Dear Friends,
After those amazing five weeks of dry sunny weather back in April -before this patchy windy & wet spell -we can now surely talk about Summer and all that it holds?!
-Holidays. Where are you going to refresh and forget it all?! The seaside or the shed?!!
-Church. How can you do things a wee bit differently in this season of light nights and strawberries?
Fetes, galas, shows, BBQs, holiday clubs…May such seasonal community gatherings be a chance to make new relationships, share joy and be blessed.
When I was working south of here (!) we found two words key to all that we were doing - visible & generous. Visible: Much good work & care goes on in our churches and much of that will be invisible to an outsider but why not when we can make sure that we are not hiding our light under a bushel or wherever!? Not everyone will know where our church building is so why not take ‘church’ to a visible place in our locality? -Car washing; community surveys; choir practice…
Generous: With the cost of living going through the roof and with the church being known to be sensible and responsible why not hijack those expectations and regularly give away things for free where we can?! Everyone likes to receive a gift unexpectedly. Giving away is surely part of our nature as Christians…
Know your Community: A Free seminar led by friends from Priority Areas
Wednesday June 11th from 1030 to 3 in Coldstream halls with lunch provided.
Learn ways to identify better with your local community.
Let Peter know of you are coming if you can.
Flyer attached
Renew Wellbeing Seminar -Thursday June 12th at 730pm
Organised by Heather Thorp, Mission Officer for Glasgow
Topic: Renew Wellbeing C of S
Time: Jun 12, 2025 7:30pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81343859481?pwd=SzY4P5STqeimcO0DKg5BvslWD0ZbdJ.1
Meeting ID: 813 4385 9481 Passcode: 1654
‘Faith in the Outdoors’ -Zoominar Tuesday June 17th from 715 - 830pm
Are you interested in expressing faith in the outdoors? Got plans for this summer? Want ideas?
Fancy doing something outdoors or are already involved with Eco-Congregation etc? Come and share your ideas.
Special guest Fiona Lough from the Fountainbridge Canal Trust All welcome to come and join the conversation. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82933104999?pwd=HzULCLrzzg7si1MbfOwaWs2KcH8y5K.1
Flyer attached
Sunday June 22nd Sanctuary Sunday
A special Sunday worship focus on refugees
Ettrick Kirk 200 years celebrations!
Ettrick Kirk building has been a place of worship for 200 years this year although Christian worship has a much longer history in this part of the world. The congregation are planning a celebration and worship service on Sunday 29th June at 11am. We would be delighted people would like to come along. After the service there will be refreshments and a plant sale. For more details please contact Nora Hunter Session Clerk.[ norabirks@btinternet.com ] Please note parking is limited so car share where possible.
Latest Guild News
https://mailchi.mp/churchofscotland/guild-master-replicate-only-17585575?e=923bc0d4bd
As the Lothians Guilds Together Group ( LGTG) crosses two Presbytery areas you may be interested to know of the work of the Guild locally and nationally.
Joint Guild Report see attached
Further ahead > Future dates…
Selkirk are running Holiday at Home once again > A holiday club for seniors
Curious? Pop along and check it out. It runs July 9-11th
If interested please contact Myra Ward myraward@gmail.com
Magnitude Festival for Young People
CofS village at Magnitude 2025
Held at Lendrick Muir in Kinross from Sat 19 to Wed 23 July
Contact Andy Haddow who is going from our Presbytery. AHaddow@churchofscotland.org.uk
Stage n Slam at Gorebridge
A great week of fun, learning & activities for young people. It is running this year on July 14-18th
Or contact joel@gorepc.com
Alpha course for younger adults starting in the summer
If you have younger adults (18-35) wishing to explore faith with others their age you might be interested in this invitation from Revd. Alan Childs at Craigsbank, Corstorphine. Starts July 6th on Sunday evenings.
As you know, your typical CofS congregation does not necessarily have a large grouping of this age cohort. Neither do we. But my experience is that if congregations are willing to support one another's event for young adults, sometimes there forms sizeable enough networks across congregational boundaries that can offer networks of belonging that can be to the benefit of all the congregations. This is not an attempt to lure any members away from anyone, but rather to give this cohort an opportunity to explore the Christian faith together and in the process build one another up, regardless of which congregation they originate from or continue on at. Ideally, we hope to have non-members and faith-curious folks come along.
Attached is a wee flier image if you want to use either in your communications. If you are willing and able to market the course, here is the Eventbrite link, in case anyone wants to register interest. Or they can simply send me an email. achilds@churchofscotland.org.uk
The next Presbytery Youth Leaders Network Gathering is to be on Sat Sept 6th at St. Andrews Leckie, Peebles.
Cathedral Lectures on Conflict and Reconciliation
The texts of five public lectures on the theme of Conflict and Reconciliation given in Dunblane Cathedral Hall have now been published on the Cathedral website. https://www.dunblanecathedral.org.uk/dunblane-cathedral-lectures
In 2019 the Adult Education Committee of the, then, Dunblane Cathedral Kirk Session planned this series of five lectured but only the first two of them were given before the onset of Covid restrictions in 2020. The series was continued, post-Covid, in 2024. The texts brought together here have been developed by their authors from their original lecture notes. We are very grateful to The Very Rev Dr Lorna Hood, The Rev Scott Brown, The Rev Dr Donald MacEwan, The Very Rev Dr John Chalmers and Rt Hon Lord Robertson of Port Ellen for giving the lectures in this series and for permitting them to be published.
And finally…
In the Presbytery Prayer Calendar
Please pray…
Week beginning June 15th
Dalkeith: St John's & King's Park with Newton
We remember in prayer this week the leadership and all involved in the life of this community.
“Pray for all our weekly community groups, our summer holiday club, work in schools, summer mission to Ardnamurchan and Alpha running from September. We give thanks for new babies, our children and Youth and pray that all new people are seen and feel welcomed.”
Rev. Peter J. Wood
Mission Officer for Lothian & Borders Presbytery
