2
Magnificat
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my saviour,
for you, Lord, have looked with favour on your lowly
servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
You, the almighty, have done great things for me,
and holy is your name.
You have shown strength with your arm
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
casting down the mighty from their thrones
and lifting up the lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
You have come to the aid of your servant Israel,
to remember the promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our forebears,
to Abraham and to his children for ever.
(from Luke 1)
Magnificat
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my saviour,
for you, Lord, have looked with favour on your lowly
servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
You, the almighty, have done great things for me,
and holy is your name.
You have shown strength with your arm
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
casting down the mighty from their thrones
and lifting up the lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
You have come to the aid of your servant Israel,
to remember the promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our forebears,
to Abraham and to his children for ever.
(from Luke 1)
3
The key event this month in the life of the Cathedral and the
Diocese is the ordination of John our bishop-elect as the next
Bishop of Edinburgh. Please remember him and his wife and family
as he embarks on this new ministry.
Other News:
* The new glass doors at the west end of the Cathedral are almost
finished and universally admired. Over the coming months we will
determine what needs to be done to enhance further the area at
the west end of the Cathedral in terms of welcome to our visitors,
keeping the area clutter free whilst providing storage for all our
bits and pieces.
* This month we say farewell to two faithful servants of the
Cathedral:
Wilma MacRae has probably arranged for more cups of coffee and
glasses of wine and fruit juice to be poured out in the Cathedral
that most of us would consume in a life time! The various coffee
teams (in either the Walpole Hall or the Resurrection Chapel) are
a key part of the Cathedral’s ministry of welcome, and Wilma has
been the ever-willing cornerstone of that ministry. Wilma heads
back north shortly, and in bidding her a fond farewell we wish her
every happiness in Nairn.
Many people have commented on the new planting in the Garden
of Remembrance and to the west of the Chapter House. Harry
Brown has been the source of horticultural advice and supervisory
activity for this. He too and his wife leave Edinburgh this month:
Harry leaves a legacy of beauty for us all.
4
* Master of the Music Duncan Ferguson will be married to Marie in
the Cathedral on Saturday 19 May at 2.30pm. As a sign of our
affection for Duncan and his bride the Cathedral is hosting a
reception in the Resurrection Chapel after the wedding so that we
can all toast the health and happiness of the bride and groom. Do
join us for this happy occasion.
* The Lady Chapel has been slightly re-ordered so that an oil
painting of Our Lady can be hung in it. Donated to the Cathedral
by Lady Clyde, it is most fitting to have such a painting in a
Cathedral itself dedicated to Mary.
* The Cathedral Organists’ Association is coming to Edinburgh this
month, and it will be lovely to welcome back to St Mary’s Tim
Byram-Wigfield (St George’s Windsor) and Matthew Owens (Wells Cathedral). Festal Evensong for the Conference is on
Tuesday 8 May at our usual time of 5.30pm and includes the first
performance of Sally Beamish’s Gaudent in Coelis.
* The Scottish Prayer Book Society will be meeting in Edinburgh on
Ascension Day (17th May) to celebrate the 350th anniversary of
the Prayer Book. There will be a talk by Revd. Professor Stuart Hall
on the history of the Prayer Book, at 4pm in the Song School. For
more information contact the Cathedral Office.
* Many of us knew Lisbet Rutter who died on Holy Saturday. ‘A
journey to faith’, written by her family, is reprinted in this month’s
magazine, not only in tribute to her but also to share more widely
her amazing life story.
5
Please reply
The Treasurer is waiting to hear from you!
6
Crossword set by Elaine McCulloch Smith
Solution in the June Magazine
Clues
Scripture clues are always to be found in the Authorised Version Across 3 out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our ............ (5)
Luke 24 8 Christian liturgical hymn, forming part of Mass (6)
9 Toothed implement drawn over ploughed land to prepare for sowing seeds (6) 10 An upper cavity of the heart from which blood is passed to the ventricles (6)
11 Wind flowers (8) 12 Part of a circle (3) 13 A high-pitched piercing cry (6)
14 It is made up of wild shrubs and typically borders fields or roads (8) 17 Visually descriptive language, especially in literary work (7)
19 Set on fire (7) 23 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with ...... (5,3) Luke 24
27 to my Father; but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ....... (6) John 20 29 Concealed or obscured (3)
30 Shower (8) 31 This number & nine sheep are left in wilderness until the lost one is found (6)
32 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the ......... (6) John 16 33 O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have .......(6)
Luke 24 34 Particular patterns of stripes in a tartan or badgers’ burrows (5)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9
10 11
12
13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21
22
23 24 25 26 27 28
29
30 31
32 33
34
7
Down
1 A brood of chicks (6) 2 And were continually in the temple, ......... (8) Luke 24
3 He helps to cut and toss the grass in the fields when the sun shines (8) 4 Member of ambassador’s staff (7)
5 Strand of cotton or silk eg (6) 6 Furrow or slot (6)
7 A Spanish dance in simple triple time (6) 13 Style of dance or jazz music, or manner in which a golf club is used (5)
15 A form of the card game rummy (3) 16 The disciples did this when they approached the shore with 153 fish in their
net (5) 18 Dine (3)
20 therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of ......... (8) Heb. 1
21 As a group (esp. naval or military) (2,6) 22 From memory (2,5) 24 Say or ask more than once eg Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? (6)
25 Correctly or properly (6) 26 They are found in packs of cards (6)
28 A culinary spice (6)
Solution to April Crossword
T R E E O F L I F E P A L M
H N W A U F R O
E S S E N T I A L R E I G N
M U B R F E M T
B E H O L D I N S P A T E
B D L C T V
A S P H Y X I A L O C H R E
R H M E E R
G L Y P H B O D Y G U A R D
A S O A R I
I N I T I A L E N A C T S
N Q S A A N O I
F R U I T N A R C I S S U S
O E S C T T C L
R I S E G E T H S E M A N E
8
Mystery in the Cathedral
Reflections from a member of the audience – Mark Harris
On the evening of Sunday 1st April (Palm Sunday), a group of
sixteen actors dressed entirely
in black and white revived an
ancient tradition of performing
a mystery play, focussing on the
Passion, Resurrection and
Ascension of Christ. The play
was adapted from a cycle of
plays from Chester, dating back
to at least the 15th century, part
of a much wider tradition from
the Middle Ages of yearly re-
enactments of biblical stories
ranging from the creation to the
last judgement.
Some of these plays were very long and could run for a whole day or
even longer. This version (abridged and modernised a little) lasted for
about an hour and a half, and was staged at the High Altar of the
Cathedral, as a “dramatised reading”. Actors referred openly to copies
of the script as they went about and delivered their lines, but it soon
seemed quite natural, and one quickly forgot the scripts were there.
I was always taught at school that audiences from Shakespearean (and
earlier) times weren’t afraid to shout comments, to hurl insults (and
harder objects) and generally to make their feelings felt in the theatre.
I had a very small taste of that experience. I took my two oldest sons
along – Ben (aged 10) and Isaac (aged 9) – who had been to the
theatre on quite a few occasions, but never to see a play like this.
Intensely interested in trying to decipher the (approximately Shakespearian style of the) lines (which, they said, sounded like English
but not quite), Ben and Isaac kept asking me every minute or so what
9
was going on, until after a while they lapsed into a concentrated silence
when they realised that they basically knew the story. However, 40
minutes was about as much as they could take before intense fidgeting
and regular questions of “Is it nearly finished?” (answer by me – “He
hasn’t been arrested yet, what do you think?”) prompted an exit back
home. I returned, but had missed about 10 minutes. Luckily, I knew the
story, although I found that I slightly missed Ben and Isaac’s whispered
commentary.
Seeing the play was a very enjoyable and moving experience, and I
began to appreciate something of this great pre-Reformation tradition,
ably revived, produced, directed (and acted) by Mike Appleby.
Reflections from a member of the cast – Yvonne Mills
I have seen the Passion Play at Oberammergau three times, in 1970,
1990 and when I led a group there from the Cathedral in 2000, so that
particular part of the Christian story has always held a fascination for
me. When I read in Magnificat that it was planned to perform a
rehearsed reading of the Passion story on Palm Sunday and volunteers
were sought to read parts, I was keen to participate and so contacted
Mike Appleby and was invited to join a planning meeting at his home
where approximately fourteen people were present. A number were
Cathedral members and there were several players from the Makars
drama group. It was clear that readers would have to take
responsibility for several parts as there were over thirty people in the
planned performance – The Passion adapted from the 15th century
Chester Cycle of Mystery Plays by Edward Burns with the script in a
poetic style.
Scripts were supplied and parts allocated and we read through the
play. For three consecutive Sunday evenings after that we rehearsed
in the Cathedral and had one final ‘dress’ rehearsal on the Thursday
before the performance. It was decided to perform the play in the
sanctuary with the audience sitting close to the players.
10
Assistant Organist Nick Wearne has been busy.......
We in the Cathedral enjoy Nick’s playing every week. It would seem
others are discovering what we already know! Nick won the Poul
Ruders Prize at the Odense International Organ Competition last year
and part of the prize was to record Ruders' Trio Transcendentale for the
American label Bridge. This CD has had outstanding reviews across the
board, including in the Sunday Times. It received an International Record
Review Outstanding recommendation and was Gramophone Editor's
Choice. Nick has been selected to compete at the Chartres
International Organ Competition this year
He has given recent Cathedral recitals in Bourges, Durham, Berlin and
Canterbury. Later this year he is to give a concert on the famous organ
of Merseburg Cathedral, and also at the Frauenkirche Dresden and the
Nikolaikirche, Leipzig.
I have never been keen on ‘acting’ so it was quite a surprise when I
realised we would be performing our parts with the scripts in our
hands. However, from the first rehearsal in the Cathedral it became
clear that this was going to be a very moving experience for all of us
involved and personally I had difficulty at one stage in reading my
words as they evoked quite strong emotions within me. Although
several of us took more than one part it was not difficult to change
moods depending on the part of the story we were performing. As
doubting Thomas I felt particularly moved towards the end of the
play when invited by Jesus to put my hands into his wounds and
declare “My Lord, My God, My Christ, My King – now I believe
without doubting.” Probably all of us would have felt the same
emotion at this point in the story.
I considered it a privilege to take part in this expression of our faith, and thank Mike for all he did to direct us in what I believe was a
successful, though not faultless, production of the Passion story.
11
The Cathedral Walkers
DO YOU LIKE TO WALK? DO YOU LIKE TO TALK?
Why not join the Cathedral Walkers where we do both!
The “Walk and Talk” group meets once a month usually on the first
Thursday of the month.
On Thursday 12th April 2012 nine of us walked from Duddingston
to Fisherrow a distance of about 5 miles. We walked along the old
railway track past Niddrie Mains and The Jewel and then along by
the side of the Brunstane Burn. We then did a circuit of the
grounds of Newhailes before re-joining the Brunstane Burn to go
down to the water front and along to Fisherrow harbour.
The next walk is on Thursday 3rd May.
Starting from Rosewell we will walk to Dalkeith – a distance of
about 5 miles. We will follow the old railway line – a part of which
will become the new Borders Railway Line, so walk it while you
can! The pathway is level, of a good width and is ideal for a gentle
stroll with an opportunity to chat along the way. We will be using
public transport in each direction – so don’t worry if you do not
have access to a car.
As usual I will be sending details to
everyone on my email list but
newcomers always are welcome –
please let me know if you would like to
join us. If you are interested in taking
part in the Diocesan Borders
Pilgrimage on Saturday 5th May please
see the information on the next page.
John Spencer
12
Evening Walk on 10th May
The next ‘Saturday Walk’ is on a Thursday evening! It will be on
Thursday 10 May at Corstorphine Hill, meeting at 7 pm nearby - the
exact place will be confirmed later. It is hoped that this may be the
first of several walks, exploring all the seven hills of Edinburgh.
Further details will be sent to all those on the Thursday walkers’
email list. If you would like more information, but are not already on
the email list, please contact the Cathedral office.
Diocesan Pilgrimage from Melrose Abbey
Saturday 5th May 2012
This will be the third Diocesan Borders Pilgrimage, and it will be led
by Revd Maurice Houston, Rector of Holy Trinity, Melrose. It will
begin with coffee at 10.00 at the Corn Exchange in the centre of Melrose and will then continue with Opening Prayers at Melrose
Abbey at 10.30am.
There are options for two
walks. Both are along a
muddy footpath at the
beginning. The shorter walk
is about 5 miles, mainly on
the flat, going through
Newstead, passing the
Thomas the Rhymer Stone
and then back to Melrose.
The other option is a slightly
steeper walk of 6-7 miles, that heads up the hill at the Rhymer
Stone, following the curve of the lower Eildon Hills, then back to
Melrose. Both walks will have a break for a picnic at the Thomas the
Rhymer Stone, and will finish with closing prayers at Melrose Abbey
at 2.30pm. You will need stout footwear, warm clothes, waterproofs
and a picnic for both walks. Maps will be available at the start.
If you would like to take part please let the Diocesan Office know -
0131 538 7033.
13
CHRISTIAN AID WEEK
The power of standing together
This article is from the resources on the Christian Aid Week website
Christian Aid Week tells the story of a community in Sierra Leone that has
seen remarkable change. Tenneh Keimbay’s life turned around when the
Methodist Church of Sierra Leone (MCSL) started to work in her town,
distributing tools and teaching farmers simple food production techniques. She
talks enthusiastically about the difference this has made: “Now the children eat
two meals all year round, whereas before it was one. They are growing well;
they don’t cry around me because of hunger. They are happy to go to school
because something is in their stomach.”
The benefits of regular food speak for themselves. But the effects of the food
production group have been more wide-ranging than this. Tenneh speaks of
the huge difference working in a group has made to her. Acting together, the
farmers can share their skills and work more efficiently. As she tells us, the
bottom line is that “the group work provides more food”.
Tenneh speaks of the support and the encouragement that the farmers give to
each other, and how much can be achieved when the community comes
together. “What inspires me in life is unity,” she says. “To me, unity means
coming together to decide on one thing and take that forward.” Now that they
are no longer limited by hunger, the people of Gbap (pronounced Bap) have
come together and successfully lobbied for a new school and an agricultural
work centre for the community. The people of Gbap have taken their future
into their own hands.
During Christian Aid Week, 15,000 churches across Britain and Ireland will
organise house-to-house collections and events to raise funds to enable
organisations like MCSL to carry out their work transforming communities
such as Gbap. Christian Aid currently works with 507 partners in 47 countries
in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin
America and the Caribbean, helping
people to make change happen. Our
donations will be multiplied many times
over as many small actions come
together to make a huge change. But
the giving that takes place during
Christian Aid Week is not one way.
14
Unity is something that our churches are not always good at, and the value of
community that has inspired Tenneh is something that we can learn from and
be changed by. Christian Aid Week is about raising funds. But it is also a call
to unity – an invitation for churches to come together and celebrate the
possibility of hope and life in parts of the world where mere survival can be a
struggle. This is a challenge, because division and inequality and injustice will
always be easier than unity. But Tenneh’s insistence that remarkable things
can happen when we come together is not new. We see it in the actions and
ministry of Jesus, who pushed against all that leads to violence and separation
and called his disciples to model a new way of community.
Can we use this Christian Aid Week to allow ourselves to be changed? If we
can work together, with each other, with our churches and with our
neighbours both at home and as far away as Gbap, then we may start to see
huge change happen. Tenneh says that “when you are a group and work with
focus and total commitment, you work at a faster rate; the stronger ones can
help with work that weaker ones cannot do by themselves”. As we engage in
Christian Aid Week, we can rejoice as we stand together in solidarity.
Although we might ask who is the strong and who is the weak – and who is
actually giving to whom.
Be a part of Christian Aid Week this year: if, together, we take
small actions we can give people like Tenneh the tools to make big
change happen. £6.50 could buy a set of four hand tools for a farmer living
in the town of Gbap. £50 could pay for advocacy training for two young
people in a Kenyan slum, equipping them with the tools they need to put
pressure on their government to provide essential services. £123 could buy a
reclaimed aluminium greenhouse for women working on market gardening
projects in Tajikistan, providing a vital tool for growing vegetables in a harsh
climate experiencing extremes of hot and cold.
The first £5 million donated to Christian Aid Week will be
matched by the Government pound for pound, so that we can
help even more people in communities like Gbap to work their
way out of poverty.
Val Brown from Christian Aid Scotland will be giving a talk at the 10.30 Eucharist on Sunday 13th May. There will be a
collection for Christian Aid at the Service, and Christian Aid envelopes will be on the seats.
15
Faith in Older People
Malcolm Goldsmith Lecture
The Annual Malcolm Goldsmith Lecture
will be on Tuesday, 29th May 2012 at 5pm
Lecture Room 1, New College, University of Edinburgh,
The Mound, Edinburgh
(Faith in Older People in collaboration with
the Centre for Theology and Public Issues)
FINDING MEANING IN THE EXPERIENCE OF DEMENTIA
Professor Elizabeth MacKinlay, Charles Sturt University,
Queensland, Australia
This event is free but you must reserve a seat which can be done via
www.faithinolderpeople.org.uk (under Activities - Events).
16
From the Registers
Weddings
Scott Brewster and Alexis Duncan
Andrew Reekie and Clementine Bartlett
Funeral
Lisbet Rutter
St Mary’s Cathedral Retreat
The College of the Holy Spirit,
Millport, Isle of Cumbrae
Friday 18th May to Monday 21st May 2012
We still have a couple of spaces for this retreat. If you are
interested, or would like more information, please contact Andrew
or Sadie McCowan via the Cathedral Office.
The Retreat will now be led by Revd Dr Harriet Harris, Chaplain
to the University of Edinburgh.
Cleanliness is next to Godliness
We are looking for one or more volunteers to
launder regularly those white servers’ albs which are
not owned and/or cared for by particular individuals.
If you could offer this service, please contact Anne
Milne via the Cathedral Office .
17
A Journey to Faith
Lisbet Rutter’s funeral took place in the Cathedral on 19 April. Lisbet was a
very special person, and the Cathedral was very much central to her life for
many years. Her journey goes back to Czechoslovakia emerging from the
World War I. What is printed below is her family’s account of Lisbet’s journey -
‘a journey to faith’.
Czechoslovakia
Lisbet was born on December
23rd 1920 in the town of Pilsen
in the newly created country of
Czechoslovakia. It was a time
of new hope following the
Great War, and the positive
attitude towards progress and
social change would colour her
attitudes throughout life. She
was immensely proud of her
Czech heritage, and would
often reminisce about Karlovy
Vary, an international spa town
where she grew up.
In the town, where her parents
ran a bookshop, Lisbet
encountered people of many
nations, and heard many
languages. She also became an
omnivorous reader, working
her way through the stock.
As a child, she was somewhat resentful of her birth date, since she often
received one large present for birthday and Christmas combined, rather
than two smaller ones which would have been much more fun. In later
years, she had a very different attitude, always downplaying her birthday
in order to emphasise the birth of Jesus, who was far more important.
That journey to faith is the key to understanding her life.
18
The War
As the National Socialists rose to power in Germany, political debate
became more heated in the surrounding countries. Lisbet was once
reprimanded by her father for inviting a beating by wearing the colours of
all parties to school. She tried to engage with all sides, but ended up by
being somewhat of an outsider.
Her mother was Jewish, and in 1937 was arrested by the Gestapo. Lisbet's
aunt very bravely obtained her release and it was essential for them both
to leave rapidly. With the help of family and a Church of Scotland minister,
they managed to leave the country on one of the last trains out of Prague.
She spent some time working in the Netherlands before joining her
mother in the UK. Her father remained in Czechoslovakia.
Monica
During the war Lisbet worked as a land girl at a farm in the Malvern Hills
where she fell in love with an Italian prisoner of war. They lived as man and
wife until he was repatriated to Italy saying that he would return at the
earliest opportunity. However, Lisbet was devastated when she received a
letter from his Italian Priest informing her that he had married before the
war and would not be coming back. Lisbet was carrying their child, Monica,
who was born in October 1946.
Lisbet had had a long-standing interest in forms of communal living and
joined an organisation known as the Bruderhof. She rapidly learned that
this was not all she had hoped for, but the cult-like conditions made it hard
to get away. She was eventually rescued by David Cadbury, a friend of her
Mother and they escaped over snow-covered countryside carrying the
infant Monica. They were taken in by a country vicar called Sarjenson, with
whom Lisbet retained a strong friendship.
Lisbet attended Hillcroft College in Selly Oak, which she found to be a very
liberating and enriching experience. The Cadbury family provided support
buying the family a house, helping Lisbet find work at Bournville, and
introducing her to Quakerism. She found their open and non-doctrinal
approach to Christianity a welcome stage in her spiritual journey.
A second family
Soon after the death of her Mother, Lisbet met Richard Rutter (known as
Dick) who also worked at Bournville and attended the same Quaker
19
Meeting. He had served in the Friends’ Ambulance Unit as a conscientious
objector during the war. Their very varied backgrounds and Christian
convictions drew them together, and they were married in July 1956, with
Dick immediately adopting Monica as his own. They had a full life and large
circle of friends in Birmingham, enjoying folk dancing, rambling and
entertaining.
Dick was “head hunted” by a firm in Leamington Spa and the family moved
there in 1958. Tragedy struck when their son Simon died within hours of
his birth in January 1959. However, they were blessed by the birth of Eoin
in April 1960, followed by Alison 3 years and 3 days later. They were active
members of Warwick Quaker Meeting.
Moving to Scotland
In 1965 Dick's key area of work was transferred to another company,
leaving the family with a difficult decision whether to stay with the old firm,
seek new work locally, or move with the job. They decided to move, and
the family headed for Edinburgh. Unknown to them until they arrived,
Dick's younger brother Andrew had finished a period of voluntary work,
and arrived in Edinburgh with his wife Margery just a few days earlier. Their
children were of very similar ages, and the two families worked in close
harmony for several years, with children spending alternate weekends in
each household to give the parents a welcome break!
Lisbet became very active in ecumenical outreach, and in political activism
in support of Peace and Justice. In particular, she supported the
Corrymeela community which sought to bring reconciliation across the
sectarian divide in Northern Ireland with a particular emphasis on children.
She gradually came to find that the Quakers no longer filled her spiritual
needs and after some searching joined the Episcopalian church, becoming
an active member of the congregation at St Mary's Cathedral.
Her interest in internationalism and community living continued, and the
family became hosts for SERVAS (or Peace-builders International), resulting
in a string of guests from all around the world. She was also a very active
member of the Iona Community, another ecumenical Christian
organisation dedicated to Peace and Justice.
A Journey to Faith - continued
20
The Maneaba
As the children grew towards independence, Lisbet and Dick considered
how to progress towards their shared dream of community living.
Eventually they decided that they would have to found their own
community. In 1977 they bought a larger flat in central Edinburgh, and
named it ‘Te Maneaba’ after the communal meeting houses of the Gilbert
Islands (now the nation of Kiribati), having learned the term from several
exchange students who had stayed with them. The Maneaba had many ups
and downs, but successfully continued for a decade, providing a shared
home for a wide variety of people, all united round shared prayer, a simple
lifestyle, and social commitment.
During this period, Lisbet was greatly affected by the death of her daughter
Alison. She would later mourn the loss of nephews Adrian and Chris, and
her grandson Martin. She steadfastly refused to dwell on her own sadness,
and offered what comfort she could to others. She was greatly sustained by
her belief that all would be well, as part of God's plan.
Retirement
Eventually Lisbet and Dick had to leave the Maneaba, and they settled in
nearby Dalry. Although slowing down, Lisbet maintained an active interest
and catalytic role in many areas related to faith and to social justice. She
helped Dick to gain a belated interest in reading, and they held many
interesting conversations over the Scrabble board.
Lisbet contracted Alzheimer's, and was greatly distressed by the loss of the
mental faculties she had always valued. She became increasingly dependant
on Dick for care. Eventually, this proved too much for him, and Lisbet spent
her final years in Camilla House, a nursing home in the Grange.
On Dick's death a year later, Martin and Alison McNaughton, former
members of the Maneaba and close family friends kindly took on primary
responsibility for her welfare.
Once settled at Camilla House, Lisbet was popular with staff and residents.
In lucid moments, she still had much of her acumen, and even when
confused, her cheerful spirit often shone through. She retained her keen
interest in nature, and was particularly delighted with the many trees which
grew in the area.
A Journey to Faith - continued
21
Men's Group
The Men’s Group meets on the first and third Thursdays of each
month, at 8pm in the Chapter House. More information from
Adrian Tupper or the Cathedral Office.
Men's Prayer Group
We meet on the first Sunday of each month at 9am in Old Coates
House. More information from Mike Sinclair.
Lisbet had had a history of minor strokes, but in late March suffered a
major attack which left her severely disabled. She seemed to have
stabilised, but unexpectedly passed away peacefully on Easter Saturday.
Monica and Eoin had both visited her shortly before she died.
An emerging pattern
Although she endured much throughout her long and varied life, it only
served to deepen her convictions and eventually to strengthen her. All
who met her were struck by her sense of purpose and concern for
others. She was an inspiration to many, and a great friend to those who
had the joy of knowing her.
She firmly believed that death would be the start of her true life and
would want you all to share her sense of liberation on this occasion.
Although we naturally feel the loss of her departure, we are all the
richer for having known her.
RIP
WELCOME
We are now making plans for the new season of the Welcome ministry
which we hope to start in June.
If you were involved in our Welcome group last year or are interested
in joining us or finding out more you are invited to a meeting on Sunday
13 May in the Library at the back of the Cathedral, after coffee.
We look forward to seeing you.
Allan Hood
Sheila Kidney
22
The Book Group
The next two meetings of the Book Group will be at Peter's
flat, 12a Grosvenor Crescent, at 8pm on Tuesday 1 May, and
then again on Tuesday 3 July. On 1 May we will be reading Janet Morley's The Heart's Time. We have not yet decided on a book
for 3 July. All are welcome. For more information, please
contact Mike Sinclair or the Cathedral Office.
STORE CUPBOARD SUNDAY – THANKS
On Sunday 1st April (Palm Sunday) we collected dried goods and
tinned food for distribution to homelessness agencies across the
city. We called this ‘Store Cupboard Sunday’ to reflect the goods typically would be those found in kitchen store cupboards – items
useful in an emergency but also providing staple ingredients for
many recipes. Our collection this year had a dual focus – to provide
emergency food for meeting unexpected needs but also the basic
ingredients to support the cookery teaching programmes which
many agencies now offer to homeless people to prepare them for
living independently and having to cope on a low budget and cook
for themselves.
We were overwhelmed at the
response to this appeal which
resulted in about 40 full carrier
bags of items being distributed to
12 agencies across the city. The
agencies were delighted to
receive these very welcome
donations.
We would like to thank those
congregation members who
delivered bags to agencies – this
was greatly appreciated by the
appeal organisers as it eased the
load on us. Thanks to everyone
who contributed to this appeal.
Please note the next Fresh Start
collection will be on Sunday 6 May
2012 in the Walpole Hall after the
Service
Should you wish to donate before
this or at any other time, goods
can be taken to
Fresh Start 22-24 Ferry Road
Drive,
Edinburgh EH4 4BR
Telephone 0131 476 7741.
FRESH START
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Light a Candle A Prayer for Christian Aid Week
People working together,
children going to school,
women speaking out,
tools for transformation,
communities thriving and
not just surviving,
and no more hunger -
these are fruits that will last.
Jesus who calls us friends,
may we love one another
and remain in your love.
24
Published by
St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place,
Edinburgh, EH12 5AW
Tel: 0131-225 6293 Fax, 0131 225 3181
Web-site: www.cathedral.net Email: [email protected] A Scottish Charity: SC014741
If you or one of your family are sick or have gone into hospital,
please let the Clergy know as soon as possible; and if you want them for any reason, please never hesitate to telephone.
Please consult the Provost before any arrangements are made for
Baptisms, Weddings or Funerals.
We are always delighted to hear of boys and girls, men and women
who:
Would like to be trained as Servers
Would like to help with the Sunday Groups for children
Would like to help with coffee in the Walpole Hall
Would like to help as Stewards or at the Welcome Desk
Would like to train as bell-ringers
Are interested in helping with flowers
Are thinking about doing some visiting
Have some gifts they would like to offer to the Cathedral.
Copy date for April is 20 May 2012