If you are on our postal mailing list, you should receive your copy of the Christmas Bulletin over the next few days. If not and you would like to be, please do let Sarah Keith in our office know. administrator@craigsbankchurch.org.uk
But you can read it or download it here too! We hope you enjoy it.
With best wishes for a joyful and peaceful Christmas from all of us.
Join us at one of our services over the next few weeks. Our morning services always begin at 10.30am and all are welcome. Do join us when you can.
Christmas Chaos and Carols – Turnhouse, Edinburgh
Sunday 8 December 4.00pm – 5.00pm, Turnhouse Golf Club
Come and join us for a FREE festive family hour of Christmas Chaos and Carols at Turnhouse Golf Club. This is a chance for those who have moved into West Craigs and the Western expansion (and those who have lived there for years) to say a relaxed hello to new neighbours – children meet children, adults meet adults – enjoy storytelling for kids, crafts, coffee and mince pies and lift your voice in Christmas Carols and songs (or just listen in!). Everyone is welcome – new friendships really can last a lifetime.
Don’t miss out on this fun event to get you in the mood for Christmas in your new home.
A warm welcome awaits from your local parish churches.
Click here to BOOK YOUR TICKET NOW ON EVENTBRITE. TICKETS ARE FREE TO ALL BUT LIMITED TO 100 in total.
Please note that the previously suggested congregational meeting of 20 or 27 October for voting on our Basis of Union with Corstorphine Old Parish Church has been postponed until further notice. The main reasons being delays in Presbytery and uncertainty about the implications of the possible dissolution of St Andrew’s Clermiston on our own unification process with the Old Parish. More information to follow soon.
Join us on Saturday 26th October from 2.00pm – 4.30pm, starting and finishing at East Craigs Church Centre.
We are off for a community, family walk from the Church Centre round to Craigievar Park and back (weather permitting of course and failing that the event will be held within the Church Centre grounds) and will rediscover our community apple trees in both areas.
All families are invited to come along to this event and should meet at the Church Centre behind the Dental Surgery at Bughtlin at 2.00pm to register and then start the fun for the afternoon. If the weather is fair, a Treasure Hunt will see us started and will lead round to Craigievar Park where games will be organised for young and old after which we will proceed back to the Church Centre to share in refreshments with other activities.
Craigsbank threw open the doors to the church and halls over the weekend, 28 and 29 September 2024 as part of the annual Edinburgh Doors Open Festival.
67 people came through our doors during the day on the Saturday and the afternoon of the Sunday. Here’s a taste of what they thought:
‘My wife had visited a few years back and thought I would like it – she was right!’ (A well known Edinburgh writer)
‘I never realised this was here. It is absolutely lovely, serene and peaceful. My top place of Doors Open Days 2024. Thank you.’
‘Very impressive. One of the best modern churches I have visited. And very welcoming. (Glasgow)’
‘What a fascinating find – I had no idea this church was here. I love the concept of the Covenanters’ gatherings in the hollows of the Pentlands reflected here. Thank you’
‘Very impressive! Thanks for letting us see it.’
‘Thanks! A very interesting and inspirational building! Super space with such a lot of thought put into the planning. Thank you for showing me around and sharing the knowledge and history of the building.’
‘A wonderful space! Thanks for the kindness of everyone.’
‘I’ve always wanted to visit Le Corbusier’s Church in France – it will probably never happen so it’s a delight to visit Craigsbank – A stunning design inside and out – Also a welcoming space which inspires a quiet awe…’
‘I’m so happy to have seen the interior of this remarkable building. Thank you for your warm welcome and information. I particularly liked the design on the chairs and altar (square shapes drawing included)’
‘Thank you for showing us around, we live nearby and it’s been interesting to learn more about the history and activity of the church’
‘I liked the bell and the doors…’ ( age 3 )
‘A beautiful space with beautiful people –thank you for opening up your church for us.’
‘Thanks for the hospitality! Very calm and peaceful spaces – we’re big fans of Modernist design and the use of natural / artificial light, natural wood and moss green is perfect. Delighted your refurb has solved the water leak issues so you can continue to enjoy your space.’
‘Thoroughly enjoyed our visit today. Wonderful peaceful time viewing all the various spaces belonging to the church. We were made so welcome by everyone. Enjoyed reading about the history. Thank you (from Glasgow)’
‘Kudos to Architect for such a brave initiative in 1966. It brings so much peace just sitting in. The only window on the façade is the mistake but it brought different character to the building.’
‘I really enjoyed the structure of the church! And the way the architect styled and designed the church. Thank you for the tour.’ ( age 11 )
‘Stunning ! Amazing design. The natural light flooding in is absolutely phenomenal. Very peaceful and inspiring experience. Thank you’
‘A wonderful space full of life and light!’
‘Fabulous church ! What an impressive and tranquil design. Many thanks.’
‘Been living in this street since 2013, yet I didn’t get to come in once! Such a fascinating building and history. Thanks’
‘Beautiful Building. Very friendly and informative people showing us round. Thank you so much.’
‘A great architectural building …nice rooms…cool shape…family friendly…clubs 😊…very nice people…’ (age 11)
‘A hidden gem of Architecture in Edinburgh. So happy to have seen it. Thank you’
‘A truly beautiful space and a very warm welcome. Thank you so much for a lovely Sunday afternoon.’
‘An amazing relaxing and inviting space. Gorgeous…’
‘Thank you 😊’
With grateful thanks to John and Els Baker and all who volunteered over the weekend
Our ‘Toastie Thursdays’ project, jointly delivered by Craigsbank and the Old Parish, has made the headlines and now the success of the project has been introduced to MSPs in the debating hall of the Scottish Parliament.
On 25 September, the Rev Moira McDonald, told MSPs from all parties of the success of the initiative which has seen more than 16,000 toasties served to local secondary school pupils over the last two years. The community has pulled together to offer around 300 pupils the regular chance to attend Toastie Thursday at Craigsbank Parish Church.
Moira said that Toastie Thursday is the highlight of the week for many people:
“For the pupils who enjoy the food, the fresh air and the break from school,” she added.
“For the staff at Craigmount who feel the busyness of the school easing a little as pupils disappear to the church hall.
“For the parents who normally provide packed lunches but find they don’t need to on Thursdays, although they do have to find £2 from the back of the sofa.
“For the toastie makers and servers, volunteers who have bonded over the challenges of serving 300 teenagers and discovered friendships and possibilities in the process.
“Friendships and possibilities that are reflected in the relationships formed between the pupils and the volunteers, in the relationship between the churches and the school, and with our local shops and supermarkets where we buy the supplies.”
You can read the full address on the Church of Scotland website.
Network have announced their winter syllabus with much to enjoy. The events are held on Monday evenings in the Craigsbank Chancel Hall from 7pm (probably ending no later than 9.30pm). Details below and for more information contact the Church office.
2024
7 October – Post War Cinemas in Edinburgh – Part 1 – Keith Walker
21 October – Sunflower Scotland – Oleg Dmitriev
4 November – Tunnels of Edinburgh – Maurice McIlwrick
18 November – Christmas Crafts – Cherry Gilmour
2 December – Teaching & Life in Zambia – Rev William Watt
16 December – Christmas Meal
2025
13 January – Post War Cinemas in Edinburgh – Part 2 – Keith Walker
27 January – Islands of the Atlantic – Craig Robertson
10 February – The Edinburgh of Burke & Hare – Eric Melvin
24 February – Restoration of the Corstorphine Astoria Cinema Organ – Ian Anderson
10 March – Issues & Incidents – did that actually happen? – Tom Gordon
24 March – Cheese & Wine and AGM
29 April – Meal out
For those of us unable to view the service to our old Community Minister, Rev Robert Kerr, we thought you might like to read the tribute to him:
Robert was born in Coldstream, Scotland into a family with two older sisters, Elizabeth and Dorothy. It was in the border country where he developed his love of the countryside, farms and lambs in particular. This was also the beginning of his love for motor sport and his hero Jim Clark who came from the Borders. His family moved to central Scotland during his school years and he met Anne while at high school in Alloa. They were getting to know each other and then one day Robert came to school and said he had decided to study to be a minister when he left school. He had spent the evening with his minister in the local hospital when he got God’s Call. Ok, did Anne want to be a minister’s wife? Well, that worked itself out obviously. Robert was the first intake to New College, Edinburgh that did not require a first degree. Instead, the students did a four year Batchelor of Divinity program and then a two year diploma. Robert chose a Diploma in Pastoral Studies which probably explains his strong pastoral slant on ministry.
Robert and Anne were married in 1975 and after completing his studies, Robert became the assistant minister in Craigsbank Parish, Edinburgh. James was born in 1982. They came to Canada in 1983, following Anne’s family, and Robert was the minister at the two- point charge of Scottlea and St. Andrew’s Merritt Street in St Catharines, Ontario from 1983-1989. Philip was born in 1985.
In late 1988, Robert received a phone call from the PCC head office asking if he would be interested in a mission appointment in Parksville, BC. Where? The rest is history. One of Robert’s favourite singer/songwriters was John Denver, and he wrote of “coming home to a place he’d never been before”. That was how Robert felt about Vancouver Island.
Jena joined the family in 2008 and Richard in 2016. Robert was so proud of his ‘boys’ and who they have become, and so happy that they have found such wonderful life partners. Robert retired from ministry at St. Columba, Parksville in 2016, after 27 years.
Anne’s parents had followed Robert and Anne to Vancouver Island, and when they both died, Robert and Anne felt free to move to Campbell River, which they did in 2020. By this time Robert knew of his terminal illness and was determined that Anne would be settled in a suitable home and with a church family. With God’s guidance he got that goal achieved. His final goal was to attend the service at Rev. John Green’s retirement, and he did that too!
A number of years ago, a parishioner daily sent Robert a ‘Thought for Today’, to let him know that he was thinking of him. Unknown to the sender, this one was received at a difficult time in Robert’s illness and Anne & Robert had it posted on their fridge since then. It was written by Rev. Tom Gordon, a retired Church of Scotland minister, who coincidentally was a flatmate of Robert’s and a fellow student at New College, Edinburgh. Tom has kindly given us permission to use this. It is from his book “A Need for Living”
‘Perhaps the task, our need in communion with God and in reflective prayer, is to sit in the observation car at the rear of the train. There, we can see where we have come from, see this and that fall into its proper place, find a perspective, and believe and know that if our God has guided us thus far, we can trust him enough to take us on to the next stage.’
Robert hoped he will be remembered for how he lived.
Fairtrade Fortnight 2024 takes place 9 September – 22 September, celebrating all things Fairtrade. This year the fortnight marks 30 years of the Fairtrade movement in the UK. And did you know that Scotland is a ‘Fair Trade Nation’? It was the second nation in the world (after Wales) to be awarded such recognition for the work undertaken here for change in global trade. Being a Fair Trade Nation gives us a platform and we need to use it. A platform from which to cry out for the coffee growers in Rwanda, rice farmers in Malawi and textile workers in India and China. In celebrating what has been achieved, let’s not lose sight of how far we still have to go.
Wondering what Fair Trade really means in 2024? It means that Workers are treated fairly, Producers are paid a fair wage, Sustainable Practices are used, and the Environment is protected.
The 10 principles of Fairtrade:
The following is from the International Fair Trade Charter:
‘Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade.
It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers – especially in the South.
Fair Trade organisations, backed by consumers, are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade.’
Every little action helps. Whether that be buying Fairtrade teabags with your regular supermarket shop, or visiting The One World Shop online or at Edinburgh’s West End, to explore their range of ethical products. Or asking where bags, jewellery and clothes are made. Make an informed decision and support those who need us most.