News Page
Friday 25 November
P
lanning
has now begun for the Dundee Nativity 2011, on
the evening when Dundee's Christmas Lights are switched on. The
nativity, for the second year running, is part of the contribution by
the city's churches to the programme for Christmas Light Night.
The Nativity Steering Group has agreed a new venue with the council's City Development Department, namely the paved area between the west end of the Overgate Centre and the Steeple Church. This means we will not be competing for space with other events taking place that evening, which will make our setting up and clearing away more straightforward, and will give us ample grass areas for penning the animal members of our cast where children can see them better. We will also be able to have a full sound and light check earlier in the day to prevent the kind of problems we had with this last year.
We are delighted to have the cooperation and support of City Development, the Overgate Centre and the Steeple Church for the use of this exciting venue. Our intention is to stage the Dundee Nativity between 7.15 and 7.45 pm, which allows a quarter of an hour for the audience to move from the lights switch-on in City Square to see the play.
It's wonderful that the music will be led again this year by our Nigerian friends from the Open Heavens Christian Centre, who will form the nucleus of our inter-church choir.
M
eadowside
St Paul's Church's congregational board are again
very generously allowing us to use their church hall as a rehearsal
venue, and also for changing rooms on the night of the performance.
Rehearsals are due to begin on Friday 16 September, 7-9 pm, and
weekly on Friday evenings thereafter.
We are also exploring the possibility of staging the Dundee Nativity for a second night in St Andrews, in response to a tentative enquiry received from there.
For further details about the Dundee Nativity 2011 or to offer your participation and support, contact:
Allan Webster, Dundee's workplace chaplain, on 01382 458764 or allan.webster@wpcscotland.co.uk
P.S.
A group of Christians in Edinburgh have been so inspired by the example of The Dundee Nativity that there are planning to organise one in Edinburgh. It's great to see Dundee leading the way!
Edinburgh Nativity -: Paul Wilson, Central Scotland Area Organiser writes:
The City of Edinburgh Council has agreed to go ahead with the Nativity Play. The venue will be in the centre of Edinburgh and likely to be in 1st week of December. A Steering Committee of city centre churches' personnel are involved. It is now a question of planning with the City of Edinburgh Council and their marketing agencies as well as production through Cutting Edge Productions.
James Stewart, Edinburgh West Chaplain writes :
In
2010 Lothian and Borders Police based at Edinburgh Airport
organised a series of days where representatives of the various
religious groups and faiths would be available in the departure
lounge, along with materials they felt appropriate. The idea was that
the travelling public would see the diversity of Edinburgh faith, and
although some folk did stop to chat, I think it was more important
that the various groups were seen to be happily chatting and joking
among themselves. For instance, myself with my dog-collar laughing
raucously with a Muslim woman in her hijab, from the group Beyond the
Veil. From those days came a link, or at least an awareness and
appreciation, between myself and the various faith communities.
So
it happened that when the new BahaĦ'i Centre was to be officially
opened, I was invited along to take part in the evening. The
wonderful Georgian townhouse at 44 Albany Street has been purchased
and renovated to provide worship, social and reception spaces, and it
is a joy to see such a house restored and used with such grace.
The guests came from the wider BahaĦ'i community here in Scotland and
from England, other worthies of the faith traditions here, and
general "friends" of the community, and we were treated to
a warm welcome. This included a harp and drink reception, an
official welcome, a brief history of the visit BahaĦ'u'llaĦh's son,
Abdu'l-BahaĦ made to Edinburgh in the early years of the 20th century
at the invitation of the wife of the Secretary of the General
Assembly of the Church of Scotland, some prayers of BahaĦ'u'llah
translated into Gaelic and sung to accompaniment, wonderful hors
d'oeuvres, and an official opening by a representative of the guiding
council of UK BahaĦ'is.
Established
about a century and a half ago by BahaĦ'u'llaĦh (The Splendour of
God), the BahaĦ'i faith is the youngest of the world religions. BahaĦ'u'llaĦh claimed to be nothing less than a new and
independent Messenger from God. His life, work, and influence
parallel that of Abraham, Krishna, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Christ,
and Muhammad. BahaĦ'as view BahaĦ'u'llaĦh as the most recent
in this succession of divine Messengers. The essential message
of BahaĦ'u'llaĦh is that of unity. He taught that there is only
one God, that there is only one human race, and that all the world's
religions represent stages in the revelation of God's will and
purpose for humanity. In this day, BahaĦ'u'llaĦh said, humanity
has collectively come of age. As foretold in all of the world's
scriptures, the time has arrived for the uniting of all peoples into
a peaceful and integrated global society. The earth is but one
country and mankind its citizens, He wrote.
Although
we differ on doctrine, we Christians have much to learn from our
BahaĦ'i brothers and sisters, and we have much we can share and
support one another in. This opening night was a great new
beginning for that community here in Edinburgh, and I pray that our
partnership may flourish in holding out the good things of God to a
world in need.
Gordon Armstrong, West of Scotland Area Organiser writes about developments at Braehead Shopping Centre, Kings Inch Road, Glasgow:
Work Place Chaplaincy Scotland has been warmly received by the Retailers and the Management Team. An article was included in the last edition of the Braehead Bulletin and it also pictured the Work Place Chaplaincy Scotland Logo.
A Chaplaincy Room has been provided, which is positioned on the lower level at Shopmobility. Gordon is hoping that within the next few months he can introduce a Volunteer Chaplain (who has been identified) as part of the Chaplaincy team.