Minister's Letter

No 436 March 2015 Minister: Rev John Urquhart

News & views from Craigmillar Park Church, Edinburgh A worshipping and caring community, following Jesus Christ

www.craigmillarpark.org

Minister’s Letter

Dear friends, Here are some things to think about following up in March: A Holiday Week for Older People is the working title of something we’re planning to do as a church after Easter. Research published by the think tank Demos in 20121 claimed that older people in the UK feel lonely more frequently than their counterparts in Germany, Sunday morning worship. Sweden and the Netherlands, We are looking for volunteers who though it would be wrong to claim could help with baking, serving that is true for every older person. coffee, acting as drivers, laying out To reach out and get to know more the hall, and helping with the of the older members of our local different activities. Please contact community, we hope to run a week Molly Longmuir on 0131 667 2137 if of activities for the over 55s, from you feel you could help on one or Monday 13 April until Friday 17 more of the days. April. Each morning would begin at Prayer is something Christians 10am and end at 12.15pm. can struggle to do, even if they Attendance could be for one or more have at various times experienced or even all of the days. We hope this the value and benefit of praying. A could lead to future links with recent book by Timothy Keller weekly church activities: the Craft provides a helpful and thoughtful Group, the Guild, the Lunch Club, guide to praying, which both the Retired Men’s Group, and

1 Ageing Across Europe: Report prepared by 1 DEMOS for WRVS. Demos, 2012.

assesses and balances some come and pray together. These will different approaches to prayer. The be advertised in the Sunday morning reviewer in February’s Life and Work service sheets. called it ‘learned but accessible, 2. Look out for the TryPraying thought-provoking and inspiring’. I advertising on buses again in the have found what I have read so far next few weeks. stimulating and useful, and I think others may too. Prayer: 3. Look out (and pray) for Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with opportunities to give a TryPraying God was published in 2014 by booklet to a friend or acquaintance Hodder & Stoughton and is available whom you think might benefit from in electronic and print editions. reading it and praying. Please ask me if you would like a copy or more. Keep a look out over the next few weeks. May God bless your praying and serving. 1. Look out for fresh opportunities to John

Prayer (I) George Herbert Prayer the church’s banquet, angel’s age, God’s breath in man returning to his birth, The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage, The Christian plummet sounding heav’n and earth Engine against th’ Almighty, sinner’s tow’r, Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear, The six-days world transposing in an hour, A kind of tune, which all things hear and fear; Softness, and peace, and joy, and love, and bliss, Exalted manna, gladness of the best, Heaven in ordinary, man well drest, The milky way, the bird of Paradise, Church-bells beyond the stars heard, the soul’s blood, The land of spices; something understood.

Church Accounts

Copies of the full 2014 Church Accounts are available at the back of the Church or from the Treasurer, Christopher McLeod. A summary sheet is included with this issue of Prism which details the actual expenditure for 2014 and the budget figures for 2015. On the reverse side are details of the other Church funds. The accounts will be reviewed at the Stated Annual Meeting to be held after the service on Sunday 15 March.

World Day of Prayer Service Friday 6 March at 2.30pm in the Canongate Kirk Theme: Jesus said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?” (John 13: 1-17) Written by the Christian women of the Bahamas

Blythswood Care News

Please note two very different subjects on behalf of Blythswood Care: Firstly, Blythswood Care has organised a Vision Trip for supporters from 4-12 May, visiting projects in Hungary and Romania. This is a great opportunity to see the half marathon, marathon and first hand the situations into which Hairy Haggis Relay are on Sunday our donations and shoeboxes are 31. For information about running sent. The cost is £650 from London, with a charity place from Blythswood including travel, accommodation and Care, please see the website page at food. It will be necessary to make http://www.blythswood.org/ your own way to and from the run_for_romania London airports concerned, but In addition the organisers are travel with other participants can be looking for volunteer marshals and organised. Please let me know, by will give a donation to Blythswood the beginning of March, if you would Care for any supporters who register like to be part of this, or can and get involved that way; recommend a fellow supporter. marshalling is less strenuous than Secondly, Blythswood Care is running and, depending on the role looking for people to take part in the allocated, may take up a relatively Edinburgh Marathon Festival on 30 short time on the day. Please and 31 May, depending on the contact me if you would like to know event. Junior races, 5K and 10K, more. Norman Weibye take place on Saturday 30, whereas [email protected]

The Protestant Church in Egypt

Did you know there was a Protestant Church in Egypt? I didn’t, until I met Dr Freddy El-Baiady at a recent conference organised by the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe. Freddy is a medical doctor and an elder in the Protestant Church in Egypt; his tiny congregation have, under his leadership set up a hospital which is staffed by volunteers of all faiths and which treats people of all faiths, regardless of their income – and, in a country which has no national health service and where planting, and trains a large number you can only get medical treatment if of people at their Theological College you can afford it, that is a huge and in Cairo, set up by a Scotsman 151 humbling example of mission in years ago. Church planting in action. If you have internet access, particular is central to the vision of look at the website of the hospital: the Synod as it seeks to reach those http://smcegypt.org/home.htm who have no access to a worshipping The Protestant Church in Egypt is community at present. under the direction of the Synod of Egypt is a very poor country with the Nile, one of the Church of almost 50% of people living in Scotland’s partner churches. The poverty, and so the social arm of the number of Christians in Egypt is Synod (CEOSS) is incredibly always open to debate, but current important for many people. This is an estimates suggest that there are incredible organisation which focuses between 8 and 12 million Christians on the rights of the poor and in Egypt, out of a population of marginalised in society to healthcare around 85 million. The vast majority and education, gives microloans to of those are Coptic and Orthodox, but encourage new businesses, and around 1 million are Protestant. The works in conflict resolution at the work of the Synod is focused on highest levels. reaching out to them, many of whom The recent tragic murder of Egyptian live in very difficult situations, being Christians in Libya points up the a minority in a Muslim majority difficulties faced by our brothers and country, and where extremism is sisters in this part of the world. never far away. They need our support and they need The Synod is an incredibly vibrant our prayers. organisation, with many different Pauline Weibye areas of work. The Synod supports Material supplied by the World its pastors and their congregations, Mission Council of the Church of encourages and facilitates Church Scotland. 4

A PRAYER FOR THE EGYPTIAN CHURCH All-Loving God, Whose Son was a refugee in Egypt, we thank you for the faithful witness of the Egyptian Church down the centuries and for its vibrant vision even today, as it seeks to embrace the lost, stand beside the beleaguered and welcome the refugee. As your people in Egypt, and indeed the wider Middle East, face challenges daily, keep them strong and faithful. Amen

Congregational Register

Changes of Address Mrs Fiona McLaughlin (MacDougall), now at 36 Somnerfield Crescent, Haddington EH41 3RP Mrs Mary Walker, now at Lyle Court, 25/48 Barnton Grove, Edinburgh EH4 6EZ

Deaths Mr William Hogg on 4 February 2015

Church Family News

Flora and Roger are delighted to announce the safe arrival of Jack Fraser, son of Tony and Lynn Paton and brother of Kerris. Wilma and Sandy Hogg would like to thank John, our minister, for his care and attention during Bill’s illness and also for his comforting service. We would also like to thank the congregation for their concern and support during this time, and for attending the service on Thursday 12 February. The sum of £330 was collected at the door and has been passed on to Age Scotland.

Rediscovering the Real World

Perhaps it’s a sign of old age, but I’m becoming increasingly alarmed at our retreat into a virtual world of mobile phones, computers, television, e-mails and so-called “social media”. I suppose they said the same in the 15th century when books were first printed, when we no longer had to remember things, or rely on word-of-mouth accounts, but in the last twenty years we have gone “virtual” at a crazy rate. Young people sit side by side on cent of Scotland is forested). He buses or in cafes staring into their wants the re-introduction of lost tiny screens, not talking to each species like beaver, wild boar, lynx, other, not looking round, not giving wolves, even bears. He wants fewer their brains a rest. A survey by grouse moors (12 per cent of Ofcom, the communications Scotland is moorland), much fewer regulator, has found that, on deer and an end to sheep subsidies. average, we spend 8 hours 41 He blames the Christian symbol of minutes a day looking at a screen, Agnus Dei, the lamb of God, for our and for young people it’s over 9 sentimental attachment to sheep! hours. Not much wonder we are More importantly, Monbiot argues seeing a sharp rise in obesity and for a rewilding of ourselves. He diseases due to inactivity. And not wants to see children playing in the much wonder we are losing touch woods with sticks and leaves and with the real world…the world of pine cones, adults feeling the thrill people, animals, solid objects, fresh of seeing a wolf, everyone being air, surprises and the spiritual conscious of where the food in our dimension of our lives. We now supermarkets comes from, and what watch others play sport, enter we are doing to the ecosystem of singing competitions, do politics, our planet. We are losing species at worship God, instead of participating a thousand times the normal rate, ourselves. dozens every day, due to human I am reading a book at the moment activities like felling forests and by the environmental campaigner carbon emissions. George Monbiot in which he argues The Church of Scotland has recently for the “rewilding of the land, sea joined the “Our Voices” movement and human life.” He wants to see to campaign for tougher carbon the native rain forest return to the limits at the UN Climate Change highlands of Britain (only 17 per conference in Paris later this year.

We are gradually becoming effect on the planet. That should conscious of a rather large and make us look up from our electronic frightening idea in the history of the screens and participate a little more world, the experts are calling it “the in the real world around us. Anthropocene”, the first geological era in which man has a significant John Knox

Invitation to Brownie Badge Show Tuesday 17th March 7pm

Members of the available, congregation are courtesy of our warmly invited ever-helpful to the Brownie Brownies Badge Show in working towards Craigmillar Park Church Hall on their Hostess badges. Please join us Tuesday 17 March at 7pm. The for a fun-filled evening of Brownie evening will feature “Show and Tell” Adventures! stalls where each Brownie will Please R.S.V.P via our brownie email showcase her individual badge work, or the chart on our noticeboard so newly-discovered skills and we know numbers for catering. interests. We will also be celebrating the recent Looking forward to welcoming many accomplishments of one of our of you then. leaders, Rhona (Tawny Owl), who Sarah Thomas (Lab Owl) has gained her Queen’s Guide Leader-in-Training Award: the highest award in 101st City of Edinburgh Brownies Guiding. Refreshments will be [email protected]

The Brownies are again collecting the Sainsbury's Active Kids vouchers and have a collection box in the Church Hall. Please support them!

Dry January Fundraiser

Due to my sponsors’ generosity I beat my target and raised £210 before Gift Aid for the Pebbles Project during my “Dry January”. A big thank you to all who sponsored me. At the current exchange rate that’s ZAR3,760, which will go a long way in South Africa. http://www.pebblesproject.co.za/ Alison Leslie 7

Forthcoming Concert at Craigmillar Park

Join Dunedin Wind Band for an for rehearsal days and the fees Easter concert at 7.30pm on Friday provide us with useful extra income. 27 March, at Craigmillar Park Dunedin Wind Band was formed in Church; this will be a joint concert May 2006 by 11 players, with the with Edinburgh Telephone Choir and idea of creating a relaxed, fun, both groups will be performing friendly band for wind players of all selections of songs and music from ages and abilities; it has become a stage and screen. substantial community band of The Dunedin Wind Band has become about 45 players with a repertoire a regular visitor to us in recent that includes jazz, swing, classical years both for occasional concerts and film music. It has a charitable and more often for their rehearsals, commitment to support worthwhile some of which are full day “play- causes, having supported several aways” when the members are local charities with fundraising concerts and also performing every Christmas for the residents of St Columba’s Hospice in Edinburgh. Having won a silver award in 2013, the band members are very proud to announce that Dunedin Wind Band won the gold award in the Community Band Class of the Scottish Concert Band Festival in November last year. As a consequence, the Band will be appearing in the Scottish Concert introduced to the proposed Band Festival finals on 22 March at repertoires at the beginning of each Perth Concert Hall. season. Their relationship with CPC works well as I am both the lettings This Easter Concert in March is in convenor for the Church and a band partnership with Edinburgh member: bookings are easy to Telephone Choir, which was formed arrange, stewards are not needed in Edinburgh in 1947 in the then

Rose Street Telephone Exchange. monies donated by the group. Their new leader, Jerry Gregson, As always, this concert will make for used to play saxophones alongside an enjoyable and entertaining me in Dunedin Wind Band, so we evening out in the friendly and already have a close relationship. familiar surroundings of your own The Choir has become popular church, so please come along and throughout Edinburgh and the lend your support to both groups. surrounding districts, also with Norman Weibye many charities benefiting from Baritone saxophone

Online information is available at: www.dunedinwindband.org/ or www.facebook.com/DunedinWindBand www.edinburghtelephonechoir.co.uk

Edinburgh Churches for Sanctuary

In the worst refugee crisis since Edinburgh to some of these World War II, 9 million Syrians have desperate people might be achieved. fled their homes, with 3.8 million The idea of Craigmillar Park Church escaping to Lebanon, Turkey, joining this network is currently Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt. With no under discussion by the Kirk end in sight to the conflict, hardship Session. and danger for all are increasing day by day in the whole region. If you would like more information about this, please email The UNHCR (United Nations High edinburghchurchesforsanctuary@ya Commissioner for Refugees) has hoo.com, see the Facebook page identified 380,000 of the refugees (Edinburgh Churches for Sanctuary), for whom resettlement is find them on Twitter essential. The UK government has (@ecs_edinburgh), or come to their agreed in principle to accommodate open meeting where members of these refugees but with the onus other churches and others involved being placed on local authorities to in refugee resettlement work will be invite them, only 90 have been speaking. This will be on Thursday settled in the UK so far. 5 March, 7-8.30pm at St Columba’s Edinburgh Churches for Sanctuary is Free Church Hall on the Royal Mile. a network of churches working with And if you are supportive of them, the City of Edinburgh Council to please do write to your local explore how offering safety, shelter, councillor and let them know. and a welcoming community in Ann Thanisch

Prayer Vigil for the Middle East

We, the Patriarchs and Heads of globe on the 24th of every month, Churches in Jerusalem, hear the that will continue until we all can cry of hope that our children celebrate an end to occupation and have launched in these difficult a just and lasting resolution to the times that we still experience in Palestinian-Israeli conflict. We do this Holy Land. We support them this as the Church of Scotland, the and stand by them in their faith, Scottish Episcopal Church, the their hope, their love and their United Reformed Church, Christian vision for the future. We also Aid Scotland, and in partnership support the call to all our faithful with the worldwide ACT Alliance.” as well as to the Israeli and Palestinian Leaders, to the International Community and to the World Churches, in order to accelerate the achievement of justice, peace and reconciliation in this Holy Land. We ask God to bless all our children by giving them more power in order to contribute effectively in establishing and developing their community, while making it a community of love, trust, justice and peace. This was the beginning of what is known as The Kairos Agreement which was sent out in 2009. Since that time many meetings have been The morning included not only held and reports written while prayers and the lighting of a candle Christians around the world have for peace, but also Bible readings been praying. And a further 2,761 (Psalm 122 and James 3; 13-18) Palestinians and 106 Israelis have and a range of stalls with been killed. information and Palestinian products Ann Thanisch and I attended the for sale. There were accounts by Prayer Vigil at Polwarth Church on members of Christian Aid Scotland 24 February. The organisers said, and the World Mission Council of “On this day, we pray with and for their recent visits to the West Bank, our sisters and brothers in Israel which vividly illustrated the and the Occupied Palestinian exhausting reality of day to day life Territory, who have called for an bound by humiliating and endless ecumenical prayer vigil across the restrictions of movement. There

was also general discussion of what women so intimidated by the we might do to provide support in behaviour of the soldiers they did this country. not go out. We met a man whose The programme was led by Val family had farmed the same land for Brown and Kathy Galloway of hundreds of years, who had had a Christian Aid Scotland, and Katie road built through his property and Bradley of the World Mission could no longer support his family, Council, the event consisting of two indeed like many others he was told presentations: one on the overall his land was no longer his, or that experience of living as Palestinians he did not have the right papers to under occupation, and the other on prove ownership. We saw a Medical the effects of the Wall on the lives of Facility which had been closed to (especially young) women. It patients because of the Yom Kippur seemed to me as I listened that the holiday. situation is worse than I thought and The suffering of the Palestinian certainly had not improved since people is the result of political 2009. We heard first-hand accounts decisions of the leaders of Palestine of what it is like to live behind high and Israel and is not necessarily walls where the community have to supported by all the citizens; indeed queue for hours to get out or in they may not know the real through checkpoints manned by situation. We must continue to pray Israeli soldiers. People are queuing for social justice and reconciliation before dawn to get out to go to work as a basis for peace. I know that or take goods to market; the prayer does change things and I process is not only time consuming, remind myself that the Berlin wall it is degrading. We heard of a did come down, apartheid was woman who spent so long trying to abolished in South Africa, and there get through the two checkpoints was a peace agreement in Northern that she missed an appointment at Ireland, so there is always hope. the hospital for an important operation and had to give up and turn back. We heard of young Jean Walker with Ann Thanisch

Craigmillar Park Church Stated Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday 15 March in the church after the service

The Craft Club

The ladies of the Craft Club had a most enjoyable lunch recently at the Balmwell Restaurant, Liberton.

Lunch Club

The Lunch Club continues to thrive with new members enjoying the delicious meals and new helpers preparing them. Flora Paton

Church and Society Council News

Family Bus to encourage prison visiting at Polmont While statistics indicate that maintaining good family bonds reduces the chances of re-offending, visiting a relative in prison can be a harrowing and frightening experience for many children. The provision of this Family Bus draws on the experience and success of the Church of Scotland led multi- agency visitors' centre at HMP Perth.

Pop Up Monastery From 8-21 August 2015 the Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women (www.efecw.net) is running retreats at Kloster Mariensee, a Protestant convent near Hanover, Germany for women from all over Europe seeking time out from their busy lives and the opportunity to meet women from all generations and different cultural backgrounds. There are one or two week programmes of a broad range of activities including pilgrimage, cooking, handicraft, gardening, music, silence and prayer. More information about these and other topics is available on the Church and Society website: www.churchofscotland.org.uk/speak_out

Crossword

with a Holiday Theme

by Roger Paton

Answers on page 16

Across Down 7 Laments shanty being turned into 1 _ _ _ _ of Lorn, sailing off Oban here (4) holiday resort (6,2,5) 2 Book necessary for a foreign holiday (6) 8 No, is a far away dream 3 Should be seen at 8 Across (7) holiday (2,6) 4 Drink out of this at a beer festival? (5) 9 'Tis a sparkling wine! (4) 5 Sank a rare putt in this Middle East 10 Essentials on holiday (7) port (6) 12 Lava unlikely to turn up in this 6 Most places have one to attract Scottish town! (4) tourists (8) 14 I get off trike for a long walk (4) 11 Sari mart outside this Punjabi 16 Sleepless here in U.S. city? (7) Temple (8) 19 Most people want this on 13 Ned started Sevens here (7) holiday (1,3) 15 The "Sunflower State" (6) 20 Ron & I trod around highland walking area (8) 17 I want a holiday here (6) 22 Seems there could be plenty of 18 Remains (5) birds at this holiday area! (6,7) 21 Bill you might see on a twitchers' holiday! (4) 13

Dates For Your Diary March Sun 1 at 10.30am – Holy Communion Sun 1 at 3.15pm – Holy Communion at St Margaret’s Care Home Wed 4 at 7.30pm – NCT Praying Together City of Edinburgh Methodists Thu 5 at 7pm - Edinburgh Churches for Sanctuary open meeting St Columba’s Free Church Hall Fri 6 at 2.30pm – World Day of Prayer service Canongate Kirk Sat 7 at 7pm – Lecture: Scottish Church Music up to the Reformation by Dr Jamie Reid-Baxter Mayfield Salisbury Festival of Sacred Music Sun 8 at 10.30am – Morning Worship Tue 10 at 2.15pm – The Guild Life as a Neonatal Physician with Dr A Lyon Tue 10 at 2.30pm – Choral Afternoon Service Mayfield Salisbury Festival of Sacred Music Wed 11 at 7pm – Kirk Session Local Church Review discussion Sun 15 at 10.30am – Morning Worship with Stated Annual Meeting after Tue 17 at 7pm – Brownie Badge Show in the Church Hall Sun 22 at 10.30am – Morning Worship Tue 24 at 2.15pm – The Guild AGM Fri 27 at 7.30pm - Dunedin Wind Band Easter concert at CPC Sun 29 at 10.30am – Morning Worship for Palm Sunday (Clocks change) Sun 29 at 7pm – Big Idea Service for Palm Sunday FM Auditorium Mon 30–Tue 31 at 7.45am – NCT Holy Week Meditation & Breakfast at CPC Tue 31 at 7.30pm – The Kirk Session meets with the LCR team 2

April Wed 1–Fri 3 at 7.45am – NCT Holy Week Meditation & Breakfast at CPC Wed 1 at 7.30pm – NCT Praying Together City of Edinburgh Methodists Fri 3, 10 to 11.15am – NCT Good Friday Walk of Witness from CPC to Nicolson Sq Fri 3, noon to 3pm – NCT Good Friday Vigil at St Peter’s Fri 3 at 7.30pm – Good Friday Evening Service at CPC Sun 5 at 10.30am – Holy Communion for Easter Sunday Sun 5 at 3.15pm – Holy Communion at St Margaret’s Care Home Thu 9 at 7.30pm – The Congregational Board meets in the Session Rm Sun 12 at 10.30am – Morning Worship Sun 12 at 3pm – The Guild Daffodil Tea in aid of Marie Curie Mon 13-Fri 17, 10am–12.15pm - Holiday Week for the over 55s at CPC

Sun 19 at 10.30am – Morning Worship Tue 21 – NB The Kirk Session will not meet on this day Sun 26 at 10.30am – Morning Worship Sun 26 at 7pm – Closing concert Mayfield Salisbury Festival of Sacred Music

Coming up at Stewart House Men’s Club… March 6th—The Prestonpans Tapestry, Arran Johnson 13th—St Mary’s Music School 20th—Proposed Spring Outing 27th—Adventures of a Part-Time Cruise Doctor, Dr Evan Lloyd

Fridays at 10.15am in the Church Hall. Coffee £1.50. Visitors welcome.

Duties

1st March is Communion 8th & 15th March – Convener: Christopher McLeod (667 1475) Ian Breadon, Renate Butler, David Cargill, Kathleen Cockerell, John Kelly, Sandra Lamb 22nd & 29th March – Convener: Jim McNab (667 3408) Betty Laing, Harry Laing, Julie Read, Katy Ruggeri, Christine Thomson, Miriam Weibye 5th April is Communion (Easter Sunday)

Reader Sound Church Officer Mar 2015 1st Christopher McLeod Christopher McLeod Norman Weibye 8th Miriam Weibye John Kelly Ian Breadon 15th John Kelly David Topping Roger Paton 22nd Gordon Braidwood Danny McQueen Julia Yarker 29th Norman Weibye Norman Weibye Norman Weibye Apr 2015 5th Pauline Weibye Christopher McLeod Norman Weibye

The deadline for items for the next edition of Prism is Sunday 22 March. Please send items to Ruth by email— [email protected] or speak to her on 07754 952 297

Who’s Who at Craigmillar Park Church

14 Hallhead Road, 0131 667 1623 Minister Rev John Urquhart [email protected] 0131 668 3545 Session Clerk Pauline Weibye [email protected] Treasurer & Depute 0131 667 1475 Christopher McLeod Session Clerk [email protected] 0131 664 2877 Roll Keeper Roger Paton [email protected] Chairman 0131 663 2428 John Kelly Congregational Board [email protected]

Caring Service Christine Thomson 0131 667 5145

Organist Edward Cuthbert [email protected]

07754 952 297 Prism Editor Ruth Longmuir [email protected] 0131 668 3545 Hall Letting Norman Weibye [email protected]

Church Website www.craigmillarpark.org [email protected]

CROSSWORD ANSWERS

Clues Across: (7) Lytham St Annes, (8) On safari, (9) Asti, (10) Cameras, (12) Alva, (14) Trek, (16) Seattle, (19) A tan, (20) Torridon, (22) Canary Islands

Clues Down: (1) Lynn, (2) Phrase, (3) Impalas, (4) Stein, (5) Ankara, (6) Festival, (11) Amritsar, (13) Melrose, (15) Kansas, (17) Taiwan, (18) Stays, (21) Oddy

CPC is a registered Scottish charity, Scottish Charity No: SC 017061