Letter from the Interim Moderator Dr Hazel Hastie
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No 471 February 2019 News & views from Craigmillar Park Church, Edinburgh A worshipping and caring community, following Jesus Christ www.craigmillarpark.org Letter from the Interim Moderator Dr Hazel Hastie A Ministry Of All many of the gifts that God has given Recently, I was invited to a friends us. house for a belated New Year party. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians Eighteen guests were invited and chapter 12 lists them for us – the hosts had made enough food to prophecy, ministry, teaching, feed 36! When I exhortation, sat down to write giving, leading a letter for this and compassion. edition of Prism, We often hear I started thinking about the a bit more about ministry of all the significance church members of something like — all that has this. It takes a happened here lot of hard work since John to make an Urquhart moved evening like that pass with apparent to Penicuik is a perfect example of ease, creating a relaxed ministry in action. We have all been atmosphere. It takes planning, given gifts, some more obvious than organising and many hands to do others, and yet strangely it is the what is required. There is shopping less obvious that, day by day, make to get, furniture and crockery to the real difference to our lives. We arrange, cooking to be done and admire an actor making an Oscar- entertainment to organise, it uses winning performance or an athlete 1 winning a Gold medal, but they are the sounds and think of the music. just the icing on the cake. We can, We have wonderful people who visit and most of the time do, live the sick at home and in hospital, without them. and others who give up their The things that really matter are the valuable time to attend committee little acts of kindness and meetings to make decisions on our thoughtfulness. These are the things behalf. There is also general that keep the wheels rolling day maintenance, administration and so after day. Take a look at the church much more; the list is endless. and its surroundings and then think God has given us all so many gifts. about the amount of work that is The best way to praise and give required to keep it so beautiful. thanks to him is to use them for Think of the obvious things like the each other - a true ministry for all flower arrangements, then think members. about less obvious things like keeping the church clean, ironing Best wishes, the linen, and in summer cutting the Hazel grass in the garden. Then listen to Holy Communion 3 March 2019 Our quarterly Communion service will be held as usual on Sunday 3 March 2019 at 10.30am but not in our own sanctuary. We will be sharing this service with our friends at Reid Memorial; the service will be led by Rev Dr Liam Fraser, the Campus Minister at the University of Edinburgh. Those who were present at the December joint Communion in our own church will remember how lovely it was to have so many people – and in such fine voice! Do, please, come along to Reid Memorial that Remember, Holy Communion on 3 day. If transport is a difficulty, March will be in Reid Memorial please speak to your elder or to me Church. and we will see if lifts can be Pauline Weibye organised. 2 Lunch Club Lunch Club had two weeks off over the festive season. Some of the members have been poorly and unable to attend. We wish them a speedy recovery and hope they will be back with us soon. We welcome new members. Happy New Year to all. Flora Paton World Day of Prayer This year the welcome at the service and theme is encouraged to share soup and “Everything is fellowship thereafter. ready” so let us The associated Bible studies will be celebrate this at held in 121 George Street at the service in 10.30am on Fridays 15 and 22 Augustine Bristo February. All will be welcome. Church, George IV Bridge at 12.30pm on 1 March. All will be Isabel Smith Newington Churches Together – Lent 2019 There is still time to book up for the book to look at) are at the back of NCT ecumenical home study groups the church. that meet during Lent - weekly from Please let Ann Thanisch (email Monday 3 March to Sunday 14 April. annthanisch@gmail.com / tel 0781 This year they will be looking at the 494 9468) know if you are book Dethroning Mammon by interested, and return a completed Archbishop of Canterbury and form by Sunday 10 February. former oil executive, Justin Welby. Application forms (and a copy of the Ann Thanisch 3 Entering unknown waters There is something magical about Ships and the sea are often lighthouses. They twinkle at night mentioned in the Bible, sometimes along a dark coastline. as real events and During the day they sometimes as stand as sentries metaphors. between the land and Individually, we try to the sea, between the make the teachings of known and the Christianity our unknown. They are “lighthouses” as we fascinating in navigate our way themselves but they through life. And as a can also be a useful nation we are certainly metaphor for setting out into reference points when unknown and possibly we sail into uncertain dangerous waters. waters, either as individuals or as Whatever happens over Brexit over nations. the next few months there are In Scotland we have 66 main several twinkling “lighthouses” that I lighthouses and 140 smaller lights, think we should navigate by. all automatic these days and We will always trade with the rest of monitored from the headquarters of Europe, one way or another. All the Northern Lighthouse Board in Europeans want the same things - George Street here in Edinburgh. food, homes, jobs, good public Most of them were built by Robert services, freedom, democracy, a Louis Stevenson’s family in the 19th decent environment etc. We all century at a time when ships were need migration, to staff our hotels, being lost or wrecked at a rate of fruit farms, universities, hospitals one a day around the British coast. and care homes and to keep our In 1799, for instance, over 70 population refreshed. We all want vessels were lost in the Firth of Tay peace, after centuries of warfare. alone. Even the most ardent Brexiteers still Nowadays we have radar and want us to be friends with our satellite navigation systems. But the neighbours in Europe. sea is still a dangerous place and Whatever our formal relationship lighthouses are a useful back-up. with the rest of Europe turns out to Last year a Dutch cargo ship ran be (and I still hope we can remain in onto rocks in the Pentland Firth and the EU) we must not lose sight of a Norwegian vessel went aground off these pinpoints of light that can Harris. Across the world, over 150 guide us through the months and vessels were lost or wrecked in years ahead. 2018. John Knox 4 A Brexit prayer God, who in Jesus broke down all barriers, between people of different races, rich and poor, male and female, Jew and Gentile, between heaven and earth, we worship you. God, at this time of heavy responsibility, as decisions about future relationships with our neighbours in Europe are being taken, we pray for our leaders: that they will lead wisely; that they will listen attentively; that they will exercise grace; and that they will know peace in their deliberations. God, at this time of uncertainty within our nations and communities, we pray for ourselves: that we will remain open to the stranger; welcoming to the neighbour; and committed to those who struggle. God, we pray for your church of which we are a part: that we might be a place of honest reflection; respectful dialogue; open friendship; humility and reconciliation. We pray that we might be a community that points to heaven, and shows ways in which heaven is glimpsed on earth. God, who in Jesus breaks down all barriers, between people of different races rich and poor, male and female, Jew and Gentile, between heaven and earth, we worship you. AMEN (Rev Dr Martin Johnstone, Secretary to the Church and Society Council of the Church of Scotland) 5 Emergency appeal for refugees in winter storms Arsal after Storm Norma, before Delivering bread as Storm Miriam brought even more snow Storm Miriam comes in This winter is the worst ever for refugees in north Lebanon. Two powerful storms in January have caused widespread flooding and wind damage to the tents of thousands in the Bekaa Valley. Above the valley, those in the remote town of Arsal have been overwhelmed by deep snow, with night time temperatures remaining below zero. The storms have been largely unreported in the UK media, but Google Storm Norma Lebanon or Storm Miriam Lebanon, and you will find plenty about them. Maggie Tookey of Edinburgh Direct Aid has been in Arsal for over a week now. She reports increasing numbers of appeals for help from destitute refugees living in remote camps. Many are now having to share cramped tents with their neighbours, as their own have collapsed under the weight of snow, or are leaking in the slow thaw. Travelling to collect or deliver the aid on untreated icy roads in difficult and dangerous. Edinburgh Direct Aid has set up an emergency appeal fund that is being spent on the most immediate needs – Looking out of oil for stoves, food, and wood and tarpaulin to mend or a tent rebuild damaged tents.