Seeds No 27

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In our March Church Meeting we learn about and discussed some of the changes begin made to Dis-abled Living Allowance and Hous-ing Benefit. These changes are af-fecting many people in and around our community and are causing a lot of worry and anxiety. Many peo-ple, who are already living far from luxurious life styles, are anxious about how they will fund the basics of life and feel the future looks very uncertain. Also in March, further ripples of the economic crash reached the shores of Cyprus, causing immense anxiety and focusing our media once again on the economic uncertainty of our times. And many of us will have seen the ongoing news images from Syria of children without parents, communi-ties without food and a resolution to the conflict uncertain. At all times in the world there are good and hard experiences hap-pening simultaneously, but it does feel that currently there is a fair bit of anxiety about. Anxiety and uncertainly must have been what the followers of Jesus felt, post-post-Easter. When Jesus was no longer physically with the disciples, what were they to do? Where were they to go? What did the future hold?

Yet amazingly by the power and grace of God, and by the people pull-ing together and supporting each other, a future which could have been an ending to Jesus’ biography, became the beginning of the Jesus story carried on in the life of his follow-ers through the power of the Holy Spirit. In anxious and uncertain times we dream and fear the worst, but the message of the resurrection is that even if the worst happens, God can still make new and good life out of it. I hope that by the power and grace of God, and by people near and far supporting each other, the anxious and uncertain times which we and our world are experiencing will not drain us of hope, but become seeds of new and good life.

Fiona Bennett

Help lines: LGBT Support: 0131 556 4049 Samaritans: 08457 909090 Childline: 0800 1111 Rape Crisis: 8088 010 302 Breathing Space: 0800 838587 Edin Crisis Centre: 0808 8010414

In this edition 2. ABC news 3. Leprosy Utale Village 3. Epiphany Group 4&5. Upcoming Events 6. Thank you! 7. Seedlings 8. Calendar

Encourage Inspire Challenge No. 27 / April 2013

Augustine United Church George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EL 0131 2201677 www.augustine.org.uk SC no 000385 Minister: Rev Fiona Bennett [email protected] 07552162717 Church Administrator: Paul Lugton [email protected] 0131 2201677 Seeds Editor: Tamsin Kilgour [email protected] Website Editor: Anna Jones [email protected]

2 www.augustine.org.uk

Thanks are also due to Sheila Storrier and her team who kept the bacon/egg rolls coming from 9.30 on gift day. Those who had not breakfasted be-fore turning up were very happy to see them and inci-dentally the refreshments raised a good sum to add to the total on the day.

The Fundraising Working Party is now turning its activity to-wards the planning of a big sponsored event to be held later in the year. We are also preparing applications to vari-ous grant-making bodies, ask-ing them to give financial sup-port to the cost of renewing the external walkway. In the mean-time look out for quiz sheets which will be available in April to members and friends in re-turn for a donation to the cause. Prizes will be awarded to the winning entries.

Work is now well under way on the removal of the old fire escape. Preparation for the in-stallation of the new prefabri-cated structure has involved the temporary closure of one or other of the toilets to reposition the external pipe work. We are sorry for the disruption this has caused. It really is worthwhile, because when the work is fin-ished we can look forward to easier disabled access to the Sanctuary.

Ian Rathjen

Augustine Building Challenge

A very big ‘Thank You’ to every-one who helped to achieve the splendid result from the Gift Day

on 10th March. The day produced donations in excess of £9,500 and

far surpassed our expectations. The amount raised to date has now passed the £10,000 mark

which is one third of the £30,000 target for the year.

The ‘Dandelion Clock’ indicator board in the Church vestibule will show, month by month, the pro-gress towards our target. This novel indicator has been devised and made by the Junior Church. Thank you very much, all of you who made it, and who will be keeping it up-to-date. Of course, we must not forget the seed pot collecting boxes for small change, which were also provided by the children. Nearly all of them were taken on the day and we look for-ward to seeing them returned full to the brim with coins of every de-nomination! They are reusable, so please keep bringing them in to the Treasurer to be emptied. If anyone who did not take one would like to join in, please ask one of the Junior Church leaders for a box.

Please note that the deadline for material for the next issue is April 28th. You can send your material to Tamsin Kilgour by hand, or at [email protected] DISCLAIMER: Although we check all information in the newsletter, as ever with these things we can give no warranties as to accuracy or relevance and encour-age active checking before you make any decisions. The views expressed in our newsletter are those of the individual contributor, they are not necessarily those of AUC or the editor.

Getting involved Within AUC are 7 Ministry Teams which are responsible for differ-ent areas of Church Life. If you would like to know more or get involved with one of these please email the contact person Children & Young People Kirsty Murray [email protected] Membership Alex Peden [email protected] Our Tribe (LGBT Ministry) Rev Maxwell Reay [email protected] Commitment For Life (Social Justice Ministry) Rev John Miller [email protected] Pastoral & Mental Health Doris Caldwell [email protected] Worship & Christian Education Rev Fiona Bennett [email protected] Centre, Property & Finance Tom Murray [email protected] If you would like to get involved vol-unteering within AUC or the local community: AUC Volunteering Ian Rathjen [email protected] Local Community Volunteering Della Morris [email protected]

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Leprosy Utale Village

The “Taste of Malawi” lunch was held many weeks ago now, and we must apologise for the delay in re-cording it. But Doris, who gave great help on the day, has given us this account.

The “Taste of Malawi" lunch on 1st De-cember was a great success, despite the date being unsuitable for so many, Just over 30 people sat down to a buffet of maize porridge – the staple food for most folk in Malawi – beef stew, beans,

chicken, fish (actually from Lake Malawi), fresh fruit and salad, with yog-hourt and fruit juices, followed by fresh-baked banana cake, tea and coffee. Those in a posi-tion to judge de-clared it the most authentic they had tasted

beyond Malawi. We had songs and an update on progress at Utale.

Because of the generosity of the many donations, some from those who thought the afternoon was worth much more, we were able to give just over £200 to the charity.

Without the many talents of Rose Kam-banga, here from Malawi and attending Morningside United, we could not have attempted the lunch. Rose did the cook-ing and arranged the singing and Zandra, Delia, Kathleen and I were supporting staff. It was a good experience. Thanks to everyone who supported it.

Doris

The donations of LUV are improving life, not only for people with lep-rosy, but also the sur-rounding Utale villag-ers, where attitudes to leprosy and changing.

For more news visit Luvcharity.org

I have recently been announcing in the notices a retreat in daily life and saying how spiritually enrich-ing I found this last year. The retreat is run by the Epiphany Group and I thought it would be a good opportunity to tell you a bit about them. They are an ecumenical Ignatian group whose aim is to pro-mote an understanding of God as present in our everyday living and everywhere in the world around us. As well as retreats the group runs a course called Growth in Prayer and Reflective Liv-ing that teaches, among other things, different ways to pay. I found it very supportive to try differ-ent methods of prayer with a small group of peo-ple. It was such an inspiring course that I am now doing a follow-up course, Spiritual Conversation, which aims to further deepen our relationships with God. There have been evenings on prayer, discern-ment and listening for God in each other’s lives. It’s a lot more challenging but very rewarding.

You can find out about the Epiphany Group on their website at

www.epiphanygroup.org.uk Katrina

On the Resurrection Of Christ Done is a battell on the dragon blak,

Our campioun Chryst confountet hes his force:

The yettis of hell ar brokin with a crak,

The signe triumphall rasit is of the croce,

The divillis trymmillis with hiddous voce,

The saulis ar borrowit and to the blis can go,

Chryst with his blud our ransonis dois indoce:

Surrexit Dominus de sepulchro.

Some may say that “Easter Sunday was last week!” But Easter is every week, and it is not surprising that Wil-liam Dunbar, who wrote this poem

(in four stanzas) took a little time, as often happens with SEEDS, to get the text to the Edi-tor in 1490 or so. Readers unfamiliar with me-dieval Scots may find it rings better when spo-ken confidently and aloud. Bill

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AUC

Retreat

On Sat 18th May 10-4pm at Colinton Parish Church Hall we are holding a retreat day, as part of the Our Tribe Programme and open to all of AUC. In the morning we will explore the Bible and Sexuality, and the afternoon will offer an opportunity for spiritual de-velopment and refection. For more de-tails and to register please contact Max-well. [email protected]

Christian Aid Week

runs from Sat. 11th May till Sun. 19th May. The Christian Aid Book Sales occur for Christian Aid Week at both Morningside United Church, Holy Corner (Sat. 11th, Mon. 13th to Sat. 18th, varying times) and at St Andrew’s & St George’s West, George Street (Sat. 11th, Mon.13th to Fri. 17th, varying times) for which they require people to donate books and to help sort and sell them. Christian Aid invites us all to hear a presentation on the work of CA in Bolivia and to meet Cecilia Cordova, Christian Aid’s Bolivia Programme Officer, on Tues. 16th April, between 2 and 4 pm in AUC followed by Tea/Coffee.

Faith, Healing and Wellbeing in the Civic Café at St. John’s, Princes Street, at 4.30pm on Monday April 8th: an event of the Edinburgh Inter-faith Association Community; with a meal at 6pm. RSVP to: [email protected].

‘Faith in Older People’ (the Edinburgh based Ecumenical Charity), in collabo-ration with the Church of Scotland Guild and ACTS, is running ‘Let’s talk’, a one-day conference in Edinburgh on 16th May. How should our churches adapt to an ageing population with confidence and how can we instil a greater openness about death, dying and be-reavement? This ecumenical conference will look at supporting older people both practically and spiritu-ally. (Please see information on the notice board for more details, or Kathleen if wishing to attend.)

Student on Placement Throughout April we welcome David Townsend as a student on placement with AUC. David is a member of St Columba’s URC Oxford, who, in his re-tirement, is studying a theological de-gree with The Southern Theological Edu-cation and Training Scheme, based in Sarum College, Salisbury.

David visited AUC with Carla last year and is keen to learn about AUC , so please take time to meet him and share your story.

David will also be leading Our Tribe on Sat 27th April 6.45-9pm. All Welcome,

www.augustine.org.uk

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Nitekirk comes to AUC A quiet place in a busy world. On Friday 19th April using a theme of 'Earth' the AUC Sanctu-ary will be laid out with places to wander around, stop and ponder, interact and reflect, receive inspiration, rest in stillness. Light a can-dle, build a cairn, pray with a painting, reflect on the challenges and the healing of the earth, use art materials, enjoy refreshments and chat. In the Studio we will have short films ranging from 'The Wombat' to 'Powers of Ten'. Come and go as you wish between 8pm and 11pm, stay 10min or 3 hours! For more information see www.reflectivespaces.org.uk/nitekirk , phone 552 4102 or find us on Facebook. If you would like to volunteer to help set up on 19th, or be on our mailing-list contact [email protected] On May 17th Nitekirk moves to St Columba's (Fire), it is back at AUC on June 21st (Light).

Exploring Church Membership

A three-week series for new & existing members to explore “What is Church membership?” On Wednesdays 10-24th April 7.30-9pm @ AUC. Contact Fiona for details: [email protected]

The ‘Fresh Start Walk’ On 31st May this year is a fun, sociable spon-sored walk (not a race). It follows a route from Dean Parish Church, along the Water of Leith to Colinton Dell and back to Fountainbridge via the canal towpath – about 8 miles, esti-mated to take about 2-3 hours at a leisurely pace. Registration or Sponsor Forms may be had from Fresh Start, 22-24 Ferry Road, EH4 4BR, or in the AUC foyer, en-closed with the Fresh Start Newslet-ter.

Eco-Congregations Scotland FOOD AGM & Gathering. 10.30 am-3.15 pm at Grassmarket Commu-nity Project (at the bottom of Candle-maker Row): Speakers, and Workshops, on various aspects of “Food” (please see Kathleen if you would like to represent AUC).


In the new term, a series of SC & URC College Courses are running, open to all. Times: 10.30am-3.30 pm.

25th April: “Spirituality in ministry” - How do we nurture our own spirituality in ministry? Is it about maintaining a Rule of Life”?

2nd May: “Religion & Science” - How can con-gregations engage with contemporary sci-ence? Where do religious ethics and scientific thinking meet?

9th May: “Difference in Dialogue” - How can we understand differences in language, culture, place, denomination, faith?

If wishing to attend any College Course, please notify Patsi at Synod office, on 0141 248 5382 or [email protected] (A charge of £7.50 per session is normally to be made).

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About SEEDS, coming and not going In September 2007, Bungie announced in the Newsletter that he was “delighted”, after several years, to hand it over to me to edit it “in his own creative way”. Bungie was always so optimistic. Tamsin, I’m sure, will be more recognisably creative. Best wishes, Tamsin.

The Newsletter has certainly changed. Its title, for sure, has gone from something obvious and banal to something, for many new readers, unexpected. Titles such as Grapevine, Footnotes, Waymark, Terrace

Talk, and The Edge all spring to mind. And along with such a change goes the necessity of matching such a testing title with something more vivid. At first, the pages were enlivened by the colourful flashes and a few photos, but the sun rose when Sonja Meyer arrived and offered her professional skills as graphic artist. The newsletter, or SEEDS as it already was, has ever since dazzled with her designs. It would be too coy to remark that she has since produced daughter Thea to the world.

We also try, besides its appearance, to make SEEDS worth looking at more closely, even reading. The inclu-sion of the MCC church members, as members and as a group, is an important development to be always observed. Minute speck though we are in that world, we also make marks on troubled, global affairs, never out of the news. The pains of the farthest corners of the world, and the antics of are all our concern, and must be entered to make their own sparks. Especially when, as I’m sure you will, you actually keep the deadline.

Bungie said he was delighted to put the Newsletter into new hands, convinced that it would benefit from my own creative [sic] ways. How creative we may be, we must at least mark out the events around us, happy or painful, and seek to serve as well as we may.

Bill

Thank you! It is with deep gratitude that we thank Bill Stevenson for editing Seeds for the past 6 years. Bill has brought a rich diversity of arti-cles and many thoughtful and thought provoking contributions to the AUC newsletter. We thank Bill for his hours or typing, writ-ing, (in the early days )printing, hounding of AUC members for articles and much more. Bill has faithfully gifted his time and abili-ties with much grace, humour and skill, for which we are very grateful. Bill passes the editorial pen into the able hand of Tamsin Kilgour.

Congratulations to Sonja Meyers (Seeds designer)

on the birth of her daughter Thea!

Junior Church’s April Birthdays: Elie Murray Peden will be 2 on the 15th, and Rowan Macdonald will be 4 on the 22nd.


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Junior Church aims to welcome families in all their diversity. We have varied activities each week, from storytelling, to crafts, games and video making. We have a crèche for little ones and baby changing facilities are available. We use materials to appeal to children’s different learning styles from Cornerstones. (www.cstones.com) and also use Godly Play (www.godlyplay.org.uk).


AUC Worship Services at 11am on Sundays at AUC, George IV Bridge.

(All events at AUC, unless otherwise stated)


April 2013

Sunday 7th 11am Communion Service, led by Rev. John Miller

Monday 8th 4.30pm Faith, Healing & Wellbeing Civic Café Event at St. John’s,

Princes Street, followed by Community Meal at 6 pm: RSVP [email protected]

Tuesday 9th 7.30pm Elders’ Meeting in AUC Library

Wednesday10th 7.30pm also Weds. 17th and 24th. Exploring Church Membership

for new and existing church members. See p.5 for details.

Sunday 14th: 11am Communion Service: Our Community and Homelessness

12.30pm Church Meeting: discussing Aspects of Homelessness

7.30pm Refugio: Holy Communion in stillness and quiet at Greyfriars

Tuesday 16th 7.30pm: Contextual Bible Study

Wednesday 17th 7.30pm Exploring Church Membership

Thursday 18th 12.30-2.30pm Open Fellowship: Bring & Share Lunch. All Welcome!

Friday 19th 8-11pm Nitekirk at AUC – Note this change of venue

Sat. 20th 10.30am–3.15pm Eco-Congregations Scotland: AGM & Gathering

at Greyfriars (see p.5 for details)

Sunday 21st 11am Communion Service: Interview with David Townsend (from

St. Columba’s, Oxford)

Tuesday 23rd 7.30pm Book Group: Living the Heart of Christianity by Marcus Borg (Ch 9)

Wednesday 24th 7pm Induction of Rev Trevor Jamieson as a URC SCM to EcoCongregations Scotland

7.30 pm Exploring Church Membership

Thursday 25th 10.30am–3.30pm SURC College Course (first of three):Spirituality in ministry see p. 5 for full details

Saturday 27th 6.45pm for 7pm: Our Tribe led by David Townsend

Sunday 28th 11am Morning Worship

12.15pm: Soup, bread and cheese lunch

6pm: “St.Columba’s at Six”: at St. Columba’s-by-the-Castle, alternative

service with music, stillness and an agape meal: all welcome

May

Thursday 2nd 10.30am-3.30pm SURC College Course (second of three):Religion & Science (see p.5)

Sunday 5th 11am Communion Service

12.30pm Intercessions Workshop – preparation session

Monday 6th 2pm Women’s Union “Bring & Buy and Blether” at Saughtonhall URC. (Monthly meetings on the first of the month until Sep.)

Tuesday 7th 7.30pm Elders & Ministry Team Leaders meet in AUC Library

Thursday 9th 10.30am-3pm SURC College Course (last of three): Difference in Dialogue (see p.5)

Sunday 12th 11am Morning Worship.

12.30pm Annual General Church Meeting

Saturday 18th May 10-4pm AUC Retreat Day. Contact Maxwell [email protected]

Seeds No 27

Documents

Transcript of Seeds No 27