Each month St James' produces a magazine for the Congregation called HouseCall. A selection of articles will appear here each month.

Annual Christmas Fayre

Saturday 29th November 2007, Time : 11am-2pm Venue – Church Halls

Time again for everyone (and beyond) to enjoy the annual Christmas Fayre. This is the last of the big fund raising efforts for the year so we do hope that you can come along. We have a Snowman theme to the fayre this year so pop along and see what goodies are on offer. There will be Homemade Soup, toasties and filled rolls on sale so it is the ideal place to come for some lunch before you browse the stalls. If you can, bring some friends along to enjoy some great St James’ hospitality.

Our annual Advent Studies return at the end of the month

Come and join us (The All Age Learning Group) in our Advent celebrations in the Holdsworth Room, for coffee/tea and friendship at an informal get together on the Wednesdays nights at 7.30pm. Transport can be provided .

Come and explore with us the meaning of Christmas in our modem society. Discussions are topical and all views are welcome.

Subjects will be:- 26th November – Waiting, 3 rd December – The Second Coming, 10th December – The Credit Crunch, 17th December – Christmas Music Night

For further information contact Ian Hamilton or any member of All Age the Learning Group. As the meetings are stand-alone discussions, all are welcome to attend at any time.

We meet each Sunday in the school term at 11am.

Junior Church is Christian education for all children in a friendly and caring environment with a wide range of activities. If you know of any families who would be interested, then please deliver a postcard to them, they are available at the back of the Church.

All children are welcome. Sunday School is for Children from age 3 with Breakfast Club the group for the older children. Crèche is run for children from 0 to 3.

The Junior Church has now started on the presentation for Christmas with the aim as always to have fun and try to better the previous year’s performance – not an easy task !

Christmas Choir

It’s that time of year again when we are looking for those who long to sing. One of the highlights each year at St James’ is the Christmas Choir and we are hoping that this will be no exception

If you are interested in putting your vocal chords to good use then you would be most welcome to play your part in the Choir who will be performing at the Service on 21st December

If you are interested please give your name and number to Joyce Peacock. Rehearsals will be after the service each Sunday in the run up to the 21st

DIY Group

Can you help ?

Plenty of work planned for the rest of 2008 Church Work · Painting radiators, the flower room and woodwork at windows · Painting steelwork and walls in the boiler room · Sealing south gallery windows Hall Work · Car park gates – runner required for gate bolts · Extend slabs in the car park Manse · Garage window frames to be painted The DIY Group would appreciate assistance – Could you help ? Please contact Ella Lynch on 669-5946

A New Build

Government Funding Opens Up Opportunity

It's not often ministers admit to preaching garbage. However, Rev. Christopher Rowe does such a thing when he speaks of his vision for a new church building in Milton made entirely out of recycled products. Colston Milton Parish Church sold their church building, their church hall where they currently worship has an astronomical heating bill and the local community centre is set to close and be replaced by a much smaller model. There is a need for a new facility, which can be shared by all local people. Last month, the Scottish Climate Challenge Fund awarded them £42,809 to carry out a feasibility study investigating the construction and maintenance of an ecologically and economically sustainable building for the benefit of the people of Milton. Christopher explained how a whole variety of materials could be used to make a community facility which would include a worship area: "There are loads of things which could be used for this project, old drinks cans, earth, wood, old car tyres, rubble from demolished buildings, car windscreens, the list goes on and on. Community involvement in the project will be crucial, as he continued: "We want the money we raise to go to build, not just a building, but the local community. "By using simple construction methods we hope that local people will actually build the building themselves. It will be built by them, and owned by them, and used by them. "It would be a church built by the community, for the community. It would be fully sustainable, and designed in such a way to be ecologically sound. "Rev. Ian Galloway, convener of the Kirk's Church and Society Council, praised the church's plans: "This is a great example of a congregation being a catalyst for change in the community they serve. "It also shows very clearly how a new building can contribute significantly to carbon reduction when we step back from the throwaway society and see everything as having potential to be useful, even what we might have once called rubbish."

St James’ Art Group

The 6th St James Annual Art Exhibition takes place from Monday 20th to Thursday 30th October at the Portobello Library. If you can, please go alond and enjoy the displays. The St James Art Group itself meets from at 10am until Noon. Anyone wishing to join the group or just enjoys messing about with paint will be made most welcome. If you would like more information, contact Evi Carmichael.

St James Got Talent !

We want offer all congregation members the chance to show what you are capable of with your talents. Not just singing and dancing but anything ! There has been a good response to the St James’ Got Talent appeal but there is still time for you to do something to help. The deal is simple – we inviting you to accept £20 from the Church and using your talents to make it grow. There is a board in the halls where you can advertise the events, Housecall and the Order of Service can also be used. The Halls are available free of charge but check dates and times with Jennifer on 669 1382. There will be a stall available most Sundays (not 1st Sun of month) where you can sell items. This began on Sun 22nd June and it is scheduled to run until 26th October but don’t worry if you want a little more time. Your £20 can be collected from the Treasurer Colin on Sundays or contact him on 669 7222 or contact Peter on 669 1767 for any queries. You could do any of the above or you may have other talents. You might want to do it with a few friends working together. Feel free to involve those at work or friends and relations.

Date for your Diary

Advance notice of the Christmas FayreThe Annual Christmas Fayre of St James’ will take place on Saturday 29th November. This is one of the major fund raising events of the year and is always a fun occasion.If you have any ideas on new stalls or new activities for the fair, please contact any member of the Fund Raising Committee.Last year they successfully introduced a theme to the event and the aim - to make the fayre more children and family orientated - was achieved