Equipment Sharing Scheme

Do you remember the Christmas cards with personal greetings in your own handwriting that were shared around the congregation in previous years to benefit Christian Aid? Unfortunately, such a card isn’t possible this year because of Covid-19 restrictions. But instead, we’d like to offer you the chance to send your greetings in a different way which will, we think, look very festive and feel inclusive too!

All you do is compose a brief Christmas Greeting – preferably not more than ten or so words. It’s an opportunity to show concern for our neighbours in the wider community, known and unknown, as well as members of our congregation.

Add your name if you wish, but no surnames please, for security reasons.

Send your message to us, and we’ll transcribe it on to a cheerful red ribbon and attach it to the railings around the church over the festive season.

Groups such as housegroups may also like to have a ribbon so that passers-by can get a flavour of the many different activities which happen in our church.

Either email your message to Kate O’Brien, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or alternatively phone Kate on 0131 667 4362 or Deirdre Eustace on 07785 301182

You may wish to combine your greetings with a contribution to Christian Aid’s Christmas Appeal, which focuses on the effects of the climate crisis on some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. Donations can be made via the Christian Aid website at www.christianaid.org.uk or by telephone on 020 7523 2269.

And, why not send your loved ones a Christmas present with a difference? Choose from sponsoring an emergency shelter, clean water, cocoa saplings and many more options. Type ‘Christian Aid charity gifts’ into Google or your preferred search engine and follow the link - or phone 0333 555 2025 to request a paper copy of the catalogue.

We give thanks for every single contribution to Christian Aid over this past year.  We look forward to receiving your messages to transcribe on to the red ribbons very soon – please feel free to send as many as you wish!

The Christian Aid Committee

Announcement of Sole Nominee - The Reverend Dr Alexander (Sandy) Forsyth

(AMENDED) NOTICE OF NOMINATION – Section 22(2)

At a meeting held at Edinburgh on 8 September 2020, the Nominating Committee chose the person who they wish to propose to this congregation of Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church to be our new minister. The name of the person proposed is The Reverend Dr Alexander (Sandy) Forsyth.  

Arrangements have been made for Sandy Forsyth to conduct public worship in Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church on Sunday the fourth day of October 2020 at 10:00 hours.

The Presbytery of Edinburgh have approved that:

As current Covid-19 restrictions place a strict limit on the number of people who may attend, a recording of Sandy Forsyth conducting public worship will be available on Sunday the fourth day of October 2020 from 15:00 online at www.mayfieldsalisbury.org and by dialling 0131 546 4337 for an audio only stream.

Should any member or adherent of the congregation of Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church not have access to the internet and wishes an audio cassette of the service to allow them to listen they should contact the Session Clerk, not later than 18:00 hours on Tuesday the sixth day of October.  Charles Garland may be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on 0131 241 2754 or 07762 908343.

Immediately after that service, a vote on whether or not Sandy Forsyth sh ould be appointed as the new minister of this congregation of Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church will be opened. Anyone whose name appears on the Electoral Register of this congregation of Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church shall be entitled to vote. No-one else shall be entitled to vote. Those who are entitled to a vote shall receive before 4 October a letter with a voting paper and details of how to cast their vote. Every vote returned must have a unique number written on it. Each person eligible to vote will receive their unique number in the letter. Votes returned without a unique number will not be counted. The unique numbers will not be linked to how votes are cast. All votes must be cast or returned not later than noon on Tuesday the thirteenth day of October.

Anyone who wishes can update their contact address by emailing the Session Clerk This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. not later than the first day of October 2020 - 18:00 hours.

Neil Gardner Interim Moderator - 18 September 2020

SHORT BIOGRAPHY AND CV – REV. DR ALEXANDER (SANDY) FORSYTH

Sandy is aged 52, married to Joy, and they have two adult daughters. He feels strongly called to Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church, believing that his gifts and skills would resonate with the Church’s focus in its theology, worship and action on inclusivity and welcome, lifelong spiritual development, and engagement with the community and world. He foresees an empowering and enabling ministry whereby the Church might develop its core strengths and expand in dynamic and purposeful ways, serving God’s mission in the world.

He would bring the following key attributes:

• Minister in the Church of Scotland (ordained 2009, Associate Minister in two parishes), with experience of all aspects of ministry; in city, suburban and rural contexts in Scotland and in the USA; and amongst the Councils and courts of the Church.

• Academic theologian in practical theology with a specialism in mission theology and ministry practice, including ‘fresh expressions of church’; having a strong record in publication, research, teaching and supervision; and working in close collaboration with the Church of Scotland in areas of lay and ministerial education and training.

• Twenty years of prior expertise in high-level legal practice as a court lawyer, primarily as an advocate at the Scottish Bar.

Sandy is presently T.F. Torrance Lecturer in Mission and Theology at New College, School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh. For a fuller academic profile with details of publications, lectures and conference papers, please see www.ed.ac.uk/profile/dr-alexander-sandy-forsyth

His post involves teaching, public engagement and supervision of students in Practical Theology, with a particular emphasis on mission and on ministry in the contemporary world. This has involved developing subject areas, including a public course for church members and ministers on ‘fresh expressions of church’ through ‘pioneer ministry’ and ‘church planting’, which followed from a report on those areas to the General Assembly of 2019 - please see ga.churchofscotland.org.uk/publications/reports-decisions-legislation-minutes-rdlm-2019, at pp 387-429. A key component has also been working with the Church of Scotland to re- design the framework and curriculum of Initial Ministerial Education for those training for ministry. He previously taught at the University of Glasgow.

In ministry, his probation was served in Glasgow city centre at Renfield St Stephens, preceded by three church placements in urban, rural and suburban settings. Since his ordination in 2009, Sandy has been Associate Minister at St David’s Memorial Park Church, Kirkintilloch and then Bearsden Cross Parish Church. He also spent a summer ‘pulpit-swap’ in a PC (USA) church in Savannah, Georgia. Since he began lecturing full-time from September 2017, his ministry has been in pulpit supply, weddings and funerals, including preaching at Crathie Kirk before the Royal Family in August 2018. He has served the Church nationally in different ways, at present as a member of a Special Commission of the General Assembly looking at the future of the Presbyterian system of decision making within the Church, and also regionally within Glasgow Presbytery.

As for his education, Sandy completed his PhD in Theology at the University of Edinburgh in 2014, on Christian mission in Scotland, with a particular focus towards the life and work of Tom Allan - it was published in 2017 as the book Mission by the People. His other qualifications are as follows:

• Master of Theology, MTh with Distinction, University of Edinburgh, 2010
• Bachelor of Divinity, BD (Min) (Hons), First Class with prizes, University of Glasgow, 2008
• Advocate at the Scottish Bar, ‘called’ in 1999 following Bar Exams
• Solicitor, 1990-98, qualified 1992 following traineeship
• Diploma in Legal Practice (Dip. L.P.), University of Glasgow, 1990
• LLB (Hons), 2:1, University of Aberdeen, 1989
• Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow: 8 ‘O’ Grades, 5 Highers.

Sandy was born in Bellshill, Lanarkshire and brought up in the West of Scotland in Bishopton and Bearsden. He has lived in Kirkintilloch for the past two decades, where his daughters have grown up. His hobbies are music, particularly singing; being in the great outdoors in the West Highlands where the family have a cottage; football; and reading history and fiction.

Return to the Sancturay

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE IS OUT OF DATE AND REMAINS FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY. SEE THE INTIMATIONS FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION.

You will no doubt be aware that communal worship in the church returned on Sunday 4 April 2021, though with limited numbers. It is an important and reassuring step in our return to some form of normality and will be welcomed by many but is not necessarily suitable for all. We will all need to adjust to the new conditions and restrictions, and be ready for periodical changes, but what follows is a brief summary of some of the main practical points to note. Details will also be available on the church website.

1. There will be a single Sunday service, at 10.15am. Please enter by the ramp at the West Door, keeping a 2m distance from anyone in front or behind. You will be welcomed, as usual, and please follow the directions of the Welcome Team to a seat. To ensure physical distancing, each seat will be marked with an order of service placed on the pew. A maximum of two people may sit at each space, but only if they are from the same household. (A small child may also sit with two adults, but please consider whether in such cases it would be better for the two adults to sit separately, with the child with one of them.) There will be a great temptation to go and speak to others, but please resist: a wave will be taken as a Hello!

2. A one way system, which is clearly marked, means that you will leave by the door beside the pulpit and then out of the West Mayfield door. Again, please respect physical distancing. Masks must be worn at all times inside, except for those with a medical exemption.

3. There is a limit on the number of people who may be in the church for worship. In our case it means that there is a strict limit of 42 in the congregation (including children). Those who attend will need to leave contact details, for the purpose of the Test and Protect scheme. (A privacy notice will be displayed at the entrance and on our website.) At least initially, we will be introducing a booking system, which you can use either online (via Eventbrite) or by phone. Full details are given below. As we cannot exceed the permitted limits, if demand is heavy we would ask you to consider attending only every second week.

4. The congregation will be seated throughout, without the comfort of pew cushions (which have been removed, as soft furnishings are harder to clean) and there will be no singing. At the end of the service there will be no access to the halls and you must leave the premises without staying to chat; no coffee/tea can be provided; and the toilet can only be used in an emergency (so as to reduce the burden of cleaning).

5. We have taken out a professional cleaning contract with a company whose team is already cleaning the church regularly. With your cooperation (eg by using hand sanitiser) we will keep ourselves and others safe. It goes without saying, however, that each of us, and particularly those who fall within a vulnerable group for Covid-19, or who are living with someone in that situation, will want to consider very carefully the point in time at which we wish to resume attending church in person rather than joining by means of the internet or telephone.

Finally, please remember that our online services will continue to be put on the website at 10.15am each Sunday as usual.

Booking system
Phone: On Wednesdays, from 1:30 to 3:30pm, you may reserve a space by phoning the Church Office (0131 667 1522).
Internet: We would encourage anyone with internet access to use the Eventbrite booking system, which will be open from 2pm on Wednesdays. The system can be accessed from our website via this link: www.mayfieldsalisbury.org/attend . Names and contact details will be required. While it is possible for a booking to be made by one person for a family, we will need to know how many adults and how many children will be in the group. The beauty of Eventbrite is that not only will we know when our ‘ceiling attendance’ has been reached, but we will also have the necessary contact details for Test and Protect. If you book but your plans then change please let us know, either by cancelling via Eventbrite or by phoning the Church Office; that way, somebody else will be able to have your space.

We appreciate that this is all rather different from what we have been used to. However, it will no doubt soon become familiar, and we hope that restrictions will be eased over time. Any changes to these arrangements will be publicised as widely as we can, and you can always check by having a look at our website for any updates. But if you have any questions please just ask me, or Heather Cubie, our Covid-19 task group chair, or William Mearns in the Church Office