Letter from the Interim Moderator Dr Hazel Hastie
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No 471 March 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 Lent repetition but never mere repetition – rather they will be a creative and In March the days lengthen and so, more disciplined doing of what lies as the word indicates, Lent begins. at the core of Christian discipleship. Lent is an old English word meaning spring. Each time it comes around Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the courageous we are given a chance to know more Lutheran pastor writing from his of God and give to him more of prison cell in 1944, said of our ourselves and our love. That is the various Christian observances: positive and liberating purpose of In our traditional rites and keeping Lent. This time of year is ceremonies, we are groping after always forward looking, an invitation something new and revolutionary to adventure to go beyond where we without being able to understand are. Some things during Lent will be it or utter it yet. That is our own 1 fault. During these years the everybody. His question will be Church has fought for self- that of Jesus to Simon Peter on preservation as though it were an the day of his resurrection, end in itself, and has thereby lost whether or not we have loved its chance to speak a word of Christ and fed his flock.” reconciliation to mankind and the Looking back, every Lent will have world at large. So, our traditional been less successful than we would language must perforce become have liked. In the famous phrase, powerless and remain silent, and yes, we will have missed the mark. our Christianity today will be But we face the confined to truth to set us praying for free. Truth is and doing never right by our discouraging fellow precisely human because it beings. opens up the Christian chance to start thinking and again. Here is speaking and the way to find organisation hope and must be rebuild our reborn out of intentions. Jesus’ words spur us on: this praying and action. 'anyone who wishes to be a follower Those words remain thought of mine must leave self behind; he provoking. They push the must take up his cross, and come boundaries and clarify much of what with me.' (Mark: 8:34) the churches have been struggling All we shall be doing in our with in our lifetime. congregations between now and Another courageous Christian of our Easter should help us to attend more own time, who wrote from her closely to the call of Jesus and convent cell, discovered much the respond better to him. Daily prayer; same sense of forward direction in definite, directed study; her Christian Life. Mother Mary Clare conversations and encouragement said: from our companions who share God’s call is to radical service. At with us the bread of life; all provide the moment when we finally see vision, strength and determination. him face to face, Christ will not Through Lent we travel together not ask us whether or not we have alone. supported the established order of things, worn ourselves out with Best wishes activities, kept the hierarchical Hazel structures intact, pleased 2 Sole Nominee The Rev Alex McAspurren has been Mr McAspurren was ordained in invited to preach as Sole Nominee 2002 and has served in parishes in for the ministry at Craigmillar Park Edinburgh, Stevenston and Corby; linked with Reid Memorial. He will he has been minister at Leith North be preaching in both congregations since 2011. He also has a good deal on Sunday 17 March 2019. He will of other relevant experience be with us in Craigmillar Park at including time spent working with 9.45am and then at Reid Memorial Bethany Christian Trust – he has a at 11.15am. After Mr McAspurren qualification in substance misuse has preached, members of the management and a long-standing congregation whose names are on interest in homelessness and the Electoral Register will be invited addiction issues. He has been to vote in a secret ballot to say involved with Street Pastors and whether they wish to call him as our with local foodbanks, is a member of new minister. The votes of both the Church of Scotland’s Society, congregations will be mixed, then Religion and Technology Project, is a counted, and we expect the result to recognised mentor for people be declared on Sunday 24 March at exploring their call to ministry and is the morning service. If you are not an occasional radio and television sure whether you are eligible to broadcaster on faith issues. vote, please speak to the Session Please, do come along to the service Clerk as soon as possible and in any on 17 March and have your say on case before 5 March when the Kirk our new minister. It is always better Session will finalise the Register. for a minister to have the pews full The Nominating Committee is on such an occasion and we’d love a confident that Mr McAspurren has big turnout for the event. the experience and skills that the congregations were seeking and Pauline Weibye reached their decision unanimously. Session Clerk Thank you During the past few weeks when I Guild members to collect me and have been recuperating from hip take me to the Guild. It is good to replacement surgery, I have be part of a caring fellowship appreciated the cards, telephone showing Christian love. calls, visits, delivery of flowers, gifts Thank you and God bless. of homemade soup, and offers from Christine Sloan 3 Mission Development Worker You may remember that I wrote in do not yet know how many the December Prism about our plans applications have been received or to go ahead with the recruitment of exactly what the timetable for a Mission Development Worker, to interview and appointment will be, be shared across Priestfield, Reid but we are hoping that all goes Memorial and Craigmillar Park smoothly and that an appointment congregations. I’m delighted to tell can be made around Easter. We’ll you that the post has now been keep you informed. advertised with a closing date of 28 February. At the time of writing, we Pauline Weibye Who is cleaning the church? In 2014 the cleaning of the church premises was given over to a group of eight volunteers with an ongoing saving of £4,000 per annum. Since then Norman has continued to work hard to increase the letting income from hiring of the premises to outside groups. This brings us in welcome funds but also means that I have to try to recruit more volunteers to bolster our numbers. I will take this opportunity to give Volunteers meet at the church once sincere thanks to these generally a fortnight and spend about an hour unseen volunteers. cleaning “their” section. In addition Could you spare an hour once a there is now a need to carry out a fortnight or a shorter time for an short interim clean between some interim clean to help? lettings. If so I should be grateful if you Volunteers are rewarded by seeing would speak to me and I will explain the results of their efforts and taking what is involved without obligation pride in leaving their section clean or pressure. and tidy. Lorne MacDougall 4 Praying together Now that we, both Reid these get-togethers but Memorial and ourselves, most especially so when we have a Sole Nominee to are looking to enhance good become our minister this relationships between Reid surely is an auspicious time Memorial and ourselves and to be praying together. to engage with folk in the There’s so much to give community. thanks for, to pray about; There’s a Praise and Prayer and we hope soon to have evening beginning at 7.30pm chosen our new Mission on Thursday 14 March when Development Worker who we look forward to seeing will be working with our two members there from all three congregations and that of Priestfield. congregations. This is just three Every two weeks, on a Thursday days before Mr McAspurren conducts evening, Priestfield congregation worship with Reid Memorial and gathers for Praise and Prayer. ourselves as Sole Nominee. Anyone is always welcome to join David Cargill, Linkage Group Stated annual meeting Congregations of the Church of This year, the meeting will be held Scotland are required to hold a at the close of morning worship on formal meeting of the congregation Sunday 31 March. Please note this once a year, so that the Annual is a change of date; the meeting will Report and Accounts can be not now be held on 17 March which explained by the Kirk Session and is instead the day that we will hear Congregational Board (who our Sole Nominee preach. Ideally, collectively comprise the Trustees of we’d like you at both services! the congregation). It is also the Copies of the Accounts should time of year when elected members shortly be available at the back of of the Board who have completed the church together with copies of their term of office stand down and the minutes of last year’s meeting. we seek the election of new We’re not quite sure yet whether members. We always take the there will be any vacancies on the opportunity too to present a report Board but we will give you plenty of from the Session Clerk and usually warning if there is to be an election.