Thursday, 1 December 2011
DECEMBER NEWSLETTER
Dear Friends
I have enjoyed greatly my first few weeks with you as your Locum Minister and I do hope that I will be with you for a few months to come, sharing with you our combined relationship with God, through our worship and fellowship.
As I look out of my window this morning and see a beautiful blue sky and sunshine it is hard to believe that this time last year we were about to experience the first snows of winter. Thinking back to the snows and all the disruptions of last December is it too much to hope that better weather is ahead! On the other hand, what we all experienced may be another sign of the changing weather patterns due to global climate change that many parts of the world are also experiencing. The recent floods in Thailand are a stark reminder of how extreme our weather in this God created world can be. Climate change, along with the many rapid economic and social changes affecting many communities on a daily basis, now seems to be the norm of 21st century life. For many in this divided world it may be that they have no other choice but to accept these, at times challenging, changes and adapt their lives to them.
God created a world for all to share and to benefit from: fair shares for all could be one interpretation. However, it seems that today in many walks of life, in many places in the world this is certainly not the case. As Christians we are asked to live out the Gospel and the teachings of Christ and to ensure we love our neighbour in all that we do. So as we approach winter and the festivities of the Advent and Christmas seasons, perhaps we should all try to look at how we live our lives in this rapidly changing world and search out ways in which we can help make our world a fairer place. The coming weeks and months will be a time of change for all of us, a time when there will be many uncertainties. However, I do hope and pray that as we journey together in this ever changing world and as a faith community in Greenside that we do support each other, ask questions if we are not sure what is happening, but most importantly be as one, as a Christian witness to all whom we love and share our lives with.
With my blessing for a joyous Christmas and New Year
Iain
READY STEADY WORSHIP
December is a busy month for our Ready, Steady, Worshippers. We start the month with our usual monthly service on Sunday 4 December at 9.30am. This is then followed by our Christmas party on Saturday 17th December. let Anne Hay, tel. 0131 258 4682, know the names and ages of any children attending by Wednesday 14th December in order to give Santa time to pack his sack.
Finally, join with us as we have our annual Christingle service in the church at 5pm on Christmas Eve. During this short service, we light Christingles to symbolise the coming of Jesus as the light of the world.
Gillian Christie
BIBLE STUDY & PRAYER GROUP
The Bible Study and Prayer Group will meet on Wednesday 7 December, 12.00-1.30 pm, after which there will be a break over the Christmas period. The first meeting in the New Year will be on Wednesday 11 January 2012.
BONES
This article featured in another Edinburgh Church's magazine. I thought it was very appropriate for Greenside at this important stage in our ministry, so please read on:
Every congregation has skeletons in the cupboard.
They consist of Jawbones - people who love to talk about the Church but never lift a finger to do anything to help.
Then there are Knucklebones - people who knock everything they don't like.
There are Wishbones - people who have wonderful dreams but never try to put them into action.
And there are Backbones - people without whose commitment, prayer and work the Church would end up as a mere ghost of what God wants it to be.
Let's not make any bones about it; each of us is one of "them bones". But which one?
We all know which kind of bone the Church needs!
Eileen Luke
GIFT DAY
Our Gift Day has raised the sum of £3,013 to date, of which £2,258 has been 'gift aided', which means we can recover approximately £560 in tax next year.
Although a bit down on last year it is still an excellent result. Thank you all for your generosity and loyal support.
If you have not yet given a donation, there is still time. Just bring it to the church or give it to your Elder.
Thank you all again Bill Begbie (Finance Convener)
LIFE & WORK
Please could I ask those of you wishing to renew your subscriptions to Life & Work for 2012, to let me have £17 before the end of January. The full price is now £1-80 per copy, but by ordering in advance we receive a discount meaning that the price can stay the same as last year----- A bargain!
Some of you have not seen Life & Work in its new format. It is now very well presented. Like many other periodicals and newspapers nowadays its circulation is declining. "What we don't use we lose". That would be a great pity, so why not start to read it in 2012? You might be pleasantly surprised.
Rosemary Schofield
TEARFUND
To keep the members up to date on the progress of our Tearfund after six months from May: the fund is substantially the same as last year at this time, in that we have just over £400 in the bank. The second half of the year is always better, culminating in our Soup and Roll Lunch in April. Tearfund's need for help is always growing. There continue to be natural disasters that are headline news on television and in national papers for several days and then their publicity is overtaken by other events. Meanwhile, the work of Tearfund continues in those affected areas and others of long standing. Tearfund have sent me their annual gift book entitled CREATED where 100s of unique, handcrafted, quality, ethical gifts for purchase are displayed. There are copies on the tables in the church vestibule, and if anyone wishes to buy please see me or send your request to Glasgow or Teddington. There are also a small number of cardboard banks that can be useful for keeping coins together. Meantime, as always - KEEP THE PENNIES ROLLING IN.
John Laing
STOKER ALEX D McGREGOR DUNCAN
An enquiry has been received from a museum in Essex which has a particular interest in the submarine HMS/m Sickle which was lost with all hands in June 1944. One of the crew members was Stoker Duncan, whose name appears on the Greenside War Memorial. The Exhibition Officer is trying to obtain as much information as he can on the crew and, if possible, to build up a photographic record of them. If any member remembers the family and has any data whatsoever regarding them I would be very grateful if this could passed on to me.
Alan Cowe
I have enjoyed greatly my first few weeks with you as your Locum Minister and I do hope that I will be with you for a few months to come, sharing with you our combined relationship with God, through our worship and fellowship.
As I look out of my window this morning and see a beautiful blue sky and sunshine it is hard to believe that this time last year we were about to experience the first snows of winter. Thinking back to the snows and all the disruptions of last December is it too much to hope that better weather is ahead! On the other hand, what we all experienced may be another sign of the changing weather patterns due to global climate change that many parts of the world are also experiencing. The recent floods in Thailand are a stark reminder of how extreme our weather in this God created world can be. Climate change, along with the many rapid economic and social changes affecting many communities on a daily basis, now seems to be the norm of 21st century life. For many in this divided world it may be that they have no other choice but to accept these, at times challenging, changes and adapt their lives to them.
God created a world for all to share and to benefit from: fair shares for all could be one interpretation. However, it seems that today in many walks of life, in many places in the world this is certainly not the case. As Christians we are asked to live out the Gospel and the teachings of Christ and to ensure we love our neighbour in all that we do. So as we approach winter and the festivities of the Advent and Christmas seasons, perhaps we should all try to look at how we live our lives in this rapidly changing world and search out ways in which we can help make our world a fairer place. The coming weeks and months will be a time of change for all of us, a time when there will be many uncertainties. However, I do hope and pray that as we journey together in this ever changing world and as a faith community in Greenside that we do support each other, ask questions if we are not sure what is happening, but most importantly be as one, as a Christian witness to all whom we love and share our lives with.
With my blessing for a joyous Christmas and New Year
Iain
READY STEADY WORSHIP
December is a busy month for our Ready, Steady, Worshippers. We start the month with our usual monthly service on Sunday 4 December at 9.30am. This is then followed by our Christmas party on Saturday 17th December. let Anne Hay, tel. 0131 258 4682, know the names and ages of any children attending by Wednesday 14th December in order to give Santa time to pack his sack.
Finally, join with us as we have our annual Christingle service in the church at 5pm on Christmas Eve. During this short service, we light Christingles to symbolise the coming of Jesus as the light of the world.
Gillian Christie
BIBLE STUDY & PRAYER GROUP
The Bible Study and Prayer Group will meet on Wednesday 7 December, 12.00-1.30 pm, after which there will be a break over the Christmas period. The first meeting in the New Year will be on Wednesday 11 January 2012.
BONES
This article featured in another Edinburgh Church's magazine. I thought it was very appropriate for Greenside at this important stage in our ministry, so please read on:
Every congregation has skeletons in the cupboard.
They consist of Jawbones - people who love to talk about the Church but never lift a finger to do anything to help.
Then there are Knucklebones - people who knock everything they don't like.
There are Wishbones - people who have wonderful dreams but never try to put them into action.
And there are Backbones - people without whose commitment, prayer and work the Church would end up as a mere ghost of what God wants it to be.
Let's not make any bones about it; each of us is one of "them bones". But which one?
We all know which kind of bone the Church needs!
Eileen Luke
GIFT DAY
Our Gift Day has raised the sum of £3,013 to date, of which £2,258 has been 'gift aided', which means we can recover approximately £560 in tax next year.
Although a bit down on last year it is still an excellent result. Thank you all for your generosity and loyal support.
If you have not yet given a donation, there is still time. Just bring it to the church or give it to your Elder.
Thank you all again Bill Begbie (Finance Convener)
LIFE & WORK
Please could I ask those of you wishing to renew your subscriptions to Life & Work for 2012, to let me have £17 before the end of January. The full price is now £1-80 per copy, but by ordering in advance we receive a discount meaning that the price can stay the same as last year----- A bargain!
Some of you have not seen Life & Work in its new format. It is now very well presented. Like many other periodicals and newspapers nowadays its circulation is declining. "What we don't use we lose". That would be a great pity, so why not start to read it in 2012? You might be pleasantly surprised.
Rosemary Schofield
TEARFUND
To keep the members up to date on the progress of our Tearfund after six months from May: the fund is substantially the same as last year at this time, in that we have just over £400 in the bank. The second half of the year is always better, culminating in our Soup and Roll Lunch in April. Tearfund's need for help is always growing. There continue to be natural disasters that are headline news on television and in national papers for several days and then their publicity is overtaken by other events. Meanwhile, the work of Tearfund continues in those affected areas and others of long standing. Tearfund have sent me their annual gift book entitled CREATED where 100s of unique, handcrafted, quality, ethical gifts for purchase are displayed. There are copies on the tables in the church vestibule, and if anyone wishes to buy please see me or send your request to Glasgow or Teddington. There are also a small number of cardboard banks that can be useful for keeping coins together. Meantime, as always - KEEP THE PENNIES ROLLING IN.
John Laing
STOKER ALEX D McGREGOR DUNCAN
An enquiry has been received from a museum in Essex which has a particular interest in the submarine HMS/m Sickle which was lost with all hands in June 1944. One of the crew members was Stoker Duncan, whose name appears on the Greenside War Memorial. The Exhibition Officer is trying to obtain as much information as he can on the crew and, if possible, to build up a photographic record of them. If any member remembers the family and has any data whatsoever regarding them I would be very grateful if this could passed on to me.
Alan Cowe
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