ST. PHILIP’S E-NEWSLETTER
8 APRIL 2011
COMMENT FROM THE EDITOR
Your editor is running a bit late this morning (oops…afternoon) and thus it seems best to get cracking.
THOUGHT
The Edinburgh Presbytery are encouraging congregations to take part in the TryPraying initiative. On 12 April there will be a short prayer service at St. P’s from 7.30-8pm, on the same day that 15 other congregations will be having services in the city. On 14 April our neighbours at the Old Parish will host a 24 hour prayer vigil with much of the time in the wee hours offered by Rev. Andrew Patterson.
In light of this, a lovely prayer your editor happened upon recently. In this time of Lent an unusual prayer of penitence.
I have just hung up; why did he telephone?
I don’t know….Oh! I get it…
I talked a lot and listened very little.
Forgive me, Lord, it was a monologue and not a dialogue.
I explained my idea and did not get his;
Since I didn’t listen, I learned nothing,
Since I didn’t listen, I didn’t help,
Since I didn’t listen, we didn’t communicate.
Forgive me, Lord, for we were connected,
and now we are cut off.
Michel Quoist
So often praying seems to achieve nothing.
Yet without it we are indeed disconnected with God.
And if from this source of eternal love and grace,
how can we truly connect with each other?
WORSHIP
Your editor is, for a change, responsible for the reflection this week and what a corker it is! The Parable of the Unjust Steward from Luke 16. What is this doing amongst the parables? What does one make of Jesus condoning some dishonest dealings? Tune in to find out. You may even see some inchoate musings on
We are what we can imagine. Robert Hass
________
Welcome, announcements and silence
Opening Collect (said together)
Most merciful God,
by the death and resurrection
of your Son Jesus Christ,
you created humanity anew.
Grant that by faith in him
who suffered on the cross,
we may triumph in the power of his victory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn 187
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy
Talking Together
Hymn 174
God of great and God of small
Reading Norrie Veitch
A Vision of Amos Amos 8.1-12
Offering
Prayer & the Lords Prayer
Hymn 362
Heaven shall not wait
Readings
The Dishonest Manager Luke 16.1-8
‘The Bridge’ Catherine of Siena
Reflection
Prayers
O Lord hear my prayer, O Lord hear my prayer,
O Lord hear my prayer: O Lord hear my prayer:
when I call answer me. come and listen to me.
Hymn 167
Guide me, O thou great Jehovah
Blessing
EVENTS
Sunday, 10th April 2011
Easter Cards: Please do pick up Easter Cards in the corridor outside the main hall to deliver to the parish. New volunteers warmly welcome….needed…urgently!!!
Ø Tea and Coffee: Please do join us for tea and coffee after the 11am service and we appreciate your patience as we set up tables and chairs.
Ø Choir Practice: There will be choir practice after the 11am service this morning
Ø Lent Lectures: We are holding a series of Lent Lectures on the Sunday evenings during Lent, commencing on Sunday, 13th March at 7.30pm in the Sanctuary. The theme of the lectures will be Faith & Violence. Our speakers have a wealth of knowledge on these subjects as authors, academics, activists and practitioners. Our speaker for our final lecture on Sunday 10th April will be Dr Cecilia Clegg and the focus of this lecture will be Faith, Violence Reconciliation. Cecelia is a theologian, psychological counseller and group facilitator who is Senior Lecturer in Practical Theology at New College, University of Edinburgh. For more information and details of all the lectures please visit our website: www.stphilips.co.uk or www.stewartweaver.org . All are welcome to come along.
Ø Dust-Busting: It’s been a very busy winter and with Easter approaching it’s time to give St.Philip’s a bit of a spring clean.This will be done in two phases. Phase one is the sanctuary which will be attacked on Tues 19 and Wed 20th April. We will start at 10am and finish at 3pm each day. Can you help for an hour or two? Vacuum, dust, polish – whatever job you like. The more volunteers – the easier the challenge. Please let Elize know if you can help.
Ø Roseanne Fraser – Zambia Our intrepid Breakfast Clubber, who is being sponsored by St Philip’s, has arrived safely in Zambia and is ‘settling in’. If you’d like to know what she is up to you can follow her adventure on http://roseannesadventures.wordpress.com/ .
Ø Shopping for the Homeless: The Grassmarket Community, who help the homeless in Edinburgh, have asked if people would be willing to add a bit extra to their shopping basket. Stock cubes, sugar, lentils, salt and pepper are always needed.
Ø Fundraising Penny Tubes are available today for your small change. Please take one. Full tubes can be returned to the basket in the vestibule and a new one taken to start filling again! The penny total has shot up to £261 so far in 2011!
Ø Half Marathon: Hello, I am a local resident of Joppa and an attendee of St. Phillips and wondered if the congregation would like to help a worthwhile cause and support me in my personal challenge. Please could you all sponsor me in my efforts to raise funds by running the Scottish Half Marathon to raise funds for the Mental Health Foundation. You can sponsor Richard Dixon at www.virginmoneygiving.com/RDHalfMarathon
Monday, 11th April 2011
Ø The Prayer Group: The Prayer Group meets at 9.45am in the Baird Hall. All are welcome to join us. Prayer Request Boxes have been placed on both sides of the vestibule.
Ø The Coffee Club: The Coffee Club meets at 11am at the top of Brunstane Road North for our outing to Dunblane. For more information please contact Pat Knox.
Tuesday, 12th April 2011
Ø Try Praying: There will be 30 minutes of prayer offered in the Sanctuary from 7.30pm-8pm as part of the Edinburgh-wide TryPraying initiative. Please do join Stewart for prayer, reflection and silence.
Thursday, 14th April 2011
Ø Prayer Vigil: The Old Parish are hosting a prayer vigil on 14 April and are looking for individuals or teams to take 30 minutes or an hour at any point during the day. If you are interested please speak to Stewart.
Saturday, 16th April 2011
Ø The Walking Group meets at 10am in Brunstane Road North to travel by car for a 4½ mile walk to Threipmuir and Harlaw Reservoirs taking in Red Moss Nature Reserve. A scenic walk with no difficulties and good paths and tracks throughout. All are welcome to join us. For more information please contact Claire Cochran.
Tuesday, 19th April 2011
Ø Films at St Philip’s is showing ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ on Tuesday, 19th April at 7.30pm in the Sanctuary. Everyone is welcome to come along to watch the movie and join in the discussion afterwards.
Thursday 21 April 2011
Seder (Passover) Meal at St. Mark’s: Members of St. Philip’s have been invited to join St. Mark’s at 7pm for a simple meal of soup, bread and dessert. During the meal we will celebrate communion together in recognition of Maundy Thursday. If you are interested in attending, please speak to Stewart.
Monday, 25th April 2011
Ø Annual Scottish Country Dance for Christian Aid and other charities will be held in the Main Hall at 7.30pm on Monday, 25th April. Tickets £7. For further information, or offer of help please contact Liz Veitch, Audrey Fyfe or Anna Innes.
Friday, 6th May 2011
Ø St James’s Church Football Night: A Football Night will be held in St James’ church on Friday, 6th May at 7.30pm. Featuring A Question of Sport where guests are split into two teams, just like the TV Series with former Hearts player Allan Preston going head to head with former Hibs player Steve Cowan. Tickets are priced £5 and are available at the door.
Friday, 13th and Saturday, 14th May 2011
Ø John Rutter Weekend in Edinburgh: ‘More Confessions of a Composer’ at 7.30pm in Cramond Kirk on the Friday, 13th May – tickets £10 adults and £5 children and ‘Come and Sing’ with John Rutter on Saturday, 14th May from 10am – 4pm in St Cuthbert’s Parish Church – tickets £15 adults and £7.50 children. For more information and tickets email cramond.kirk@blueyonder.co.uk or telephone 0131 336 2036.
JOKE
The wedding season is upon us but we shouldn’t forget the years following….
Husband and wife out for a drive in the country to try to calm down differences in their relationship. To no avail; a fierce argument develops and they go at it hammer and tongs calling each other everything under the sun. Then they both go silent and into the huff.
Driving along a bit later they pass a field with three donkeys in it. The wife comments “Relatives of yours are they?” ”Yes says the husband, they’re my in-laws!!!”
Thanks Milne!
Have a good weekend!
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