christian Trust & the Care Van.............................................................. 7

Church Music : What’s it for?............................................................................... 7

Visit of Kofi and Dorothy..................................................................................... 11

‘Penicuik for Africa’............................................................................................. 11

The Leprosy Mission Pancake Morning............................................................. 13

May 2006 Rota.................................................................................................. 14

June 2006 Rota................................................................................................. 15

July 2006 Rota................................................................................................... 16

Daffodils and Cakes........................................................................................... 17

A Day at the Sick Kids........................................................................................ 17

The Stained Glass of St James.......................................................................... 18

The Tourist’s Prayer.......................................................................................... 19

"Lindisfarne Alert".............................................................................................. 19

“Race for Life 2006”........................................................................................... 20

St Columba’s Hospice – thanks!........................................................................ 20

The Cross used on St James Easter Card......................................................... 21

Change of Email Addresses............................................................................... 22

It’s Tougher without Vision!................................................................................ 23

Financial Matters............................................................................................... 24

Your prayers are asked for…............................................................................. 25

Haddington Pilgrimage....................................................................................... 26

Groups and Activities......................................................................................... 27

Events coming soon…....................................................................................... 27

 

Service Times

Sundays:           8.00 am    Said Communion

11.00 am Choral Communion

6.30 pm    Choral Evensong (generally 1^st Sunday of the    month except July and August)

Tuesday:           7.00 pm    Healing Service with Holy Communion

(1^st Tuesday of month)

Thursdays:        11.15 am  Informal Said Communion

On the first Sunday of the month the 11.00am Sunday Service is a Family Communion; on the other Sundays the young people go out to Young Church during the first hymn and return in time for Communion.

Rector’s Letter

­­

I remember sliding off a curve on an icy road on a fairly chewed up part of the Alaska Highway and ending up with a couple of friends hanging over the edge of a very steep drop with two wheels over the edge and two wheels on the road. It was like something out of an animated movie. As we trudged back to town to locate a tractor to pull us back onto the road we commented that it could have ended differently but for a glitch or two in the physics of the situation. What didn’t need to be - but was nonetheless – we might call it an accident or a lucky break or we might call it grace.

 

We talk about somebody executing a graceful move and by that we mean that they’ve executed it in the sort of way which we could not probably do. They’ve defied the gravity which pulls most of us down; they’ve not gotten their feet in the usual tangle. The slope of probability was working against them but they prevailed. We might speak about accepting defeat gracefully and by this we suggest that most folks don’t and that a very good case could be made for sulking or stamping our feet. It would be the normal thing to do. Forgiveness is all tied up with grace. We don’t need to forgive and we’ve all met people whose lives are embittered because of some wrong that they simply cannot let go of. Love, equally, is tied up with grace. It fills the space with its presence. It is creative because it is not strictly necessary – in a world fraught with loneliness and self interest a genuine loving act has all the unique presence of a bird flying in an empty sky: an action by a stranger towards somebody in need, the offer of friendship to a lonely person, a courageous gesture of solidarity towards a person who has been marginalized – perhaps for good reason.

 

It does help to shut your eyes and then open them again and remind yourself that the world around us is given and our place in it not something which happens because it ‘must’ but because it ‘has’. We are not owed our existence.

 

Think for a moment of when you have been helped, loved, welcomed or picked up after having blotted your copy book. I am aware that there are some who feel that nobody has ever given them anything – and that they have earned every increment of their life by the sweat of their brow but even in our most cynical moments we probably suspect that they’re not looking very hard for any evidence of grace revealed to them.

 

Grace. Easter morning: a woman goes to a tomb to do her duty for a dead friend – one foot after the other in a slow plod. A woman’s ritual dating back for centuries – that which must be done to finish the process of death, to seal the experience of death, to make it final. What Mary sees and hears there at the garden tomb is pure gift. Thomas cuts his losses and refuses to believe what he doesn’t have to. He won’t be convinced. He sticks to the bare and therefore the most defensible minimum. No one’s going to catch him sticking his neck out again. For such unbelief we might reasonably expect him to be rejected. And yet Jesus speaks to him a special word – meets his intransigence with the pure gift of his presence – treats him as the one sheep which has strayed from the fold and makes that special trip to show himself. The disciples in the boat – they too knew too well what must come next: the slow row back into shore with empty nets and baskets. Again the word of Jesus proffers the unexpected gift – the grace of a second chance – ‘throw your nets onto the other side – and when you’re finished come and have breakfast’.

 

There’s a church now at the site designated as the place of the Holy Sepulchre where Jesus spoke to Mary and a little Franciscan chapel at the beach site where Jesus cooked breakfast for the disciples. Into these churches come folks who are asking for what they don’t deserve and haven’t been given anywhere else – because of human weakness, because of the stony hearts around them or simply because of Sod’s Law. The numbers don’t add up for second chances. The odds aren’t good for forgiveness. The winds are from the wrong direction. Their faith is a little like the sort of faith that Saint Paul ascribed to Abraham: ‘Hope against hope’ he called it. It’s not that we’ve found new evidence which want considered. There are no secret formulae on offer. What is presented are empty hands – a tired old man – a woman about to perform a sad but necessary task – exhausted fishermen with empty nets. What makes their story something other than the inevitable trajectory of a Newtonian solid travelling through empty space is the presence of One who would give them the gift of life and that tiny impulse – which Jesus described once as being as small as a mustard seed – to expect and accept such things as being possible.

 

We don’t ask for mercy enough – we really don’t. We might occasionally mount an unconvincing argument for why we deserve more than we get. I don’t need to tell you that we are not merciful enough either.

 

It’s a way of life - this grace that God gives. We’ve all seen enough to despair. Nobody would question our decision to pack in the nets and row home – to cut our losses, to dig in and let the story finish yet again the way it always does. We do, however, have a choice. As we teeter there in our truck on the edge of a cliff with two wheels on the road and two in the void, as we start wrapping up the nets and putting the oars in the oarlocks for our sad journey back to the shore, let’s pay some attention to the lone figure there who says ‘Children – throw your nets into the water one more time – on the other side of the boat where you think there are no fish’. It’s what the believers do with their little mustard seed of faith.

Father Rob Warren

 

Choir News

In many ways, Alan’s article on music at St James would do very well as my contribution for this month, and I endorse everything he has written (apart from the nice comments about me!). We are indeed fortunate in so many ways, but particularly in having so little disagreement in what has the potential to be a very sensitive area. I remember a play many years ago on the TV about a Welsh choir, in which one of the leading sopranos, on not being given a particular solo in “Messiah” to sing, flounced out, taking with her all the copies of the music, which belonged to her! We do occasionally have certain problems with copies vanishing (I’m convinced members of the choir eat them), but absolutely nothing malignant!

 

Our blend of cooperation and flexibility is about to be shown again in our next Music for a Summer Evening: 10 June at 7.00pm. It’ll be the usual mix of sacred and secular, instrumental and pianistic, ranging from baroque to classical to folk, etc. There will also be one or two surprises (surprising to me as well, since I don’t know what they’ll be yet!). Ticket prices will be pegged at £5/£3 – please buy early to avoid disappointment!

 

Finally, Hymn of the Month for May will be a new composition by Alan Murray “Take my hands to be the hands of God”. The words are Alan’s own, and the tune is based on an English folk tune. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. In June, if the services (and the Rector!) permit, I’d like us to sing all the hymns of the month since October at one service, after which I’d ask you to rate them 1-5. Watch this space!

Mike Hay

 

Church Women’s Fellowship (CWF)

will meet on 15th May 8.00 pm (at 64 Deanburn, unless otherwise stated).

Monday 26 June - Supper Outing

 

Mothers Union News

The MU Scottish web address is : www.muscotland.org.uk

The Annual Meeting will be held in Dublin from 23-24 June 2006. Tickets should be ordered through Joyce Black, a.s.a.p.

 

Provincial

May 8 th - Intercessions (2nd Monday each month) - 12.30 in the Cathedral followed by lunch in St George’s West Church

May 11th - Lunch in Perth for all Scottish MU members, and any friends they like to invite - World Wide President, Trish Heywood will speak. Please contact Sue Crosfield if you wish to go - numbers needed a.s.a.p.

May 16th* - NB Change of date - not 23rd - An Evening with Provincial President, Charmian Paterson; Pot Luck supper at Christ Church Centre. Please indicate to Joyce Black if you wish to attend.

 

Branch News & Meetings - 2006

Wed 10 May - Lunch in hall followed by talk on 'Fostering' by Joyce Jones daughter, Vanessa.

Wed 24 May - Summer Outing - destination to be decided.

 

Vestry Business Report 

At its meeting on 27 April, the main items of discussion were the Treasurer’s Report, and Fabric matters including the new carpet, the kitchen refurbishment and the path, car park and the upkeep of the church grounds.

 

Minutes from this meeting will be displayed on the notice board following the next meeting of vestry.

Alison Cole.

 

Bethany Christian Trust & the Care Van

This year is the tenth anniversary of St James’ volunteers involvement with the Care Van, a number of whom are still continuing as members of the team.

We are holding a fellowship lunch in aid of Care Van outreach to celebrate the occasion on Sunday, 21^st May and Iain Gordon, chief executive of the Bethany Christian Trust has been invited to come and give a short ( ten minute ) talk on the work of the care van.

Please come and support the Care Van and your team.

 

Church Music : What’s it for?

I’ve just been involved in the choir’s offering of Karl Jenkins’ fabulous Mass for Peace and the choir has just supported our folkie life-of-Christ, The Man, twice in the same week (and I am well moved by this!). This has caused me to ­­­­reflect on our music, what we do, why and how. Music seems to have been a large part of St. James’s mission and distinctiveness since before we arrived here in 1983 – so I hope this little article can serve as a reflection on and a celebration of our honourable tradition of music that touches several corners of the musical world.

 

Why do we make music in church? Music is primarily an offering of our talents (great or small) to God. This may be in the form of collective worship, all singing together, or it may be as “performers” and listeners. This means that, while ultimate musical quality is not the ultimate goal, God deserves the best racket that we can make. Practice and striving for good music do, therefore, have an importance, above and beyond any performer’s natural desire to do his or her best and to entertain.

 

Music can also help to focus our minds on God, or on His world, on our relationship with Him, or on many other aspects of Christian life and faith. To this end, different forms of music work in different ways for different people. Palestrina may uplift and inspire, but he is not likely to make us feel like dancing in the spirit. On the other hand, the Arky, Arky Song (one of our rector’s all-time favourites) doesn’t do much for our intellects, but it does raise a smile and a shared feeling of ridiculousness which does our Christian humility no harm.

 

Music can bind us together. As long as we all accept that none of us is likely to enjoy all the music that we produce, singing together pulls us together in the common purpose of making a big noise for God. Shared singing can over-ride our theological, and many other differences. It’s a well-established choir joke that I’m not a fan of John Rutter’s music[1], but it does me good to sing my best, to make the choir’s renderings of JR’s deservedly hugely-popular anthems as good as they can be. “Musical differences” is a notorious excuse cited when a rock band breaks up. Our musical differences seem to pull us together … must be something to do with that God bloke. Long may it remain so.

 

Music can teach, express questions and evoke occasional answers about Christian faith. Writers of music often write songs and larger works to say things that are difficult to say in other ways. I know that this one does. It’s often easier to express worship and praise in song than in prose. Music can, on the other hand, challenge us. It can ask awkward questions, get unsettling doubts out in the open and express that feeling of striving for a perfect faith that many of us feel. By placing the often stumbling journey of faith in song, we can work through the difficult bits with the help of those who sing with us. In effect, we hold hands on the journey to stop one another from tripping and falling. If I blurt out some questionable theology in a song, please be tolerant. It’s just me blundering about seeking faith and grabbing it, perhaps by the wrong end. Perhaps I’m not alone in that blunder? Perhaps others can sing the song with me and sort me out?

 

So – we can express our worship, praise and thoughts in the words of the sung Mass, in a well-loved hymn or perhaps even in a home-brewed Christian folk song. What, however, is the point of an organ voluntary? Why should we put up with some guitar-picker tinkling away during the Eucharist, sans words, sans theology? Surely that’s just a gratuitous musical performance to satisfy the ego of the performer and to (perhaps) entertain the audience? No. Music without words is rather like a good book that has neither a TV dramatisation nor a movie to make it easy. We have to use our imaginations to fill in the characters and to give the landscape colour. I believe that instrumental music in church has a similar purpose. It sits beside and complements silence, in stimulating our minds and spirits to form worship and praise of a different nature. This is not the worshipful din of Shine, Jesus Shine, or Guide me, Oh Thou Great Jehovah. This is the quiet reflective worship that has its roots in quietness and peaceful sounds. On the other hand, a boisterous belt of Bach, as the organist’s signal that it’s time to go, can send us out for coffee and biscuits with a spring in our steps. It can uplift, can sound a positive note (sic) at the end of our worship and can send us out feeling that church has been “fun” … and that can’t be a bad thing.

 

In all of this, I think that both musicians and listeners often sense a tension between worship and performance. If we are to offer our best to God and to our fellow worshippers, we must practice. We must try to sing well, to play or to write well[2]. In the concentration that is involved in making good music, we inevitably sacrifice a little of our own worship to enhance that of others and to give God our best – that’s just the way it is. In effect, however, we are worshipping in a different way by giving that concentration.

 

Let’s end this weighty discourse on a happy local note. It is distressingly common in churches to find the choirmaster and the rector at war over the weekly choice of music. In fact, I think that a church has a real problem when music takes centre stage and assumes greater importance than worship. Believe me; it does happen, especially in cathedrals – but not here at St. J’s. Other wars can break out. The choir and the choirmaster often look down on the “praise band” and their “children’s music”. The choirmaster and the guitar-strummer often regard one another with disdain. The guitarist often sees the choir as an outmoded, stuffy bunch of old fogeys who have lost touch with modern music.

 

We have no such problems. Our choir, rector and “band” work in harmony (apologies for awful pun) and we are blessed with extremely flexible choirmasters. The choir turns out faithfully to sing The Man. The musicians who play guitar, cello, piano and etc. are the same people who sing in the choir. We have a rector with wide musical tastes, who believes that good music is one of the key features of a healthy church. Our congregation knows what they like, but have the grace to know that church music should try to please all of the people some of the time. In fact, music at St. J’s is a formidable force for evangelism. We regularly pull new members into the church family through the choir and it helps to hold our (wondrous) teenage congregation together. I think we’re all aware that a choir can become a clique and our choir is firmly embedded in the greater life of St. James’s. We must cherish these gifts and pray to keep them alive.

 

I believe that St. James the Less has been given music by God as one of its distinctive missions and one of its most effective means of outreach. It’s not our only mission, or even our most important, but it is one that we should value, develop and to enjoy – in all its diversity.

 

This is a very personal view of music in church, from a musician. What do the other musicians and choristers think? What do all the non-musicians feel? I’d be fascinated to hear what our priests think. Please respond with follow-up articles to agree, to disagree or to add new thoughts. It can only do us good to explore our worship in this way and it can only help the musicians to know how you feel. Over to you …

Alan Murray

 

 

 

Visit of Kofi and Dorothy

The “halos” are, we think, a trick of the photography – but are well deserved, we are sure! It was a delight to welcome them both to our service on Mothering Sunday.

 

 

 

 

 

‘Penicuik for Africa’

Judging from the desultory attendance (9) at our recent public meeting in North Kirk Café, it might seem that Penicuik is not FOR Africa at all! However, the ‘executive’ that did gather agreed that the apparent lack of interest probably reflected a weariness with ‘meetings’ in general rather than with Africa and its problems in particular. Fortunately, our intended speaker- Chitambo emissary, David Currie, could not make the long journey from Aberdeen and our blushes were spared. Instead, Jo Vallis presented her brother’s slides and gave us a picture of life in Chitambo.

 

Chitambo hospital Conditions in the hospital were ‘primitive’ in some respects, notably the ‘baby incubator’ heated by a candle, but impressive in others such as anaesthetics. The chief doctor was away on a course in the copper belt when David visited but he was shown round and our picture shows him handing a ‘beige envelope’ to the chief hospital administrator, watched by local minister, Rev Gibson Chilongo. Committee members from the hospital and church looked on as the contents (£600) were counted in a wholly transparent process! We are trying to establish better communications with both church and hospital to learn how our money has helped and whether further support might be given. We still have £482 in the bank, mostly raised for Chitambo, and the meeting agreed to try and supply the whole town (some 100 homes) with mosquito nets, impregnated with long-lasting insecticide. Anyone wishing to ‘buy -a-net’ @£3 each should send donations marked ‘Children of Africa’ to me or treasurer Richard Vallis at 15, West St, Penicuik.

 

Chitambo orphans Gibson cares for a number of orphans, mostly indirect victims of AIDS, and runs a small farm on the outskirts of town where the children learn the rudiments of subsistence living. David was taken to the farm and was most impressed by it and by the enthusiasm of Gibson Chilongo. We had discussed the possibility of ‘twinning’ with an African community at our first meeting and there is a growing feeling that Chitambo might fit the bill.

 

Orphanage building Suzanne Clelland, a resident of West Linton and pupil at Peebles High School, is trying to raise over £2000 in sponsorship to participate in an international schools project that would take her to Zambia to build an orphanage. The meeting agreed to send her a small donation of £20 - you can find out more about her exploits by visiting her website suzanne.clelland@hotmail.com

 

Ruth’s Marathon Effort Just in case you missed it in the last magazine, Ruth Green is running in the Edinburgh marathon on June 6^th for the African Medical & Research Foundation and is seeking sponsors: please give her your encouragement!

 

Penicuik in the Park Undaunted by our small numbers and the fact that four of us will be away on the day (Saturday, May 27^th), we are seeking volunteers to set up and serve at a stall and (or) clear up afterwards. There would be plants and marmalade to sell for certain (other contributions welcome!), alongside Traidcraft goods, and a ‘Splat the Fat Cat’ sideshow. If you are free that afternoon PLEASE get in touch with me a.s.a.p. so that we can decide whether or not to proceed.

 

African Convention We have provisionally booked ‘space’ from Penicuik Community Development Trust in the Town Hall on Saturday, September 30^th for displays by all those in and around Penicuik who are doing something for Africa. The intention is to send out invitations to Penicuik High and Beeslack Schools, Vet Aid (Moredun), and individuals working for Vision Aid (Claire Brittain), Farm Africa (Ruth Green) and house building in Rwanda (Elizabeth Salter) amongst others, to compete for a cash prize for their cause. We are also exploring the possibility of getting an African Dance troupe to enliven proceedings. Any further suggestions will be most welcome- the scale of the event will all depend on the number of acceptances we receive!

Neville

 

The Leprosy Mission Pancake Morning

June 3rd 10.30.am., St. Mungo’s Hall, Penicuik.

St. James volunteers have for fourteen years helped to make this event an annual highlight of the Penicuik social calendar and the main focus of fundraising for The Leprosy Mission(TLM).

 

The Leprosy Mission is an international Christian charity caring and curing people affected by leprosy. TLM is motivated and inspired by Christ’s ministry of compassion to people with leprosy.

In 2005 the Penicuik group raised £2200 for a well and warehouse at Champa, Africa, and also an eye treatment programme in India.

Due to the stigma felt by some of those with leprosy who are reticent in asking for help, our efforts this year are to be aimed at the early identification of leprosy. TLM workers consider that bicycle transport is the most effective means of getting around the villages to make contact with these early cases in what was formally the Congo.

 

Mona Bennet - After 14 years representing St. James on Penicuik Churches TLM committee, Mona is leaving and was presented with flowers by the committee. Old and new volunteers are needed, especially for the Pancake morning. Marian Hunter

May 2006 Rota

June 2006 Rota

July 2006 Rota

Daffodils and Cakes

Willing (but rather cold!) helpers at the stall on 22 April, which made £281 on the day with a further £32 on the Sunday morning, bringing the total to £313. An excellent result! Many thanks to everyone who helped to make it such a success. Particular thanks to the Clerks for the daffodils, and to Kathleen Cox, who somehow managed to escape the photo! Marion

 

A Day at the Sick Kids

In January, I spent a Friday afternoon shadowing Carrie Upton, the chaplain at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh. The opportunity was a very good one, as I’m thinking about studying medicine after school.

 

         Known to most as ‘The Sick Kids’, the hospital has a very friendly atmosphere. This was the only time I’d spent at the Sick Kids without actually being a patient myself, so it felt pretty strange. I only had a few hours to spend there, so I wanted to make the most of the time. I found out what a hospital chaplain’s job is like and Carrie showed me the sanctuary, which is a very peaceful place and some people find it a good breathing space where they can get away from the busy wards. We also visited a few patients, had a chat with the very friendly family support group, and spent some time with a junior doctor. Everything I learnt that day was very rewarding. I think it encouraged me more to pursue a medical career in the future.

        

If you ever find yourself at the Sick Kids, as a patient or not, I think you’ll find there are lots of people who are more than willing to help you, help your family, or just talk to you.

 

Overall it was a great experience, and I’m very grateful to both Rob Warren and Carrie Upton for all their help. Charlotte Topham

 

The Stained Glass of St James

This is the first of a series illustrating the fine collection of stained glass in our church building. We begin with St Kentigern (in the chancel, behind the sopranos!)

St. Kentigern (Or Mungo) was born in Scotland in about 518 and died in Glasgow on 13 January, 603. His mother Thenaw was daughter of a British prince, Lothus - his father's name is unknown. He was born at Culross in Fife, and brought up by St. Serf (or Servanus) at his monastery there. At the age of twenty-five we find Kentigern (the name means "head chief", but he was popularly known as Mungo which means "dear one"), beginning his missionary work around the site of modern Glasgow. The Christian King of Strathclyde, Roderick Hael, welcomed the saint, and helped to get St Kentigern consecration as a bishop in about 540 AD. A large Christian community grew up around him, which became known as "Clasgu" (meaning the "dear family") and ultimately grew into the town and city of Glasgow.

 

In about 553 AD Kentigern left Glasgow, and retired to Wales, staying for a time with St. David at Menevia, and afterwards founding a large monastery at Llanelwy, now St. Asaph's. In 573 AD Kentigern returned to Scotland with many of his Welsh disciples. In about 581AD after much good work he finally returned to Glasgow, and here he was visited by St. Columba, who was at that time working in Strathtay, Scotland. The two saints embraced, talked for many hours, and exchanged their pastoral staves.

 

Kentigern was buried on the spot where Glasgow cathedral now stands. His remains are said still to rest in the crypt. His festival is kept throughout Scotland on 13 January.

The Tourist’s Prayer

Heavenly Father, look down on us your humble, obedient tourist servants who are doomed to travel this earth, taking photographs, sending postcards and buying souvenirs. We beseech you, O Lord, to see that our plane is not hijacked, our luggage is not lost and our overweight baggage goes unnoticed. Give us this day divine guidance in our selection of hotels. We pray that the telephones work, and that the operators speak our language.

 

Lead us to good, inexpensive restaurants where the wine is included in the price of the meal. Give us the wisdom to tip correctly in currencies we do not understand. Make the natives love us for what we are and not for what we can contribute to their worldly goods. Grant us the strength to visit the museums, cathedrals, palaces, and if we skip an historic monument to take a nap after lunch, have mercy on us for our flesh is weak.

 

Dear God, protect our wives from ‘bargains’ they don’t need or can’t afford. Lead them not into temptation for they know not what they do.

 

Almighty Father, keep our husbands from looking at foreign women and comparing them to us. Save them from making fools of themselves in night-clubs. Above all, please do not forgive them their trespasses for they know exactly what they do.

 

And when our voyage is over, grant us the favour of finding someone who will look at our holiday snaps and listen to our stories, so our lives as tourists will not have been in vain. Amen.

(Art Buchwald in Los Angeles Times - reprinted with the permission of the author) Contributed by Catherine Pow

 

"Lindisfarne Alert"

Plans are in hand for a congregational trip to Lindisfarne to take place in May or June. Although we have no firm date yet this is advance warning to dig out sun cream, buckets and spades and picnic baskets. Look out for a signing-up list! Ruth and Georgina.

 “Race for Life 2006”

The Hopetoun House event in aid of Cancer Research UK takes place on May 14th. I, along with colleagues from school, will be taking part. Although this is not the Marathon that some of our church members have tackled, 5km is an achievable target for those beset by knees, hips, anno domini etc. Many thanks to those who have already sponsored me; there is still space on my form and time if you would like to support this fundraising. Thank you.

Georgina Phillips.

St Columba’s Hospice – thanks!

As you all know, on Sunday 24^th April I held a fellowship lunch in aid of St Columba’s Hospice. I’d like to thank those who came along (remember it was quality not quantity!) and also to those who couldn’t make it who donated money. Big thanks to Glynis and Jenny who made soup and Alison for her cheese!

 

You all managed to raise £278 for St Columba’s so on behalf of everyone there - thank you very very much! St Columba’s need to raise 4 million pounds a year to keep it running and every small donation helps. I was there on placement (for those of you who maybe don’t know I’m a student nurse!) at the beginning of the year and it was the best placement I’ve ever been on. I learnt so much from the patients there and they taught me a lot about life. Although it was very sad at times I believe it was a privilege to nurse people at the last stages of their lives. I made a lot of friends there and even though most of them are now dead it was a pleasure to be able to give them the peaceful and dignified death that they deserved.

 

It should be remembered that anyone from any walk of life can go into St Columba’s no matter what faith or belief. St Columba’s will always be a place close to my heart and I hope one day when I’m a little older and wiser I may end up working there! If you want to do more for the hospice they are always crying out for volunteers to take care of the upkeep of the ward, flowers, grounds and shops. Thank you again everyone for your contributions! Mucho Hugs. GB.

Sooz

The Cross used on St James Easter Card

6 The Cross of Mission: Below is a shortened account of the report to MU Diocesan Council. Comments are included on 3 of the Crosses that were used.

 

MU Provincial Retreat at St Mary’s Centre, Kinnoull, 21st - 23rd March, Conducted by Revd Canon Mark Strange

Thanks to the marvels of email, transmitting words and music of 3 hymns I didn’t have, the music was arranged a few days in advance to give me chance to print all the music needed and avoid carrying several weighty hymn books. A mixture of traditional & modern hymns were used and two new hymns, both from the Iona Community and both to traditional Scottish melodies, were sung during the Eucharist - ‘Were I the Perfect Child’ on Wednesday & ‘The Treasure’ on Thursday. Mark had prepared a service book for the Retreat, which included, (green book format) Morning Prayer at 10am, Eucharist at 11.30 am, Evening Prayer at 4.30pm and Compline at 8pm, which gave us a gentle start each day. With breakfast at 8.30am, a 3 course lunch at 1pm. afternoon tea at 4pm and 2 course dinner at 7pm on Tuesday, our inner needs were more than adequately catered for.

 

Seven addresses were given in total, (all illustrated by crosses).

Tues.     1 The Cross of Pilgrimage         2 The Cross of Hope

Wed      3 The Cross of Fellowship         4 The Cross of Witness    5 The Cross of Sacrifice

Thurs     6 The Cross of Mission     7 The Cross of Joy

 

The Cross of Fellowship: (Jerusalem with a cross in foreground) However hard we try to keep ourselves apart, we do need company. This cross was made by a member of Mark's congregation for a diocesan conference. The cross consisted of jigsaw puzzle pieces which Mark had scattered round chairs in the Oratory before the Eucharist. Not everybody found a piece but each person who did was asked to come out and complete the jigsaw - an example of the need to work together. We need the fellowship of people to worship and MU is an important part of Christian witness.

 

The Cross of Mission: Mark’s prize possession, carved by his father, and given to him minutes before his ordination as deacon with the question - “Are you sure you want to do this?” - a reminder to Mark that he was undertaking a 24 / 7 commitment. The wood came from the verger’s cupboard in Aberdeen Cathedral. This was the church Mark was brought up in. The 4 studs on the celtic cross represent the 4 nails in the cross at Jesus crucifixion. The 3 studs below inside the celtic knot represent ‘to love, to care and to cherish, without beginning or end - for ever’. In the base is a lump of plumber’s lead, given by his brother-in-law. Our mission can only come from our journey to faith, with all its ups and downs - taking our fellow christians with us - including all life’s realities. When we walk out of church - SMILE - whatever the sermon, the hymns etc.! Real mission is not through services we like - the needs of others have to be considered, including times and venues, especially in rural places.

 

The Cross of Joy: We should show our joy about the ‘Good News’. If only we can put aside our reserve and say ‘Alleluia’. The joy of our faith is that we have been given a treasure.

Jean Hindle

Change of Email Addresses

Please note new email addresses for Jean Hindle and Alison Cole (see back cover)

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Tougher without Vision!

The most distressing challenges we face as parents are often the challenges to our own values. Some of our most cherished ideas – about sex, drugs, appropriate dress, good manners, church attendance, responsible living, respectability – may come under sustained attack during the teenage years.

 

Arguments, squabbling, angry family scenes, hostility, hurt silences and quiet despair can all result. We wonder how this daughter or son can be so appallingly insensitive, and can misunderstand or distrust us so profoundly. Is this the return for all the sleepless nights and the love we have invested?

 

‘Generativity’ – the challenge to adults. But something is happening through the pain. Out of our confusion and anguish we begin to emerge less authoritarian, less rigid, still confused and uncertain, but more human.

 

This transformation is what Ericson described as ‘generativity’ – the chief task of adulthood. Just as an adolescent’s main task is to develop a clearer sense of identity, our chief task is generativity – the invitation to grow as people nurturing the next generation instead of stagnating and being self-focused.

 

The spirituality of a parent. This is also at the core of the spirituality of a parent, for it involves our most basic task and vocation – to develop and grow in humanity as we encourage the development and growth in humanity of our children and the children of others.

 

There is more. As we enter into the pain and confusion of parenting today and open ourselves to this transformation, we enter into what some religious systems describe as a kind of death and transformation - the Christian Church, for example, understands that we are entering into the sufferings and death of Christ and into his resurrection.

 

It is easier to live through confusion when we know that what we are suffering is productive and worthwhile. Vision can keep us going. And we may moan a little less about our teenagers.

Contributed by Faye Clerk

Financial Matters

March Collections

Cash                           303           March special collections:

Gift Aid Cash             48            Children of Africa 591

Envelopes                  753

Direct Giving              950

Total                  2054

 

Since we are just over half way through the financial year it is an appropriate time to bring you up to date on what is happening on the giving and receiving fronts. Income from collections was disappointingly £828 below budget, largely because cash donated via the Gift Aid envelopes was £484 down on the predicted figure. This is rather ironic in that cash collections were the only category exceeding budget (by £202). The message here is that if you are giving through cash in the plate and are a UK tax payer then please use the white envelopes provided wherever possible. There is a stock of these envelopes on the hymn book shelves at the back of the church and, if it is more convenient for you, please take some home. The amount received by direct giving should have been within budget, but it appears that some of the standing orders have not caught up with our move from the Clydesdale to the Royal Bank. If you pay in this way and have not advised your bank please do so as soon as possible.

 

Better news on the expenditure front - so far we are over £4000 under-spent. However, lest we become complacent I should add that our insurance premiums will take care of £2500 of this in May. We also have two items of capital spend to consider – our contribution to the kitchen refurbishment and the new church carpet. Whereas money for the former is already set aside in the fabric fund, the latter will be met through fund raising, possibly including a gift day.

 

Finally, just to emphasise that the unexpected is not always bad, following the demise of the Penicuik Churches Youth Project and the distribution of its funds between the three partner churches we have received a donation of £2270. Vestry will decide in due course how this money can best be used to help young people at St James or in the wider Penicuik community, in the spirit of the original project. In the meantime if you have any suggestions on the allocation of this money please let me know.

 

The Bishop’s Lent Appeal is still open for contributions! If you are a UK Tax payer please use the Gift aid envelopes.

 

Your prayers are asked for…

Please pray for all those known and unknown to you who through sickness, need, bereavement or any other trouble are in need of God's comfort, remembering in particular:

 

The Phillips Family, the Johnston Family, Arthur White, Joy Ford, Haley, Mae Mann and Sarah (aged 7 with Crohn’s disease). Margaret Paton, a former member of St James, now in Australia, who is recovering from a stroke, but is still incapacitated.

 

Pray for the release of all being held captive,and for the work of Amnesty International.

 

For Making Poverty History and Fair Trade Debt Relief and the organisations working towards these ends.

 

 For the people of Mozambique, one of the world’s poorest countries, short of resources, where an estimated 3,000 die every day due to malaria. A country ravaged by floods and then drought and left with a legacy of land mines and amputees. Please pray for the active work  of  the churches involved in evangelism as well as  the clinics and hospitals.

 

For those who staff the Bethany Trust Care Van as they minister to the homeless on the streets of Edinburgh, and for the homeless themselves.

 

For the church in Ghana, and in particular the educational programmes in the Diocese of Cape Coast. For the work of the churches and the people in Ethiopia - there are many areas of severe poverty, due to drought, and the country is supporting hundreds of thousands of Sudanese  and other refugees.

Haddington Pilgrimage

Groups and Activities

(please contact the appropriate person listed on the back cover)

 

Sundays:           7.30pm     Youth Group for 10-16s

Tuesdays: 9.30am     “J-Tots” Playgroup

                           10.00am   Bible Study at 24 Mauricewood Park

                           7.30pm     Mauricewood Housegroup at 6 Arras Grove

Wednesdays    7.00am     “Earlybirds” Prayergroup

Thursdays:        7.00pm     Choir Practice (Junior Choir at 6.45pm)

 

 

Events coming soon…

Thu11 May                          Lunch in Perth for all Scottish MU members

Tue 16 May                         An Evening with MU Provincial President

Wed 17 May     7.00pm     Banner Workshop in the Church Hall

Sun 21 May                         Fellowship Lunch for Bethany Trust

Wed 24 May                       MU Summer Outing

Sat 3 June         10.30.am. Leprosy Mission Pancake Morning

St. Mungo’s Hall, Penicuik.

Sat 10 June      7.00pm     Music for a Summer Evening

Sat 17 June                        Scottish Ecumenical Gathering: “Seeds of Hope”, Bell’s Sports Centre Perth - family day with a variety of events and many interesting stalls. Advance booking is essential. See Frances if interested

Mon 26 June                       CWF Supper Outing

Sun 2 July 11.00am   Sea Sunday Family Service

 

 

 

 

The next publication of “Outreach” will be on Sunday 25 June Information about events, and contributions should be with the Editor, Graham Smith 673012 (graham@caplaw.demon.co.uk) by Wednesday 14 June at the latest.
Contacts at St James