Magnificat - St Mary's Cathedral sent the rich away empty. ... disciples felt that Jesus would come...

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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 mercy on those who fear you,

from generation to generation.

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)

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ADVENT challenges us to look backwards and

forwards.

The first Advent takes us back not to the crowning place of Israel's kings

or to the great and mighty as listed in the annals of historians, but to a

young girl, a man called Joseph, and an insignificant backwater of the

Roman Empire; and also moving on 30 years or so to a weird prophet

living in the wilderness, a sort of “I am a celebrity – get me out of here”

diet of wild figs and honey and locusts, proclaiming on Jordan's banks

"Repent and be baptised;" of a nation struggling for some sense of

identity against the backdrop of being occupied by a foreign power and of

feeling deserted by the God of their fathers who had led them out of

bondage in Egypt so many centuries before. All was lost. They looked in

vain for a messiah to kick out the Romans, and so their thoughts drifted

not to this world, where their situation seemed hopeless, but to the

next, when God would restore them once and for all, and they would

reign in glory as God's chosen people. By the time of John the Baptist

and Jesus, they had just abandoned most notions of God coming to

rescue them in this world, and hope was placed on the next. Against

these kinds of expectations the child born in the manger, the Baptist in

the wilderness, seemed just other examples, illustrations of the plethora

of religious sects that peppered the middle east and then were

abandoned by their disillusioned followers. We believe the first Advent

to have been historic, yet its significance clearly bypassed the vast

majority of the Baptist's and Jesus' contemporaries. It is historic in two senses. Firstly it took place in our world of space and time, and secondly

it was a turning point into a new understanding of our relationship with

God. It happened in history, and through history we see this new face of

God - not that God has changed, but through the divine initiative we see

God, we believe, in human form. The first Advent marks not a change in

God, but the gift of grace, of love becoming incarnate, not in halls of

kings and queens, but in a cattle shed, and of love being crowned not in a

famous palace, but on a cross of wood outside and well away from the

Temple.

The Second Advent or Coming is more difficult for us. Many of the early

disciples felt that Jesus would come again in their life time, and much of

this apocalyptic imagery is captured in many of our Advent hymns – “Lo,

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he comes with clouds descending”, we'll sing with great gusto, even if the

imagery is a bit dated or embarrassing. They felt that history as we

know it was soon to end, that the world as we know it would be wound

up with the Ascended Jesus coming again in his glory on the clouds

descending. That patently on such a literal understanding did not

happen. We are caught in between these two Advents or comings. We

still yearn for and pray for the day when “thy will be done on earth as it

is in heaven.”

As we journey towards the manger, may the Advent God guide us.

Paris Terrorist Attacks

A statement by The Most Revd David Chillingworth,

Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church

“The attacks in Paris are a callous and devastating assault on innocent

people who were enjoying an evening out in a beautiful city. Our prayers

are with all who have lost loved ones, with those who have been injured

and with the many who will be traumatised by what they have seen and

experienced. We also

remember the courage and

dedication of members of the

emergency services.

For every society – including

our own – such attacks are a

major challenge. Governments

have a primary duty to do

what is necessary to protect

their people.

5

From the Registers

Baptism

Thomas Brian Veitch Corry

Wedding Lucy Lennon and Neil Haddow

Funeral

Emma Jayne Hamilton

DO JOIN US!

If you would like to find out more about what is happening in the

Cathedral and/or wish to become a member, please fill in your details

below and hand this form to one of the Clergy or drop it into the

Cathedral Office.

Name:

Address:

Telephone:

Email:

Date:

But it is difficult, if not impossible, to protect a civilian population without

diminishing the very freedoms – freedom of movement, freedom of

assembly, freedom of speech – which are the hallmarks of the kind of free

society which we wish to sustain in the face of terrorist threat.

This is the time for mourning and for care of those who are suffering. The

time will come for debate about how safety and freedom are to be held in

balance. As we are called to do as Christians, we pray for those who have

to take these difficult decisions.”

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Crossword set by Elaine McCulloch Smith Solution in the February Magazine

Clues (Scripture clues are always to be found in King James’s Authorised Version)

Across 3 This brightest star in conjunction with Jupiter led the way for the Magi (5)

8 Stick or correspond to (6) 9 Showy hothouse plant (6)

10 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a … (6) Luke 2 11 Paul wrote many of these (8)

12 Thick woollen cover used when travelling (3) 13 Liturgical hymn based on words angels spoke to the shepherds (6)

14 Descended from a bus or train (8) 17 And thou, child, shalt be called the … (7) Luke 1

19 Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good … (7) Luke 2 23 Political initiative (8)

27 Duvets might be filled with feathers from these ducks (6) 29 the babe leaped in my womb for … (3) Luke 1 30 Bach and Handel told the Christmas story via this medium (8)

31 And when they had seen it, they made known … (6) Luke 2 32 The next part of the story (6)

33 Feathers in a military headdress, eg red one worn by Black Watch (6) 34 Perfume (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

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Down 1 Christmas (arch spell) (6) 2 Boiled sweet in shape of an autumn fruit (4,4)

3 Worship (8) 4 This might include seasonal sprigs of holly and ivy (7)

5 Gold coins of later Roman Empire (6) 6 Broth, egg or whisky (6)

7 A Creed (6) 13 Stare, open mouthed, in amazement (5)

15 and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with … (3) Luke 1 16 Positions in orchestras at which two players share a music stand (5) 18 what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto … (3) Luke 1

20 Light, wind-driven vehicle with sails and runners, for travelling on frozen surfaces (3,5)

21 Circuitous (8) 22 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall … (7) Luke 1

24 Merited, deserved (6) 25 Perform a narrative as in a nativity play (3,3)

26 O, Come All Ye faithful and The Holly and The Ivy, for example (6) 28 Actually, very (6)

Solution to the November Crossword

C W C R O S S S H

F A M I S H U W H I T E N

N E A T I E R

S A I L O R W A T E R L O O

D D G O A C R E

F A M I N E R E H E A R S E

L E R D R L

E N G R O S S S E R V I C E

S A W N O G

H A N U K K A H C U T E S Y

S N O E A R A A

S P L I T P E A Y O R K I E

I A E T P I N

A R C T I C E T R E A T Y

E E K I N G S S S

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Looking at Paintings

John McLuckie

In a Cathedral church dedicated to the Mother of the Lord, it should not be

surprising that we have a number of images of the Blessed Virgin Mary

although few of these date from the time of the Cathedral’s completion.

Among those that do, her presence in the Passion tableau on the High

Altar’s mighty reredos stands out. This work is by John Oldrid Scott, son of

the Cathedral’s architect and is executed by the prolific 19th-century

sculptor, Mary Grant. However, given the season, I want to reflect on

another of our images of Mary, one that depicts her with the child Jesus.

Again, there are many to choose from so I want to pick out one that may be

less obvious as it is hung on a side wall of the Lady Chapel so is less

immediately visible than some others.

This painting is, in fact, a copy of a well-known work by the 17th-century

southern Spanish painter Bartolomé Estebán Murillo (1617-82) who was

based in Seville, a flourishing artistic city at the time and a place known for

its Marian devotion. The original of his Virgin and Child (c.1650) hangs in the

Galleria Palatina in Florence and the copy in our Lady Chapel is a later copy,

possibly from the 18th century. If you would like to see an original Murillo,

his Young Man with a Basket of Fruit is in the National Gallery. The two

Spanish paintings from the same century in the Cathedral’s north aisle

probably share some common ancestry with Murillo in the form of a

connection with the school of Alonso Cano and many of the shared

characteristics of this school can be seen in the three images of Mary.

There is, however, a distinctive aspect to Murillo’s work and that is his

warmth and humanity of his figures. Some might even call this style

sentimental and find it a little too sugary for their tastes! I don’t think I

would go that far because there is a real accessibility in these delicately

depicted figures. Neither Mary nor Jesus feels remote from us – their haloes

are subtle, not stylised, and their poses are very natural. The way Mary

gathers up the crumpled cloth that has slipped from Jesus in her left hand

seems entirely plausible. She is seated humbly, not enthroned, and the child

on her lap is in motion, resting his right arm on her chest in a very unusual,

but again totally lifelike pose. The child Jesus is not newborn, but growing

and exploring the world, active and enquiring like any toddler, looking out at

the world and us, engaging and appealing.

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As I said, I do not find this painting to be overly sentimental, but there is

certainly strong emotional content to it. It inspires not meek adoration but

truly human affection. It exudes warmth and simplicity and speaks of a God

who comes to us in very human form, to whom we might respond with

equally simple, even childlike joy and delight. That strikes me as a fitting

response in this holy season when we celebrate the mystery of the

incarnation.

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REMINDER!!

CHRISTMAS SHOEBOX APPEAL

COLLECTION DAY IS SUNDAY 13th DECEMBER

As indicated in the November edition of Magnificat our annual

collection of Christmas shoeboxes for young homeless people will

take place on Sunday 13th December 2015 after the 10.30am

service.

As previously the shoeboxes will be distributed to young homeless

people in Edinburgh living in the emergency Stopover Hostel in

Grove Street and those using the services of the Rock Trust. We

hope to be able to provide a shoebox for everyone.

We invite you to bring a shoebox covered in festive paper and

containing an unwrapped selection of everyday items suitable for

a young man or woman aged 16 to 25 years. Suggested contents

are sweets, socks, gloves, scarf, puzzle book, pen, mug, shower gel

(no razors or aerosols please). Please label the box ‘male’ or

‘female’.

The boxes will be collected at the end of the 10.30am service on

Sunday 13th December and distributed to agencies that day.

If you wish to donate a box and cannot come on 13th December,

boxes can be left with the vergers during the preceding week.

Further details are on the notice boards in the north aisle. Nancy

Steel or Edith Spencer can assist with provision of empty

shoeboxes.

Thank you for your support!

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Sunday Club Shoeboxes

On Sunday 13 December the children will be filling some shoeboxes for

the annual appeal (see previous page). We will however need things to

put in them!

If you do not feel you can fill a shoe box but would like to help, we will

gratefully accept any donations of suitable items. There will be a box at

the back of the Cathedral on 6 and 13 December for any contributions.

Thank you for your support.

Volunteering at Miryante Orphanage (Uganda)

Gordon Cross, who will be known to many in the Congregation, is

currently volunteering at Miryante Orphanage. He has sent us this

photograph of the Ugandan and Scottish flags flying proudly at the

Orphanage, the latter flag provided by Gordon, the latest volunteer.

Miryante Orphans Home is a

located in Western Uganda. It

is currently home to 115

children who have lost parents

as a result of the HIV/AIDS

epidemic, disease, or conflict

in the region. Miryante strives to create a healthy and safe

living environment for the

children that reside there.

Children live in housing units

of 15 children per dormitory

where they live, work, and

play as a family each day.

See: www.miryanteorphanage.org

12

14 CATHEDRAL DIARY FOR DECEMBER 2015

Tuesday

1 Dec

7.30am Morning Prayer & Eucharist 12.20pm Meditation (see p. 20)

1.05pm Eucharist 5.30pm Choral Evensong

8pm Book Group (see p. 20)

Wed

2 Dec

7.30am Morning Prayer and Eucharist 1.05pm Eucharist

5.30pm Choral Evensong (Lay Clerks) 7pm Meditation (see p. 20)

Thursday

3 Dec

7.30am Morning Prayer and Eucharist 11.30am Eucharist

1.05pm Eucharist 5.30pm Choral Eucharist (Lay Clerks)

8pm Men’s Group (p.20) Walk and Talk (see p.24)

Friday

4 Dec


5.30pm Choral Evensong (Lay Clerks)

Saturday

5 Dec

7.30am Morning Prayer and Eucharist followed by informal Bible

discussion at the Marché Français, West Maitland Street

Sunday

6 Dec

Advent II Readings: Phil 1.3-11; Luke 3.1-6

8am Holy Communion 9.30am Men’s Prayer Group (see p. 20)

10.30am Cathedral Eucharist

Sunday Club, Crèche, JYG, Coffee afterwards etc

3.30pm Choral Evensong

Monday

7 Dec



Tuesday

8 Dec

The Conception of Mary, Mother of the Lord

7.30am Morning Prayer and Eucharist 12.20pm Meditation (see p.20)


Wed

9 Dec



Thursday

10 Dec


1.05pm Eucharist 5.30pm Choral Eucharist

Friday

11 Dec



Saturday

12 Dec



Sunday

13 Dec

Advent III Readings: Phil 4.4-7; Luke 3.7-18

8am Holy Communion

10.30am Cathedral Eucharist Sunday Club, Coffee afterwards etc


2pm PLV Party in the Walpole Hall (by invitation)

7pm Norwegian Service

Monday

14 Dec


7.30pm Carol Service in aid of Mercy Ships (see p. 22)

Tuesday

15 Dec

7.30am Morning Prayer & Eucharist 12.20pm Meditation (see p.20)

1.05pm Eucharist 5.30pm Evening Prayer

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Wednesday

16 Dec


5.30pm Evening Prayer

Thursday

17 Dec


1.05pm Eucharist 5.30pm Eucharist

Friday

18 Dec



Saturday

19 Dec



Sunday

20 Dec

Advent IV Readings: Heb 10.5-10; Luke 1.39-45

8am Holy Communion

10.30am Cathedral Eucharist (Lay Clerks) Coffee afterwards etc

2pm Children’s ‘Come and Sing’ (see p. 18)

Monday

21Dec

Thomas, Apostle



Tuesday

22 Dec


12.20pm Meditation (see p.20)

7.30pm Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

Wednesday

23 Dec

7.30am Morning Prayer & Eucharist


7.30pm Silent Night Holy Night

Thursday

24 Dec

Christmas Eve


4pm Crib Service


11.30pm Midnight Mass

Friday

25 Dec

Christmas Day

8am Holy Communion

10.30am Christmas Eucharist & Nativity Tableau

Saturday

26 Dec

Stephen, Deacon and Martyr

1.05pm Eucharist (This is the only time the Cathedral is open today)

Sunday

27 Dec

Christmas I Readings: Col 3.12-17; Luke 2.41-52

8am Holy Communion

10.30am Cathedral Eucharist Coffee afterwards etc


Monday

28 Dec

The Holy Innocents


Tuesday

29 Dec

John, Apostle and Evangelist


Wednesday

30 Dec


Thursday

31 Dec

1.05pm Eucharist

5.30pm Choral Evensong (sung by the Naylor Singers)

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CATHEDRAL DIARY FOR JANUARY 2016

The Cathedral Choir is on holiday until 8th January

Friday

1 Jan

The Naming of Jesus


Saturday

2 Jan

1.05pm Eucharist

5.30pm Choral Evensong (sung by the Naylor Singers)

Sunday

3 Jan

Christmas II Readings: Eph 1.3-14; Jn 1.10-18

8am Holy Communion

10.30am Cathedral Eucharist Coffee afterwards etc


Services today sung by the Naylor Singers

Monday

4 Jan



Tuesday

5 Jan

7.30am Morning Prayer and Eucharist


Wed

6 Jan

The Epiphany



Thursday

7 Jan


1.05pm Eucharist 5.30pm Eucharist Walk and Talk - see page 24

Friday

8 Jan



Saturday

9 Jan



Sunday

10 Jan

Epiphany Sunday Readings: Is 60.1-6; Mt 2.1-12

8am Holy Communion

10.30am Cathedral Eucharist Sunday Club, Coffee etc


Monday

11 Jan



Tuesday

12 Jan



8pm St Mary’s Fellowship (see p.20)

Wed

13 Jan

Kentigern, Bishop, c 603



Thursday

14 Jan



Friday

15 Jan



Saturday

16 Jan



15

Sunday

17 Jan

Epiphany II Readings: 1 Cor 12.1-11; Jn 2.1-11

8am Holy Communion

10.30am Cathedral Eucharist Sunday Club, JYG, Coffee etc


Monday

18 Jan


5.30pm Choral Evensong 8pm Men’s Group (see p.20)

Tuesday

19 Jan



Wednesday

20 Jan



Thursday

21 Jan



Friday

22 Jan



Saturday

23 Jan



Sunday

24 Jan

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

8am Holy Communion

11am Joint Service with Palmerston Place Church

(At Palmerston Place Church. NB time.)

3.30pm Choral Evensong Magazine deadline

Monday

25 Jan

The Conversion of Paul, Apostle



Tuesday

26 Jan



2.30pm St Mary’s Fellowship (see p.20) 8pm Book Group (see p.20)

Wednesday

27 Jan



Thursday

28 Jan

Charles, King and Martyr

7.30am Morning Prayer and Eucharist

11.30am Royal Martyr Church Union Service (sung) (see p. 17)


Friday

29 Jan



Saturday

30 Jan



Sunday

31 Jan

Epiphany IV Readings: 1 Cor 13-1-13; Luke 4.21-30

8am Holy Communion

10.30am Cathedral Eucharist Sunday Club, Coffee afterwards etc


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From the Archives - The Cathedral Magazine

St Mary’s Cathedral, like any

other Church congregation,

from its earliest days

published (and continues to

publish) a monthly

magazine, for members and

visitors. The first issue has a

cover page which looks

something like this:

There follow five pages of

text, setting out notices of

the regular times of services;

the names of clergy and

officers of the Church; short

announcements of the times

of meeting of the Sunday

School, the Mothers’

Meeting and the Sewing

Class – the last of these also

encouraging members to

form a Dorcas Society ‘to cut down and work up old clothes to fit

children &c’ – and indeed the Dorcas Society did get underway, and its

activities over many years are regularly chronicled in the Monthly Paper.

One item in this Monthly Paper, however, may startle the reader in

2016 – see below.

“British Workman Public House

On the 20th December, 1878, a British Workman Public House was

opened in the Water of Leith (Dean Path) suitable premises having been

at length secured. We are glad to hear that a very fair amount of success

has hitherto attended it, but those interested in the Temperance cause

are invited to send donations or annual subscriptions to help to defray the expenses necessarily attendant on its commencement (for

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King Charles Service 2016

The annual Royal Martyr Church Union Service will be held in the

Cathedral at 11.30 am on Thursday 28th January 2016. This may

seem rather advance notice, but the next magazine is not until the

February issue, which is after the event!

As usual the Service will be the 1637 Scottish Liturgy, celebrated by the

Bishop, at which the choir will sing an anthem. The preacher this year

will be the Rev. Dr Stephen Holmes. Stephen is Associate Rector, St

John’s, Princes Street, and is also Honorary Fellow, History of

Christianity, at the School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh. Stephen is

well-known in many circles in Edinburgh having been curate at Old St

Paul’s, and in charge of St Margaret’s, Easter Road. Prior to his move to

Edinburgh, he was a monk for eighteen years at Pluscarden Abbey in

Moray. A scholar of the Reformation and Pre-Reformation era,

particularly in Scotland, Stephen’s latest book is Sacred Signs in

Reformation Scotland: Interpreting Worship, 1488-1590 (Oxford University

Press, 2015) and a previous book is a description of what churches

would have been like in Scotland just before the Reformation. It is titled:

Lost Interiors: The Furnishing of Scottish Churches in the Later Middle Ages.

After the Service there will, as usual, be refreshments, to which all are

welcome, when we will 'toast' the Diocese of Edinburgh, founded by

King Charles I in 1633.

Canon Allan Maclean

furnishing, &c.) Those who can spare books of a good, healthy, manly tone

for the working classes, are requested to give them, as also any illustrated

papers. Such gifts can, if desired, be acknowledged in this paper. We

venture also to recommend to the notice of those who indulge in street

charity, the tickets (2s. 6d. per dozen) issued by the Society for the

Improvement of the Condition of the Poor (Hanover Street), which are

payable at the different Temperance Refreshment Rooms for a good meal,

and cannot be abused as money often is. The under-named will gladly

receive subscriptions:- Rev. R. Mitchell-Innes; Rev. W. M. Meredith …”

Ted Davison, Archivist

https://www.academia.edu/11724746/Sacred_Signs_in_Reformation_Scotland_Interpreting_Worship_1488-1590_Oxford_University_Press_2015_



18

Does your child enjoy singing? There could be a Cathedral chorister in your family!

From international tours and recording projects to carol singing and choir

football, St Mary's Cathedral offers children (aged 8 to 13) a unique opportunity to sing in Scotland's only choir with a daily choral tradition, and

bursaries to attend St Mary's Music School. For more details, please give the

Master of the Music a call on 0131 225 6293 or email [email protected].

Come and join us for:

Children’s ‘Come and Sing’ Christmas Carols Sunday, 20th December

An opportunity for children (aged 7 to 11) to sing with the

Cathedral choristers.

There will be a rehearsal for children at 2pm. The whole family is then welcome to join us for a short concert at 3pm.

Free. All welcome. Followed by refreshments.

Singing Club St Mary’s Cathedral has a Singing Club on Tuesday afternoons during

term time at 4pm in the Song School for 7-10 year olds.

Free. All welcome - more details from [email protected].

mailto:[email protected]

19

Special Services and Music for Christmas

Monday, 14th December 7.30pm

Carol Service in Aid of Mercy Ships With the Cathedral Choir

Tuesday, 22nd December


Wednesday, 23rd December

7.30pm Silent Night, Holy Night A Christmas meditation in words and music

Christmas Eve

4.00pm Crib Service A short telling of the Christmas story with carols and mince pies.

Suitable for children of all ages.


11.30pm Midnight Mass Preacher: The Provost

Setting: Haydn Missa Sancti Nicolai

Christmas Day

8.00am Holy Communion

10.30am Christmas Eucharist (& Nativity Tableau: all children are invited to take part)

Preacher: The Bishop

Victoria Missa O Magnum Mysterium

20

Men's Group and Men's Prayer Group

The Men’s Group usually meets at 8pm on the first Thursday of each

month and the third Monday of each month in the Chapter House. We are

planning some discussions before Easter that may be of interest to those

who do not normally come. Please note that there will be no meetings on

21st December or 7th January.

The Men’s Prayer Group usually meets on the first Sunday of each

month at 9am, also in the Chapter House, but there is no meeting on 3rd

January. More information from Lester Knibb via the Cathedral Office.

Meditation

There are usually meditation

sessions in the Cathedral

Chapter House every week from 12.20 to 12.50pm on Tuesdays,

and every month on the first

Wednesday from 7 to 8pm. The

evening sessions give a little

more time to explore the

meaning of meditation and our

experiences of it. See the diary

in the centre pages for

arrangements in December/

January.

The Book Group

The next meeting will be on

1st December, at 8pm, at Peter Allen's

flat, when we will be reading A Life

Observed: A Spiritual Biography of C. S.

Lewis by Devin Brown. The following

meeting will be on 26th January when

we will be reading Sounding the

Seasons: Seventy Sonnets for the

Christian Year by Malcolm Guite. All

welcome. More information from

Mike Sinclair or the Cathedral Office.

St Mary’s Fellowship

Aspects of Cathedral Life. In November the group found out more about

being a Cathedral bellringer and there was an opportunity to try out ringing

handbells. We will be having a break in December, so the next Aspects of

Cathedral Life session will be on Tuesday 12th January, when you can find

out more about what the Vergers do. There will also be our usual

‘fellowship’ meeting on 26th January at 2.30pm.

All welcome. Further information from the Cathedral Office.

21

There will be no collections

on Sunday 6th December

or on Sunday 3rd January.

Should you wish to donate before our next

collection, 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

Cathedral Youth Group

The next meeting of the Cathedral

Youth Group is on 6th December.

Come along to the Cathedral

Office just before or during the

main Sunday service at 10.30.

We aim to have fun and some

reflective time together for St

Nicholas Day. Further information

from the Chaplain (Kenneth

Fleming) via the Cathedral Office..

Cathedral Groups at

Christmas/

New Year

Please see the Cathedral

diary in the centre pages to

check any special

arrangements for Cathedral

Groups over Christmas/

New Year.

Drop-in Café

St Andrews Church

Ravelston has a Drop-in

café every Friday

morning from 10 am to

12 for chat and

friendship – free coffee/

tea and home baking.

Faith and Growth

The Cathedral's Faith and Growth group, in partnership with the

Edinburgh Inter-Faith Association, is planning a series of stimulating, in-

depth explorations of inter-faith dialogue in the New Year. These will

address the shared aspects of world religions as well as points of

difference. They aim at increased understanding and renewed

commitment to dialogue and to our common striving for a more peaceful

world. Look out for more details soon!

22

Christmas Flowers

If anyone would like to help to arrange the Christmas flowers, please

come along on Monday, 21st December at 10.a.m.

We need plenty of green Christmas foliage. If you can help, please

bring it along any time from Tuesday 15th December and leave it in

the King Charles Chapel.

Carol Service in Aid of Mercy Ships With the Cathedral Choir

Monday 14th December, 7.30pm, in the Cathedral

Mercy Ships is an international charity that operates the world’s largest

civilian hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, to deliver free, world-class

healthcare, bringing hope and healing to many of those living in the

world’s poorest countries. Join us for this special Carol Service to raise

funds for Mercy Ships. Mulled wine and mince pies will be provided after

the Service.

Entry is free, but there will be a collection for Mercy Ships, and there is

also an opportunity to commemorate loved ones at the service, see:

www.mercyships.org.uk.

http://www.mercyships.org.uk

23

Cathedral Christmas Cards

Cards (size A6) are available from the Cathedral Office, and are also

on sale after the 10.30 Cathedral Eucharist on Sundays.

Price £4 for 10 cards, or £2.50 for 5 cards, with envelopes. Photograph by Peter Backhouse.

Christmas One World Stall

There will be an extended stall with fair trade cards, wrapping paper,

gifts and Christmas food on the first three Sundays in Advent -

29th November, 6th and 13th December. If you can help with the

stall, please contact Elaine Appleby, via the Cathedral Office.

The One World Shop is now open in its new home at Nicolson

Square Methodist Church. If you are nearby, do

drop in to see their full range of fair trade gifts

and food as the Cathedral's One World Stall only

carries a tiny fraction of what is available. Their

website address is www.oneworldshop.co.uk

http://www.oneworldshop.co.uk

24

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 5th November sixteen of us walked from Hillend via

Swanston village towards Braidburn Park and on to Mortonhall. I am

grateful to Liz Armitage for devising this walk and leading it. The walk took

us from a track up to Swanston village, on through some residential areas

and then through woodland where we could appreciate the autumn

colours. At the end we enjoyed a snack lunch together at the café at

Mortonhall Garden Centre. The distance walked was about 5 miles. See photographs on the next page.

The next walk is on Thursday 3rd December and it will be from

Barnton via Laurieston Castle to Silverknowes and on to

Cramond.

We will start in Barnton and take the pathway/cycle route between the two

golf courses towards Davidson’s Mains Park and on to Laurieston Castle

where we can explore the grounds. We then will walk down to

Silverknowes and along the promenade to Cramond Harbour from where

we will walk along the riverside, ending at Cramond Falls. The total distance is about 5.5 miles but there are a number of places where you can opt out

and catch an earlier bus home.

The January walk will be on Thursday 7th January 2016 and will be

from Balerno along the Water of Leith to Slateford.

This linear walk is on paths along the riverside through woodland. The walk

will finish at the Water of Leith Centre at Slateford. The distance is about 6

miles.

Both of these walks are easily accessible by public transport at the start and

finish. As usual I will be sending details to everyone on my email list but

newcomers always are welcome so please let me know if you would like to

join us.

John Spencer

25

Services between Christmas

and 2nd January

Please note that, usually, the only weekday services during this

time will be the Eucharists at 1.05pm and this is the only time

that the Cathedral will be open on those days. However, on

31st December and 2nd January there will be Choral Evensong

at 5.30pm sung by a visiting choir - the Naylor Singers.

November walkers - Photographs Liz Armitage

26

LIGHT A CANDLE

‘… there was no place for them in the inn’ (Luke 2v7)

This Advent and Christmas please remember homeless people

all over the world:

PRAY FOR

the people in our city who have no home and sleep in

doorways and on the street;

those who depend on the hospitality of friends;

those who live in hostels and B&B;

the agencies who are reaching out to help homeless people.

PRAY FOR

the millions of people in our world who are seeking refuge and

asylum;

those who are fleeing war and persecution;

those living in the tented cities of refugee

camps;

those who are separated from their loved

ones;

those who will die while they seek a new life;

the international agencies seeking to bring

relief;

governments and peace makers.

PRAY that the Christmas message of

peace, hope and love will be known to

each of us in our hearts and be

reflected in our lives this

Christmas and in the year ahead.

27

Published by

St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place,

Edinburgh, EH12 5AW

Tel: 0131-225 6293

Website: 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

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 the February edition is 24th January.

Cover photograph by Peter Backhouse.

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Magnificat - St Mary's Cathedral sent the rich away empty. ... disciples felt that Jesus would come...

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