Edinburgh ‘children’s church’ holds fundraising day

AN EDINBURGH church with a special connection to children held its annual St Nicholas community children’s event in December.

St Nicholas Sighthill Parish Church, known as the ‘Children’s Church’, holds the event each December on the Sunday closest to St Nicholas Day (December 6). St Nicholas of Myra (better known as Santa) is the patron saint of children, and the church has a longstanding connection with children.

The St Nicholas Day event has become a time for celebrating and emulating St Nicholas’ example of sharing gifts with family, friends and neighbours; and coincides with the traditional gift-giving service during which the congregation collects gifts for children both in the local community and overseas.

The church’s focus is not to preach to the children, but to create a free, happy and safe space where everyone in the community can share their God-given gifts and talents and help, in any way possible, to make Christmas a happy and special time, especially for the children.

Around 200 children aged 5-12 attended, along with their families, joining the young people of the church, the congregation, the Rev Marjory McPherson (Clerk to the Presbytery of Edinburgh) and other guests. The worship service was led by young people, and many donated gifts of toys for the church’s ‘Santa Run’ project, visited Santa’s Grotto and took part in various activities around the church and buildings.

The minister of St Nicholas, the Rev Dr Tom Kisitu, said: “Parents and groups have shared photographs and videos on social media, showing the many ways the children had fun. They have also expressed their gratitude for the event. Some have even promised to join us at other community events we plan to hold next year!

“We give thanks and glory to God for this achievement and answer to our prayers. We are grateful for all the help we received, including a grant from the Presbytery’s Resourcing Mission Committee and other donations from members of our congregation, business and friends of our parish.

“We are also grateful to our dedicated team of volunteers and, above all, to Almighty God who blessed us with His empowering presence and with the gifts we received and shared this special day.

“We pray for God’s continued blessings for us and other congregations and for the success of the events we plan to hold in 2019.”

The name ‘St Nicholas’ was chosen for the church because of the signiicant contribution of children to its founding in September 1939. The irst Sunday School raised 80% of the money needed to construct the hut for the irst church building; and in the 1950s the Sunday School (which peaked at 1128 – the largest in Scotland) together with other children in Scotland and beyond raised most of the money needed for the current buildings.

Life and Work reported in October 1957 that Sunday Schools from all over Scotland had sent nearly £50,000 for the church in the previous decade, and that gifts had come in from all over the Commonwealth, including Canada and India.