Looking for something a little different? In amongst the many festivals that take place in Edinburgh in August – the Edinburgh International Festival, The Fringe Festival, the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the Jazz Festival, the Festival of Comedy, the Edinburgh Deaf Festival, an Edinburgh Film Festival – you will find the Edinburgh Festival of the Sacred Arts running from 13-19 August in venues ranging from St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, to St Vincents in Stockbridge, Old Saint Paul’s on Jeffrey Street, St Michael and All Saints at Tollcross, St John’s in Princes street, Canongate Kirk, Greyfriars Kirk, Church of the Sacred Heart at Lauriston Street, and more.
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!
This was a tremendous, uplifting, energy-fuelled show that just kept on giving – hit song, after hit song, after hit song. If you missed it this year, be sure to be first in the queue next year!
Bruce Springsteen, Elvis, Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Billy Joel, The Beatles, The Temptations – and many more! Enjoy some of the best-loved songs from the past 100 years, made famous by great showmen throughout history and brought to life, a cappella style, by the Rolling Hills Chorus (Scotland’s premier barbershop chorus), Limelight Quartet (UK Barbershop Quartet Champions 2022) and Black Velvet Trio (Edinburgh’s foremost a cappella trio). Book now for an exciting musical extravaganza, featuring masterful groups, classic songs and sublime harmonies in the wonderful setting and acoustic glory of St Cuthbert’s Church, off Lothian Road.
The Greatest Showmen
St Cuthbert’s Church
11th August 7:30pm
12th August 2:30pm & 7:30pm
NOTE CONCESSION TICKETS AND FAMILY TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Join a discussion about our required union with the Old Parish. This is a meeting for everyone to air their views about the union and how best to achieve it. Air your concerns, hear what has been done so far and how far we have to go, learn about Church Planting, ask questions, let your voice be heard.
You will be made very welcome, whether you usually come to session meetings or not.
The hugely popular Christian Aid sale at St Andrews and St George’s returns in the Spring (13-19 May 2023).
Items are requested in support of Christian Aid. These can range from Books, Antiques, Collectables, Pictures, Stamps and Postcards, Sheet Music, Toys, Games, Jigsaws.
Donations of suitable items can be uplifted for delivery from 8th and 9th May.
Contact Anne Currie (anneicurrie@yahoo.co.uk) for more information and/or assistance for uplift.
If you would like to consider this question then can we invite you to join any one or more of the BOOK DISCUSSIONS planned for this year?
During 2023 our minister, Alan Childs, invites anyone who would like to join in a monthly book discussion group with a PROGRESSIVE theological inclination.
If you would like to develop and refresh your understanding of God, the Bible, faith, the church and your life as a Christian, and be challenged in the process, then please consider joining the group for a monthly, in person, conversation about one book at a time.
Here are the books that form the reading list, divided into two parts for the year. The books are available through any of the online bookstores (including Bookshop.org which feeds profit back to independent bookshops), many high street bookshops, or from the authors themselves.
February to May (4pm on the last Sunday of the month at Craigsbank Church hall)
Each book’s discussion will be held late on a Sunday afternoon over a glass of wine or a mug of coffee (your choice). Send us a message if you would like to notify us of your interest … but you are also welcome to simply drop in on the day.
Our annual Burns Supper took place on 21 January 2023 in Craigsbank Church Hall. It was a superb occasion. All who attended were rewarded with a relaxed evening of great cheer with an outstanding meal, readings, traditional addresses, highland dancing, music and song. Grateful thanks go out to all involved, in particular those on the Hospitality Team who prepared and served the meal.
Craigsbank Parish Church and the Old Parish Church are partnering on a project with our local Craigmount High School and Christian youth workers from Young Life International to offer a very affordable lunch option in a welcoming environment to the pupils. We are now offering this on Thursday afternoons over the school’s lunch break.
A similar project has developed over a few years as the ‘Liberton Northfield Toastie Tuesday’ lunch club, which serves toasties, a cookie and a drinks can to schoolchildren for £1 every Tuesday of term time. They have served more than 100,000 toasties since they started a few years ago. An outcome from the project is a well-established youth ministry amongst the local churches.
We will be running a similar project on Thursdays from this week, 27 October. The price of the lunch is £1.50, with free fruit if we can. The main aim is to offer Christian hospitality to the children in the parish high school. The catchphrase for the Toastie Tuesdays at present is ‘The best welcome of the week’.
We need your prayers and a few volunteers to help in the kitchen and ‘front of house’ – welcoming, chatting and serving the food. We plan to use the Craigsbank kitchen and large hall, recognising that it will be tweaked and improved as the weeks progress. There was a very successful training and first public session held on Thursday 13 October, when we served some 30 pupils.
Craigmount has two 40 minute-long lunchtimes, juniors at 12:20 and seniors at 13:10. If we offer it for both lunchtimes it will practically mean starting preparation around 11.00am and closing up at around 2.00pm. The pilot scheme will run through the autumn school term and then we will review it for 2023.
If you are interested or would like to volunteer (even if just once or twice a month) then please contact Alan Childs or the church office.
The Fellowship Group has resumed. The next meeting is on Thursday 10 November at 2.30pm at East Craigs. Tea and coffee and blethers, with a bit of music, open to everyone. The group will then meet again every fortnight thereafter through November. Contact Julie Wilkinson for more information
