Church of Scotland Guild Weekly E-News
Joy, real joy, wonderful joy
Isn’t Advent a wonderful time of year?
It’s a time of excitement as Christmas gets closer, as we busy ourselves buying gifts, writing cards, sending messages, preparing food, putting up Christmas decorations (inside our homes and increasingly outside too). It is a time of preparation.
And for Christians, it’s a time to prepare more than just our gifts and our homes.
It is a time to prepare our hearts to celebrate once more the birth of Jesus and to look ahead to the time when He will come again.
It is a time of waiting, of anticipation, of excitement, of looking forward; a time of joy.
On Sunday in my own congregation, the focus was on John the Baptist and joy — a strange combination in many minds
In the reading from Luke’s gospel, we were met with a challenge — a challenge to take a look at ourselves and consider if there is anything we might need to change.
We find this strange character of John — living in the desert, wearing strange clothes and eating strange food. John had a warning for those who came to him; telling them off in a way, challenging them. But as they listened to John and came for baptism, they recognised that they weren’t ready for this Messiah John was talking about and that they had to prepare themselves and change in some way for “what” or rather “who” was to come.
So they asked John “what should we do then?” They were all told to change their priorities, get their relationships right, encourage and help each other and create a society where there was justice and fairness. John was telling them that what was important to God was how they lived and how they treated each other because God looks at what is in our hearts. He called them to “repent”, which literally means to change your mind, to turn around, to see things differently, to make amends.
From a dry, dusty desert, John brings words of challenge, but he also brings words of hope, love, joy and peace – because he brings the promise of Jesus.
John was sent by God to share this message of hope which would bring light into their darkness and bring joy into their world.
So what about us? What if we were to ask the same question that the crowd asked? “What should we do then?” We should do what we do with any good news: share it.
During Advent we could share our good news with others, the good news Jesus brings of hope, love, joy and peace to the world.
Now, some of us I am sure will be saying: “I couldn’t possibly do that – talk about Jesus’ birth being the real meaning of Christmas? I’m too far embarrassed. I wouldn’t know what to say.” Well, we might just find the right moment to remind someone in our family or circle of friends of what Christmas really means for us, or we could send cards with a Christian picture or verse, or give Guild project cards as gifts. We might do some acts of kindness for someone in our congregation or community. And if someone asks us why? Be willing to tell them.
Joy comes not from an activity or relationship, it is the presence of God in our hearts that determines joy and the peace that passes all understanding. I don’t know about you, but I for one certainly want to experience that joy and peace, not just at Christmas but throughout the year.
Emmanuel - God with us. That is the joy we can know deep within our hearts and that can allow us to be joyful, even when things are difficult in our lives.
Joy is a gift and it’s a gift for sharing! And when we share it, watch it spread out like a ripple to others.
A couple of years ago, just a few days before Christmas, I saw on television a news report on homelessness. The reporter went over to speak to an elderly frail man, who was clearly sleeping rough. He looked quite bedraggled; his hair was long, his clothes were old and ragged, he was lying in a city centre doorway on a cardboard box and there was a carrier bag beside him, presumably containing all his worldly possessions. The reporter went over to him and asked “what will Christmas Day be like for you this year?” The man pulled himself up and smiled a toothless smile into the camera and said, “It’s going to be a good day because I’ll be celebrating the birth of the baby Jesus.”
What a powerful statement. He wasn’t planning to celebrate a festive feast with family or friends, but he was certainly planning to celebrate in his heart, because of the inner joy he knew, the joy of that child born at Christmas.
This Christmas, we undoubtedly have many uncertainties and anxieties – around Covid-19 and the new variants, the possibility of more restrictions, concerns about health issues, finances, family, concerns for our world…
But we can still experience joy in our hearts because of Jesus and we can still share the joyous message that Christ was born as our Saviour, Emmanuel, God with us!
I wish you and yours a happy and joy-filled Christmas.
Karen Gillon
Associate Secretary
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Meeting up with the Faith Impact Forum
Our former National Convener Marian McIntyre (pictured with Very Rev Dr Susan Brown, Convener of the Faith Impact Forum, before pandemic restrictions were brought in) has been sharing with us a little of her new role within the Church:
"It came as a bit of a surprise to me, to consider being nominated for the Faith Impact Forum – a forum of 15 people, supported by dedicated and helpful ‘121’ staff. However, I agreed – and boy, what a steep learning curve it is proving to be. Daunting, in fact!
"The Faith Impact Forum's remit is vast. Amongst the areas they cover are: world mission (i.e. support for our partner churches and mission partners throughout the world), congregational engagement, caring for creation, global justice, gender justice, equality, diversity and inclusion issues, ecumenical and interfaith work, public witness (i.e. speaking on behalf of the Church of Scotland on parliamentary issues like adult social care reforms, asylum reform and refugees, as well as education, assisted dying, and homelessness), supporting the Society, Religion and Technology project… and this list goes on!
"The Forum meets on its own and also has joint meetings with the Faith Nurture Forum, as there are obviously many cross-forum areas of concern, responsibilities and interests. We also meet with the Assembly Trustees.
"Being kept up to speed with all developments of the Church's Faith Action Plan is vital to the work of both forums, and things seem to be moving at pace… all this going on at a time of change and challenge in presbyteries and congregations. The vision of the Faith Action Plan must always take the ‘folks in the pews’ with them.
"Personally, I am not yet totally ‘au fait’ with every single area of the Forum’s remit, but I am learning as I go, and I have been able to contribute a little in the areas I know perhaps a bit more about. Six months on, I still have a way to go and a lot more to learn. Please remember the work of the Faith Impact Forum in your prayers."
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100 years of Barnhill St Margaret’s, Broughty Ferry
Members of Barnhill St Margaret's, Broughty Ferry, enjoyed a special celebration recently to mark 100 years of the Guild in their congregations.
It was a day filled with joy, sharing and reminiscing, and a wonderful way to celebrate such a fantastic achievement.
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Festival of Christmas Trees
St Michael’s Parish Church Guild in Linlithgow decorated a Christmas tree for their Festival of Christmas Trees. The theme was 'What does Christmas mean to everyone?' Their Guild thought about what Christmas means to them and decided it was about gifts. They knew that Jesus was the greatest gift they had received, but they also recognised that within the Guild, they had received lots of other gifts: the gifts of fellowship, hospitality, fundraising, craftsmanship, painting, knitting, sewing, crocheting, baking, gardening, confectionary and floral art to name but a few. What a talented bunch.
The Guild had also knitted 660 beanie hats for the Sailors’ Society and also highlighted that the Guild nationally raised over £500,000 for projects over the last three years.
What a great way to share information about the Guild and our members in such a positive and fun way.
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Monday memory
Our memory this week is from the 2019 Christmas Big Sing at St George's Tron in Glasgow. We missed being able to meet up this year but we are hoping we will be able to meet up to celebrate and share in 2022.
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Joyful, joyful we adore you
Our hymn this week is 'Joyful, joyful we adore you' — a fabulous hymn to an equally fabulous tune. In fact, Karen tells us this is the tune to which she skipped into the church on her wedding day! We hope you enjoy singing along.
Listen now <https://churchofscotland.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=29d4cd56ce6871362e9339137&id=ee454880dd&e=43d4a1fa0e>
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Pray this week
Advent is a time of waiting for the coming of God's son, our saviour. Pray that God will help us to prepare for His coming, help us to use the time we have wisely, and to ready ourselves again for this season of hope, peace, joy and love.
Monday: as we wait, we think of those waiting this week in refugee camps in different parts of the world, waiting to be able to move to a permanent home, a place of safety and a place where they can rebuild shattered lives.
Tuesday: as we wait, we think of those waiting for news of loved ones now that the tornadoes have passed, for those waiting for rains to come, and for those waiting for them to stop. As our climate changes, we acknowledge our part in that and know that it is those who have done the least to cause the change who suffer the most. Help us to be brave enough to change our attitudes and our activities.
Wednesday: as we wait, we remember those who tonight will sleep rough in our towns and cities as they wait on a safe warm home to be ready for them. As they wait, help them to find safe shelter for the night and a warm meal to eat.
Thursday: as we wait, we give thanks for all who are waiting, as Mary was, on the arrival of a new baby. Waiting in hope and anticipation for a new life to begin, but some waiting in fear of what the future may hold because of an abusive partner. We thank You for each new life, each a gift from You. Protect those women who struggle to protect themselves.
Friday: as we wait, we think of those who are waiting on tests, or on an operation. These are worrying and uncertain times. Place your hand on them and give them Your peace. Pray that we will be thankful for the security of the NHS and bless all who work within it to care for others.
Saturday: as we wait, help us to show righteous anger at the inequalities we see around us, magnified at this time of year. Remember those waiting on a job interview, those waiting on a delivery of food from the food bank, waiting for life just to be a little fairer. Pray that God will challenge those who lead to do so with justice, compassion and integrity.
Sunday: as we wait, wondering what the future holds with this virus, help us to wait secure in the knowledge that You, God, hold us in Your Hand, and that even in the midst of such challenge You are in control. We give thanks for all the progress that has been made in the last years. Help us to cling on to that when days look dark.
Contact us
Phone: 0131 225 5722 <tel:+013120225205722>
121 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4YN