Dec2020

magazine
Peebles Old
Parish Church of
Scotland
with
Eddleston Parish
Church of Scotland
December 2020

At Peebles Old
Sadly, but in keeping with the Covid-19
guidelines, our Daily Worship along with
Sunday Worship is still currently suspended.
However the texts and hymns for weekly
services are available at peeblesold.online
In these changed times it’s more important that
we keep in touch with those around us by safe
means. As this and foreseeable editions of this
magazine will only be available electronically
please share the word around that it can be
obtained online at www.topcop.org.uk
You can also keep up to date
via our Facebook page.

Pastoral letter
December 2020
Very Rev. David Arnott
Dear Friends
‘How can you celebrate Christmas in a place like this,’ the prisoner asked me?
At the time I was a very part-time chaplain in Barlinnie Prison in Glasgow. It
was the middle of December. It’s a refrain we are hearing just now in a
different context as the COVID restrictions remain in place. How can we
celebrate Christmas this year with all that is going on?
My answer to the prisoner is still relevant today I think. If you can’t celebrate
Christmas in prison then you can’t celebrate it anywhere. The first Christmas
was celebrated against a background of an occupying army, high taxes,
despotic rulers and random acts of senseless slaughter. The background of
Christmas highlights its meaning in sharp relief. The darker and blacker the
sky the brighter the star shines.
How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land asked the Jews in exile in
Babylon centuries before? Eventually they realised they could sing with even
greater confidence and strength because God was with them. So with
Christmas this year we will celebrate, if not in large family gatherings, then
rather with the reminder that Christmas means Immanuel - God with us. In
these strange times the message of Christmas stands as a wonderful reminder
we are not alone and never have been. So it will be that with confidence and
strength we will wish people this year a very happy Christmas, and we will
mean it.
Our services in advent will take up some of the traditional themes of the
second coming and John the Baptist. The on-line services will continue this
month. There will be a short service for Christmas Day, but there will be no
Watchnight Service this year. There is a special treat on 20 December when
the choir will lead us in an on-line service of lessons and carols. It promises to
be an uplifting occasion. We also look forward to the return of Rev John Smith
as our locum later this month. It will be good to have him back.
I wish you all a very happy Christmas
With best wishes
David

Vacancy matters
Rev. Pamela Strachan
Interim Moderator
Readjustment of Parishes - new linking
The last few weeks have been busy in preparation for the First Mailing on 27
November regarding the proposed Basis of Linking with the parish of Stobo and
Drumelzier.
Because all three congregations involved have been in linked parishes for many
years, the experience is not a novel one for Congregational members. Eddleston
has been linked with Peebles Old since 1977 and Stobo and Drumelzier became
part of the linked Parishes of Upper Tweeddale a few years earlier. So we all
know what it is to be part of a linked charge.
Nevertheless, it is important that everyone is kept informed about the proposed
new arrangements and the reasons for it. As a result, this PUBLIC NOTICE has
been widely displayed: on our website, on our church noticeboards and online
through Facebook pages.
20 November 2020
PUBLIC NOTICE
Church of Scotland Presbyteries are currently being reorganised in response to
the acute shortage of ordained ministers. This will mean some readjustment of
parishes within our Presbytery of Melrose and Peebles and it is proposed that the
Parish of Stobo and Drumelzier be de-linked from the present Parishes of Upper
Tweeddale and linked instead with the Parishes of Eddleston and Peebles:Old.
Those who are on our Congregational Roll and Adherents list, will be given the
opportunity to consider the proposed Basis of Linking and to ask any questions
before voting on this proposal. Together, these two lists comprise our Electoral
Register for this purpose.
Because of Covid restrictions, this consultation process will be done through post
and emailing, rather than the usual Congregational Meeting.
All those on the attested Electoral Register will automatically be sent the
appropriate explanatory papers on Friday, 27 November 2020. The period of 1-
14 December will constitute the obligatory 14-day period of notice, during which
any questions about the proposed linking can be raised.
It is anticipated the second mailing (with ballot papers) will take place on 18
December 2020.
If you have any queries or wish to get in touch, please email:

Eddleston Parish Church
Revd Pamela Strachan, ℅ Roll Keeper, Hayley Stewart
(hayley.stewart@talktalk.net)
Peebles Old Parish Church
Session Clerk, Mrs Vivien Aitchison
(sessionclerk@topcop.org.uk)
Revd Pamela Strachan
Interim Moderator
Eddleston l/w Peebles:Old
Each Kirk Session met in November to vote on two things: the proposed new
Basis of Linking and the Protocol agreed by the General Assembly in October to
enable Congregational consultation during the Covid pandemic. The Presbytery
representative, Mrs Fan Heafield, convened these meetings, with Mrs Catriona
Bird in attendance.
The attested Electoral Registers have been drawn up and now Congregational
members and Adherents will be notified personally, some by email and others by
post. The Draft Basis of Linking and an Accompanying Letter will be with
members at the end of November, and as explained above, any queries or
comments can be made during the 14-day period of Notice, the first fortnight of
December.
Once these have been received, a Response Document can be drawn up. This
will clarify any outstanding issues that have been raised and will accompany the
Ballot papers which will be sent to members on 18 December as the Second
Mailing. This is your opportunity to VOTE on the proposed new arrangement.
Each ballot paper is identified by an Electoral Register number (E 1, 2, 3, etc for
members of Eddleston and PO 1, 2, 3, etc for members of Peebles:Old) and
should be returned to the Presbytery representative, Mrs Fan Heafield by 6
January 2021. A pre-paid return envelope will be enclosed in the envelope.
With this timetable, we anticipate being able to return our Presbytery Report
with the results of this ballot for the meeting of our Presbytery of Melrose and
Peebles on 2 February 2021.
It is a detailed procedure and it has been made more complicated because of
Covid and our inability to meet as a congregation and have the usual
Congregational discussion and voting.
But we are making progress….
Thanks to all involved, in Kirk Sessions and our Presbytery colleagues.
With love in Christ
Pamela

“If you have been able to read this edition,
telephone someone you know who does not have
internet access and ask them if they would like to
know what is in it”
Remember that you can view the content of each
Sunday service at www.peeblesold.online
We recognise that not everyone has access to the
internet. So now you can listen to the material, too,
by dialling 0113 467 8156. Anytime, 24/7. If you
have a calls package from your telephone provider,
this should be free. Otherwise you just pay your
standard rate. The call will last approximately 20
minutes.

How the Covid-19 Virus will
affect our church life
Church of Scotland Briefing
Church of Scotland - Covid-19 Briefing 17th March 2020 – Cancellation of
Services and other information.
The Church’s Covid-19 Task Group met this morning, and considered the most
recent advice from the Scottish Government, issued on the evening of Monday
16 th March.
The Scottish Government advised that people should minimise social contact by
avoiding crowded areas and large gatherings, including religious congregations,
and smaller gatherings, listing areas which were of concern.
Worship – Cancellation of Worship Services
In the light of the above, the Church of Scotland Task Group has agreed to ask,
in the strongest terms, that all gatherings for worship should cease until further
notice, with effect from Wednesday 17 th March 2020, or earlier if possible. Other
Scottish Churches are taking similar actions. This obviously includes Easter
services. Some Presbyteries have already instructed this action. This will
include, but not be restricted to, house groups, meetings for youth work, and
church cafes. It will still be possible for an individual to offer a livestreaming of a
sermon and prayers. Further information on livestreaming, including information
on copyright, can be found in the circular on the Law Department’s
webpages. Sunday broadcasts of a weekly service take place on Radio 4, and
also on Radio Scotland; other radio stations are available.
Church buildings can be kept open as a place for people to come and pray.
Notices should be clearly displayed asking that visitors observe robust hand
hygiene, including washing their hands on entry to the church.
Prayer
The Moderator, the Right Reverend Colin Sinclair, has along with the Archbishop
of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and other church leaders, issued a call for a
National Day of Prayer.
Offerings
The Task Group is aware that closing down worship services will impact on
congregational income, and we want to encourage people to continue
contributing financially as far as possible, and to encourage the increased use of
standing orders as an expression of ongoing stewardship.
Funerals
The key phrase here is to minimise social contact. Sensitive conversations will
need to take place with families and mourners ahead of funeral ceremonies, and
to consider the size of groups gathering for funerals. It may be necessary in the
future to consider whether funerals should be restricted exclusively to minister,

immediate family, and funeral directors. In addition, local guidance from funeral
directors and crematorium staff will be critical here. It should be noted that
many crematoria have the facility to livestream services and to host a recording
of services for a period of time after the cremation service.
Weddings
For weddings, the advice offered in the briefing note of 12 th March 2020 remains
unchanged; certain venues will be restricting attendance, and it may be that
couples have to work through what changes have to made, including in some
cases rearranging. Travel restrictions on travel into the UK will also have an
effect on guests at weddings. Again, sensitive conversations will be the order of
the day.
Pastoral Care Networks
Please find attached a guidance note from the Church’s Safeguarding
Department with some useful guidance about setting up small pastoral care
networks with a practical outcome. This guidance note contains a postcard which
may be useful. There are some good ideas here about small groups; such groups
can mitigate social isolation, and help people to continue to feel that they are
part of the wider community of faith. Previous advice about using tools such as
Skype, email, letters, greetings cards, Facetime, and Whatsapp groups are all
useful approaches and some of these are particularly helpful where people don’t
use technology.
Covid-19
We are living in strange times and the thought that church services should be
suspended until further notice would never have occurred to any of us. Going
forward we plan to provide worship resources to be placed on the Old Parish Church
website and on the Eddleston Church Facebook page. We hope that this will offer
some compensation for the loss of public worship. Meantime, all members and
friends are urged to continue their support of the congregations through your
prayers, service and giving and, where possible, to offer practical support to those
particularly affected by the Covid-19 virus. If visiting is not advised a phone, skype
or Facetime call may offer some comfort and reassurance.

News from
Peebles & Eddleston
What we’re up to.
Join us this Christmas
Our Online Christmas Services
20 December 6pm. Festival of Lessons & Carols
Christmas Day. 10am Short service
27 December 10am Morning worship
2020: A very different Christmas
Listen out for our bells as they ring each day in the week before
Christmas. Our ringers, who, remember, come from other churches in
the town as well as Peebles Old, will be taking turns to go up the
Tower and ring for about half an hour during the day from Saturday
19th December right up until Christmas Day itself.
A huge thankyou to the 'Tower Team' for doing this and helping to cheer us on
our way during this very different Christmas.

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
CHRISTMAS HAMPER appeal Peeblesshire Youth Trust
The collection of toothpaste has been hugely successful - over 150
tubes collected last week and the final total still to be tallied. Any
surplus donations are passed to the Peeblesshire Foodbank.
The co-ordinator for the annual collection, Grace Mitchell, wished me
to pass on her message of thanks for all your generosity over the last few
weeks. I had also asked her for a little history of this annual collection by the
Peeblesshire Youth Trust and how the initiative came about…
To the congregation of Peebles Old Parish
‘Thank you all sooooo much for your fantastic
contribution to this year’s Christmas hampers. I
can’t believe that you and Janette and the Peebles
Old Parish Church congregation have pulled out all
the stops and gathered so many toothpaste
donations during this particularly challenging time.
It’s wonderful and hugely appreciated!
Unfortunately we’re not packing and wrapping
hamper boxes this year. However each family will
hopefully receive 5/6 bags of essential food items,
toiletries, household items, fruit, vegetables and
dairy products as well as a few goodies (biscuits,
Christmas pudding, mince pies, chocolates, etc) and
some of the goods will be delivered in Christmas bags.
The hamper programme was set up 8/9 years ago by the then manager of
Peeblesshire Youth Trust, Angela Preston. Angela prepared a few hampers for
the families of children who were involved in Peeblesshire Youth Trust at the
time and quickly realised there was a growing need to support a number of
families in the area who were struggling, particularly during the festive period.
When I joined PYT as a volunteer seven years ago we delivered 25 hampers.
However the demand for deliveries to families nominated by the Foodbank, CAB,
social services, schools and health visitors has increased year on year and last
year we delivered more than 100 hampers.
Best wishes
Grace

p.s. This year PYT are
expecting to prepare at
least 120 hampers - if
not more. There has
been a magnificent
response from
contributors .… so
thank you all.
Pamela
Here is Ruth with our
contribution in
December 2019
Cafe Conversations
Cafe Conversations held its first event during the week of the 1 st to 7 th
November as part of the national Remembering Absent Friends festival. What a
week of appalling weather we had for it, too! Having secured funding for the
event from the festival organisers we
set about trying to organise something
that would be Covid compliant and
something in which the whole village
could safely partake. We decided to
have a floral tribute for the village as
well as small gift bags that would
allow people to remember their loved
ones in their own homes.
During a very wet weekend, Jo and
Ian Oliver (with fingers crossed)
created a frame to house the display,
which proved itself to be a robust
affair. Jo then drove to Pamela’s lush
gardens at Glenhighton Farm to raid them of greenery whilst I cleared Tesco of
their flowers (having no thought that they were indoor flowers for an outdoor
display!). Cards were duly posted to every home in the village to let everyone
know what we were about and inviting people to register for the memorial bag
which was delivered during the week.

On a very wet and windy Monday morning
Jo and I set about putting the floral
display together. It was quite an event as
neither of us consider ourselves competent
in flower arranging on any level! Ian kept
us well hydrated with gratefully received
cups of tea. After a few laughs and
repositionings we had something which we
felt was worthy of display. Thankfully, Ian
was on hand to help us get the display to
the bench at Old Manse Road. At this point
the rain was pouring down like heavenly
tap water and I was hugely thankful that
Ian had the tools to make the holes to house the display. Ten minutes later the
display was in place and it looked lovely, even in the atrocious weather. It
stayed in place for a week and thankfully the flowers stood the test of time and
weather! We were hugely delighted to
receive texts, emails and comments from
people saying how much the display was
appreciated and how lovely it looked.
During the week people registered for the
gift bags and these were delivered
personally. Each person received a small
posy of flowers and an organza bag
containing a short meditation, a candle (to
light the darkness), a bar of chocolate (for
happiness, relaxation and love) and a piece
of rose quartz (to heal the heart). Again,
we were given some lovely feedback from
recipients who truly appreciated the thoughtfulness.
The pictures show some of the steps in this process. It was lovely to take part in
this festival of remembering absent friends and we hope it will be an annual
event. Our thanks to everyone who took the time to stop, look and remember.
Christine

Behind the scenes at Peebles Old
Sarah Brown
It was quite a surreal moment when lockdown was announced back in March. I am
sure like everyone else I had lots of questions going through my head; “How long
is this going to last?” “How are we going to get through this?”
The most important task I felt that I had to do as organist was keeping music alive
in the church. I have a wonderful and very special choir that I absolutely treasure,
and it was my job to keep us together.
So I discovered the world of zoom and introduced it to the choir! I have to say
technology is amazing, and we are extremely lucky to have this at our fingertips.
So on a Thursday evening we met (and continue to do so) for weekly singing from
our homes. We have had themed meetings, music quizzes and even a wine & chat
night. It’s been great fun and we have learned so much from this experience. We
are certainly getting better at it!
The choir has managed to record an
introit and a Harvest hymn for our
online services, and I have to thank
the very special team that we are so
lucky to have to make this all
happen. It wouldn’t be possible
without these exceptional people.
The work that goes on behind the
scenes is phenomenal, so thank you.
Our next exciting project that we are
currently working on as a choir is
recording Christmas carols, virtually
for our online service at 6pm on the
20 th of December. So keep a watchful
eye out for this, it’s not to be missed.

A Festival of
Lessons
& Carols
Our service of six
Lessons & Carols
for 2020 will be
online.
Sunday 20 th
December at
6pm
Go to topcop.org.uk
and click on the big
icon on the home
page.

Good Housekeeping
in the face of Covid-19
Ronald Ireland Acting Treasurer
We now have the figures for income and expenditure up to 30
September, which indicate that we are heading for a deficit for the
whole year of around £14,000 which, although it is not very
different to what was predicted before Covid-19 struck, is
nonetheless a cause for concern.
Income is showing a reduction of £21,585, but this has been offset
by a reduction in expenditure, which is mainly due to a reduction
in Fabric and Maintenance, Energy Costs and Staff Costs which
have reduced as a result payments received under the
Government’s Furlough Scheme.
The most significant reduction in income is in offerings and Gift Aid
recovered of £13,835. That is understandable, because we have
been unable to hold public worship. Many of our members continue
to make their offerings by Standing Order and the bulk of the
offerings received to date have come from that source, although
there have been several members who have given directly by
cheque or cash delivered to the Church Office.
What the figures do suggest, however, is that there may be
members who normally give their offering during church services,
who have been unable to do so in the present circumstances.
Hopefully, they will have saved what they would normally have
given and will bring those offerings to church when we are able to
resume public worship. In the meantime, I would urge members
not currently doing so, to consider giving by Standing Order where
possible. If anyone is prepared to do so, please contact me on
01721 720592 and I can arrange to provide the relevant form for
completion and submission to your bank. Alternately, cheques or
cash can be sent or delivered to the Church Office. The letter box
is in the door giving access to the rear of the church and beyond.
Anyone doing that should make sure that their name is on the
envelope for identification purposes.
It is important that we do everything possible in these difficult
times, to maintain the financial viability of the Old Parish Church.

Updates from around the World
Pamela Strachan OLM
As Lebanon emerges from two weeks of total lockdown and Al Jazeera reports;
Beirut, Lebanon – Lebanon’s top investigator has asked Parliament to
investigate 10 former ministers he suspects are responsible for the conditions
that led to the devastating August 4 explosion that killed nearly 200 people,
according to a judicial source. By Timour Azhari
25 Nov 2020
I too am struggling to bring you an update from our friends at NEST.
The suffering there is immense as the country tries to contain the spread of
Covid. The devastating explosion in early August compounded the pre-existing
situation - political paralysis, economy in freefall and the Covid pandemic
rampant. An earlier email from Dr Rima Nasrallah described the ‘chaos and
lawlessness’ there:
‘More and more people are slipping below the poverty line, there’s record
unemployment and no more ICU beds in any of the hospitals - many of which
were severely damaged in the explosion.
The country faces acute food shortages this winter.’
NEST is a residential seminary, home to both teaching staff and their families
and also to a number of students. The building was badly damaged in the
explosion but the staff has managed to maintain some contact teaching with
residential students although overseas students, of course, have not been able
to return. The pastors’ programme which I attended in 2018 could not be held
this year.
The President of NEST, Dr George Sabra, in his Newsletter three months after
the explosion, describes how his seminary is desperate to fulfil its mission of
theological education in the face of these ongoing challenges. He is grateful for
all the donations which have helped them continue to keep teaching - and also
have enabled NEST to help some of the 300,000 made homeless in the
explosion, with the provision of mattresses and food parcels to needy families.
Dr Sabra’s email was dated 4 November. Throughout the month I have been
trying to make contact for further updates. I know electricity is severely
rationed; it is often difficult to go online. After an initial report from Sylvia
Haddad in the Sabra & Shatilla camp, I have heard no more.
All the lines of contact have gone quiet. I urge you to keep Lebanon and Beirut
in your prayers. With our own domestic economic woes and Covid frustrations,
we can sometimes forget how the rest of the world is suffering.

Advent prayer
How long,
O God, how long?
As those in Beirut
Wait for answers...
And food
And for beds in
damaged hospitals
those in Syria
wait - and long for war to
be over and the weary world
waits for a vaccine.
Teach us, Heavenly Father,
this Advent, to wait.
O come, o come – thou longed-for,
long-expected Emmanuel.
We wait for and through
Our Lord Jesus Christ Amen.

Food for Thought
Living in a Christ-soaked world
Fr Richard Rohr
The Kingdom as Consciousness
Wednesday, November 18, 2020
Jesus and the Reign of God
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul offers a puzzling injunction to the new
Christians. He writes, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Jesus Christ”
(2:5). CAC faculty member Cynthia Bourgeault explores how developing this
kind of “Christ-consciousness” is the key to understanding Jesus’s teaching on
the “Kingdom of Heaven.”
How do we put on the mind of Christ? How do we see through his eyes? How do
we feel through his heart? How do we learn to respond to the world with that
same wholeness and healing love? That’s what Christian orthodoxy really is all
about. It’s not about right belief; it’s about right practice.
Jesus uses one particular phrase repeatedly: “the Kingdom of Heaven.” You can
easily confirm this yourself by a quick browse through the gospels; the words
jump out at you from everywhere.
So what do we take it to be? . . . [Jesus] says, “The Kingdom of Heaven is within
you” (that is, here) and “at hand” (that is, now). It’s not later, but lighter—some

more subtle quality or dimension of experience accessible to you right in the
moment. You don’t die into it; you awaken into it.
The Kingdom of Heaven is really a metaphor for a state of consciousness; it is
not a place you go to, but a place you come from. It is a whole new way of
looking at the world, a transformed awareness that literally turns this world into
a different place. . . The hallmark of this awareness is that it sees no
separation—not between God and humans, not between humans and other
humans. And these are indeed Jesus’s two core teachings, underlying everything
he says and does.
When Jesus talks about this Oneness. what he more has in mind is a complete,
mutual indwelling: I am in God, God is in you, you are in God, we are in each
other. His most beautiful symbol for this is in the teaching in John 15 where he
says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Abide in me as I in you” [see John
15:4–5]. A few verses later he says, “As the Father has loved me, so I have
loved you. Abide in my love” [John 15:9]. There is no separation between
humans and God because of this mutual interabiding which expresses the
indivisible reality of divine love.
No separation between human and human is an equally powerful notion—and
equally challenging. One of the most familiar of Jesus’s teachings is “Love your
neighbor as yourself” [Matthew 22:39] . . . as a continuation of your very own
being. It’s a complete seeing that your neighbor is you. There are not two
individuals out there . . . there are simply two cells of the one great Life.
Gateway to Action & Contemplation:
What word or phrase resonates with or challenges me? What sensations do I
notice in my body? What is mine to do?
Prayer for Our Community:
O Great Love, thank you for living and loving in us and through us. May all that
we do flow from our deep connection with you and all beings. Help us become a
community that vulnerably shares each other’s burdens and the weight of glory.
Listen to our hearts’ longings for the healing of our world. [Please add your own
intentions.] . . . Knowing you are hearing us better than we are speaking, we
offer these prayers in all the holy names of God, amen.
Cynthia Bourgeault, The Wisdom Jesus: Transforming Heart and Mind—A New
Perspective on Christ and His Message (Shambhala: 2008), 29, 30–32.
Image credit: 芥 子 園 畫 傳 Mountainside View (detail of print from The Mustard
Seed Garden Manual of Painting), Juran (960–), China, Metropolitan Museum of
Art, New York City, New York.

Words of Wisdom
Learn to Think ‘Right’
‘The thoughts of the righteous are right.’ Proverbs 12:5 NKJV
Your mind can work for you or against you. When it works for you, it helps you to
stay positive, reach your goals, and enjoy each day. But when it works against
you, it can make you negative and discouraged, hold you back, and cause you to
think thoughts that result in self-sabotage.
So teach your mind to work for
you instead of against you.
An important way to do this is to
make an intentional decision that
you’ll begin to think positively –
in terms of faith and not fear.
Now, your brain won’t be able to
fulfil this new role overnight. You
may be asking it to undergo a
radical transformation, and that
takes time. But determine that
with your diligence and God’s
help, instead of working against
you, your brain will go to work for you and become a positive force in your life.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC
Dr Caroline Leaf, a cognitive neuroscientist, points out that the brain takes
eighteen years to grow, and a lifetime to mature. Don’t miss this point! While
every organ in your body was fully formed when you were born and got bigger as
your body grew, your brain actually takes a full twenty-five years to grow. And
once it’s fully formed, it continues to mature until the day you die. That means no
matter how old you are, your brain is still growing. This is great news, because it
means you don’t have to stay stuck in old or wrong thought patterns. Your brain
is still maturing, which means you can still improve your thinking.
As the Bible says, ‘The thoughts of the righteous are right’.
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

Bell-tower Craik
More tea Vicar?
Miscellaneous observations during the
Christmas season…
Putting on weight is the penalty for exceeding
the feed limit.
Christmas: The time when everyone gets
Santamental.
People say it’s the thought that counts, not the
gift, but couldn’t people think a little bigger?
Christmas is the season when your neighbour
keeps you awake playing ‘Silent Night’.
You might as well do your Christmas hinting
early this year.
Father to three-year old: “No, a reindeer is not a
horse with TV antenna.”
Every year, Christmas becomes less a birthday and more a Clearance Sale.
Christmas is in my heart 12 months a year, and thanks to credit cards, it’s on
my Visa card statement 12 months a year as well.
Some of these new toys are so creative and inventive. This year they have a
Neurotic Doll. It’s wound up already.
Christmas is a time when people get emotional over family ties, particularly if
they have to wear one.
Attention
With several
relatives visiting, I
was struggling to
get my wife’s
attention. So, I
simply sat down and
looked comfortable.
That did the trick.
Angels?
Two daughters had
been given parts in
a Christmas pageant
at their Church. At
dinner that night,
they got into an
argument as to who had the most important role.
Finally, the 14 year-old said to her 8 year-old younger sister, ‘Well, you just ask
Mum. She’ll tell you it’s much harder to be a virgin than it is to be an angel.’

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Magazine?
This is your magazine!
We’re looking out for travel (it’ll not be too far in these restricted times but how
about a local walk?) stories, life stories, recipes, jokes and articles that would
brighten up our magazine pages. People are at home just now with some extra time
to read so now’s your chance for literary recognition!
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 Tel. 01721 724196
Your name ……………………………………………………………………
Your address……………………………………………………………………………………..
Although we’re only on-line for the moment your donation would still be
gratefully received. 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”

Church Notices
Without any services in the church there will be no rotas required. However, our
intrepid bell ringing team continues to cheer us up by ringing on Sunday
mornings as you’ll see below.
THE BELL RINGERS
December 6 Fiona Taylor
13 Anne Derrick
20 Jeanette Mackison
27 Mary Hudson
Our bell ringers (as heard on BBC
Radio 3 no less…) are to carry on
raising our spirits by ringing out
from the tower on Sunday
Mornings. Keeping safe but
spreading some cheer.
Deaths
Congregational Register
5 th November Mr Len Douglas, Dukehaugh, Peebles
10 th November Mrs Jean K. Phillips, Drummore, Venlaw High Road, Peebles

A very warm welcome to
Our Organisations
You’ll receive a warm welcome at any of our groups, whose details are given and
whose activities will recommence when we are finally out of full lockdown. 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 but currently by Zoom!
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:
Rev. Pamela Strachan
Glenhighton, Broughton
ML12 6JF
01899 830423
07837 873688
pamelastrachan19@gmail.com
Locum :
Rev John R. Smith MA BD
25 Whitehaugh Park
Peebles
EH45 9DB
07710 530193
Session Clerk:
Vivien Aitchison
sessionclerk@topcop.org.uk
Interim Locum
Very Rev David Arnott
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
01721 721033
07707 001795
alisonduncan291@gmail.com
Beadle:
Edward Knowles
41 Dukehaugh, Peebles.
01721 722860
Eco Church Co-ordinator
Peebles:
Neil Cummings
01896 831771
carcatnel@yahoo.co.uk
Eddleston Treasurer:
Archie Smellie
Hattonknowe, Eddleston.
01721 730282
Bellringers’ Team
Leader:
Anne Derrick
Edderston Road, Peebles
01721 721075
Registered charities (Peebles) SC013316 (Eddleston) SC010081