Inverleith St Serf's Church

17/06/2026

Wednesday Reflection
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father,

On Sunday, in Psalm 57, we read of challenging times in the life of the Psalm writer and heard of challenging times in lives today. We sang hymns that spoke of deep distress and calling to God, of listening for the God of Creation and resting under the shelter of His wings.
In 2024, in our summer reflections that year on hymns selected by members of our congregation, this hymn was chosen and resonated with many then, as it does now.

A hymn (CH4 no. 464) written by John L. Bell

Though hope desert my heart, though strangeness fill my soul,
though truth torment my troubled mind, you have been here before.

Though confidence run dry, though weary flesh be sore,
though conversation bear no fruit, you have been here before.

There is no threatening place, no trial I could know
which has not known your presence first: you have been here before.

In Christ who, on the cross, felt all our hurt and more,
and cried in deep abandonment, you have been here before.

I will not dread the dark, the fate beyond control,
nor fear what reigns in frightening times: you will be there before.

© WRRG c/o Iona Community (Admin by Wild Goose Resource Group, CCLI 189164)

And so we were able to sing with gusto at the end of our service,
“Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father, there is no shadow of turning with thee.”

10/06/2026

Wednesday Reflection

Christ is made the sure foundation

In our worship this week in Exodus we read of the setting up of the tabernacle of God as the people of Israel escaped from captivity in Egypt and how much they donated towards their place of worship, especially the making of a wonderful 7 branched lamp stand that was to give light to the whole place.
As we know, they reached a place of safety after many years of wandering and in time a permanent stone temple was built in Jerusalem. This was the focus of their identity and their spiritual home.
But as we went on to read in Jeremiah, they were invaded, the temple was destroyed and all the precious items were taken away as plunder and most of the people were taken away into a foreign land, back into captivity. Everything gone.

This total overwhelming happens as the stability and the status quo on which we base our lives gets shaken and broken. It happens in so many different ways and by many different forces.
It happens to nations, to communities, to families and individuals as what seemed so permanent is destroyed by change and forces we cannot control.

Our final hymn, written in 1899 by Robert Bridges based on a hymn written around 1680 in German by Joachim Neander has these verses:

All my hope on God is founded, all my trust he will renew;
safe through change and chance he guides me, only good and only true.
God unknown, he alone calls my heart to be his own.

Human pride and earthly glory, sword and crown betray God’s trust;
though with care and toil we build them, tower and temple fall to dust.
But God’s power, hour by hour, is my temple and my tower.

God’s great goodness lasts for ever, deep his wisdom passing thought:
splendour, light, and life attend him, beauty springing out of naught.
Evermore, from his store new-born worlds rise and adore.

03/06/2026

Wednesday Reflection
Let there be light.

Sunday was Trinity Sunday when we think about God, three persons in one; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Artists throughout the ages since this idea developed have painted representations, religious writers have looked for ways of explaining this in words, and hymn writers have used poetry in song to paint word pictures for our understanding of something which is bigger than our minds can visualise.
One of our hymns was 111 in CH4 with these words:-

God, whose almighty word chaos and darkness heard, and took their flight; let there be light.

Saviour, who came to bring healing and sight, health to the sick in mind, sight to the inly blind, now to all humankind let there be light.

Spirit of truth and love, life-giving, holy dove, speed forth your flight; and in earth’s darkest place let there be light.

The hand of God encircles us:
God of our beginnings holding us firm

The feet of Christ walk before us:
God of our journeying showing us the way

The wings of the Spirit lift us up
God who is our company, our energy, our joy.

( Words written by Dorothy McRae-McMahon, DMM's book, Liturgies for the Journey of Life, published by SPCK in 2000)

29/05/2026

Next Saturday 6th we are having a plant sale and coffee morning.
Tea room tickets by donation.
Entry is at the Church Centre door on Clark Road.

27/05/2026

Wednesday Reflection

The Birth-day of the Church; Acts ch 2 vs 1 - 17

On this special Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, we celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples after Jesus left them to ascend into heaven.
The disciples whose lives were already turned upside down by all that had happened in the last month or so.
And now their lives were completely changed, as they were filled with the Holy Spirit, went out to the world and the Church on earth really began.
What marks us out as disciples in whom the Holy Spirit works?
What binds us together as one body, each of us with our different gifts?

I Corinthians ch.13 tells us that gifts alone are not enough.
“I may have all sorts of gifts; prophecy, and knowledge, faith to do marvelous things, give all I have away, but if I have no love then I am none the better”

A prayer from the Early Birds Service for Pentecost
as the children lit candles on a birthday cake for the Church’s birthday.
God of all, you sent your Spirit
to be with the disciples,
filling them with joy, peace and courage.
May we also be filled with your Spirit,
be brave and share your love in our world.

As the burning candles on a birthday cake remind us, we are each distinct but, with the Holy Spirit lighting each of us, we become a celebration of God at work in the world.

Our sung blessing.
Spirit of God, unseen as the wind,
gentle as is the dove.
Teach us the truth and help us believe,
show us the Saviour’s love.

20/05/2026

This is the YouTube link to the evening talk last Sunday from Urzula Glienecke about the role of women in the Church.

https://youtu.be/rhg-PntiBUQ

Subtitles can be found by tapping on the picture then tapping the key at the top with cc on it.

Nyd de videoer og den musik, du holder af, upload originalt indhold, og del det hele med venner, familie og verden på YouTube.

20/05/2026

Wednesday Reflection

What is the church and what is it for?

This week we discussed this question with each other; appropriate on this Sunday when we think again about the beginnings of the church; appropriate on this Sunday when we remember the Ascension of Christ and the disciples who were about to see Jesus leave for the second time in a few weeks; the sorrow at his death, the amazement and growing joy at his resurrection and now he was going back to his father in heaven.
This time though it was different, they would not be alone.
Jesus told them
“ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will bear witness for me in Jerusalem, and all over Judaea and Samaria, and away to the ends of the earth.”

They would have Power to fuel the Plan for the future. A plan to start close at home, then further out into the areas around and then on into the whole world.

As hymn 522 in CH4 puts it, ‘The church is wherever God’s people are praising, knowing they’re wanted and loved by their Lord. The church is wherever Christ’s followers are trying to live and to share out the good news of God.’

13/05/2026

Wednesday Reflection

Creation spreads its springtime bloom; Life bursts like flame from death’s cold tomb.

Words in a verse of an Easter hymn (420 in CH4) we started our service with last Sunday.
A few weeks ago at the start of Lent we spoke of the ‘little springtimes’ of our lives, those moments that light up our path and help us to see God more clearly; the moments that give us courage to continue on the journey set before us.
So easy to look down at our feet, looking for the pot holes and stumbling places and not lift our eyes to see the view in front of us.

Then this hymn reminds us that at Easter we celebrate the biggest springtime of all, Christ’s resurrection. New life bursting out and changing everything.

12/05/2026

A reminder about this concert which we are hosting on Friday

07/05/2026

A reminder about the Coffee House on Friday with all proceeds going to Christian Aid