April 2020 Magazine

the magazine
Peebles Old
Parish Church of
Scotland
with
Eddleston Parish
Church of Scotland
April 2020

At Peebles Old
Sadly, but in keeping with the Covid-19
guidelines, our Daily Worship along with
Sunday Worship is currently suspended.
However the texts and hymns for weekly
services are available at peeblesold.online
In these changed times it’s more important that
we keep in touch with those around us by safe
means. As this and foreseeable editions of this
magazine will only be available electronically
please share the word around that it can be
obtained online at www.topcop.org.uk
You can also keep up to date
via our Facebook page.

Easter Pastoral letter
March 2020
Dear Friends,
Dorothy Wordsworth, sister of the poet, was a diligent keeper of
her journal. An entry of 15 April 1802 records a walk with her
brother from their Lake District home, Dove Cottage. She mentions
that the morning had been ‘threatening, misty but mild’ but then
records that after dinner she and William set off accompanied by a
friend who, after a short way, turned back. Dorothy records that
‘the wind was furious’ and indicates that she and William also
thought of turning back. But they kept going even though, as she
put it ‘the wind seized our breath’ and ‘the lake was rough’. There
are delightful details about stepping into a field to avoid some cows,
references to primroses, wood sorrel, hawthorns, anemones,
violets. Then she records: ‘When we were in the woods beyond
Garrow Park we saw a few daffodils close to the waterside. We
fancied that the lake had floated the seeds ashore and that the little
colony had sprung up.’ She continues: ‘But as we went along there
were more and yet more and at last, under the boughs of the trees
we saw there was a long belt of them along the shore, about the
breadth of a country turnpike road……I never saw daffodils so
beautiful….they tossed and reeled and danced and seemed as if
they verily laughed with the wind that blew upon them over the
lake’.
Reading this I found myself thinking. What if the Wordsworths had
turned back on account of the weather? Would we have been
deprived of one the best loved poems in the English language? I
also found myself thinking that William had a bit of help from his
sister!
More seriously, I suggest there is an Easter parable here. What if
the disciples had turned back after the storms of Holy Week and
gradually resumed their former lives? What if Good Friday was the
end of the story? There is evidence of the historical Jesus in sources
other than the New Testament. That an itinerant Jewish teacher
and preacher of that name lived in Galilee and was crucified is not
disputed. It’s the bit that comes after which is harder to explain,
less easy to believe in the 21st century. And yet, clearly something
hugely significant happened to turn people like Peter from cowardly
denial in Gethsemane to the courageous and forthright preacher
we meet in the Book of Acts. The risen Lord, he tells us was

revealed, not to all the people but to witnesses whose task it was
to continue the work he had begun; and they did that, at great
personal cost. Would they have suffered, as they undoubtedly did,
for something they knew to be a lie?
Matthew’s account of the resurrection catches the mood very neatly
when he tells how the women returned from the tomb ‘with fear
and great joy’. It’s understandable that the fear should continue.
For the disciples slipping back into a quieter life was probably quite
an attractive option. Eventually they would have accepted that the
story of Jesus was all over; but now clearly, it was anything but.
Fear and joy together were very natural responses.
A popular Easter hymn proclaims: ‘Love is come again as wheat
that springeth green’; or, as the famous poem puts it: ‘And then
my heart with pleasure fills
and dances with the daffodils.’
Easter peace and joy be with you all,
Finlay
Locum Ministers
At the end of March we said ‘farewell’ to the Rev Jim Cutler who has served as
locum minister over the past six months. Jim’s ministry has been much
appreciated; we thank him warmly for it and wish him well for the future. In
succession to Jim the Rev John Smith will take up the role of locum. Like Jim he is
a Peebles resident and already well known to many. We welcome him warmly and
look forward to his ministry.
Covid-19
We are living in strange times and the thought that church services should be
suspended until further notice would never have occurred to any of us. Going
forward we plan to provide worship resources to be placed on the Old Parish Church
website and on the Eddleston Church facebook page. We hope that this will offer
some compensation for the loss of public worship. Meantime, all members and
friends are urged to continue their support of the congregations through your
prayers, service and giving and, where possible, to offer practical support to those
particularly affected by the Covid-19 virus. If visiting is not advised a phone, skype
or facetime call may offer some comfort and reassurance.

Meet John Smith
Our new Locum
Dear Friends
It is a privilege to be able to serve Peebles Old Parish and Eddleston as locum,
taking over from the great work done by Jim Cutler. I hope that I will be able to
contribute to the worship and pastoral work of the churches through the months
to come.
Our Interim Moderator, Dr Macdonald, has asked me to provide a brief biography.
Born and brought up in Dumfries, I studied Arts and then Divinity at Edinburgh
University, followed by a post-graduate year in Geneva on a World Council of
Churches scholarship. In my time, I served as a local minister in Paisley and in
Edinburgh, retiring from Morningside United Church seven years ago and moving
to Peebles. Out of many enriching experiences I would mention that I became the
first non-Church of Scotland minister ever to be called to serve as a Presbytery
Moderator in the Church of Scotland, and went on from there to convene the
Presbytery Plan Group for Edinburgh at a challenging time.
Latterly, I worked as an Examiner in Communication Skills for the Royal College
of Surgeons of Edinburgh, examining all over the UK, South-East Asia, South Asia,
and North Africa. I also served the four British surgical colleges on the Inter-
Collegiate Committee for Basic Surgical Examinations, working in London,
Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dublin.
After six years in that role, I was delighted to work as Locum in two situations -
firstly, in East Lothian (at Humbie linked with Yester, Bolton and Saltoun), and
then in the Parishes of Upper Tweeddale (Broughton, Tweedsmuir, Stobo, and
Skirling) where I have just finished.
I am married to Jean, who is involved in a number of Peebles organisations, and
we have three daughters - in Ilkley, Edinburgh and the youngest just relocating
from New Zealand to the UK. We have three lovely grandsons, aged 7, 4, and 6
months. Oh, and a five month old black Labrador puppy called Finbar.
I greatly welcome this new venture. And to getting to know you in church, in your
homes, and in the street! (Just stop me!)
Every blessing,
John

…and farewell to
Jim Cutler
Our past Locum
Bewildered, Jewish exiles, far away in Babylon, were weary and deeply
homesick. Jerusalem was a distant dream; the daily reality was harsh and alien.
They wept as they remembered their country. Their feelings had been trampled
on by insensitive captors. They felt abandoned. Looking back towards home,
longing to return, the Psalmist crystallises their feelings in a passionate poem
of despair and anger. Read it in Psalm 137.
Overwhelmed by despair, they can’t even worship. “How could we sing the
Lord’s song in a strange land?” he asks.
Of course, part of the problem was a misunderstanding of the nature of their
God. In common with other nations of their time, they saw God as a national
figure, someone whose presence and power was somehow limited to his own
territory. They found it hard to “sing the Lord’s song” because they thought he
was far away in Jerusalem; they thought themselves abandoned, alone and
helpless.
It’s easy to feel that way when trouble strikes. We wall ourselves in behind our
misery and, because our vision has so narrowed, we can’t see or feel God’s
presence.
Many people, I suppose feel the same way when Easter comes around. How
can God be there when he allowed his Son to be nailed to a tree? This one and
that one arises to be our national hero, yet we can’t even win consistently on
the Rugby field or Football field.
Yet God is still there, and he still cares. We may feel estranged and lost, in a
place we don’t know, but take comfort: ‘There is no strange land to God.’
Everywhere is home. His love, compassion and healing are at work wherever
we are.
Reach out – he is there.
By the time you receive this I will have left Eddleston with Peebles: Old Parish
Churches. I will no longer be your Locum Minister. I have enjoyed my time with
you although time didn’t allow me to get to know you better. I hope you
enjoyed having me and not just my silly little stories.
I had hoped to do quite a lot of visiting, but alas with the number of funerals
to attend to, I’m afraid congregational visiting had to take second place. I’m
sorry about that.
In case you’re wondering, I’m not going to be Locum Minister anywhere else. I
retired and moved to Peebles almost 9 years ago and I find that I have to retire
again.

About 6 months ago, just about the time I became your Locum, I found an old
friend. She and her husband lived beside my late wife and me in Carluke. We
became good friends. However, her husband left her and her three children
and for some years she’s been on her own. Although we hadn’t seen or heard
from each other since my wife’s funeral, we found each other and I visit her
often at her home near Kinross. Where our relationship will go, as yet, we do
not know, but we are happy together and being together.
And, as I was saying earlier, we know that God is right here with us, just as he
will be with you wherever you are.
Jim Cutler
How the Covid-19 Virus will
affect our church life
Church of Scotland Briefing
Church of Scotland - Covid-19 Briefing 17th March 2020 – Cancellation of
Services and other information.
The Church’s Covid-19 Task Group met this morning, and considered the most
recent advice from the Scottish Government, issued on the evening of Monday
16 th March.
The Scottish Government advised that people should minimise social contact by
avoiding crowded areas and large gatherings, including religious congregations,
and smaller gatherings, listing areas which were of concern.
Worship – Cancellation of Worship Services
In the light of the above, the Church of Scotland Task Group has agreed to ask,
in the strongest terms, that all gatherings for worship should cease until further
notice, with effect from Wednesday 17 th March 2020, or earlier if possible. Other
Scottish Churches are taking similar actions. This obviously includes Easter
services. Some Presbyteries have already instructed this action. This will
include, but not be restricted to, house groups, meetings for youth work, and
church cafes. It will still be possible for an individual to offer a livestreaming of a
sermon and prayers. Further information on livestreaming, including information
on copyright, can be found in the circular on the Law Department’s
webpages. Sunday broadcasts of a weekly service take place on Radio 4, and
also on Radio Scotland; other radio stations are available.
Church buildings can be kept open as a place for people to come and pray.
Notices should be clearly displayed asking that visitors observe robust hand
hygiene, including washing their hands on entry to the church.

Prayer
The Moderator, the Right Reverend Colin Sinclair, has along with the Archbishop
of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and other church leaders, issued a call for a
National Day of Prayer.
Offerings
The Task Group is aware that closing down worship services will impact on
congregational income, and we want to encourage people to continue
contributing financially as far as possible, and to encourage the increased use of
standing orders as an expression of ongoing stewardship.
Funerals
The key phrase here is to minimise social contact. Sensitive conversations will
need to take place with families and mourners ahead of funeral ceremonies, and
to consider the size of groups gathering for funerals. It may be necessary in the
future to consider whether funerals should be restricted exclusively to minister,
immediate family, and funeral directors. In addition, local guidance from funeral
directors and crematorium staff will be critical here. It should be noted that
many crematoria have the facility to livestream services and to host a recording
of services for a period of time after the cremation service.
Weddings
For weddings, the advice offered in the briefing note of 12 th March 2020 remains
unchanged; certain venues will be restricting attendance, and it may be that
couples have to work through what changes have to made, including in some
cases rearranging. Travel restrictions on travel into the UK will also have an
effect on guests at weddings. Again, sensitive conversations will be the order of
the day.
Pastoral Care Networks
Please find attached a guidance note from the Church’s Safeguarding
Department with some useful guidance about setting up small pastoral care
networks with a practical outcome. This guidance note contains a postcard which
may be useful. There are some good ideas here about small groups; such groups
can mitigate social isolation, and help people to continue to feel that they are
part of the wider community of faith. Previous advice about using tools such as
Skype, email, letters, greetings cards, Facetime, and Whatsapp groups are all
useful approaches and some of these are particularly helpful where people don’t
use technology.
General Assembly
The decision has been taken in the light of Scottish Government advice to cancel
the General Assembly of May 2020. The Office of the General Assembly will be in
touch with commissioners separately.
Conclusion
The above is offered in the light of current information, and is of course subject
to further public health guidance and directives from the Scottish
Government. The above has taken some time and care to compile, and at this
stage we apologise for not being able to respond to every email.

News from
Peebles & Eddleston
What we’re up to.
Church Office contact arrangements
Whilst closed to visitors you can still contact the church office. By telephone
on 01721 723986 (number has been diverted to my mobile phone) mobile 07845
122356. You can also email me on admin@topcop.org.uk or via the 'contact us' box
on the website www.topcop.org.uk
Best wishes and keep well.
Ruth Kerr
Church Administrator
Peebles Resilient communities – Shona Haslam
I know as churches you are going to be key to getting through this situation. I am
involved in the resilient community group in Peebles who are attempting to get
some structures in place so that we can all stay safe. The advantage of using the
resilient communities model is that all the volunteers are covered by insurance and
we can make sure that we are co-ordinating support.
I know that you will be helping out your own congregations, but wanted to offer
the support of this structure and organisation if you would like to use it.
We have a Facebook page Peebles Resilient communities. And also a freephone
number for people to use. The number is 0800 0096709.
We have two forms operational, one for people wishing to volunteer, and one
asking for assistance. Both can be found on our Facebook page.
The food foundation will be delivering hot meals to anyone that needs one from
Monday, this is a free service. It can be accessed through the freephone number
and through the forms.
We are trying to get a solid structure in place before it is needed so that when
things get really bad (and I hope they won’t) we are completely ready.
Obviously I know you are doing your own things but if you would like to direct
people to these services then we would be pleased to work with you on this. I think
as this situation develops then a bit of co-ordination now will stand us in very good
stead.
All of the above information will also be in the Peebles Life edition that is going out
over the next week.
Shona

Eddleston Parish Church
As you are all aware, due to the coronavirus pandemic, no Church activities or
service are taking place at the moment.
Church Services can be accessed on the Eddleston Parish Church Facebook Page
and members of the congregation who are on social media, are receiving copies by
email. If you know of anyone who is not on social media, could you please share
the contents or part of them, and this Magazine, with anyone you think might be
interested. Services of Worship can also be accessed on BBC One on a Sunday
morning too.
In Eddleston we have Resilient Eddleston: CV - 19 Facebook Page which gives
regular updates about what is happening within our community and beyond. If help
is required with shopping, uplifting of prescriptions, setting up online facilities etc
please telephone: 'EddlePhone' on: 07444 438732 or connect with the community
support group on Facebook:
Eddleston Community Support Group -
https://www.facebook.com/207297943821571
The Horseshoe Inn has also been facilitating frozen meals on a Tuesday and Friday
between 5pm - 7pm as well as free soup which is also available at 1.00pm on
those days too. Fiona & Iain Dempster have also offered the Horseshoe as a hub
for the collection of fresh fruit and vegetables and fresh meat. Milk, eggs and bread
are also available. For those self - isolating, Fiona & Iain will happily deliver. For
further information go to the Horseshoe website or Facebook Page or telephone
01721 730225.
Please stay safe and keep well.
Lorraine.
Meet and Make: Keep Calm and Keep Crafting!
We have sadly had to close the door on all our Meet & Make classes for the time
being. However, we are not saying goodbye and we are certainly not giving up!
Now is the time to work extra hard at reaching people who are vulnerable and
lonely, and so we have a new plan of action! We will be sending all participants a
Crafting Activity Pack. This will include a positive newsletter and a crafting activity
that is easy enough to do at home. To date this will be a postal service, but we can
also send an online version if need be.
We are also starting a Crafting Chat Line. Our volunteers will be ringing all
participants on a weekly basis, to see how they are and ask how they have
managed with the activity.
Our volunteers will ask people for comments to put into the next newsletter, to
share with everyone else. We hope that in this way we can help people to stay
positive and reduce their isolation.
All the participating care homes, residential homes and sheltered housing are
pleased with this idea and will be helping residents who need it.
Thank you to all our volunteers who are helping to make this happen.
Mandy Durkin.

“If you have been able to read this edition,
telephone someone you know who does not have
internet access and ask them if they would like to
know what is in it”
Remember that you can view the content of each
Sunday service at www.peeblesold.online
Christian Aid Week
Changes for 2020
Sadly, this year we will not be able to have our normal programme of events for
Christian Aid Week, but even in these difficult times, it is still important for us to
support Christian Aid and their partners in the work they do. If you have been
filling a Smartie box with coins, please continue to do so and post the full boxes
through the letterbox at the Leckie Memorial Church – last year we raised almost
£700 in this way. We will also be setting up a JustGiving page for Peebles and
District Christian Aid Week and will publicise the details nearer the time. It is
hoped that the folk of Peebles and surrounding areas will be a generous as ever
this year.
We thank everyone who had already volunteered to help this year, as well as
gardeners who might have begun preparing plants for the Plant Sale, and hope
that you will feel able to help again next year.
For more information, contact Nancy Hutchinson on 720885, 07512 859861 or at
nancy.hutchinson@btinternet.com

Good Housekeeping in a Crisis
Ronald Ireland
Interim Treasurer
“Crisis? What crisis?
These words are said to have been spoken by a former Prime Minister on
his return to Britain from a foreign trip, during a period of public service
strikes in the late 1970s.
Today we know what a crisis is and how it is directly affecting all of us.
The Church is not exempt. We have had to close down the church and
halls and all activities have stopped, but we still have financial obligations
to meet, such as our contribution to Ministry and Mission and Insurance.
We have also taken a decision to continue to pay the salaries of all our
staff throughout this time of closure, which I hope all will agree is only
right and proper.
There will be some saving from reduced heating and lighting, but we will
lose the benefit of the income we receive on a regular basis from
organisations using the MacFarlane Hall, so we will continue to be under
significant financial pressure in the coming weeks.
In my article in the March Magazine, I reported that the Kirk Session had
agreed that a Gift Day should be held during the year, as a means of
reducing what in any case is likely to be significant deficit. It had been
planned to hold this at the end of May, but that will no longer be possible
and we will now need to think of holding it in the Autumn.
In those circumstances, your continued financial support at this critical
time will be greatly appreciated. I ask all those who normally use Gift Aid
or Free Will envelopes or a cash offering, to continue to set aside your
weekly offering, which will be gratefully received once normal Sunday
services resume, which hopefully will not be too far in the future.
Many of our members now make their offering monthly by Standing Order
and I hope everyone who does will continue to do so, as this does provide
a large part of our income flow. I would encourage anyone who does not
do so at present, to consider changing to a Standing Order if that is
possible. If you would like to change to this form of giving, please contact
me on 01721 720592 and I will be happy to send you the necessary form
to send to your bank.
In the meantime, I hope everyone will stay safe and I look forward to the
day when we can once again take our places on a Sunday morning in
Peebles Old.

Food for Thought
Living in a Christ-soaked world
Pamela Strachan, OLM
Richard Rohr's Daily Meditation
From the Center for Action and Contemplation
Because Jesus is always listening to God and experiencing God’s presence, God is
continually teaching him. (Sunday)
Prophets must first be true disciples of their faith. In fact, it is their deep love for
their tradition that allows them to profoundly criticize it at the same time.
(Monday)
It is by focusing their attention on, and becoming fully aware of, the political,
social, economic, military, and religious tendencies of their time that prophets are
able to see where it is all heading. —Albert Nolan (Tuesday)
For me, the word mysticism simply means experiential knowledge of spiritual
things, as opposed to book knowledge, second-hand knowledge, or even church
knowledge. (Wednesday)
Globally, we’re in this together. Depth is being forced on us by great suffering,
which as I like to say, always leads to great love. (Thursday)
We’re all subject to this crisis. Suffering has an ability to pull you into
oneness. (Friday)
Practice: Lamentation for a Time of Crisis
Intelligently responding to the Coronavirus demands that we access resources of
physical, emotional and spiritual resilience. One practice Christianity has developed
to nurture resilience is lamentation. Prayers of lamentation arise in us when we sit
and speak out to God and one another—stunned, sad, and silenced by the tragedy
and absurdity of human events. . . Without this we do not suffer the necessary
pain of this world, the necessary sadness of being human.
Walter Brueggemann, my favorite Scripture teacher, points out that even though
about one third of the Psalms are psalms of “lament,” these have been the least
used by Catholic and Protestant liturgies. We think they make us appear weak,
helpless, and vulnerable, or show a lack of faith. So we quickly resort to praise and
thanksgiving. We forget that Jesus called weeping a “blessed” state (Matthew 5:5)

and that only one book of the Bible is named after an emotion: Jeremiah’s book of
“Lamentation.”
In today's practice, Reverend Aaron Graham reflects on the elements found in
prayers of lament. I hope that you will find in his words and in the text of Psalm 22
a way to voice your own complaints, requests, and trust in God, who is always
waiting to hear.
We need to be reminded that our cries are not too much for God. [God] laments
with us. In fact, [God] wants us to come to the [Divine Presence] in our anger, in
our fear, in our loneliness, in our hurt, and in our confusion.
Each lamenting Psalm has a structure;
They begin with a complaint. . . that things are not as they should be.
They turn to a request. God, do something! Rescue me! Heal me! Restore me!
Show mercy!
Laments end with an expression of trust. Laments end with the reminder that
God is setting things right, even though it often seems so slow. It is right for our
laments to turn towards a reminder that God is in control and about the
business of righting all things made wrong. [1]
Consider praying these words found in Psalm 22, or choose another passage of
lament. Before you pray, ask God to speak to you. . .
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I
cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.
Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried and were rescued;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame (Psalm 22:1-5).
[1] Aaron Graham, “Lament,” An American Lent Devotional, eds. Jacalyn Barnes,
Amy Leonard, Robert Mackay, and Irma McKnight, 3rd ed. (Repentance Project:
2019), 12-13.
Adapted from Richard Rohr, “Complaining to God,” Tikkun, vol. 23, no. 3
(May/June 2008), 12-13.
Image credit: Agitated Sea at Étretat, Claude Monet, 1883, Museum of Fine Arts,
Lyon, France.
For Further Study:
Cynthia Bourgeault, The Divine Exchange (Center for Action and Contemplation:
2020), online course beginning May 2020
James Finley, Turning to the Mystics (Center for Action and Contemplation: 2020)
Albert Nolan, Jesus Today: A Spirituality of Radical Freedom (Orbis Books: 2006)
Richard Rohr, Eager to Love: The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi (Franciscan
Media: 2014)
Richard Rohr, The Franciscan Way: Beyond the Bird Bath (Center for Action and
Contemplation: 2013), online course
Richard Rohr, What the Mystics Know: Seven Pathways to Your Deeper Self (The
Crossroad Publishing Company: 2015)

Words of Wisdom
How to Win Life’s Battles
‘The battle is not yours, but God’s.’ 2 Chronicles 20:15 NIV
Learn to relax in faith. Notice how God responded to Jehoshaphat’s
prayer: ‘The battle is not yours, But God’s.’
Many of us wear ourselves out
trying to fight God’s battles in
our own strength. In the initial
flush of becoming Christians,
we’re eager to win the world to
Jesus, and want to go out and
single-handedly bring about His
Kingdom. That’s because we
don’t realise what’s involved.
Then after we’ve worked hard
under our own stream, reality
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
sets in. We end up crawling back on our hands and knees, disappointed,
because we think we’ve let God down. But He assures us, ‘You didn’t let
Me down because you weren’t holding Me up.’ The truth is, we don’t
hold God up – He holds us up! We don’t have Him in our hands, He has
us in His hands! And He’s telling us to relax in faith and let Him do the
work through us.
Paul wrote, ‘As you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your
lives in him’ (Colossians 2:6 NIV) In other words, remember how you
first became a believer – by simple faith in the finished work of Christ –
and continue to live by simple faith. You didn’t become a Christian by
striving for perfection and doing good works. Good works have nothing
to do with it! Salvation is a free gift.
God doesn’t need us to micromanage things; He has everything under
control, and He wants us to relax and let Him live through us.
Bottom line: victory in life is a gift from God! ‘Thank God, who always
lead us in victory because of Christ’ (2 Corinthians 2:14 GWT).
This is reproduced with kind permission from United Christian Broadcasters (UCB)
Word for Today. Copies can be obtained from them at UCB Operations Centre,
Westport Road, Stoke on Trent, ST6 4JF
They can be reached on 0845 6040401 or at www.ucb.co.uk

'An Hour with….
Review
Gerard Dott & friends’.
One of the great pleasures of
Eddleston Kirk’s ‘An Hour
with…’ series, is that the
performers (as well as the
audience) are all thoroughly
enjoying themselves. We’ve
heard youngsters just starting
out on their musical careers, a
little nervous but relishing the
opportunity to perform, as well
as more seasoned musicians.
But everyone who takes part
loves music and their
enthusiasm is infectious.
Sunday afternoon (22 nd March)
brought us Gerard Dott (clarinet)….
and his friends: Sheila Porteous
(flute), Nigel Porteous (mandolin
and guitar), Robbie Tatler (doubles
bass) with Lorraine Mulholland who
is the inspiration for the series, on
piano.
We were promised an hour of easy
listening and were treated to such a
pleasurable programme, there was
appetite for more.
Gerard Dott - clarinet & voice
Lorraine Mulholland - piano
Sheila Porteous, flute
Nigel Porteous, Mandolin and guitar
Robbie Tatler - Double Bass
The trio of clarinet, piano and bass
(photo) provided a wonderful
assortment from musicals (Fiddler on
the Roof) to the ever-popular
Guantanamero and Tequila, both
arranged by Andrea Capellari and
Pestalozza’s Ciribiribin.
We changed tempo with Sheila Porteous on flute for Elton John’s Song for Guy
and Day Dreamin’, both arranged by Paul Hart and then were into the familiar
syncopation of Scott Joplin with his Maple Leaf Rag which never fails to have the

audience foot tapping with
pleasure. Sheila’s husband,
Nigel then introduced his
mandolin for The Bloody Fields of
Flanders, Arkansas Traveller
and much-loved mandolin
number, Lara’s Theme from
Doctor Zhivago.
Providing just the right rhythm
throughout with his bass was
Robbie Tatler and Lorraine
Mulholland with her customary
musical agility on piano,
switched effortlessly from one
musical genre to the next.
But undoubtedly, a highlight was
the final selection of numbers,
the Jazz Set (clarinet, bass and
guitar), which Gerard Dott
introduced with Indiana,
delighting the audience as he
displayed his talent as a jazz
clarinetist. He produced just the
vibrato-rich, lower-register style
reminiscent of Acker Bilk and
thrilled us all when,
unexpectedly, he launched into
vocals.
The programme had not styled
Dott (aka Acker) as clarinet &
voice so this was a bonus. Like
Someone in Love and C Jam
Blues rounded off the
programme but the rapturous
applause from the audience
demanded an Encore and we
were delighted with Petite Fleur
by Sidney Bechet, an
international hit as a clarinet solo
by Monty Sunshine with Chris
Barber’s Jazz Band.
Clearly we have the beginnings
of a Jazz Club here in Eddleston.
£150 was raised for church
funds.

Touch The Earth Lightly
Shirley Erena Murray
Aotearoa/New Zealand hymn writer Shirley Erena Murray died on 25 January.
No fewer than 23 of her hymns are in CH4, including such favourites as Brother,
Sister, let me serve you, Touch the Earth Lightly and For everyone born a place at
the table.
In 2008 she was interviewed by Douglas Galbraith and talked about snow-free
carols, travel brochures, her Ullapool forebears, and what prompted her to reach
for her pen. With Douglas’ permission part of that interview is given below.
It was in the safety of my congregation at St Andrew’s on the Terrace
Wellington, where I first dared to come out of the hymn writers’ closet.
It’s a very public thing, hymn writing, and I’m not a public kind of person. I first
became aware of the frustrations of the preacher not finding relevant hymns early
in my married life, when my husband John would groan over the limitations of the
hymn book (the Revised Church Hymnary). It was not so much the stale theology
of much that did exist as the gaps in the subject index and the non-inclusive
language of the time. There did not exist, in the present-day sense, a body of
hymns on human rights, world peace (as opposed to inner) or social justice in its
varied forms.
At home in New Zealand, it is enormously important to me to be able to
sing our story from our own soil, hence some ‘national’ hymns alluding to our
history and hopes, and especially our efforts as an anti-nuclear nation, standing in
the Pacific for world peace. ‘Where mountains rise to open skies’ is one which has
been sung at the ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) service in
Westminster Abbey, and I have now followed this with a specific Anzac Day hymn,
which includes a verse honouring conscientious objectors whom our country
treated very badly in the wars of last century.
Another need that the nations of the Southern Hemisphere have is for snow-free
carols for our upside-down Christmas! I've found carols to be the ultimate
challenge: how to move on from the Christmas story with a childhood kind of faith
into something real - the Incarnation made relevant.
Close to my heart are the hymns which spring out of protest or complaint
about an issue which touches me to the quick: the abuse and slavery of children,
the degradation of women - subtle or not, violence of every kind, and the
desecration of our beautiful environment. 'Touch the earth lightly', whose first line
was suggested by a poster, goes back to the time of the French nuclear testing in
the Pacific, against which New Zealand had for years protested at the United
Nations - 'agents of death for all creatures that live'.

For a hymn to be singable it needs language that is simple and clear, but
also with imagery that evokes contemporary life, as well as biblical truth.
I once, as a kind of exercise, when asked to write a hymn on ‘The Journey of
Faith’, took a travel agent’s brochure and melded into the text such items as
'baggage’, ‘tourist package’ and ‘insurance’. This was sung at a General Assembly
of the Presbyterian Church, but because it had reference to faithful Christians who
‘heave the stones to free the structures, love the Christ and leave the Church’
(which to me is very real and happens all the time) the word ‘leave’ was altered
to ‘serve’ by the Association of Presbyterian Women – such is the effect of facing
up to our own reality in the Church!
I invite people to move on, through personal
need to their neighbour’s need, rather than stay
with the predictable elements, so to speak, of
the traditional service.
Traditional hymn metres can be a straitjacket
to the imagination. But it is also a sign
of the way language evolves, and the element
of the poetic in all good hymns. I am gratified,
but not surprised, when people adopt a text
such as ‘God Weeps’ despite its unconventional
metre. People can and will sing anything if it is
introduced in the right way! And this usually
means that the composer has empathised with
the writer, and together something singable has
emerged, just waiting for the spirit to be added
in the singing. I love playing with unusual
metres, but there are some themes, such as
'occasional’ hymns, (national, funeral, memorial) which still work best with
traditional metres.
Hymns are an attempt both to address God and be addressed by God. We
hope for a response (are hymns a form of text-messaging?!) There needs always
to be a component in a good hymn for the heart as well as the head, but often I
cannot tell, when singing a hymn, why a certain phrase will resonate – even move
me to tears. There’s no predictable logic to this. A hymn writer is fortunate to
have someone respond and say ‘Yes! that says exactly what I needed’. There
need to be some songs to sing in the first person, for one’s own inner life, “Come
and find the quiet centre’ (716 in CH4), is one of the most frequently sung of my
texts.
It is appropriate that two of my texts in CH4 have been set to Scottish
folk melodies (nos. 697 and 716) . On the maternal side of my family, my
grandfather came from Inverness and on the paternal, my great-grandparents
from Ullapool, on Loch Broom. I was brought up on Scottish folk songs and the
local St Andrew’s Scottish Society of Invercargill – the southernmost (and
possibly bleakest) Scottish settlement of NZ. Plenty of Highland dancing, Burns’
suppers and the pipes!

When I sing hymns, I
look for language that is
simple, inclusive and
beautiful. I look for
meaning that is relevant
and memorable. For me,
John Bell is a phenomenon
in both his musicality and
theological drive, and I
love singing his work.
Brian Wren has inspired,
intrigued and mentored me
(though his words are so
much better than the
tunes they are often set to) that I go to him for pure pleasure and stimulus. Oneoff
favourites are Caryl Micklem’s ‘Give to me, Lord, a thankful heart' and GK
Chesterton’s ‘O God of earth and altar', for its rugged strength. I could not omit
George Herbert’s 'Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life,' or Anna Briggs’s ‘We lay
our broken world’. The list is endless – have you another page or two?
Note. Singers of Shirley Erena Murray's hymns should be aware that some
alterations were made to her hymns before inclusion in CH4 that she did not
authorise. The editors and publisher have expresssed their regret at this
discourtesy. Further, the English version of an Asian text at 571 (‘author unknown’)
is also by Shirley Murray.
Photos: thanks to Presbyterian Research Centre, Amazon and Methodist.org.uk
“If you have been able to read this edition,
telephone someone you know who does not have
internet access and ask them if they would like to
know what is in it”

Bell-tower Craik
More tea Vicar?
Don’t break’em
There was a very gracious lady who was mailing an old family Bible to her
brother in another part of the country. “Is there anything breakable in here?”
asked the postal clerk.
The lady paused for a moment. “Only the Ten Commandments,” she said
politely.
Environmentally friendly transport
While driving in the countryside, a family caught up to an old farmer and his
horse-drawn cart. The farmer obviously had a sense of humour, because
attached to the back of the carriage was a hand printed sign: ‘Ecologically
efficient vehicle: Runs on oats and grass. Caution: Do not step in exhaust.’
"24 hours in a day and 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not!”
H. L. Mencken
"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.”
Paul Horning
"Sometimes, when I reflect on all the beer I drink, I feel ashamed. Then I look
into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes
and dreams. If I did not drink this beer, they might be out of work and their
dreams would be
shattered. I think, it is
better to drink this beer
and let their dreams come
true, than be selfish and
worry about my liver.”
Babe Ruth
"When we drink, we get
drunk. When we get drunk,
we fall asleep. When we
fall asleep, we commit no
sin. When we commit no
sin, we go to heaven. So,
let's all get drunk and go
to heaven.”
George Bernard Shaw

How
can you be part of this
Magazine?
This is your magazine!
We’re looking out for travel stories, life stories, recipes, jokes and articles that
would brighten up our magazine pages. Don’t just leave it to the small band who
contribute regularly…get involved yourself.
Just think you could see your own thoughts and
words in print and be able to share the things that
inspire you about life, worship, travel, cooking, or
even The Old Parish Church itself.
We can even help you with the scanning of
photographs if you don’t have them electronically
and if you ask nicely we can arrange for articles to
be typed up from your own notes or ideas.
So why not get in touch with me as detailed below
or simply e-mail magazine@topcop.org.uk
To:
Would you like your own copy each month?
Well help is at hand… just fill in and post this form!
Miss Fiona Taylor, 12 Graham Street, Peebles EH45 8JP Tel. 01721 724196
Your name ……………………………………………………………………
Your address……………………………………………………………………………………..
I’m happy to enclose a donation of £….... towards the cost of the
Magazine.
Please make cheques payable to “Peebles Old Parish Church of Scotland”

Church Notices
Without any services in the church there will be no rotas required however our
intrepid bell ringing team are to continue cheering us up by ringing on Sunday
mornings as you’ll see below.
THE BELL RINGERS
April 5 Anne Derrick
12 Rosalie Gibson
19 Mary Hudson
26 Jeanette Mackison
Our brave bell ringers are to carry on
raising our sprits by ringing out from
the tower on Sunday Mornings.
Keeping safe but spreading some
cheer.
Congregational Register Peebles
Death
1 st March Mr George Thorburn. Peebles
Offerings
Eddleston
Total Offerings for March 2020 £
Total Offerings for March 2019 £
Total offerings for the first 3 months of 2020 £
Total offerings for the first 3 months of 2019 £
Increase in offerings over 2019 £

A very warm welcome to
Our Organisations
You’ll receive a warm welcome at any of our groups, whose details are given
below. For further information about each organisation, please see our website
www.topcop.org.uk
Group Where and when we meet Contact
Choir
SHARE
Flower
Committee
Bellringers’
Group
Guild of
Friendship
Traidcraft
Green Team
Toddlers’ Group
Bacon Rolls
Song School
Thursdays 7.30-9.00pm (not July and
August)
We meet in the MacFarlane Hall, once
a month at 2pm on a Sunday
afternoon. Dates will be announced.
Meets once a year as a whole group,
Members take their turn at arranging
the flowers in church each week and
at major religious festivals.
Members take their turn on the
Sunday Bell ringing rota and ring on
other community occasions if they
wish.
Members meet together twice a year.
The Guild visits housebound members
of the congregation. The number of
homes and frequency of visits is
flexible and can easily be arranged to
suit the availability of the Visitor
Members take turns at the purposebuilt
cupboard selling Fairtrade goods
after morning worship each Sunday
Help to provide ideas for each of us to
better care for God’s creation.
MacFarlane Hall
Tuesdays in school terms. 9.30-
11.00am
Friday mornings. Join a team taking
your turn preparing and serving
Bacon Rolls. Each team is ‘on’ once
every 6 weeks. Great fun!
Sarah Brown
(Director of Music)
07597 394059
Cathy Davidson
01896 830419
Rachael Forsyth
01721 724693
Anne Derrick
01721 721075
Elizabeth Fairless
01721 720344
Janette Cameron
01721 722528
Neil Cummings
01896 831771
Please speak to the
Minister or Session
Clerk
Janette Cameron
01721 722528

Who’s Who at Peebles & Eddleston
Interim Moderator:
Very Rev Dr Finlay A J Macdonald
8 St Ronan’s Way
Innerleithen
EH44 6RG
01896 831631 07770 587501
Locum :
Rev John R. Smith MA BD
25 Whitehaugh Park
Peebles
EH45 9DB
07710 530 193
Session Clerk:
Vivien Aitchison
sessionclerk@topcop.org.uk
Ordained Local Minister:
Rev. Pamela Strachan
Glenhighton, Broughton
ML12 6JF
01899 830423
pamelastrachan19@gmail.com
Organist & Choir Leader:
Sarah Brown
41 March Street, Peebles
07597 394059
music@topcop.org.uk
Church Administrator:
Ruth Kerr
07845 122356
Office: 01721 723986
admin@topcop.org.uk
Roll Keeper/Data Officer:
Alison Duncan
01721 721033
Mobile: 07707 001795
alisonduncan291@gmail.com
Eddleston Treasurer:
Archie Smellie
Hattonknowe, Eddleston.
01721 730282
Bellringers’ Team
Leader:
Anne Derrick
Edderston Road, Peebles
01721 721075
Beadle:
Edward Knowles
41 Dukehaugh, Peebles.
01721 722860
Eco Church Co-ordinator
Peebles:
Neil Cummings
01896 831 771
carcatnel@yahoo.co.uk
Eddleston Session Clerk,
Organist & Choir
Director: Lorraine
Mulholland
Millbank, Eddleston.
01721 730332
Lorajazz@aol.com
Registered charities (Peebles) SC013316 (Eddleston) SC010081

Our thanks go to Jordanhill Parish Church of Scotland, Glasgow for the use of this
very apt image which appears in their latest magazine.