October

Wonderfully Made

Extraordinary Birds: The Swift

Over the skies of Edinburgh from May to August a most unusual bird is decreasingly seen. Where formerly the sky was crowded with these aerial acrobats, few swifts are now seen. Squadrons of them used to hurtle around inside the rectangles formed by the Marchmont tenements - a thrilling sight. It is a tragedy that they are not so commonly seen or known now.

The Common or European Swift is one of several types of swift found throughout the world - European, American, African and Asian. It is very different from the swallows and the martins.

It spends almost its entire life on the wing, flying day and night for months or even years. It stops flying only when it has found a place to nest. It is the fastest of all birds in level flight with speeds close to, and even exceeding, 100 mph (c.170 kph). It takes its food, mainly insects, while in flight. Water is taken on the wing as rain or picked up from lakes or rivers. It sleeps on the wing, flying high at sunset and riding the air currents during the night.

Weighing 1 1/2 ounces (40-50 gms) it has a longer life-expectancy than our song-birds which may live no more than two years. It may survive between five and six years. A swift found dying in Oxford in 1964 had on its leg a ring which had been placed there sixteen years before when its was already an adult, making it around eighteen years old. Since, most of the year, the swifts are in Southern Africa where they migrate, it has been calculated that that swift had flown about four million miles - a distance equivalent to eight times to the moon and back.

Nests are usually found under the eaves of high buildings. They are not elaborate, often a shallow bowl with the rim consisting of hay, seeds, feathers, bus tickets and bits of paper that have been caught in the air. The young mature in the nest and flex their wings beside it, but they must fly perfectly from the time they first take to the air. They also have to feed themselves and leave almost immediately on the journey to Africa even before their parents.

One type of South American swift selects cliffs behind waterfalls where it roosts and lays its eggs. The Iguazu Falls, near where Brazil, the Argentine and Paraguay meet, form a horseshoe of raging water four times the span of the Niagara Falls and nearly 300 feet high. The main channel spills into a gorge called the Devil’s Throat over which a cloud of spray rises into the air. Behind the wall of water the swifts nest and rear their young. To reach the cliff face and feed their young they dive down the falling water, through the spray, and when their speed matches that of the falling water, they dart through and cling to the soaking rocks behind. The young swift, plunging from its nest on the cliff face and taking its first flight, has only one chance of breaking through an almost solid wall of water to reach the world beyond - a make or break flight.




		Assistant Minister's Update October has been an exciting month. There is a lot of activity around the church. We have a new website thus connecting the congregation with the World Wide Web. The hall is being repainted in our ongoing effort to refurbish the church building. Even more exciting is the arrival of new people to the congregation; new students from the Universities and colleges in Edinburgh; new people attending the Christianity Explored course and new and regular visitors to our Sunday services. We have much to be thankful for at Buccleuch but with blessings come responsibilities. We must make every effort to make people feel welcomed when they visit our church. Do you make the effort to greet new people and speak with them? The importance of a warm welcome and caring concern can not be over-estimated. Do you use the resources that God has given you well and generously? Hospitality is a ministry that can be exercised by every Christian. We also have a responsibility to take seriously our commitment to sharing the good news of Jesus. Do you take advantage of our regular guest services (next service Sunday 2 November, 6.30pm) to invite your friends along to the service? Do you invite people to come to the Christianity Explored meeting on Thursday nights? Do you get involved in the life of the congregation? Recently the young people in the Youth Fellowship were encouraged to become involved - I would like to extend this invitation to everyone in Buccleuch. Get involved in serving God within this congregation! Help to paint the hall, help to serve the student lunch, visit the homeless, visit the elderly, or be a host family to a hungry student. This goes on and is as varied as the gifts and talents within the congregation. Finally, if you are reading this newsletter for the first time can I welcome you to Buccleuch. If there is anything that you would like to talk about or if you would like a visit from someone in the church, please contact Alex or myself or any of our elders. You are most welcome and I pray that you would both enjoy and benefit from your time with us. Bob Akroyd



		News Bereavements We mourn the death of Rev Murdo Macleod (Leverburgh). Murdo Bayble was well known and well loved in his native Lewis, in Harris and Applecross where he ministered and throughout the Free Church. A fuller appreciation will soon appear in the Monthly Record but it is worth mentioning here that many lives were touched and enriched by Murdo. His Christian witness was warm and engaging. Everyone who knew Murdo has a favourite and often hilarious memory of him. Those who attended a recent Spring Conference will remember Murdo being given 10 minutes to give his testimony, to which he replied, “I can’t even introduce myself in ten minutes!” He proceeded to speak for 30 minutes! Murdo battled long with cancer and is now with the Lord which is better by far. We remember his wife Christine, his daughter Catherine and his sister Donna in our prayers asking that God would support them in this time of sadness. To all who mourn, remember “the Eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms.” (Deuteronomy 33:27) We also are saddened by the death of Iain MacDonald. Iain was also from Bayble, Point and was good friends with Murdo – they encouraged each other throughout their illnesses. Iain came to Edinburgh last winter for treatment at the Old Royal. Iain came to know the Lord as a result of a series of evangelistic meetings in Point at which our own minister Alex was preaching. Throughout his illness his bright Christian faith was a witness to everyone who knew him. We remember his wife Alice and their children, Andrew and Joanne at this sad time. During this last year, it was a joy to meet and get to know Iain and I count it a great privilege to number Iain as a dear friend. I include the text of an e-mail that Iain sent me in March 2003 - Bob : Hi Bob At last am getting round to replying to your e-mail, I hope you like a wee poem I was given the other day. The Weaver My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me I cannot choose the colours He works so steadily. Oft' times He weaves in sorrow, and I, in foolish pride forget He sees the upper and I, the underside The dark threads are as needed in the weaver's skilful hand, as the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned. Not till the loom is silent and shuttle cease to fly will God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why. Recovering at Home We continue to remember in prayer Andrew Mackay (Margaret Mackay’s Grandson, cousin of John and Fiona) who waits at home for a further operation. Pray that he would be able to have this operation soon and that his recovery would be complete. Prayer Please remember Bob Cowie, Dalgety Bay in your prayers. Bob is a member of the Kirkcaldy congregation and is currently receiving treatment for cancer. Please pray for Bob's wife Marilyn and their sons Ross and Neil. In Hospital We remember Mrs MacAskill who is currently in the Western General hospital. We remember her and her family (sons Kenneth & Iain, daughters Lexie and Anna) in our prayers and hope that she can soon return to her home. Congratulations We congratulate Principal Clement Graham who has been sixty years in the ministry on 3 November. We also look forward to his ministry at Buccleuch for our November Communion. He will preach at the pre-communion service on Saturday November 15th at 7.30pm and also at the communion service on Sunday 16th November at 11am. We congratulate our own Rev Fergus Macdonald on the honour of being nominated to be the Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland Assembly which is scheduled to meet in May 2004. This is the second time that he has been honoured in this way; he was also moderator in 1987. We wish him every blessing and encouragement in the year to come. New Arrival On Tuesday, September 30 at five to midnight Esther Marianne Lopez (weighing 8 pounds 7 ounces) was born. Antonio and Catriona are very proud (and tired) parents. We wish them every blessing and joy in their new family.



		Buccleuch Church Weekend Away It is planned to have a weekend away for everyone in Buccleuch. It would be great if as many people as possible were able to come - young and old. The venue and date are yet to be decided; February is the likely date. If you have any suggestions for topics/speakers, or any ideas for activities/entertainment, please see the poster in the hall, or speak to Fergus MacDonald, Donald MacKay or Norma MacLean by 25th October. More details will follow…



		.Youth Fellowship We would like to thank everyone from the congregation who contributed to the student lunch. It was a great success, the food was delicious and there were about 40 people there! Well, we’ve had 3 YF meetings this term already and all have gone really well. I should really take this opportunity to introduce the new committee: We are Alison MacDonald (President), Ruth MacLeod (Secretary), Alasdair Black (Social Secretary), Allison Walker (Caterer) and Johnnie MacLeod (Treasurer). We would appreciate prayer for this year because the YF is a great responsibility, but also a privilege. All young people are invited. We encourage you to come and meet with others to talk about important issues that face us as young people, and especially as followers of Christ. Thanks for all the congregations support and for our speakers. Alison MacDonald



		"When You Go Will You Send Back a Lettur From America ..." I took the liberty of e-mailing John MacKay to quiz him about his experiences. Admittedly, my questions aren’t the best. Sorry. I’m not yet journalist material… How's the course/teaching? It's going well thanks, working hard but learning lots. The teaching is fun though apart from the grading (marking). Are you getting good weather? Mostly, when it rains it pours but it's dry and quite cool just now. Sort of like nice Edinburgh weather. Sun tan? Not noticeably. How's your church? I'm down to deciding between two, both good churches. Do you have a good YF style group? GCF (Graduate Christian fellowship) isn't like a YF (and doesn't claim to be) but it's a good thing to have when you're settling down into a church. What's the most embarrassing thing that's happened to you while you've been there? I couldn't possibly say What do you miss most about home? Apart from friends and family, Minstrels. (I've found Weetabix) Bought any stupid American tat yet? Pretzels. what's the point? Have you picked up an accent? No, but I've picked up strange words (see 'grading' above) Have you tried skateboarding again? For the good of everyone concerned I'm holding off on another attempt :-) Anyone who’d like to quiz John for themselves can contact him on john_m_mackay@hotmail.com



		Noticeboard Late Night We have restarted the Late Night Bible study on Thursday evenings to study the Gospel of John. The study is co-led by Bob Akroyd and Bob Gould the Anglican Chaplain to the university. Everyone is invited to attend this meeting which begins at 9.30pm with pizza and concludes at 11pm. Student Lunch Young people (and not so young people) mark your calendars, Friday afternoons 1pm – Free food at Buccleuch! We have restarted our weekly student lunch. Please come along and bring your friends! Prayer Breakfasts We continue to meet weekly at 9am on Saturday mornings for prayer, food and fellowship. Thanks to all who have made these breakfasts possible and thanks to all who attend. If you haven’t been able come, please stop by one Saturday morning to enjoy this special time of fellowship and prayer together. Guest Service – Encounters with Jesus in Luke’s Gospel Our next guest service is on November 2nd at 6.30pm when Bob will be preaching on A Funeral Cancelled from Luke 7:11 - 17. Take this opportunity to invite your friends to church to hear the Good News about Jesus Christ and pray that God would use this occasion to challenge and convert those who attend. Home Bible Study The next home Bible study will be on Wednesday, 12 November. We will continue our study on the Holy Sprit looking at “The Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus.” Please look out for the study sheet listing the subject and venues nearer to the time. Christianity Explored On Thursday nights from 6.30 – 8.30 we are meeting in the hall for the 10-week course of Christianity Explored. Everyone is very warmly invited to attend this meeting which begins with a meal and is followed by a talk and a discussion. The subject of the course is looking at Jesus through Mark’s gospel. So come along and bring a friend! Communion We celebrate the Lord’s Supper on Sunday 16 November. There are pre communion services on Friday 14th November and Saturday 15th November at 7.30pm. The services on Sunday are at their usual times of 11 and 6.30 and the evening service is a joint service for all three Edinburgh congregations. If you are interested in joining the congregation by professing faith in Jesus Christ or by transferring your membership from another congregation, the session would be delighted to meet with you on Friday or Saturday evening after the services. Session Meeting The Kirk Session next meets on Tuesday 11th November at 7.30pm at the Manse. OM Prayer Meeting Like to impact the world while sitting in a comfy armchair on a Sunday afternoon? Then go along to the Edinburgh OM prayer meeting! On the third Sunday of every month, a small group of Christians from a variety of city churches meet in the home of Adrian and Val Todd (10 Pentland Crescent) from 3.30pm-5.30pm. There is an informal time of prayer for the work of OM on a global level followed by a cup of tea. Go on - this will do more to refresh and energise you than a Sunday afternoon snooze ever would!!! For more details, see Catriona Macdonald. 'Muslims - A Christian Response' OM is running a one day conference in six UK venues to enable Christians to discover more about the Muslim world and the challenges in today's workplace, universities and local communities. This is a great opportunity to hear inspiring stories and personal testimonies, get your questions answered, buy recommended books and find out more about subjects such as fundamentalism, immigrants and issues Muslim women face. The conference tour kicks off in Glasgow on Saturday 25th October from 10.00am to 5.00pm. If you're interested in attending, please register (there is a £5 registration fee) using one of the brochures in the church hall or log on to www.uk.om.org. Catriona Macdonald also has more information. Coffee Morning There is a coffee morning on Saturday November from 10.30 – 12 to raise funds for the refurbishment of the church hall. Donations of baking and crafts would be most welcome. For more information, contact Mary Campbell, Moira Mackay or Mairi Forsyth.Guest Speaker at St Columba’s Wednesday 12th November - Rev Levente Horvath from Hungary will be speaking in St Columba's. This meeting is being arranged by EEFC.



		The Big Free Youth Rally On Saturday 11th October the Big Free Rally invaded Culloden Academy for the 7th year running. It was an excellent day with good talks from John Ross (Greyfriars, Inverness) and Neil Macmillan (Kirkcaldy). The whole day was seamlessly fronted by Catherine Morrison and Roddy MacKay. We had Martha Forbes and her motley crew of musicians leading the singing and they did a wonderful job of it. We heard music from a “band” called Fly and had two mind blowing sketches from the legendary Dramalakites. It was a good chance for campers and leaders from summer to meet up again and say “what’s the crack?” a lot. All the efforts of all the musicians, speakers, everyone involved were very much appreciated and helped make the day. Thank you also to all the campers and kids who came along and hope you enjoyed the day. For a more detailed, less biased report see the next issue of Free!



		E-mail directory/Congregational Directory The new congregational directory is being prepared for publication. If you are not currently in the directory and would like to be included, or if you are included in the directory and would like to be omitted please let Bob know. If your address/phone number has changed or if you would like your e-mail address listed in our new directory, please contact Bob Akroyd by phone or by e-mail: bobandheather@talk21.com. This year we are including an extra column for mobile phone numbers so if you want this number included let Bob know.



		Wonderfully Made Extraordinary Birds: The Swift Over the skies of Edinburgh from May to August a most unusual bird is decreasingly seen. Where formerly the sky was crowded with these aerial acrobats, few swifts are now seen. Squadrons of them used to hurtle around inside the rectangles formed by the Marchmont tenements - a thrilling sight. It is a tragedy that they are not so commonly seen or known now. The Common or European Swift is one of several types of swift found throughout the world - European, American, African and Asian. It is very different from the swallows and the martins. It spends almost its entire life on the wing, flying day and night for months or even years. It stops flying only when it has found a place to nest. It is the fastest of all birds in level flight with speeds close to, and even exceeding, 100 mph (c.170 kph). It takes its food, mainly insects, while in flight. Water is taken on the wing as rain or picked up from lakes or rivers. It sleeps on the wing, flying high at sunset and riding the air currents during the night. Weighing 1 1/2 ounces (40-50 gms) it has a longer life-expectancy than our song-birds which may live no more than two years. It may survive between five and six years. A swift found dying in Oxford in 1964 had on its leg a ring which had been placed there sixteen years before when its was already an adult, making it around eighteen years old. Since, most of the year, the swifts are in Southern Africa where they migrate, it has been calculated that that swift had flown about four million miles - a distance equivalent to eight times to the moon and back. Nests are usually found under the eaves of high buildings. They are not elaborate, often a shallow bowl with the rim consisting of hay, seeds, feathers, bus tickets and bits of paper that have been caught in the air. The young mature in the nest and flex their wings beside it, but they must fly perfectly from the time they first take to the air. They also have to feed themselves and leave almost immediately on the journey to Africa even before their parents. One type of South American swift selects cliffs behind waterfalls where it roosts and lays its eggs. The Iguazu Falls, near where Brazil, the Argentine and Paraguay meet, form a horseshoe of raging water four times the span of the Niagara Falls and nearly 300 feet high. The main channel spills into a gorge called the Devil’s Throat over which a cloud of spray rises into the air. Behind the wall of water the swifts nest and rear their young. To reach the cliff face and feed their young they dive down the falling water, through the spray, and when their speed matches that of the falling water, they dart through and cling to the soaking rocks behind. The young swift, plunging from its nest on the cliff face and taking its first flight, has only one chance of breaking through an almost solid wall of water to reach the world beyond - a make or break flight.



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