The ACORN is an inter church group which meets on the last Monday of every month from September to May for a morning of fun, chat, faith and fellowship, meeting up with friends from many of the Corstorphine churches for coffee and entertainment, sometimes with a speaker, or sometimes finding interesting stories from among our own members. To give you a little glimpse – for our last meeting, we had Margaret Grant, with a guest pianist and some of the Springwell Golden Voices choir, who joined us for a session of pure nostalgia, singing hymns and choruses remembered from days gone by, some as far back as childhood. A great time was had by all!
Why not brighten your Monday morning once a month? We’d love to see you.
The first meeting of the new season will be on 25th September, at 10.30am in the Belgrave Room in St Anne’s Church, Kaimes Road , Corstorphine.
Bring someone to visit Craigsbank on Doors Open Weekend in September
We are delighted to report that Craigsbank will once again be open to the public as part of Doors Open Weekend in September – 23 and 24 September. It would be really wonderful if we could all bring one person (or more!) along who doesn’t know the building.
The entire building will be open – sanctuary and halls – so that visitors can see how the site responded to the demands for more space.
Between 11.00 am and 2.00pm on Saturday 23rd September cellist Joanna Stark will give performances of a composition by Tree Burton, for Craigsbank Church. The piece, ‘Floating Sanctuary’ is informed by the architecture and design of the church and was first presented at Doors Open Day 2017.
Craigsbank is much in demand from visitors with an interest in architecture.
The 20th Century Society visited Craigsbank Church on 4th June 23 as part of their Edinburgh ‘Sold Out’ Weekend. The Society has a passion for 20th Century Architecture, iconic buildings and design and arranges a range of visits, campaigns and seminars.
The visit to Craigsbank Church by 35 visitors as part of their Tour of Edinburgh’s 20th Century Architectural Highlights was really enjoyed and everyone appreciated experiencing the Sanctuary. During the visit comments were made about the quality of the Sanctuary space design and especially the daylighting, also admiring the building’s condition and potential for a range of activities.
One visitor, who had lived locally in his youth, clearly remembered being impressed and ‘spellbound’ by the changing daylighting patterns on the walls and thoroughly enjoyed returning to experience the space again.
Are you called to give back to your local community? The Jubilee Club (day-centre) is looking for volunteers to help out weekly between 9.45am and 2.15pm
And their Teatime Club (supper club) for volunteers to help every first and third Tuesdays of the month, from 5.00pm to 7.00pm.
Did you spot The Coat of Hopes as it travelled from Edinburgh to The Great Tapestry of Scotland centre in Galashiels?
Have you heard of the Coat of Hopes? It was the vision of one person during lockdown and created by many hands on the long walk to Cop26, each person hand-stitching their story of hope on to pieces of blanket before attaching them to the coat. 700 people carried the coat on their back during the nine week pilgrimage from Newhaven on the south coast of England to Glasgow and throughout Cop26, each sharing their hopes and prayers for the future. Above you can see the coat before the patches of hope and prayer for the future were added and as it was early last week with so many stories captured on its long flowing skirts.
Andrew Crummy, artist behind The Great Tapestry of Scotland, wearing the coast at the Tapestry Centre in Galashiels.
You can read the background on the Coat of Hopes website and see pics of the Coat at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral where it was displayed during the Fringe.
After that, on 30 August, it was walked over the course of a day from Edinburgh to Dalkeith, then from Dalkeith to North Middleton, North Middleton on to Fountainhall, and Fountainhall to Galashiels, with a special event at the centre for The Great Tapestry of Scotland in Galashiels on the morning of Sunday 3 September. Late that afternoon those accompanying the Coat of Hopes set off again, this time to Newstead.
Interested to know what the early Christian church really believed and how they lay the foundation for what became the largest, most influential religion in history?
No previous experience or knowledge needed. All are welcome. If you want more information or want to note your interest, send an email to administrator@craigsbankchurch.org.uk.
Dates planned for the 8 sessions, each taking place in the Iona Room at Craigsbank:
So what’s this rumour about a possible new parish church for the western expansion of Edinburgh?
We plan to have an information session for the members of the congregations of Craigsbank and Corstorphine Old Parish who might want to know more about the possibility of a church plant in the Western Expansion, i.e. the new developments to the west of Maybury and further west.
The date is 28 August 7.00 – 9.00pm and the venue is the Turnhouse Golf Club function room.
RSVP to the church office at administrator@craigsbankchurch.org.uk.
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.
‘Let there be a tree,’ said God, once upon a time, ‘which grows from the birds down.’
And the church came into being. And its branches spread and its trunk grew downwards, until it rooted itself in the dusty ground. And theologians and clergy of many nations nested among its roots.
After a time, a dispute rose among them. ‘This tree does not flourish as it should,’ they said to one another. ‘We should pull up our roots, and move to richer soil, for one can see the quality of the earth here is abysmally poor. Other trees are improved by such transplanting. Let us have courage and follow their example.’ (For they saw from other trees that it was so.)
‘No! No!’ said others. ‘We have seen trees wither and die when you tamper with their roots. There are bad years and good ones, and we must take the rough with the smooth. It would be colossal folly to pull up our roots, which give us all our sustenance. Let us wait, and things will improve.’ (For they saw from other trees that it was so.)
Meanwhile, the noise of the debate reached some of the birds in the topmost branches, and they were puzzled. ‘Do they not know,’ said one small sparrow, ‘that we give this tree its life? Shall we not fly down, and stop them grubbing around in their toots?’ ‘No,’ replied a wise old pigeon. ‘We can only sing when we are touched by the sunlight. But we must sing louder, so that they remember the possibilities of birdsong. And he began to coo with all his might.’
This week’s service of thanksgiving and dedication at St Giles, following the coronation of King Charles III, had a distinctly Scottish flavour and showcased both the modern and the traditional within Scotland.
“Sisters and brothers, look around you – at this beautiful tapestry of humanity – Scotland“
Regardless of your feelings towards the Royal Family, the homily, given by the moderator of the Church of Scotland – the Rt Rev Sally Foster-Fulton – was both moving and thought provoking. The full text is on the Church of Scotland Website but here are some highlights…
“Your Majesties’, look around you. Sisters and brothers, look around you – at this beautiful tapestry of humanity – Scotland.What we learn when we listen to one another, listen to understand, not just respond; is extraordinary.
“We gather to commit to and celebrate the common good of the place and people of Scotland.
“How depleted life would be without the creative imagination that explodes through our diverse customs and cultures, faiths and beliefs – the literature, the poetry, the music, the sacred searching, scientific insight and innovation, the beauty of life unleashed.
“We are a saga, not a short story, a symphony, not a solo.
“How narrow our sight, and how monochrome our understanding when we do not embrace the richness of different perspectives.
“We can’t see round ourselves by ourselves, but need other human beings if we are to be what we were created to be – not just humans being, but humans becoming.
“The text we heard from the gospel of Matthew is from ‘The Beatitudes’ or ‘sayings of extreme blessing’. The subtleties and nuance in the original language is hidden and makes it very difficult for us to understand.
“But another way to see this today is Jesus setting out his stall, announcing his manifesto – ‘Blessed are’ can mean ‘this is what my vision looks like’ – this is what I will stand for, work for, offer my life for – this is what ‘my kingdom coming’ looks like in real time.
“Another translation is, ‘you’re on the right track if‘,
“The ‘poor in spirit’ – they are not weak or poor, the meek aren’t doormats – no, they are the brave ones among us with a deep awareness that no one alone has all the answers. The ones who call us together to search for answers that elude us when we search from our one limited perspective. We need them more than ever today.
“And ‘we’re on the right track if’ our people are brave enough, bold enough, empowered and hopeful enough to listen and learn from, and cherish, each other.
The following day Their Majesties visited The Great Tapestry of Scotland in Galashiels and saw the Tapestry that is Scotland, laid out before them.
“To choose collaboration and trust over a fear-filled circling of our wagons.
“Sisters and brothers, look around you.We are one global neighbourhood – intricately inter-related and completely co-dependent, woven together, like a tartan.
“My kingdom-coming in real time comforts those who mourn – the death of someone, of course, but also the life snatched from them by war, oppression, climate chaos, systemic poverty that pulls them down like a whirlpool.
“There is no them and us, only us – and when one human being suffers, we all suffer.
“My kingdom coming means we comfort each other, welcome each other, cherish every human life – mercy and peace are not ideals to be domesticated or downgraded, they are not ‘good to have’s’ but part of the fabric of our being.
“Are we on the right track?
“This ancient text reminds us today that a bold vision like this is a tough and very often thankless task – calling for love when there is so much fear is not for the faint-hearted.
“But rejoice, it says, rejoice because it is worth it. Love is worth it.
“The psalm we heard read is a song, it’s a poem.
“Concentrated imagery that speaks to the soul, whispers a truth beyond the words.
“The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims God’s handiwork.
“This beautiful, formidable, yet fragile planet we call home, was here long before we were – and without words, it worships its God.
“Tides surge, plants push through the earth and bathe in the sun, luxuriating in it.
“Birds sing full-throated and animals have languages all their own. Are we too self-absorbed to hear them? Or have we sadly become too preoccupied to listen?
“Blessed are we … on the right track are we when we understand that the heavens and the earth are not commodities or possessions, we are part of it and called to cherish and protect it.
“Blessed are we, and on the right track, when we understand that our children do not inherit this earth from us – we have borrowed it from them.
“And it is our duty to return it still singing and surging and bathing, not baking to a crisp.
“Your Majesties, you have made it part of your mission to speak alongside creation; advocating for it. As we present the honours of Scotland to you, we commit ourselves to walking that journey with you. We are all a small part of something so much bigger – this beautiful, sacred creation and everyone and everything in it.
“Thanks be to God.
“Amen.”
Reproduced with kind permission from Rt Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, Moderator of the General Assembly
