Autumn Term

We recently released our Autumn Term flyer with dates for the various events happening over the next couple of months. Please do check the What’s On page of the website for full details of each event and how to get involved.

September

1 September: Company of Men (Balerno) walk and pub

4 September: Envision (Youth) // Social Sunday

8 September: Isaac Knight's Induction Service @ St Mary's Cathedral

9 - 11th September: P5-P7 Camp @ Scoughall

10 September: Balerno Farmers Market

11 September: Evening Service @ The Church Building, Ladycroft

13 September: GOLD

18 September: Transform @ Balerno Parish Church

18 September: S4-S6 Leadership training (monthly)

25 September: Worship & Prayer @ The Church Building, Ladycroft

29 September: Communion & Soaking @ The Church Building, Ladycroft

29 September: Company of Men Gathering (Balerno)

October

2 October: Envision (Youth) // Social Sunday

2 October: Welcome lunch for new members

3 October: LAM (Love After Marriage) Begins @ HT Wester Hailes

6 October: Alpha Livingston Launch [TBC]

7 October: Encounter (Youth) // Big Night In (Adults Only)

8 October: Balerno Farmer's Market

8 October: Laser Tag (P5-P7) // Movie Night (P1-P4)

9 October: Evening Service @ The Church Building, Ladycroft

11 October: GOLD // Parenting Matters

16 October: Transform @ Balerno Parish Church

23 October: Worship & Prayer @ The Church Building, Ladycroft

26 October: Tech Team Training Night

27 October: Communion & Soaking @ The Church Building, Ladycroft

27 October: Youth Trip to Joseph @ Edinburgh Playhouse

27 October: CAP Money Course Part 1

29 October: Life Seasons

30 October: Evening Service @ The Church Building, Ladycroft

November

3 November: CAP Money Course Part 2

6 November: Envision (Youth) // Social Sunday

8 November: GOLD

8 November: Parenting Matters

12 November: Balerno Farmers Market

12 November: Games Night (P1-P4) // Quiz Night (P5-P7)

13 November: Evening Service @ The Church Building, Ladycroft

19 November: Tearfund Quiz

20 November: Transform @ Balerno Parish Church

24 November: Communion & Soaking @ The Church Building, Ladycroft

27 November: Worship & Prayer @ The Church Building, Ladycroft

30 November: Re:Fresh Night for House Group Leaders

Timing Change Consultation Decision

Change of Morning Service Times Proposal Decision

The Proposal:  To change the start times of both morning services so that the Livingston service would start at 10am and the Balerno service at 11am.

How was feedback gathered? 

After the church were made aware of the proposal in a morning service and by email, they were then invited to give their feedback through:

• An online survey where over 200 people responded.

• Three Zoom consultation meetings with over 250 attendees.

• Email (many people also sent emails to the senior team throughout the consultation process).

Observations from the Consultation:

Four things that were really encouraging that came through the feedback were:

1. 87% of people who responded to the survey were either happy to adapt to the changing of times or had some reservations but were willing to try it.

2. People were very grateful for being asked.

3. Through written responses and discussion groups, it was evident that the congregation care deeply for the staff and were willing to try something different if it helped staff.

4. The majority of concerns expressed by the congregation related to their desire for our services to be a place and environment where we can be completely open to the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit, and also to limit unnecessary pressure or stress for the service leaders and preachers.

The Outcome of the Consultation

We have decided not to change the start times of the morning services and will remain with both the Balerno and Livingston services starting at 10:30am.

How did we come to this decision?

The Senior Team appreciated greatly the level of feedback that the church family gave, and the manner in which they did this.  We want to thank the congregation for being so supportive and gracious during all that is going on.  This feedback and the senior teams continued communication with staff, with each other, as well as continuing to seek the Lord has led us to make this decision.  Below are the main concerns that came from the feedback and the reflections from Ollie and senior team.

Concerns that became apparent for the Livingston Service

The proposed change of timings could:

• Put pressure on the service leader to stick to the timings which may in turn reduce the opportunities to build faith and community by sharing testimony or good news stories at the beginning of the service.

• Prohibit worship being extended if the Spirit is moving and restricting the work of the Holy Spirit.

• Restrict the speaker from leading the ministry response if they felt there was an opportunity for ministry.

• Not allow the speaker to speak with the congregation afterwards.

Concerns that became apparent for the Balerno Service

The proposed change of timings could:

• Affect the levels of opportunity for fellowship.   People may feel with the service moving to 11am that they have extra time in the morning and just not attend the coffee / fellowship time at 10:30am. 

• Youth and children may not want to come to have coffee beforehand and parents might find another battle to try and win. 

• The later finish might be difficult for pre-school children who might be getting hungry from 12 o’clock onwards.

Other Concerns

Other concerns that came out of the consultation that we felt important were:

• The change of times would not help foster links between Livingston and Balerno youth with timings.

• With the suggested change of timings, the 8:45 service may start to feel rushed and not in touch with the leadership.

Reflections from the Senior Team

As a Word and Spirit Church we felt the most important question for us as a church that kept on coming through the feedback, our thoughts and prayers was:  Did the new timings allow the space needed for the Holy Spirit to move in our morning services? 

Ollie felt during the consultation process the Holy Spirit ask him “in changing the morning service times are we allowing Me (God) to be significant?”  For example, if the Holy Spirit starts to move in the Livingston service during the worship or after the talk do the proposed timings allow us to change things so God can move? 

It became clear as we read through the feedback and prayed that the answer to this question was no.  In light of this we feel it would not be right to change the timings of the services. 

The consultation has been a very helpful process as it has allowed us as a church family to think through what we want from our church services.  Through this process we have been encouraged by your love for St Mungo’s, your desire for God to continue to move in our services and your care and support of the staff team and the whole church family.

The Way forward

During the consultation Ollie continued to think through the issues regarding the speaking team.  So that we can make this work with the present speaking system, Ollie is going to speak twice a month in each location, which will take the pressure off other members of the speaking team and will make it possible to sustain running two simultaneous services. 

The consultation has also provided some space to think through some of the other issues. One of these was whether it is possible to have our mission partners come to speak if we moved to the previous model of having the same talk on consecutive weeks.  Having had time to think through this we see it is possible with planning that we could do this, whether by asking one mission partner to speak in Balerno one week and another one in Livingston the second.  Or to use it as an opportunity for Balerno and Livingston to come together in a joint service.

What next?

In January we are planning and hoping (subject to building availability) that we will be able to run consecutive morning services in both Livingston and Balerno at 10:30am on a Sunday morning.  This means that whoever speaks in the morning service in Balerno will then speak again in Livingston the following week.   

As we move forward, we recognise as a senior leadership that Balerno and Livingston are two very different communities and how we reach them will be different.  We will continue to make God significant in our services so we can abide and be transformed in His presence.

Ollie Clegg

8/11/21

Returning to Physical Gatherings FAQs

Here are a list of current Frequently Asked Questions and our responses. This page will be updated as new questions are asked so please do keep checking back in. 

FAQs

Do I need to take a Lateral Flow Test (LFD Test) before attending a service?

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Episcopal Church are strong encouraging everyone attend a service to take a Lateral Flow test before attending. LFD tests can be ordered online or picked up from a variety of places including most pharmacies.

Can we sing in housegroup/prayer cell? 

Technically ‘YES’. However, these groups run in people’s private homes which are often small spaces when compared with a Sunday morning venue. Singing is proven to be one of the higher risk activities for spreading covid and so it may be advisable to take some precautions such as wearing a face covering, singing outside, or deciding to use an alternative form of worship initially with 1 or 2 people singing over the rest of the group. Leaders and hosts will make decision based on how the group feels, and we ask that people support their leaders as they make these decisions. 

There are no guidelines from the government on meeting indoors as a church group, but guidance on meeting in private homes can be accessed here.

I don’t want to be inside with someone who is unvaccinated, can you tell me the vaccination status of people I am near? 

NO. Being vaccinated is not a legal requirement nor a condition of attending a church service or meeting. Whilst we would encourage people to take the opportunity to receive a vaccine when offered, we will not be, nor are we permitted to ask people about their vaccination status. 

Can we hug people at the end of a service? 

Technically ‘YES’ however, not everybody is comfortable being hugged or being in close contact with others. This can be for a multitude of reasons and people’s personal space must be respected. I know that some are excited at the prospect of hugs, high fives and handshakes, but others are incredibly anxious about this. Please check with people before making physical contact and respect their answer and space. 

Can we have cakes, coffees and biscuits at services yet? 

Technically ‘YES’ however the senior team have decided that in order to mitigate the obvious risks associated with sharing space, cakes and drinks for an extended period of time, that we will not be serving refreshments at any of our services for the foreseeable future.

Will we have paper notices? 

NO. We are going to be changing how notices are sent to the congregation. From the 22nd August notices will be looking at how we can use Churchsuite to email the notices to everyone in the congregation who has ‘opted in’ to receive church emails. If you are not signed up to Churchsuite emails yet then please contact penny.moise@stmungos.org for details on how to do this. 

Can I bring a guest to church?

YES. We are going to be using a unique Test and Protect QR code to login to venues and so there is no requirement to ‘pre-book’ places. We would love for you to bring along guests! 

Will there be any courses running this term? 

NO. We believe that it is right to really focus on the core rhythms of church life this term as we all adjust to meeting back in person again. This means that we are asking people to prioritise Sunday services, housegroups and prayer cells. 

I’m not in a housegroup or a prayer cell. How do I join? 

If you are interested in joining a housegroup or prayer cell then please email kate.yates@stmungos.org for more information. 

Will my child/young person need to wear a mask? 

The current legislation states that children under 12 are now exempt from wearing a mask/face covering. Young people in youth will still need to wear a face covering in certain situations – more details on what these circumstances are will be communicated to you by the youth team. 

Will we be able to lay hands on people for prayer ministry? 

Technically ‘YES’. In services we will initially be only asking people to stand where they are to receive prayer ministry in order to reduce the number of people walking past each other. In housegroups and prayer cells, because there is no requirement now to physically distance, provided there is consent given from the person receiving prayer, then you can lay hands on people for prayer ministry.

Can our Housegroup use one of the church buildings to meet? 

POTENTIALLY. We are looking into the feasibility of allowing housegroups to use the church buildings in this way and are working through how we might manage the bookings and opening of buildings for this purpose. We recognise that for some people meeting and singing in a lounge may make some feel anxious and that meeting in a building where a greater degree of physical distancing can take place would help to alleviate that anxiety. We will communicate to housegroup leaders if and how this might be accommodated, whilst also recognising that not every group is going to be able to meet in this way due to the number of buildings and number of housegroups. 

Will I need to take a lateral flow test before attending housegroup or a church service? 

POTENTIALLY. At this point we are not asking people to take a lateral flow test before attending one of our services, however if the government guidelines on this change then we may have no choice. Housegroups take place in people’s private homes* and as such it is their prerogative to ask people entering their home to take a test before doing so, it is one way that we can practically Be Love to our housegroup leaders and those in our group. The current Scottish government advice requests that every adult in Scotland should take a lateral flow test twice a week. Information on this can be found here. With this in mind, some people may decide to take a test on the day of housegroup and the morning before coming to church.

*If your housegroup leader indicates that they wish people attending to take a lateral flow test before meeting then this would still be applicable if using our church buildings.

What happens if someone tests positive after attending a service? 

If a person tests positive after attending a service then we have a duty to engage with Test and Protect. The positive result will be logged on the system and the person will receive a call from a ‘Contact Tracer’ who will ask them questions about who they have seen and where they have been since they first experienced symptoms. At this point the person should state that they have attended a St Mungo’s church service and give David Lyons, 07772002651 as the contact person and number for the service. David will then receive a call from the Lothian Health Board and discuss with them the safety measures in place, room layout and other details about the service. The relevant Health Board, in connection with Test and Protect will then contact those people impacted. DO NOT give names of people at the service. This is to allow the full process of Test and Protect to take place and the health board to ascertain who, if anyone, should be contacted.  

If someone tests positive during or after a service will St Mungo’s be in contact? 

NO. The Scottish Episcopal Church have stipulated that no churches should contact their congregation to inform them of a positive case at one of their services. This is to allow Test and Protect to perform their role as quickly and as efficiently as possible. For clarification on why this decision has been taken please contact David Lyons and he can explain where this decision has come from and who you can talk to about it. 

If there is a positive case in a service, will that change how you run future services? 

POSSIBLY. We recognise that things can change quickly and are ready and able to adapt our physical services as required. This may mean that there is a need to enforce physical distancing again, or switch to online services for a week, or keep masks in place for longer than legally required to by the government or something else. Each service that we run will have an updated risk assessment, which will take into account all the various factors surrounding it. These factors include things like current infection levels in the area, advice from government, predicted number of people attending, methods of recording attendance among others. Keeping the congregation safe is a priority for us. 

If I test positive after attending a service can I tell people I was sat near?

YES. This is your personal information and you can share it with whoever you like. If you decide to let the church know, then this information will be kept confidential to the senior leadership team only as we are not permitted to let other people in the congregation know.

What happens if someone tests positive after attending an in-person housegroup?

If you test positive after attending housegroup then anyone who was within 2m of you for any period of time will be classed as a 'close contact’. You are obliged to let Test and Protect know anyone who may fall into this category and they will decided whether to contact that individual. If someone from your housegroup tests positive and informs you of this, you are not legally obliged to self-isolate or go for a PCR test until instructed to do so by Test and Protect. People may decide to take regular lateral flow tests, or book in for a PCR test if they know they are a close contact and likely to be contacted.

Is St Mungo’s talking to the Scottish Government about the current restrictions? 

SORT OF. St Mungo’s is a member of the Scottish Episcopal Church, who have an advisory group, who are in communication, via some of its members, with the Scottish Government. The Advisory Group has been running throughout the pandemic and have been a consistent source of advice and support for the church as we have navigated through this pandemic. No-one on the current St Mungo’s senior leadership team sits on this group, but we are highly confident that there are people on the group who understand very well the needs of our church due to their current or previous roles. 

Why are we not back in Balerno High School yet? 

Very simply, the councils have not yet opened up the option for us to let the schools. The earliest that we might return to BHS is now Sunday 3rd October as Edinburgh City Council have stated that there are to be no external lets in the first 6 weeks of term. Our desire is to return to meeting in Balerno as soon as we are able to as being connected to the local community is important for us and to move regular services outside of Balerno would require permission from the Bishop. 

Can I come to all the in person services? 

NO. We are asking that you only attend the service which is specifically for your normal Sunday congregation. This is because the 2 congregations operate in slightly different ways and we feel that as the congregations begin to re-connect it is important for them to begin as they intend to move on. We realise that this means that there will be a number of empty seats at both services, but believe it is important to also allow volunteers from both congregations to get involved in serving once more. We also recognise that there are significant and fundamental differences in how the 0-18 groups run, including how the children and young people are grouped. It would be unfair on the primary group from Livingston, for example, to go from being a tight knit group of 5 children to being part of a group of over 50 if they joined in with Balerno. Taking into account the needs of our young people is really important and another reason we believe, we should keep Livingston and Balerno congregations running as separate. 

Will there be physical distancing at the 8.45 service? 

YES. This congregation will restart on Sunday 5th September and Sunday 19th September and we are planning to have 1m physical distancing in the Sanctuary. This will mean that seats will be limited with those members who would traditionally attend this service being given 1st refusal on a place. Many of this congregation have struggled to connect as we’ve moved online and they are an intrinsically important part of our church family and so it is important for the senior leadership team that we find a safe and sustainable way for this congregation to restart. 

I am still incredibly anxious about attending in person, is that ok? 

ABSOLUTELY! We know that there are many reasons why people might not feel able to attend a physical service at the moment and want anyone in that place to know that we still believe that you are a vitally important and significant part of our church family. It is one of the reasons that we are working hard to make sure that the Livestream is high quality and allows those watching to still feel connected and part of what is happening for as long as that is needed.