Friends,
During my first visit to Cambodia in 2005, in a café in Phnom Penh, I met Vivian. Within a few moments of that conversation I knew that she was from Scotland and even that she was from Edinburgh. “Which part of Scotland are you from?” I asked. “I’ve lost my accent” was her reply. “Oh no, you haven’t!” I was hearing the “mother-tongue” in a place 8000 miles away from home.
In AD313, the Roman emperor Constantine signed the Edict of Milan. In effect, that edict made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, with all kinds of rights and privileges. For the next 1700 years, the “mother tongue” of Western Europe has been a Christian voice. Christianity shaped the culture of Europe, its laws and legal system, its art and music, its moral code. We call it Christendom. The Church was in an extraordinary place of power and influence and fought hard to hold onto that place when it came under threat. For many Scottish communities, the church was at the centre, and shaped community life and its attitudes.
Over the last thirty or forty years, Western culture has been hearing other tongues, different voices trying to shape our culture in different ways. There are new attitudes around, that are very different; our culture now has really no central story around which to work, but a whole host of different stories and we are asked to choose which story we like.
Over the last few weeks I’ve been reading a book called Cadences of Home written by an American by the name of Walter Brueggemann. He looks at the Bible stories of exile, when the people of Israel were taken prisoner in Babylon in the days of men like Daniel. They were living in a strange place, with no familiar landmarks, no familiar religion, and they wondered even if God had gone away. The book suggests that our situation in our culture might be similar and suggests that some of the Bible passages from that time, and the experience of Israel, might help us work out how to be church in our time.
When we look at church and its decline in Scotland, there are at least two kinds of reaction. The first is despair; “we’re all doomed” as Private Fraser in Dad’s Army used to remind us. The second is the determination to keep the faith even in changed times and let church adapt to the new atmosphere. Brueggemann says at one point in his book: “if one omits God from the tale, the tale collapses into nonsense.” God is still a credible, normal and indispensable character in the story of the world and the church.
We are part way through our Shaping the Future – what one thing…? exercise; see the postcard! We have a new Family Development worker just started work. Our premises are much brighter and more accessible. There is a feeling of a new start in our church life and mission within the community. It’s exciting. We are still a force for good in the community; God is not finished with us yet. Be part of that future! The “mother tongue” has not gone silent! Jim
THE GREEN STROLLERS
It has been a good summer for the Green Strollers. We had a great turn out for the Bridge walk, with more than 20 strollers taking part.
We have discovered some new walks as well as enjoying some old favourites. Our last walk proved that we still have the stamina to climb hills.
Ten walkers set out for Craiglockhart and most of them met the challenge of the hill.
We have had very encouraging numbers for all our walks. Thank you once again to the leaders and to all those taking part.
One more walk to go in Fife before our weekend away. Catch up on details on the church notice board.
Look out those boots and come and join us.
Happy Strolling!
Jeanette Campbell
Ladies Badminton
‘Play is resuming' after a longer than usual lay-off, in the newly decorated large hall at 10.00am on Wednesday 20th September. If anyone would like to join us for some not too serious "fun" badminton, please get in touch with Alison Buchanan for further information.
Alison Buchanan
FRESH START
I'd like to take this opportunity of thanking everyone who has so generously given to Fresh Start over the years. I am thrilled at the amount handed in and the folks at Fresh Start are always appreciative of the goods received.
However, due to changes in staff and practice, I now receive on a monthly basis, notification of goods needed urgently and so in future I will arrange for these to be issued in the Order of Service and our regular collections will be included in the Church News.
As always, goods should have life left in them and be clean and ready to use. (Fresh Start do not have cleaning facilities). Small electrical items are PAT tested on site.
Standard monthly collection:
September - Towels
October - Dishes and cutlery
November - Cleaning things and light bulbs
Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of help and I thank you all once again.
Marjorie Hope
SHAPING THE FUTURE – UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2017
The first 4 priorities that the congregation identified;
Priority 1; the toilets outside Halls 1 & 2,
Priority 2; Hall 1,
Priority 3; the back of Hall 1 including a new kitchen and disabled toilet and
Priority 4; the external access,
have now been completed.
Blinds have been chosen for the windows in Hall 1 to complement the new stage curtains. ‘Snagging’ will be on going for some time.
The modified Priority 5, the Church vestibule, will have the new front doors fitted soon but the accessible toilet and other work will not be started until mid-October.
If you would like any further information please do not hesitate to speak to one of the Project Team.
Andrew Watson, Ian Gilmour, John McKellar, Ross Mackay and Jim Dewar
Halls Cleaning
Cleaning teams have worked well over the summer, to keep things neat and tidy while alterations were going on, but we have lost some volunteers, and have reduced the rota to six teams. We have welcomed one new helper, but would still like more to make the numbers up to eight teams again.
If you can spare an hour or two every six or seven weeks, please get in touch, as it's worthwhile keeping the halls and office tidy and ready for use.
Elaine Wilson
MEN’S FELLOWSHIP
A programme of meetings is now being planned for Session 2017/18. Anyone wishing more details about the Fellowship Meetings or who has suggestions concerning speakers or format please speak to Ian Aitken, Michael Merriman, or Gordon Laing, all members of the Nurture Team.
Ann Brown, May Mitchell and Margaret Woodrow have kindly agreed to provide the Breakfasts once again.
Nurture Team
“if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
1 John 1 v 7
GUILD OF FRIENDSHIP
The Guild was invited to take part in this year's Horticultural Society Show by putting a team forward to compete, with other local groups, for The Riccarton Industrial Trophy. We agreed to put forward a team - Isabel Campbell, Marjorie Hope and myself. The theme for the competition was a “Picnic by the River.” We had a team meeting and agreed on our allotted tasks.
We assembled it on the morning of the Show and hoped we had done everything according to the rules. I'm sure you can imagine our delight when we realised we had won Third Prize. This was the first time for the Guild of Friendship to enter this competition but hopefully it won't be the last. Photos and more information are on our notice board in Hall 2.
Riona McNaughton
SHAPING THE FUTURE – WHAT ONE THING…?
As part of the Shaping the Future process, we are asking the congregation to think about “What One thing” you might like to consider as part of the future shape of the church in Juniper Green. What one thing might we consider in Worship, Mission, Nurture, Prayer, Service, Pastoral Care and in other areas of church life? One focus for that consultation was lunch on August 27th, when we also opened the refurbished Hall.
The Postcards
You might have missed that lunch; you might have had ideas since then, so we have produced a postcard; write down on the postcard what one thing you would like to see the congregation be or do; give it to Jim anytime in the next two weeks.
World in Prayer
Give thanks for the individuals and organisations moving to help the victims of the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain. As terrorists around the world spread fear and attempt to recruit and radicalise with their messages of hate, the caring efforts of groups like Airbnb, who are using an online tool to offer free housing for victims and their families, remind us that the love shown in acts of unity can drown out acts of hate and division. We give praise to God, for giving resources to use on behalf of others.
As Hurricane Harvey sweeps through Texas - Pray for peace - there's a lot of panic happening as tensions and fear rise. Where there is panic, fewer people make wise and careful decisions on how to be safe. Pray for the flooding - that the waters will move and the city can dry out quickly. Pray for our homeless population -Pray for shelters to have spaces and people to have open hearts to share food, water and safe spaces. Pray for long-term solutions – Pray for help as long as it's needed, while builders repair damage and people move back into their homes. Pray that those who want to help won't be easily distracted and the world won't pass us by. Pray for resilience - many people depend on day-to-day work for their salaries. Many of the families don't have a steady income and can't go back to work even one or two days after a storm. Five days of rain means many families are without their normal pay and that can wreak havoc on their lives.
Father God, we bring before you the young people of the world and particularly those growing up in areas of conflict. We pray for your protection over them in places of great insecurity. We ask that they would find faith and hope in you in the midst of fear and darkness. We thank you for young people all over the world who are standing up and being counted as peacemakers in their nations. We thank you for the power of forgiveness and the restoration of relationships that is made possible through the work of your Son on the cross.
Fiona Elliot
SHOEBOXES
In past years, as a church, we have collected and filled about 150 – 160 shoe-boxes in the autumn which are sent to needy people mainly in Eastern Europe. We collect empty boxes, wrap them in pretty Christmas wrapping paper and fill them with an assortment of goods which we think of as basic but which, to the recipients, are luxuries. Who would believe that gifts of toothpaste, soap, small toys, a comb and so on would reduce folk to tears of joy and gratitude that people they don’t know go to the trouble of doing this?
In Juniper Green, this was started as part of our Christian Action and now as we come to be thinking of ‘Shaping the future – the people’, I would like us to redouble our efforts in looking outwards, being shaped in following God’s will to look after those who are poor and suffering. We have heard stories and seen video clips of the smiles of joy on the faces of men, women and children as they receive a box. We do very little…buy, collect, wrap and fill and the wonderful folk at Blythswood do the rest. They sort, check, add Christian material, transport and distribute…what a mammoth task, but one done in God’s name. We do not have to do this small work, but any reading of the Bible will spur us on to do it and fill us with joy as we go about our task.
During September and October, I wonder if you would be willing to add to your shopping week by week. It doesn’t need to be much but it will all add up. As before, buy ‘basic’ goods where possible – you get more for your money. Please also collect any empty shoeboxes you can – the more the merrier.
Shortly there will be leaflets available showing the full list of goods required but the basics remain the same every year: toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs or brushes, facecloths, shampoo, soap, deodorant, small toys, pencils, notebooks, kitchen utensils, sewing kits, small toolkits, domestic (non-scented) candles, sweets (no chocolate), pants, socks, hats, scarves, gloves etc. Please do not include talc, large family sized bottles or any really thick woollen scarves etc as they will not fit in the box. Nothing is wasted and if it does not go in the box, we donate it to the Salvation Army for their Christmas appeal or use it in the Care Van. Please also consider giving me money to help Blythswood pay for the transportation costs.
If you are not able to do shopping yourself, or are daunted by the task, then please feel free to give me a donation and I will buy items on your behalf. If you have any questions about the whole procedure, then please speak to me.
And as you go about this task, do it with a smile on your face and a song in your heart that you really are making a difference. Pray for the whole process and remember the words of Matthew 25:40 ‘…I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’