This week’s, and previous weeks’ news, can be found on the front page of the Presbytery website
https://lothianandborderspresbytery.org.uk/home/news-events/
Dear Friends
10-16 May 2026 Christian Aid Week
Decisions, decisions, decisions…
https://www.christianaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/2026-03/elections-resource-2026.pdf
“God of all creation, God of decision-makers and dung beetles,
God of MSPs and midges,
we can feel very small in the world around us.
We can feel silent as the adults shout: about wars and power and rights and responsibilities.
But we have lots of thoughts: about food and poverty and peace and climate.
We have lots of feelings: about fairness and kindness and love and dignity.
Show us how we can act fairly for your world.
Show us how we can love well in your world.
Show us how we can walk alongside all sorts of people,
for the good of your world.
Amen.”
This prayer is part of a suite of resources supplied by Christian Aid to support & encourage young people to fully engage in the world around them. The Scottish Holyrood elections have just taken place and so it is a great time to note who is the constituency MSP for your area.
Why not, in six or nine months, book your MSP to come along to your youth group or church meeting and see what they are doing and to listen to your concerns?
Note the resource https://www.theyworkforyou.com/scotland/ which helps to see what your MSP has been doing.
Magnitude
“Magnitude is a five-day annual Christian youth festival for young people aged 11-18. Based in the breath-taking Lendrick Muir, near Kinross, it is a week like no other: a space to encounter God, enjoy community and experience nature together.
We exist to see a generation of young people captivated by the magnitude of who God is and transformed by encountering Him: a movement of young people, thousands strong, who go on to transform their churches, transform their communities, transform their nation and transform the world. We are Magnitude, an invitation to more.”
18-22 JULY
LENDRICK MUIR
FIND OUT MORE AT: MAGNITUDE.ORG.UK
For information about being part of the Church of Scotland site contact Carrie Brown, Church of Scotland Lead for Young People CBrown@churchofscotland.org.uk
Internships this Summer…?
As a Presbytery we grant local churches £1000 to offer an intern an experience of mission that will enrich them and be of benefit to the church and community.
Holiday clubs; pop up cafés; mission audits; lunch clubs; treasure hunts; Social Media Assist.
Have a chat with the Mission Officer…
Presbytery Messy Church Gathering
The next Presbytery Messy Gathering is on Tuesday May 19th in North Middleton Village Hall (just off the A7) Come at 630pm for food or 7pm for the meeting. Hosted by Tyne Valley Parish I am delighted to have Michelle Brown coming to talk about Messy church and community. All welcome but please let me know if you are coming for food.
‘What’s it all about?!’ Enquirers materials.
The Mission committee is asking the question-
‘What does your church offer to folks who want to find out more about Christian faith?’
Your answer could include courses such as Alpha or handouts or to direct people to a website or…? Please let the Mission Officer know of any resources like these that you have used. A list of such resources is being compiled.
It is a great question to think about in these times when there appears to be less public knowledge about Christian faith and the role and purpose of the local church.
Do people require greater clarity than we have given in the past?
Berwickshire Cluster Gathering
We had a lovely evening last week meeting in Earlston Church.
After a sumptuous supper we shared stories of what is happening in churches from Earlston to Berwick and at all points in between.
As the sun came through the church windows we shared our hopes for the summer, prayed for each other and reflected together on Jesus appearing to the disciples and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Interested in a cluster in your area? Get in touch.
Calling Church Treasurers
You are invited to Weds May 13th at 7pm online to a surgery chaired by Alastair Cook.
Time to bring your questions and to share experiences.
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84632445819?pwd=nAa1KX6Uk4FnMwOs9h8pNUoVDbGqYA.1
Presbytery decisions taken under powers…
| 29/04/2026 | Presbytery Council | Agreed the decision of the Kirk Session at Hawick South Church to sell Trinity Church. |
| 29/04/2026 | Presbytery Council | Rev. Graham Astles appointed as Interim Moderator for Carlops l/w West Linton - St Andrews l/w Kirkud & Newlands l/w Upper Tweedale supported by the Rev. John Urquhart |
| 29/04/2026 | Presbytery Council | Rev. Anna Rodwell appointed as interim Moderator for Cheviot Churches assisted by Morag Mckeand. |
| 29/04/2026 | Presbytery Council | Rev. Sheila Moir appointed as Interim moderator for Hawick South. |
Lambing Service at Ruberslaw
Ruberslaw Country Parishes are holding their annual Lambing service on Sunday 17th May outdoors in the glorious Borders countryside, at Bedrule near Jedburgh starting at 3pm.
All welcome.
Border Street Pastors Update -Hawick
“Borders Street Pastors have been operating lunchtime patrols in Hawick for the past two years. This has led to some great interactions between students from Hawick High School (HHS) who are in the town at lunchtime, and also with the management team of the school.
As these links developed, we have been exploring the possibility of School Pastors with HHS. School Pastors are basically Street Pastors, but operating in the school environment, using the same ethos of Listening, Caring and Helping.
We are now at the stage of agreeing protocols and arranging training, which will take place in June, with the aim of launching after the summer holidays.
Please remember the team at Borders Street Pastors and the teachers and students of HHS in your prayers as we develop this exciting project!” From Duncan Cameron, Borders Street Pastors Co-ordinator.
For more information see https://scotland.ascensiontrust.org.uk/school-and-rail-pastors/
Greetings from North India -celebrating 25 years…
We received this message from North India…
“Warm greetings to you Bill & all our Friends in the Lothian & Borders Presbytery & friends in the Church of Scotland!!
As our Twinning Programme between our Diocese of Eastern Himalaya Church of North India and the Lothian & Borders Presbytery, Church of Scotland crossed it's 25 years milestone last year ........ we thank our Lord Almighty for His Blessings, guidance & his everlasting love & care to all our dear friends in the Presbytery & the Church of Scotland.
The visits, emails, WhatsAp messages & the innumerable calls & the unconditional support by friends from the Presbytery & the Church of Scotland has been a great Blessing, inspiration & joy to all of us here in the Diocese. The love, joy & warmth you all have shared in this twinning journey of a quarter of a century remains etched in our hearts.
As I have often shared with friends in Scotland that; what we are, here in the Diocese and as believers if it was not for the Scottish missionaries who dedicated & sacrificed their lives over a century back........ to share the gospel & build innumerable churches & in the process also established eight mission schools, still very vibrant & still providing education to hundreds of youth in our Diocese & health care facilities is definitely *WITNESS* *of* *sharing* *God's* *Love* .
Dear friends in CHRIST, we thank each one of you in the Presbytery & the past & present friends in the Church of Scotland for your love , prayers & good wishes as we take this Twinning journey together....heading for the Golden jubilee in the next 25 years.
You all are always in our prayers and wish each of you well with good health and good life.
With much love and warm regards.
Yours in His Mission.
Miku.
Diocesan Twinning Co-ordinator, Diocese of Eastern Himalaya.
Rev. Tara Curlewis is our Presbytery Mission Partner serving in Rome
Tara leads the St. Andrew’s, Church of Scotland congregation in Rome and represents the World Council of Reformed Churches in that city. We are delighted that she will be visiting Lothian & Borders Presbytery at the end of August until September 6th If your church would be interested in having Tara join with you at an event do please get in touch.
Live Music –
At Haddington
See the attached poster for the Sundays at 4 series of free concerts at St.Marys in Haddington.
At St. Johns Kings Park, Dalkeith
Organ recital May 29th at 730pm with donations towards the maintenance of the organ
Bach, Boellmann, Gigout with Timothy Leson & Rebeka Woodier on Cello.
See the attached poster
In the Presbytery Prayer Calendar
This week we continue to pray for Whiteadder Parish
Then next week, beginning Sunday 17th you are invited to pray for Aberlady & Gullane
We remember the leadership and all involved in the life of this community.
“Please pray for the nominations committee, the Interim Moderator and those coming to lead worship while we await the appointment of a new Minister.”
Pray too for all preparing for, and going to, the General Assembly in Edinburgh which starts on Friday.
Love & prayers
Peter
Rev. Peter J. Wood
Mission Officer for Lothian & Borders Presbytery
Website: www.lothianandborderspresbytery.org.uk/
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