WEEKLY NEWS
1. OPEN TO ALL Coffee and tea will be served in the Bill McDonald Hall at the close of the Sunday service. Everyone is most welcome.
2. Services of Worship Next Sunday: 9.30am and 10.45am.
3. PASTORAL SUPPORT If you have any pastoral issues, including any suggestions for the prayer chain or if you wish to receive the prayer chain email, please contact Pauline Robertson DCS 0758 704 3191 or the new email address:
4. MORNING PRAYERS ON TUESDAYS We meet for prayers every Tuesday at 10.00am in the Salisbury Room opposite the Office.
5. PRAISE AND PRAYER This small group meets every two weeks at Newington Trinity - Priestfield. Anyone is welcome to join others for this time of prayer from 7.30pm until about 9.00pm. We next meet on Thursday 16 Oct. All Welcome.
6. DILYS MACK I am sad to report that Dilys Mack – an elder for many years at Mayfield Salisbury and a stalwart of Mayfield Radio - passed away last week. The family are having a private funeral. I have conveyed our condolences to her husband John Sheddan and to the wider family.
7. Harvest CRAFT FAIR Saturday 18 October, 11.00am to 3.00pm at Newington Trinity Church Centre–Mayfield EH9 1TQ (level access via West Mayfield. DO YOU FEEL HELPLESS IN THIS DEEPLY HURTING WORLD? Supporting our Harvest Festival Craft Fair is one way you can make a difference. All proceeds will be shared between two most worthwhile charities which really can change people's lives: Christian Aid and CrossReach (Church of Scotland Perinatal Service)
We would welcome donations of BOOKS, AUTUMN JAMS AND CHUTNEYS, HOME BAKING and PLANTS to sell. And we need you there to buy crafts and to enjoy coffee with your friends!
We'd be grateful to receive your contributions at Church (Mayfield Centre) on Saturday the 18 October from 9.30 am. For chutneys and baking, please include a list of ingredients to alert people to possible allergens, and label jams and chutneys on the lid. If you have any queries about delivering donations, would like to run a stall or be a welcomer, please e-mail
Please note: we have no card facilities at the Fair, so please bring CASH. Thank you for your support – we look forward to seeing you there!
8. SERVICE TO REMEMBER LOVED ONES – AT NEWINGTON TRINITY CHURCH OF SCOTLAND –SATURDAY 1 NOVEMBER AT 4.30PM
Each year we hold a service to remember loved ones who have passed on before us and remain dear in our hearts, whether they passed away in recent times or some years ago. The service is quiet and reflective, with the opportunity to light a candle in their memory. The service will take place within the sanctuary of Newington Trinity, Mayfield, 18 West Mayfield EH9 1TQ. The service will be followed by a time of hospitality and a chance to chat.
9. Autumn Afternoon Worship Tuesday, 21 October at 2.30pm in the Bill McDonald Hall [via West Mayfield level access]. Short service followed by light refreshments and chat until around 3.45pm to be led by our Parish Deacon, Pauline Robertson, DCS, All welcome. Fuller info in Oct/Nov NT Newsletter.
10. THURSDAY CLUB The next meeting of the Thursday Club will take place on 16 October at 2.00pm in the Bill McDonald Hall, Newington Trinity - Mayfield. The speaker will be Lucy Richardson who will give a talk: A Brief Look at the Commercial Premises on Ratcliffe Terrace. All welcome.
11. New House Group(s) Following the information session about house groups on Sunday 5 October, there have been enough expressions of interest to explore starting some new groups (as well as expand one or two of the existing house groups). The hope is that 2 new groups – one meeting in the afternoon and one in the evening – will meet initially 3-5 times using some established resources. The intention is that this will operate as a trial, giving people not currently in a house group a flavour of what they can offer, and the chance to decide whether it is something they would like to continue. It might be possible to start this during Advent, and in addition to those who have already come forward, we are keen to welcome anyone else interested. If you would like to find out more, contact Alastair MacGilchrist (
12. BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE The recent parish magazine – Newington Trinity News – introduced our Book of Remembrance. A reminder that the forms to be completed to have a name added to the book are in both the vestibule and on the tables in halls entrance. Please return and place in Prayer Box at West Mayfield door or to Pauline Robertson.
13. Youth Group
Next Provisional Youth Group Session: 26 October 5.00pm to 6.30pm. Location and Content TBC. Young people and children involved in and helping at the Harvest Day on Saturday 18 and the services on Sunday 19 October at the end of the school half term. The teens have some plans for socials, themes and activities for the rest of this term that we are working on and consulting with families too.
Annual Consent Forms for all under 18's attending groups or Young Church due: Families and 16+ teens please complete and return digitally or in person to Bettina. This is to comply with our Church of Scotland Safeguarding Policy and are used /stored in line with all GDPR and Safeguarding Policies. Details on policies at
14. CHURCH GIVING Regular and one-off donations are possible online at
www.give.net/20311853 or scan one of the QR codes throughout the building. Alternatively, please contact our Freewill Offerings Treasurer, Hugh Somerville on 0131 466 2446 or by email at
15. A learning opportunity End of life Aid Skills for Everyone (EASE) is a free course for members of the public in Scotland who want to be better equipped to help family or friends who are caring, dying, or grieving. It has been developed by Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care. The course aims to provide a safe and friendly environment where participants can grow more confident supporting others going through these difficult times, and to think about how they cope with these issues themselves. The course will run over four Wednesday mornings from 8th to 29th October, 10.30 to 12.30 in the Bill McDonald Hall. It will be facilitated by Wendy Mathison and Honi Loudon. Places are limited. To book your place please email:
16. The 2026 Malawi Wildlife Calendar, published by WESM, Only £12 (plus p and p), the calendar features 13 months of photos. Malawi’s oldest charity, WESM has branches throughout the country. Thousands of members of all ages are committed to tackling environmental degradation and climate change. The work is mostly achieved through community, church or school wildlife clubs. The annual Wildlife Calendar is an important source of funds to enable this work. If you would like to support and purchase a copy, please contact Hilary Watkinson.
17. CHILD ACTION LANKA - Sunday 9 November Debbie Edirisinghe, Founder/Director of Child Action Lanka (CAL) is returning for her third visit to us and again bringing with her goods for sale made by the women whom her organisation is empowering to climb out of grinding street poverty. Please support her sale of work (CASH ONLY), it will make such a difference to the street families of Sri Lanka. Thank you. Valerie and Steve Holehouse
18. The Bill McDonald Lecture 2025 will take place on 16 November 2025 at 7.00pm in the sanctuary of Newington Trinity – Mayfield. This year’s speaker will be The Very Reverend Sally Foster-Fulton. Originally from South Carolina in the US, she currently works as Christian Aid’s UK and Global Church Ambassador. In 2023 Sally took a year’s sabbatical to fulfil the role of Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Before joining Christian Aid Sally convened the Church and Society Council and helped to advance the Church’s work on human rights, climate justice, and poverty in Scotland and overseas. You may also remember her sermon at the Celebration for King Charles in St Giles to mark his accession to the throne.
The title to her talk is ‘Defended Corner or Common Ground? How to escape our echo chambers and seek the still, small voice.’ The lecture (which is free) will be followed by Q and A and then refreshments in the Bill McDonald Hall. This is bound to be a fascinating lecture. Don’t miss it! The Very Revd Dr William (Bill) J. G. McDonald was Minister of Mayfield Parish Church 1959 to 1993.
19. Do you have a free hour after the second service one Sunday ? FLOWERS Our beautiful flower ministry is up and running again. Thanks to all who have already donated or who are about to donate and arrange flowers. What we need now is a rota of volunteers to deliver flowers from the congregation to our friends who might need cheering up. Depending on the number of volunteers the commitment would be say one hour on one Sunday every six weeks. If you are interested in helping this way please contact Pauline Robertson or email
20. GIFT SERVICES: SUNDAY 30 November 2025 Our annual Gift Services will be held on Sunday, 30th November. Huge appreciation is expressed by our partner organisations. The major cost of living crisis continues, and many families will struggle financially again this year. Buying Christmas gifts may have to be a low priority for them. More details in the coming weeks and in the next edition of Newington Trinity News.
21. NEW COLLEGE FESTIVAL OF BOOKS AND BELIEF Prof Alison Jack has notified us that the festival is taking place on the 7th and 8th of November. You can hear from Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin, Manya Wilkinson, Mustafa Briggs and many more. This year we are also offering a Creative Writing Workshop led by the novelist and poet Liz MacWhirter. Do take a look at our festival schedule and booking details.
22. ECO TIP Avoid Food waste ; Check the contents of your fridge before you go shopping and learn to love your freezer (good for left overs).
23. Hosts sought for two young Ukrainians A young couple, Ukrainian students, are looking for help to come to Edinburgh for at least six months. One is studying medicine, the other applied mechanics. They would continue their studies online while here. They need to have accommodation and someone to act as a sponsor under the UK Government's visa scheme. If you are interested, or know someone who might be interested, please contact Fiona Ferguson.
24. BLYTHSWOOD CARE SHOEBOXES As the year moves on it is time again to find a shoebox, fill it and then give it to Blythswood Care who will then distribute the boxes to people in Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine before Christmas. If you would like to do this either pick up a leaflet or see Diane Cross for one. The leaflet explains everything! Then please bring the filled and covered shoebox to Newington Trinity - Mayfield by Sunday 2nd November.
Forthcoming Deadlines
Order of Service: Thursday at 10.00am
Next Parish Magazine: Friday 28 November 2025 at 6.00pm
www.newingtontrinity.org Scottish Charity SC000785
