newsletter march 2018 - stmaryskirk.co.uk 2018 newsletter.pdf · 2 the sacrament of the lord's...
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The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper will be celebrated at both the 9.30am
and 11 am services on
Sunday 11th March 2018
You are warmly invited to share in this important part of the life of St Mary's Church.
Common Cup & individual glasses are used at both services
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Children are welcomed at the Lord’s TableDear Friends
I am writing this in the second
week of lent, that forty day
period leading to Good Friday
and Easter in which
traditionally Christians have
made room to take stock of the
things that really matter to
them and to reflect on their
faith life. In St Mary’s we are
being challenged in many
ways as we all feel the pain
that Jennifer, our Minister, and
her family must be feeling as
she faces such a devastating
illness. Being the person she
is, Jennifer holds us in her
thoughts and prayers as much
as she appreciates all those
offered for her.
The Easter story is one filled
with sadnesses,
disappointments, pain and
failure of faith and humanity
but ultimately with the triumph
of life over death, love over
hatred and hope over despair.
At times these things are not
easy to believe and hurting
circumstances challenge our
faith in a God of love, to such
an extent that we feel not just
questioning but angry. There
are lines in a hymn which
speak a prayer for such
moments:
“Forgive me Lord if in tears of
sadness my anger makes me
take your name in vain, and life
seems for a time to have no
gladness, while I refuse to let
you share my pain. So take my
life that’s left with its
misgivings; from grief and pain
create in me anew a faith that
finds in you a way of living, a
love that offers all it has to
you.”
Jennifer would want us to be
asking the questions and
listening for the Word of hope,
of life, of love.
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Please join us for our Holy
Week and Easter services.
There is something in coming
together as God’s family that
leads us in faith to find his way.
John
THIRD WEDNESDAY
A time and space for quiet
reflection in the church.
The next ‘Third Wednesday’ will be on Wednesday 21st March
from 7 – 7.30pm
All are welcome to our sanctuary
for this different form of worship.
St Mary’s will be open to visitors over the Easter
weekend
JOINT SUNDAY TEA
Our next joint Sunday tea between the two church services will be on Sunday 11th March 2018. We hope that those attending the 9.30am service will stay on and that the 11am attendees will come early so we can all share some fellowship, conversation and enjoy home-baking along with our morning cuppa! We are planning to make these joint teas a regular event in our church calendar. They are going to
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be held on the second Sunday of each month.
The Social Committee is also planning a Brunch on Saturday 28th
April from 10am to 1pm. This will be a fundraiser for the Maggie’s Centre at the Western General. Please put the date in your diary!
Martin’s Ordination
Everyone that would like to come and support Martin in his ordination would be warmly welcomed to the service on Sunday 11th March at 6.30pm in Greenbank Parish Church, Braidburn Terrace, Edinburgh. If you are thinking of coming please add your name to the list at the back of the church to help with planning for catering. If you need a lift or can offer a lift can you please add a note to this effect next to your name. If you are travelling by public transport the 107 leaves Haddington High Street at 16.27 and gets to the west end of Edinburgh at 17.13. A Number 23 Lothian Bus from
Hanover Street (every 20 minutes on a Sunday) will take you straight to Greenbank. There’s one at 17.30 which gets to Greenbank at 17.59 or one at 17.50 which arrives at 18.19.
Martin’s last day with us will be Sunday 4th March.
St Mary’s Walking Group
The next walk will be on Saturday 10th March, leaving the church at 9.20am (Please note the time change!).
We will park at Goose Green in Gullane, then take a short bus ride to the Aberlady Nature Reserve. We'll walk through the Reserve to the shore line and proceed along to Gullane, then loop round to Muirfield and back to Gullane. Six miles and a bit. Tom Walker will be leading.
The Rugged Pathway
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The Annual Pilgrimage from St Mary’s Parish Church, Haddington to St Mary’s, Whitekirk is on Saturday 5th May. The registration form and information sheet is available to download from the church website.
The Big Spring Clean of the Church takes place on Saturday 7th April from
9am until approximately
12noon. Volunteers will be very warmly
welcomed. Please contact Jim Ainslie
Haddington Twinning
Quiz Night
Friday 9 March 2018
Doors open at 7 pm for a 7.30pm start.
Haddington Town House
Quizmaster: Bob Mitchell
Teams of 4 - £3 per person or £10 for a team of 4. Tickets
from Joe Forte Sports, Hilary’s Deli or Erica’s florist
MUSIC@ST MARY’S
Sound the Trumpet! The Garleton Singers along with Brass Tacks and George Wilson on organ give a concert of spectacular music for choir, brass, organ & percussion in St Mary’s on Sunday 18th March at 7.30pm. The programme includes Rutter’s Gloria, Canticle of the Sun by Kloppers and Gloria by Locklair. The conductor is Stephen Doughty. Tickets are available from choir members, Hilary’s Deli, Kesley’s Bookshop or at the door. £12 Adults, £8 students, £3 children.
On Saturday 24th March at 7.30pm in St Mary’s the Hadley Court Singers perform Stainer’s
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Crucifixion. Tickets are £10 and under 16s are free.
There are two groups following studies for Lent. The Home Group that meets at the home of Robert & Margaret Lightbody are following a Lenten study on a Tuesday morning at 10.30am. Another group, led by Isobel Colley, meets on a Tuesday evening in the church at 7.30pm. Everyone is most welcome to either group.
Peace of Heart (A poem by Stewart Carruthers)
A quiet relaxed moment of the soul Ponderation is the goal Moment of prayer in the silence around Meditation much needed is found
Peace of heart and thought prevail Words in the mind spell out a tale Calming, comforting as they are Peace of heart is my star
Feelings depict a soothing mood Emotions found in quietude Some time to feel god’s love in there Peace of my heart is my prayer
HOLY WEEK IN HADDINGTON
Details of the Holy Week services here is St Mary’s are given aside. Elsewhere in Haddington the West Church is holding Meditations on the Passion of Christ, services of words & music each evening at 6.30pm on Monday 26th, Tuesday 27th & Wednesday 28th March. All welcome. There will be an afternoon communion at Holy Trinity Church on Tuesday 27th at 2.30pm and the Walk of Witness on Good Friday, 30th March leaves the West Church at 11.45am and makes it way to St Mary’s.
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The DEADLINE for the April newsletter is
Sunday 11th March.
HOLY WEEK SERVICES
IN ST MARY’S
PALM SUNDAY 25th March 2018
Services at 9.30am & 11am
MAUNDY THURSDAY 29th March 2018
Communion at 7.30pm
GOOD FRIDAY 30th March 2018
“The Way of the Cross” Service at 7.30pm
EASTER SUNDAY
1st April 2018 Early Communion Service at 8am
In the gardens of St Mary’s Pleasance
Easter Service at 11am
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(followed by tea, coffee & hot cross buns)
Sunday Teas & Coffees
Donations at the tea table
during 2018/19 will be
shared - 50% going to the
chosen charity and 50% to
St Mary’s. Our chosen
projects & charities are:
Crossreach Counselling
Dunbar, which offers
confidential counselling to
adults, children, young
people and families. There
are clinics in Haddington,
Musselburgh, Tranent &
North Berwick as well as
sessions in local secondary
schools;
Scottish Huntington’s
Association, established in
1989 by families living with
the condition with the aim
of significantly improving
the quality of life of
everyone living with it; the
Bridge Centre, Muirfield
Riding Therapy which
offers children, and adults
with disabilities the
opportunity to ride free of
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charge in a safe and
stimulating environment;
the East Lothian Foodbank
and the Maggie’s Centre at
the Western General
Hospital which offers
practical, emotional and
social support for people
with cancer and their
families..
Thank you for your
support.
CHRISTIAN AID NEWS I am pleased to report that between our three churches in Haddington just over £14,000 was sent to Christian Aid Headquarters in 2017. This is a great total and I would like to thank very sincerely the large number of people who helped to raise this magnificent sum.
This year we have signed up to a new initiative from Christian
Aid called the Zambia Community Partnership which we thought fitting to support as we live in an agricultural county. This economic development project aims to help women and young people to increase their productivity so that they grow not only enough food to eat but have a surplus to sell, making money to support their families. They will also be taught some business skills. We have promised to give £4,000 over 4 years. Our 2018 fundraising got off to a flying start at the beginning of
February when we held our annual Brunch in the Trinity Centre. The extra space was most useful and £730 was raised. Copies of the CA Quiz which was on sale that day can be purchased from Janet Penman price £1. Entries should be returned to Janet Chrystal by 31st May 2018.
We shall be walking over the Forth Road Bridge on Saturday 28th April – check your church noticeboard or
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speak to your CA rep for more details. Transport is available.
Then Christian Aid Week takes place from 13th-19th May. Because of age and illness some of our long serving collectors have had to stand down. If you could help please
contact me. Even if you can only manage a small area do please offer, as every little bit helps towards our aim of helping those less fortunate than ourselves.
Janet Chrystal
March 2018 at St Mary’s
Thursday 1st Choristers 6.30pm Choir 7.30pm
Friday 2nd Bell ringers 7.30pm WORLD DAY OF PRAYER SERVICE 7.30pm at the West Church
Saturday 3rd
Sunday 4th Worship at 9.30 & 11am NSYC 7pm Monday 5th
Tuesday 6th Home Group Lent Study 10.30am. Evening Lent Study 7.30
Wed 7th Women’s Fellowship Group 8pm Thursday 8th Crafty Folk 10.30am. Mums’ Group 10am.
Choristers 6.30pm Choir 7.30pm
Friday 9th Bell ringers 7.30pm
Saturday 10th WALKING GROUP 9.20am Sunday 11th Worship at 9.30 & 11am. COMMUNION at both services
JOINT TEAS between the services. MARTIN’S INDUCTION at Greenbank Parish Church, Edinburgh at 6.30pm
Monday 12th
Tuesday 13th Home Group Lent Study 10.30am. Evening Lent Study 7.30
Wednesday 14th Women’s Fellowship Group 8pm
Thursday 15th Mums’ Group 10am Crafty Folk 10.30am. Choir 7.30pm. Friday 16th Bell ringers 7.30pm
Saturday 17th Sunday 18th Worship at 9.30 & 11am. CONCERT 7.30pm Monday 19th
Tuesday 20th Home Group Lent Study 10.30am. Evening Lent Study 7.30 Wednesday 21st Third Wednesday 7pm Women’s Fellowship Group 8pm
Thursday 22nd Mums’ Group 10am Crafty Folk 10.30am. Choristers 6.30pm Choir 7.30pm.
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Friday 23rd Bell ringers 7.30pm Saturday 24th CONCERT 7.30pm Sunday 25th Worship at 9.30 & 11am Palm Sunday
Monday 26th Tuesday 27th Lent Study Group 10.30am Evening Lent Study 7.30pm
Wednesday 28th Women’s Fellowship Group 8pm Thursday 29th COMMUNION 7.30pm Maundy Thursday
Friday 30th The Way of the Cross Service at 7.30pm Good Friday Saturday 31st
www.stmaryskirk.co.uk
Haddington: St Mary’s Parish Church (Church of Scotland) Scottish Charity Number SC010614