Greenbank Connecions May 2018 Issue 670 Scottish Charity SCO11325 An Easter Garden. The children planted seeds in it. Greenbank Parish Church, Edinburgh Online version: www.greenbankchurch.org/about/the-newsletter/ www.greenbankchurch.org Contents From the Minister From the Minister 2 Pulpit Diary 3 QII Corner 3 Renovating the Manse 4 Pledge Cards 6 Muriel Gowan 6 Interview with our new Minister 7 Edinburgh’s Street Pastors 9 Jumble Sale Tales 2018 10 The Guild 11 Christian Aid 11 On Sunday 29th April we’ll be focusing on the theme of Christian stewardship – how Thank You for the Music 12 we use our time, talents and money to act Calling all Greenbank 12 in partnership with God as the church in Eco Column 13 the world. Greenbank has a tremendous record of Friendship Club Outing 13 generous stewardship in all three catego- Fresh Start 14 ries, and I have been struck in a very short time in post by what our congregation is Life and Work: May 2018 14 contributing. You are a very talented and Welcome Teams 15 resourceful bunch, and for that, thanks be to God! Congregational Register 15 The world is dynamic, our church is dy- Coffee Rota 15 namic, and so we take a look at our con- tributions each year as a kind of “MOT” of Flower Rota 15 our spiritual lives together in this special Calendar 16 place and community. Elsewhere in this issue, John Ritchie writes about the kind Martin Luther King 16 of areas where your contribution of time Deadline 16 could make a huge impact in our commu- nity. Equally, an investment of your time could bring you closer to God as you grow in your journey of faith. 2 May 2018 Each of us has our own resources of time, talents and money available to us. If some- QII Corner thing has changed since last year, or you A few weeks ago QII were asked about have joined us recently, then we’d invite their activities and for their view of Green- you to undertake your own stewardship bank. MOT, and if you feel moved to offer some- “Recently we have been studying Gen- thing more, or to amend your existing esis – not the Fall, looking at alternative contribution, then please fill in one of the views and we have been discussing Steve’s pledge cards for “time” and “money” en- Big Questions; does evil exist, is God real? closed and return them to John Ritchie in These are tough! the envelope provided. The best thing we have done this year was Thank you for all that you do to make the Sleepover in the Church, we played Greenbank a tremendous congregation. lots of games, it was great fun. With my love and prayers, About eight of us were at the Induction. It Martin was interesting, good, different, a bit long, but we liked the huddle with all the long gowns. Pulpit Diary We like helping with events in Greenbank May 6 like the Burns Supper, Holiday Club and 9.30am First Sunday Service led meals. It’s good getting to know people by the Kirk Session outside QII; we would like to meet and 10.30am Morning Worship share with other groups in Greenbank and mix more. Our next Afternoon Tea will Start of Christian Aid Week May 13 probably be soon. 10.30am Morning Worship The things we like about Greenbank are May 20 that we are allowed to try things, like 10.30am Morning Worship Communion. We don’t like not knowing May 27 people or what goes on and how things are 10.30am Morning Worship decided. We like the music but some of the long hymns are boring. We would like to Jun 3 see more Big Questions in the services. 9.00am Communion We met other groups like us at Lendrick 10.30am Communion Muir – that was good. 3.00pm Communion We are thinking about organising more Jun 10 trips – maybe to Iona or Lindisfarne or 10.30am Morning Worship even to India.” Edith Armit Crèche for children under 3 is in the Hermitage Room at every 10.30 service throughout the year. 3 www.greenbankchurch.org The initial (and later) weeks were spent Renovating the Manse preparing walls, ceilings and woodwork It is the overall responsibility of the Green- for subsequent painting. This included the bank Church congregation to maintain decision whether to paint or varnish the the manse although Presbytery regularly window frames. The overall state of these inspect the property. frames as a result of condensation and sun Our manse, a 1931 bungalow at 112 bleaching was fairly poor. This was not an Greenbank Crescent comprising seven easy decision but we decided the best out- rooms, was purchased in 1984, when come would be achieved by painting them Rev Donald Mackay retired. Two former white. We proceeded accordingly. ministers have lived there (Rev Ian Scott & A small number of Springboard teenag- Rev Alison Swindells). Alison vacated the ers assisted by lifting a couple of unwant- manse in May 2017. ed carpets which were cut up and re-laid A schedule of works to be undertaken at in out-of-sight places. Curtains were re- the manse prior to the appointment of a moved and bagged (many of these were new minister was drawn up by August. A passed to Fresh Start). Wall cupboards and manse work-squad of eight was formed wardrobes were dismantled (some were under the auspices of the Property later re-used). Attic eaves were shelved for Convenor) starting mid-October with future practical storage use. A wall recess a remit to do as much as they could, as area in the master bedroom, previously well as keeping costs down. The Nomin- used for hanging space, was considered no ating Committee had a closing date for longer practical and changed into useful applications for our vacancy at the end of shelving with a cupboard below. September. Just some of the tools required 4 May 2018 The kitchen back door was re-panelled to look smarter. Twenty-one original door handles were renov ated, requiring considerable ingenuity along the way. A Velux blind was repaired. A length of garden fencing was repaired, proving to be cold work and time-consuming. Once the new minister had received a unanimous vote on 21st January, this brought a new dimension into the work at the manse. Decisions Renovated kitchen with essential mugs and kettle could be made with local manse squad played its part knowing we tradesmen on how to prioritise and dove- had accounted for 350 man hours of effort tail work over the next six weeks. Deco- prior to 21st January and in excess of 150 rator, plumbers, joiners, gas engineers, mugs of tea and coffee to sustain us! flooring contractors, French polisher, Charles Black handyman, wall and floor tilers all needed to be fitted in. The manse squad were still working around these professionals. Now we knew what remained to be done this brought extra pressures. Light fittings were ordered and fitted (including four motion sensor outside lights needing at- tention). All remaining carpets were to be lifted, resulting in old carpets accumulat- ing in the garage. Curtain rails came down and were replaced with curtain poles and blinds. By the end of February, a large skip was delivered and filled with unwanted house and garden items. Several items of furniture were collected by British Heart Foundation. Numerous flat packs were constructed and some furniture repositioned in new surroundings. We now have a transformed manse where the new residents are ‘thrilled to bits’ with the final effect. Our New flooring and stove 5 www.greenbankchurch.org If the time you have available fluctuates: Pledge Cards and you have bookkeeping or finance skills, As a congregation of Christ’s church, we re- offer your time to help the Treasurer – he view our commitments of time, talents and needs someone to help with the banking, money at this time each year. For 2018 the and someone to chase up Life & Work sub- theme is TIME. scriptions You are asked to review your commitment and you enjoy offering hospitality and en- to the Church and before the end of May tertaining, help the Social Committee with return in the envelope one or both of the church functions, pledge cards enclosed with this month’s and you support the work of Christian Aid, Connections. The pledge cards will be offer to help with the house-to-house col- brought into church by the Treasurer lection, and presented to the Minister during the and you like arranging flowers, speak to 10.30am Communion Service on Sunday the flower convener and add your name to 3rd June. the flower rota for next year, Possible pledges of TIME include: and you like gardening, help keep the Time – to come to church church garden tidy, • If you can come a little earlier or stay a bit and you are good at DIY, the Property longer: join a Welcome Team, help make Convener would love to speak to you. and serve coffee, help in Springboard, We are all asked to take the time to remem- Spectrum or the Crèche, give someone a ber in our prayers our minister and our fel- lift to church or take them home, offer to low members, particularly those whom you read the Lesson know who are in difficulty. • If you have a little time after church, stay John Ritchie and chat to folk over tea and coffee in the hall, deliver the church flowers or Con- nections Muriel Gowan • If you can come on Sunday evenings, of- fer to help with QII We have received news of the death of a If you have time on a: former member, Mrs Muriel Gowan, at Monday join in the Monday Bible one time a member and an elder at Green- Study bank.