February 20

the magazine
Peebles Old
Parish Church of
Scotland
with
Eddleston Parish
Church of Scotland
February 2020

in Peebles Old Parish,10am
Daily Worship Leaders Jan/Feb.
Mon. 3rd Geoff Goldstraw Luke 2:22-40 February
Tues. 4th Isabelle Coghill John 7:38-8:11
Wed. 5th Janette Cameron John 8:12-20
Thur. 6th Lily Swinney John 8:21-32
Frid. 7th David Donaldson John 8:33-47
Sat. 8th Elizabeth Parker John 8:47-59
Mon. 10th Haisley Moore John 11:17-29
Tues. 11th Marjorie Renton John 11:30-44
Wed. 12th Wilma Barrett John 11:45-54
Thur. 13th Frances Carrol John 11:55-12:8
Frid. 14th Tom Fairbairn John 12:9-19
Sat. 15th Rachel Forsyth John 12:20-26
Mon. 17th Alistair Robertson John 12:27-36a
Tues. 18th Charles Aitchison John 12:36b-50
Wed. 19th Mary Wight John 13:1-20
Thur. 20th Geoff Goldstraw John 13:21-30
Frid. 21st Isabelle Coghill John 13:31-38
Sat. 22nd Wilma Barrett John 18:1-14
Mon. 24th Janette Cameron Matt. 13:44-52
Tues. 25th Lily Swinney Matt. 13:53-58
Wed. 26th Marjorie Renton Matt. 6:1-6,16-21
Thur. 27th David Donaldson Matt. 14:13-21
Frid. 28th Haisley Moore Matt. 14:22-36
Sat. 29th Tom Fairbairn Matt. 15:1-20
Mon. 2nd Frances Carrol John 18:15-18,25-27 March
Tues. 3rd Alistair Robertson John 18:28-38
Wed. 4th Wilma Barrett Luke 18:9-14
Thur. 5th Tom Fairbairn Luke 17:1-8
Frid. 6th Lily Swinney Luke 17:9-19
Sat. 7th Rachel Forsyth Luke 17:20-26
From early in its history, the church has developed forms of daily worship. At the
Reformation, the people were encouraged to join in daily worship in their parish
churches, and the 1564 book of Common Order made provision for daily services.

Pastoral letter
February 2020
The Christian Year comprises both major and lesser festivals. The former
include Christmas, Easter and Pentecost; the latter includes the festival
of Candlemas, observed this month, on 2nd February. Christmas now
feels a distant memory and, in a sense, Candlemas marks the end of the
Christmas story. It falls forty days after Christmas and commemorates
the event recorded in St Luke Chapter 2, verses 22-40. Here we read of
Mary and Joseph taking the infant Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to
observe the various rituals following the birth of a child. There they are
greeted by Simeon, a devout man who had had a vision in which he was
told that he would not die before he had seen God’s Messiah. He, too, had
come to the temple that day, and when he saw the holy family he uttered
those beautiful words we know as the Nunc Dimittis: ‘Lord, lettest thou
thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have
seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel’. Also
present that day was an octogenarian woman, Anna, a prophetess who
worshipped in the temple, night and day. On seeing the child she too
praised God and spoke of the infant to all who looked for God’s
redemption.
The term ‘Candlemas’ takes its name from Simeon’s image of Christ as a
light to lighten the Gentiles. It still marks one of the legal quarter days,
along with Whitsunday, Lammas and Martinmas. Curiously, it has also
become associated with the weather, rather like St Swithin’s Day in July.
An old rhyme suggests ‘If Candlemas day be dry and fair/The half o’
winter’s to come and mair/If Candlemas Day be wet and foul/The half o’
winter’s gaun at Yule. Be that as it may, in these dark February days it is
good to read the Candlemas story with its promise of light and life in the
Gospel.
This month we will begin to take some preliminary steps towards filling
the vacancy. At the Kirk Session meetings on the 19th (Peebles) and the
25th (Eddleston) the Electoral Registers will be prepared. These are based
on the communion rolls of the congregations and all whose names are on
the roll are automatically included. An opportunity is also given to regular
worshippers who are not communicant members to be added to the
register as adherents; also any who worship here, and whose names are
still on the rolls of a previous congregation, are encouraged to get their
‘lines’ and formally move their church membership to Peebles or
Eddleston, as the case may be. All whose names are on the Electoral
Register will be able to vote in the election of a Nominating Committee
(formerly known as the Vacancy Committee) and, thereafter, on the

election of a minister. Formal edicts in connection with this process will
be read in Peebles: Old on 9th and 16th February and in Eddleston on
16th and 23rd February.
Finally, some five months into the vacancy I would appeal to all members
of the two congregations to maintain their support of the Church, through
their presence Sunday by Sunday and through their offerings for the work
of Christ’s kingdom in our communities and beyond.
Grace and Peace be with you all,
Finlay
News from
Peebles & Eddleston
What we’re up to.
A Bite and a Blether
A Bite and a Blether has made a good start to 2020. Come along to
Eddleston Village Hall on a Wednesday from 11.30am - 1.00pm and, for
a minimum of £3.00 enjoy a bacon roll or vegetarian alternative, home
baking, tea or coffee and some great camaraderie. The Primary 7's will
be down again on the 12th February to help. A carry out service is
available and a warm welcome awaits all ages.
Eddleston Parish Church has a new look!
At the end of 2019, local craftsman, Graham
Ferguson, gave of his time and talent to
alter the pulpit in Eddleston Church.
Permission had been given to remove it
some time ago and the Kirk Session felt it
would be appropriate if possible, to retain
part of the structure to form a preaching
booth. After taking Graham's advice, the top
part of the pulpit was retained intact. This
has created much more light and open
space for the chancel area and will greatly
enhance new ideas for worship and other
ventures that the building could be used for.
It can also be removed if more space is
needed. The Kirk Session and Congregation
is indebted to Graham for all his hard work
and advice. Our photograph shows Rev Jim
Cutler and the Session Clerk in the new
booth.

Thanks, from Elspeth Knowles
Thank you to everyone who donated to the boys bungee jump. The total raised so
far is £3139.91. A big thank you to my sons Thomas and James and my nephew
Gordon. Didn't they do well. Thank you for your ongoing support. Elspeth Knowles
Church Clean at Eddleston
The next Eddleston Parish Church monthly clean will take place on Monday 24th
February at 9.30am
Craft Group at Eddleston
The Craft Group will meet on Thursday 6th & 20th February respectively at the
home of Christine Donnelly at 1.30pm. For further information contact Jo Oliver
01721 730696
New Crafting Project in Eddleston.
Please see the flyer for details and contact Many Durkin directly if you are
interested.
Mindfulness Group
The Mindfulness group will meet on Tuesday 4th & 18th respectively at 7.00pm at
the home of Rosemary Fowler, 2 The Glebe, Eddleston. For further information
contact Christine Donnelly 01721 730764
An Hour with…
The fourth concert in our series 'An Hour with......' is on Sunday 23rd February at
2.00pm in Eddleston Parish Church. It will feature Gerard Dott - clarinet, Robbie
Tatler - double bass, Lorraine Mulholland - piano, Nigel Porteous - guitar and banjo
and Sheila Porteous - flute. This will be an hour of easy listening music from
different groupings of the musicians. Entry is by donation and all proceeds go to
Eddleston Parish Church.
Chat in the Hat
The informal discussion group meets on Wednesday 5th February at
7.30pm in the church. Bring along a topic, put it into the hat, and enjoy
the enfolding discussion. Nibbles are provided but BYOB. A small donation
is invited.
Food for thought
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, 18-25 January
Pamela Strachan, OLM
We have just ended our annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, an
ecumenical observance that brings together different Christian churches and
traditions as we earnestly pray that we may be truly ‘united in Christ and with
one another’.
Some of you will have taken part in the splendid evening service which was
held in St.Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Peebles on Sunday 19 January.
Led by Fr. Tony Lappin, we were joined by Ian Gray of the Baptist church and

Caroline Skea, lay worship leader from St.Peter’s Episcopalian Church while
Malcolm Jefferson of St.Andrew’s Leckie and I represented our two Church of
Scotland churches in Peebles. Each year, materials for the service are
prepared by a group of Christian churches in different countries and this year
our service came from friends in Malta based on the dramatic story of Paul’s
shipwreck (as told in the last two chapters of the Book of Acts) when all 276
souls survived and were brought to safety on those islands. An ‘agape meal’
followed and all agreed it was a great service and lovely to share worship
together.
So far so good.
But now we’ve all gone back to our respective churches and continue to
conduct worship according to our different traditions. That’s how it has been
for years - and that’s how it will continue. Or will it? All our churches
recognise that this is a time of crisis and we are currently in the middle of
significant reorganisation within the Church of Scotland. Could it not be that
more ecumenical worship, such as we enjoyed in our shared service in
January, is one way forward? And yet we all seem to feel so attached to our
familiar traditions, we are very reluctant to consider any changes.
Which brings me to a consideration of different styles of public worship.
Having been brought up in the Anglican tradition in NZ, I naturally gravitated
to the Episcopalian church when we moved to Scotland worshipping at
St.Mary’s Cathedral in the west end of Glasgow where we lived. There was
then a further change when we came to live in Glenholm. With no
Episcopalian church in the glen, my Episcopalian parents-in-law supported the
local Church of Scotland - and so did I, when I began taking my widowed
mother-in-law to weekly worship. Circumstances meant we made the
adjustment. We all made the adjustment. And when I was asked to consider
ordination in the Church of Scotland it raised the question: ‘but is this my
tradition?’. I was invited to have a look at the Book of Common Order and to
form a judgement.
I commend to you all the preface written by John Bell, the Convener of the
Panel on Worship (1990-5). He explains so well why it is a common book
and what is distinctive in the reformed understanding of worship. He also
explains that it is a book of order:
In worship we engage as the Body of Christ in an encounter with
almighty God. This engagement should never become a rambling
incoherence of well-meaning phrases and gestures. It should exhibit that
deliberate and historical patterning of sentiment and expression which befits
the meeting of the sons and daughters of earth with the King of kings.
Further, in public worship, as distinct from personal devotions, it is important
that the whole congregation sense a purpose and direction in their
representation before God. They should never be placed in the position of
being spectators at a performance which is entirely dependent on the
aesthetic, emotional, and spiritual whims of its leaders.
This in no way precludes or denies the inspiration and direction of the
Holy Spirit. The enemy of the Spirit is not form but anarchy.

If ecumenical worship does not become ‘a rambling incoherence of wellmeaning
phrases and gestures’ and our congregations are ‘never placed in
the position of being spectators at a performance entirely dependent on the
aesthetic, emotional, and spiritual whim of its leaders’ then ecumenical
worship has my support. Our service in St.Joseph’s had structure and form;
dignity and coherence and connected us with the worldwide Christian church -
our sisters and brothers in Christ.
Now I believe we must pray for ‘the inspiration and direction of the Holy
Spirit’.
The Name Horsburgh
Ronald Ireland
This Photo by Unknown Author is
I was interested in David Baird’s article in last month’s Magazine about the
origins of the name “Horsburgh”.
Robert Chambers in his Picture of Scotland, tells a rather different story, as this
extract from my book, The Bloody Covenant, published in 2010 shows:
“According to him (Chambers), an un-named King of Scots and some of his
nobles were out hawking one day along the banks of the Tweed, a short distance
to the east of Peebles. The king’s hawk, following its prey, flew across Tweed.
The river was in flood and the King and his retinue could not follow the bird and
to make matters worse, they were unable to recall it. This particular bird seems
to have been a special favourite of the King, who was upset by its impending
loss. However, the predicament was solved unexpectedly by a local farmer. He
was ploughing land on the other side of the river and as he knew the depth and
flow of the river, whose banks he had cultivated for many seasons, he unhitched
his plough and with one of his horses, came across the river and returned the
hawk and its prey to the King. As a token of his gratitude, the King, instantly
granted him all the lands, north of the Tweed, which could be seen from his
plough.
Tradition adds that as he was crossing the river, the king, anxiously watching,
called out ‘horse bruik weel’ by which he meant ‘I hope the horse carries you
safely.’ From that time on, the lands and their new owner became known as
‘Horsbruik’ and in time this became ‘Horsburgh’.’
The un-named king was likely to have been either James I or II, because by the
second half of the 15th century the name “Horsbruk” appears quite frequently in
the records of Peebles. For example “Alexander of Horsbruk” is mentioned as
being made a burgess in July 1473.

A New Class Starting in Eddleston for
Senior Citizens.
Eddleston will be getting a great new
regular class for 2020 and it’s free for any
senior citizens living in Eddleston.
Eddleston Out of School Club have secured
funding to host a year's worth of crafting
classes with Red Button Arts. In each class
we will try different skills and materials,
such as weaving, decoupage and collage,
then after all that creative activity we will
finish with refreshments. You don't need
any experience at all to try these classes,
as they are very easy to follow. But you
will need your glasses! We welcome
anyone trying for the first time or just
wanting to watch.
The classes are
fortnightly on Fridays
1.30-3pm at the Village
Hall, starting on Friday
Feb 7th.
For more info please
contact Mandy Durkin
on 07958158181
or pop into the
afterschool club after
4pm.
This project is being
funded by Tesco’s blue
tokens, so could we also
ask that if you shop at
Tesco in Peebles in Jan,
Feb, March, that you put
your blue tag in our box.

Words of Wisdom
This Year – Keep Your Joy
‘The joy of the Lord is your strength’ Nehemiah 8:10 KJV
When you listen to a great choir sing the Hallelujah Chorus, you realise
that Handel was inspired by God. He wrote the entire Messiah in three
weeks. He said the music literally ‘came to him’ in a flurry of notes and
motifs. He wrote feverishly, and as if driven by an unseen composer to
put pen to paper. Yet he wrote it when his eyesight was failing, and he
was facing the threat of dying in a ‘debtors’ prison because of a
mountain of outstanding bills.
Most of us find it difficult to create under stress, especially when
physical or financial problems are at the root of that stress. And yet
Handel did. How? He credits the completion of his masterpiece to one
thing: joy. He is quoted as saying that he felt as if he would ‘burst with
joy’ at what he was hearing in his mind and heart.
Instead of dying, as he thought he
would, he lived to see his oratorio
become a cherished tradition and a
popular work. And he also saw it
succeed in raising vast sums of
money for the poor and destitute.
The Bible says ‘The joy of the Lord
is your strength.’ And one of the
first things Satan will attack is
your joy. He knows it’s the
spiritual and emotional fuel you
run on. Jesus said, ‘these things have I spoken unto you, that my joy
might remain in you, and that your joy might be full’ (John 15:11 KJV).
Note the words ‘remain in you’.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
So: no matter what happens this year, keep your joy!
This is reproduced with kind permission from United Christian Broadcasters (UCB)
Word for Today. Copies can be obtained from them at UCB Operations Centre,
Westport Road, Stoke on Trent, ST6 4JF
They can be reached on 0845 6040401 or at www.ucb.co.uk

How
can you be part of this
Magazine?
This is your magazine!
We’re looking out for travel stories, life stories, recipes, jokes and articles that
would brighten up our magazine pages. Don’t just leave it to the small band who
contribute regularly…get involved yourself.
Just think you could see your own thoughts and
words in print and be able to share the things that
inspire you about life, worship, travel, cooking, or
even The Old Parish Church itself.
We can even help you with the scanning of
photographs if you don’t have them electronically
and if you ask nicely we can arrange for articles to
be typed up from your own notes or ideas.
So why not get in touch with me as detailed below
or simply e-mail magazine@topcop.org.uk
To:
Would you like your own copy each month?
Well help is at hand… just fill in and post this form!
Miss Fiona Taylor, 12 Graham Street, Peebles EH45 8JP P:724196
Your name ……………………………………………………………………
Your address……………………………………………………………………………………..
I’m happy to enclose a donation of £….... towards the cost of the
Magazine.
Please make cheques payable to “Peebles Old Parish Church of Scotland”

READERS
CHURCH ORDERS (PEEBLES)
February 2 Wilma Smith Readers will receive the readings
9 Pauline Copeland directly from Jim Cutler.
16 Alastair Robertson
23 Marjorie Renton
March 1 Isabelle Coghill
DUTIES
February
March
8 Lily Swinney
15 Tom Fairbairn
22 Janette Cameron
29 Elizabeth Parker
Elizabeth Fairless
Fiona Fleming
Marjorie Renton
Allister Jamieson
Please note: Elders unable to undertake any of the above duties are asked to
arrange for a substitute and let the Session Clerk or Ruth Kerr know. Duty
elders should be in place by 9.30am.
HOLY COMMUNION
February 23 Elizabeth Parker Ronald Ireland
THE BELL RINGERS
February 2 Fiona Taylor
9 Jeanette Mackison
16 Mary Hudson
23 Anne Derrick

FORTHCOMING SERVICES EDDLESTON
February
Sunday 2nd 11.45am Worship4All in Eddleston Village Hall.
The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany.
Rev Jim Cutler. Coffee Served from 11.15am
Sunday 9th 11.45am Morning Worship in the church. The Fifth Sunday
after Epiphany. Very Rev David Arnott
Sunday 16th 11.45 am Morning Worship in the church. The Sixth Sunday
after Epiphany. Very Rev Dr Finlay Macdonald
Sunday 23rd 10 am Morning Worship in the church.
Last Sunday after Epiphany. Rev Jim Cutler
March
Sunday 1st 11.45am Worship4All in Eddleston Village Hall.
Rev Jim Cutler. Coffee Served from 11.15am
FORTHCOMING SERVICES PEEBLES
February
Sunday 2nd 10am Morning Worship.
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany. Rev Jim Cutler.
Sunday 9th 10am Morning Worship.
The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany.
Very Rev David Arnott
Sunday 16th 10am Morning Worship.
The Sixth Sunday after Epiphany.
Very Rev Dr Finlay Macdonald
Sunday 23rd 10am Morning Worship. Last Sunday after Epiphany.
Rev Pamela Strachan
March
Sunday 1st 10am Morning Worship. First Sunday of Lent
Rev Jim Cutler
CONGREGATIONAL REGISTERS
Peebles
Death
22 nd January. Andrew Riddell Cairns. Dovecot Court Peebles.

Flower Calendar
Convenor: Rachael Forsyth 01721 724693
rachael50forsyth@gmail.com
2 Donors
Arranger
9 Donor
Arranger
16 Donor
Arranger
23 Donor
Arranger
Mr & Mrs Williamson
Gill Arnott
The MacFarlane Family
Ruth Forsyth
Miss Patricia Lamont
Stephanie Porter
Mrs Rachael Forsyth
Fiona Hamilton
Distributors required
If you can help distribute flowers, please let one of the flower
committee know or phone Rachael Forsyth on 724693
1 Donor
Arranger
8 Donor
Arranger
15 Donors
Arranger
22 Donors
Arranger
29 Donors
Arranger
Mr & Mrs Tom McAndrew
Rachael Forsyth
Mr & Mrs W Nicoll
Gill Arnott
Mrs Margaret Percy-Robb
Ruth Forsyth
Mrs Jill McBain
Stephanie Porter
Fiona Hamilton
An Hour with Fiona Sinclair and Friends
Eddleston Parish Church rang out with the sound of Scottish music in celebration of
Robert Burns and Scotland's musical heritage. The concert opened with Jamie
Webster on accordion who played a toe-tapping set of tunes. This was followed by
Jessie Anderson on clarsach who delighted the audience with her competent
playing. Emily Anderson performing two hauntingly beautiful pieces on fiddle -
Swan LK 234 by Catriona McKay about a Shetland fishing boat and The Parting
Glass arranged by Cara Dillon and Seth Lakeman - a drinking song about the final
drink of the night before going home. There then followed a tribute to the songs of
Robert Burns from members of Eddleston Voices. Lily Jones, who had only been
playing the flute since October, gave a lovely performance of several Scottish tunes
including Flower of Scotland and Jamie concluded the afternoon with another
couple of sets before Lily led everyone into Auld Lang Syne. We are reminded yet
again of the tremendous amount of musical talent we have within our local
community and are very grateful that they are eager to give of their time and
talent for us. £95 was raised for church funds.

A very warm welcome to
Our Organisations
You’ll receive a warm welcome at any of our groups, whose details are given
below. For further information about each organisation, please see our website
www.topcop.org.uk
Group Where and when we meet Contact
Choir
SHARE
Flower
Committee
Bellringers’
Group
Guild of
Friendship
Traidcraft
Green Team
Toddlers’ Group
Bacon Rolls
Song School
Thursdays 7.30-9.00pm (not July and
August)
We meet in the MacFarlane Hall, once
a month at 2pm on a Sunday
afternoon. Dates will be announced.
Meets once a year as a whole group,
Members take their turn at arranging
the flowers in church each week and
at major religious festivals.
Members take their turn on the
Sunday Bell ringing rota and ring on
other community occasions if they
wish.
Members meet together twice a year.
The Guild visits housebound members
of the congregation. The number of
homes and frequency of visits is
flexible and can easily be arranged to
suit the availability of the Visitor
Members take turns at the purposebuilt
cupboard selling Fairtrade goods
after morning worship each Sunday
Help to provide ideas for each of us to
better care for God’s creation.
MacFarlane Hall
Tuesdays in school terms. 9.30-
11.00am
Friday mornings. Join a team taking
your turn preparing and serving
Bacon Rolls. Each team is ‘on’ once
every 6 weeks. Great fun!
Sarah Brown
(Director of Music)
07597 394059
Cathy Davidson
01896 830419
Rachael Forsyth
01721 724693
Anne Derrick
01721 721075
Elizabeth Fairless
01721 720344
Janette Cameron
01721 722528
Neil Cummings
01896 831771
Please speak to the
Minister or Session
Clerk
Janette Cameron
01721 722528

Who’s Who at Peebles & Eddleston
Interim Moderator:
Very Rev Dr Finlay A J Macdonald
8 St Ronan’s Way
Innerleithen
EH44 6RG
01896 831631 07770 587501
Locum : Rev Jim Cutler
12 Kittlegairy Place
EH45 9LW
01721723950
07540497577
revjimc@outlook.com
Session Clerk:
Vivien Aitchison
sessionclerk@topcop.org.uk
Ordained Local Minister:
Rev. Pamela Strachan
Glenhighton, Broughton
ML12 6JF
01899 830423
Pamelastrachan19@gmail.com
Organist & Choir Leader:
Sarah Brown
41 March Street, Peebles
07597 394059
music@topcop.org.uk
Church Administrator:
Ruth Kerr
07845 122356
Office: 01721 723986
admin@topcop.org.uk
Roll Keeper Data
Officer:
Alison Duncan
House: 721033
Mobile: 07707 001795
Eddleston Treasurer:
Archie Smellie
Hattonknowe, Eddleston.
01721 730282
Bellringers’ Team
Leader:
Anne Derrick
Edderston Road, Peebles
01721 721075
Beadle:
Edward Knowles
41 Dukehaugh, Peebles.
01721 722860
Eco Church Co-ordinator
Peebles:
Neil Cummings
01896 831 771
carcatnel@yahoo.co.uk
Eddleston Session Clerk,
Organist & Choir
Director: Lorraine
Mulholland
Millbank, Eddleston.
01721 730332
Lorajazz@aol.com
Registered charities (Peebles) SC013316 (Eddleston) SC010081