www.corstorphineoldparish.org.uk Diary Dates
12th Oct (Sat) Men’s Breakfast Fellowship Meeting at 8.30am in the Kirk Loan Hall with Tom McInally ‘Borders, Bugs and Bribes’
13th Oct (Sun) Service at 10.30am
14th—18th Oct (inc) Church Office closed for October break
20th Oct (Sun) Service at 10.30am with the Rev. Grant Maclaughlan
27th Oct (Sun) Service of Harvest Thanksgiving at 10.30am (British Summer time ends)
28th Oct (Mon) Seedling Coffee Morning at 10am in the Kirk Loan Hall
Church Office closed
3rd Nov (Sun) Service at 10.30am followed by a short service of Holy Communion
6th Nov (Wed) Kirk Session meets at 7.30pm in the Session Room
9th Nov (Sat) Men’s Breakfast Fellowship Meeting in the Kirk Loan Hall at 8.30am with Mike Crockart MP Edinburgh West
10th Nov (Sun) Remembrance Sunday with services at 10am and 11.30am Members of the congregation are invited to attend either service (N.B. - No 9.40am service today) (N.B.— No tea and coffee today)
13th Nov (Wed) Fabric Committee meets at 7.30pm in the Session Room
17th Nov (Sun) Guild Week Sunday - Service at 10.30am
20th Nov (Wed) Finance Committee meets at 7.30pm in the Committee Room
Our 9.40am service for families with young children takes place every Sunday morning in the High Street Hall fol- lowed by coffee and croissants.
Our Services of Quiet Reflection take place every Wednesday in the Church at 12 noon.
Corstorphine Old Parish Church, KIRK LOAN, EDINBURGH EH12 8HD SCOTTISH CHARITY NUMBER: SC016009
Sunday Worship at 10.30am - On the first Sunday of every month there is a short service of Commun- ion at 11.30am except March, June, October and December when there are services of Holy Communion at 8.30am and 10.30am Church Office - 2A Corstorphine High Street EH12 7ST. Open during school term time: Monday – Thurs- day 8.45am – 1.15pm and Friday: 8.45am – 12.45pm 334 7864 [email protected] The Thursday Office Hour - In the Church Office, High Street Hall, on the first two Thursdays of eve- ry month 7.00-8.00pm. No appointment necessary. Church Halls - High Street Hall, 2A Corstorphine High Street EH12 7ST and Kirk Loan Hall, 18 Kirk Loan, EH12 7HD 1
Letter from our Minister Dear Friends,
How often have you spent a productive half hour sweeping the leaves from your driveway or gar- den, stood back to admire your handiwork, only for a gust of autumn wind to blow more leaves from the trees and cover up your hard work? And the sweeping starts all over again . . . We can allow ourselves to curse the leaves and the wind that blows them, or we can smile and get our brushes out again, happy to be part of a natural world where the loss of leaves will lead to new growth, and our sweeping will burn off a few calories as well as making the place look tidi- er, but there is no doubt sweeping autumn leaves can be a frustrating process.
The rhythm of church life has a familiar feel to it. Summer gives way to harvest and harvest to Christmas and Christmas to Lent and Lent to Easter and Pentecost and before we know it we are back to sweeping up the leaves again. But that rhythm is a comfort - welcome celebrations, known festivals to guide us and comfort us and challenge us. And against those familiar festivals, and the everyday duties of a parish church, come the unexpected, the unknown, the challenging, all of which can stretch our resources of patience and faith, but which are nourished by the safe and the true.
Harvest is one of those times. We have the comfort of living well, enjoying and giving thanks for the hard work of those who sow and reap, giving thanks for those who bake and provide, pleased that we have food on our tables. But we are also constantly challenged by the knowledge that in both nearby and far off places there are many who are struggling to feed their families and themselves. This year, as we did last year, we are asking the congregation to bring food to our Harvest Service on Sunday 27th October, to be taken to the food bank at Holy Trinity Church in Wester Hailes. The obvious gifts are invited – beans, pasta, rice, tinned ham, soup, biscuits, cooking sauces – anything with a long shelf life that a family would welcome and enjoy. Will the need to help our neighbour never end? Can this problem of poverty never be solved? One day, hopefully yes, but until that day comes our gifts of thanks, shared with near neighbours, remind us and other people too of our responsibility and care toward those who find themselves in chal- lenging and difficult circumstances.
The work of the kingdom, like the sweeping of the leaves on the manse driveway, is never done, and we can be pleased that we have been given the opportunity to give thanks for what we have in such direct and welcome ways. I know you will be as generous as you have been in previous years. Let us be generous with our prayers too, and with our voices, so that our harvest means a comfort and a wealth for all people.
With best wishes,
2
Magazine Donation Guild News Issued with every copy of the Church Maga- Mon 7th October at 7pm zine this month is a Magazine Donation enve- Edinburgh Presbyterial Council Service of lope. This is to provide an opportunity for all Dedication with Scots Communion at who receive the Church Magazine to help Liberton Kirk offset the cost of paper and production. Speaker - Ruth Davies There are nine copies of the Tue 8th October at 7.30pm Church Magazine produced in a Armchair Tour of the Royal Mile year. The cost of producing the Speaker - George Laing magazines continues to rise and a donation of £5 is suggested. We would be Tue 22nd October at 7.30pm grateful if envelopes could be returned as Area Joint meeting at soon as possible and certainly within the St Ninian's Parish Church next four weeks. Speaker - Gillie Davidson Scottish Love in Action As in previous years, those who receive their magazine by post will receive a separate re- Tue 5th November at 7.30pm quest for the cost of postage if they wish to continue.
If you would like to receive your magazine via email, then please just email the church office: [email protected].
It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet You may also view the Church Magazine in Speaker Alan Brown full colour, every month on our website:
Our usual meetings are in the High Street www.corstorphineoldparish.org.uk Hall at 7.30pm and everyone will be made
most welcome. Many thanks.
Doreen Hood, Secretary David Drummond Tel: 334 3467 Magazine Editor
Crèche Rota October November
6th Norma Thomson 3rd Aileen Drummond 13th Linda Ingle 10th Tracey Berry 20th Eilidh Sinclair (10am Remembrance Sunday) 27th Liz Allan 17th Keren Henderson 24th Norma Thomson Liz Allan, Tel: 332 5809 3
George Aitchison - A Tribute 18.04.38 - 16.09.13
George Aitchison was ordained an elder of the Old Parish in 1977, and gave many years of service not just to the Session and church, but also to the Boys Brigade. George and his wife Helen, and their children Kevin and Lorna were a close knit family, part of a close knit group of neighbours at Ladywell Gardens. George was full of fun, and you could often tell where he was by the strong smell of pipe smoke coming from the street – a pipe that ruined many a pair of trousers or a jacket as it was hurriedly thrust into a pocket still lit.
George worked for many years at the Moredun Institute at Gilmerton. He was a graceful dancer and had a great sense of fun. Rev Ian Brady’s family were denied a homemade pudding after a church fair one day when George accidentally sat on a lemon meringue pie Pat Brady had bought from a stall, a hardship the Brady boys didn’t let the Aitchisons forget for some time.
George and Helen were a lovely couple and Helen’s death was a terrible blow for George who then struggled with his own health, yet his graciousness and gentle nature never left him and he was al- ways keen to find out what was happening in the lives of other people, and made a great companion to visit and mull over the world with.
George died in Corstorphine Hospital on 16th September with his family around him. We give thanks for his life and his service to the Old Parish and to the communities of Leith where he was born and raised, Moredun where he worked and the Boys Brigade where he made lifelong friends.
Friends of Corstorphine Hill Congratulations From all at the Old Parish Tuesday 8th October Ian Moore will give an To Illustrated Talk on Carol and Alistair McKay (ED26) ‘Birds of Corstorphine Hill’ who celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary on 31st August 2013
Tuesday 26th November Bill Weir will give a talk on ‘Houses of Corstorphine Hill’
These talks take place in the Capital Hotel on Clermiston Road at 7.30pm and are open to all.
Remember the Walled Garden is open every day and is worth a visit any time of the year. 4 Sunday Service of Harvest Tea and Coffee Thanksgiving As you know, we have tea and Sunday 27th October at 10.30am coffee in the High Street Hall after the Service each Sunday. Please bring gifts to the service of: beans, pasta, The number of volunteers to rice, tinned ham, soup, biscuits, cooking sauces – help with this would appear to anything with a long shelf life that a family would be diminishing for various reasons. welcome and enjoy. If anyone would be willing and able to help These will be taken after the service to the food it would be very much appreciated. The bank at Holy Trinity Church in Wester Hailes. more volunteers we have, the less often you would need to be ‘on duty’. Your gifts will be greatly appreciated. It’s not an onerous task, and is also a way of getting to know more people in the Church.
If you are interested, please contact me on the number below.
Liz Allan, 332 5809 p.s. Remember clocks change!
From the Archives Golf Tuition For all ages Corstorphine Old Parish Church is no newcomer to TV filming. Back in January 1972 Granada TV From low handicap golfer made a series called ‘Adam Smith’. Set in a fic- tional Scottish village Adam Smith traces a David Thomson church minister’s struggle to rediscover new meaning in life following the death of his wife. Adults 1/2 hour - £8 Actor Andrew Keir played the role of Ad- At Dalmahoy Country Club am Smith and they filmed it in the Old Parish Church. Some of our congregation at the time played the congregation for the church service scenes. For more details please contact David on 623 1408 (Photograph courtesy of (or 07768 567 251) or Scotsman Publications). Email: [email protected] 5 Commonwealth War Graves
You may have noticed the sign at the Kirk Loan gate.
The following article was written by Lt. General Sir Alistair Irwin who is a past vice-chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and was responsible for initiating the project to place the signs in all cemeteries which have war graves.
We have two war graves with standard Commission headstones and two with family headstones (known offi- cially as private memorials). For those war casualties who died in the United Kingdom the next of kin were given the option of choosing a Commission headstone or erecting at their own expense a family headstone or adding the name to an existing headstone.
Many of these are difficult to find but they are nevertheless as much war graves as those with the more familiar Commission markers. In our churchyard there are many servicemen who are commemorated on fami- ly headstones or memorials but are not buried there. The two Commission headstones are Numbers 148, Lindsay, (near the Kirk Loan gate) and 446, Dunlop, (near the hall wall) as listed in our Graveyard Records. The two private memorials are Numbers 59, Blaikie, and 282, Bell. These four servicemen are actually buried in our churchyard and the headstones are recorded in the Commission records.
The war grave qualifying years are 1914 - 1921 and 1939 - 1947
It is not widely known that there are over 300,000 Commonwealth war dead commemorated in the United Kingdom. Very many of these are names on the great memorials to those with no known grave but over 170,000 are marked by individual headstones in 12,500 burial grounds nationwide. Until quite recently it was quite possible to visit a churchyard or cemetery without having any idea that there were war graves to be found there. So an ambitious project was recently launched to place Commission signs on all of the relevant burial grounds. It will take time to complete but eventually all will be properly marked. It is not quite as straightforward an exercise as might be imagined because in every case permission has to be sought from the relevant authority whether it be the municipal authority, the diocese, the parish council or in many cases the relevant vicar, priest or minister. The project is thought by the Commission to be a long overdue step and it is hoped that it will be complete by the start of the centenary years of the Great War. Commission staff aim to visit every single war grave at least once every three years; they hope that the new signs will encourage people to take an interest in the war graves in their locality and they will be glad to hear reports about the condition of the headstones from anyone who wishes to get in touch.
The following is a list of some of the family gravestones on which a serviceman has been commemorated. Most of these will also be commemorated elsewhere, probably with a Commission headstone overseas. The grave numbers are as listed on the Graveyard Records on our church web site or a book in the church.
Gallie 71 Robertson 316 Morrison 88 Cormack 360 Mackenzie 93 McLeish 425 Mowat 149 Kirkwood 428 Paterson 179 Inglis 430 Gillespie 180 Fraser 450 Macmillan 189 Masterton 455 Meikle 237 Kelly-Lawson 458 Laing 251 Nisbet 492 Fraser 267 Dick 499 McKenzie 303 Gardner 502 6
Many Congratulations Easy Exercise Class to Audrey MacDonald, (aimed at the over 60’s) 95 St John’s Road (ED27) Every Wednesday in the Kirk Loan Hall
who celebrated her 100th Birthday on 17th September 2013 11.45am—12.45pm All Welcome
Bra Bank
We have now collected 3 full bags of bras for the charity ‘Against Breast Cancer’ which is fantas- tic. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this worthwhile cause. We will keep the Bra Bank going for another year so bear this mind when you next have a clear out.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS ALREADY DONATED BOOKS
Can You Help Us?
Do You Have Any Old pre-60’s books to donate to us?
We sell old books on our website to raise funds for the South Sudan baseline study trip
We are looking for any pre-1960 books or signed books of any age (1700,1800,1900, 2000 all welcome)
Everything considered except encyclopaedias
We can collect from you either at your home or after church
We will also deliver locally any books bought from our Website to save you postal costs http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Bazasbooks
Contact Us The Dignity Project Bill & Barbara Wood Home: 01314675509 Mobile: 07505710501 Email: [email protected] http://www.thedignityproject.org.uk Scottish charity No: SC027546 7
Many Congratulations St Anne’s Centenary Exhibition to
Fay and George Delday (ED14) There will be a Centenary Exhibition at St who celebrated their Anne’s in October, to give people the oppor- Diamond Wedding Anniversary tunity to visit the Church and find out more on 29th August 2013 about the building and the church family. This will include an Exhibition of Celebrations with floral displays, wedding gowns and Christening robes.
Monday 7th — Saturday 12th October 10am — 4pm
Teas, coffees, home-baking and light
snacks will be available From everyone at the Old Parish Then on Sunday 3rd November at 1.30pm in the Church, Tom Davidson Kelly will give an architectural lecture about the renowned ar- CrossReach chitect of St Anne’s and other Churches, The Church of Scotland Social Caring Council Peter MacGregor Chalmers.
The CrossReach Christmas Card and calendar 2013 catalogue is now available. To obtain a copy please contact the Christmas Order Hot- line on 0131 454 4974.
Corstorphine Literary & Geographical Society
Monday 7th October at 7.45pm Musical Evening with Musicians from St Mary’s Music School
Monday 14th October at 7.45pm David Livingstone, Man, Myth and Legacy Dr Sarah Worden — Curator : African Collections, National Museum of Scotland
Monday 21st October at 7.45pm A trek to the Annappuurna Base Camp by Derek MacGillivray
Monday 28th October at 7.45pm Weaving the Century 1912—2012 : The Dovecot Studios, Dr Elizabeth Cumming
Membership £16, Visitors £2 per meeting. All meetings take place in the Public Hall, Kirk Loan 8 9
Church Flowers for November
3rd In loving memory of Peg, Harry and Ronnie Armstrong from Sheila and Jim Willis and family
Susan MacFeeters and family in memory of Gordon
10th Bill and Eleanor Blaikie in loving memory of their son, Gordon
In memory of Bette Wilson from her friends
Mr and Mrs Higgins in memory of John Moffat – porch
17th The Guild
24th Wedding of Laura Yarwood and Ally Bell
Isabel Suttie in memory of her mother
Mr and Mrs Higgins in memory of Wilhelmina Johnston – porch
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the flower fund over the last month. If you would like to have flowers arranged in the church or arrange them yourself, please contact me.
Sallie Bryson Tel: 334 2614 Email: [email protected]
Duties for November
Welcome, Uplift and Count E Allan K Hutchon M Turner N Thomson E Sinclair
Sunday Beadles 3rd A Thom 10th D Salton 17th R Allan 24th D Salton
Thursday Beadles 7th D Drummond 14th S Bryson
Bell Ringers 3rd I Laing 10th H Edwards 17th A Hay 24th A Sinclair
Sunday Coffee 3rd The Guild 10th No Coffee (Remembrance Sunday) 17th J and J Wakeford 24th M Ewart and M Watt
Wednesday Church Opening 6th D Cameron 13th D Pearson 20th D Davidson 27th D Baird 10
The Guild Opening Social!
Thank you to all Guild members,friends, and family who came along to the Guild Opening Social. Our 40's and 50's theme night was enjoyed by all.
A special thank you to David Drummond who gave an excellent video presentation and to Donald Baird our 'Musical Director'. Their continued support to the Guild is much appreciated. Thanks also to the Corstorphine Trust for the loan of some memorabilia.
As usual our hard working Leadership team provided all the refreshments.
Thank you all.
Brenda Russell, President 11
Parish Records
Weddings
7th September Sharon Brown and Gordon Hook
Deaths
27th August Margaret Riach, 24 Featherhall Crecent South (ED7) 1st September Muriel Thomson, Struan Lodge (formerly of Claycot) 8th September Milly Moore, 21 Lampacre Road 16th September George Aitchison, 7 Ladywell Gardens (ED12)
Change of Address
Peter Bruce (Junior) was at 4/1 West Adam Street (Postal) and is now at 2/38 Wharton Square, EH3 9FG (Postal) Douglas Roger was at 30 Downie Grove (ED27) and is now at Forthbank Nursing Home, Drip Road, Kildean, Stirling FK8 1RR (Postal)
New Members
We welcome to our Parish:
Marjorie Cleghorn, 49C Manse Road EH12 7SW (ED8) and also Mary McMurdo, 77 Craigs Park, EH12 8UN (ED46)
Officebearers, Elders and Magazine Distributors are asked to note these announcements and to adjust their records accordingly.
A Very Happy Birthday Thank You to Betty Brown I would like to thank my friends at the 1/48 Claycot Park (ED12) Old Parish for all the good wishes, cards who celebrated her and gifts I received for my 90th Birthday. 90th Birthday on 11th September 2013 I really am overwhelmed to be remem- bered by so many of you.
Thank you very much.
Betty Brown From Everyone at the Old Parish! Church Contacts
MINISTER Rev. Moira McDonald 476-5893 [email protected]
WORK PLACE CHAPLAIN Rev Grant Maclaughlan 0781 4093235 [email protected]
ORGANIST AND CHOIRMASTER Dr Archie Ewing 552-3799 [email protected] DMus, FFCM, LTCL, LLCM
CHURCH SECRETARY Christine Mill 334-7864 [email protected]
JOINT SESSION CLERK Alison Edwards 334-5093 [email protected]
JOINT SESSION CLERK Linda Ingle 444-2395 or 07530988240 [email protected]
CLERK TO THE CONGREGATIONAL BOARD Ramsay Allan 332-5809 [email protected] or 07973 499297
TREASURER OF CONGREGATIONAL BOARD Alistair Christie 334-4893 [email protected]
FABRIC CONVENER & MISSION COMMITTEE Ramsay Allan 332-5809 [email protected]
WFO CONVENER Graeme Stewart 339-7718 [email protected]
GIFT AID AND DEED OF COV. CONVENER Mary Bowerbank 312-8517 [email protected]
FINANCE CONVENER Penny Salton 334 2652 [email protected]
CHRISTIAN AID CO-ORDINATOR Linda Ingle 444-2395 or 07530988240 [email protected]
PUBLICATIONS DISTRIBUTION ORGANISERS Ken and Rena Ingle 334-9467 [email protected]
WEDNESDAY CHURCH OPENING ORGANISER Donald Baird 334-7591 [email protected]
ROLL KEEPER Marlene Pearson 538-5592 [email protected]
SUNDAY CLUB LEADER & MAGAZINE EDITOR David Drummond 334 -5741 [email protected]
SAFEGUARDING OFFICER Liz Allan 332-5809 [email protected]
PRESBYTERY ELDER John Hartil 476- 9761 [email protected]
REPRESENTATIVE TO CORSTORPHINE CHURCHES EXECUTIVE MEMBER Jane Walker 539-1080 [email protected]
WORSHIP COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE Betty Black 538-0373 MANAGING CO-ORDINATOR
THE GUILD (President) Brenda Russell 629 1456 [email protected]
SUNFLOWER GARDEN (CrossReach) Glenn Liddall 07990794483 [email protected]
SUNFLOWER GARDEN (Administrator) Jane Forrester 225 1054 [email protected]
BOYS BRIGADE (CAPTAIN) Kevin Aitchison 334-7731 [email protected]
GIRL GUIDES Joanne Newby 467-5900 [email protected]
RAINBOWS Debbie Scott 622-0487 [email protected]
BROWNIE GUIDES (Unit Leader) Fiona Sneddon 538 0371 [email protected]
FRIENDLY HOUR Margaret Borthwick 334-9217
FRESH START LEADER Eleanor Stewart 467-6868