NEWSLETTER

November 2019

“For the glory of God and the solace of a whole community”

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Dear Friends November is a month for Saints. It begins with the days of All Saints and All Souls. This is a time for remembering the faithful who have gone before us; both those of old whose faith is recounted in legends or depicted in paintings and people, who do not have specific days named after them but who are remembered with love by those dear to them.

The second Sunday of the month brings Remembrance Day when we come together in conscious and deliberate remembrance of those who have given their lives in time of war, giving thanks for their sacrifice.

In the middle of the month there’s our Martinmas Fair which is our major fundraising event of the year. It’s also a time when our church is full of talk, laughter and fun. Traditionally Martinmas marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter and is celebrated around the

feast Day of St Martin of Tours. He was a Roman soldier who became a monk, then later a Bishop. A legend about him says that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar and so he is known as a friend of children and patron of poor people. The month ends with the Feast Day of St Andrew, patron saint of Scotland, as well as of Greece, Romania, Russia and Ukraine.

In November we give thanks for the saints of the past, however in the New Testament the ‘hagioi ‘or holy ones are God’s people, those who belong to God now. In Ephesians Paul writes to present day saints encouraging them in their faith in Christ Jesus and in their love for one another. In this month of remembering may we also give thanks for our faith, and for one another as we join together in solemn moments and in celebration as those who belong to God today. Alison

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Sunday Teas &

Coffees

Donations at the tea table on Sunday mornings are shared between one of our chosen charities and St Mary’s.

50% of the monies donated at the tea table in November & December 2019 is going to ‘Mercy Ships’, a faith-based international development organisation that deploys hospital ships to some of the poorest countries in the world, delivering vital, free healthcare to people in desperate need.

As well as completing thousands of urgent operations on-board its floating hospital, the Africa Mercy, Mercy Ships volunteers also work closely

with host nations to improve the way healthcare is delivered across the country by training and mentoring local medical staff and renovating hospitals and clinics.

By improving healthcare delivery in every country it visits, Mercy Ships is working to eradicate the diseases of poverty and effectively do itself out of a job. Mercy Ships follows the 2,000-year-old model of Jesus by “bringing hope and healing

to the forgotten poor”, helping people of all faiths

and none.

Thank you for

your support.

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Music at St Mary’s What a great summer of music we have had at St Mary’s with the wonderful Lammermuir Festival in September and a great series of free concerts on a Sunday afternoon at 4pm under the banner ‘St Mary’s at 4’.

This series, started by Alan Faulkner in 2017, just goes from strength to strength. This year saw 22 concerts in all with a diverse range of musical styles and performers. We have heard choirs and soloists singing everything from plainsong, a capella and chamber music to folk, jazz and contemporary song. We have enjoyed recitals on clarinet, organ, guitar, fiddle and clarsach. We have even had someone playing the nyckelharpa and a poetry recital!

Donations by those attending help boost church funds but the concerts are also a good

opportunity for folk to sit down for 50 - 60 minutes, to admire the beautiful surroundings of our kirk, to hear some lovely music and to have a cup of tea and chat after the performance. It is another way of welcoming people from our community into the church. The series has its regular loyal supporters including one lady who has been to each and every one of the concerts in 2019!

The series has ended for the year but there is one final treat in store! A St Mary’s at 4 Advent Special will take place in the church on Sunday 1st December from 4pm until around 5.15pm. There will be seasonal music by Peaty Millers a cappella group with guests Arlen – the trio led by Sadie Maskery (piano, guitar & voice) and also musical accompaniment by our own Becky and Malcolm Christine. So be sure to put the date in your diaries!

We are delighted that the amazing Dalkeith & Monktonhall Brass Band is returning to St Mary’s with a

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special Christmas Concert on Saturday 30th November at 7.30pm. The band makes such a wonderful sound and this is sure to be an unmissable concert!

Were you involved? Rev. David Dutton is carrying out research into the history of the church in Haddington and would like to hear from anyone who was involved in the Sunday school, the Boys’ Brigade, Girls’ Brigade, Youth Fellowship, West Church Youth Club or any other church run children’s/youth activity in Haddington during the 1960s and 70s. Even scraps of information would be useful.

Third Wednesday

A time and space for quiet reflection

We next meet on Wednesday 20th November

from 7 – 7.30pm

All are welcome to our sanctuary for this different form of

worship.

OUR CHURCH FAMILY Baptisms 27th October Harrison Jack Priestly

Weddings 26th October Rosanna Carson to Adam Masojada

Funerals 1st October John Stuart Thynne

12th October James Durkin

New members Rev Alison McDonald Rev Anthony Thornthwaite Mrs Sheila Thornthwaite

(all by Certificate of Transference)

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At our September meeting the CA Committee welcomed several new members: Gail Craven and Jacqui Witkowski from Holy Trinity have volunteered to replace John Wood who has given many years of dedicated service to the charity and John & Maureen Weierter from St Mary’s have kindly agreed to take on the organisation of Christian Aid Week, the national fundraising week in May.

We hope to hold a film afternoon for primary age children in December. Keep an eye out in the service sheets for more details nearer the time.

You may recall reading in a previous newsletter about the work being done by Diana, a psychologist who works with CA’s partner association Najdeh in Lebanon, providing vital support to traumatised

child refugees. Thanks to your generosity Najdeh has been able to support over 250 children with counselling, art therapy & community building activities as well as 100 parents with support groups and training.

Last year Diana told us the children needed a playground so they had a safe place to play and enjoy the carefree delights of childhood. With your help, Association Najdeh has been able to build a new centre with a beautiful new playground so that in 2020 they’ll be able to help even more children and families.

Thank you for helping to make

this happen by supporting the

events which your local

committee organises, by

continuing to fill the small

change boxes and by your

regular personal donations to

Christian Aid.

Janet Chrystal,

Haddington Churches

Christian Aid Co-ordinator

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PLASTIC FREE MARTINMAS At this year’s Martinmas Fair we are going to

try to be ‘plastic free’. In other words we won’t be handing out any plastic bags or carriers for you to take your purchases home in. We will try to use paper bags and to encourage those attending to bring their own bags – whether recycled or re-used carrier bags or jute, hessian or cotton shoppers. We will also try to avoid single use plastic or disposable cups and dishes in the café.

The

DEADLINE

for the

December

Newsletter is

Sunday 10th November

Sunday 10th November

Short All-age service at 9.30

War Memorial 10.40

Haddington Service of

Remembrance 10.55

Advent Tuesdays

A time of worship and

reflection for Advent

“Room in our hearts”

in the church from 7.30 - 8pm

beginning on Tuesday 3rd December 2019

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An A - Z of Martinmas

A Ask your friends along! B Bell tower, books &

baking C Crafts from the Crafty Folk

D Do come along! E Everybody welcome!

F Fairtrade stall G Geese: a Martinmas tradition

H Help wanted I, you, he, she, we will all enjoy it!

J Just come along! K to the Kirk L Lovely gifts

M Music programme N Nearly new & bric-a-brac

O Open 10am until 1pm P Produce, fruit & veg

Q Quizzes & quaint stalls

R Remember, remember the 16th of November!

S Soup, sandwiches & sweets T Teas & coffees

U * V Very good cause

W Wonderful bargains X Xmas gifts

Y Yummy food Z Zip along to the

Martinmas Fair on Saturday 16th November

*We hope u won’t be missing!

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Community MattersThe Twinning Association is

holding a

Beaujolais

Nouveau

Film Night

in the Trinity Centre at 7pm on

Friday 22nd November. Join

them to taste this year’s wine

with saucissson and cheese

and watch the fun French

comedy film, ‘Les Visiteurs’.

Tickets (£8) available from

Erica’s Florist or Joe Forte

Sports in Haddington High

Street.

Blooming Haddington’s AGM

is in the Town

House on

Wednesday 6

November at

7pm.

All welcome!

The Trinity Centre

Film Club is next

showing ‘Mary Queen of

Scots’ on Thursday 7th

November at 1.45pm in

the Trinity Centre. The film

stars Saoirse Ronan and

Margot Robbie. Non-

members £2 (includes tea

& biscuits afterwards). All

welcome!

The Church of Scotland has

written a series of ‘Prayers in

Challenging Times’. These

are available on the website

www.churchofscotland.org.uk

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November 2019 at St Mary’s

Friday 1st Bell ringers 7.30pm Saturday 2nd Sunday 3rd Worship at 9.30 & 11am Monday 4th Tuesday 5th Home Bible Study 10.30am

Wed 6th Thursday 7th Crafty Folk 10.30am. Choir 7.30pm.

Friday 8th Bell ringers 7.30pm Saturday 9th Sunday 10th Short All-age service at 9.30 am.

War Memorial 10.40am Haddington Service of Remembrance 10.55am

Monday 11th Tuesday 12th Home Bible Study 10.30am

Wed 13th Thursday 14th Crafty Folk 10.30am.

Friday 15th Set Up for Martinmas Fair Bell ringers 7.30pm Saturday 16th MARTINMAS FAIR 10am -1pm Sunday 17th Worship at 9.30 & 11am. Monday 18th Tuesday 19th Home Bible Study 10.30am

Wed 20th THIRD WEDNESDAY 7pm Thursday 21st Crafty Folk 10.30am. Choir 7.30pm

Friday 22nd Bell –ringers 7.30pm Saturday 23rd Sunday 24th Worship at 9.30 &11am. Monday 25th Tuesday 26th Home Bible Study 10.30am

Wed 27th Thursday 28th Crafty Folk 10.30am. Choir 7.30pm

Friday 29th Bell –ringers 7.30pm Saturday 30th

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www.stmaryskirk.co.uk

Haddington: St Mary’s Parish Church (Church of Scotland) Scottish Charity Number SC010614