July 2020

News from
Peebles & Eddleston
What we’re up to.
Church Office contact arrangements
Whilst closed to visitors you can still contact the church office. By telephone
on 01721 723986 (number has been diverted to my mobile phone) mobile 07845
122356. You can also email me on admin@topcop.org.uk or via the 'contact us' box
on the website www.topcop.org.uk
Best wishes and keep well.
Ruth Kerr
Church Administrator
Private Devotions
The Church has traditionally been open for private prayer, a feature welcomed over
the years. But now that permission is coming into place to allow us to do that
again, some difficulties have appeared. It would be very hard to provide all the
suggested support to allow this to happen. Two examples. We would be required
to have stewards on duty the whole time of opening. And there would have to be
cleaning taking place throughout the period.
But it has inspired us to look at another solution. We can provide material online
for individual people, sitting at home, who would like to pray and would welcome
some images, music and words to help them do that. The site would be on
peeblesold.online, but separate from our Sunday worship offering - and with a
different purpose. Of course, for those unable to access the internet, the prayers
would also be available on our telephone service. I hope that the facility will be in
place very soon. Full details in next month's Newsletter.
John R Smith
Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief!
For many, there’s still something of a taboo about death, dying and bereavement
in Scotland. We have to face it when someone close to us dies and we’re grateful
for funeral directors and clergy who steer us through the process.
However, I’ve been struck by how many people confide that they wish they’d given
these matters much more thought in advance and had considered different options
well ahead of a loved one’s death - or even had some of these important
conversations with family members beforehand.
In Eddleston, from before lockdown, we’ve been making plans for setting up a
community initiative that would provide support and information on a range of
issues concerning end-of-life care and bereavement. It is great that Christine