About 18 months ago, we moved the financial reserves of the church, our investments, to a new investment manager – Epworth Investments.
Over the past couple of weeks we’ve shared our service plan for the summer. We are going to be running things differently over the 7 weeks of the school holidays (30 June to 11 Aug inclusive) using the same format as we have over the past couple of years.
Due to the ever growing size of the St Mungo’s Youth, this year saw us run separate camps for our young people with the latest camp happening at the beginning of this month for the S1-S3s.
The local Gala has been a major community event in Balerno for over 60 years and the Gala Day is one of Balerno’s biggest annual community events.
We are just a few weeks away from Isaac Knight joining the staff at St Mungo’s in his role as Associate Rector. Isaac & Ruth will be moving to Livingston in July and we hope to see them around before Isaac officially starts on Monday 8 August. In the meantime, they have sent the following short message.
eing Family
Over the past couple of weeks we have opened up a conversation about why ‘Family’ is one of our core values.
Our personal definitions of ‘family’ have been shaped by:
our own experiences, cultural narratives
church teaching
other things we may have read
It has been great to be back in Balerno High school since the beginning of May as it is a place that has been such a blessing to us as a church family over more than two decades. I am very grateful to Neil and his staff for being so positive and helpful as Edinburgh City Council eased their restrictions to allow us back in on a Sunday. We are so thankful that we have such a strong partnership with the school and look forward to continuing to work with Neil and his team to see how we can continue to Be Love here.
As I have thought back over the last two years the pandemic has showed us how vulnerable we are in relation to having a place where we can meet to worship as a church family on a Sunday morning in Balerno. If we were only working in partnership with the school then it would be simpler, but it is more complex as we are working with both the school and the council who are our official landlords. For example, we can’t have access on a Sunday evening here due to how the Council operates their weekend janitorial system.
Over the last six months I have had various conversations with members of the church family that have helped me to think through a way forward. Back in March I asked Derek Thomson to write a paper for Vestry which put forward the case for a Vestry sub-committee to be formed to carry out a building feasibility study tasked with assessing what options might be available to us. After discussing this and then meeting with Derek, the Vestry agreed to the proposal and asked Derek to chair the sub-committee which he has agreed to.
We are incredibly blessed to have people in our church family who are experts in the areas of property and buildings and with Vestry’s approval, Derek will be approaching some of these experts so that the sub-committee is a manageable size.
One of the things I see as a high priority is remaining in Balerno, but I also think it would be wise at this point that the sub-committee look at all the options available to us. This will then provide us with all the information we need to make an informed decision in the future. Ladycroft as a meeting place will not be under review and we are incredibly grateful for this building where so much has occurred in the history of St Mungo’s.
We are hoping that the sub-committee will be able to report back to the Vestry in late Autumn at which point they can consider and pray through the options. It may be that at this point that Vestry decide that Balerno High School is the best choice for us as we move forward. We will not be giving any church family updates until the sub-committee has reported back to Vestry and they have decided the next steps.
I wanted to share this news with you for two reasons. Firstly, to reassure you that after all we have been through, we are looking carefully at the best way forward for us as a church family in Balerno. Secondly so you can pray as the sub-committee takes on this work for wisdom and discernment.
I want to announce today that at the end of June, David Brown will be retiring from his role as Pastoral Assistant.
David and Marjory have been members of St Mungo's, for over 20 years and have served in so many different ways. House Group Leaders, House Group Pastors, Gold, and David has also been an Xplorers leader, involved in Men's Ministry, a Counsellor in the Wellness Centre, and has sat on Vestry.
We are really looking forward to welcoming you back into Balerno High School this Sunday, 1st May. This is an information email to let you know a few of the practicalities before arriving on Sunday. I appreciate that it is long, but I have written it in sections, so please skip through anything that isn’t relevant to you.
Getting Here
*There are roadworks on Bridge road, please allow plenty of time to travel in so as to avoid any issues*
Address: Balerno Community High School; Address: 5 Bridge Road, Balerno; Postcode: EH14 7AQ
Walking: We encourage anyone who can walk to do so. There are multiple entrances available, including a new one we are opening at the end of the concourse, near the 2G pitch.
Cycling: Bike racks are available. Access these by turning into the swimming pool carpark - here.
Bus: The number 44 bus stops directly outside the school and there is a bus which arrives at 9:44 and another at 10:14, both of which would allow enough time for out 10:30 service start time. A bus departs from the school every 20 minutes after the service. The timetable for this service is found here.
Car: There are a number of parking options in Balerno, many involve a short walk similar to when we have met at Herriot-Watt University. I have compiled a list of possible options, but please always check that you are parking legally and blessing the community of Balerno as you park. We strongly advise that you DO NOT park on Bridge Road at present.
For a list of possible parking options in the village click here.
If you require an accessible or disabled parking space then please let a member of the pastoral team know and they will pass on that information to the operations team.
Entering the building
There are 4 ways to access the building: The main entrance at the front of the school, the entrance from the swimming pool car park, the door opposite the 2G pitch and there is an accessible door from the disabled spaces available upon request. Follow the instructions from hosts and follow signage to find groups for 0-18 and the main service. All of these entrances are accessible for those with mobility issues, however the swimming pool car park and main reception entrance are best for wheelchair users as there is no ‘lip’ on the doorways.
0-18 Groups
There are separate groups for all aged 0-18 which run parallel to the main service. You can drop off children and young people from 10:20.
0-3 (Little Wonders) meets upstairs in room F10. Accessed via the staircase in the reception lobby.
3-4 (Climbers) meets in the Riverside Café. Accessed from the corridor off the reception lobby.
Primary (P1-P7) meet in the small gym.
Youth (S1-S6) begin in the main service and then leave to meet in our church building, Ladycroft.
Please note that all children P7 and below must be collected by an adult from their group at the end of the service.
Pioneers
We run a dedicated group for young adults with additional needs, who benefit from being part of a smaller group of people and having access to a quieter environment. The group join us for worship in the concourse and then move into classroom G1 for the remainder of the service. For more information please email helen.yewdall@stmungos.org
Main Service
We have redesigned the layout in the concourse. You can see a scaled drawing of the seating arrangement for this week here. Please do fill up the centre section first. We are limited to the number of chairs which we have access to now due to it being exam season, so this a way you can really bless the setup team. This is also the best place to sit if you require access to the hearing loop system.
If you still wish to sit in a socially distanced seat, then there are benches available on the side section of the concourse which can be used. They are labelled as such and so please only sit here if you wish to sit socially distanced.
The other important change is that the preacher and worship leader will no longer be displayed on the screens, only the slides for talks and the words will appear – as happens currently in HWU.
The service from Balerno will continue to be livestreamed onto our YouTube channel.
Toilets
There are 2 individual toilets accessed via the main reception lobby and there are male and female toilets accessed from the concourse. There are 2 disabled access toilets in the school, one in the swimming pool changing rooms and another is accessed via a door near the tech area. Please ask a host if you require any directions.
Leaving the building
We do not presently have access to the building after 1pm and so the entire setup has to be packed down every week after the service. To help us do this as safely and swiftly as possible, please move to the far end of the concourse at the end of the service. If you are attending the service and are responsible for any children then once you have collected them head straight to the far end of the concourse if you want to socialise or head out one of the exits near the groups. We need to keep the central section clear of people in order to safely pack equipment away in the cupboards in the lobby and move 100 chairs back to the gym.
Refreshments
We believe that creating opportunities for connection as we return to church services in Balerno High School is vitally important and that refreshments play a big part in that. However, there are no refreshments being served at the end of the service at this moment in time, in part due to the fact we have to clear the entire setup at the end of the morning service.
The other main reason is that we require a minimum of 2 volunteers to oversee leading this ministry as Wendy Brown has stepped down from this volunteer role. If you are interested in potentially taking this volunteer refreshments co-ordinator role on, please email wendy.brown@stmungos.org to find out what is involved.
There are 3 picnic benches at the far end of the concourse along with a number of benches so please do stay and chat - it is so important to connect.
Evening Services in BHS
There are no evening services happening in Balerno High School this term as we are unable to get a janitor willing to take on the extra hours. This is a council issue and nothing to do with the High School janitorial staff who have continued to be incredibly helpful, generous and willing to help us in any way that they can. This particular job is one that the council uses a team of 'roaming' janitors to cover rather than using the onsite janitorial team.
There are 4 evening services planned between now and the summer in alternative venues, see the summer plan received this Sunday for details or check out the ‘What’s On’ section of the website here.
I think that is everything for the moment!!
Any questions or clarifications then please email and I will respond as soon as possible.
Thanks and looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday at Balerno High School :)
David Lyons
Assistant Minister
For Holy Week this year we have produced a 5 day ‘Stations of the Cross’ devotional to use through the week. Each devotion has an accompanying image and a short reflection written by a member of the St Mungo’s Church family. The 5 stations allow you to journey through the passion narrative and take time each day to cease, gaze and contemplate as we remember what Christ has gone through on our behalf.
You can download the devotional below:
This year we will hold 2 communion services on Maundy Thursday in our church building, Ladycroft in Balerno. This will be a short liturgical service with communion. Seats are limited so please book in using the Churchsuite email or contact penny.moise@stmungos.org.
The services will be held at 7pm and 8pm.
The church will be open on Good Friday between 12 noon and 2pm and again between 5 pm and 9.30pm for a self-led time of Easter reflection and contemplation using the images taken from The Stations of the Cross devotional. Access to the church will be through the small porch, moving through the sanctuary and then exiting through the lounge. The porch is narrow with a small step but a staff member will e on site to offer access through the main door for anyone requiring a more accessible entry into this space. There is no need to book.
The services on Easter Sunday will be as follows (no pre-booking is required):
8:45am - Communion Service in our church building, Ladycroft
10:30am - Whole church family services at Heriot-Watt University and concurrently at St Margret’s Academy. This service is suitable for all ages and along with content suitable for people of all ages
6:30pm - 1 hour Worship celebration at Heriot-Watt University
it of history! Once upon a time, nearly 28 years ago a group of St Mungo’s mums spotted a need in the community. The vision for Minis was born. A safe, welcoming and inclusive baby and toddler group where all carers and wee ones could gather, whether you were part of St Mungo’s or not. It was decades before our current vision to Be Love,
