About Penicuik North Kirk
PENICUIK NORTH KIRK Penicuik North Kirk is a local parish church in the Presbytery of Lothian, and one of 3 Church of Scotland congregations serving the town of Penicuik. The congregation, which was founded in 1782, is made up of around 400 members. We are a local congregation of the Church of Scotland. We are open and inclusive and welcome people of all ages to worship. At the local level of Penicuik North the court is a Kirk Session. Kirk sessions oversee the local congregation and its parish, and consist of elders presided over by a minister. Meetings of the Kirk Session and its Committees are held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month. The Kirk Session meets 6 times a year and the Committees meet 2 times a year. The Stated Annual Meeting of the congregation is held after worship on the last Sunday in March. OPEN DOOR CAFE --Currently closed until further notice The Open Door cafe has been unable to open since last March due to the restrictions in place with regard to Covid-19. The café offers to the community a welcoming venue for fellowship and refreshments so hopefully we will be able to provide this again when restrictions are lifted. (updated April 2021) QUIET ROOM Our Quiet Space is open alongside the Open Door Café and on Sundays. It provides space for quiet prayer and resources such as bibles, artwork and books of prayers and reflective readings which are themed to the seasons of the Christian year. ECO CHURCH During the past year the Eco-Team has started to work towards the Silver Eco-Congregation Scotland Award. As part of this Award the children of the Young Kirk have held a Fairtrade coffee morning, started to develop the garden area between the North Hall and Kitchen, continued to plant up the flower pots at the front of the Church and carried out litter picks. We have also achieved becoming a Fairtrade Church which was awarded to us in January. Due to this, Fairtrade table toppers are displayed on the tables in the Café and a sign is displayed outside the Church to inform people that we are a Fairtrade Church (when the Café is open/before lockdown). In February during Fairtrade Fortnight, we held a Fairtrade coffee morning which also included a Fairtrade food stall, a baking stall of items that had Fairtrade ingredients in them and a Fairtrade tombola stall. We raised approximately £150 for Fairtrade. This was part of our continued commitment as an accredited Fairtrade Church. We continue to advertise eco-ideas in the Order of Service intimations and the Church’s Facebook page. Activities planned for Young Kirk at home are often linked to environmental issues and the resources from Faith Action in Nature are used too (these are from Eco-Congregation Scotland). Lisa Conlan (Eco Team Co-ordinator) (updated April 2021) |
The Kirk Buildings
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FOODSTORE AT PNK/ NO KID GOES HUNGRY
Penicuik North Kirk, supported by other Penicuik area churches, has been active in the community of Penicuik, Roslin, Auchindinny, Howgate and associated areas in the support of our ‘families in need’ since 2013. Supported by other local churches in the Penicuik area, Penicuik North Kirk takes the lead in providing food and other necessary items for children and their families following a referral from the Children and Families Unit of Midlothian Social Work Department who are working with partners to alleviate child poverty in the county.
The year started brightly enough with the average of 4/5 families each week requiring support from Foodstore@PNK and the volunteers worked well together until the lockdown in March. At that time, as most of the volunteers were vulnerable in terms of age, Ali Turbitt, the Home School Practitioner at Strathesk Primary, along with some of her colleagues, undertook the arrangements of running this outreach ministry. Our support for families continued until Ali was reassigned by the school during the summer holidays. Eunice Astles and Bronwen Jackson took over - along with other new, younger volunteers until the year end. It was decided to ensure that normal work continued but that 30 families would receive a full Christmas hamper, enough for seven days along with all the Christmas goodies - resulting in 2268 meals being provided in mid-December - along with an appropriate voucher for Farmfoods so that the families could choose their own perishables.
The concept of tackling child poverty is still of paramount importance to us and that work will continue along with other agencies until there is no need.
We should all be so grateful that these volunteers stepped up to the mark to continue this vital work in our community - thanks to them all.
A huge thank you to everyone who has continued to support Foodstore during the current crisis. Donations to Jan Naylor 01968 673222 or 0774062181
Thanks once again Eunice
(updated (April 2021)
WHAT’S COOKING PROJECT
We started January 2020 with a new client base from Pentland House homeless unit through the Salvation Army chaplain who was very enthusiastic about our project. With her advice we decided to have a four-week course. We had three clients with one completing the whole four weeks. She was able to make enough food for her to share with her fellow residents and began cooking in the house.
We had planned another course on a similar basis with three clients lined up but had to cancel due the restrictions.
Thank you to my committed team of Marion Holgate, Anne Brown and Sadie Macintosh.
Chris Black
(updated April 2021)
MIDAID
The loose association of Midlothian Council, the Midlothian Business Gateway and Midlothian churches had been on hold until the autumn of 2020. Then the Council received two 16-year-old male asylum seekers, one from Sudan and the other from Eritrea. They have been housed in Penicuik and Midaid was asked to assist in making them welcome. A 'God incidence' (compared with a coincidence), meant that a lady who was emptying a friend's house in the town had many items of houseware to offer and these were used to part furnish a flat for the boys. In addition, Midaid used some funds to purchase a new TV for the flat and St James the Less rose to the occasion by providing a Christmas hamper and funds for English classes. Lastly Foodstore@PNK supplied enough food for the boys to fill their cupboards and will be happy to supply more as and when needed.
Midaid still exists although in much reduced form and can be called on when the need arises to support the Council as new refugees/asylum seekers arrive seeking safety and refuge.
Thanks are due to all those from the churches - and from no church - who support those from afar - who need our help.
Alan Naylor
(updated April 2021)
WORLD CHURCH
As a congregation we continue to support Christian Aid throughout the year. The year 2020 was as different year for Christian Aid, as for everyone, with no street collection, coffee mornings or joint churches lunch. Our church members were directed to the Christian Aid website and encouraged to make their conations there. While it is not possible to record what Penicuik North and Penicuik generally contributed, with some cheques sent to myself, a cheque for £520 was sent to CA.
We collected 32 shoes boxes for Blythswood Care to support their work in Eastern Europe and we are still collecting stamps which will in due course support an appropriate cause.
(updated April 2021)
PENICUIK CHURCHES SHOPPING SERVICE
The shopping service exists to assist those people in the community who are unable to do their shopping or are unable to carry heavy items from the shops.
About twelve friends from all churches in Penicuik help with this service. We are at present visiting six of our neighbours in the community to help them with their shopping.
The service aims to provide the help which would normally be available from a family member or a neighbour. We normally will telephone in the early part of the week and when required, pick up a list of shopping requirements and arrange to collect this and deliver as required. Our helpers work on a rota basis, some weekly, some intermittent and some monthly.
Our helpers have established a close relationship with their clients and we leave the help and service they provide to the discretion of each helper.
(updated April 2021)
Penicuik North Kirk, supported by other Penicuik area churches, has been active in the community of Penicuik, Roslin, Auchindinny, Howgate and associated areas in the support of our ‘families in need’ since 2013. Supported by other local churches in the Penicuik area, Penicuik North Kirk takes the lead in providing food and other necessary items for children and their families following a referral from the Children and Families Unit of Midlothian Social Work Department who are working with partners to alleviate child poverty in the county.
The year started brightly enough with the average of 4/5 families each week requiring support from Foodstore@PNK and the volunteers worked well together until the lockdown in March. At that time, as most of the volunteers were vulnerable in terms of age, Ali Turbitt, the Home School Practitioner at Strathesk Primary, along with some of her colleagues, undertook the arrangements of running this outreach ministry. Our support for families continued until Ali was reassigned by the school during the summer holidays. Eunice Astles and Bronwen Jackson took over - along with other new, younger volunteers until the year end. It was decided to ensure that normal work continued but that 30 families would receive a full Christmas hamper, enough for seven days along with all the Christmas goodies - resulting in 2268 meals being provided in mid-December - along with an appropriate voucher for Farmfoods so that the families could choose their own perishables.
The concept of tackling child poverty is still of paramount importance to us and that work will continue along with other agencies until there is no need.
We should all be so grateful that these volunteers stepped up to the mark to continue this vital work in our community - thanks to them all.
A huge thank you to everyone who has continued to support Foodstore during the current crisis. Donations to Jan Naylor 01968 673222 or 0774062181
Thanks once again Eunice
(updated (April 2021)
WHAT’S COOKING PROJECT
We started January 2020 with a new client base from Pentland House homeless unit through the Salvation Army chaplain who was very enthusiastic about our project. With her advice we decided to have a four-week course. We had three clients with one completing the whole four weeks. She was able to make enough food for her to share with her fellow residents and began cooking in the house.
We had planned another course on a similar basis with three clients lined up but had to cancel due the restrictions.
Thank you to my committed team of Marion Holgate, Anne Brown and Sadie Macintosh.
Chris Black
(updated April 2021)
MIDAID
The loose association of Midlothian Council, the Midlothian Business Gateway and Midlothian churches had been on hold until the autumn of 2020. Then the Council received two 16-year-old male asylum seekers, one from Sudan and the other from Eritrea. They have been housed in Penicuik and Midaid was asked to assist in making them welcome. A 'God incidence' (compared with a coincidence), meant that a lady who was emptying a friend's house in the town had many items of houseware to offer and these were used to part furnish a flat for the boys. In addition, Midaid used some funds to purchase a new TV for the flat and St James the Less rose to the occasion by providing a Christmas hamper and funds for English classes. Lastly Foodstore@PNK supplied enough food for the boys to fill their cupboards and will be happy to supply more as and when needed.
Midaid still exists although in much reduced form and can be called on when the need arises to support the Council as new refugees/asylum seekers arrive seeking safety and refuge.
Thanks are due to all those from the churches - and from no church - who support those from afar - who need our help.
Alan Naylor
(updated April 2021)
WORLD CHURCH
As a congregation we continue to support Christian Aid throughout the year. The year 2020 was as different year for Christian Aid, as for everyone, with no street collection, coffee mornings or joint churches lunch. Our church members were directed to the Christian Aid website and encouraged to make their conations there. While it is not possible to record what Penicuik North and Penicuik generally contributed, with some cheques sent to myself, a cheque for £520 was sent to CA.
We collected 32 shoes boxes for Blythswood Care to support their work in Eastern Europe and we are still collecting stamps which will in due course support an appropriate cause.
(updated April 2021)
PENICUIK CHURCHES SHOPPING SERVICE
The shopping service exists to assist those people in the community who are unable to do their shopping or are unable to carry heavy items from the shops.
About twelve friends from all churches in Penicuik help with this service. We are at present visiting six of our neighbours in the community to help them with their shopping.
The service aims to provide the help which would normally be available from a family member or a neighbour. We normally will telephone in the early part of the week and when required, pick up a list of shopping requirements and arrange to collect this and deliver as required. Our helpers work on a rota basis, some weekly, some intermittent and some monthly.
Our helpers have established a close relationship with their clients and we leave the help and service they provide to the discretion of each helper.
(updated April 2021)