17th June 2020
On Demand by Phone Service
We now have an ‘On Demand Phone Service’ where members of the congregation can listen to our Sunday Sermon by calling 0131 546 4955. This is available to anyone and can be particularly useful to those with sight problems or not able to access the internet. It will be charged as a local call which maybe included in most people’s call plan.
Sunday Online Services
Our online services (18 so far) continue with an average of 529 people attending. These can be accessed on the website. Every week copies of the sermon are being sent by post to anyone who can’t access them online. If you know anyone who would like a paper copy sent, please contact Jennifer on bpc-admin@balernochurch.org.uk.
Mill Oven
Our new oven is now installed and connected in the St Joseph’s kitchen and is fully ready for when the Mill Cafe reopens. Thank you to everyone involved in the process, especially those who sat on the oven committee, Lynsey Inglis who took on the arduous task of project managing the whole enterprise and also the anonymous donor who’s amazing generosity made the whole project possible.
Balerno Fairtrade Village Renewal
Balerno maintains it’s status as a Fairtrade Village. Congratulations and a huge ‘Thank you’ to our Fairtrade Committee and everyone who has worked to make this possible. We are so happy to be a part of this.
Prayer Post Box
You may have noticed the RED prayer box in the front garden of the Church. This was made for us by Geoff Milne. If you would like the Minister and the Prayer Group to pray for someone, please drop a note in the box.
Ongoing Church Activities
During these difficult times please be reassured that there is much activity behind the scenes.
Our Pastoral Care Team is maintaining contact with our members especially those needing extra support.
The Steering Group is meeting regularly to ensure the work of our church continues.
Many people are joining our ‘virtual coffee morning’ which is held on zoom after our Sunday morning service.
We are keeping up links with the community via our BPC and ‘Balerno Cares’ facebook pages which are both regularly updated.
Our Foodbank deliveries to Holy Trinity Wester Hailes are still happening. The collection box has been moved to Scotmid.
‘Place for Hope’ meetings are still continuing through zoom.
Our application to house a defibrillator for use by the local community has been approved and the installation will be happening soon.
The Fire/Security Alarm system in the St Joseph’s centre has been serviced.
All staff members (apart from Jennifer) have now been furloughed.
This is just a small part of what’s happening…
Cross Removal
If you’ve passed the church in the last week, you may have noticed that the wooden cross has been removed. It didn’t want to go, but it had been agreed that, having been in position for over a year it was no longer having its original impact. It didn’t want to go because it was fixed in a concrete slot which was over 2 feet deep and packed with timber wedges which were also 2 feet deep.
During the year, the timber had become wet and had expanded and it required about 2 tons of pressure from car jacks to squeeze the shaft of the cross upwards and out of the socket. Thanks are due to Jack Lyall and Geoff Milne for their initial efforts to move the timber and to Martin Petty and Paul Williams whose car jacks completed the job.
The timber of the cross was not significantly damaged and so it will be back next year – but probably for a shorter stay and with plastic wedges!
There is probably a Biblical metaphor that could be taken from this account, but I leave that to you. JB
Your newsletter
If you have anything you might think would be of interest to our readers, please send it to bpc-admin@balernochurch.org.uk and I will include it in our next newsletter.