Book your tickets now for The Trussell Trust Christmas Carols service at St Giles Cathedral, 3 December.
This spectacular festive event at Edinburgh’s St Giles’ Cathedral takes place on Tuesday 3rd December.
Trussell’s annual carol concerts are special evenings to inspire hope whilst raising funds in support of Trussell’s vital work.
By joining either event, you’ll experience the hope of the festive season as we sing along together to well-loved Christmas carols.
Traditional Christmas Carols by candlelight: Sing along to your favourite carols, performed by a spectacular local gospel choir.
Celebrity guests: Enjoy special readings from actor Sanjeev Kohli and author Val McDermid.
Inspiring stories: Hear inspiring stories from people that highlight the hardship being faced by communities across the UK and the incredible work being done by Trussell food banks as they support people left without enough money to live on.
The following information is given on The Trussell Trust website:
The Trussell Trust exists so everyone can be free from hunger.
They are an anti-poverty charity and community of food banks. They work together to ensure no one in the UK needs a food bank to survive, while providing food and practical support to people left without enough money to live on.
There are 43 food banks in the Trussell community in Scotland, distributing parcels at over 144 venues, and in 26 local authorities.
Between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024, these food banks distributed 262,400 emergency food parcels, including almost 156,200 parcels for families with children. This is largely unchanged from the record levels of 2022/23, the busiest year ever for our community of food banks.
These figures represent a 21% increase on five years ago and a 20% increase in the number of parcels for children, with an even larger increase seen for families with three or more children (up 28%).
Join us at our services in the remaining weeks of November and then into a very busy December. Our morning services always begin at 10.30am and all are welcome.
November and December
24 November 10.30am East Craigs – Communion Service
01 December 10.30am Craigsbank, First Sunday in Advent: Gift Service
01 December 3.00pm East Craigs Bereavement Service
08 December10.30am East Craigs, Second Sunday in Advent: Gift Service
08 December 4.00pm Western Expansion Turnhouse Christmas Carols
15 December 10.30am Craigsbank, Third Sunday in Advent
22 December 10.30am East Craigs, Fourth Sunday in Advent
24 December 6.00pm Craigsbank Christmas Eve Carols
25 December 10.30am East Craigs Christmas Day Service
29 December 10.30am Craigsbank Café Church
Craigsbank Church – 19 Craigs Bank, Edinburgh EH12 8HD, 10.30am, on the first and third Sunday of the month. Directions
East Craigs Church Centre – 8 Bughtlin Market, East Craigs, Edinburgh EH12 8XP, 10.30am, on the second and fourth Sunday of the month. Directions
Cafe Church – 19 Craigs Bank, Edinburgh EH12 8HD, 10.30am, on a fifth Sunday of any month. Directions
You can also watch a shortened version of our service online every Sunday on YouTube.
Every year, the people of Craigsbank and East Craigs open their hearts to the children of those in prison within Edinburgh. In doing so, we make sure that all children have something to open on Christmas morning.
This year, we will hold our Gift Services on 1 December in Craigsbank and 8 December in East Craigs. All attending are encouraged to bring a gift if they are able. (No need to wrap, we will provide wrapping so that the prison service can ensure they go to the right age of child).
Earlier this year, Prison Officer Colin O’Flaherty who co-ordinates this initiative sent a letter of thanks to those organisations who contribute, from which we quote below:
‘Last year three hundred and twenty-eight children from one hundred and twenty-six families had a Christmas presents to open on Christmas morning due to your kindness and generosity. Every child where possible received a toy, an activity gift and book, and of course something nice. More than a thousand gifts were given out. It is impossible to measure the difference that your kindness and generosity made to these children.’
This will be the thirty-ninth Gift Collection organised by the team within the prison service. Please continue to give generously.
As we move towards Christmas, we have some dates for your diaries.
Please do come back to this post as the weeks go in – so that you don’t miss anything and we can update you on any changes.
SATURDAY 30 November
CRAIGSBANK Halls 7.00pm, a St Andrews / Christmas Ceilidh – put on your dancing shoes! This fund-raiser will bring live music, laughter and friendship to your early Christmas diary. Finger food will be served. Bring your own bottle. Tickets from the hospitality team.
SUNDAY 1 December, FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT
CRAIGSBANK 10.30am, our first service in Advent – a gift service where those attending are encouraged to bring gifts for the children of those in prison in the wider community. A second Gift service to be held at East Craigs on 8 December.
EAST CRAIGS 3.00pm, a service for those who have lost a loved one in this year (or beyond)
SUNDAY 8 December, SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT
EAST CRAIGS 10.30am, Christmas Gift Service
TURNHOUSE Golf Club, 4.00pm, for our neighbours in the West Craigs Village in the Western Expansion – old and new, meet your new neighbours – family carols and just a touch of chaos!
During our service this morning, we lit our first Advent candle. Join us on a Sunday morning in the run up to Christmas to see us gradually light all the candles in the ring.
In June we marked the Summer Solstice focussing on the abundance of life all around us and joining with the youngster’s in Messy Church. Come and join us in July. Our theme will be
‘TREES to BEES‘
Suitable all – young families, children, anyone and any age!
A Communion service will be held at Craigsbank on Sunday 6 November 2022, 10.30am and at East Craigs on 13 November 2022 (Remembrance Sunday).
ALL ARE WELCOME
At Craigsbank we hold Communion services on four Sundays of the year in Craigsbank and four in East Craigs Church Centre. In addition Communion forms part of our service on Christmas Day and at Easter (on Maundy Thursday). You can read more here.
The Church of Scotland communion service has continually been reshaped as our culture and traditions change. As a result it is slightly different within each congregation. At Craigsbank we share an open table meaning that everyone of all ages are welcome.
Our weekly services start at 10.30am. The locations for the four Sunday services for August are as follows:
7 August at Craigsbank
14 August at East Craigs
21 August at Craigsbank
28 August at East Craigs
There is also a pre-recorded reflection service available online. This is now being shared between Craigsbank Church and the Old Parish Church. You can link to it here on our YouTube site.
