E-mail News Letter
3 April 2020
Dear elders, dear members and adherents of St Michael’s Church,
Just as I am beginning to write another ambulance is rushing down Lanark Road with sirens blaring – a timely reminder why we are not seeing each other and doing things very differently.
Last night you may well have clapped for all people working at the front line to help and support the lives of the most vulnerable and our own as well. Our thoughts, admiration and prayers are with them all.
Allan Gordon, one of our elders, sent this prayer and reflection:
Dear Lord and Father
Creator of the deep quiet
May we never be a stranger
To that place within our heart
Where we are at one
With life’s source and tiniest bloom.
Amen
My meditation yesterday was written from Sarajevo which as you’ll remember was under siege during the Bosnian war (1992-1996). I couldn’t help thinking of us now being under a very different kind of siege and surrounded by Covid-19. The meditation says ” Siege calls into question life’s most important values: hope in the future, the sanctity of the present moment, continuity with the past. Siege desecrates the dignity of life and asks questions that often lack retort. Where is God? What’s the future? We feel hemmed in, severed from life. We are holding ground. Faithful perseverance. Staying where we are until the siege is lifted. Grounding our hope in what is yet to come: the dawn of Resurrection.”
This Sunday 5 April is Palm Sunday. Neil and I went to film a short service in St Michael’s and I hope you will be able to watch it either
on U-tube : https://youtu.be/x2ec5Kf3GeQ
or on GoogleDrive :
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-39KUwCBnEvywVhnUxrbajXZW810L1k7
Next week is Holy Week crowned with Easter Sunday. Every day I am hoping to send you a reflection for the day to help us remember Jesus’ walk to the cross and beyond to new life. I hope you find it helpful – though the world has not found a couple new film stars! Respect to all in the film industry!
Please phone me or any of the elders should you need help or just a chat. My phone number at the manse is: Rev Andrea Price 0131 443 4355. Do get in touch with your thoughts and prayers to share.
Councillor Gavin Corbett sent this information on 30 March 2020, which you may find useful:
Two things to update you on today.
- Ready Scotland launch
The Scottish Government has today launched a new portal for people who want to help out: https://www.readyscotland.org/coronavirus/
Much of the advice is similar to what I have already posted on here: on personal care; and on looking out for neighbours, friends and family. It also gives some general advice on volunteering. https://www.readyscotland.org/coronavirus/volunteering
- Directory of local projects offering support
More locally, EVOC has put together a directory of organisations offering support. http://directory.evoc.org.uk/. It is very much work in progress and will be added to but if you click on the South West tab that is our locality.
I hope you find that useful. As ever, please let me know if you have any queries.
Best wishes and thank you for being part of the collective effort to help.
Gavin
Gavin Corbett
Green Councillor for Fountainbridge – Craiglockhart
Green spokesperson on Finance
City Canal Champion
Phone 0131 529 3174 or 07718 666480
Twitter @gavincorbett
Wishing you God’s rich blessing, patience and joy in spite of everything.
Andrea
Rev Andrea Price, Minister of St Michael’s Parish Church
1 Slateford Road EDINBURGH EH11 1NX
Landline: 0131 443 4355
Website: www.stmichaels-kirk.co.uk and Facebook
e-mail: aprice@churchofscotland.org.uk