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Musings From Mary Taylor, Pastoral Assistant, MUC
Recently I heard a poem with the phrase “apprentice in stillness” and it seemed very apt to me to reflect about it during Lent and the next three months. In Morningside United Church we continue ecumenical ministry being aware of Sarah Moore’s lovely stole gracing our pulpit while she is on sabbatical leave. The very special sabbatical blessing from last Sunday’s communion service, Sunday 23rd February is included in this Link. We wish Sarah a time of rest, relaxation, reflection, refreshment and re-energising during her three-month sabbatical. Side by side with times of worship and reflection in MUC we are making very practical preparations for the Christian Aid book sale in May here. May I invite you to remember 2025 marks 80 years since the founding of Christian Aid. At a service in Paisley Abbey on 26 January to mark the beginning of the 80th anniversary year, the Synod Moderator, United Reformed Church National Synod of Scotland, Rev. Lindsey Sanderson offered these prayers which I have abbreviated for inclusion in this Link. Gracious God, today as we begin the celebrations for the 80th anniversary of Christian Aid, we offer our praise and thanksgiving that justice and compassion are at the heart of your being and at the heart of the relationship you desire to have with us and for us to have with our neighbours and the earth itself. We bring our thanks that justice and compassion have been and continue to be at the heart of Christian Aid’s vision of the world where all are included in the feast of life. And so, we thank you for the vision and commitment of all those who 80 years ago, recognised their neighbours’ need and were prompted to action. We thank you for Douglas Lister (Church of Scotland minister) and others who persisted in their care for German refugees. We thank you for the generosity of early supporters without whom have not come into being and still exist today and for all who have been supporters during the last 80 years raising awareness, raising money, raising prayers in solidarity with the world’s poorest communities.Gracious God, justice and compassion lie at your heart and lie upon our hearts so this day we commend the work of Christian Aid to you. We ask your blessing upon the churches and individuals which support Christian Aid. In this 80th anniversary year may we commit ourselves to a vision of a world in which the poor hear good news, captives are released, those whose lives are diminished find restoration and the oppressed are set free. As we give, act and pray may we proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour in which all are included in the feast of life and where justice and compassion flourish. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen
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Dear friends,
Firstly, a huge thank you to you all for your support as a congregation following the unexpected death of my brother, Simon, at the beginning of November. The three months since Simon’s death have been very hard for me and my family. As he took his own life we are left with a lot of questions and no easy answers. Your prayers are much appreciated. One comment that has been made to me that I have found very helpful was from someone who’s family had been through a similar experience, albeit many years ago. Their comment was along the lines of saying that my family may well find that we have joined a club that we never expected or wanted to join. As I have taken up again the various responsibilities of my ministry and had contact with friends near and far, I have found that a small but significant number of people have said to me that their sister, brother, parent, or child have taken their life. Suicide is a sadly all too common event in our communities. Not so very long ago, suicide was understood as a crime in England and Wales (though not in Scotland) and a sin by the Church. This is how the language of ‘commit suicide’ arose. People who attempted to end their own lives could be sentenced to prison as a result. It was only in the 1960s that English and Welsh law was changed. Today the desire to take one’s own life is largely understood to be a mental health issue rather than an action of wrongdoing. Suicide is the one of the biggest causes of death in young and younger men in our society today. We might wonder why. Depending on who is being asked, a variety of reasons might be offered, some of which we might find ourselves in agreement with, and others markedly less so. We hear in the press how there is a crisis in masculinity and read about the huge pressures on younger people that did not exist in the same way in even the recent past. We might ask ourselves what can we do? What can we do in our church, our families, communities and workplaces? What can schools, colleges, universities, the armed forces, youth organisations, sports groups and teams do to support the boys and young men in our midst? As ever we can start with ourselves and reflect on how the assumptions and attitudes, we might hold about the world might inadvertently be damaging to those around us rather than supportive. We almost certainly don’t wish to make life any harder for anyone around us but sometimes all of us say the wrong thing or act in a way that isn’t helpful. In respect of ourselves we can try and create an atmosphere where those around us feel like it’s OK to talk. Where speaking about hard things isn’t a taboo. Where no one feels pressure to pretend that everything in life is great when it isn’t. Where feelings and emotions aren’t glossed over as less than thought and reason. I am conscious writing this reflection that I will not be the only one connected with MUC who has suicide as part of the story of their life. We do not always know who this issue has affected and can have no clue who might be impacted by it in the future. Our part as followers of Jesus is to bind up the broken-hearted and to support those who mourn. Sometimes that means binding up our own broken hearts. As we attend to our own woundedness, by this and by so many other events and experiences of our lives, we offer prayer and support to those hurting around us in so many different ways, some which we can see and others which we cannot. With love and prayers Sarah The Rev Sarah Moore Transitional Minister The Easter holiday is over, the chocolate eggs have been eaten and the children and students are back in education with many preparing for exams. Looking at the church calendar, we remain in the season of Easter (Eastertide), which lasts for 50 days (how many of us can make an Easter egg last for 50 days!?), spanning the period from Easter Sunday until Pentecost (Whit Sunday), which this year is on June 5.
The first forty days of Easter represent the time Jesus spent on earth following the resurrection, presenting himself to the apostles and others, offering many convincing proofs, and speaking about the kingdom of God (Acts, Chapter 1). Easter coincides with spring and the Jewish Passover. Spring is nature’s season for new life, of growth and fertility for plants and animals following their winter dormancy or hibernation. In fact, the Christian festival was originally called Pascha (Hebrew, Pesah) due to its association with the Jewish Passover, a major festival celebrating the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt (around 1400-1500 BC) which includes a main course of roast lamb. Jesus is sometimes referred to as the Paschal Lamb, or the Lamb of God, linking the crucifixion to the Passover sacrifice. From a Christian perspective this time of year is central to our faith. I tend to view the crucifixion and the resurrection as being like the two faces of a coin, both very different, but for the coin to exist it must have a head and a tail. When viewed from one side we see the cross, representing the pain and suffering of Jesus’ death. When viewed from the other side we see the hope of new life in His resurrection. The connection between these events is a sacred mystery, known as the Paschal Mystery (although the term is probably more familiar within the Catholic or Orthodox traditions rather than Presbyterianism). Nevertheless, the mystery is possibly best summarised by the words In John’s Gospel (Ch 3, v16): For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Jesus taught that where there is love, there is hope. It is a powerful, enduring message, and it is written on the heart of each one of us. It is a message we can choose to follow or ignore, but if we choose to ignore it, I do not believe that God will ignore us. Another name for Jesus is Prince of Peace, a term highly relevant at the current time of war and genocide particularly in Ukraine. But consider this, during his time on earth Jesus was known, among other things, for his humility and wisdom. As far as we know, He had no material possessions. He didn’t even write his own story. And yet, what He left behind will endure forever. We have to believe this. In amongst the chaos of human existence God is still speaking. We need to remember that He brings cosmos out of Chaos even in the face of this time of great change in the church where the presbytery plan is bringing hurt and confusion and upset for many. Even in the face of the post covid anxiety that affects people at the deepest level and even where the images of the war disturb us at the most visceral levels. In the weeks that lie ahead, may we continue to pray for wisdom, discernment, and compassion for those who suffer and for those with power over war and peace. With every blessing, Rev Steven Each time I go into the hall of a school in Edinburgh, I am reminded of the school’s values. In very large letters on the wall are the words FRIENDSHIP, FORGIVENESS, TRUST and COMPASSION. For me, it’s a really good reminder of Jesus’ teaching and example for us to follow. Children should be taught that amongst all the valuable educational learning there is something else that is as important, and this is a sense of looking out for each other and helping those who need it.
Serving others has been a Christian virtue since the dawn of Christianity. Jesus Himself was the Suffering Servant of old, a truth which He underlined when He washed His disciples’ feet in the Upper Room. If Jesus gave His life in service to others, how can we expect to do anything less? What’s more, He tells us it’s by our love for each other the world will know we’re His. The fact is, serving others accomplishes more than even that. You’ve probably heard the words 'love your neighbour as yourself” so many times by now they've lost a little meaning and impact. In addition, we live in such an individualistic society it’s easy to get caught up in our own things most of the time and not even notice our neighbours. While the Bible is clear that our motivation should always be the love of Christ, serving and helping others is also beneficial for growing in Christ. Serving others forces you to take your focus off yourself. At the end of the day, we’re all in the same boat, often focused mostly on ourselves. The more you take your eyes off yourself, the more you’ll see others and the more you’ll see God all around you. At Easter, our minds were focused on the actions of Jesus when he died and rose again. This month, we have a different kind of focus as we are asked to show compassion to our ‘neighbours’. There are 3 key weeks of looking out for compassion during May: 9 to 15 May is Mental Health Awareness Week, and from 15 to 21 May is Christian Aid Week and finally, 20 to 26 May is Dementia Action Week. Then our news channels and internet remind us constantly that we have to bear the needs of those suffering in Ukraine and Yemen and Sudan and so on and so on. There are so many who deserve our compassion. On Easter Day we celebrated Christ’s return from the dead. But for the first disciples like us, the resurrection was a bit of a roller-coaster experience – yes, they rejoiced to see Jesus again, but He came and went unexpectedly, they never knew when or if they would see Him again. What were they supposed to do now? Instead of hiding in a locked room in fear, the disciples gathered in prayer and expectation, waiting for what is to happen next. So like the disciples we pray for and wrestle with our own futures, but we should also pray for the vision, the will and the guidance to play our part in reaching out to and serving others. O Lord, send your Holy Spirit, that we may share the life of your Son and your love with those around us. How can we help? How can we show some compassion? Lord Show us the way. Amen - By an Elder Christian Aid has made a press release for the Booksale as follows – you might spot it somewhere: “The Holy Corner book sale is much loved and has been a feature of the Bruntsfield community for many years. This year we’ll be selling an excellent selection of Scottish and collectible books, paperback fiction, history, art and children's books as well as many others. We look forward to opening our doors in May and once again raising money for Christian Aid, a charity that does amazing work with those living in extreme poverty.” We look forward to welcoming you to the sale at Morningside United Church, in the Main Hall – entry via the lane from Bruntsfield Place. Saturday 14 May 10am – 5pm (Refreshments available 10am – 4pm in small Hall) Sunday 15 May 1pm – 5pm or visit us at www.holycornerbooksale.wordpress.com That gives a good summary of what it’s about and when – anyone able to help during the sale please use the website link – also on the MUC website or speak to David or Lesley Donald. We’re grateful for help from a few strong members of the Romanian Church for box shifting, so the sale tasks are lighter duties. If you can help with refreshments on the Saturday, please speak to Yvonne Burnett. Our Christian Aid Week Service is on 10.30am 15 May at Marchmont St Giles and includes MUC, the German Church Congregation and St Catherine’s Argyle. Christian Aid Envelopes will be available at that service for you to donate. They will also be available the week before and after at MUC. There are online donation options also on the Christian Aid Website. Christian Aid also makes individual donation pages for churches - Morningside United Church Christian Aid Week 2022 (give-star.com). We have a ‘Give Star’ device that will let us take contactless card payments at the Booksale also. Donations made by the device, or the special page go direct to Christian Aid and are recorded to our total. Cash or cheques go into our Christian Aid bank account and are paid out to Christian Aid later. May
I cannot tell you how it was, But this I know: it came to pass Upon a bright and sunny day When May was young; ah, pleasant May! As yet the poppies were not born Between the blades of tender corn; The last egg had not hatched as yet, Nor any bird foregone its mate. I cannot tell you what it was, But this I know: it did but pass. It passed away with sunny May, Like all sweet things it passed away, And left me old, and cold, and gray. Poem by: Christina Rossetti Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad. But never forget to remember The things that made you glad. Always remember to forget The friends that proved untrue. But never forget to remember Those that have stuck by you. Always remember to forget The troubles that passed away. But never forget to remember The blessings that come each day. We would like to thank everyone for their help and support over the Holy week and Easter. The Lent appeal has so far raised £1996, thank you so much to everyone who has donated. There is a small amount still to be handed in – so the total should be over £2,000. Gift Aid will also be added to this. The money collected is to be split between:
Thank you for your support.
If you would like to help arrange the flowers one week, please speak to Maggie McKenzie on 0131 261 4908. Your help would be much appreciated. Coffee Mornings – (Small Hall) ...All are welcome for coffee, biscuits and friendship!
Music Performance: Edinburgh Napier University Degree Show – 11 May in the afternoon (TBA)
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AboutThe Link is a monthly publication by members and staff of Morningside United Church. |
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