Scottish Episcopal Church, Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Wishing you all the blessings of the Christ Child for a very Happy Christmas.
Christmas Eve
5pm Crib Service with the journey to Bethlehem too see Mary & Jesus
1130pm Watch Night Service with our friends at Saughtonhall URC (Saughtonhall Drive)
Christmas Day
10am Sung Festal Eucharist of the Shepherds
Advent is rapidly disappearing and Christmas will soon be upon us. In the midst of all the preparation and 'busy-ness' why not take a bit of quiet time and come and join us for worship before the festival. At 10am on Christmas Eve we have a quiet service to prepare us for Christmas. It is an opportunity to pray through the Eucharist for those on your heart and in your mind and to just take that wee step back before the partying.
Later on Christmas Eve at 5pm, when the Church has moved from the purple of Advent to the Gold of Christmas we have a Crib Service. this is a lovely opportunity to sing a few carols and to join the children as we 'journey to Bethlehem' to see Mary and Jesus.
You are then invited to Saughtonhall United Reformed Church for our joint celebration of Christ's Nativity at our Watch Night Service at 1130pm.
On Christmas Day at 10am we have our annual festive celebration of Christ's birth with a glorious Festal Sung Eucharist (The Eucharist of the Shepherds) when we give thanks for the birth of Christ and our ultimate salvation.
Happy Christmas
From the Rector’s Desk
Joint Worship
This Advent sees a change to our usual practice of a joint Advent Carol Service on advent Sunday at the Good Shepherd. This year we will joint to congregation at Saughtonhall URC to celebrate with Advent Carols and their 90th anniversary of founding. 90 years to the day on 1st December. The next joint worship, also at Saughtonhall will then be the watch night service. The joint service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity also sees a change with the service to be held at the Good Shepherd, when we will celebrate the Eucharist together.
Christmas Shoeboxes
Once again, we are joining with the Cathedral and other churches in the city filling shoeboxes with Christmas gifts for the young homeless in our city. For many of these young people this will be the only gift they will receive. Shoeboxes can be filled with underwear, hats, gloves, scarfs, sweets, biscuits and toiletries -see display for more information at the back of church. Please note: no razors, aerosol deodorants or alcohol.
Thank you for your support once again. The collection date is yet to be announced by the Cathedral but boxes can be brought to church throughout November and early December.
Christmas Worship
10am on Christmas Eve there will be a Vigil Eucharist to help us prepare for the coming Feast of Christmas. The Vigil is an opportunity to reflect and take things quietly and slowly for half and hour. This is followed at 5pm by the Crib Service with the journey to Bethlehem. If anyone knows of a local baby, or if you have one coming to you for Christmas, who you think might like to take centre stage please let me know. The Watchnight Service follows at 11 for 1130pm at Saughtonhall URC. On Christmas Day we celebrate at 10am in the morning, the Festal Sung Eucharist of the Shepherds.
Advent Study Course Mondays 2nd, 9th & 16th at 7pm
Russell D and Dean will lead us through a short course exploring ‘Looking for Christ in the Arts’. Russell will focus on music and Dean will offer Breugel’s Census at Bethlehem painting. Each event will last about 45 minutes.
Congregational Christmas Lunch
Our annual lunch takes place this year on Wednesday 11th December please make sure that you have chosen your menu. See Pat S for more information.
The Afternoon Christmas Service
2pm Tuesday 17th December - All Welcome
Paula Rego Exhibition - the Curator’s Tour
3pm Saturday 11th January
Please sign up for Alice S’s tour of her latest exhibition. Rego is a provocative painter whose work will challenge and inspire. If you are not a member of the Galleries you will need to pay the exhibition entry fee (payable on the day). We also ask for a £2 donation towards a thank you book token for Alice, please pay when you sign up.
The Epistle to the Flock
Once again, we are approaching the turn of the year and the Christmas festivities that surround it. It seems no time at all since we were preparing to celebrate the new millennium at the end of 1999 and two thousand years of Christ’s Incarnation. We are now a fifth of the way into a new century but one thing remains constant and that is Christ’s incarnation.
A large majority of the world’s population celebrates Christmas, whether as a religious festival or a secular event. For people of faith or no faith this festive season is important. It is an opportunity to get together with family and friends, to remember those we may have fallen out of touch with a card or telephone call; and to give a gift to someone we care about. For those of us with a Christian Faith it is more than just an opportunity to party, or to enjoy giving and receiving cards and presents. It is an opportunity to stop and give heartfelt thanks for the birth of Christ and the promises of God he fulfilled.
Jesus was born into a very ordinary human family but to parents who were both prepared to do extraordinary things on God’s behalf. Both Mary and Joseph said yes to God, the Gospels of Luke and
Matthew tells so. In Luke’s account Mary is visited by Gabriel and says; ‘Yes’ to God’s request that she bear his son. In Matthew’s account Joseph has a dream in which an angel came to him and assured him of Mary’s faithfulness and encouraged him to accept Jesus as his own and raise him on God’s behalf. Both Mary and Joseph in different ways had to say; ‘Yes’ to becoming parents. I have often wondered what each of them truly thought was going on but I am also impressed by their trust in God, that all would be all right. Two very ordinary people who did very extra-ordinary things.
Have you ever asked yourself how you might have responded to God’s request? Would you have said; ‘Yes’ as Mary and Joseph did? Perhaps this is something you might want to ponder on during Advent and the run up to Christmas, in one of those moments when you are not rushing around trying to get everything done. Keep that pondering going over Christmas and into the new year, regularly asking yourself; ‘Is God calling me to do something different?’ Who knows where that pondering will take you or what your ‘Yes’ might lead you to?
Happy Advent, Christmas and New Year and may your pondering and prayers lead you to new life in the new born Christ.
Yours aye
Dean
Goodness knows what the festive season will be like? If the past few weeks have been any indication, I suspect that I am in for a busy and bumpy ride, as they say. The dining room has been full of wrapping paper and stuff for weeks and having heeded Archie’s stern warning to be vigilant about something called ‘sticky tape’ I have yet to be attacked by invisible forces that seek to stick ones fur together and drive one mad. Poor Archie, seems to be somewhat traumatised by events of the past, heaven knows what he and my auntie Lady Gladys got up to. I do hear tales of collapsing trees and encounter with the Christ Child under the table but I actually have no idea what they are about. Christmas, however, in this house does seem to arrive very early. Although the parcels do seem to be diminishing daily as they ‘get posted off’ to different parts of the world. I hear the ‘Dog-Collar’ say; that if they are not done early they won’t get sent at all.
Well, all that aside, I can say that I am looking forward to my first Edinburgh Christmas and New Year. I do hope that there are fun japes to look forward to and the odd gift. a cashmere cat blanket wouldn’t go a miss because that utility room gets awful cold at night. Archie is not a bad heater when I can actually get in the basket with him - he is a rather large cat in a small basket but I can normally snuggle down, even if sometimes he ends up sleeping on me!
I do hope that I hear from my family in Stratford-upon-Avon and at least some of my kittens. They have been dreadful at keeping in touch but I suppose that is the younger generation, they all assume a text will suffice when a card would be so much better. As this is my first Christmas in the Rectory, I really don’t have an idea of what Christmas will be like. I hope I at least get a whiff of turkey but I doubt it very much as the ‘Dog-Collar’ tends to favour a nut roast. I ask you cashew nuts rather than plump turkey legs! Quite what is the world coming too.
With my best wishes for a Very Happy Christmas and a joyful New Year
HSH Lady Grace Fortescue de Monceaux Grand Duchess of Milgil
P.s. Archie has just informed me not to worry about the turkey as the ‘Other-One’ always has something meaty to compliment or save him from the nut roast. Dei Gratis.
Notes from the Organ Loft
I write with the sounds of our celebration of Christ the King still ringing in my ears! It was wonderful to have the excuse of a birthday to invite friends and family to join the congregation and choir – and to indulge myself with my favourite hymns and composers. I hear from Dean that the attendance numbers just topped 100 when Walter arrived midway. Thank you all for coming along to help me celebrate, and especially those invisible angels who tidied everything up afterwards. And thanks for all your kind messages on the back of Dean’s beautiful tapestry work: a lovely memento of a very happy birthday.
Earlier in the month we had another group of additional choristers join us for Remembrance Sunday – all family and friends of Bruce W: Angela providing the alto line, while their daughter Rosanna and her school friend gallantly devoted two mornings of their precious weekend to practising and singing soprano. Greatly appreciated.
The end of the church year also marks the temporary withdrawal from the choir of Pat G who is taking a Sabbatical to get a chance to draw breath between her other church activities. She has been a great strength and stay since I took over as organist, and we shall miss her – haste ye back!
Finally, I have had the good news that the Vestry has given formal approval to the completion of all aspects of the organ restoration next summer, including the provision of new stops, which were ‘prepared for’ but not installed at the time of the last major overhaul in 1967. I will be meeting with the organ builder in the near future to agree the order for pipes. Anyone who’d like to sponsor a pipe – or set of pipes – do let me know!!
MCT Ecudare
The story of the ECUDARE project based in Ngong, Kenya and Murrayfield Churches Together
Murrayfield Churches Together (MCT) is an ecumenical partnership of some 30 years standing, and part of the cement of the partnership has been our connection with the Ecumenical Day Care and Support Women (ECUDARE) project. This is based in Ngong, one of the poorest areas of Kenya, to the south-west of Nairobi.
Ecumenism has shaped our approach to ECUDARE from the very beginning, when the partnership with ECUDARE was chosen as a suitable way of celebrating MCT’s 21st anniversary in 2008. The partnership was nourished initially by a visit from Esther to MCT in 2008, this was then followed in 2010 by a visit to Kenya by a group from MCT. In 2012 contact continued with a visit to MCT by Esther and her husband Daniel.
ECUDARE was set up in 2003 by Esther Wanjohi, the Director, to provide quality of life and holistic care for women and their families who were living with, and affected by HIV/AIDS. There were three initial strands to the project: centrally run income generating projects, a Revolving Fund giving loans to participants to set up their own income generation projects and poverty relief. A further project has been added since MCT’s initial involvement, which is the establishment of a pre-school and primary school.
We have raised funds through a wide range of fundraising activities, many of which have had the added benefit of enabling increased fellowship amongst MCT members. Other local partners have been involved, including a local primary and nursery school.
Esther keeps us up to date with the ECUDARE activities by sending us frequent photos and clips of news. The small-scale nature of the project and the personal links that have been established have enabled the three congregations to feel closely involved with the lives of the women and children in Ngong.
CHRISTMAS VIRTUAL GIFTS for ECUDARE
During the course of this year a group of the ECUDARE women were able to buy the title deeds to a patch of land on which they plan to set up and develop their own businesses. For the virtual gifts this year we wanted to support the women in developing this project.
Esther asked the women what they felt they needed most, and they proposed some very basic, practical requirements: rolls of barbed wire, concrete posts and starter seedlings for avocado trees. Avocados grow well in Kenya, and are consumed locally, but they also have potential as an export crop. Esther sent us the following suggestions:
£3 Bag of nails
£10 5 Avocado tree seedlings
£20 10 Avocado tree seedlings
£40 Concrete post
£50 Roll of barbed wire
Please look out for the leaflets/envelopes that will enable you to choose a gift to send to ECUDARE and thank you for your continuing support for the women and children in Ngong, Kenya.
ECO – Congregation News
Climate Crisis
At the end of October Phil S attended an Edinburgh Active Citizenship Group Seminar addressing the Climate Crisis. Representatives from Extinction Rebellion, Edinburgh Youth and Friends of the Earth spoke at the seminar. The actions recommended were:
Waste and Recycling
Thank you to everyone who took part in our short survey on waste and recycling at the end of October
|
Of 38 people in church on that Sunday, 29 took part in the survey. Do you usually recycle paper and cardboard and clean and recycle plastic, tins and glass: yes: 29 no: 0 How do you dispose of food waste: Council Food waste bin: 14 Home compost: 8 Landfill: 8 Do you avoid single use plastics? No: 4, Sometimes:4 Most of the time: 21 |
|
A couple of people have mentioned to me that their flats don’t have facilities for any kind of food waste recycling so this is a limiting factor for the second question. Figures from SEPA show that for Scotland as a whole, about half of household waste (by weight) is recycled or otherwise diverted from landfill. The amount of waste generated per person has shown a very slight decrease between 2017 and 2018. Let’s hope that this trend will accelerate as more people understand the detrimental effects of excess packaging and single use products. The City of Edinburgh website indicates that much of our non-recycled waste is now sent to the Millerhill incinerator. Food waste is sent to a biogen plant on the same site that produces electricity and fertilizer. The recycling is processed by a variety of different companies and it’s unclear to me whether any of this is sent abroad.
Christmas Action Reminder:
As we near the festive season, three top eco-tips:
Milk Bottle Tops
The Milk Bottle Tops collection was set up for palliative care to furnish the Margaret Kerr Unit in the Borders General Hospital with tea/coffee makers, televisions, radios, library books and other facilities for visitors and family of long-term patients.
Other beneficiaries are Marie Curie and Macmillan Nurses. All sorts of people and families benefit from different help such as the Lavender Trust who provide massage with oils which aids with pain relief.
These services have received the money raised at the polymer factory in St Boswells, just down the road from St Peter's Church in Galashiels where the milk bottle tops are sorted. The polymer factory turns the tops into tiny balls (like vermicelli) before it goes to make the fiberoptic cable covers used with TVs, computers, telephones and even periscopes.
As most of the work is done in the Borders it is the community and services there who benefit.
Embrace The Middle East
Stuck for Christmas Cards or Gifts? Why not try the Embrace the Middle East catalogue available at the back of the church?
MCT Faith Discussion Group
The Faith Discussion Group considers different topics to do with faith to try better to understand what faith is and how it affects us both as individuals and as a community. All are welcome to our meetings, including doubters and sceptics.
Meetings will again be on Tuesday evenings, from 14th January to 31st March 2020 (excluding 24th March) at 7.30 in the Upper Room at Saughtonhall URC.
Before leaving Christmas behind, we start with one of Dean Fostekew’s enlightening talks about paintings – this time The Census at Bethlehem by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
Having just finished reading the New Testament, we will discuss Who wrote the New Testament? using a three-part series originally shown on the S4C TV Channel in 2004. This looks at the origins of the writing, considers questions of authorship, and why these 27 documents were accepted into the canon while others were not.
Embrace the Middle East is a Christian charity helping people of all faiths and none to free themselves from a life of poverty and injustice. Together with local Christian communities they bring lasting change to the Middle East through healthcare, education and community development projects.
Our Lent studies will be the 2020 study from Embrace the Middle East entitled Journey to the Cross. This journey travels with Jesus through his mission to the cross, looking at people he met on the way – a journey that visits the Middle East today.
It was intended that we would study heresy in the early church. However, the DVD for the study is not yet available in the UK. We hope to return to this topic in the future.
The weekly programme is:
14 January The Census at Bethlehem by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, with Dean Fostekew
21 January Who wrote the New Testament? What is truth?
28 January Who wrote the New Testament? Maintaining the truth.
4 February Who wrote the New Testament? But whose truth was the truth?
11 February Journey to the Cross – Celebrating family
18 February Journey to the Cross – Healing
25 February Journey to the Cross – Breaking down social barriers
3 March Journey to the Cross – Speaking out against injustice
10 March Journey to the Cross – Mental Health
17 March Journey to the Cross – Forgiveness
24 March No meeting
31 March To be decided
Social Evening – date to be confirmed
The Sunday Readings
The Gospel of Matthew
The Sunday lectionary readings for 2020 centre around the gospel of Matthew. I would like to share with you some nuggets of background information about this Gospel which may be useful as we explore it together.
Summarised from: Stephen, L, Harris, 2007, Understanding the Bible Mcgraw-Hill and Mark Allan Powell (ed), 2011, Bible Dictionary, Harper Collins.
2019 Group Events
Few of us can fail to appreciate the uplifting and beautiful sound of our now elderly organ. Restoration work will resume in the summer but in the meantime, we continue to raise the vital funds required for this work.
Immediately after the AGM on Sunday 8th December, everyone is warmly invited for coffee and cake in the Hall, where there will also be a ‘Bring and Buy’ Table Top Sale.
Please bring jams, chutneys, home baking, bottles of wine and other such saleable items to help raise funds for the organ. The more we bring, the more we will raise.
On 16th November, in the Church, the talk by Simon Green on the subject of ‘The Lost Buildings of Edinburgh’, was a marvellous success, attended by around 100. With the aid of projected pictures and photographs from Edinburgh’s archives, Simon took us on an authoritative and highly entertaining tour of the city’s more impressive and sometimes fantastical ‘lost’ buildings. Some of these never came into being, some were destroyed by fire, others demolished.
The event raised not far short of £600 for the Fund. Our thanks to Simon and to Liz E, who organised it, and to all who took part.
Flower Arranging
Many thanks to all who helped to create such a colourful display for the Harvest Festival on 6th October. We had an excellent supply of greenery, fading leaves, dried hydrangeas and berries, and although most of the arrangements had just three types of flowers - carnations, chrysanthemums and alstroemeria (all good value and very long-lasting) in either yellow or white, the various creations were all very different. In a change from the usual, the windows on the left were laden with pumpkins, apples and other eatables.
We are looking forward to Christmas and would welcome any new helpers, no expertise required. We will be decorating the church on Saturday 14th December at 10am. Please sign up at the back of the church.
December 2019/January 2020
The beginning of November sees the annual celebration and thanksgiving for all the saints and the commemoration of our loved ones departed. Saints are both those women and men declared by the wider church to be 'saints' and those known to us who have been 'saints' in our lives by their words, love and actions. There is also a poignancy to remembering our departed as for many of us there are more to remember than the year before. None of us live for ever and as we grow older so do our loved ones. One day it will be us who are remembered but until then it is right that we remember with love those who have meant much to us and ask that they may continue to rest in peace in the presence of God.
Saturday 2nd November 10am Requiem Eucharist of commemoration of the departed
Sunday 3rd November 10am Sung Eucharist of thanksgiving for all the saints and the remembrance of loved ones departed.
All welcome.
If you would like someone you love to be remembered by name please add them to the Requiem List at the back of Church before the services.
From the Rector’s Desk
Thank you to James B
For many years James has compiled and edited our magazine. At the beginning of September James decided to ‘retire’ from that post. James, we owe you many thanks for all that you have done in putting together our monthly magazine. It has been and is very much appreciated by all of us. James has been nominated by the Vestry for the Bishop’s St. Cuthbert Award, for his service to the congregation.
The Magazine Editor
I am delighted that Jane S, our Vestry Secretary, has taken the role of Editor on. Please email Jane articles for the magazine (or me). For the foreseeable future the magazine will be published every two months, the weekly pew sheet can be used to advertise events and notices as well, again please let Dean know if you wish anything to be included on the pew sheets.
Treasurers old and new!
We have been very fortunate over the last years to have Graeme T was our Treasurer. From the 30th September Game has retired from this role. In recognition of his service and his continual support in financial matters the Vestry have nominated him for the Bishop’s St. Cuthbert Award. Valerie C has volunteered to take the role with May L assisting her. I am most grateful to them both.
Friends of the Cathedral - Diamond Jubilee
The Congregation has congregational membership of the Friends of the Cathedral and as such anyone form the Good Shepherd is welcome to attend Friends events. You are invited to a celebratory Evensong at 3.30pm on Sunday 27th October at the Cathedral followed by a drinks reception to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of the founding of the Friends.
Harvest
Our annual thanksgiving for the Harvest takes place this year on Sunday 6th October. We will be decorating the church at 10am on Saturday 5th and all are welcome to come along and help. There will be a retiring collection on Sunday 6th in aid of the Food Bank at St. Salvador’s Church, this is a very useful gift as it enables the food bank to purchase what it needs. Any tins and dried goods will be given to St. Salvador’s. Thank you.
All Souls Requiem List
The list should be out at the back of the church for you to write the names of loved ones departed that you would like to be remembered at the service of All Souls on Saturday 2nd November and Sunday 3rd.
Sheep gathering
The group supporting the Mothers’ Union meets on Monday 4th November at 11am when Dean will lead a discussion and practice of Lectio Divina - a prayerful and quiet approach to Bible Study.
Remembrance Sunday 10th November
There will of course be an added poignancy to this year’s Remembrance Service as we will commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the outbreak of WWII. If you have anyone particular you would like remembered at that service please put their name/s on the list at the back of the church.
Good Shepherd Lecture
11am Saturday 15th November when Simon G a local architectural historian will talk about Edinburgh’s lost buildings. Look out for more information.
October and November, the Autumnal months of the year. By the time the next edition of the magazine comes out we will be looking towards Christmas and 2020. For now, however, we can enjoy the colours of nature; give thanks for the harvest of good things we receive from God; pledge ourselves to care better for our planet and recall and remember all those who have gone before us.
In my head I see October as the months of reds, yellows and brown as the leaves turn from green and eventually drop from the trees. The American name ‘Fall’ for this season is very apt and descriptive. November, though is a purple month, a month of ‘remembrance’ a time when our minds turn to thinking of loved ones departed and those who have died in conflict over the last century or more. Both months are very poignant as they imply change and transition in different ways. Both being associated with death and the hope of re-birth in Springtime and at the Day of Resurrection.
As the leaves fade and die on the tress, we know that new buds will be forming over the dark Winter months to sprout again in the warmer Spring months and will bring back the green colour of creation. As we remember those who have died, we give thanks for their lives and sacrifices in the hope that all will rise again one day in the presence of Christ. These two months are full of beauty, tears and pain but they also point towards the future and new life springing once again. For me the light of Easter is always shining into the darkening Autumn days.
Now comes the darkening of the days,
when light is weak and shaded
but know the flame has not gone out
its glow is often aided;
by prayer and thought of loved ones past
whose memory is not faded.
They live among us, as does Christ
who comes with power un-jaded
to lengthen out the days with hope
and light that’s never shaded.
Yours aye
Dean
What a trial I have had to face over the Summer months. I have had terrible digestive problems and have existed on nothing but boiled chicken breasts for weeks. It has been discovered that I have an intolerance to some forms of protein and probably gluten as well. I knew that dried kibble the Dog-Collar tried to feed me before was no good. Yes, I know that Archie gobbles it up like a thing possessed but his breeding and constitution are nowhere near refined as mine. I have a delicate constitution and need only to dine on the finest plumb chicken breasts and don’t try giving me leg because I shall reject it, in fear that its grey colour will do me harm. (Madam may be fussy in some things but she is a terrible scavenger, often found with her head in something waiting to be washed up! It is this habit which is causing the problems. Will she listen? Ed.)
I am now being weaned onto a very superior form of dried food; it comes via the delivery people from something called ‘The internet’. It all sounds very intriguing and all I can say is thank you, for the ‘Internet’ has brought me a great delight which I relish and it does so make a change from rather bland chicken. Archie says he quite likes the new food too but prefers the chicken or to be frank anything that ends up in his bowl. I found him dragging a lamb leg bone out of the food recycling box recently. I had to help him carry it to our basket but really, the shame of it. I just hope no one saw us. (They did! Ed.)
I now have a great sympathy with those, like me, who have an intolerance or allergy to various food stuffs and have become quite vocal (No change there! Ed.) in my support for them. When the Dog-Collars granddaughters were here in August, we were avoiding gluten and the usual dairy for the Dog-Collar. It is amazing how tasty a lemon drizzle cake can be even when it contains almost nothing. I am looking forward to a good progression in my dietary health in the coming weeks and I do hope that I will get some variety in my foodstuffs, a little bit of chicken, salmon or haddock is always welcomed. Please note Dog-Collar!
With kind regards
Lady Grace, H.S.H. Grace Fortescue de Monceaux Grand Duchess of Milgil
Treasurer’s News
After many years of service as Treasurer, Graeme T, is retiring. We are very grateful for his careful stewardship of our finances and his wisdom in all our financial decisions. This is crucial job that Graeme has given selflessly of his time and expertise to accomplish. We are fortunate that Graeme has agreed to continue as a member of the Finance Committee allowing us to continue to benefit from his professional and practical experience.
Val C has agreed to take over as Treasurer and May L has agreed to be her assistant. We are grateful to them both and welcome them to their new roles.
Organ repairs
During August and September, Stages 1 and 2 of the organ repairs have been completed by our organ builders. Stage 4 and Stage 3 will take place next year. Watch this space for details. A replacement for the electronic piano which has been used to cover service when the organ has been out of commission will be purchased soon.
Faith in Older People – One Step at a Time
The organisation “Faith in Older People” have produced a resource called one-step-at-a-time to help faith communities provide a supportive environment for people with dementia and their families and I recently attended a day conference on this subject.
At this conference it was great to hear accounts of churches around Scotland who are providing support in different ways from simple adaptions to the church building and clearer signs to singing groups and dementia friendly worship services. Our own Murrayfield club was mentioned as an example and Dean spoke about the importance of individual visiting to keep us in touch with folk who are unable to come to church. Personally, I am very much learning on the job as I lead a monthly service at Murrayside care home.
Most of all we remember that a person with dementia is first and foremost a person. A person who may have lots to teach us, who may have lots of creativity and lots of capacity for spiritual fulfilment and relationship. We know that people can and do change with dementia and sometimes the person we know becomes a bit lost to us. But the person is never lost to God. I love the words from Colossians 3v3 in this regard: “your life is hidden with Christ in God”.
There are a number of helpful resources available on the internet to help us understand more about the different types of dementia and to learn how best to be supportive. I can provide printed copies of resources if this would be helpful – please just ask. www.faithinolderpeople.org.uk & www.alzscot.org
Caroline L
ECO – Congregation News
Climate Change
The signs and impacts of global heating are speeding up according to the latest science on climate change, published ahead of key UN talks to be held on 23rd September 2019. The data, compiled by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), says the five-year period from 2014 to 2019 is the warmest on record. Sea-level rise has accelerated significantly over the same period, as CO2 emissions have hit new highs. Global temperatures have risen by 1.1 degrees C since 1850 and have gone up by 0.2C between 2011 and 2015. This is as a result of burgeoning emissions of carbon, with the amount of the gas going into the atmosphere between 2015 and 2019 growing by 20% compared with the previous five years. Sea-level rise has accelerated and an abrupt decline in the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets will exacerbate future rise. The study underlines the fact that wherever you look on the planet right now, the story is the same: human-induced warming is impacting the scale and intensity of extreme weather events such as heatwaves and wildfires.
Top scientists are saying that “we should listen to the loud cry coming from school children. There is an emergency - one for action in both rapidly reducing our greenhouse gas emissions towards zero and adapting to the inevitable changes in climate.” In response to the global climate emergency the global youth-led movement has been striking to demand greater action on climate breakdown.
On September 20th a climate strike took place across the world with strikes and marches in cities all over the UK including Edinburgh.
Members of the Church of the Good Shepherd joined the Edinburgh strike, since this is a moment of great urgency and responding to the call of the youth-led movement is one way that we can all live out our faith that demands us to act justly, walk humbly and call for the protection of creation and the world’s resources.
Phil S
MCT Faith Discussion Group
The Faith Discussion Group considers different topics to do with faith to try better to understand what faith is and how it affects us both as individuals and as a community. All are welcome to our meetings, including doubters and sceptics. Meetings will be on Tuesday evenings, from 8th October to 26th November 2019 at 7.30 in the Upper Room at Saughtonhall URC.
Last session the group became a book club and spent eight weeks reading through half of the New Testament. This autumn, we will read the rest of it. The Community Bible Experience has taken the New International translation of the bible and re-ordered and reformatted it. Since this version also has no chapter or verse numbers, it reads like a normal book. So, having read Luke, Acts, and the Pauline letters, we move on to Matthew’s gospel and the rest of the New Testament books.
Reading the Bible, a whole book at a time has proved to be an enlightening experience, even for regular bible readers. It is not necessary to have been with us for the first half to join for the second half. Or, if you can't make it on a Tuesday evening, why not travel with us and just follow the readings at home? We can obtain copies of this edition of the New Testament for you at £5; just let us know. So, if you have always meant to work your way through the New Testament now is your chance. We read around 30 pages per week.
The weekly programme before Advent is:
8th October Matthew 1-16:12 (Please read this before coming on the 8th)
15th October Matthew 16:13-28
22nd October Hebrews, James 1-2
29th October James 3-5, Mark
5th November 1&2 Peter, Jude, Gospel of John 1-3
12th November Gospel of John 4-21
19th November Epistles 1-3 of John, Revelation 1-11
26th November Revelation 12-22
Jim P
2019 Group Events
Sunday 6th October 2019 at 3pm – Chopin, Cello & Champagne
We are delighted to announce a return visit by international concert pianist Ancuta Nite who will be joined by her cellist husband Quintin Doyle at Kate and David D’s house.
The afternoon will begin with a sparkling wine reception beginning at 3pm, followed by a programme of music. After the Recital, we shall serve a selection of home-made canapes when there will be an opportunity to meet with Anca and Quintin. This promises to be a special occasion, so wear something “dressy” if you like. As the piano is upstairs, there is short flight of stairs to climb, but there will be seating for everyone.
Admission by ticket only which are available from Kate D. There is no charge, but donations are welcome to cover costs and raise funds. Suggested donation of £15. Proceeds will be divided between Hospices of Hope and The Church of the Good Shepherd Organ Fund. There will be a sign-up list at the back of the Church.
Sunday 16th November 2019 at 11am – Church of the Good Shepherd
Talk by Simon Green “The Lost Buildings of Edinburgh”
Simon Green, Project Manager at Historic Environment Scotland will give a talk on “The Lost Buildings of Edinburgh”, looking at what we have lost and also what was proposed and never built.
Admission by ticket only. There is no charge, but donations are welcome to help cover costs and raise funds. Suggested donation £6 which includes a glass of wine and canapes, so please bring along your friends.
Tuesday 1st
2pm The Afternoon Service followed by Afternoon Tea
4.15pm MCT Committee at the Dove
Wednesday 2nd
10am Holy Communion
Saturday 5th
10am Decorating the Church for Harvest
Sunday 6th
10am Sung Eucharist - Harvest Festival
Preacher: Russell D (ordinand)
Deuteronomy 26:1-11; revelation 14:14-18; John 6:25-35
2pm Fund-raising concert at the home of Kate & Danny Doyle
Wednesday 9th
10am Holy Communion
Sunday 13th Trinity XVII
10am Sung Eucharist - Celebrant & Preacher: Rev’d David W
2Kings 5:1-3, 7-15b; 2Timothy 2:8-15; Luke 17:11-19
Wednesday 16th
NO 10am Holy Communion
Sunday 20th Trinity XVIII
10am Sung Eucharist - Celebrant & Preacher: Rev’d David W
Genesis 32:22-31; 2Timothy 3:14-4:5; Luke 18:1-8
Wednesday 23rd
10am Holy Communion
Thursday 24th
Diocesan Synod at Ps&Gs
Sunday 27th Bible Sunday Trinity XIX
10am Sung Eucharist - Preacher: Dean
Isaiah 45:22-25; Romans 15:1-6; Luke 4:16-24
2pm Friends of the Cathedral Diamond Jubilee celebrations at the Cathedral, all invited.
4.30pm Evensong at Murrayfield House
Wednesday 30th
10am Holy Communion
Saturday 2nd
10am All Souls Requiem
Sunday 3rd
10am Sung Eucharist for All Saints & All Souls
Preacher: Caroline L
Wisdom 3:1-9; Revelation 21:1-6a; John 11:32-44
Monday 4th
11am ‘Sheep Gathering’ see posters
Wednesday 6th
10am Holy Communion
Sunday 10th November REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
10am Sung Eucharist and Commemoration at 11am
Preacher: Dean
Micah 4:1-8; Revelation 21:1-6a; Luke 1:68-79
Tuesday 12th
2pm The Afternoon Service & Afternoon Tea
Wednesday 13th
10am Holy Communion
Thursday 14th
10am Murrayfield Club Trustees Meeting
Saturday 16th
11am Good Shepherd Lecture: Simon Green (architectural historian) will talk about
the Lost Buildings for Edinburgh
Sunday 17th 2nd Sunday before Advent
10am Sung Eucharist –
Preacher: Russell D (ordinand)
Malachi 4:1-2a; 2Thessalonians 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-19
Wednesday 20th
10am Holy Communion
Thursday 21st
7.30pm Vestry meeting at the Rectory
Sunday 24th Christ the King
10am Sung Eucharist – Preacher Dean
Music to be chosen by Ian L in celebration of his Birthday
Jeremiah 23:1-6; Colossians 1:11-20; Luke 23:33-43
Wednesday 27th
10am Holy Communion