December 2015 and January 2016

Dates for your diary

NOVEMBER Sunday 29th Advent Sunday 10am Sung Eucharist Preacher: Dean 6pm MCT Advent Carol Service at the Good Shepherd followed by refreshments in the hall

DECEMBER Wednesday 2nd 10am Holy Communion Thursday 3rd 6.30pm Order of St.Lazarus Carol Service Saturday 5th 10am-Noon Advent Coffee Morning in the hall Sunday 6th Advent II 10am Sung Eucharist followed by the AGM. Preacher: Dean ‘A thought for the day’ Tuesday 8th 2pm Afternoon Service and Christmas Party - ALL WELCOME Wednesday 9th 10am Holy Communion Sunday 13th Advent III 10am Sung Eucharist Preacher: Brenda Wednesday 16th 10am Holy Communion 1.00pm Congregational Christmas Lunch at Norton House Hotel Saturday 19th 9.45am BIG SING for Christmas with festive re-freshments 3.30pm Messy Church Christingle at Saughtonhall URC

Sunday 20th Advent IV 10am Sung Eucharist Preacher: Rosie 4pm Carol Service - bring a friend along. Please note the earlier time Wednesday 23rd 10am Holy Communion Thursday 24th 10am Holy Communion for Christmas Eve 5pm Crib Service with the journey to Bethlehem 11.00pm Joint Watchnight Service at Saughtonhall URC Friday 25th Christmas Day 10am Festal Sung Eucharist of the Shepherds Sunday 27th St.John the Evangelist (Christmas I) 10am Sung Eucharist with carols 3.30pm Short Carol service at the Tor Nursing Home 4.30pm Short Service of Lessons & Carols at Murrayfield House Wednesday 30th 10am Holy Communion

JANUARY 2016 Sunday 3rd EPIPHANY SUNDAY 10am Festal Sung Eucharist of the Three Kings Preacher: Dean Wednesday 6th The Epiphany 10am Holy Communion Thursday 7th 7.30pm Vestry at the Rectory Sunday 10th the Baptism of Christ 10am Sung Eucharist Preacher: Dean Wednesday 13th 10am Holy Communion

Sunday 17th Epiphany II 10am Sung Eucharist Preacher: Wednesday 20th 10am Holy Communion Sunday 24th Epiphany III Christian Unity Week 10.30am Joint MCT Service at the Parish Church Preacher: Canon Mike Fuller (Science meets religion) 3.30pm Evensong at the Tor nursing home 4.30pm Evensong at Murrayfield House Tuesday 26th 2pm Afternoon Service Wednesday 27th 10am Holy Communion Thursday 28th 11.30am Charles King & Martyr Service at the Cathedral Saturday 30th 3.30pm Messy Church at the Parish Church Sunday 31st Candlemas (Presentation of Christ in the Temple) 10am Festal Sung Eucharist with the blessing of the candles for the year. Preacher: The Rev’d William Mounsey

The Epistle to the flock The Christmas Life by Wendy Cope Bring in a tree, a young Norwegian spruce, Bring hyacinths that rooted in the cold, Bring winter jasmine as its buds unfold: Bring the Christmas life into this house. Bring red and green and gold, bring things that shine, Bring candlesticks and music, food and wine. Bring in your memories of Christmas past, Bring in your tears for all that you have lost. Bring in the shepherd boy, the ox, the ass, Bring in the stillness of an icy night, Bring in birth, of hope and love and light: Bring the Christmas life into this house. As you read this epistle you may be wondering how we have managed to get to this time of the year again and where on earth have the past eleven months got to? As I sat at my desk to write this a week or so ago I was overwhelmed with a sense of deja-vu as it really does only seem like a month or two ago that I wrote last year’s epistle for this Christmastide edition of our magazine. As I began to write I paused to reflect on the past year and the things that it brought into my life and the life of our church, and not only that, the things the year brought into the life of our community and the wider world. After my experiences in Athens I could not but focus on the plight of the refugees and migrants in our midst. This year has brought many things both good and bad and it leaves us with many challenges to face and rise to. Yet, in all of the muddle of the year there has al-ways been hope.

Some of the stories one reads in the media or sees on television have made my heart sing. Individuals and larger groups who have gone out of their way to make the lives of others better by acts of kindness both large and small. Despite the awfulness often seen, there have been many points of joy and hope expressed and witnessed. Many good gifts have been brought into the world by many and varied people and that should be a cause of rejoicing for us. Jesus brought many things into the world when he was born and every day since then he has brought hope, joy and the promise of salvation to every living person. Sadly, there are those who reject his generous gift of Good News and in our society today there seem to be an awful lot of them. I do not suggest that we stand on the street corner and shout our heads off as that tends to put people off and to make them think we Christians are a bit strange. What I do suggest is that we find more gentle ways of sharing the gift of Christ with our neighbours; by the ways in which we live our lives, with generosity, hospitality and kindness. By welcoming people into our homes and at our table and by supporting those in need with our gifts and our prayers, which can be the best gift of all. As Wendy Cope’s poem suggests we bring a lot of things into our homes and hearts at Christmas so perhaps this year we should try and take some of that out to others who have yet to share in the joy of the gift of Christ. If nothing else this year why not try and find one simple thing to do or give to another that you give out of the hope you are given by Christ. Why not tell one other person why you are a Christian and how important Christ is to you. Use the birth of Jesus as a starting point for if you say nothing else tell someone that you are glad he was born all those years ago and why. Bring the life of Christmas into the life of someone else. Happy Christmas yours aye. Dean

From the Rector’s desk Christmas Services Sunday 20th December 4pm Carol Service (note the new time) Thursday 24th December 10am Christmas Eve Holy Communion 5pm Crib Service with the journey to Bethlehem 11pm Watch-Night Joint Service at Saughtonhall URC Friday 25th December 10am Sung Festal Eucharist of the Shepherds for Christmas Day Sunday 27th December Christmas I 10am Sung Eucharist with carols Sunday 3rd January Epiphany Sunday 10am Festal Sung Eucharist with carols Sunday 31st January Candlemas 10am Festal Sung Eucharist with the blessing of the year’s candle supply Christmas collection for Combat Stress (Scotland) The collections taken at the Carol service and the Crib service will be given to the charity Combat Stress. This charity seeks to help all those who suffer from the mental and hidden scars of war and con-flict. Combat Stress is the UK's leading Veterans' mental health charity. The charity says: Mental ill-health affects ex-Service men and women of all ages. Right now, we're supporting over 5,900 Veterans aged from 19 to 97. We're a vital lifeline for these men and women, and their fami-lies. Our treatment and support services are always free of charge, and are proven to work. See www.comabtstress.co.uk Thank you for your support.

From the Rectory Cat Basket

T’was the night before Christmas and all over the house

not a creature was stirring not even a mouse!

Well! I would hope that there would not even be the suggestion of a mouse in the house of any self-respecting cat be it at Christmas or not. Mind you, however, as I have written before I have found Archie talking politics with a mouse before now. I really cannot begin to think where he gets such radical ideas from, it must be his Fife roots. It can hardly be Murrayfield! Talk about goodwill to all crea-tures! It is that time of the year again; and dear readers it is the time of the year that I have come to dread. It is not the joy of Christmas itself and the wonderful opportunity to celebrate our Saviour’s birth it is the fripperies during the run-up to the festival that terrifies me. Over the years I have had none too clever encounters with tree lights, baubles, crib figures and worst of all sellotape! I still have the screaming ‘ab-dabs’ from last years debacle as the Dog-Collar wrapped the presents. How on earth I got that sticky tape stuck on my back I still do not know. In fact I have begun to think; ‘SOMEONE’ or ‘Some Cat’ put it there deliberately. However it hap-pened, you try getting the dratted stuff off your fur, when your tongue just can’t reach that spot in the middle of your back - talk about a nightmare. This year I even tried hiding in a nice safe box as far away from the dining table as possible. What do you mean; “Get out of the box Gladys!” For goodness sake I had only just stepped into the box for safety reasons when the Dog-Collar started roaring at me and for a start ‘Mr Dog-Collar’ if you are referring to me it is ‘Lady Gladys’ to you. Honestly, I wonder about manners nowadays. He may have gained a new title this year but I was born into mine - really!

I had just got into a rather lovely floral covered shoebox when he started to shout and it was something to do with; ‘and not you as well?’ I wondered quite what the fuss was all about, that cashmere jumper was rather cosy but as I was later to discover it was all to do with Archie having got himself wrapped up in a present box. Actually, now I come to think about it, it is quite funny. Apparently the Dog-Collar was distracted while wrapping pre-sents and did not notice a rather large black moggie climb into a food ham-per he was wrapping for one of the family. It was only as he tried to lift the thing that it all went haywire. Archie woke up, panicked and tried to tear his way out of the parcel. In the process he ripped a bag of micro pasta which cascaded out of the box as the Dog-Collar dropped the thing and that mixed with the smashed champagne caused a lovely sticky mess on the dining room carpet. (It will take months to cure that, all that starch on wool - not good.) Archie too was covered in damp pasta and shot out of the room and up the landing curtains, which managed to descend to the floor as he tried to ascend them. When I saw it all I thought it was hilarious as did the ‘Other-One’ but not the Dog-Collar nor Archie. The poor thing has been cowering in the cat basket for three days - so be it Christmas Eve or not he hasn’t been stirring much at all. Oh! The trauma of Christmas and it’s still only Advent. Mind you none of this is as bad or as funny as that stupid dog in the super-market advertisement. You know the one; the pug in the reindeer costume. Laugh, I thought I’d spilt my sides when I first saw it. What a ridiculous ca-nine? No self-respecting feline would ever get itself dressed up like that. In fact you’d have a hard time trying to catch a cat to dress it up like the Christmas fairy. We cats do not need any accoutrements to become the Christmas fairy we just go mountaineering up the Christmas tree until we can usurp whatever is stuck on the top. Mind you the last time I did that I ended up under the coffee table with the baby Jesus, and the tree retired ‘injured’ to the compost bins. Christmas for cats is full of danger, so this year I shall just tuck myself into a nice wee spot out of the way and try to ignore it. “Gladys, get out of the microwave!” (Ed.) * Wishing you a peaceful and danger free Christmas season. The Lady Gladys Fortescue de Monceau *Gladys has recently taken to trying to get into the microwave while it is still warm! (Ed.)

Saughtonhall Film Crew

Miracle

on

34th

Street Including Christmas tea

5.30 pm Saturday 12th

December at Saughtonhall Church

CONGREGATION INFORMATION

HOSPITAL VISITING If you, or one of your family, are sick or have been admitted to hospi-tal, please let one of the Ministry Team know as soon as possible. Re-member that under rules of confidentiality, we cannot now be in-formed by the hospital chaplain unless you particularly request this or ask for this on your admittance form. Hilary will co-ordinate this aspect of the pastoral ministry of the Good Shepherd alongside her work as an honorary Hospital Chaplain (tel. 447 2068).

ARRANGEMENTS Please consult the Rector or any other member of the Ministry Team before making any arrangements for Baptisms, Weddings or Funer-als.

VOLUNTEERS We are always pleased to hear of anyone who:

1 Would like to be trained as lesson readers, intercessors or serv-ers

2 Would like to sing in the choir 3 Would like to help with after-service coffee in the Hall 4 Would be interested in helping with flowers on a Sunday and/or

at Festivals 5 Would like to think about assisting with visiting 6 Would help in the church garden 7 Would be interested in acting as a steward on Sunday mornings 8 Would be willing to deliver copies of “Bridges” three times a year 9 Would distribute the Good Shepherd magazine 10 Has other skills and gifts they could offer to the life of the con-

gregation

Who We Are

The Rector Rev’d Canon Dean J.B. Fostekew 0131 346 4127 07968 099470 therector@uwclub.net The Rectory, 9 Upper Coltbridge Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 6AD Deacon Rev’d Brenda Johnson 0131 333 1742 07713 154744 brenmj@btinternet.com Curate Rev’d Rosie Addis 0131 669 9231 007795-225098 rosieaddis@yahoo.co.uk Lay Members of the Good Shepherd Rector’s Warden Ian Spence* 331 1957 People’s Warden Sheila Brydone* 333 4041 Vestry Secretary Mary Wilkinson 07533 410940 mawlkns@aol.com Lay Representative Pat Gordon* 337 4088 Treasurer Graeme Thom * g.thom@virginmedia.com Director of Music Pat Warren 445 5259 Property Convener Ian Spence 331 1957 Garden Carol Wands* 337 6646 Sunday Coffee Rosemary Bouch 337 4783 Church Hall Pat Gordon 337 4088 Magazine James Buxton 337 1747 buxtonjames@hotmail.com 2015 Group Kate Doyle 337 6921 *indicates member of vestry Other Vestry Members Patricia Tait 337 7773 Ritchie Turnbull 07745 554887 Margaret Parkin 337 0991 Avril Henney 339 9577 Website: www.goodshepherdmurrayfield.org.uk The Church of the Good Shepherd has charitable status and is registered as Scottish charity no SC00357 in the Scottish Charity Register Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd.