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A message from our Interim Moderator
Rev Dr Anne Logan:
A couple of weeks ago, I had the task of supervising my grandson’s piano practice. I had a little difficulty getting him to understand the ‘rest’ marks. He couldn’t see why the music might pause for a moment or two and not just rush on. It is hard for children to grasp that the pauses, the silences are an integral part of the music. For a seven-year-old, rushing on just comes naturally. As we get older, we do understand rather more, the importance of ‘resting’ or ‘pausing,’ we understand that these periods are not about doing nothing, but about considering, thinking, contemplating, before moving on. They are an integral part of the music of life.
The Bible is shot through with invitations to rest or pause for praise and contemplation. From the very beginning in the Genesis stories, we are told that God rested on the Sabbath and invited humans thereafter to rest that day to give thanks and to wonder at all God has given. The word ‘Selah’ appears throughout the psalms and Scholars suggest that this poetic term was peppered throughout the Psalms as a reminder to stop, contemplate, ruminate and praise. The children of Israel lived through 40 years in the desert, an interim period during which God prepared them for the promised land. Jesus spent 40 days of ‘pause’ time in the wilderness, preparing for his ministry.
Presbytery are offering the congregations of Currie and Balerno, a short period of linking rather than Union as a pause for contemplation and thought, before we move into the next stage of our journey together. This would be a time to reflect and consider who we are called to be in this area, what we are called to do together. It will be a time to appreciate and understand the very different identities of the two congregations and Kirk Sessions. It will be a time to consider the opportunities we have around us, the skills and talents we have and the complementary skills and talents that we might look for in a new minister as we go forward together. During this period of linking the congregations would be served by an Interim minister. Interim ministers are experienced ministers, called into this specialist role, and trained to help congregations make the most of a short pause, not to do nothing or to move backwards, but to move forward prayerfully and purposefully, in response to God’s calling.
I wish you all God’s blessings as carefully and prayerfully, you make these decisions.
Anne
Worship This Sunday
Sunday 13th October. Currie Kirk at 10.30 am. Harvest Thanksgiving Worship led by Rev Susan Galloway. Donations for the Community Foodbank. Followed by a Congregational meeting to vote on Basis of Linking.
Intimations
Joint Session Meeting
8th October at 7pm in the Gibson Craig Halls.
The Basis of Linking
Please read PDF attached.
Harvest Thanksgiving 13th October
We are collecting donations that will be going to the Community Foodbank.
Harvest Soup Lunch
20th October. Tickets (£4) available from the Kirk Office.
Shoe Box Appeal
October we are collecting sweets (not chocolate). Thanks.
Congregational Meeting
13th October after morning Worship.
Coffee Stop!
Thank you to everyone involved, £1500 was raised over the summer.
Joint Statement from the Interim Moderators:
Statement for Congregations: October 2024
As Interim Moderators, we are delighted that the locums, Rev Susan Galloway (Currie Kirk) and Rev Derek Munn (Balerno) are now in place, and we are sure the congregations are enjoying their respective ministries.
Discussions with Presbytery and within the Kirk Sessions are continuing. It has been acknowledged that, for a variety of reasons, both congregations would benefit from a little bit of building up before going forward into a full Union. The Presbytery is well aware of the future potential of Currie and Balerno and would like to make that Union as strong as possible. As was mentioned in the previous statement, it is thought that a temporary period of linking would help that process by allowing each congregation to move to a stronger place.
In addition, Presbytery hope to deploy the resources of the National Church by appointing an Interim Minister who would serve both congregations during that period of linking. Interim Ministers are experienced ministers with specialist training who are appointed, for a short period, to lead congregations to specific outcomes. In the case of Currie and Balerno, that would be to bring the two congregations and the two Kirk Sessions, which have quite different ways of working, together effectively. There are still agreements to be reached with the National Church, but we are hopeful that will happen shortly and the timetable for the process is set out below.
The Basis of Linking will appear on the Church websites once finalised. Copies will be made available on request.
Meantime, all the very excellent work on the Basis of Union which was carried out by the Water of Leith steering group will not be lost, as Union between the two congregations remains the overall goal, hopefully within a couple of years.
We are grateful to Presbytery for their care for the congregations as we move forward together.
Rev. Dr Anne Logan. Interim Moderator, Currie Kirk
annetlogan@sky.com
Rev. Douglas Nicol, Interim Moderator, Balerno Parish Church Douglas.Nicol@churchofscotland.org.uk
Tuesday 8th October, 7pm Gibson Craig Halls: Joint Kirk Session meeting to consider Basis of Linking: Kirk Sessions separately vote on Basis of Linking and Interim Ministry.
Sunday 13th October: Congregational Meetings at close of Worship to vote on Basis of Linking.
Thursday 17th October, 7pm Gibson Craig Halls: Presentation to both congregations on Interim Ministry. Congregations then vote separately on Interim Ministry.
Interim Moderator: Rev Dr Anne Logan -
annetlogan@sky.com
Locum Minister: Rev Susan Galloway - SGalloway@churchofscotland.org.uk
07881093480
If you want any information or need to speak to someone please call the Kirk office (451 5141) or contact one of the Session Clerks -
Louise Lamont (07910 594188) or Isobel Webber (07702784186)
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