july/august 2019 › wp-content › uploads › 2019 › 0… · aversion to arts and crafts....

In this issue 1 Pastoral letter 2 Evening service 3 Meet our locum 4 Vacancy & session update 5 Afternoon Fellowship 6 Remembering where you have come from 7 Heart and Soul Kitchen notes 8 Football update 9 Circle the city Thank you from Heather 10 Gillespie Crescent 11 Pathways Flower rota 12 Teachings from the trees 13 Useful information 14 July diary 15 August & September diary 16 Photo wall

LinkJuly/August 2019

Making God’s love known through Jesus Christ

Pastoral letter Most folks who know me know that I have an absolute aversion to arts and crafts. Growing up I was always given the impression that anything I’d drawn or any crafty ‘creations’ were a bit of a lost cause. While I was training to be a teacher we had to do a term of art – the kind of thing which makes me want to curl up in a ball until it all goes away. In one class we were learning how to make clay pots. I thought I did a reasonable job fashioning a small pot – until I returned to the same class the following week, during which time the tutor was going to fire our pots in the kiln. Everybody’s pot was returned to them – except my one. I was told that my pot had broken in the kiln. The tutor, feeling sorry for me, gave me one of her pots, which I still have to this day.

Recently I’ve been doing some research into all things Japanese (as I’ll be heading out there later in the year for two weeks of rugby and touring) and I came across something called kintsugi. This is the art of restoring broken pots using gold mixed with lacquer, creating something even more beautiful than the original. The breaks and cracks are considered part of the story and

the beauty of the piece.

Our lives are rather like that. We are created in the image of God to be beautiful people, but things in life cause us to crack and break. There may be times when we feel completely useless, like the pot in pieces. But God has other plans for us.Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Isaiah 64:8)

July/August 2019 Barclay Viewforth Link Magazine

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We are all the work of his hand, and he wants to take us in our broken state and mend us, using the finest gold to create something stronger and better. His love and compassion strengthens us and brings us to a place where we then can bring that love and compassion to others who are struggling, as in 2 Corinthians 1:3–4:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

None of us are the finished article as yet, but we are becoming more beautiful, day by day, as each piece is put into place.

May the hands of the master potter be on your life this day, moulding you, fixing you and healing you. May he then take you and use you to bring his light into dark places, wherever you may travel over the summer period.

Elaine Hogan

Evening service goes on tour As usual, for July we will take a break from holding evening services and visit other churches instead.

7 July Holy Trinity Wester Hailes 18:30 1–2 Hailesland Place

14 July Visit a church of your choice!

21 July Charlotte Chapel 19:00 58 Shandwick Place

28 July Liberton Kirk 18:30 28–30 Kirkgate

Barclay Viewforth Link Magazine July/August 2019

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Meet our locum – Martin Pearce Martin is a Church of Scotland reader and has been for over 19 years, which includes three years’ training. A reader is a minister of the Word of God who provides pulpit supply and pastoral support including funerals, and sometimes serves as a locum during vacancies. During this period he has led worship in 30 churches and chapels in Edinburgh and served as a locum minister at St Nicholas Parish Church for six months (2014/15), Willowbrae for six months (2016/17) and St Michael’s for nine months (2018). Martin continues to serve as an elder at his home church at Davidson's Mains Parish Church.

When asked why he became a reader, Martin says a calling to preach the gospel had nagged away at him for many years whilst the family were growing up, and he finally gave in to this calling by God in 1999. He has enjoyed the privilege and joy of leading worship ever since.

He retired in 2015 from BAE Systems/Marconi/Ferranti companies after 26 years’ employment as a marketing manager, and before that he had a 20-year career in the Royal Air Force serving as a navigator and avionic trials specialist.

He is increasingly devoting his retirement time to God’s service as a reader and elder.

Martin adds: ‘One of the great privileges of a reader is to preach to congregations who you do not know well, but by the grace of God the services come together to meets the needs of worshippers. After all, we all belong to one church family, and we are at our best when we help one another.’

Martin is married to Debbie, and they have lived in Edinburgh for 30 years. They have three grown-up children, living in Sydney, Derbyshire and Edinburgh, and five grandchildren – two grandsons in Sydney, two granddaughters living in Derbyshire, and one grandson in Edinburgh, with ages ranging from two years to nine years old.

For relaxation, he enjoys family holidays, playing golf and watching TV sport, notably rugby and cricket.

As a footnote to the above, Martin adds: ‘Thank you to everyone for the warm welcome. It is a joy to serve the church family at Barclay Viewforth as locum, and I hope to get to know everyone as soon as possible. If anyone would like a locum visit, just give me a ring on my mobile (07913 625 394) or invite me when you see me.’


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Vacancy and Session updates

Vacancy

Making progress in moving our vacancy forward, Edinburgh Presbytery agreed at their meeting this month that:

• Barclay Viewforth can call a minister on Unrestricted Tenure • our Nominating Committee will have 11 members.

Those on the Nominating Committee will be elected at a congregational meeting. We are aiming to hold this on a Sunday in September, and will confirm the exact date as soon as we can.

In the meantime there are two tasks we need to complete:

• drafting a Parish Profile, explaining the congregation, its work and mission, to a potential new minister

• ensuring the Congregational Roll is up to date and inviting any adherents who, while not members, would like to be on the Electoral Register. Those on the Register (that is, the members and adherents) elect the Nominating Committee, and eventually vote to decide our new minister.

Session set up a small group to draft the Parish Profile, and work will be completed on the Roll over the next few weeks. Aware that people will be away over the summer, we will make sure there is plenty of notice for the formal process of becoming an adherent.

Strategy Group

A big thank you to those who responded to the questionnaire the group put out in April.

There were clear themes in the responses, and in particular what people valued most about BVC (the larger words indicate more responses): What people valued

Welcoming/friendlyDiverse

‘Family’

Fellowship InclusiveSupportive

Also Meeting God Strengthening Faith Challenge

Bible

TeachingWorship Reflection


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And there was agreement about what we should do more of:

You will hear more on plans to develop small groups, and a stronger place for international concerns, in the next few months.

Comments on worship were more divided. A number of responses were looking for a better balance between traditional and modern songs, and commenting on the need to ensure new material was introduced and taught well.

A small group has been formed to look at these points in more depth and work with those who lead our music. One thing we will do is ask people for a note of their favourite hymns and songs, so please look out for the list in the Pillar Hall.

There were very few comments on the ‘less of’ question, although I did smile at the comment ‘less clutter’. Fair point. There was wise advice on what we needed to do more of in the reply: ‘trust in God’ and the accompanying ‘less of’ comment: ‘relying on ourselves’.

John Ritchie

More of…

Small Groups

Emphasis on

WelcomeOutreach

International issues

Children’s work

Social eventsPrayer

Sharing & Communications

Afternoon Fellowship Our now traditional Afternoon Tea brought our most interesting and enjoyable 2018–19 programme to an end. We now have our annual outing to look forward to. We have not yet decided where to go, so if anyone knows of somewhere suitable, just let Jean MacAulay know ASAP. P.S. Fochabers is too far!

Lorna Gentleman


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Remembering where you have come from When I moved to Edinburgh, I had no idea that my great-grandmother had, in fact, been buried not far away in Dunbar. I visited her grave several years ago, and more recently I have become involved in a project to place memorials to her parents and her uncle, whose graves are also in Dunbar, but not marked.

In the process, I have learned a lot more about my ancestors, from both my own family and from others.

Philip Larkin famously commented on the way our family can damage us, and modern parenting seems to endlessly focus on not raising a neurotic child.

However, our family can also give us tremendous gifts.

My father studied geography, and we were reducing, reusing and recycling as a family before it was ‘on trend’.

My mother has a passion for social justice and taught me about food miles, letter writing and protesting.

My parents also gave me the wonderful gift and privilege of a childhood in church, and an example of a deep and committed faith. They both continue to be active in leading worship in their respective local churches. My grandparents, too, were and are committed Christians, serving in their church community.

It is a privilege to grow up in church, learning the stories of the Bible, the language of faith, and the customs of our community. I have always known when to stand up, when to sit down and how to pray the Lord’s Prayer (albeit, I did learn the version with sins in, rather than debts!), but many others in our community have not.

It is such a privilege too to see those who have gone before me through the ups and downs of adult life, and still have a deep and passionate faith. I am so thankful for their example.

Whether we have family who are also Christians or not, looking to those who have gone before us can encourage us.

I pray that I will, in my turn, be able to be an encouragement to those children and young people who are blessed and privileged to be growing up in our community of faith.

Emma Torry


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Heart and Soul A number of us went along to the Church of Scotland event Heart and Soul last month. This is a Sunday afternoon event in Princes Street gardens linked with the General Assembly, with representatives from various churches and Christian organisations. As well as bumping into and catching up with various friends including previous probationers and members of BVC, there were talks (a friend attended ‘Remembering Srebrenica’, with the Very Reverend Dr Lorna Hood, Ruth Davidson MSP and Iain Gray MSP, and was very impressed with the discussion), music and children’s activities (games, face painting, puppet shows, music). The weather stayed dry and the afternoon finished with a service at the bandstand. Colin Sinclair, the Church of Scotland moderator this year gave a clear message and the worship was inspiring. Worth looking out for next year.

Katharine Ellis

Kitchen notes: blueberry cake

I recently visited friends in Newcastle and offered to take a cake to share. This then of course led to the question of what type of cake was I going to make. Fruit, chocolate, vanilla, Swiss roll, scones… the choices seemed endless. I knew it needed to be something that would be happy to spend a couple of hours in the car and would appeal to a range of people. I also wanted a cake that would be easy to cut and not be too messy to eat. I eventually decided to make a blueberry cake. This recipe always comes out lovely and moist, but I haven’t found a way of stopping the blueberries from sinking to the bottom.

You will need a 2 lb loaf tin. The instructions state ‘grease then dust with flour’ – I just used a loaf tin liner.

• 190 g margarine • 3 eggs • 190 g sugar • 25 ml sour cream • 190 g plain flour • 125 g blueberries • 1 tsp baking powder

1. Preheat the oven to 170 °C. 2. Cream the sugar and butter together. 3. Beat in the eggs, sour cream and 2–3 tablespoons of the flour. 4. Mix in the remaining flour and baking powder with a large spoon, then stir through the

blueberries. 5. Pour the batter into the loaf tin and bake for 50–60mins.

Linda Garside


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Football update Ending the 2018/19 ECFA season against four of the five top-positioned sides maybe didn’t help but as the saying goes, not a biblical one admittedly, ‘the league table doesn’t lie.’ Despite some really good team performances and phases of dominant play during all of these latter games the solitary point Barclay Viewforth required to leapfrog AC Oxgangs alas just could not be garnered.

Farewell brave season 18/19, a toast to the new campaign 19/20. Hold your horses! Whilst that was undoubtably the bullish sentiment of squad members who attended the league’s awards night at the Golf Tavern on 17 May (and congratulations to Port Seton on a well deserved league flag) there was still the necessity for a bit of post season introspection at the annual end-of-season team dinner and awards night. And while previous annual events maybe haven’t quite lived up to the title of being ‘dinners’, well this certainly was the case for the 2019 edition.

The event took place in our very own Pillar Hall on Saturday 25 May. Around 20 hungry men turned up for an evening of quizzing, games, banter, fine food and beverages, a few highly merited tributes and maybe just the odd spot of post-season introspection. Lesley Anderson and ‘the two Jeans’ produced fine fare in the form of plentiful lasagne, garlic bread and cheesecake. More than that, they undertook all the clearing away and washing up. Their efforts were greatly appreciated.

Team coach and manager Chris Whelan led proceedings through a variety of imaginative activities including a memorable ‘flexibility’ challenge which involved an ever-diminishing cornflakes box, through having strips successively torn off it, and competing athletes requiring to lift it without recourse to using hands or arms. A few of the squad’s younger stars were edged out by more mature participants with overseeing elder Lawrie Hall turning in an impressive quarter-final-level performance.

By the culmination of a heady mixture of such physical and cerebral challenges the result on the night was a dead heat between the two large competing tables. Perhaps with an eye to the fact both ECFA cup finals were this year decided by penalty shootouts, Chris went for the same method, albeit upon a Subbuteo table football pitch.

The Pillar Hall lights were finally dimmed and trophies and medals were placed upon Lawrie’s elegant card table. First up for a gong was Cammy for Barclay Viewforth’s ‘golden boot’ of the season. Last up would be his Uncle Sam for contributions over closer to 14 seasons. In between, goalie ‘Cov’ collected his players’ player of the year, and John the manager’s equivalent, while Mark won the most-improved player award.


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And so, deserving at least a paragraph in its own right, we come to Sam. A deserved tribute was paid by Chris on behalf of the whole squad, past and current, for Sam’s central contribution from the inception of the team back in 2007. Sam in turn spoke of the value of that experience in his own life and for all the enjoyment, as well as times of unmissable exasperation, it had brought. A signed and glass-encased team shirt and plaque was presented to the team’s greatest servant and perhaps in that context there wasn’t a need for too much introspection.

Pre-season training and practice resumes on the morning of Saturday 22 June on the Meadows. Please don’t hesitate to speak to me if interested in participating in training or if curious regarding attending a match (supporters are as ever very welcome). The new season is anticipated to commence in mid August. Meantime your ongoing prayers for the direction of both the Barclay Viewforth squad and the ECFA would be greatly appreciated, and on behalf of the whole squad, thank you for the support the church continues to give to its football setup.

Andrew Stephenson

‘Circle the city’ for Christian Aid The walk I did in London on Sunday 19 May was a blast. It started with a short church service in St Mary le Bow Church. Christian Aid welcomed everyone, and also gave me a special mention as I had come down from Scotland. I would like to thank everyone who sponsored me, and contributed to the £515 raised. It was well worth my trip down from Auld Reekie, and thanks especially to my friend Mary, who put me up. I got a déjà vu moment as I used to live in London before settling in Edinburgh.

Fiona Kennedy

Thank you from Heather Thank you to everyone who came along to Heather Tweedie’s fundraising concert, and gave generously.

Heather raised £345, which will to go towards the fees for her her Discipleship Training School in New Zealand. Anyone who was unable to attend, but who would like to give something can donate online via Just Giving – https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/climbers-dts – or give contributions directly to Heather on a Sunday morning.


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Gillespie Crescent sheltered housing

We are about 120 households in Viewpoint Sheltered Housing for the over 60s.

There are three blocks: 43, 45 & 47. 47 has a large and pleasant common room with a good kitchen. It also has a piano.

There is a Pilates Class on a Tuesday morning. This is open to people outwith the complex as well. This is chair-based, but can be done standing as well. There is a small fee for this.

On a Wednesday there is a coffee morning at 10:00 in block 47 and one at 14:30 in block 43. These are pleasant occasions where we can meet and exchange news. They are run by the tenants.

Thursday sees the food group. This is led by Lesley of the Community Food Initiative, which helps people in the community. We learn food nutrition and new recipes. Lesley brings ingredients for us to prepare and we eat together. If there is some left over we can take it home to freeze. The group is friendly, and people from other Viewpoint complexes come too.

Monthly on a Thursday, we have a tenants’ meeting, attended by the Housing Officer, Ray, a maintenance person and the coordinator. These are lively discussions. They can range from whether to have a tree cut down, because it cuts out the light, to a washing machine that needs repaired. Recently, we have shared a meal afterwards, kindly prepared by Lesley.

During the week, various meetings or celebrations can take place. The common room can be booked by the general public. It holds about 50 people.

On Friday there is a computer group. This is run by Mike Ellis of Tap Into It, to engage older people in going online, using laptops and tablets. Volunteers help with the tuition and members of the church are among these. It is friendly. People work at emails, play


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games such as solitaire, look up things on the internet and more. This group is open to all.

Monthly on a Sunday morning there is a church service in the common room. Elaine Hogan has been coming and taking this. We are a small group, so far, yet enjoying Elaine’s sermon and singing hymns. Afterwards, we share a tea and coffee and chat. Other people are most welcome.

So ends our enjoyable week.

Lee Gates

Pathways bereavement support programme The next Pathways daytime programme will start on Monday 19 August, running from 10:30 to 12:00 in the Pillar Hall at Barclay Viewforth Church, for anyone who is living with loss. While we are unable to take away anyone’s personal pain, we hope that by journeying with others in a similar situation, people may find strength for the journey ahead.

Leaflets with the new dates for day and evening courses (the latter commencing on Tuesday 29 October at 19:00 in the Treehouse Cafe) are available from the Pillar Hall. Please feel free to take one (or some) and pass them on to people you feel might benefit.

For more information, please speak to Elaine Hogan, Anne Gaskell or Catriona Taylor.

Donated by Arranged by Delivered by

7 TBC TBC Chris Hogan

14 Margaret Ronald TBC TBC

21 Joyce Bruce TBC Stephen Tweedie

28 Mairi Gordon TBC Joyce Bruce

4 Jean Macaulay Lorna Gentleman Lorna & Bill Gentleman

11 Joyce Bruce TBC Sarah Gotts

18 Anne Gaskell Anne Gaskell Helen Miller

25 Margaret Stewart TBC Mike Ellis

Flower rota Thank you to those who have donated, arranged and delivered the flowers for the sanctuary for July and August.


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Teachings from the trees My Spiritual Director gave me a creative challenge between Ascension and Pentecost. For those 11 days I was to take a photo of a tree, and reflect on what God was saying though what I saw. This is the first in a series where I share some of the things that I learnt during that time.

Signs from God

There are a lot of lime trees around if you start looking. Their leaves are soft to the touch, and the young ones are edible, although not particularly tasty! These are of course very different from the trees that produce the citrus fruit. One of the amazing things about them are the heart-shaped leaves. The leaves look wonderful when you stand underneath them with the sunlight shining through. You are surrounded by hearts! They often hang low, so literally you can be touched and enclosed in a sea of hearts. Think of it as God’s love pouring down and encompassing you. If we intentionally see theses things, these signs, as we walk around, we can use them as reminders that God is holding us in his love. We can also use them to remind ourselves to love other people too, and love the world around us. We should be caring, loving people, and good examples of people who bear Christ’s name. Our hearts should be filled to overflowing with God’s love. Our hearts should also be soft like these leaves and not hardened. But if we look at these heart-shaped leaves we can see the veins running through them, to the stalk, the branch, to the trunk, and down to the roots where they take their nourishment. When autumn comes the leaves turn golden, fall and are soon crunched

up or swept away. To remain lush and green they have to stay connected to the tree, they need to be nourished by the roots, grounded in the soil and watered by the rain. Without our connection to God and each other we will wither and die. Our hearts will be shrivelled up and not worth anything. We have to remain (in the vine) as is illustrated in the Bible. There may be seasons when we don’t want to have our hearts on display, and we want them hidden away in the shade. Take your turn in the shade, but remember that you need the light to keep growing and loving.

Julie Nicholson


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Contribute to the magazine Link relies on people like you to fill our pages each month. Please send us articles, pictures, poems, artwork, recommendations, upcoming events and important notices!

You can submit content by email to [email protected] or hand in a hard copy to the editor or the church office. Articles should be 400 words or less.

Content for the September issue must be submitted by 17:00 on Tuesday 20 August.

Emma Torry, Editor

Useful information Minister [Vacant as of 18 May 2019 – please contact the office in the first instance] Interim Moderator Ian MacDonald (Minister, Holy Trinity Wester Hailes) Locum Martin Pearce [email protected] Ministry Team Administrator Julie Nicholson [email protected] Pastoral Associate Elaine Hogan [email protected] Children & Families Stefanie Conradt [email protected] Development Worker

Officers Session Clerk John Ritchie [email protected] Treasurer Janet Darling [email protected] Roll Keeper Helen Miller [email protected] Church Officer Chris Hogan Webmaster Mike Ellis [email protected]

Music Organist/Choirmaster Andrew Robertson Organist Michael Bonaventure Worship Band Leader Anna Nicholson

Missional communities(*), groups and teams Afternoon Fellowship Jean Macaulay Blessing* Contact the church office Connect Plus* Elaine Rumney, Chris Hogan Football Andrew Stephenson Meals for Mums Linda Garside, Katy Gray TCP* Elaine Hogan, Helen Wolpert The Net* Alison Edmondson, Kirsteen Milne, Andrew Paterson Toddlers Katharine Ellis

For enquiries by telephone, please call the church office on 0131 229 6810


- � -14Red events are BVC events, blue events are CoS and green events are run by other organisations

JulyJulyTues 2 10:00 No toddlers

Tues 2 19:00 Connect summer BBQ Meadows/Links

Tues 9 10:00 No toddlers

Thurs 11 10:30 Knit 2 Tog Pillar Hall

Wed 24 19:30 Knit 2 Tog Pillar Hall

For more information, please phone Elaine on 0131 313 4956

Come along and have some food and fun. Bring a friend.

Connect Plus Summer Barbecue

Tuesday 2 July 7 - 8.45 pm


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Mon 19 10:30 Pathways Pillar Hall

Mon 26 TBC Kirk Session Pillar Hall

Red events are BVC events, blue events are CoS and green events are run by other organisations

AugustAugust

SeptemberSeptemberTues 3 19:00 Connect Plus Pillar Hall

Sun 8 11:00 Ability Sunday Sanctuary

Fri 13 19:00 Music @ BVC Concert Sanctuary

Tues 17 19:00 Connect Plus Pillar Hall

Mon 23 19:00 Kirk Session Pillar Hall

Barclay Viewforth Link Magazine March 2018

- � -16Barclay Viewforth Link Magazine is a publication of Edinburgh Barclay Viewforth Church of Scotland

1 Wright’s Houses, Edinburgh EH10 4HR, Registered Scottish Charity No. SC014757

Want to see your photo here?

Email it to the address on p.13

Time for a Bible Workout!

Welcoming Martin

Five Elaines all together!

Parachute fun at the rainy BBQ

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