No 443 December 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 printed calendars, it is to be found Since the early 19th century, people online at churchofscotland.advent- have been using Advent calendars calendar.net and via a link on our to count off the days till Christmas, own website. The first window has possibly to answer the children’s opened to reveal a special, 60- perennial question: Are we there second, video message from the yet? It started with Lutherans in Moderator of the General Assembly, Germany making a chalk tally of the the Right Rev Dr Angus Morrison. He days and developed in various takes his inspiration from Isaiah handcrafted forms throughout the 60:1: ‘Arise, shine, your light has 19th century. It only started to come.’ (You can also get each day’s make an impact throughout reflection straight to your email Christendom with the first inbox if you sign up.) commercially printed calendar in the For those of you left behind by the 1900s. In early days, the windows digital revolution, either advisedly or or doors might reveal biblical texts, inadvertently, let me suggest a but nowadays chocolate Christmas book. Walking Backwards to shapes seem to be the preferred Christmas (SPCK, 2014) is by surprises in what has become an Stephen Cottrell, the Anglican increasingly secular custom. And, Bishop of Chelmsford. It consists of again, as the primary consumers eleven imaginative, dramatic (literally) are children it’s not hard to monologues by ten characters from see the appeal. the biblical story and one traditional The Church of Scotland this year character from nativity plays. Each has produced its own Advent imaginative reflection begins with a calendar, with a more adult scripture reading. First, we see audience in mind. A century on from through the eyes of Anna, the 1 prophetess; then Rachel, who weeps in 1988 by the members of Churches for her children; King Herod; Together in Britain and Ireland to Casper, one of the magi; David, a serve all the churches and some shepherd; Martha, the (fictional) Christian organisations. The site also innkeeper’s wife; Joseph; Elizabeth; links to trypraying.org and Mary; Isaiah and, finally, Moses. findachurch.co.uk. Do take a chance (This is why it is ‘walking to explore the website, if you can. backwards’.) It will help you come Reflect on these things. You can’t with fresh eyes to our nativity talk convincingly about the exhibition (on 19 and 20 Dec) and to Christmas story to others unless you take space to think about these re-read and experience it things more imaginatively for yourself. You can’t deeply. re-echo the song of Mary or the Christmas song of the angels without knowing starts with something of the joy of God's Christ is salvation. Pray that God will shed his written in light on your thoughts. You may ‘large, friendly letters’ on the front of think I am adding a chore to an our parish Christmas card this year. already lengthy Christmas to-do list; It promotes christmasstarts.com: a but these things are core parts of website, with a Christmas-themed the celebration of Christmas, and if video, which links in turn to the site you miss them, you miss the heart of the Christian Enquiry Agency: of the season. christianity.org.uk. This site is dedicated to answering questions May you be blessed this Christmas. that people might have about Christian faith. The CEA was started John Life and Work Life and Work is the Church of Scotland’s editorially independent magazine. A subscription for 2016 is just £21.36. Speak to Christopher McLeod for information. Articles in the January issue include: Scots Kirk ‘Stunned’ by Paris Atrocities How the Church of Scotland in Paris & Edinburgh reacted to the terror attacks. Fifty Years of Women Elders The Very Rev Dr Finlay Macdonald looks back on the lengthy debate that eventually led, fifty years ago, to the decision to ordain women as Elders. Without a Script The Rev Ewen Gilchrist describes how a chaplaincy team responded to a tragedy in an Aberdeen school. 2 Correction An article in the September edition of Prism, entitled “85th Braid Scout Group,” stated that “Scouting will be returning to Craigmillar Park Church”. We have been asked to point out that the congregation has had a long association of 94 years with another Scout group, the 75th Braid Scout Group. Editor Lunch Club The Lunch Club numbers are picking up again which is most encouraging. We are pleased to have Grace back again and also her sister Gwen. The Christmas Lunch with the Guild is on Tuesday 15 December at 12.30. All will be most welcome. Flora Paton Fresh Start Coffee Morning The coffee generously. £275 morning was was raised. enjoyed by all. A A big thank you to great many very Dr Smith for her useful household items were most interesting quiz. This was won donated. The Fresh Start organisers by Mrs Anne Stewart (answers asked to pass on their sincere below). thanks to all who gave so Flora Paton Answers to Quiz: 1. Cup 2. Red duster 3. Spade 4. Grater 5. Trowel 6. Spoon 7. Bole 8. Brush 9. Beetle 10. Paint 11. Chair 12. Pan 13. Bouquet 14. Table 15. Kettle 16. Fork 17. Scissors 18. Hoover 19. Shovel 20. Dresser 21. Hob 22. Trait Tray 23. Bedding 24. Hammer 25. Wooden spoon 3 Mary’s Meals - Knitting Blankets Most of us are familiar with the great charity Mary’s Meals which raises funds to ensure that children in the poorer areas of Africa are given a meal at school each day. This improves their ability to concentrate, as well as their general health, and increases the numbers attending school. It was only recently that I learnt that they also provide blankets in these countries. Morag Insley has been organising the knitting and sewing together of squares for these blankets in the retirement complex where she lives. Since it is proving difficult for this group to continue with this, a few of us in Craigmillar Park Church are now taking it on, either in our own time, or at the craft group on Monday afternoons. We are collecting squares in the cupboard in the session room, which also contains a lot of wool & needles that can be used. So far Renate has beautifully crocheted together 60 squares to make our first blanket. So, if you would like to do a bit of knitting to contribute to this, at any time (the Mary’s Meals rep will collect the blankets periodically), please do! The pattern is straightforward, so if you have never knitted before, it is a good first project, and for others, a square can easily be produced during a couple of favourite TV programmes. Make 1, 2, 100 squares...however many you like. Here is the pattern: (INC1 means knit into front and back of same stitch: DEC1 means knit 2 together.) Cast on 1 stitch. Row 1: INC1 Row 2: K1, INC1 Row 3: K1, INC1; K to end of row Continue thus until you have 40 stitches Next row: K1, DEC1, K to end of row Continue until you have 1 stitch. Fasten off. 4 Materials to use: Needles: 4mm (or size 8 pre-decimalisation) Wool: we are knitting 2 types of blankets a thinner blanket using double knitting wool only a thicker blanket using 1 strand of double knitting and 1 strand of 4-ply. This makes something a bit more like a mat that is apparently useful for sleeping on. So please make either type. Any colour, stripes that you like! Ann Thanisch The lunch in aid of Guild Projects after church on Sunday 22 November raised £279.70. It was a delicious meal— thanks to all who prepared the food and attended. 5 Nativity Exhibition As has become customary, a large collection of nativity sets will be on display in the Church over the Christmas period. They are likely to be in place in mid-December but the exhibition will be open to the public on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 December, from 2-4pm each day. Mulled wine and mince pies will be served and everyone will be made most welcome. There will be an activities table for children. The accounts of Christ’s birth in Luke and Matthew are familiar to all of us, and they provide the basic iconography. Even youngsters who Nativity set from Peru do not go to church or Sunday school would be able to tell you what in heaven and the angels hovering needs to be a in nativity scene – over the Child are a constant Mary and Joseph (Mary in a blue reminder that the world is one with robe, of course), the baby, a stable, God, and the Child himself one of a manger, animals, shepherds, the Trinity. angels and kings or wise men with Nativity scenes were probably first gifts. Of course, all of these used to tell the story of Christ’s birth elements mean more to Christians to an uneducated audience, unable than they may to others. Christ is to read the Bible story for central, of course, themselves. I’m not but in his company sure whether nativity there is the whole scenes came before world: his mother nativity plays but and first disciple, certainly there have Mary, the faithful been plays, usually but sometimes within Christian struggling Joseph, worship, since the ox and ass as medieval mystery representatives of plays such as those the animal kingdom, from York.