Greenbank Connecions

Dec 2016 / Jan 2017 Issue 657 Scottish Charity SCO11325

Christian worship in Mozambique (see page 5) Greenbank Parish Church, Edinburgh

Online version: www.greenbankchurch.org/about/the-newsletter/ www.greenbankchurch.org Contents Minister’s Letter Minister’s Letter 2 Dear Friends Pulpit Diary 3 Burns Supper 4 Greenbank Work Party 4 Visit To Mozambique 5 News from the Coffee Group 6 The Guild 6 Carols in Greenbank Village 6 Friendship Club 7 Party for Pathfinders and Explorers 7 A few weeks ago I had the privilege of lead- SLA Book Café 7 ing the Guild in their discussion topic – Go Eco Column 8 in joy. It was in the course of that discus- sion that I was reminded of some words YACHT at Christmas 8 of C S Lewis who spoke about being “sur- 4th Braid Group 9 prised by joy”. Those words “surprised The Open Door 9 by joy” were an allusion to the poem Sur- prised by Joy – Impatient as the Wind, writ- Christian Aid Coffee Morning 10 ten by William Wordsworth. In that poem Gift Service – 18th December 11 Wordsworth recalls an incident when for a moment he forgot the death of his belov- Retiral of Douglas Allan 11 ed daughter. Later the grief returned in its Greetings from Princeton 11 fullest intensity accompanied by guilt at Merry ! 12 his failure to remember even for a few mo- ments the loss of his precious daughter. Congregational Register 14 Those coping with bereavement will be all Coffee Rota 14 too aware of that swing of emotions that is experienced as we come to terms with loss. Flower Rota 14 But C S Lewis took those words “surprised Crèche Rota 14 by joy” and used them to describe his jour- Welcome Teams 15 ney from atheism to faith. And he wrote of joy as being like a signpost pointing the Greenbank Calendar 16 way to Christ. There are many references to Office & Ministerial Contacts 16 joy in the and they often appear when least expected. This is certainly the case in Deadlines for next issue 16 the Christmas story.

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A young unmarried girl receives a visit from an angel, who tells her she is preg- Pulpit Diary nant. What is her reaction? She goes to visit Dec 2 Friday her cousin Elizabeth, to find out if the an- 7.30pm Pre-Communion service gel’s words are true. When she discovers they are she is filled with joy – breaking Dec 4 Second Sunday in into a song of praise. 9.00am Communion An angel appears with tidings of joy to a 10.30am Communion (Young Church gang of illiterate shepherds living rough in meet as usual) the fields minding their sheep. And they 3.00pm Communion (Braid Room) become the first people to welcome a new- Dec 11 Third Sunday in Advent born child into the world. 10.30am Lessons and Carols (Young Some sophisticated men of wisdom and Church – end of first term) wealth follow a star for miles searching for a new king to serve. In a humble home 3.00pm Service (for they come face to face with a child and his those coping with loss) mother and are overwhelmed with joy. Dec 18 Fourth Sunday in Advent Mary, the shepherds, the wise men – all of 10.30am All Age Gift Service them are surprised by joy. Joy comes unex- 4.00pm Carol Party pectedly into their lives. And in each case what awakens this joy is a new awareness of Dec 24 the presence of God in this world. As the Jesu- 7.00pm All Age Service it priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin put it “Joy 11.30pm Watchnight Service (Carol is the infallible sign of the Presence of God”. singing from 11.10pm) At Christmas the Church rejoices. She cel- Dec 25 Christmas Day ebrates not just a story from the pages of 10.30am All Age Service Scripture but the belief that today, still, God enters a broken world in the person of 2017 to offer new life and hope. Sometimes Jan 1 for different reasons that joy may be muted. 10.30am Morning Worship Yet still it continues to break through – a sign of the presence of God with us in the Jan 8 midst of all life. 10.30am Morning Worship Through all our Christmas services and ac- (Young Church – start of tivities we seek to offer signposts that point second term) to God’s presence. And I hope this Christ- Jan 15 mas you will experience some of the joy 10.30am Morning Worship this presence brings. Jan 22 With warmest wishes for Christmas and 10.30am Morning Worship every blessing for 2017. Jan 29 Alison I Swindells 10.30am Morning Worship followed by Parish Minister informal communion

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Burns Supper – in aid of the YACHT Campaign Join us for a Burns Supper on Saturday church services in November and De- 28th January 2017 at Greenbank Parish cember; £350 for a table of 10 or £35 Church and help support the YACHT per head. Campaign. Drinks reception from For more information and to buy 7pm before a 3-course sit-down tickets please contact Kirsten Pink dinner cooked by Chris and Rachael (Email [email protected] Rowley of Ballintaggart Farm. ). With after-dinner entertainment, P.S. If you would like to do- a fabulous auction and fund­ nate a prize for our auction we raising prizes we hope this will be a very would be most grateful. Contact Jim Young special evening of fellowship and fun. (Email [email protected]). Tickets are available after the 10.30am

Greenbank Work Party

Once again I can report that the Work Hermitage Room, and we start again on Party has had a successful year. We al- 12th January 2017. Why not join us? You ways manage to surprise ourselves with the will be very welcome. sheer volume of articles we have knitted. Anne Oxbrow We hope that the charities we donate to will be happy. Hats will be going to the Night Shelters run by Bethany and volunteers from churches including Greenbank. Jumpers and cardi- gans of all sizes and cot blankets will go to the Edinburgh Clothing Store and Children 1st. Little hats go to Simpsons for newborn babies. Twiddle Muffs and knee rugs will go to the Open Door’s Saturday Club which helps people with Dementia. Everything will be delivered in time for Christmas. We want to take the opportunity to thank the members of the congregation who have knitted hats and squares, and those who have generously donated DK Machine Washable Yarn which has been a great help. Our final meeting of 2016 will be onThurs - day 15th December at 2.30pm in the Twiddle muffs

4 Dec 2016 / Jan 2017 Session Clerk’s Visit To Mozambique, September 2016 Church, Challenges And Chickens In September I visited the Ecumenical decided to help the Church of Christ in Mozambique (IECM) church in Mozambique once again through in my role as Convener of the Church of partnership. Scotland’s Africa and Caribbean Commit- The Challenges. The IECM is a small de- tee. The main purpose was to review a three nomination mainly in the north west of way partnership amongst the Church of Mozambique. It is very short of money and Scotland, the IECM and the Synod of Blan- of trained ministers to provide sound bibli- tyre in Malawi. I also attended the IECM’s cal knowledge to a scattered membership. General Assembly. I stayed in Nampula, a Ministers do not always get paid and have city of about half a million people in the to take other jobs to earn a living. north west of the country. I went with one My time was filled with meetings of the other person from Scotland and three from partnership and at the General Assembly. I Blantyre. had been asked to address the Assembly on The Church has had links with Scotland their theme of “Rebuilding the church with off and on since 1894 when Blantyre Syn- living stones” based on texts from Nehe- od (then in Nyasaland) set up mission sta- miah and 1 Peter. They had wanted an hour tions. Recently, Blantyre Synod and the but fortunately the need for translation into Portuguese halved that! So where do the chickens come in? One day we visited a rural church to see a partly built manse that they want us to complete. We were received very warmly by about 40 people. They presented us with bananas, garlic, cloth, a cake and a live chicken each! It was a humbling experience showing a spirit of generosity towards visitors. As we left we loaded the chickens, and our other gifts, into the truck (we ate the cake). Later we gave a lift to three men travelling to the Assembly. They went in the back of the truck with the chickens! I did not see the birds af- ter we got back to Nampula. Maybe they went into the pot for the Assembly lunches. I hope to go back in 18 months or so to see how they are getting on and we expect to welcome some of their leaders here soon.

A sample of the Work Party hats Valerie Macniven

5 www.greenbankchurch.org News from the The Guild Coffee Group At our first meeting in November we en- Thank you all for your donations given af- joyed an entertaining ter the 10.30am Service, when collecting resumé of the first 100 your coffee and tea for a time of fellowship. years of the Usher Hall. After expenses I have been delighted to By the time this edition write cheques for a total of £1,000: £500 to is published, we shall Scottish Love in Action and £500 towards also have learnt more the catering costs for the Night Shelter run about the work of Feed the Minds in assist- by the Help the Homeless Group. ing women in Kenya to combat FGM and In the summer a coffee filter machine was will have held a fundraising Beetle Drive to purchased and I hope you are enjoying the support that project under the auspices of “real coffee” it makes. I am grateful once the National Guild. We shall be visiting St again to Pauline Walker and Fiona Grant Helena on 6th December via an illustrated for all their support and assistance on Sun- talk and holding our Christmas Party the day mornings and to all the teams of mem- following week. bers, who have taken their turns to serve In January there will be a coffee morning and tidy up each Sunday. on the 3rd at 10.30am in the Main Hall. We Isobel Thom shall be joining with Fairmilehead Guild in the afternoon on 17th January at 2.30pm in our Lower Hall. With the exception of the Christmas Party all our meetings are open ones to which anyone with an interest in the topic is welcome. The next collection dates are Sundays22nd Kathleen Patrick January 2017 and 19th March 2017, at the Sunday Service (table set up in Main Hall). Come and Sing Carols Thanks to everyone who has responded in Greenbank Village to my request for donations to this worth- while cause. The need for good quality do- Do you like singing carols in the street? nations to the starter pack scheme is as We are looking for singers of all ages and great as ever. abilities to sing carols in Greenbank Village A full list of the items wanted for the starter on the evening of Monday 19th December. We will start from the Littlejohn Avenue packs was in September’s Connections. entrance to the village at 6.30 pm. Pick up a leaflet from me, see www.fresh- Please join us – we can’t guarantee the startweb.org.uk or telephone 0131 476 7741 weather, but you will get a warm welcome for more information about the work of & refreshments afterwards kindly provided Fresh Start. by Julia and Richard Dunbar. Alison Ambler Neil Ross

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Friendship Club will be lengthening by then! December, the Christmas month, will begin Please join us at any meeting if the topic in- on the 7th with Kathleen’s seasonal musical terests you. A charge of £2 is made for non- selection, then on the 14th at our Christmas members. Party, Jean Eggar will bring her musical tal- Val Smart ents to entertain while encouraging us to join in for Christmas songs and carols. Christmas Party We start the New Year on 11th January with Kathleen as she takes us to Ascen- for Pathfinders and sion Island, then on the 18th she will give Explorers us her choice of String Gems. Though we will not have Robert Burns as our theme on All the children in Pathfinders and Explor- the 25th, Sir Geoffrey Palmer’s knowledge ers are invited to a Christmas Party on Sat- of Scotch Whisky should make a very suit- urday 17th December, 2.30pm–4.30pm, in able substitute. the Church Halls. They’re welcome to each Alastair Hunter, a Greenbank member, will bring a friend along too if they’d like! on 8th February enlighten us about Sundi- Please reply to leaders as soon as possible. als Old and New – appropriate as the days Janet Ferguson

7 www.greenbankchurch.org Eco Column This is our third commentary on our prep- In the matter of church land, our approach arations to become an eco congregation to date has been ease of management, but here at Greenbank. We are about to regis- we could develop more wild life friendly ter for the process, but have been looking planting, and the nurturing of native species over the congregational check list suggest- which would be a food source for birds and ed as a preliminary step. This tells us how animals. Planters in the vicinity of the church we are placed at present, and reveals areas and hall doorways could also play a part in for more action. You can look at this your- this, as well as greening our entrances. selves on the eco congregation website We are also expected to encourage people www.ecocongregationscotland.org/ attending church to green their lifestyles. and have a think about how your own Actions here could include more walking households measure up to the eco agenda, and cycling to church, or car sharing, and from a Christian and faith perspective. publishing ‘green tips’ on a regular basis in The check list covers a number of topics – this magazine. Locally, we could extend our starting with theology and worship. It asks support for environmental initiatives in the if we connect effectively with God’s gift of green spaces in the church neighbourhood. creation in worship and praise. While we Then there are the connected overseas con- are well on the way to addressing this area cerns – climate change affects the world’s in worship, this is still a developing area. poor more profoundly than our society at We have not, for example, held an outdoor present. We have a strong tradition of ac- service. The same can be said of our chil- tive support for world development issues, dren’s work and youth engagement, and all and Christian Aid in particular, but we could do more in aligning with campaigns age education. and identifying with particular projects. In respect of church property, we are per- The range and challenge of this work is haps well down the right route. We have considerable, and we need to think more an established ‘green group’, and have been widely about the issues, and take person- working for some time on better insula- al and collective action to tackle climate tion, energy saving in heating and lighting change at every level – in prayer, giving, and building management. Other areas to faith based action and our local - develop though are water saving, properly ship of the earth’s resources. assessing our carbon footprint and a shift to renewable energy consumption. David Jack Church management and purchasing pol- YACHT at Christmas icy is also assessed in the check list. For example, we are well established as a fair If you buy any of your Christmas presents trade church, but we could be making more on-line, please take away one of the yel- progress on recycling and waste minimisa- low cards entitled “Giving through on-line tion, and perhaps reviewing more closely shopping” available in the pews, and follow our purchasing policy, by supporting local the instructions. You will be making a do- suppliers and buying in more environmen- nation to the YACHT campaign whenever tally friendly materials. you make an on-line purchase.

8 Dec 2016 / Jan 2017 4th Braid Scout Group & Greenbank Explorers Due to changed circumstances we urgent- have a new and a strong team ly require an auditor now (who cannot be of five assistant leaders but to allow a rota a member of our committee) to audit the when required, we are looking for two male Group accounts for the year ended April or female replacements. This is a “young” 2016. We are a registered Charity and audit- team aged from 20 to 65 who carry out a ed accounts require to be submitted to both variety of roles that suits their preferences and the Office of the and could, for example, be Hall-based only Scottish Charity Register (OSCR). The re- (not everyone wants to do camps or out- quirements of OSCR are a requisite abil- door treks). If you are interested or can rec- ity and practical experience and it suggests ommend anyone please contact Niall Mor- persons with previous or current banking, rison, Scout Leader, or Duncan Macniven, accounting, legal or secretarial experience. Assistant Scout Leader, or Stuart Sanders, If you can assist I would be very pleased to Hon Secretary to discuss. hear from you. Stuart Sanders, Hon Secretary Two of our assistant scout leaders have ([email protected]) moved away from the area with work. We To All Supporters of The Open Door A few weeks ago I asked for Please forgive me if you’ve your support in an on-line already voted; I have no way competition for funding of knowing. from the Aviva Community To remind you of the details Fund. Our supporters have – we are competing against responded extremely well other organisations for a and at the moment we are grant from Aviva. We’ve probably in about the top asked for £6,400 to cover third of competing organisations. transport for our Thursday Club for a year. We need to improve on that to be sure of Thursday Club members are sufficiently getting into the final and having our appli- frail not to be able to get to The Open Door cation considered by the judging panel. So unaided, and we use the South Edinburgh I’m sending this reminder urging those of Action Group mini-bus to transport them you who have not already voted to do so in and back. right away, at Voting closes on 18th November, so please, https://community-fund.aviva.co.uk/ if you haven’t already, do it now. voting/project/view/16-1161 Very many thanks Dolina Gorman, Fundraiser and to encourage your family and friends The Open Door, 420 Morningside Road to do so as well. Every vote is important. (www.theopendoor-morningside.org.uk)

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Coffee Morning Saturday 3rd Dec 2016 10am–12noon at Morningside Parish Church Hall (Foot of Braid Road) Admission £3 (children £1) includes: Coffee, Tea, or Juice, Christmas Pies & Shortbread. 10:45am Aileen Paterson reads a story Stalls: • Home Baking and jam • Books • Fairtrade • Phoenix Cards • Christmas Cards • Usborne Books

The Church at New Vernon David and Margot Fergusson with the Stone Family

10 Dec 2016 / Jan 2017 Retiral of Douglas Allan from the Kirk Session Douglas Allan has retired from the Kirk Douglas was Session Clerk for the 10 years Session. Douglas was admitted to the from 1985 to 1995, during the ministry of the eldership in Greenbank in 1980 having Rev Ian Scott. He had previously been Clerk been ordained in New Kilpatrick Church to the Vacancy Committee. Douglas has in 1978. He was soon the District also served the national Church as Chair elder for District 32. Later, and until now, of the Judicial Commission and member of he looked after District 44 and, more the Board of Practice and Procedure. At its recently, also District 69B. He has served meeting on 8th November the Kirk Session on several of our Committees, currently on thanked Douglas for these many years of Roll Revision, and in the early 1980s was dedicated service and for his wisdom, sound convener of Christian Education. He has guidance and unfailing kindness. also served on the Congregational Board. Valerie Macniven

Gift Service – Sunday 18th December Each Christmas, our children and young Greetings from Princeton! people bring pres­ Yesterday afternoon we had the pleasure of ents to the Gift attending Bill’s induction at New Vernon. Service. These are It was a lovely sunny fall afternoon and given to children took us about an hour to drive north from in difficult circum­ Princeton. The New Vernon area is very at- stances in our own tractively rural and prosperous, with many city and, sadly, the people commuting into New York or work- need is great. ing in ‘tech’ jobs on the outskirts of the city. We’d love to have The service was lovely, with Bill’s Dad a large collection of gifts to pass on and so giving the Charge to the Newly Installed we’re asking everyone to join in! We know Pastor; David gave the Call to Worship at the presents are appreciated. the beginning and explained the link with Please bring any gifts to the Service, pref- Greenbank. One of the members of the erably in a gift bag, with a detachable tag congregation is a professor of music at saying whether the gift is suitable for a Rutgers University and a concert pianist, so boy or girl and what age/s it is suitable for. the music was wonderful. The congregation The age range requested is from 3 up to 14. are so delighted to have Bill, Hayley, Ewan Many thanks, and Maisie – as they should be! Janet Ferguson Margot Fergusson on behalf of the YES Group

11 www.greenbankchurch.org Merry Xmas! Merry Xmas, everyone! the earth, crosses frontiers, reaches into the Lots of Christians admonish us for using remotest corners of the world, yet touches ‘Xmas’ instead of ‘Christmas’ – “it’s taking our lives; a love which is at the heart of the Christ out of Christmas”, they tell us. universe and in our hearts; a love which is But let’s look at that word ‘Xmas’. so great that God gave us his one and only Firstly, do you remember this phrase from Son so that we will enjoy eternal life. your algebra lessons: ‘Let ‘x’ represent Thirdly, ‘x’ is a cross and the ‘x’ in Xmas the unknown number…’? Well, it’s about reminds us of the Cross on Calvary. The another unknown ‘x’ that I want us to cross on Calvary at Xmas? Well, take the think about — the unknown ‘x’ of Xmas. gifts brought by the wise men — not the Sadly there are lots of people for whom normal gifts for babies then and now — Xmas remains an unknown — they have gold, frankincense and myrrh. Myrrh was work Xmas lunches, they go to Xmas one of the spices used in burials in Bible parties with family and friends, they wrap times and was used in Jesus’ burial (See up and give Xmas presents and they enjoy John 19:39-42). So the gift of myrrh pointed Xmas Day meals. Some may have romantic to this baby’s future suffering and death notions about a birth in a stable, about to save us – his death on the cross. Some shepherds and wise men, about a star of our Carols also link the cradle and the and angel choirs, while others are just not cross: ‘See him lying on a bed of straw’; interested. So they may never know about ‘Child in the manger’; ‘The first Nowell’; God moving into our neighbourhood and ‘Good Christians all, rejoice’. Incarnation getting involved in our world. They may and Atonement are inextricably linked. never know about God’s care, concern and And fourthly, it should really be not ‘Xmas’ compassion for us, so deep that he came but ‘CHmas’. For that ‘X’ is not our capital looking for us. They may never know about ‘X’ but the capital form of the Greek letter Jesus identifying with us and becoming one ‘χ’. It’s in capital letters because our early of us so that we may become like him. On Christian forbears always wrote Jesus one level, it’s heart-breaking. On another, Christ in capital letters ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ it’s challenging. What are we going to do to give him all the honour; and at least 9 to bring family, neighbours, colleagues and times out of 10 they used church shorthand: friends from not knowing to knowing the ΙΗΣ Χ. So when the word Christmas was thrilling news of the Incarnation? first used they used the church shorthand Secondly, ‘x’ is a sign of Love and the ‘x’ again: Χmas. Those secularists who in Xmas reminds us of God’s love — a thought they had won a great victory love which is unconditional, unlimited, by getting ‘Christ’ out of Christmas and unbounded, unrestricted; a love which is calling it Xmas didn’t do their homework! inclusive and tenacious, counting us in and I wish you all a joyful and peaceful never giving up on us; a love which spans Christmas. Rev John Fraser

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Congregational RegisterAFTERTHOUGHTS Flower Rota Provided by Delivered by December Omitted from the 4 Flower Group Aileen Thomson on-line version of 11 Julia Dunbar – 18 Christmas Greenbank Connections 25 Christmas 2017 January 1 Christmas 8 Ishbel Clark Diana Hastings 15 Sinclair Family Win Kerr 22 Mackay Family Margery Goodban 29 Christine Willis Rosemary Collier February 5 Innes Family Janet Edwards Crèche Rota Coffee Rota December December 4 Communion – no coffee 4 Ailsa Cameron Rachel 11 Alison & John Murison McWilliam (D62 & D60) 11 Vivien Hutchison Lorna Perriss 18 Library 18 Pauline Walker Ailsa Cameron 25 Christmas – no coffee 25 Christmas – no crèche 2017 2017 January January 1 Help the Homeless Group 1 Gillian Sweetman Jenny Wright 8 Moira Davidson (D31B) 8 Eleanor Winton Carrie Reid 15 Rosemary McCulloch (D49 & D50) 15 Anne Kinnear Lucy Teall 22 Christina Morrow (D41A & B) 22 Nora Kellock Lorna 29 Susan Inch & Chris Horne Htet-Khin (D48 & D37) 29 Pauline Walker Janet Ferguson February 5 SLA

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Welcome Teams 29 John George, Rhian Ferguson, Alastair Hunter, Kathleen Patrick, December Dorothy Whitehead, Tony 4 John George, Rhian Ferguson, Foster, Diana Teasdale, Mark Alastair Hunter, Kathleen Patrick, Fergusson Dorothy Whitehead, Tony Foster, February Diana Teasdale, Mark Fergusson 5 Caroline Kehoe, David Allan, 11 Ian Thom, Keith Clark, Ray Dely, Richard Denison, Ian McWilliam, Catherine Hardie, Elizabeth Htet- Anne Kinnear, John Mowat, Jean Khin, Anne Oxbrow, Isobel Thom, Roynon-Jones, Lyndsay Kennedy Kay Ellis, Charles Black, Catriona Black 18 Donald King, Brian Barron, Walter Greenbank Calendar Crosby, Donald MacLeod, Roderick Morrison, Mairi Stevenson, Jim Continued from Page 16 Young, Kathryn Sangster January (contd) 25 Rosemary McCulloch, Rona 11 Wed 12.30 Prayer Group* Ferguson, Fiona Grant, Christina 11 Wed 19.30 Country Dance Club Morrow, Alison Murison, Malcolm 12 Thur 14.30 Work Party Reid, Joan Ritchie, Toby Tucker, 15 Sun 10.30 Morning Worship Alastair Ross 17 Tues 14.30 Guild (Joint with Fairmilehead) 2017 18 Wed 12.30 Prayer Group* January 18 Wed 14.30 Friendship Club (Music) 1 Stuart Sanders, Moira Davidson, 18 Wed 19.30 Country Dance Club John Murison, Rachel Cadell, Jenny 22 Sun 10.30 Morning Worship Wright, Sandy Cameron, Carrie 25 Wed 12.30 Prayer Group* Reid, Moira Land, Julia Dunbar 25 Wed 14.30 Friendship Club 8 Keith Winton, Eileen Campbell, 26 Thur 14.30 Work Party Richard Dunbar, Clifford Hastings, 28 Sat 19.00 YACHT Burns Supper Chris Horne, Doris Laing, Enid 29 Sun 10.30 Morning Worship Mowat, Robin Nimmo February 15 John Ritchie, Eric Brown, Ralph 1 Wed 12.30 Prayer Group* Davidson, Susan Inch, Gill 1 Wed 14.30 Friendship Club (Music) Sweetman, Ian Thomson, Susan 1 Wed 19.30 Country Dance Club Jackman 5 Sun 9.30 First Sunday Service 22 Alan Armit, Edith Armit, Louise 10.30 Morning Worship Coghill, Iain Davidson, Hugh Cowan, Susan Black, Malcolm Watters, Nora *Check previous Sunday’s Order of Service Kellock, Elizabeth Mackay to confirm that the event is running

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Greenbank Calendar: December 2016 / January 2017

December January 1 Thurs 10.30 Work Party 1 Sun 10.30 Morning Worship 2 Fri 19.30 Pre-Communion Service 3 Tues 10.30 Guild Coffee Morning 3 Sat 10.00 Christian Aid Coffee 8 Sun 10.30 Morning Worship Morning Young Church – start of term 4 Sun 2nd in Advent Continued on Page 15 9.00, 10.30, 15.00 Communion 6 Tues 19.30 Guild The pastoral team can be contacted 7 Wed 12.30 Prayer Group* through the Church Office or directly: 7 Wed 14.30 Friendship Club Rev Alison Swindells 7 Wed 19.30 Country Dance Club tel and fax: 0131 447 4032 10 Sat 13.30 Christmas Event for email: [email protected] Children Rev W. Peter Graham 11 Sun 3rd in Advent tel: 0131 445 5763 10.30 Lessons and Carols Young Church – end of term For information about church organisa- :Blue Christmas Service (for tions, please contact the Church Offce 15.00 those coping with loss) (Mon–Fri, 8.30am–12.00 noon, 13 Tues 19.00 Guild Christmas Party 1.30pm–3.00pm) Mrs Virginia Johnston 14 Wed 12.30 Prayer Group* tel and fax: 0131 447 9969 14 Wed 14.30 Friendship Club email: [email protected] Christmas Party To make contact with any organisation 14 Wed 19.30 Country Dance Club featured in Greenbank Connecions, 17 Sat 14.30 Pathfinders & Explorers please use the telephone number Party given, if there is one. Other­wise please 18 Sun 4th in Advent contact the Church Office. 10.30 Gift Service Website: www.greenbankchurch.org 18 Sun 16.00 Carol Party Postal address: Greenbank Parish Church 24 Sat Christmas Eve Braidburn Terrace, Edinburgh EH10 6ES 19.00 Family Service 23.30 Watchnight Service Material for the February issue of (Carol singing from 23.10) Greenbank Connecions should be 25 Sun Christmas Day delivered to the Church Office or to the 10.30 Family Service Editors’ pigeon-hole in the Main Hall by Sunday 15th January, or emailed by 9am on Tuesday 17th January to *Check previous Sunday’s Order of Service [email protected] to confirm that the event is running

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