CHRISTMAS

GREETINGS

PILRIG St PAUL’S CHURCH DECEMBER 2011

CHRISTMAS SERVICES and EVENTS IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY further details of Christmas Services on page 8 Sunday 11th December 11.00am Gift Service 4 pm Pilrig Chorus Festive Concert see page 9 Tuesday 13th December 2pm Guild Readings and Carols Sunday 18th December 11.00am The Christmas Story in Lessons and Carols Tuesday 20th December 1.30pm Pilrig Park School Christmas Service 2pm Guild readings and Carols Wednesday 21st December 10.30am Lorne Primary School Christmas Service 4.30pm Vocal Vibes Carol Party see page 9 Saturday 24th December 6.30pm All-age Christmas Eve Service Saturday 24th December 11.30pm Watch-night Service Sunday 25th December 10.00am Christmas Day Service The Open Doorway closes for the festive season after 15th December and re-opens on Tuesday 10th January 2012. See page 8 Forum United Epiphany Communion Service in Pilrig St Paul’s Sunday 8th January 2012 See page 11 Flower Diary 4th Dec Maria Croall 11th Dec Norman Leithead 18th Dec Margaret & David Fraser 25th Dec Flower Fund 1st January 2012 Flower Fund 8th January Flower Fund 15th January Flower Fund 22nd January Irene Wexelstein 29th January Flower Fund Thank you, Marlyn Please also see page 6

SUNDAY SERVICES AT 11AM

Holy Communion is celebrated on the last Sunday of January, April, June and October at the 11am Service, and informally as announced. To contact the minister, please ring 554 1842. The “OPEN DOORWAY” is open each week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11am - 1.00pm. Pop in or arrange to meet a friend there over a cup of coffee. Enter by the main door. Our wheelchair entrances are in Pilrig Street.

ORGANISATIONS WITHIN THE CHURCH BUILDINGS:

Sundays - Sunday Club, 10:45 am for ages P1-S4 all welcome (Mark Wexelstein 665 6881) Mondays Rainbows 5.45pm (Christine Buchanan 554 2941) Brownies 6.45pm (Christine Buchanan) Tuesdays - The Guild 2.00pm (Irene Wexelstein 476 1385) Pilrig Choristers 4-5.30pm Session Room Pilrig Chorus 7.30-9.30pm Sanctuary Wednesdays - Lunch club 12 noon (Marjory McArthur 553 2323) Vocal Vibes and Singchronicity youth choirs 4-5.30pm Halls Choir Rehearsal 7.30pm (All music enquiries Martin Ritchie 07984 466 855)

Thursdays - all Sections Boys’ Brigade (Mark Wexelstein 665 6881) In Pilrig Park School: Thursdays Rainbows (Ann Urquhart 554 8387) 6.15-7.15 Brownies (Ann Urquhart ) 6.15-7.30 Guides (Karen Wood 554 5493) 7.30 - 9.00 In Broughton Primary School: Tuesdays The 5th Leith Scouts Beavers 53/4 to 8 years (6.00 to 7.00 p.m.) Cubs 8 to 10 1/2 years (6.30 to 8.00 p.m.) Scouts 10 1/2 to 14 years (7.30 to 9.00 )

1

PILRIG St PAUL’S CHURCH DECEMBER 2011

Dear Fellow-members, Our lighting of an Advent Candle in church, on each of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, marks our journey of prepa-ration for the coming of God into our world

We anticipate his coming, with wonder and joy! The dark days of winter will soon be filled with joyous light as we connect in a renewed way with the living presence of God amongst us and as we share and proclaim that joy and wonder together!

We should also anticipate his coming with awe and wonder! The power and majesty of God are beyond all that we can im-agine! How can we stand in his presence? As we truly open ourselves to the immensity of God’s being, we surely sense a measure of uncertainty, fearing the results of our weaknesses and our errors in the face of pure righteousness and love!

Sadly all too often and all too easily however, we choose to focus only on the happy side of the message and assume that we will be recipients of God’s gift of love with no real need for life changing thoughts and actions on our part.

Truly God’s love reaches out to all people and gives comfort and peace in the midst of all our darkness. But we need to acknowledge our darkness, be aware of our wrong living, our lack of love, if we are to receive the full measure of God’s transforming love and know the forgiveness that only He can give.

Many people at this season of the year are sharply reminded of lost loved ones and of broken relationships and of the struggle to cope on small incomes.

Many people at this season of the year are sharply reminded of lost loved ones and of broken relationships and of the struggle to cope on small incomes. Their darkness is all too real! They are looking for peace and hope in the midst of what can often

seem ‘wall to wall’ merriment! As we cope with our darkness and sense our own need of God’s comfort and mercy let us not forget others’ need for that same comfort and mercy. So let us do all we can to give comfort to those who are hurt-ing and so help growing numbers of people find that they are valued and loved by God and find the strength and the courage to move forward from their darkness and be inspired to be more positive in their outlook and in their living. Over the coming weeks there are many occasions to link in with the message of Advent and Christmas. If you haven’t been along to Church for a while now is a good time to refresh your links with us and with God. We will be glad to welcome you and to count you in as a val-ued member of our congregation as together we rejoice in God’s love for us and seek to serve the One who is Lord of lords and King of kings! May God bless you and your loved ones in this season of Advent and Christmas. John

3

Reflections during Advent Your people wait for you, O God. Do not let them wait in vain. Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame. Forgive us and save us O God When we close our eyes to the signs of our times Or fail to understand and interpret them aright. Forgive us and save us, O God When we squabble amongst ourselves About when and how the Son of Man may come again, Yet fail to recognise his presence now In the events we ignore, the people we choose to pass by. In this time of waiting, Help us to be more fully prepared. In this time of waiting, Show us how to revise our priorities. In this time of waiting, Help us every day as the day of Christ’s coming. In each day’s challenge and encounters May we see the face of the Son of Man And seek his vision to read and respond to All the signs of our times.

4

In reflecting on priorities, the following from another Church’s publication is challenging. “ Churches which have become the expression of a particular group or culture – churches for ‘ people like us’ have little interest in ‘people who are not like us’. Churches who want people to join so they can help pay the bills are doing recruitment and not mission. Churches which have lost their soul, lost contact with their scriptural and spiritual roots, don’t connect with people who are searching for reality, integrity and authenticity and instinctively recognise it when they find it.” Are we sometimes too much a church for ‘people like us’?

PRAYER CORNER

Ina Grierson Jean Stark Isabel Hannah Cathie Galbraith Matthew Green Frances Chambers Mary and Jimmy Rennie Bernhard Scroggie Jeanette and Stuart Sime Andy and Marjory McMahon Peter Sinclair June Welsh Murdo and Joy McLeod Charlie and Joyce Forman Linda Connolly Craig Finlay Jack McArthur Beryl Thomson Mairi and Robin Leach Helena Adie Please contact Roy Eprile with any names you would like in-cluded in this section.

5

THANKS Arthur and Doreen Johnston would like to thank the minister and congregation for the lovely flowers they received recently. It is nice being remembered. Thanks to Jeanette Sime for de-livering them. Ian Stobbie sends his thanks for the flowers he received re-cently following his time in hospital. Betty Kerr thanks the church for the flowers she received. “Oh they’re beautiful” she said. Joy and Murdo MacLeod send thanks for the beautiful flowers given to them on Sunday. Thank you to the minister and congregation for the lovely flowers I received when I was not too well recently. Thanks also to John for delivering them. Joyce Forman Mr Scobie sends thanks to the minister and congregation for the flowers he received recently. Thanks, too, to Ronnie Cam-eron for delivering them.

oOoOoOoOo

Thank you to everyone who has donated to the Flower fund or taken a Sunday when they have put the flowers in the Sanctu-ary. I will soon be making up the diary for the remainder of 2012. If you would like to donate flowers on a particular Sun-day please call me on 554 1842 or speak to me in church on a Sunday morning. Thank you Marlyn.

6

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

Jean Stark wishes all her friends at Pilrig St Paul’s a Very Mer-ry Christmas and good health and happiness in 2012. GREETINGS FORM MALLORCA Millie and Joe (Bald) would like to wish all their friends at Pil-rig St Paul’s a very Happy Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year. We are again taking advantage of the Christian Aid “Present Aid” Scheme and instead of sending lots of Christmas cards to all our friends in the congregation we are sending the money we would have spent on cards to buy food for people displaced by conflict in Burma. Our gift will provide enough food for a refugee family for a month and also bring them hope for the future. Perhaps you might like to do something similar? Happy Christmas to everyone and every blessing in the New Year!

Marlyn & John.

oOoOoOoOo

Bernhard Scroggie Matthew Green Mary and Jimmy Rennie Jeanette and Stuart Sime Peter Sinclair Murdo and Joy McLeod Linda Connolly Jack McArthur Mairi and Robin Leach

Jean Stark Cathie Galbraith Ian H. Scott Frances Chambers Elsie Lister

A note to say how much I enjoyed the concert given by ERIC FISHER recently. Hopefully there will be an encore in the New Year. Well done, Eric. I am not in that league, musically. Some people say that I sing like CARUSO.......ROBINSON CAROUSEO. I find difficulty in opening a piano. The keys are all inside! Seasons Greeting to everyone, Ian Bethune

7

CHRISTMAS SERVICES IN PILRIG ST PAUL’S CHURCH Sunday 11th December 11.00am Gift Service You are invited to bring along gifts suitable either for children or for elderly people. These gifts will be distributed to young people who will get little this Christmas and also to members who are house bound or in hospital. Sunday 18th December 11.00am The Christmas Story in Lessons and Carols Tuesday 20th December 1.30pm Pilrig Park School Christmas Service Wednesday 21st December 10.30am Lorne Primary School Christmas Service Saturday 24th December 6.30pm All-age Christmas Eve Service 11.30pm Watch-night Service Sunday 25th December 10am Christmas Day Service

(Bring along one of your presents) Note that Christmas Day is a Sunday and we have decided still to have this service at 10.00am. If members would like to have a lift to Church on Christmas Day in view of limited frequency of buses – please contact us.

OPEN DOORWAY The Open Doorway closes for the festive season after 15th De-cember and re-opens on Tuesday 10th January 2012. A Big Thank You to all the volunteers who staff the Open Doorway week by week! Marlyn (and to Marlyn who organises it, from us all - Ed)

8

PILRIG CHORUS FESTIVE CONCERT with special guests, SINGCHRONICITY On Sunday 11th December at 4pm, our fifty strong community choir, Pilrig Chorus will be presenting an entertaining and up-lifting programme of Christmas music old and new in the Sanc-tuary. The Chorus will be joined by our youth choir, Singchro-nicity, vocal soloists, pianist Iain Matheson and organist Sheila Robertson. The programme will include classic Christmas choruses from Handel’s Messiah, including the famous Hallelujah chorus, beautiful carols by John Rutter and the stunning “Sure on this shining night” by Morten Lauridsen. There’ll also be lots of carols for the audience to sing as well, just to keep you going! Proceeds from the concert will be split between Christian Aid, helping people in extreme situations worldwide, and the Pilrig Chorus music fund, which helps us buy music copies for our next concert. Tickets are priced £10 (£8 concession) and include festive re-freshments afterwards. Free admission for children 16 and un-der. Tickets and further information: Martin Ritchie, 07984 466 855 or email: martinsritchie@gmail.com

VOCAL VIBES CAROL PARTY

Our youngest singers (primary 3 and 4 ages) in Vocal Vibes in-vite you to come along to a fun hour of carol singing and Christmas fun on Wednesday 21st December at 4.30pm in the upper hall. Admission is free, so please come along and spend an enjoya-ble festive hour supporting our wee ones.

Martin 9

41ST GUIDE UNIT

Dorothy Walker retired as joint leader in charge on 3rd Novem-ber and the 41st Guide Unit would like to thank her for all of her hard work and dedication to the Company over the years. Dorothy started as a Brownie in 1953, became a Guide in 1956, Assistant Guider in 1964 and Captain in 1976 until 3rd Novem-ber 2011. She has been Camp Advisor, Camp Site Secre-tary,District Commissioner for Links and then Division Commis-sioner for New Leith, Friend and Confidant. Dorothy is not getting away with leaving us completely as she will be helping out now and again. We would like to wish her well as she takes a well earned rest. The Leaders and Guides of 41st Unit. It was great to see the members of the Uniformed Organisa-tions in Church on Remembrance Sunday. - Ed

10

FORUM UNITED EPIPHANY COMMUNION SERVICE - SUNDAY 8TH JANUARY 2012 The Forum United Epiphany Communion Service is being held in Pilrig St Paul’s Church at 11.00am on Sunday 8th January 2012. Please note this in your diary and make every effort to come along and share in this service as the Forum Churches step forward into the new year together. ENVELOPES Christian Givings envelopes will be ready, in Church, for uplift from the !st Sunday in December. Anyone who wishes infor-mation about this should speak to us at Church or contact us at the addresses given on the back of the magazine. Ella Gilfillan Irene Wexelstein THE MAGAZINE Please may I have articles for the February magazine by 28th January 2012? Thank you, Catriona Blackwood

11

Funerals 7/11/11 Mrs Maudie Graham Donaldson Court (Taken for Rev Alex McAspurren of North Leith Parish Church) 12/11/11 Mrs Elizabeth Ormiston Bonnington Care Home Ferry Road (Taken for Rev Alex McAspurren of North Leith Parish Church)

12

MINISTER Rev John Tait B.Sc. B.D. - 78 Pilrig Street (554 1842) j.m.tait@blueyonder.co.uk SESSION CLERK John Innes - 33 Monktonhall Place, Musselburgh (665 9125) pilrig@btinternet.com CLERK TO CONGREGATIONAL BOARD Dr Stuart W. Sime -1 South Trinity Road (552 9652) stuart.w.sime@btinternet.com TREASURER Mark Wexelstein (665 6881) mark.wexelstein@googlemail.com ROLL KEEPER Mrs Jeanette E. Sime - 1 South Trinity Road (552 9652) SAFEGUARDING CO-ORDINATOR Mrs Catriona E.W. Blackwood - 4 Cambridge Gardens (554 6183) bill.blackwood@tesco.net PROPERTY CONVENER Dr Stuart W. Sime -1 South Trinity Road (552 9652) stuart.w.sime@btinternet.com HALL LET GROUP psp.halluse@gmail.com 07842047093 (Answer phone) ORGANIST and CHOIRMASTER Martin Ritchie - 18, Catherine’s Wynd, Woodhead, Culross, Fife KY12 8EU (07984 466 855) martinsritchie@googlemail.com SUNDAY CLUB LEADER Mark Wexelstein (665 6881) mark.wexelstein@googlemail.com CHRISTIAN GIVINGS CONVENERS Mrs Ella Gilfillan - 8 Paisley Terrace (661 2281) Mrs Irene Wexelstein - 15 Upper Hermitage (476 1385) MAGAZINE Editor - Mrs Catriona E.W. Blackwood - 4 Cambridge Gardens (554 6183) bill.blackwood@tesco.net Distribution - Mrs Margaret Cameron - 35 Lorne Street (554 2139)

www.pilrigstpauls.org.uk

LEITH CHURCHES FORUM WEB SITE www.leithchurchesforum.org.uk

Scottish Charity no. SCO07277