St Margaret of Scotland Church, Edinburgh

About our Church:

2020-01-01T00:00:00.160Z

Address: 170 Easter Road, Edinburgh, EH7 5QE
(The Church is opposite the end of Brunswick Road.)
Click HERE to download map as PDF file

Phone: 01875 814520

Email: enquiries@StMegs.co.uk

Priest: Revd. Geoff Hart
Services: Sundays at 10.45am

We have disabled access and a loop system for those with a hearing difficulty.

Dates for your diary: (Click the topic to view more details)
Sunday 5th February - Music at St Margaret's - ICC Saxophone Ensemble
Wednesday 22nd February - Ash Wednesday

News Items: (Click the topic to view more details)
Music at St Margaret's New Season Programme
The history of St Margaret's is republished as downloadable PDF
Burmese Teachers visit our Church
Quiz Sheets - Winner Announced

Previous news items are still available via the Archives in the right side pane.

Ash Wednesday - 22nd February 2012

2012-02-22T00:00:00.000Z

Service for Ash Wednesday

Wednesday 22nd February

at 7.30pm

The service includes the traditional
Imposition of Ashes
where a cross is drawn on the forehead of worshippers
to remind us of our mortality.

"Remember you are dust,
and to dust you shall return."

Music at St Margaret's - February 5th 2012

2012-02-05T00:00:00.001Z

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

2012-01-22T00:00:00.000Z

Services this Christmas

2011-12-18T00:00:00.000Z

Music at St Margaret's - December 4th at 7.30pm Advent & Christmas Music

2011-12-04T00:00:00.003Z

All Saints/All Souls - Sunday 30th October

2011-10-30T00:00:00.000+01:00

All Saints' Day (also known as All Hallows' Day) is the day after All Hallows' Eve (Hallowe'en). It is a feast day celebrated on November 1st. It is an opportunity for followers to remember all saints and martyrs, known and unknown, throughout Christian history.
"The theme of the day invites us to turn our gaze to the immense multitude of those who have already reached the blessed land, and points us on the path that will lead us to that destination."
[Pope John Paul II, All Saints' Day 2003]

All Souls' Day is marked on 2nd November directly following All Saints' Day, and is an opportunity to commemorate the faithful departed. We remember and pray for the souls of those known to us who have died, remembering them by name, and also commending all souls to the loving care of God.

At St Margaret's both holy days will be celebrated on the Sunday.

Music at St Margaret's - Season 2011/12

2011-10-15T00:00:00.001+01:00

The programme for our concert season is now published.
Click here to download as a PDF.

Music at St Margaret's - New Season Starts

2011-10-09T00:00:00.000+01:00

Our Concert Season starts shortly.
As an experiment we are moving to a Sunday evening. Concerts will be each month on the 2nd Sunday at 7.30pm. Our first concert is on 9th October.

Mannafields School Fayre

2011-07-16T00:00:00.000+01:00

Our Church buildings are used during the week by Mannafields Christian School. They are holding their Summer Fayre on 16th July at South Leith Baptist Church beginning at 11am.

Pentecost 2011

2011-06-12T00:00:00.003+01:00

Pentecost is the festival in Church where we celebrate the sending of the Holy Spirit. We seek the Holy Spirit to renew not only the life of the Church, but also the lives of each and every believer.

To help us reflect on Pentecost this year, we are delighted to welcome Aniko Shuetz as our guest preacher.

Aniko has been on a placement at our neighbouring London Road Church of Scotland, and has recently been adopted by the Church of Scotland as a candidate for ordination. Many of us at St Margaret's got to know her when the two Churches joined together for the Lent Study Group.

We look forward to welcoming her to the pulpit at St Margaret's.

Music at St Margaret's May Concert

2011-05-10T23:03:00.001+01:00

Music at St. Margaret’s : Last Concert of Series

If something is really good, waiting for it – however long – is worth the patience. When the snow caused a five month postponement of this programme, regulars and others knew that this would be a proof of this belief. Anna Hillis has been one of the more frequent artistes in these series, in which she has displayed tremendous versatility and musicianship, on this occasion appearing as a cabaret performer to her own sensitive piano accompaniment. This was a beautifully balanced programme of “some silly, satirical, sentimental songs” presented with humour, intelligence and lightly worn scholarship.

A sparkling mix opened with parody combining Bellini’s music and a popular fast food "Pasta diva", and Handel’s up-dated "Vuvuzela Chorus". The filling in the musical sandwich here was Anna’s setting of the "Alto Chorister’s Lament". Satire was unveiled with "Hurdy Gurdy" and a gripping rendition of "Mack the Knife" – eat your heart out, Lotte Lenya! Two great songs from Sondheim’s "A little Night Music" delivered with maximum effect and splendid diction ended part one.

Part two had the same format, but with very different content. The silly element was set in motion with "It’s in the tabloids" a hilarious potpourri of headlines from the reddest top newspapers. Anna’s complaint about the absence of Scotland from lists of countries "From Saudi Arabia to Senegal" was not really silly, but, if we must complain, a pleasant change from "Flower of Scotland". The satirical element in this half was provided by George Gershwin and Tom Lehrer to great effect.

Anna demonstrated how to sing sentimental songs without ever becoming mawkish with three request numbers from "Les Miserables" and Salerno’s "Non hol’eta". Altogether this was a splendid evening of high class entertainment. One hopes that this show will now go into Anna’s repertoire: it would travel well.
FF-K

Music at St Margaret's - 12th April 2011

2011-04-12T00:00:00.007+01:00

The concert given by Leith Community Concert Band under its director, Frederick Frayling-Kelly, on 12th April was a great success. A larger-than-usual band played to a larger-than-usual audience, and the programme was almost a musical world tour.

We started with a German march and the overture from a Viennese operetta followed by a Russian waltz and a 'Clarinet Boogie' (U.S.A.?). The first half ended with the suite 'Nott'num Town' by the English composer Allan Street with a challenge for the audience to 'name that tune' in the last movement - the answer turned out to be 'Oh dear, what can the matter be?'

The second half began in France with the ballet music from 'Coppelia' before we travelled to the antipodes for the first of Fred's compositions of the evening 'Anzac Salute' (more tune spotting here). A brief trip to South America for a Paso Doble, then we returned to Europe with Fred's very effective tone picture 'At the Menin Gate'.

The programme ended, appropriately, back in Edinburgh with the second world performance of Fred's concert march 'Scramble 603!' composed in honour of the City of Edinburgh Squadron - a rousing end to the concert and our last opportunity for tune-spotting ('Edinburgh Toon' this time). Sadly, there was no prize offered, but thanks to all who contributed to a most enjoyable evening.

FM

Music at St Margaret's - Tetrax

2011-03-08T00:00:00.000Z

Music at St Margarets Concert - ICC Saxophone Ensemble

2011-02-08T00:00:00.000Z

The History of St Margaret's Church Republished

2011-01-10T00:00:00.009Z

The book 'St Margaret's' was researched and written by The Revd. Jim Wynn-Evans, who was Rector of the Church at the time of the Church Centenary. It is a history of our Church covering the first 100 years. Jim died in 2010 and in his memory this book has been republished in electronic format. It is available for download by clicking here

Services at Christmas 2010

2010-12-24T00:00:00.003Z

We are joining with London Road Church of Scotland for the two services over Christmas. They will come to us on Christmas Eve, and we will go to them for the Boxing Day Sunday worship. We are delighted to be sharing our celebration of Christmas with our neighbouring Church of Scotland friends.

Friday 24^th December - 7 pm at St Margaret’s
- service of lessons and carols.

Sunday 26^th December - 11am at London Road Church
- Sunday Morning worship.

Burmese Teachers Visit St Margaret's

2010-11-14T00:00:00.002Z

We were delighted to welcome 2 Burmese Head Teachers to our Church. Paw Ray (left) is head of Hsa Thoo Lei school, Mae Sot, on the Thai/Burma border, and Say Hei (centre right) is depute of CDC school, also in Mae Sot.

The schools are run for and by Burmese refugees in Thailand, and get no funding from the Thai Government. Many of their pupils are either orphans or are separated from their parents by a hostile national border.

They are visiting schools in Lothian who have links with Burmese refugee schools in Mae Sot, funded by the Global Schools' Partnership scheme (part of DfID).

Music at St Margaret's - November 6th 2010

2010-11-06T00:00:00.001Z

Our concert this month is presented in association with Pilrig St Paul's Church. We are proud to present a concert in the context of an exhibition of paintings and photographs by 2 local artists:

Music at St Margaret's - Oct 2010

2010-09-27T00:00:00.003+01:00

To download this poster as a PDF
click here

Quiz Sheets - Winner Announced

2010-08-29T00:00:00.003+01:00

The winner of our Quiz Sheet competition was declared today, after a draw to decide between 2 entrants who both had all the answers correct. The final winner is Olive Munro, of Easter Road, Edinburgh.
If you want to check out the answers then download them here.

News from Geoff & Sheila in Thailand

2010-07-13T00:00:00.002+01:00

So we have arrived in Mae Sot safely, and the Scottish teachers whom I am with have begun work at the Burmese refugee school. As you can see they are really enjoying yet another rice meal for tea!! Hannah, Alecia and Katherine are from Campie school and are working in CDC school, and tonight 2 more teachers arrive from Edinburgh to work in Say Ta Nar school.

I have met a couple based at the Anglican Cathedral in Bangkok who are here to set up a local office. John & Gwyneth administer a programme where University students from UK come to work in the refugee camps near by.

Last night our group went to the night market and met up with Si SI Win, the Burmese student that St Margaret's sponsor. She brought Phu Phu Win (no relation) her best friend, who is sponsored by teachers at Forthview Primary school in Edinburgh.

It was lovely to see Si Si Win again. She is a young lady now, and has had her hair cut and straightened. She is now a student at CDC and doing very well. On Saturday we will go and visit her home, and meet her parents. Her father worked in a local factory but lost his job recently because of the global recession which caused the factory to close.

I had an enjoyable session with these Thai students. They were doing an English project where they had to interview an English speaking person. Their English was very good, but not really up to understanding what an Anglican Priest is - What is your profession? I don't thing I would have got on any better if I had said 'Piano Tuner' !!

So keep the home fires burning, we'll be home soon!

Geoff & Sheila

Geoff & Sheila Set Off For The Thai Burma Border

2010-07-03T00:00:00.001+01:00

Geoff writes:

Sheila and I leave on Monday for our visit this year to Mae Sot on the Thai Burma border. We are again going to visit Burmese refugee schools, accompanied by 3 teachers from Campie School in Musselburgh, to offer professional support and encouragement to Burmese teachers working with refugee children as part of the Global Schools Partnership (DfID).

Click here and here for notes of last years visit, or keep up with our news this year on the Campie School Burma website by clicking here.

We will also be meeting Si Si Win, the Burmese school pupil who is being sponsored through High School by St Margaret's. To read more about her click here.

Leith Festival 2010 at St Margaret's

2010-06-13T00:00:00.010+01:00

Leith Festival 2010

Events at St Margaret's

13th - 18th June

Sunday 13th June - Leith Composers - Concert - 8pm
Stop Press - This concert has been postponed

Tuesday 15th June - Leith Community Big Band - concert - 7.30pm
An evening of Big Band and Trad Band music.

Thursday 17th June - Leith Community Concert Band - 7.30pm
Music from the Concert Band repetoire.

Friday 18th June - 'Beyond Rangoon' - Film [cert 15] - 7.30pm
This film is being shown to mark the 65th birthday of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese pro-democracy leader. The film is set against a background of the demonstrations of 1988 and the subsequent crack down by the military. Having won the elections in 1990, Aung San Suu Kyi was imprisoned, and has spent 12 of the last 20 years under house arrest. In 1991 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and in 2005 she was awarded the freedom of the city of Edinburgh.

Admission to all events Free with retiring donation

Leith Festival website

Fred - our organist - wins an award

2010-06-12T00:00:00.014+01:00

Congratulations to Fred Frayling Kelly, our organist since 1986, who received the Leith Festival's Elizabeth Wardlaw Citizenship award this year. It was presented to him by Margo MacDonald MSP at the Leith Festival Gala Day last Saturday.

As Musical Director of the Leith Community Concert Band, and the Leith Community Big Band (both based at St Margaret's) he is a familiar figure in local music making and leading the band as they march at many local community gatherings, including the Edinburgh Festival, and also at the annual Charlotte Square carol service.

Read the article in the 'Evening News' by clicking here.

Well done Fred!

Our New Chairs Arrive

2010-06-03T00:00:00.000+01:00

Our new Church chairs arrived, after many weeks of anticipation. It was a great team effort to clear away and sell the old chairs, then clean the Church and unpack the new ones. At the same time we moved the pulpit and the altar in the side chapel to new locations in order to open up the emergency exit and provide a clear access to it in case of emergencies.
When we had finished we could admire our handy work and appreciate how much brighter and roomier our Church looks now.
The chairs were donated in memory of Meg, and were dedicated to her memory on the Sunday.

Music at St Margaret's - International Extra Concert

2010-05-20T00:00:00.013+01:00

In addition to our published 2010 season
we were pleased to announce an extra concert:

“Music at St.Margaret’s” 20th May 2010.

This “out-of-turn” concert was a new venture, being the first to feature and international artiste and presented on a Thursday instead of Tuesday. The artiste was Peter Griggs, a New York born composer/guitarist, now based mainly in Düsseldorf. The theme of his programme was “500 Years of Guitar Music”, the journey through which proved to be quite fascinating.

If ever proof was required that “small is beautiful”, here we had it in abundance. Opening with his own “Sailing to Byzantium”, Peter instantly created a real rapport between player, instrument and audience. There was a wide range of tone colours and dynamics in the playing well brought out the by the building’s fine acoustic. A group of Renaissance lute pieces were stylishly played. The Prelude from J.S.Bach’s Suite in G for solo ‘cello took us to the high Baroque, with an idiomatic performance that made it difficult to remember that this was a transcription. One of the earliest Baroque composers of music for the guitar, Gaspar Sanz, was represented by his delightful “Espanoletas.” Carulli’s “Rondo in C” took us into the Classical style most convincingly, with its Haydn-esque turns of phrase. The Romantic age started with an anonymous Flamenco piece, “Soleares” followed by an example of how the Romantic guitar composers absorbed and employed strong Flamenco influences in “Guajirita” byCalatuyud. Another example of this process in a different context was the jazz inflected “Echoes of Spain” by Django Reinhardt. This was an impressive and thoughtful reading of a fascinating work.

Echoes of Peter’s home town were the basis of Vernon Duke’s “Autumn in New York” and this led neatly into “Blue Monk” by the eponymous Thelonius. This was another fine example of how to bring off a transcription in a totally convincing manner.

The final group made an excellent coda or summing up of what had gone before. A Neo-Baroque piece by Nogueira launched it, followed by shades of Rio with Bonfa’s “Manha de Carnaval”. “Samba Triste” by the wonderfully named Roberto ‘Baden – Powell’ de Aquino managed to express a wide range of not too unhappy emotions in this rendition. The closing Flamenco piece “Zapateado” moved the listeners to demand a couple of encores.

This was an evening to remember. A well constructed programme, beautifully played, the performance informed, entertained and moved its lucky listeners in ample measure.

Two very small cavils: “ quietly-spoken” and “New York born don’t often go together. A microphone for the spoken parts would have further enhanced the evening. The other was the missed interval: spending an hour and a half seated on the “stools of repentance” without a break made the parting refreshments very welcome! The good news is that by the Leith Festival Concerts the new, upholstered chairs should be in situ.

FF-K.

Geoff Goes to See the Turin Shroud

2010-05-14T00:00:00.005+01:00

Geoff writes:

I have been interested in the Shroud of Turin for a few years. Having read a few books and seen TV programmes about it, I was excited to see that the shroud was to be on display for a few weeks. I found the website where tickets could be booked, and began to phone a few friends to see if anyone wanted to go with me. But no one was answering their phones. Meantime I could see on the website that time slots were being fully booked before my eyes. If I was to go, I would be going alone.

On Thursday 13th May I checked in at Edinburgh Airport, and flew to Turin. Arriving in a thunder storm was not on my plan, so the airport bus and back-packing to the hotel I'd booked suddenly seemed totally unattractive! So I paid the 35 euros and took a taxi. The following morning, as I hadn't got to grips with the Turin public transport system, and my ticket was for the 8.15am viewing, I decided that my best bet was to be first in for breakfast and then trust to my laptop satnav, and start walking. Fortunately the rain had stopped (for now!) and I arrived at the 'arrivi' at exactly 8.15, feeling a little buzz of achievement.
All credit to the Diocese of Turino: the crowds were well managed, they had made every effort to make it a spiritual experience rather than a tourist attraction, and best of all, there was no commercial exploitation - no admission fee and no merchandise forced upon the pilgrims.
I included some reflections on the experience of standing there in front of the shroud in my sermon the following Sunday, and if you want to read it, then click here. (If it comes up sideways, there will be a function in the view menu of your reader to rotate it clockwise.)
There are continued debates as to whether it is genuine or not. There are many websites devoted to arguing the pros and cons. This article (click here) gives what I think is a good, accredited scientific report, if you want to know more. But it is no surprise that in this case and all other scientific evidence concerning Jesus or the Bible, God will not allow himself to be confined to a scientific box. As I say in my sermon, I don't think Jesus cares if this cloth actually touched his body, he still touches the hearts of those who sincerely come to see what could be his face.

Music at St Margarets - Leith Festival Players

2010-04-13T00:00:00.010+01:00

Music at St. Margaret’s, 13th April 2010

Under the title 'The Spring Collection' our Music at St Margaret's concert this month featured a programme of music performed by The Leith Festival Players with their guest, the soprano Cheryl Easton.

It was Cheryl who opened the evening with a delightful performance of Handel's 'Let The Bright Seraphim.' Handel added this number to the ending of the Oratorio 'Sampson' a year after its first performance, but it provided a splendid first item for this evening. Followed by a sensitive and convincing 'I Know That My Redeemer Liveth' also by Handel, this time from 'The Messiah,' we had the opportunity to hear these two arias performed by a skilful singer with a richness and warmth to her voice that complemented the melodies, assisted by sensitive accompaniment from Bill Blackwood on the piano. They were joined for the next song by Charles Dodds (oboe) to provide the obligato for Vivaldi's 'Domine Deus' from his Gloria. The haunting oboe complemented the vocal line, in a way Bach would have been proud of. The programme remained with a liturgical flavour as Bill moved to the organ and was joined by Fred Frayling-Kelly (violin) and Peter Wilson (cello) in a performance of 3 Church sonata's by Mozart. Bill found a range of gentle voicings from the organ which blended well with the violin and cello. Though written for Church worship, Mozart couldn't help but write energetic and vibrant music, and the trio responded with energy and vibrance in their performance.

After the interval we heard the first performance of a new work by Fred Frayling-Kelly. In the programme notes he explained that a web site suggested violas always inspire doleful music. To disprove this hypothesis he wrote a work for an ensemble of 'doleful' instruments. His 'Fantasia Quartet,' scored for cor anglais, bass clarinet, viola and cello, begins with a Pastorale marked allegretto. The brisk pace and constantly moving bass line are certainly far from doleful. The second theme, almost hymnlike, where the woodwind reply to motifs from the strings leads to a development of both themes. The second movement, Threnody is marked adagio and dedicated to friends who have passed away this year. The sliding harmonies held together by a throbbing bass line evoke a disturbing mood, whilst the second theme seems to resolve this agitation by a dialogue between the woodwind, climaxing in a high long note on the cor anglais. The recapitulation brings back the first theme, but reversed this time, which resolves the disturbing mood of the first iteration and closes the movement in a peaceful atmosphere. The tutti outburst of the opening of the third movement, Contrasts, sets a cor anglais melody over a pizzicato accompaniment from the strings. Material from the first movement creeps in building the movement to a fugal section, before the bass clarinet brings back the cor anglais melody and the cor reminds us of the 3rd theme of the 1st movement. The final flourish brings us back to the briskly paced opening bars. Fred is to be congratulated for an excellent work, which certainly disproves the original suggestion. We will look forward to a second performance as part of the Leith Festival Local Composers concert in June.The programme continued with Elgar's Soliloquy, for oboe and piano. Written for the oboist Leon Goossens in 1930, the piece has none of the Elgarian characteristics - expansive strong melodies evoking the Malvern Hills. Charles showed mastery of his instrument as he negotiated the florid passages of this piece.

The evening rounded off with the return of Cheryl to the platform for 3 songs by Gershwin. With a change of costume and style, Cheryl showed her versatility by ignoring the current fashion of singing 20th century show music like grand opera. She put the blues back into ‘Summertime,’ the wistfulness back into ‘Someone To Watch Over Me,’ and the humour back into ‘They All Laughed.’

Our thanks to all the performers who gave us a varied, balanced and thoroughly enjoyable programme.

Palm Sunday - 28th March 2010

2010-03-28T00:00:00.000Z

Palm Sunday marks the start of Holy week (the most solemn week of the Christian year.) It commemorates Christ's triumphant arrival in Jerusalem to the cheers of the crowd.

"The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
"Hosanna!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Blessed is the King of Israel!"
(John 12:12-13)

Later in that week many of the people in that cheering crowd would be among those shouting that Jesus should be executed. Palm Sunday commemorates Christ's triumphant arrival in Jerusalem to the cheers of the crowd.

In Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, members of the congregation hold small crosses made of palm leaf, both to remember the palm leaves which the people of Jerusalem waved when Jesus arrived, and to remember the cross on which he died.
Some Christians display the crosses from that service in their homes during the year as a symbol of their faith. The crosses are burned at the start of Lent the next year to provide the ash for Ash Wednesday.

Mothering Sunday - 14th March

2010-03-14T00:00:00.000Z

Mothering Sunday this year is on 14th March.
Though it has been overshadowed by the greetings card industry as a day to honour our natural mothers, it began as a Church festival to honour Mother Church.
In years gone by it was also known as Refreshment Sunday as the strict Lenten fasting rules were relaxed in remembrance of the Feeding of the 5000.
In the 17th century people made a point of attending their nearest big church or cathedral and were said to have gone "a-mothering."
This was also the one Sunday of the year when young people employed in service as maids or servants were allowed to go home to visit their families. They usually took flowers with them, which they gathered in the meadows as they walked home. Some employers allowed their servants to bake a cake to take home, hence the association with simnel cakes in some places.

Tuesday 9th March - - Music at St Margaret's - - Tetrax

2010-03-09T00:00:00.009Z

This month’s concert was given by “Tetrax”, a very versatile four-piece, twelve instrument ensemble directed by Bill Blackwood. A bright “Fanfare and Canon” by Bullard for four treble clarinets quickly caught the audience’s interest. This was followed by four pieces from Grieg’s “Peer Gynt” music. This was scored for shifting combinations of clarinets, bass clarinets and flutes. The grace of “Anitra’s Dance” was well portrayed as was the pathos of “The Death of Åse”. “Solveig’s Song” was given shapely phrasing and the changes of mood were well handled. “In the Hall of the Mountain King” brought the suite to an exciting conclusion. The mood and colours changed with a saxophone quartet by Isaac Albeniz. An original work for the medium, its style and treatment was rather more French than Spanish. Good balance and ensemble combined to make this an attractive performance. Appropriately, in the year in which we commemorate Mendelssohn’s bi-centenary, the saxophone quartet played “Three Romances without Words” transcribed in a very effective manner. This was musical playing of considerable artistry. To end the first part of the evening Alex Templeton’s witty Baroque – Jazz concoction “Bach goes to Town” was well served by its arranger and the doubling – or should it be juggling? – of the saxes and clarinets. Very effective!

A new piece; “Canzona for 11 instruments” by Bill Blackwood launched Part 2 of the evening. This was built on a recurring slow, chordal rather chorale-like section interspersed with faster episodes in which the harmonies became rather more acerbic, ending with the return of the first section. An interesting and engaging piece, it was given a committed rendition by the ensemble. A “lollipop” in the form of Tschaikovski’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” proved to be very effective in a tasteful transcription for three clarinets and bass clarinet. Three Gershwin songs followed in a delightful arrangement for Saxophone Quartet, which demonstrated the musicianship and stylistic awareness of the players. Finally, the cage burst open and the “Wild, wild animal” of the flyers was revealed in the strains of Henry Mancini’s “The Pink Panther”. Scored for saxes and flutes, this made a jolly ending to a remarkable evening’s entertainment.

FF-K

Bishop Brian Visits St Margaret's

2010-03-07T00:00:00.000Z

We were delighted to welcome our Bishop, the Rt. Revd. Brian Smith, to our service on Sunday 7th March. This was the second of our series of visiting preachers as part of our Lent study this year.

Our Lent study topic this year is "Does God deliver on his promises?" Bishop Brian spoke on the subject "God's promises concerning the ministry of all believers." He pointed out that we are called to "a sharing in" the ministry of Christ's church as opposed to "a sharing out of" the ministry.

Following the service we shared a simple lunch together:

Lent 2010

2010-02-17T00:00:00.012Z

Click on the poster to enlarge it

Tuesday 9th February - - Music at St Margaret's - - ICC Saxophone Ensemble

2010-02-09T00:00:00.015Z

Tuesday evening saw the welcome return of this interesting and rather unusual combination, which includes two members of the saxophone family that are rarely seen or heard, namely the little sopranino and, at the other extreme, the bass. The programme presented was both instructive and thoroughly entertaining.

The repertoire of such a group consists mainly of transcriptions, and this performance made an excellent job of demonstrating the skill and ingenuity involved in these. An organ Fugue by Johann Ludwig Krebs, a favourite pupil of J.S.Bach opened the concert. The fugue’s subject is built round the name “Bach”, in the German notation , B flat, A, C and H (B natural). A good range of colour and dynamics was maintained with Director Bill Blackwood’s contribution on Bass for the closing section enhancing the solid, organ-like texture of the ensemble. A “Messiah” chorus introduced the music of Handel to a very different medium. The style was good, and the big moments worked very well. A movement from Donizetti’s “Sinfonia for Winds”, originally for a conventional wind ensemble was deftly handled, as was Ronnie Hanmer’s “Serenade for Seven”. Faure’s ever popular “Pavane” was elegantly played in a well thought-out arrangement. An original work for the combination ended the first half with a fine display of skill by the player’s and the composer.

The second half opened with a return to the Baroque. This was a transcription of a Vivaldi concerto, originally for 2 trumpets and orchestra. The very able soloists were the two soprano players, Fiona Pirie and Jan Clark. Bernstein’s “America”, Ganz’s Galop and “Singin’ in the Rain” all proved to be highly adaptable to the saxophone family. Two lollipops ended the concert, the first – with the lovely title of “The Lone Arranger” – being held together by quotes from the “William Tell” Overture, linking many well known themes. Great fun! The ensemble then high-kicked its way out with a rousing rendition of the “Can-Can”.

All in all, this was a fascinating evening of music that displayed a great deal of skill, energy and hard work in its realisation. The audience showed its appreciation in a very whole-hearted fashion.

FF-K.

Tuesday 19th January - Music at St Margaret's

2010-01-19T00:00:00.005Z

Once again the Leith Community Concert Band, under the direction of their conductor Fred Frayling-Kelly, gave us an evening of varied music; annotated by Fred's informative introductions. Ranging from a mid 19th century Parisian waltz to a medely of Frank Sinatra numbers, the programme included humerous and thoughtful items.

The evening opened with the Berliner Luft march, from the operetta Frau Luna by Lincke. Written in 1899 the operetta tells the unlikely story of a trip to the moon in a hot air balloon. Fortunately the band didn't go with them as they were in Vienna for the next item playing Morning Noon and Night in Vienna by Franz von Suppe. The Morning is described in a beautiful clarinet melody, and the clarinet player doesn't get a break during Noon as the accomaniment articulates florid scale passages. The waltz Christmas Roses, written by Strauss's rival in Paris Emil Waldteufel, brought to mind a ballroom full of twirling dancers. Edward Vll whilst still Prince of Wales brought Waldteufel's waltzes to London where they were featured at Buckingham Palace in front of Queen Victoria. The novelty item Instant Concert followed, the first of 3 items by Harold Walters. Concisting of a hectic medely of 31 well-known melodies, on occasions played simaltaneously, we heard William Tell, When The Saints Go Marching In, Orpheus, Rule Britannia, to name but a few. Jerry Nowak's Sinatra In Concert, featuring the best of Frank's songs including New York New York, It Was A Very Good Year, Lady Is A Tramp and My Way, took us delightfully to the interval.

The second half began with Keler Bela's overture Lustspiel. The slow intruduction followed by a scamper would fit well behind a Buster Keaton movie, and the next item continued the pace with Walter's Hootenanny. Tunes including Frankie and Johnny and Down By The Riverside conjoured up the atmosphere of a good Hoe-down. The mood changed with the tone picture At The Menin Gate, a composition by Fred himself. Fred told us that the 54896 names on the war memorial there are honoured every evening with the playing of Last Post, and his music conveyed his respect for those who gave their lives during the Ypres Salient and are remembered there. The war theme continued into the final item, the last of the works by Walters, a suite called Civil War Suite, where the 3 stages of the soldier going to war are marked: marching to war, being on the front and marching home again.

Our thanks to Leith community Concert Band for their excellent concert.

St Margaret's Community Carol Service

2009-12-20T00:00:00.001Z

Music at St Margaret's - - Opera East Lothian - - Music for Advent & Christmas

2009-12-08T00:00:00.016Z

Music at St Margaret's - Tuesday 8th December

CHORUS OF OPERA EAST LOTHIAN

Tuesday 8th December saw the welcome return of this popular chorus with a programme of music for the Advent season. The audience was treated to items ranging from 16th century polyphony to modern musical numbers, which provided an interesting and very varied programme of both religious and secular music. The sacred pieces included a hymn to the Virgin Mary by the 16th century German composer Gregor Aichinger and a Sanctus by Schubert, while the Christmas season was invoked by “O Men from the Fields”,”O Holy Night”, “Silent Night” and a beautifully sung interpretation of the gentle Coventry Carol.

The chorus demonstrated its mastery of language by singing two carols in Nahuati, the language of the Incas, by the 16th century Portuguese composer Gaspar Fernandes, the first being the soothing lullaby “Xicochi”, followed by the more robust “Hanacpachap.

The group is fortunate to include in its ranks two splendid soloists - Geraldine McDade who enchanted us with Irving Berlin’s “All of my Life” and Mann & Hilliard’s “In the wee small Hours of the Morning”, and John Marshall, the director of the ensemble, who performed the 19th century piece “Angels guard thee”, followed in the second half by “Anthem” from the musical “Chess”, “Time to say goodbye” and “Love changes everything, all with great feeling and musicality.

The audience, too, had its opportunity to sing, giving voice to several well-known Christmas carols, with descants from the choir, which put us all in the festive spirit.

Our thanks go to the chorus, the accompanist Isobel Ramsey and Fred Frayling-Kelly on the organ, for such an entertaining evening.
FM

Christmas Shoe Boxes

2009-11-18T00:00:00.006Z

SHOE BOX APPEAL FOR HOMELESS YOUNG PEOPLE

For the fourth year running, the St Margaret’s congregation is participating in the annual “Shoe Box Appeal” which aims to provide gifts at Christmas to young homeless people in and around the city. Empty shoe boxes are collected, covered in festive paper and filled with items such as toiletries, warm socks, hats and scarves, puzzles and sweets . They are then distributed by the Rock Trust to young folk aged between 16 and 25 in Edinburgh and West Lothian. Often these are young people who for various reasons have lost touch with friends and family and who find this time of year particularly lonely and difficult. Many have suffered abuse, leaving them with feelings of rejection and low self-esteem at a time of year which for most people is family-centred. The shoe boxes are probably the only gifts they will receive this Christmas and hopefully will help them to feel that they are not forgotten.

Last Christmas St Margaret’s managed to fill a magnificent 14 boxes and this year looks like being even more successful. As one Rock Trust worker commented after last year’s appeal: “Just seeing the delight on the faces of these young people when they are presented with a box of goodies makes it all worth while! For once in their lives, they feel someone cares .”

For more information on the work of The Rock Trust see www.rocktrust.org

This year we have filled 21 boxes - here they are ready to be delivered to Rock Trust.

Well done to all who filled boxes and to Olive for organising it.

Music at St Margaret's - Tuesday 10th November Music of the Soil

2009-11-10T00:00:00.012Z

This concert rejoiced in the intriguing title “Songs of the Soil” which laid itself open to all sorts of expectations, but in fact was a recital of music associated with ordinary people, the salt of the earth perhaps.
The performers provided the audience with two contrasting types of music, songs by Robert Burns and flamenco guitar arrangements, which complemented each other surprisingly well.
Mezzo-soprano Anna Hillis demonstrated both the richness of her voice and her ability to convey a variety of emotions. Burns’ love songs were well represented with his declarations of undying love to various ladies, his wife Jean Armour, Nancy Maclehose, Mary Morrison, and Highland Mary among them, as well as perhaps one of the loveliest of all love songs “My Love is like a Red Red Rose”, sung not to the tune used today but to an older one preferred by Burns himself. There was also the very moving picture of conjugal devotion “John Anderson, my Jo”. As well as the romantic element, Anna showed off her considerable acting skill in the drinking song “Wullie Brewed a Peck o’ Maut”. She assures us that the performance came from observation, not experience! All these songs benefitted from new arrangements by Fred Frayling-Kelly who ably accompanied on the piano.
Interspersed with the Burns were performances of flamenco guitar music by Martin Aelred. He explained that in Spain this was music of the people which tied in well with the songs by the people’s poet, Burns. He entertained the audience with a variety of romantic and fiery music conjuring up pictures of gypsy encampments and wild parties.
An excellent evening which was much enjoyed by a very appreciative audience.
FM

Harvest Festival 2009

2009-10-11T00:00:00.004+01:00

Our Harvest Festival provided a change to our usual style of worship. For the liturgy setting we used Scottish tunes, and we watched a short movie presentation between the readings. The sermon was illustrated by a powerpoint presentation, and built on the video theme that there is enough food in the world for everyone, but that it is not shared around fairly. We were shown statistics from a Scottish Government paper about food waste which illustrated that not only do Western countries grab most of the food, but that they also waste so much of it. We were encouraged to challenge waste, at home, at shop and supermarket level, and also at government level.

After the service we shared a light lunch together, which gave us a chance to welcome some visitors, and get to know regulars better. Thanks to everyone who decorated the Church beautifully, and arranged the lunch.

Music at St Margaret's - Tuesday 13th October Alternative Medicine

2009-09-17T00:00:00.031+01:00

Tuesday was the evening of the first concert of the season, when an enthusiastic audience welcomed the return of the dance band "Alternative Medicine" to St. Margaret's. Directed by Bill Blackwood, it gave us a wide-ranging, and historically interesting programme.

Music by George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and other greats of the '20s, '30s and '40s of last century was featured in the first half. As always, Bill ensured that two vital factors were displayed in his programmes, quite apart from the stylish playing, namely,variety and a useful bit of background information about the numbers played.
After the refreshments break, the Big Band era was nicely bridged by "Moonlight Serenade" This was followed by a group of often neglected tunes mainly from the '50s, such as "Music, Music, Music" and "Poetry in motion". A melange of great jazz numbers, including "The Birth of the Blues" rounded off a most enjoyable evening in an authentic fashion. If this is Alternative Medicine, no wonder HRH the Duke of Rothesay finds it so fascinating.
F.F-K.

Introducing Si Si Win

2009-08-28T00:00:00.006+01:00

Si Si Win is a student at Hle Bee School in Mae Sot, Thailand. She is Burmese, and one of the 2 million refugees who have fled from the brutal Burmese Military Junta, who govern Burma (which they call Myanmar).
St Margaret's is sponsering Si Si Win so that she can continue her education. Otherwise she would have to leave school and work to support her family. This could be on a market stall or in a factory earning £1 (GBP) a day. Her dream is to train to be a nurse, which could happen if she can complete her education.
Hle Bee School (a school run for and by Burmese refugees) has a Global Schools Partnership link with Forthview Primary School in Edinburgh. You can read about this link on http://www.forthview.blogspot.com/
Geoff and his wife, Sheila Laing, visited Hle Bee school this summer. You can read more about this trip here: http://stmegs.blogspot.com/2009/07/news-from-geoff-in-thailand.html

The Democratic Voice of Burma have posted a video of the opening in Chiang Mai of the joint exhibition by Hle Bee school and Forthview school. This video is posted on Forthview website:
http://forthview.blogspot.com/2009/08/our-burma-book-exhibition-wee-video.html
Though the soundtrack is in Burmese, you will see Si Si Win as the student working the printing press, and she is also the last student to speak at the end of the clip. You will also see Louise Laing, Sheila's daughter, who is volunteering at Hle Bee school at the moment, as she declares the exhibition open. Here is a glimpse of her on the video:

St Margaret's Awayday

2009-08-22T00:00:00.004+01:00

Today, St Margaret's Church had an Awayday to the beautiful Newbattle Abbey College in Dalkeith (http://www.newbattleabbeycollege.ac.uk/).

14 of us spent the day celebrating a reflective eucharist that included singing with lovely music from Fraser and Geoff, group work that challenged us first to think of the most important verses in the Bible.

Our next task was to design a church for folk moving into an imaginary new town today. That produced a lot of debate with quite a number of people wanting to build an Abbey! Others wanting something more modern and flexible. In the end we all agreed it would be great to run a cafe from the church along with working with other organisations to build a new community for this new town. It was fascinating to hear what other folk thought was important in a church and why... for some it was Bingo and sandwiches, for others a sanctuary, for some a family friendly place, for others a place of peace and personal spiritual reflection.

After a buffet lunch, we wandered around the beautiful grounds together, enjoying fine Scottish weather. Well, that was a miracle.

After lunch we heard about Si Si Win, the young Burmese girl that the church are beginning to support through her education and Sheila Laing, Geoff's wife, explained why so many Burmese people have fled to Thailand and about Geoff and Sheila's work in connecting Scottish and Burmese schools. (You can read more about that on http://www.forthview.blogspot.com/)

Changes to Communion due to Swine Flu virus

2009-08-13T00:00:00.006+01:00

As a result of the possible spread of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus amongst communicants, servers and officiants at Eucharistic services, the following changes to the common customs at St Margaret’s are to be made with immediate effect.

1. The use of the common cup is suspended until further notice. Only the Priest will drink from the chalice. The wine will be administered to all other communicants by means of applying a drop of wine to each wafer before consecration. The administration will then be as one pass by the Priest alone giving the wine treated wafer to each communicant.

2. The lavabo of the Priest’s hands will be performed before the elements are placed on the altar and the usual use of water will be supplemented with the use of an alcohol gel. This will take place BEFORE the offertory procession is received at the altar rail.

This change is a temporary response to the current situation.
When medical advice indicates that the risk has passed,
administration of wine by use of a common cup will be resumed.

Unlike other viruses and bacteral infections, the H1N1 virus is not killed by the alcoholic content of the wine used at communion. The suspension of the common cup is as recommended by the Scottish Episcopal Church and is in line with a similar recommendation issued by the Church of England.

News from Geoff in Thailand

2009-07-17T00:00:00.000+01:00

Geoff writes:
Our team of 3 Scottish teachers and myself arrived safely in Thailand. We spent a few days in the northern city of Chiang Mai where we visited the Burmese teacher training centre and gave presentations on recent developments in Scottish education to Burmese teachers who have crossed the border for a short course in professional development.
Then we took the 6 hour bus ride to Mae Sot for a week of working in Hle Bee school. This Burmese migrant primary school has had a link with Forthview Primary school in Edinburgh for 3 years. It was good to meet the Head Teacher Tha Zin and her staff again, and be greeted by the 350 pupils she has in her school, all eager to show their Engish skills to us. "Hello Teeecher. Good morning Teeecher. Thank you Teeecher." Sheila is giving another presentation on teaching theory, this time to local Burmese teachers who work in the hundreds of schools around Mae Sot. For them Emotional Literacy and Creating Confident Kids are new ideas which they soak up like water in the desert.
There is much fun and laughter, especially at whole school song time (pictured) and whilst teaching the older classes some Scottish dances.There is a much fuller accout of the trip on www.forthview.blogspot.com including many pictures, and it goes right back to the start of the link 3 years ago.
Fiona and Irvine head back to Edinburgh tomorrow, and Sheila and I have another week in Mae Sot before we return to Chiang Mai for a few days and another session training Burmese teachers before we too head back to Edinburgh.

Geoff Visits Burmese Refugee School in Thailand

2009-07-03T00:00:00.011+01:00

Geoff writes:
On Tuesday 7th July I leave, along with my wife Sheila and 2 teachers from Forthview Primary School in Edinburgh, for a visit to Hle Bee Primary School in Thailand. The school is run for and by Burmese refugees who have crossed over the border into Thailand to escape the repressive Burmese military government.

This is our third visit to Hle Bee School to offer friendship, professional support and sharing of resources to the Burmese teachers who work with little resources, no state support and under difficult social and political circumstances. These visits, supported by DfID, are part of an exchange scheme. The project has also seen visits to Edinburgh schools by Burmese musicians and artists and by a leading lecturer in Education at the Burmese teacher training college in Thailand.

Pictured: (top) Forthview Headteacher at Hle Bee school. (above) Burmese teacher working with children at Forthview school.

The whole story of this 3 years of partnership and friendship is told on the web site: www.Forthview.blogspot.com

We will be adding news and reflections of this visit on the Forthview blog as we go.

Ronaldo & Maria Renew Their Wedding Vows

2009-07-02T00:00:00.002+01:00

It was our delight to welcome Ronaldo and Maria at St Margaret's. They are visiting Edinburgh on holiday, and asked if they could give thanks for their marriage and renew their vows whilst they were here. Maria's family originate from Scotland but now live in Rio de Janiero.

At the start of the service they lit one of 2 candles: "I invite you to light this first candle as a symbol of the years that you have already spent together. A lighted candle speaks of the Light of Christ, who has lit your way together thus far, and blessed your union with two sons." At the end of the service they lit a second candle: "I invite you to light the second candle as a symbol of the Light of Christ lighting your way into the future together."

Leith Festival at St Margaret's

2009-06-11T00:00:00.029+01:00

The Leith Community Concert Band once again dealt all the aces! Their concert, as part of the Leith Festival 2009, presented a range of musical styles spanning 2 centuries, 2 continents, and, we discovered, 2 bands.

The programme included the ever popular march, National Emblem, along with The Wee MacGregor, where the players leave the stage gradually as the piece progresses, leaving a few core players to finish the number. The suite The Hebrides gave us some popular Scottish melodies and we could sing along to The Songs of the Great War as arranged by their Musical Director, Fred Frayling-Kelly. Fred's own composition, At the Menin Gate, showed us that the band could handle the thoughtful and sensitive melodies just as well as the up tempo numbers. But the climax of the Concert Band programme must have been the tribute to Frank Sinatra, a medley of his well known songs finishing with his signature tune I Did it My Way which built to a full volume finish.

The concert also featured the new Leith Community Big Band, a traditional dance band line- up. They raised the curtain after the interval, (and the roof) with At The Sign of the Swinging Cymbal, a number made famous by Alan Freeman as the signature tune and frequent interjection in his Pick of the Pops show - the first and very successful attempt by the BBC to embrace the 'new pop music' in the 1960s. The Big Band also offered us Ellington's Mood Indigo, the Spanish Gypsy Dance, and from the dance repertoire, the waltz Poeme by Fibich and the foxtrot Dance in the Park by Schwartz.

The joy of a community band is seeing younger players working alongside and learning from those who have been playing for years. Many of the Leith Community Band have been players in Military Bands and are very accomplished in this style of music. Others are not far off being beginners on their instrument, or have recently returned to it after a long break. Whatever, the enjoyment they get from playing is clear for all to see, and that they go for the high notes and the tricky passages is a tribute to the leadership and the encouragement of their Director of Music, Fred Frayling-Kelly.

Forthview Primary School's Pretend Wedding (Primary 1 - Religious & Moral Education)

2009-06-03T00:00:00.023+01:00

Geoff writes:

I was delighted to visit Forthview Primary School today to lead a pretend wedding. The Primary 1 classes have been studying weddings as part of their Religious and Moral Education programme. My job was to perform a pretend wedding for Chloe and Igor.

"We are here because Igor and Chloe want to get married.
Marriage is good, because it means that Igor and Chloe are promising to be together for the rest of their lives. They promise to stay together if they are happy or if they are sad, if they are rich or if they are poor, if they stay well or if they get sick. They are promising that if they have children, then they will share in looking after them."

The children had planned everything,

including the reception with speeches and a toast to the happy couple! I was delighted to be able to participate in this worthwhile and meaningful class. I hope that St Margaret's can continue to be involved in teaching youngsters to be responsible adults, where promises and commitment are given value.

Ascension Day - Thursday 21st May 2009

2009-05-21T00:00:00.001+01:00

St Margaret's will be joining with St Barnabus to celebrate Ascension Day. The service is at 7.30pm at St Barnabus, Moredun and the guest preacher is Revd. Carrie Upton.

Ascension Day is a celebration of the risen Christ's return to heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father.

You can read about it in Acts chapter 1 verses 1-11:
In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

The Licensing of our new Priest

2009-04-16T00:00:00.005+01:00

On Thursday 16 April 2009 The Bishop of Edinburgh, The Rt. Revd. Brian Smith, licensed The Revd. Geoff Hart as Priest in Charge of St Margaret's. It was a splendid occasion with many visitors joining the congregation to welcome Geoff to St Margaret's; along with Geoff's family and friends, there was large representation from St David's Episcopal Church, Pilton where Geoff was on the Ministry Team and St Margaret's Church of Scotland, Restalrig, where Geoff had been Musical Director. A number of fellow clergy joined in to celebrate the event. The gathering of around 150 raised the roof with their singing. One lady remarked that she wished the singing was this good every Sunday. The congregation of St Margaret's had worked so hard to make the church look particularly beautiful and to provide very good hospitality to the visitors. Jim Maclean joined the Bishop in giving heartfelt thanks from the congregation to the Interim Rector, The Revd Alison Wagstaff.

All in all, it was a wonderful ecumencial, multi-faith evening with Baptist, Church of Scotland, Episcopal, Catholic and Buddhist worshippers present. Thank you all for getting Geoff off to such an inspiring start...

Today, Sunday 19 April 09, it was lovely to hear a member of the church say that Thursday's service had been a wonderful occasion that nobody could fail to have been moved by and that the Holy Spirit had clearly been present and she had felt blessed to be part of the evening.

Presenting - The Leith Community Concert Band - at St Margaret's Church - 14th April 09

2009-04-14T00:00:00.032+01:00

The final concert of this season’s ‘Music at St. Margaret’s’ series saw the welcome return of Leith Community Concert Band under their director, Frederick Frayling-Kelly.
The evening got off to a brisk start with a rousing rendition of "Colonel Bogey" complete with a golfing anecdote which explained how the gentleman came by his nickname. This was followed by a step back in time to 19th century Vienna and the overture from Suppé’s operetta “Poet and Peasant” which began with a slow passage and built to a lively climax. The musical location then moved nearer home with Clare Grundman’s “Hebrides Suite” based on four folk songs collected by Marjory Kennedy-Fraser. As the piece came to its spirited conclusion, the toes of the audience were tapping along with “The Road to the Isles”. The final piece in the first half was H.G.Amers’ “The Wee Macgreegor” patrol, a vibrant compilation of well-known Scottish tunes. One could well picture J.J.Bell’s wee rascal Magreegor complete with “bunnet” running alongside the marching band as the musicians processed into the distance.

The second half began with a medley of Great War songs arranged by Fred which had the audience singing along. This cheerful view of WW1 was in stark contrast to Fred’s sombre and emotive tone poem “At the Menin Gate” which evoked the realities of the carnage of 1914-18. We were also treated to Ted Huggens” “Pavane in Blue”. a wistful piece which successfully merged the measures of an early court dance with the harmonies of the modern blues idiom. The concert concluded with the March from Holst’s “Suite in E flat”, a rousing theme and variations, made even more enjoyable by Fred’s family connection with the composer through his grandfather.

The evening was also much enhanced by the beautiful voice of mezzo-soprano Sheila Graham who demonstrated her great versatility with a variety of contrasting pieces throughout the programme. Her first song was “Che faro” from Gluck’s 1762 opera “Orpheus and Euridice” sung with great feeling as Orpheus realises that his wife is gone forever. This was followed by a piece written a century later, “Voce di Donna” from Ponchielli’s “La Gioconda”. Fred’s skillful arrangement for wind band of the original orchestral accompaniments provided an interesting new perspective on these arias. In the second half, Sheila’s style changed again to give the audience two works from 20th century musicals; “Something Wonderful” from “The King and I”, sensitively accompanied on the piano by Bill Blackwood’, and then Jerome Kern’s “Can’t help lovin dat man “ from “Show Boat”. Sheila’s performance was warmly received by a very appreciative audience.

This final concert of the series was a resounding success with the Leith Concert Band in its usual fine form, and we look forward eagerly to the first concert the new “Music at St.Margaret’s” season starting in the autumn.

click here to visit LCCB's web site

Easter Day

2009-04-12T00:00:00.002+01:00

Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the most important Christian festival, and the one celebrated with the greatest joy.

On Good Friday, Jesus Christ was executed by crucifixion. His body was taken down from the cross, and buried in a cave. The tomb was guarded and an enormous stone was put over the entrance, so that no-one could steal the body.

On the following Sunday, some women visited the grave and found that the stone had been moved, and that the tomb was empty.

Jesus himself was seen that day, and for days afterwards by many people. His followers realised that God had raised Jesus from the dead.

Service for Good Friday

2009-04-10T00:00:00.004+01:00

The Good Friday service is meditative and reflective. The focus is the cross on which Jesus was crucified. As part of the service, the events of the arrest, torture and crucifixion are remembered using a graphical sequence called the Stations of the Cross to meditate on each step of the way. A simple sharing of bread and wine (saved from the Maundy service the previous night) concludes the service.

Service for Maundy Thursday

2009-04-09T00:00:00.005+01:00

Maundy Thursday is an eventful day in the story of Holy Week.

On that day the disciples gathered together for a meal, which we now know as The Last Supper. At that meal Jesus took and blessed bread and wine and shared it amongst his disciples, which is re-enacted each Sunday in the Eucharist or Holy Communion service. During the meal Jesus takes a towel and bowl of water and washes the disciples' feet. This act, normally undertaken by the lowliest of servants, reminds us that in the Kingdom of God no one is so great that they cannot serve others.
Following on from this gathering, Jesus and the disciples go out into the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prays agonising prayers to the Father as he contemplates his crucifixion and death, whilst the disciples keep falling asleep! Whilst in the garden, Judas brings a group of Temple soldiers who arrest Jesus and take him away to be tried, stripped of his clothes and beaten, and finally condemned to death. The disciples run away and hide once Jesus has been arrested. Peter is spotted by a bystander and denies three times that he knows Jesus. When a cock crows, he remembers that Jesus had said previously that someone would deny him three times.

The Maundy Thursday service draws on all these themes, but predominantly remembers Christ's suffering in the garden, and at the hands of the authorities. At the end of the service the sanctuary is stripped of all but the bare essentials remembering Jesus' humiliation when he was stripped and beaten. Once completed, the altar party 'run away' remembering how the first disciples ran away when Jesus was arrested.

Introducing Revd. Geoff Hart

2009-04-06T00:00:00.001+01:00

We welcome our new Priest in Charge on 16th April.
Revd. Geoff Hart is currently attached as a non-stipendiary to St. David of Scotland, Pilton, and is on the Diocesan supernumerary list (that is, Priests who do not have specific duties on a Sunday and provide cover for clergy holidays, sickness absence and Churches in a vacancy situation.) Previously he was Music co-ordinator for St. Margaret's Church of Scotland, Restalrig, and was appointed locum Minister there during their vacancy, and before that was for 5 years Priest with Charge of St Salvador's, Stenhouse.

Many in Edinburgh will know him better as a piano tuner, working around the area for 25 years before his ordination. Others will have come across him in his work for the NHS over the last 10 years, providing NHS supplies to Care Homes. Or perhaps you've come across him as a musician, playing double bass and bass guitar. He was bass player for the jazz group Eine Kleine Jazz Music, and the folk rock band Sionascaig, and has played in the orchestras for Prom Praise and Origin (Ministry based at Curubber's Close Mission) events. Having studied as a young man for 3 years at Huddersfield School of Music, Geoff ended up working in engineering, at Rolls Royce Aeroengines Bristol, followed by a nuts and bolts factory in Wetherby.

Married to Sheila, a primary school Headteacher, he has 3 sons, 3 grandchildren, and 3 step children. Other interests include providing friendship and support for Burmese refugees in Scotland and on the Thai/Burma border where he and Sheila have links with a refugee school. He also wrestles with his computer and has written software applications for NHS and for schools in Edinburgh, Fife and Shetland.

Geoff brings a wealth of skills and experience to St Margaret's and we will certainly benefit from free piano tuning! However what use aero engine skills would be it's hard to imagine, unless he supercharges the organ with an old Concorde engine!

Tetrax at St Margaret's Church

2009-03-10T00:00:00.054Z

As the audience assembled, the platform was set with 12 instruments neatly arranged on their stands. There were flutes, clarinets, members of the saxophone family (including a baritone), and a bass clarinet. So when Tetrax were introduced, and there are only 4 of them, we knew we were in for a treat. For the instrument changes were not restricted to just between pieces, they were made during numbers as well - and some changes happened within a bar or 2. Not a beat was dropped, nor an instrument. Only once was the wrong instrument picked up, but that was between numbers and added to the humour of the evening.
The programme started with Abe Holzmann's Blaze Away, which gave great scope to the musicians to do just that. with relish. But with Haydn's Emperor Variations opus 76 no 3 and Greig's Lyric Pieces coming next Tetrax showed that they had depth and sensitivity just below the surface. The flute duet in Greig's Berceuse was particularly appealing. The performers all reached for their Bflat clarinet to give us a delightful arrangement of Damase's Ritournelles, and then back to the saxophones for Sousa's Washington Post. Cinerama, by James Rae, which evokes the sounds of the Wurlitzer cinema organ, took us fittingly to the interval.

Entry of the Gladiators brought us back from the interval in style, but if the title should imply any jostling amongst the performers for superiority then their tight ensemble playing in Music from the Threepenny Opera showed none of it. In fact playing a work where the original production of the show had an orchestra of 7 playing a total of 22 instruments puts Tetrax right in the lineage of great musical theatre. And musical theatre was in fact where Tetrax first met up. It must have been a relief for them to move on to an arrangement of Scott Joplin numbers - where 8 hands had to play music originally written for only 2 hands. Bill Blackwood's scoring skillfully maintained the stride piano feel of 3 piano Rags by Joplin and the performers handled the cross rhythms with ease. But if what we had heard so far was excellent, better was yet to come. Henry Mancini's theme from the Hitchcock movie Charade was brilliant, and finishing with Mancini's famous Pink Panther theme was cheeky cream on the cake.

The apparently effortless performance we were treated to conceals the hard work, the musicianship and the concentration needed, and the years of experience brought to this performance. Let's hope that St Margaret's won't have to wait too long before we hear them again.

ICC Saxophone Ensemble at St Margaret's Church

2009-02-10T00:00:00.000Z

The artistes giving this concert were members of the ICC Saxophone Ensemble.This group started life several years ago as a conventional Saxophone Quartet, which, in the past four years, has expanded to become a sax choir ranging from the little sopranino to the big bass.

Under Bill Blackwood's direction it performed a wide variety of music from the 18th. century to the present day. As compere. director and bass saxophonist, Bill had a busy evening. A very approachable contemporary original work for the medium set things in motion. This was James Rae's "Berkshire Suite". The treatment of the National Anthem in the "Windsor Castle" movement was interesting and different. Three movements from
Handel's "Water Music" followed showing that these nineteenth century instruments can do justice to the Baroque. A "Galop de Concert" by Rudolf Ganz was given quite a stylish performance. The jazzier side of the sax family was displayed in "Unfinished Business" in which the first movement of Schubert's 8th was "deconstructed" a la Quincy Jones and others. Clever writing, well played.

The second half began with the Prelude to "Hansel and Gretel" by Humperdinck in a very convincing arrangement by Bruno. The Scherzo and Finale Gounod's "Petite Symphonie" (originally for flute, and pairs of oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn) received an effective reading, with a greater variety of tone colour than one might have expected from such a homeogenous group of instruments. The programme ended with a sparkling transcription of Shostakovich's "Tahiti Trot" and the closing section of Offenbach's "Orpheus in the Underworld" Overture.

This concert was a real testimonial to the genius of Adolphe Sax, the family's inventor, and the skill of the arrangers in creating such a variety of colours for our delight. With anything less than the dedication and high standard of playing that was maintained throughout the evening backed by solid musicianship, this would not have been the case. This was a most enjoyable concert.
FFK

Music at St Margaret's - the Doune Wind Quintet

2009-01-14T00:00:00.000Z

The season of Music at St Margaret's continued with a concert by the Doune Wind Quintet.

The excellent and varied programme began with the rousing Sousa March - Washington Post. The divertimento K.270 which followed took us straight from the full-on march to the delicate melodies and subtle contrasts of Mozart. The Seranade to Madonna by Berlioz led us to the melodious Chrysanthemums of Puccini.

The second half started with more rousing Souza, this time The Liberty Bell. The performers showed mastery of their instruments as they played Suite on a Dutch

Folksong by De Groot and Polka from Golden Age by Shostakovich, rounding off with a medley of popular songs from the Gay 90s and Gershwin's I Got Rhythm. An excellent programme played with skill and musicianship.
Our thanks to: Katherine Wake (flute), Charles Dodds (oboe), John Peacock (clarinet), Marian Kirton (horn) and Rainer Thonnes (bassoon).