From the Mission Officer October 21

Dear Friends

 

Above is an arial view of Sheriffhall roundabout on the East side of the Edinburgh bypass. A monster with a multiple legs or a work of art? The roundabout handles up to 42,000 vehicles a day. I am frequently one of them! Approaching the roundabout I invariably choose ‘the wrong lane’ when it comes to which lane moves the fastest and I sit and watch cars pass me by.

It is fascinating to note how the intersection of roads has developed and continues to develop. The latest addition to the roundabout were steel studs in lanes to further help guide cars around the roundabout.

Even leaving the house very early in the morning I am always taken aback by how many people are making journeys. More people are on the move than ever before.

May we, in our work and living, learn to travel well together, to share what we have and to encounter Jesus in all the ‘ordinary and extraordinary’ comings and goings of life and to know his peace.

 

From Lament to Hope. The Presbytery conference is this Friday. Coffee from 930am.

We encourage you to join with us in St.Andrew Blackadder North Berwick as we gather to hear stories from across our presbytery, to be inspired from input from Prof. Tom Greggs and to learn and sing some new worship songs from the new song book. There will be plenty of time for networking and the gathering is open to all. Please bring your own lunch. Coffee & tea will be served from 930.

If you can’t make it do please pray that it would be an encouraging time together for us as a Presbytery.

Confirming your place with Fiona Burnett would be helpful. fiona@glenholme.co.uk

Conference flyer attached.

   

Video Heart for Art -A Crossreach project

I had the pleasure a few weeks back of popping in to see Heart for Art in action in Galashiels. Here in this short clip I chat with Anne Mitchell the Creative arts co-ordinator responsible for the group.

https://youtu.be/ODQ-w_tD-4g

 

Prayers for the Middle East

Appalled by the devastation & death in the conflict in the Middle East? Do join us online as we get the latest news from Mission Partners and pray for peace.

Tuesday Oct 29th 7-8pm Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82593934759?pwd=eD4K68M9yENUbFwVs6U7ECM7RHVFO9.1

Meeting ID: 825 9393 4759  Passcode: 930978

 

Looking ahead…books, videos & images

Advent & Christmas resources

https://www.eden.co.uk/christian-books/christmas-and-advent-books/advent-books/advent-bible-studies/advent-for-everyone-9780281078387/

https://www.eden.co.uk/christian-books/christmas-and-advent-books/advent-books/advent-bible-studies/advent-for-everyone-9780281078387/

https://licc.org.uk/resources/advent-packs/

https://shop.embraceme.org/products/longing-for-light-as-the-one-household-of-god

https://www.lifewords.global/shop/product/little-book-of-advent/

https://www.christianaid.org.uk/appeals/key-appeals/christmas-appeal/worship/advent

https://www.messychurch.brf.org.uk/latest/resources/summary-of-christmas-resources/

https://spoken-truth.com/ videos for Christmas worship

https://thejesusquestion.org/2011/12/25/nativity-paintings-from-around-the-world/

 

Gospel Entrepreneurs

Thu 23 January (12-3.30pm) in the Church of Scotland offices in 121 George Street, Edinburgh where you can connect with like-minded people, and hear “what we at Gospel Entrepreneurs do”.

Numbers are limited, places are £10 and include a light lunch. If you know of anyone who may be interested please give them this link to sign up: https://gospelentrepreneurs.charitysuite.com/events/vbqxwanh

 

In the Presbytery Prayer Calendar

Week beginning October 27th Lyne & Manor linked with Peebles: Leckie

We remember in prayer this week the leadership and all involved in the life of this community.

We give thanks for the young children at Lyne and Manor and for one of our elders who is growing in a ministry of preaching and leading worship.

We pray for the church ceilidh at the Leckie as we reach out to our community and invite people to Advent and Christmas services and events.

 

Creation service at Berwick upon Tweed -See flyer attached

 

An autumn prayer to finish

God of the harvest

Giver of life providing the corn with ripeness

Producing a hundred seeds from one

Give abundance to my life

Give my heart a great harvest

 

God in the falling leaves

Taking away that which once brought life but now needs to go

Give me the heart to let go of all that is over

When the season of its life has come to an end.

 

God who gives

God who takes away

Always for the benefit of the ongoing cycle of life

Physical & spiritual

I give myself to you

I set myself in the divine flow of your love and of your life.

Amen

 

Wishing you God’s blessing in all that you do this week.

Love & prayers

Peter

 

OTHER

 

New College > DMin invitations open…

Applications are now being invited for our Doctor of Ministry programme (Reformed Focus) in collaboration with Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

The purpose of this programme is to engage with the challenges, opportunities, and vocation of ministry through a systematic and sustained curriculum involving disciplined study and reflection over a period of three years. Students undertaking the degree are to develop a habit of reading and study, conversation and reflection, writing and rewriting that provides a pattern of deep theological engagement and invites renewed imagination for work in the student’s ministry setting.

Applicants must have completed a minimum of three years in active ministry since completing their training, and are expected to be engaged in some recognised ministerial position for the period of the programme. They must have a Bachelor of Divinity degree or higher from an accredited School/Faculty of Divinity or seminary.

The programme will begin in June 2025. The closing date for applications is 31 January 2025.

https://divinity.ed.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-study/programmes/doctor-ministry

 

GoHealth Day Conference

Nov 9th 1000-1600

Join the GoHealth team and trustees for a day when we celebrate and reaffirm our commitment to our purpose and vision to enable churches and Christians to be healing presence in the world – for the benefit of all. We seek to see and be flourishing communities made up of flourishing individuals, and in our festival we will be meeting together online, leaning into new ways to think about Christian healing, and celebrating what we have, through the grace of God, achieved in the year past.

Brooke Prentis is an Aboriginal Christian Leader, theologian, education consultant and a Wakka Wakka woman. We are excited to welcome Brooke as she helps us to explore the connections between health, flourishing and creation.

https://gohealth.org.uk/shop/festival2024/

 

New College Book Festival -Books & Belief Nov 7-9th

We have an excellent line-up of guests and topics this year - including David Clark Maxwell's biographer and a discussion on Scottish religious poetry. Please find information about the speakers and links to book on our website here. https://divinity.ed.ac.uk/new-college-festival. We hope there's something for everyone.

 

 

Rev. Peter J. Wood

Mission Officer for Lothian & Borders Presbytery

 

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Link to Presbytery Youtube channel

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