encourage | inspire | challenge | No. 8 | April 2011

Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EL 0131 220 1677 www.augustine.org.uk Scottish Charity no. SC000385

Minister: Rev. Fiona Bennett minister.auc@gmail.com 07552 162 717

Church Administrator: Paul Lugton administrator@augustine.org.uk 0131 220 1677

Editor: Bill Stevenson newsletter@Augustine.org.ukDesigner: Sonja Meyer sonja.meyer@gmail.com

Seeds

In this edition 1. The Lenten Question.2. Human sexuality.

Our Brenda.3. Are you ready fro change?4. Discover URC connected.

From plough to plate.5. Earth be glad.

A great evening. To whom it may concern.

6. 150 Years of Augustine.7. Seedlings.8. Calendar.

The story of Jesus riding on a donkey into Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives in the East, at the start of the Passover Festival is very well known. The crowds wave palm branches and shout “Hosanna to the Son of David!”, and we remember this story in Palm Sunday.

According to the New Testament scholars Marcus Borg & Dominic Crossan, also arriving into Jerusalem for the start of the Passover Festival would have been another procession. Coming from the West, Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor would have entered Jerusalem at the head of a column of imperial cavalry and soldiers, to reinforce the Roman garrison stationed in Jerusalem, during a busy Festival time.

One procession proclaiming the great power and might of the Romans Empire. The other

proclaiming the way of the Kingdom of God. One procession there to subdue crowds to conform. The other to liberate people to build a new Kingdom, a new world. The Empire of Rome may be gone, but there are still powers which are dominating in our world today. The power of wealth, of adulation, of influence, of fame, of control, of brute force manifest themselves in new ways, but are still just as present.

Jesus did not honour or use these powers, but lived a different way. This is the constant deeply challenging question of Lent: Whose procession am I (are we) in?

In subtle, and less subtle, ways, do we spend all our time and energy trying to be successful and powerful in the eyes of the world, or do our lives proclaim and honour the Kingdom of God? J

The Lenten QuestionBy Fiona Bennett

2 April 2011 www.augustine.org.uk

Seeds | Our Tribe & Remembering Brenda

In our recent workshop, with Rev Pressley Sutherland, we explored human sexuality in a biblical context. The main passage was the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19: 1-11, when two angelic beings visit Lot. Their reception by the people of Sodom is less than welcoming! Lot offers his daughters to the men of the town rather than have the visitors raped and abused. This is a difficult story that needs to be understood in the concept of Old Testament times.

Welcoming the stranger, providing safety, shelter, food and water for travellers in such a hostile land, was imperative. It is the failure to provide this welcome that caused the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, not the desire of the town’s men to rape their angelic visitors. It is not simply inhospitality that is the problem here; it was a matter of survival;

without shelter and sustenance travellers would perish.

We looked next at other passages,Old and New Testament, in particular Leviticus 17 -26 and Romans 1 -2, exploring what they might be referring to. Space does not allow me to do justice to our discussion of these verses, but the handout from the workshop this can be provided.

Pressley led a stimulating and interesting discussion, and created a supportive environment in which to talk about sexuality. Thanks to everyone who came along and contributed to such a useful workshop.

Our Tribe continues on the last Saturday of each month at 7pm. Our gathering on 30th April will be a celebratory worship service to mark our first birthday! Hope to see you there. J

The first time I saw Brenda Moon was sitting beside her in the pew, and realised she was following the Gospel Reading, with her own copy of the New Testament; and when I looked closer to see which edition it was (I always notice what people read – so be warned !), I realised it was in Greek!

To say I was impressed was putting it mildly. When I got to know Brenda – I was sure that she would be have been reading it and mentally making adjustments to what she was hearing from the pulpit, improving the translation as she thought it should be.

Who was this genius? I wondered – and weren’t we lucky to have her in our church? I never had any reason to change that opinion, over the 25 years following when I knew her. Brenda was always the same friendly unassuming person, never displaying her erudition or superior knowledge.

She was one of the Elders and she was the sort of person I like on committees – she asked questions!

And she had always followed the argument closely, and didn’t let go till the point of doubt had been satisfactorily dealt with, so saving the rest of us from following it up. Being a questioner myself I appreciated this valuable support!

Her hospitality was boundless, and about twice a year we were invited to her house to watch the wonderful pictures of her most recent holiday–and over years we saw Spring Flowers in South Africa, the Temples of Egypt, the peculiar animals of the Galapagos islands, and many other parts of the world, all accompanied by a magnificent tea with her own baking.

One highlight, for me ,of the many visits to places of interest she arranged; was a guided tour of the University Library, when she was still the Librarian. We were shown the priceless medieval books and manuscripts, including the magnificent medieval Persian scrolls, which are mind-blowing.

I have always been puzzled at how it was that such a gifted person never became one of the really outstanding figures of the United Reformed Church in Scotland. Edinburgh and Augustine were lucky to have her, and we will miss her enormously. J

Our BrendaBy Nancy Dyer

OUR TRIBE | Human Sexuality By Lewis Reay

April 2011 3www.augustine.org.uk

On Saturday March 12 the Synod meeting saw a presentation on the campaign of radical welcome that the United Reformed Church has been working on for the past two years. The Revd. Roberta Rominger, general secretary of the URC, believes it to be one of the most significant things she’s been involved in during the course of her ministry.

Every URC congregation in Britain has been invited to be part of it, and has been asked to think and pray long and carefully about their response to the invitation.

The URC’s campaign is primarily an evangelistic campaign of “Radical Welcome” and, for those URC churches that decide to accept the challenge of becoming radically welcoming, it will be transformational.

The Revd Lucy Berry, campaign advocate, explains: “It’s a chance for all URC congregations to change the way church is seen to behave to all those who walk through their doors – and to develop and transform the life of their particular church in the process.”

Participating churches will be required to examine closely how they – corporately and as individuals – welcome people into their fellowship, and how they can learn to be as radically welcoming as Jesus. Mrs. Rominger says: “The power of the campaign is that

people will encounter Jesus, through Jesus-shaped churches.”

Ms Berry adds: “One of the extraordinary things about Jesus was his love and open welcome for those whom the Pharisees and Sadducees saw as unclean. And yet today people of all kinds know or suspect that they won’t get a welcome in many churches.

Our campaign will tell people about the churches they can attend where they’ll find a welcome. We believe this plan will help the spiritual lives of many, many people who need not feel excluded or outside of the love of God. We’re really excited about this campaign, and hope that you will be too.”

The next nine months are a time of preparation, inspiration, prayer and transformation for the URC, as churches begin to sign up and start moving towards the aim of being radically welcome – the public launch will be in early 2012.

More detailed information about the process should be available in an article in a forthcoming edition of the Synod Newsletter. J

If you still have questions about how the campaign could affect your church, please contact Lucy Berry, campaign advocate, at lucy.berry@urc.org.uk or on 07715 104361.

Synod Matters| Seeds

A Comment, by the Editor, representing no-one else’s views:

The above is very, if radically, welcome. A would-be client of Fresh Start, being told that they were a Church-based body, said, “Oh, I’m not having anything to do with them. They’ll just be telling me what not to do!”. The Churches have for far too long spent time and energy on Sin, disregarding Jesus’ call (to paraphrase Mark 2:5-10 and Luke 7:47-8 slightly), “Stop counting guilts, and get on with your refurbished life!” May the church go on down that road.

SYNOD MATTERS

Are you ready for change?A change is coming and for those URC churches that decide to accept the challenge, it will be a transformational experience.

4 April 2011 www.augustine.org.uk

Seeds |URC Connected & Open Fellowship

Discover URC Connected Our Synod Gathering, Perth Racecourse,

Saturday, 18th June. It’ll be A GREAT DAY OUT!

Anyone who remembers the last Synod Gathering at Perth Racecourse a few years back will remember the fun and fellowship we had, despite the glorious mud and thunder! Hundreds of people from Scottish URC churches gathered in the morning and joined in the huge Marquee in the middle of the racetrack for worship and singing, or we sat chatting in groups outside for picnics (it was dry for a while) or in the teashop, or visited the indoor market and displays. We attended one or two of several available workshops, and we paraded our local church banners which illustrated our local concerns. The children had their own organised activities for the different age groups. This year, it is happening again – but it should be even better (there has been a lot of planning).

A bus will take us there (as before) – it drops folk off right at the entrance, and takes us back home at the end of the day. Stewards will show us where things are, and when. All sorts of activities are planned – serious and fun workshops to attend, musical perform-ances, professionally-run children’s and youth activities, a quiet zone, a market place to visit, time for getting to know new people or renew old acquaintances, time to listen to a question and answer session with distinguished contributors, time to sit for a cup of tea and time for a picnic lunch. Rousing worship at the start and end of the day will again be heard coming from the marquee!

Now is the time to organise our AUC Banner – offers of help to Fiona or Doris, please. A bus is being organised by Morag Donaldson of Portobello Church, and we’ll shortly be asking for names and numbers. The bus will be subsidised (depending on numbers attending) and the entrance fee is £4. (Less for concessions) Bring friends or folk from TLC as well.

Let’s make this a great Summer Saturday experience of being “church” in the open air! Let’s get a good turnout from AUC and our east of Scotland churches! J

From Plough to Plate A précis of a talk given to the Open

Fellowship on March 17th, by our good friend, Richard Frazer, minister of Greyfriars.

The food is on our plates, but we don’t think of the plough that began its journey to us. Yet we are all tied to the land; we depend on its produce.

There is a theological significance here, just as important as the economic. In Genesis, Adam is made gardener. Cain & Abel depend on land; hunter or farmer, we live by farming. Old Testament law is largely made for an agricultural community, not for us city folk; and the people are commanded to care for the land.

But we have become too familiar. Weather is a question of comfort, not of livelihood. We drink a lot of milk, but for many children a real cow in a real field is amazing, something out of a fantasy world –business has taken over. Cows are not creatures, but produce-providers.

Few words are more disturbing than “Agri-business”, summarising what farming has turned into. It is most visible as we look over the vast, empty fields where massive machinery, driven by single hands, replacing the careful management of the farmers and their families of the past. The aim is not now to feed the family, but to produce as much as possible, and the result is second-rate, tasteless matter organised to go on individual plates in front of the TV, no longer to be enjoyed at a family meal. Supermarkets reject local produce; packets imported by air at vast cost in fuel, fit the retail mould better.

Yet, for all the mechanical ingenuity, we are moving into an era when the cattle bred across the world’s prairies will be inadequate to feed the world’s billions; but will require more grain than can be produced to feed them.

Genesis, ch. 1 makes us stewards of the world’s riches; in ch. 3 the Lord strolls through his garden “in the cool of the day”, like a good caretaker; an in Philippians 4:5 we are called to use tender care to all things.

As might be expected, the discussion afterwards was lively and appreciative J

April 2011 5www.augustine.org.uk

Eco-Congregation & Socialising at AUC | Seeds

“Earth be glad” is the title of the Eco-Congregation project of St John’s Episcopal Church at the West End.

As part of becoming an Eco-Congregation, they had originally developed a “useful booklet with tips” on waste prevention, recycling and disposal, energy-saving measures for church, homes and offices, efficient means of transport, gardening tips and so on – accompanied by prayers for occasions related to careful use of the earth’s resources. Now St John’s has progressed from a measurement of energy use within their church building to an actual energy use measurement of a large proportion of individual church members! On-line and monthly, the amount of energy used by individual members in their own homes is added to the figures from other members, and average consumption is calculated. This is indicated on a graph and shows the peaks and troughs of the different seasons. This project has been running for more than a year and a half now, and the comparisons show that by this method they have been able to influence each other and together reduce their energy consumption!

Many churches in Eco-Congregation Scotland work towards Eco-Congregation Awards. These are granted when a particular ecological milestone is reached or achievement is accomplished. Would it be useful to work together in the AUC congregation towards

an award? Does it matter to you that we all use so much electricity to heat and light our homes and our church, and that it costs so much? (£17,755 in AUC last year!!) Does it matter to you that we use so much petrol and that it costs so much for individual travel and for transporting goods (like food) round the country and world? (Fuel prices will continue to rise as supplies become more difficult to obtain, even if the amount we consume stays the same!) How can we reduce these amounts? We are seriously damaging the planet as a result of our use of these forms of energy – and this is a great deal more serious than the horrendous effect it is having on our purses and pockets!

At the recent Fellowship meeting, the Rev. Richard Fraser, from Greyfriars Church, spoke on the theme, “From plough to plate” [See p.X],connecting with another scheme being followed at the Grassmarket Community Project, which also helps folk reflect on our use of the earth’s resources: people are encouraged to become reconnected with the earth – by being taught, or reminded, (through growing vegetables and cooking them) of how we depend on the fruitfulness of the earth, of our connections to it, and of our responsibility to be good stewards, rather than bad users, of God’s creation.

What do you think would be the best way for AUC to proceed as an Eco-congregation? J

EARTH BE GLAD BY KATHLEEN A Great EveningOn March 6th a select

group gathered for Ten-Pin Bowling at Fountainbridge.

It was soon obvious which of us had had a misspent spent youth, and which were so ignorant that they thought they were being offered a zimmer and not a guide, to enable them to (perhaps) get the ball near the pins instead of the gully.

The organist thought that the shoes were just the thing for pedal work on Sunday mornings.

Thank you, Mandy for organising a great evening!

To whom it may concern

A local evening newspaper declared on its front page that all teachers in our council schools had been Gagged! That is, they must not speak to councillors about government cuts. Teachers and other gagged victims, be reassured: say what you like to the Editor, He never tells.

6 April 2011 www.augustine.org.uk

Seeds | 150 years of Augustine

It has been put to the Editor that in the March Seeds, referring to various events in Augustine’s history, too little notice was made of the part played by Dalkeith Road Church of Christ. This was unintentional, and due to unforeseen circumstances, but still unfortunate. The 150 years must of course include the long process that resulted in the marriage of Augustine and Dalkeith.

Here are some memories from those times, by one who remarked that “it was a most momentous occasion which warrants a page to itself!

Dalkeith Road Church of Christ over many years worked closely with Hope Park Congregational church – we shared special services – we shared our women’s fellowship and the Open Fellowship – we even shared ministers during the summer, worshipping with us in July, and we with them in August. We soon knew the members of Hope Park almost as well as we knew our own, and inevitably started having talks on uniting. However, after many discussions, Hope Park decided to join Augustine Congregational which, of course, was their own denomination. It was about this time that Churches of Christ in the U. K. joined the United Reformed Church. When our minister retired, we began to think of following our friends from Hope Park to Augustine. There were many discussions because after all this was a union of two different denominations, U. R. C. and Congregational.

We loved our church, our traditions, our history, and it is very difficult to give up so many long-held beliefs, but with compromises on both sides we decided to come together and unite.

It was Jackie Glen and Eric Nisbet’s task to

sell our building and we were all delighted when the buyer was another church. Jackie and Eric negotiated strongly with the powers-that-be in the U. R. C., and we were at last given permission to bring the money from the sale of the church with us to help refurbish Augustine to the attractive, multi-purpose building it is today.

Augustine greeted us warmly and the uniting service in 1992 was attended by many church leaders from both denominations – the banner which now hangs in the Sanctuary was unfurled, and our new name Augustine United Church came into being.

We have never regretted our move. When a few years later the Scottish Congregational Church joined the United Reformed Church, we felt that perhaps, in some small way, we at Augustine had led the way by example. BY MOLLY GLEN

History is always best when told by those who were there. Augustine has never been an inward-looking church, as its association with the church abroad shows. The history of Augustine’s associations with other churches around Edinburgh over the past century is a complex one; it involves such churches as Hope Park, Dalry Road, Buccleuch Evangelical Church, even (very briefly) the United Free Church, as well as St. Giles and, more recently, St. Columba’s-by-the-Castle and Greyfriars. But the history of Augustine and Dalkeith Road churches, the links between

them and eventual uniting is particularly important, as Molly’s contribution shows, and we will be developing this theme further in the next issue. J

150 years of Augustine

April 2011 7www.augustine.org.uk

Seedlings| Seeds

During Holy Week, churches remember the events leading up to Easter. Lots of things happened!

Augustine Junior Church in April

– Colour in this image of Jesus entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. ACTIVITY >>

ACTIVITY >>

April is the month we remember the events of Holy Week and Easter.

– Can you work out the sequence of events during Holy Week? Ask someone from your family to help you if you get stuck!

Calendar

Please note that the deadline for material for the May issue is April 24th. You can send your material to Bill Stevenson at newsletter@Augustine.org.uk.

DISCLAIMER: Although we check all information in the newsletter, as ever with these things we can give no warranties as to accuracy or relevance and encourage active checking before you make any decisions. The views expressed in our newsletter are those of the individual contributor, they are not necessarily those of AUC or the editor.

AUC Worship: Services at 11am at AUC, George IV Bridge, unless

otherwise stated

AprilMon. 4th 2.00pm Women’s Union at Saughtonhall, AGM and Bring & Buy.

Wed. 5th 7.30pm TLC Lent Bible Study in AUC Library.

Thurs.7th 2.45pm Open Fellowship Visit to Lauriston Castle,. Tell Della and meet at gate. All welcome!

Sun. 10th 11.00am Morning Worship.

12.30pm Church Business Meeting, including Annual Report.

Mon. 11th 7.00pm Bingo, Beans and Pies at Saughtonhall. Tickets £3: see Doris.

Wed. 13th 7.30pm TLC Lent Bible Study in AUC Library.

Holy WeekSun. 17th 11.am Palm Sunday Service.

Mon18th -Thurs. 21st

8am Holy Communion at St Columba’s-by-the-Castle.

Thurs. 21st 7pm Maundy Thursday Service at St Columba’s-by-the-Castle.

Fri. 22nd Noon - 3pm Good Friday Meditation Service at Augustine. Led by Fr James Crampsey SJ of The Church of the Sacred Heart, Lauriston Place.

8pm-Midnight Good Friday Nitekirk and Tenebrae at Greyfriars.

Sun. 24th 10.00am Easter Day Egg Hunt and Rolls (or bacon...).

11.00am Communion Service & Celebration.

Wed. 27th 7.00-9.00pm Transcendence. Retreat in Daily Life begins, ends 5th June. Details on http.http://wwwepiphanygroup.org.uk.

Sat. 30th 7.00-9.00pm Our Tribe, 1st-Year Birthday Party! All Welcome!

MaySun. 1st 11.00am Communion Service and Ordination of new Elders.

6.00-8.00pm Spirituality Book Group.