St. Columba's-by-the-Castle

Our Local Ecumenical Partnership

At a service at Greyfriars at Pentecost 2002 the congregations of our three churches of Greyfriars Tolbooth and Highland Kirk (Church of Scotland), St. Columba’s by the Castle (Episcopal Church) and Augustine United Church (United Reformed Church) signed a covenant committing ourselves to worship and study together and work to establish a united and positive Christian presence in the centre of Edinburgh. We are members of Edinburgh Churches Together and Action of Churches Together in Scotland, and in 2006 we were recognized as a Local Ecumenical Partnership by the Scottish Churches National Sponsoring Body, under the name of The Local Church.

Joint services and activities take place in Holy Week and throughout the year, and a Steering Group consisting of the ministers and a minimum of two members of each church, representatives of the Grassmarket Mission and the Mental Health Chaplaincy and  observers from other churches meets every two or three months.

Items from the meeting of the steering group on 8 February 2012

The programme of  Lent and Holy Week services was confirmed and the leaflet detailing them would be  ready for distribution at the joint service at St. Columba’s  on the following Sunday.

Concern was expressed about the effect of the City Council’s proposal to remove the central parking in Chambers Street to open the space for cultural events.  We should keep in touch with developments, and the matter would be raised at the next coffee gathering of local clergy.

The discussion was continued about how TLC should develop its outreach following the suspension of  Parish Meals at Greyfriars Kirkhouse due to  the further development of the  Grassmarket Community Project.  It was explained that the GCP’s ‘drop-in’ meals in the middle of the day were also in abeyance because of  the imminent building works, which it is hoped will be completed before Christmas.  All those who have been involved with Parish Meals should meet well before that to discuss whether or how they  should be carried on.  There are many other opportunities for volunteering at the GCP, which need better advertisement.

Forthcoming services and other events.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Party: Tuesday 21 Feb. 5.30 pm at St. Columba’s by the Castle

Ash Wednesday Eucharist: Wednesday 22 Feb. 7.30 pm at St. Columba’s by the Castle

TLC Lent study group: Wednesdays 29 February  and 7, 14, 21 & 28 March at Augustine UC 7.30-9 pm,  using a York Course entitled ‘Handing on the Torch’.  (Contact: alanharding846@btinternet.com)

Fourth Local Ecumenical Partnership Gathering : at Murrayfield Parish Church on Saturday March 10th, 10.30 am-3 pm. Booking forms can be downloaded from the ACTS web site.

Nitekirk: at Greyfriars, 16 March, 8 pm – Midnight

Holy Week Eucharist: 8-8.30 am at St. Columba’s by the Castle, April 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th.

Maundy Thursday  (5 April):  Communion Service, 7.30 pm at Greyfriars Kirk

Good Friday (6 April): 3 hours of meditation, 12 noon – 3 pm at AUC

Good Friday: Service of Tenebrae,  9 pm at Greyfriars Kirk

Nitekirk: at Greyfriars, 20 April 8 pm – Midnight

The next meeting of the Steering Group will be at St. Columba’s on 16 May, at 7.30 pm.

Joint service at Greyfriars, Sunday 27 May at 11 am.