Serenity Cafe is open today and every day throughout the holidays for people who need a safe place to be. Today it will provide a Christmas meal for people in recovery who might otherwise spend Christmas alone. Serenity Cafe, 8 Jackson’s Entry, The Tun, 111 Hollywood Road. Serenity is Scotland’s first Recovery Cafe, run by people in recovery for people in recovery, and for public customers who want good value, good quality food in a relaxed space. All events are drink and drugs-free and are family-friendly. For more information re opening hours, etc call the cafe on 0131 556 8765.
We love the project that Comas who run the cafe are firmly behind and The Edinburgh Reporter interviewed the CEO of Comas Ruth Campbell a week or two ago about the Twenty More Project. Watch this here:
The Edinburgh Reporter NEWS Twenty More Project from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.
Social Bite Merry Christmas: Social Bite will be open today, offering a Christmas meal exclusively to anyone who is homeless. The founders, Josh and Alice, and some of their team will be at their shop in Rose Street, serving up Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. You can donate the cost of a meal by visiting any one of Social Bite’s four shops (Rose St and Shandwick Place in Edinburgh, St Vincent St and Bothwell St in Glasgow). They also ask you to tell anyone you know who is homeless and who has nowhere to go today that they can come along to the Rose Street shop. 12 noon-4pm, Social Bite, 131 Rose Street.
Edinburgh Zoo is open today! Please note: entrance charges apply, some animal houses close 30 minutes before the Zoo closes, Zoo opening may be affected by severe weather (see website for updates), and you will need a timed ticket to see the pandas. Full information re entrance prices, panda tickets, etc on website. 9am-4.30pm, Edinburgh Zoo, 134 Corstorphine Road.
A Selection of Church Services for Christmas Day
Christmas Day Family Service: 10am, Polwarth Parish Church, Polwarth Terrace. All welcome.
Morning Worship: Celebration. Come and celebrate: all very welcome. 11-11.55am, Sanctuary, St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 13 George Street.
Christmas Day Service: 10.30-11.30am, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place.
Mass of the Nativity: 10.30am, St Mary Star of the Sea, 106 Constitution Street, Leith.
Christmas Day Service: 11am-12 noon, St Cuthbert’s Parish Church, Lothian Road.
Christmas Eucharist and Nativity Tableau (all children are invited to take part). Preacher: the Bishop, setting: Haydn Missa Sancti Nicolai. 10.30am, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place.
Christmas Day Masses: 9.30am (celebrant: Archbishop Cushley), 11.30am, 1.15pm (Polish) and 5.45pm (Polish), St Mary’s RC Cathedral, York Place.
Christmas Day Services: Communion: 9.30am, Family Worship Service: 11am, Portobello and Joppa Parish Church, Brunstane Road North.
Christmas Day Service: 10am, Morningside Parish Church, Cluny Gardens/Braid Road.
Sung Eucharist: with carols and baptism. 11am, Christ Church Morningside, 6a Morningside Road.
Christmas Day Eucharist: 10.30am, St Vincent’s Episcopal Chapel, St Vincent Street.
Christmas Family Eucharist: 9.30am, St John’s Episcopal Church, Princes Street.
Service of Lessons and Carols: 11.15am, St John’s Episcopal Church, Princes Street.
Family Service: 10.30am, Morningside United Church, 15 Chamberlain Road.
Christmas Day Family Service: 11-11.45am, Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate.
High Mass of Christmas Day: 10.30am, Old St Paul’s Episcopal Church, 39 Jeffrey Street.
