Day 26

Leith

St. Andrew’s

Happy St. Andrew's Day!

Joanne Baird, Session Clerk at Leith St. Andrew’s Church shares some history of this beautiful building and the Saint himself.

Many of you will know the building on the corner of Easter Road and Lochend Road – Leith St Andrew’s Church. Perhaps you used to go to Sunday School, playgroup, Guides or Boys Brigade there. Perhaps you or your parents were married there. But did you know the building has been there since 1881? And did you know it wasn’t always called Leith St Andrew’s? It was once South Leith United Free Church (as you can see on the Boys Brigade Memorial Lamp in the garden. Then for a long while it was Claremont Kirk before becoming Leith St Andrew’s in 1973.

Very little is actually known about Saint Andrew himself. He was the brother of Simon Peter and was a fisherman. These two were the first people Jesus called to be his disciples. He is reputed to have been crucified on a diagonal cross which is why the cross on Scotland’s flag is diagonal. As well as being the patron saint of Scotland, he’s also the patron saint of Greece, Russia, Italy's Amalfi and Barbados, as well as singers, spinsters, maidens, fishmongers, fishermen and women wanting to be mothers. He is also the patron saint of those suffering from gout or sore throats!

Like all Churches, we had to close in the middle of March which was very difficult for the congregation especially just before Easter. We were closed for almost six months reopening first on Saturday mornings for individual prayer then on Sundays again for worship. Our numbers are limited, we’re not allowed to sing, we have to wear masks but we are delighted to be able to meet and worship again.

But Church isn’t just about Sunday mornings and our building is usually very busy day and night. Although many organisations have not yet been able to restart, our foodbank continues to offer food parcels twice a week, a team goes out with the Care Van taking soup and clothing to the homeless once a month and the playgroup is on every day. When things do get back to normal again, we usually have Rainbows, Brownies and Guides, the Probus Club and Young at Heart for older members of the community, the Claremont Players and Capital Concert Band rehearse in the building and the children of Mary Phelan’s Dance School are in almost every day as well as her slighter older line dancers!

So now you know a bit more about Saint Andrew and Leith St Andrew’s Church. Do come in and visit sometime when life is more normal but for now email if you want to book a place on a Sunday morning – leithstandrews@yahoo.co.uk