Press release
Edinburgh church offers community “Five Minutes’ Peace”
An Edinburgh church is opening its doors to allow local people space for peaceful meditation without participating in a formal church service.
Mayfield Salisbury Church’s “Five Minutes’ Peace” initiative sees the church open on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings, with admittance free of charge. As well as taking time for private reflection and meditation, visitors can enjoy the celebrated stained glass windows in the church’s sanctuary, and its unusually bright and airy interior. They will also find information on the church’s history and architecture.
Minister the Rev. Dr Scott McKenna said: “With so much noise and activity within the lives of most of us, we may often feel the need to stop and experience a few moments of quiet. To do this we need to find a space in which there are few distractions. Church sanctuaries, like ours at Mayfield Salisbury, are ideal for this purpose: places of beauty, peace and stillness. However, in Scotland, they are frequently closed when there is no service taking place.The “Five Minutes’ Peace” initiative is our response to this situation.”
He continued: “As a church community, we are conscious that many people who might feel hesitant about participating in a formal religious service could welcome the opportunity to take time out of their busy lives and enjoy the beauty and peace of the sanctuary at Mayfield Salisbury Church. We invite people of all faiths and none to come and enjoy five minutes’ peace.”
Situated on the corner of West Mayfield and Mayfield Road, 1.5 miles south of Edinburgh city centre, Mayfield Salisbury is a Church of Scotland church. “Five Minutes’ Peace” is part of the church’s broader programme of outreach activities, which includes public lectures, festivals, an expanding and vibrant youth programme, and events celebrating the beauty offered by other world faiths (Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Ba’hai and Buddhism).
ENDS
For further information, contact Jane Sizer – email:
NOTES FOR EDITORS
About Mayfield Salisbury Church: Mayfield Salisbury Church is a vibrant church on the south side of Edinburgh which offers engaging ministry to all ages. We do not shy away from the difficult questions the world poses us and, through our worship we offer a space in the midst of busy lives where people can search, wonder and pray together. We are an inclusive congregation, crossing boundaries of class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, marital status and family situation. http://www.mayfieldsalisbury.org/
About Five Minutes’ Peace:“Five Minutes’ Peace” sees the sanctuary at Mayfield Salisbury Church open as a place for peaceful meditation - without a church service - anytime on Tuesdays from 6.30pm-8.00 pm and Saturdays from 10.00-11.30am. We invite people of all faiths and none to come and enjoy five minutes’ peace. More information is available at http://www.mayfieldsalisbury.org/index.php/extensions-4/news/504-five-minutes-peace
William
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William
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Caring for Creation
As Christians, we are called upon to be good stewards of the beautiful and fragile world we live in, but within the past fifty years human activity has led to an unprecedented rise in the temperature of the planet with incalculably serious consequences which are likely to be gravely damaging for all living creatures.
This was the uncompromising message from David Bethune, Coordinator of ECO-congregations Scotland, when he addressed a meeting on 23 February. Hosted by our neighbours at St Columba’s RC church, it was attended by members of several denominations from across Edinburgh and beyond, including a strong contingent from Mayfield Salisbury.
Around 450 churches are registered as ECO congregations, but while there is a general understanding of the issues at a basic level, so far only a minority can indicate that they are taking serious action in support of their commitment.
As individuals, problems such as the melting of the Polar Ice Caps, the threat of drowning of low lying countries, the extinction of species and mass migration by climate refugees, can seem so huge and terrifying as to be beyond our personal ability to tackle. However, we are called upon for action not despair.
Much can be done within the church community to inform and encourage members in making positive lifestyle choices; and to reduce energy use and carbon emissions in our homes, and in our worship and prayer life. The link between Christian faith and environmental concerns should be regularly reflected.
Christians should be informed and actively engaged as citizens, supporting those charities and agencies which work to mitigate the effects of climate change at a national and global level, and ensure that our elected representatives and policy makers are made aware of our concerns. Small actions taken by large numbers of people have the potential to do great good and should not be underestimated.
The world we will bequeath to our children and grandchildren has been damaged in so many ways by the combination of ignorance, lethargy and ruthless greed.
We need to do more, much more, to preserve it.
Colin Mackenzie
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Five Minutes' Peace
There is so much noise and activity within the lives of most of us, we may often feel the need to stop and experience a few moments of quiet. To do this we need to find a space in which there are few distractions. Church sanctuaries, like ours here at Mayfield Salisbury, are ideal for this purpose: places of beauty, peace and stillness. However, in Scotland, they are frequently closed when there is no service taking place.
This we decided to try and change. A group of volunteers got together and arranged a rota of those willing to open our church and be in the sanctuary for an hour or so on a regular basis.
As the purpose is to make this resource more available to those beyond our own worshipping community, such as the large number of people of all ages who come to our halls and other rooms for recreational purposes throughout the week, it was decided to open at the times when the building is often at its busiest, which at present is 6.30pm to 8.00pm on Tuesdays and 10.00am - 11.30am on Saturdays.
So, starting on Saturday, January 12, 2019, people of all faiths or none are invited to come in and look around or sit quietly in our sanctuary when there is no church service taking place. The sanctuary is large and quiet and can provide a peaceful beautiful place in which to escape the hustle and bustle of life and have five minutes' peace.More photographs can be found in the Gallery
William
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Dedication of the Bill McDonald Hall
Sunday, August 26, 2018, was a special day at Mayfield Salisbury: the day on which we dedicated and re-named the refurbished ‘upper hall’ to become the ‘Bill McDonald Hall’. To our delight a large number of Bill’s family were able to be present both at the morning service which preceded the dedication and at the dedication itself. In the service our minister, Revd Dr Scott Mckenna, used prayers written by Bill, quoted him in his sermon and Bill’s widow, Patricia McDonald, read two Bible passages. Following the service a large crowd of worshippers joined Scott, Patricia and the family in the hall.In his address Scott explained that Bill had been minister of Mayfield Church from 1959 to 1992 and that his ministry was marked by its fruitfulness, intelligence and
pastoral concern. In 1989, Bill was also Moderator of the Church of Scotland. So earlier this year, the Kirk Session at Mayfield Salisbury agreed that it was right in some way to mark Bill’s successful and faithful ministry. The ‘upper hall’ was originally built as an extension to the main buildings in 1967, being opened in 1968 during Bill’s ministry, so it seemed appropriate, exactly 50 years on, to refurbish and re-name it in his memory. More than that, it was agreed that, as Bill was a man of ideas who enjoyed intellectual stimulation, a lectureship should be instituted in his name. The first lecture will therefore take place on Sunday 7 October 2018 and will be given, appropriately, by Bill’s son-in-law, Allan Little, a former special correspondent with the BBC.
In her reply, Patricia McDonald spoke very warmly about Bill describing how much his time at Mayfield and his ministry had meant to him. She thanked everyone for re-naming the hall and setting up the lectureship in his memory saying how surprised he would have been but also how pleased and grateful. Her words were greeted by warm applause. Many members of the congregation remember Bill’s ministry and remain indebted to him for who he was and the work he did here.
Scott then offered the following prayer and dedication:
It is indeed right, it is our duty and our joy,
at all times and in all places,
to give You thanks and praise,
Holy God, Eternal Mystery.
Heaven itself, the highest heaven,
cannot contain You,
how much less this church and hall that we have built!
Yet, we seek Your blessing for this space,
for the presence of Your Spirit in this place.
We give thanks for the work and witness
that has gone on here since these doors
were first opened.
Through all the work and witness,
through the joy, laughter, business, relaxation, tears and achievements to come,
through the love, care and kindness of old and young,
we pray Your Spirit, ever-present, will flourish.
In the name of Jesus Christ,
our Saviour, teacher and companion,
I re-dedicate this hall to the service of God
and re-name it, the Bill McDonald Hall,
that we may be inspired by his winsome Christianity,
his leadership, humility and wisdom.
We ask a blessing upon Bill’s family,
mindful of their pride, rich memories and love.
We offer these prayers in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
Patricia McDonald cut the celebratory cake, coffee and tea were served, and there was time for chat and fellowship with friends old and new. Children played in the hall and the garden, and the Youth Group barbecue swung into action, despite the rain, so that hot dogs were handed round to old and young alike! Further photographs can be seen in the Gallery
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On Sunday morning, March 4, 2018, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Rt Revd Derek Browning, visited Mayfield Salisbury.
He was warmly welcomed at the start of both services by our minister, Revd Scott McKenna, and, in reply, Dr Browning said how pleased he was to be with us, and how this year he has two especially strong connections with Mayfield Salisbury. First, Anne Mulligan DCS, a member of our congregation, is one of his chaplains for his year of office and so has travelled with him widely. Also our minister, Scott McKenna, is the interim moderator at Dr Browning’s own parish church, Morningside, throughout his Moderatorial year.
Both services were well attended, despite the travel difficulties caused by the snow, and Dr Browning, Scott McKenna and Anne Mulligan even managed briefly to brave the wind outside the west door for a photo opportunity!
At the 9.30 all-age worship service, Dr Browning told the young people of his travels to Palestine and gave each an olive wood star from Bethlehem.
He also presented Mayfield Salisbury with the gift of an olive wood cross from Bethlehem.
The Gospel reading, which was read by Anne Mulligan DCS, was St John 2: 13-22: Jesus’ anger at the traders within the Temple courtyard in Jerusalem. Dr Browning’s sermon, which may be listened to here, was titled ‘Bad and Good Anger’
After both services Dr Browning met many members of the congregation over coffee in the hall.
There are more photographs in our Gallery which can be seen here
He was warmly welcomed at the start of both services by our minister, Revd Scott McKenna, and, in reply, Dr Browning said how pleased he was to be with us, and how this year he has two especially strong connections with Mayfield Salisbury. First, Anne Mulligan DCS, a member of our congregation, is one of his chaplains for his year of office and so has travelled with him widely. Also our minister, Scott McKenna, is the interim moderator at Dr Browning’s own parish church, Morningside, throughout his Moderatorial year.
Both services were well attended, despite the travel difficulties caused by the snow, and Dr Browning, Scott McKenna and Anne Mulligan even managed briefly to brave the wind outside the west door for a photo opportunity! At the 9.30 all-age worship service, Dr Browning told the young people of his travels to Palestine and gave each an olive wood star from Bethlehem. He also presented Mayfield Salisbury with the gift of an olive wood cross from Bethlehem. The Gospel reading, which was read by Anne Mulligan DCS, was St John 2: 13-22: Jesus’ anger at the traders within the Temple courtyard in Jerusalem. Dr Browning’s sermon, which may be listened to here, was titled ‘Bad and Good Anger’ After both services Dr Browning met many members of the congregation over coffee in the hall.There are more photographs in our Gallery which can be seen here