No 451 November 2016 Minister: Rev John Urquhart News & views from Craigmillar Park Church, Edinburgh A worshipping and caring community, following Jesus Christ www.craigmillarpark.org Dear friends In the science of optics, a certain kind of prism can be used to break up white light into a full spectrum of colour. I wonder if that was the original idea in calling this magazine, Prism: so it could demonstrate through the local church how the light of the gospel can be refracted in a whole spectrum of different ways through the people of God. (If anyone knows the origin of the name, then please get in touch.) During November we will place the focus in our Sunday services on Christian stewardship of our talents. This issue of Prism seeks to celebrate the diversity of ways of serving God in the church and beyond it. Inevitably, we will not capture the whole picture, largely for reasons of space as well as human fallibility. If we have omitted your part, we ask you to forgive us. Some people have had a negative experience of being asked to serve in the church and feeling overloaded. Milton Jones, a comedian who is also a Christian, says: Some people see the church as a giant helicopter. They’re scared to get too close in case they get sucked into the rotas. 1 Minister’s Letter 1 www.eauk.org/culture/forum-for-change/culture-footprint/milton-jones-comedian.cfm
Transcript
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No 451 November 2016 Minister: Rev John Urquhart
News & views from Craigmillar Park Church, Edinburgh A worshipping and caring community, following Jesus Christ
2 Aisthorpe, S. The Invisible Church. St Andrew Press, 2016, p. 115. 3 Smith. J. D. Metaphors for the Church. Faithlife Study Bible. Lexham Press. 2016
Steve Aisthorpe2 winced when he
heard that joke, and not because of
the bad pun. He was conducting
interviews at the time with people
who had had difficult experiences of
church. The words were redolent of
their experience of
‘irritation, frustration and
burn-out’ and so he felt a
‘sharp twinge of
emotional pain’. If that
experience is yours,
please talk to me or to
someone else about it.
We don’t want anyone to
feel they have been
loaded with burdens too
heavy to bear.
At the same time, so many people
are willingly and gladly drawn into
the rotas, and not cut up by them.
They find pleasure in serving Christ
and serving others. They form
cleaning teams, staff the sound
desk, cook for Alpha or the lunch
club, take turns at being church
officer or providing refreshments
after the service, and so much more.
Without the rotas, so much of our
life together would not happen. I
thank them for their service to
others.
I am also aware that Christian
service does not stop at the church
door, but is involved with life in all
facets, in the ‘secular’ world as well
as in the wider church. We are also
the church when we are scattered
through our communities, as we
seek to bring the gospel of Jesus to
bear on our life, our work and our
relationships.
In the various ways of picturing the
church used in the New Testament,3
we see how the Christian life is
meant to work, in relation to Christ,
to others and our gifts.
St Paul uses a human
body (the body of
Christ) to image the
church (Eph 1:22–23;
Rom 12:5; 1 Cor
12:12ff). Jesus is the
‘head’: all are united
under him; each person
has a role as a part of the
body – as a ‘member’.
(It is good to remind
ourselves how the image
of church membership originated.)
Each member, united to Christ, is
given grace-gifts (charisms) by God
to serve God and their neighbour.
This can be a gift freshly given to
them or an existing strength
dedicated to God, blessed by God
and used by God to bring blessing to
others. As we use these gifts, graces
and godly virtues to help others: the
body is ‘built up’, both as a healthy
body and a growing one.
Believers in Christ are also described
as branches of the vine (John
15:1–17). Jesus is the true vine, and
we need to be in him and remain in
him. Jesus is the one who provides
life to us, and our community
flourishes or withers as much as that
vital relationship is maintained. We
have to be humble about this. With
a twist to this agricultural metaphor,
Paul talks about the Gentile church
“Each member,
united to Christ,
is given grace-
gifts (charisms)
by God to serve
God and their
neighbour”
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us as being ‘grafted into’ God’s
historic, chosen people, Israel (Rom
11:16–24). We are there because
we have faith; ‘[God] will keep on
being kind to you, if you keep on
trusting in his kindness. Otherwise,
you will be cut away too.’ (Rom
11:22; CEV)
Images of family (Gal 3:28; Heb
2:10–18) emphasize the relationship
between the people of God, with
Jesus as their elder brother. He
provides the invitation to belong:
each one becomes a valued part of
the family. We serve not as
individuals but in relationship with
others.
Above all, we are to love each other
(John 15:17; Rom 12:9-10), not just
to feel warmly about other people,
but actively to seek their good.
(Rom 12:21)
John
The FreshStart coffee morning on Saturday 29 October raised £278.05.
Thanks to everyone who came along and supported this great charity.
Advent Study Group
If you would be interested in taking part
in a short house study group in the
period of Advent - the 4 weeks from 27
November - please contact Ann Thanisch
on 0781 494 9468.
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Talents in the Church
As John mentions in his opening letter, there are many people in Craigmillar
Park Church who take on a variety of roles to keep the church and its various
affiliated groups running smoothly. Some of these roles are big jobs and take
a lot of time and effort, some are smaller and much more manageable. It is
impossible to thank everyone individually for all the things they do but we
have chosen to feature a few people in Prism and in the Sunday morning
services during November to highlight the vast variety of things people do in
our church. Those featured here were all very humble, even slightly
embarrassed, to be asked to appear in Prism as they didn’t feel their role was
very big or important. But each person who serves is using their God-given
gifts and contributing to an overarching effort to bring glory to God. Thank
you for whatever you do in the church.
David Topping
My role is to operate the sound desk and record the
services on a Sunday morning and I have been doing
this for about four years.
What skills and strengths do you have that make
you good at this?
I am good with technology and keeping concentrated on
the service.
What are your motivations?
I enjoy technology and like working with other members of the sound team. I
enjoy using my knowledge of technology and putting it into practice so that
the congregation can hear what is being said throughout the service.
Jenny Dembovsky
I got involved in the tea/coffee on a Sunday as it
brings me joy to help others in any way I can. I never
thought of myself as having a gift in hospitality, but it
would seem that I have. (Just don't ask me to cook!) I
always thought it was music that was my only gift.
I enjoy meeting new people, and being of any help I
can be, from children to the elderly. It’s a small thing
to do, and not difficult, and gives the congregation a
chance to socialise after the service. My passion is to
help in any way I can, and especially in the church, close to my Lord Jesus. I
feel I am serving the Lord by what I do.
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Norman Weibye
The current website is not our first and the move to a
modern website has taken a lot of time and effort. I am
not a web designer nor graphic artist, journalist or
editor, I merely have some familiarity with computers.
What skills and strengths do you have that make
you good at this?
I doubt that I’m good at it: I do it and the pages are
published on the website; but there are many better. I
can write a sentence and a paragraph and I can spell; I can edit computer
images to suit the internet. The actual putting-together within WordPress
often requires research and learning before it all works as it should, so it can
be very time-consuming.
What motivates you?
The Session Clerk has impressed upon me how I can serve the church by
offering my available time and talents; and I am motivated by a strong desire
to not disagree with her. Also, I am always pleased to hear that someone has
benefited from using the information contained on our web site. Its purpose
is to inform others about who we are, what we do, where and when we do it;
I like it to succeed.
Astrid Gracie
I sing first (soprano) in the choir. I started singing at
school and continued for a few years after school with
the St Margaret's Singers. About ten years ago, I
came along to hear the St Margaret's Singers perform
at Craigmillar Park and chatted to John Cranston, who
asked if I'd like to come along. I haven't looked back.
What skills and strengths do you have that
make you good at this?
I love music and choral singing in particular - whilst I don't have a particularly
strong voice, I enjoy singing with others, especially as there is safety in
numbers!
What motivates you to sing in the choir?
Firstly, the choir members have known each other a long time and we still
seem to be producing a good sound. And secondly, music touches the heart
and soul in a way that nothing else does - I love those moments when the
voices blend and you feel and hear that wonderful collective sound that
transcends anything you could produce alone.
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If you’ve been reading these accounts and feel inspired to use your talents in
the church then on the next page there are a few options for getting involved.
Ask God to show you the gifts He has given you and how you can put these to
good use in the church or in God’s world.
Sheena Stenhouse
Four years ago I gave up as Church Treasurer and,
because I had more free time, Molly Longmuir asked if I
would assist her and Christine Thomson with the
maintenance of the church garden. (I would add that
Susan Penny and Kathleen Cockerell have recently also
joined the gardening team.) The work involves weeding
the borders around the grassed area, pruning the
various trees/shrubs and twice a year planting the
planters sited along the path and round the war memorial.
I’m not aware that I’ve got any particular skills except that I enjoy working
with the plants and seeing them flourish. It is also good to see the effect of
pleasure that others derive from seeing a tidy and colourful garden.
During the years I have always been involved with the church in various
guises and feel I should continue to give in whatever capacity I can. I’m not
too good in the kitchen and would therefore not consider being one of the
Lunch Club team but I do enjoy working with the plants so I’m happy to
continue working in the garden.
Susan Penny
I have been helping to coordinate the flower rota for
the past year or so. The rota is planned for the year
in advance and about six people take their turn at
getting the flowers, arranging them, dismantling
them after the service and organising for them to be
delivered. I love flowers and remember my mother
always having some in the house. I have never done
any courses in flower arranging but I very much
enjoy arranging them.
What motivates you to do this?
I feel that in church we are part of a team and we all do a little to help in
various ways which contribute to the greater effort. It is great when people
get enjoyment from the flowers in church and say how lovely they look. For
me it is a real privilege to arrange the flowers in this lovely church that I have
had a connection with since I was ten years old.
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Feeling inspired to get involved?
The Lunch Club is always looking for helpers with the cooking and clearing
of the tables. It does not need to be every week. Once a month would be
very welcome. Please speak to any of the helpers for information or to
Flora Paton (664 2877).
Tea/coffee rota: please speak to Sandra Lamb (539 2643).
Helping with the shoeboxes: Text or call Norman Weibye (07766 888 644).
Church website: it would be good to have more assistance, either by
providing written content, or by monitoring the whole site to ensure pages
are still relevant and information is not out-of-date.
Flowers: We need people to suggest who might want flowers, and to
deliver them. (Please see the flower team after the service.)
Distributing Church Christmas Cards: please speak to Kathleen Cockerell
(666 1314).
Providing lifts to church: we’ve no shortage of volunteers, but it’s always
useful to have a longer list. Please speak to Ann Thanisch (477 2430).
St Margaret’s Care Home: To help by visiting, with art classes, or attending
services once a month (or occasionally), please speak to John Urquhart
(667 1623).
Serving tea/coffee at the Stewart House Men’s Club: Joan would like help
and, in time, to find a replacement. Please speak to Joan Griffith (667
4168).
Parent and Toddlers: someone is needed to help Susan and Mark Wong.
Please speak to Susan (07711 265 758).
Church cleaning: there are enough on the rota for this, but it would be
better to have reserves or a bigger group rotating. Please speak to Lorne
MacDougall (664 2120).
This is by no means an exhaustive list! If you would like to get involved
in another way or if you have a skill but don’t know how it could be of
use at church then speak to the minister.
Perhaps you’ve been reflecting on what strengths and skills you have to offer.
If so, here are a few ways you could help in the church:
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Our new organist, John Cranston, has already
integrated well into our church family. He has been
with us a few months now—if you haven’t had a
chance to say hello yet then do make the effort. It
is wonderful to hear the organ played so beautifully
and we welcome the contribution he makes to our
worship through his playing but also his direction of
the newly formed choir. John is going to share with us a bit about himself
and how he has come to be at Craigmillar Park Church. Welcome John!
Church Family News
I have been asked to write a few
words introducing myself as the new
organist. Well, the new organist I
may be, but my connection with
Craigmillar Park Church goes back
many years. When I was Head of
Music at St Margaret’s School, we
had our Christmas services in the
church, Juniors in the morning and
Seniors in the
afternoon; it was
a big school then.
I loved playing
the organ; it
made such a
splendid sound,
having a
particularly
attractive tonal
quality. In those
days, however, I
was organist at
Morningside Parish Church, moving
to St Michael’s and then St Serf’s in
Trinity, eventually ending up as
Director of Music at Murrayfield
Parish Church, where I stayed until I
“retired”. However, retirement has
proved somewhat elusive and I was
persuaded to become organist at the
Rosslyn Chapel, a truly amazing
building. It is an extremely busy
place with tourists and I found it
exceedingly difficult to gain access
for practice, so when asked if I
would consider taking on the post in
Craigmillar Park, I was only too
happy to do so, and here I am.
Everyone has been most welcoming
and already I feel very much at
home. Having
“my girls” around
has also helped
and they have
formed the basis
of our new church
choir. Two men
have been
recruited, which is
great, another two
would help
balance the
numbers and allow
the choir to make an even bigger
contribution to worship. Any
volunteers?
Of course, working closely with the
minister is essential and John is
hugely supportive, for which I am
most grateful.
John Cranston
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Blythswood Care Shoebox Appeal 2015
A review of the box donations
Highlights
• We received 7,098 shoe boxes and cash donations of £13,850.
• We packed 665 cartons onto 28 pallets, a full 12-metre trailer.
• We sorted an average of more than 1,000 shoeboxes each day.
• Our total was the same as in 2014 and 15% up on 2013.
Analysis
Comment
It is not surprising that shoeboxes for females make up the majority as
women do most of the providing of filled shoeboxes; and it's always nice to
buy pretty things, even more so for little girls. But I always feel sorry for
teenage boys; they must wonder if Santa Claus has simply forgotten they
exist as they watch box after box get handed out to their sisters, smaller
brothers and parents.
If you want to make
a difference then
please, when buying
for your shoebox or
boxes, think about
those whose share is
less than average
and plan your
donation so that they
can benefit.
Norman Weibye
• Women and girls received 60% of the boxes,
men and boys 40%; children including
teenagers 70%, adults 30%. Children under
the age of 7 received 40% of the total.
• The largest individual share goes equally to
women, including elderly, and girls aged 3-7,
with 20% each.
• The smallest share goes, as usual, to
teenage boys with less than 5%; this is still
an improvement over previous years when
they would get around 3%.
• Men are given roughly half that of women.
%age Category
5.23% BABY 0-2
14.85% BOY 3-7
19.92% GIRL 3-7
6.96% BOY 8-12
8.35% GIRL 8-12
4.78% BOY 13-18
8.07% GIRL 13-18
11.48% MAN
16.27% WOMAN
4.09% ELDERLY WOMAN
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Down
1 Foreign market-place (6)
2 Kitchen item found in stove
nearby (4)
3 This item of furniture is usually Welsh (7)
4 Children should not be tied to these strings (5)
5 Metal tab put at place-setting (8)
6 Tart, tossed out from discotheques! (6)
12 Toss a veg in here to cook (3,5)
14 Comforter on a sofa (7)
16 Top repair man? (6)
18 Found in a refrigerator (6)
19 Fried in hot pan (5)
21 Found in 21 Across! (4)
Across
7 Dining chair with arms (6)
8 You need to be famous and late to
get a blue one! (6)
9 Farm building or dance? (4)
10 Each sole gives another foot-wear
item (8)
11 Floor or table cover (7)
13 Remember part of a fire (5)
15 Old-fashioned cupboard (5)
17 Hangs around a window? (7)
20 Relax in this after a trek! (4-4)
21 Sounds like ale, actually a coffin-
carrier! (4)
22 14 Down may be made from
this (6)
23 007's enemy always needed
around the house? (3-3)
Answers on page 16
Crossword
by Roger Paton
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I said last year that: “I am making use of the opportunity now provided by
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) to fill and expand the
records of those on our memorials.” What I had in mind was doing more
research in various ways, through military records,
CWGC and similar. So I was surprised to receive a
letter, passed on by Barbara Winton, from Lorna
McKay, the great niece of Private A. Graham Fairley
whose name is commemorated on the stone memorial
in our church garden. Mrs McKay refers to him as
Great Uncle Graham and, more than that, she talks as
if he had not long passed away; she says that her
family still speak regularly about him and keep his
memory alive. As always, his loss was a tragedy for
the family and they had a life-size portrait painted of
him to be kept prominently in the family home, where
it hangs still.
Their home then was in St Alban’s Road and he and his
family were members of Mayfield Parish Church, before the union. His
parents were from well known Edinburgh business families; the Fairleys had
restaurants and dance halls and the Alexanders were motor dealers in Lothian
Road. His sister Amy’s wedding was a society event and written up in the
papers of the day. Alexander Graham went to George Watson’s College
leaving in 1912 to go to London for business training until the outbreak of the
war.
According to the war records at George Watson’s: “In 1916 he
joined the R.A.S.C. (M.T.), but was later transferred at his own
request to the Tank Corps. In Sept. 1917 he went to France,
and in Aug. 1918, having been mortally wounded at Cachet-le-
grand he died in hospital at Wimereux, Aug. 25, 1918. The
memorial citation with CWG says that he served in "C" Coy. 6th
Bn., Tank Corps and died on 25 August 1918.
I also wrote last year: “Remembrance should be about the people and he is
one of them: they are all around us, lest we forget.” Lorna’s Great Uncle
Graham is not forgotten by his family down the generations. They still have
the letters that he wrote from France to his sister Amy, Lorna’s Granny, the
last being sent just days before his final action; they have his medals and
other memorabilia, and the watch which he wore in battle. Lorna says it still
ticks.
Graham Fairley was another son of our church family who never came home.
Please stop by the garden memorial, read his name and remember him.
Norman Weibye
War Memorial
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Fred C. Allison - Royal - Naval Div'n. R J Mackercher - 4th Battn Cameron Hdrs.
James Allison - 8th Battn Royal Scots John R. Matthew – Canadian Exped. Force
George Anderson - 5th Battn Royal Scots J. W. Morrison - Royal - Naval Div'n.
Arch. Donaldson - 4th Battn Royal Scots David Rattray – Royal Fusiliers
W. Bruce Duncan – Australian Imp'l Force John Rennie – 15th Battn Royal Scots
Alex. R. Gibb – Royal Field Artillery Geo. Ronaldson - 4th Battn Royal Scots
Wm. Goodfellow - 9th Battn Royal Scots John Ronaldson - 3rd Battn Cameron Hdrs.
Thomas Hood - 3rd Battn Suffolk Reg't. H. Fyfe Smith - 2nd Battn R.S. Fusiliers
Jas. L. Huggan – Coldstream Guards Alex A. Thomson - 4th Battn Gordon Hdrs.
John Lyburn - Royal Field Artillery John Whyte - 11th Bn. King's Liverpool R't.
Robert B Allan James W. Morgan
John Black J. Bough Morrison
George Black James Ormiston
Alexander Burns John Pairman
Richard Burns Alex. Robertson
Peter Catton William Young-Scott
J.W. Kingsley Darling John W. Sheridan
A. Graham Fairley George Shields
George Fawcett Norman H. Small
James Grieve William E. A. Small
Aubrey M. Wood Hawks George W. Turner
George Keith William Walker
Eric G. Littlejohn J. Ewing Wallace
Norman B. Lothian James Vandepeear
From the stone memorial in the church garden 1914-18
From the brass memorial in the sanctuary
1914-18
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1939-45
ALDRIDGE, B H M Captain Royal Army Medical Corps 5 Mar 1943
HAIG, J S Flight Lieutenant Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 24 Mar 1945 Son of David and Christine Wilkie Haig, of Edinburgh.
INGLIS, J G Corporal Federated Malay States Volunteer Force 27 Aug 1943 Son of John and Flora J. Inglis, of Edinburgh.
STRACHAN, W J Flying Officer Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 28 Mar 1946 Son of Francis Yates Strachan and Isabella Wilson Moncrieff Strachan, of Edinburgh.
TWEEDIE, J M Flying Officer Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 9 Nov 1941 Son of William and Robina Stirling Tweedie.
BENNETT, D H Captain Royal Artillery 22 Aug 1944 Son of Andrew Carmichael Bennett and Marion Bennett, of Edinburgh.
BOSTOCK, R S Lieutenant Royal Navy 13 Jun 1940 Son of Robert V. and Janet Bostock; husband of Catherine Grace Bostock (nee Watson)
BROWN, T W Serjeant Federated Malay States Volunteer Force 17 Feb 1944 Son of Thomas William and Minnie Georgina Brown; husband of Elizabeth Sutherland Brown, of Ardersier, Inverness-shire. B.Sc., Ph.D. (Edin.).
FAIRBAIRN, W Serjeant Royal Artillery 28 Apr 1944 Son of Paul and Elizabeth Fairbairn, husband of Isabella Fairbairn, of Edinburgh.
KILGOUR, H M Major Royal Army Medical Corps 30 Aug 1942 Son of Thomas Ronald Kilgour and of Mary Brown Kilgour, of Edinburgh. M.B., Ch.B.
McMINN, R J Flight Sergeant Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 12 Mar 1945 Son of Reginald and Annie McMinn, of Edinburgh.
PAUL, J B Corporal Royal Army Ordnance Corps 22 Dec 1941 Son of Gilbert B. and Jean S. Paul; husband of Ethel Dorothea Paul, of Edinburgh.
POLLARD, T Lieutenant Royal Artillery 2 Aug 1944 Son of Hugh Robert McIntyre Pollard and Isabel Wood Pollard, of Edinburgh
SEATH, R D Trooper Royal Armoured Corps 20 Feb 1940 Son of Ritchie and Helena C. Seath, of Edinburgh.
WATT, J A Sergeant Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 30 Aug 1940 Son of James and Elizabeth N. Watt, of Edinburgh.
WATT, S C Second Lieutenant Gordon Highlanders 25 Mar 1942 Son of James and Emily Meikleham Watt, of Edinburgh. Sec. A. Class
WHITELAW, R Lieut-Commander (S) Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve 12 Feb 1944 Son of William Arthur and Clara Elizabeth Whitelaw; husband of Margaret Copeland Whitelaw, of Haddington, East Lothian.
From the brass and bronze memorials in the sanctuary
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November
Sun 6 Nov, 10.30am – Morning Worship with Holy
Communion after 7-18 Nov, weekdays 9.30am-4.00pm – Blythswood Care Shoebox
Appeal Sorting Centre in the church hall
Wed 9 Nov, 7pm – Meeting of the office bearers with Kirk Session
immediately afterwards
Thu 10 Nov, 3.15pm – Christian Worship at St Margaret’s Care Home
Thu 10 Nov, 7pm for 7.30, Cameron Toll Chaplaincy AGM, FM Centre;
Speakers: David Bradwell, Sc Faiths Action for Refugees; David Hart, Work
