Good morning everyone, and a warm welcome to Priestfield Church. If you are visiting us for the first time it’s great that you’ve come and we hope we will see you again. Today we give a special welcome to Nora Wenzel of whom we have many happy memories playing the organ (and baking cakes!).

Discussion Groups during Lent

Newington Churches Together is offering the opportunity to meet with people from other Churches during Lent. The purpose is to reflect together on the theme Jesus: The Wounded Saviour, thinking about how aspects of Jesus’ experience on his journey to Easter can speak to us today.

We expect that there will be groups on different days and times. If you would be interested in participating in one of these groups then please give your name today to Barry Cross who will contact David Cargill the group organiser.

Ash Wednesday – 22 February, 9-9.30pm

This year the beginning of the season of preparation for Easter that we call Lent, Ash Wednesday, falls on 22^nd February. That evening there will be a service beginning at 9pm lasting for around 30 minutes. The reason for the service being held at that time is in the hope of making it more convenient for students at Pollock but it is open to everyone.

It will take the form of three ‘stations of reflection’ – places where you will be asked to think about the reasons for engaging with Lent and ways in which you can do that. At the end there will be a liturgical response with the opportunity of being anointed with ashes as a sign that we want to walk with Jesus on his road to the cross.

Do come and share together in this symbolic action, opening our lives afresh to the grace of God.

Messy Church

No, this is not a description of the sanctuary or the lounge, but a way of reaching out to families in the church and community. MC is about children and adults learning and worshipping together that involves crafts, songs, stories and food. It usually lasts for a couple of hours or so, and we hope to run a Messy Church event on the Saturday afternoon of Easter weekend. Anyone who would be interested in being a helper for that event should give their names to Barry Cross. It should be a lot of fun!

Have a good week!

Jared.

Questions for thinking about last week’s message:

Who do we believe Jesus to be: a prophet, or the Messiah?

How will we respond to Jesus’ invitation to share his feast, and his welcome?

How will we open this invitation and welcome to those around us?

020712 – Guild – In Search of a Way     PDF

Good morning everyone, and a warm welcome to Priestfield Church. You join us for our monthly Communion service and all who love the Lord are welcome to share in bread and wine with us to remember him. As it happens, today we are also reflecting on how the feeding of the 5000 speaks to us about him. What exciting things can happen around food – let’s think about how we can use it for mission.

The Guild – In Search of a Way 7^th February

Apologies for the self-advertising! Some time ago the Guild asked me to speak at its meeting on Tuesday 7^th February at 7.30pm. The venue will be the Church Hall. I gave the title ‘In Search of a Way’ in the aftermath of my Study Leave last Spring, but in fact have found no reason to regret it.

The theme will be in two main parts: an examination of the writings of Luke (Luke-Acts) to see what it meant to the first followers of Jesus to be ‘People of the Way’ and the second part will be about how we can continue to follow in their footsteps in our own times.

If you are interested in coming but not a ‘regular’ at the Guild, they are always glad to welcome new members or those who are ‘just visiting.’  Do come along. There’s even a welcome cuppa at the end of the meeting.

Prestonfield Primary School

On Thursday afternoon we will have a visit from one of the classes at Prestonfield PS, so that they can explore the sanctuary and understand more about Christian symbols, worship and all things Christian. It’s a great joy for us to welcome them and I ask you to pray that this visit will strengthen further the good relationship we have with the school.

Have a good week!

Jared.

Questions for thinking about last week’s message:

How do we respond to Jesus: ‘boss’ or ‘lord’?

Do we simply fear Jesus, or have we come to trust him?

Have we learned that whatever our job may be, our primary employment is following Jesus and catching others for his Kingdom?

Good morning everyone, and a warm welcome to Priestfield Church.

Ash Wednesday and Lenten Study Groups

With Easter in early April this year, Ash Wednesday falls on 22^nd February, and the Kirk Session has decided that we will have a service that evening marking the beginning of Lent. In order to try to accommodate those who are involved in student life, we are holding this service later than usual: 9pm – 9.30pm, so please put this in your diary if you would like to come and join us that evening.

As in previous years, Newington Churches Together are holding ecumenical study groups during Lent and if you would be interested in sharing in these for seven weeks or so, please look out for the information that will be coming soon telling you how to sign up for them. The study material will be taken from the Selwyn Hughes booklet Jesus: The Wounded Saviour.

Special Congregational Meeting etc

Last week the Congregation decided to proceed with the work to eradicate the dry rot and to make the relevant applications for funding to the General Trustees of the Church of Scotland, Historic Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The first three of these decisions were unanimous, and the advisory vote in relation to HLF was 27 in favour with 17 against. At the Kirk Session immediately after the Congregational Meeting that advice was accepted and the KS agreed to make an application to HLF.

The closing date for applications to HS and HLF is 28 February, and it will be 2-3 months after that before we know the outcome. Only then will we be able to make a start on the dry rot work, but we should be in a position to instruct contractors at the earliest opportunity.

In parallel, the Refurbishment Group is fulfilling the earlier instruction from the Congregation to develop plans for the Lounge and report. It is hoped that the report from David Willis, our architect, will be ready before the end of February.

Please keep praying about the work to our building so that we can fulfil the vision we have for it of being a hub of Christian influence in our Parish.

Have a good week!

Jared.

Questions for thinking about last week’s message:

When I look in the mirror, which of these two people might I see:

A self-righteous, unforgiven, ungrateful person, or

A wounded, sinful, forgiven and grateful person?

How am I going to respond to this story of Jesus?

020512- Luke 9 – Eating with Jesus – enacted hope     PPt

020512- Luke 9 – Eating with Jesus – enacted hope     PDF

012912- Luke -Jesus Creed – Peter’s Conversion     PPt

012912- Luke -Jesus Creed – Peter’s Conversion     PDF

012212- Luke -Eating with Jesus – Enacted Community     PPt

012212- Luke -Eating with Jesus – Enacted Community     PDF

011512- Luke – the justice of God     PPt

011512- Luke – the justice of God     PDF

Good morning everyone, and a warm welcome to Priestfield Church. It’s hard to believe we are already half-way through January!

Tom Wright – Simply Christian

Over the course of the last thirty years or so I’ve become a great fan of the books of Tom (NT) Wright. I’ve just counted about 25 of them (big and small) on my shelves. He is one of these folks who can write for the scholarly community in academic life and yet also write for me. The first of his books I bought is called, Small Faith, Great God and it was published in 1978 – I smiled when I saw his photo on the back cover! Not only is he a scholar and writer, he is a churchman: in these decades he has been a University Chaplain, held several positions in cathedrals including Bishop of Durham, and is now a Research Professor of New Testament at St Andrew’s. His reputation is global.

Having said all that, he would consider it a failure if he were not able to communicate what he has learned about the Christian faith to people like ourselves who worship and witness in congregations across the land. Tom has a passion for helping us to understand the Christian faith and to share it.

A few years ago he wrote an introductory book called Simply Christian, which I have used helpfully with enquirers’ groups. I know there are a few people in Priestfield who are interested in reading and discussing it as a group. If you would like to be part of that group do tell me. If suitable, it could be that the group meets during the day. His most recent publication is called Simply Jesus and I’m looking forward to reading that too! (To see what’s in Simply Christian click on the picture and it will take you to the Amazon website.)

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – 19 January

WPCU details are elsewhere in Connections this week, but I just want to emphasise that at Priestfield we host the meeting on Thursday 19^th January at 7.30pm. If you are free to come to it, or any of the other gatherings that week, you would be very welcome. One of the points on our Reviewable Tenure is strengthening links with other local churches, and this is an excellent opportunity.

Reminder: Special Congregational Meeting 22 January

Just a quick reminder of next week’s meeting after the service when we’ll receive an update about the dry rot work and decide on our grant applications.

Have a good week!

Jared.

Questions for thinking about last week’s message:

Who are the people we most despise and avoid?

Who are the people in greatest need around us?

How are we being challenged to reach out and touch these people with God’s love and grace?

010812 – Luke – Introducing the Jesus Creed     PPt

010812 – Luke – Introducing the Jesus Creed     PDF