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
A warm welcome is extended to women of all ages to come along to Network for social events, guest speakers and friendship. Meetings are held at Craigsbank (Main Hall) on alternate Mondays at 7.30pm.
Network will be meeting on the following dates:
Monday 3 October – Talk – Museum on the Mound – Gillian Paterson
Monday 17 October – Musical Evening – Music and Words for an Autumn Evening – Robin & Mairi Leach
Monday 31 October – Talk – Massive outpouring of Love – Julie Smith
Monday 14 November – Talk – The Refillary – Olga Fatica
Monday 28 November – Christmas Crafts – Cherry Gilmour
Monday 12 December – Christmas Meal at Turnhouse
Monday 9 January – Logo Quiz
Monday 23 January – Talk – Robert Burns his life, his poetry, his songs – Roy Johnston
Monday 6 February – Talk – History of High Constables Edinburgh – David Halliday
Monday 20 February – Talk – Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance
Monday 6 March – Talk – Experiences of a Tour Guide – Pat Blair
Monday 20 March – Cheese & Wine and AGM
All meetings commence at 7.30pm at Craigsbank and are open to all. If anyone wants to attend and transport is an issue contact Susan Ross
