The Diocese of St Andrews will be hosting a tent again at the Scottish Game Fair on Saturday.

It is a place where people are welcome to drop in, to take the weight off their feet, shelter from the rain, have a chat and contribute to our ’Trees for Life’ project.

We are bringing bare branches to tie round the inside of the tent, which we want to transform into living branches, by sticking on paper blossom and paper leaves.  We’re doing that as a way of remembering people who suffer from mental ill-health in our communities, known and unknown.

So we invite visitors to come along and take part: materials are provided free.

There will also be little trees to take away free, leaflets about therapeutic horticultural communities, lego and craft materials and books to entertain children.

The Very Revd  Hunter Farquharson  and Kate Sainsbury are offering a service of thanksgiving for our animals – a Pet Service – in the Main Ring at 8.45 on Sunday morning, followed by an invitation to breakfast in the Game and Wildlife Conservancy Trust enclosure for all present.  The service will be broadcast throughout the show ground.

The Bishop of Calcutta, Church of North India, The Rt Revd Ashoke Biswas and his chaplain The Revd Paritosh Canning are visiting the Diocese for a week’s visit.

 

 

Members of the Overseas Group shared dinner at the Everest Inn, Perth to welcome the arrival of Bishop Ashoke Biswas and Revd Paritosh Canning from our Companion Diocese of Calcutta.

 

 

Bishop Ashoke attended the Retirement  Service for Bishop David on Sunday evening and gave a short address at the end of the service.

 

The following day they visited the Alexander Duff Memorial in Pitlochy and Holy Trinity Church.

The Revd Alexander Duff was a Christian missionary in India and played a large part in the development of higher education.  He founded the General Assembly’s Institution in Calcutta which is now known as the Scottish Church College.

The Duff Church in Kolkata was named in 1910 in memory of Alexander Duff.

 

 

He has visited St John’s Perth and also dropped into the Buggy Club in their hall.  He has also visited Scotland’s  Jute Museum at Verdant Works  in Dundee.

Bishop Ashoke and Paritosh leave the Diocese on Friday to travel down to visit the Diocese of Derby with whom they are also linked.

Several hundred people from across the Diocese and the wider Scottish Episcopal Church together with Clergy, Lay Readers and invited guests attended a Farewell Eucharist for The Most Revd David Chillingworth, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church and Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane.

Among the invited guests were The Lord Lieutenant of Perth and Kinross, Brigadier Mel Jamieson, The Provost of Perth and Kinross Denis Melloy, John Swinney MSP, The Rt Revd Ashoke Biswas – Bishop of the Diocese of Calcutta, our companion Diocese and family members and friends of the Bishop.

 

The Bishop and the Canons of the Cathedral

prepare to process into the Cathedral

Thirty Glenalmond pupils completed the course of preparation for Confirmation and 26 were Confirmed at Glenalmond.The other four are to be Confirmed later.

The Most Revd David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church presided and preached at the service, and Mr Russell Mann, Elder and Session Clerk of Methven Kirk, welcomed candidates into membership of the Church of Scotland.

In the hurly-burly of the Scottish Game Fair – in life itself – would you like a quiet space for reflection, a place where somebody will listen to your story, or a place to enjoy quality time with your children in story-telling and craft activities?

You can find an opportunity for both in our tent, where you will be welcomed by contemporary Scottish people of faith, who recognise the importance of relationships, of noticing ourselves surrounded by Nature and who are trained to listen.

We are offering pet blessings and on our walls are exhibiting school pupils’ artwork from Killin Primary in Western Perthshire and RDM Primary in Scone.

If you are attending the Scottish Game Fair which is held at Scone Palace from  30th June to 2nd July come and find us. We are situated close to Falconry Mews and Activity Row.

 

 

Thanks to a joint grant of £191,200 awarded to St Mary’s Episcopal Church, Kirriemuir by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Environment Scotland, work has begun to conserve Kirriemuir’s only A-listed building on West Hillbank.

The overall project will cost around £250,000 and is made possible by a legacy from from a member of the congregation as well as generous grants from the Dalrymple Donaldson Fund, Scottish Churches Trust, All Churches Trust,Alan Evans Memorial Trust, and local fundraising.

The project will involve urgent roof and masonry repairs as well as internal work to restore the building to its former glory as intended by architect Sir Ninian Comper. St Mary’s is an early example of the work of this renowned church architect. In Britain, Comper’s work can be seen as far apart as Westminster Abbey in the south and Shetland in the north where he produced windows for St. Magnus Episcopal Church. Despite Comper’s prolific ecclesiastical involvement, the church is one of only four he built in Scotland.  As many local folk may know, the church also has associations with playwright and novelist, Sir James M Barrie, providing the venue for his funeral in 1937.
As well as important building repairs which include essential structural strengthening of the impressive West Tower, during the project St Mary’s will take the opportunity to introduce local young people to traditional masonry skills. A brochure is also being designed to document the history of the church building.

Commenting on the work, Revd Canon Dr Robert Harley, Rector of St Mary’s said:  “I am delighted that we have been able to start this project after several years of preparatory work by the Vestry and church members.  These are vital repairs and we are pleased that with the expertise of a dedicated team of specialists our beautiful church can be preserved for the future generations of  Kirriemuir and surrounding areas.”

Responding to the news the Most Reverend David Chillingworth,Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, commented:
“I am delighted to hear the news of this grant which will help us to  restore and sustain St Mary’s. This is one of the most beautifully and architecturally significant churches in our diocese. The congregation and the wider church are determined to ensure that it continues to be at the heart of the community as a place of prayer restore and sustain St Mary’s. This is one of the most beautifully and architecturally significant churches in our diocese. The congregation and the wider church are determined to ensure that it continues to be at the heart of the community as a place of prayer – and of welcome and mission. We welcome this support which will help us to sustain it for the future.”

It is hoped that the work will be completed by September 2017, in time for a Re-dedication and Thanksgiving service at the Harvest Festival on 15 October 2017.

 

Canon Bob Harley, Rector of St Mary’s, Kirriemuir recently visited the Dr Graham’s Homes, Kalimpong, a Boarding School mainly for under-privileged children from Kolkata situated in the Himalayas, as part of a McCabe’s Pilgrimage.

The Diocese is linked with the Diocese of Calcutta so Bob spent time with friends from the Kolkata.  The tour started in Kolkata with an introductory talk on the Homes by Bernard Brookes, a former Headmaster and Principal.  After a couple of days in Darjeeling the Group arrived in Kalimpong and on the Sunday all the clergy in the Group participated in the School’s Sunday worship when Bob read out a letter of support from the Most Revd David Chillingworth, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church and Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane.

Following the visit to the school the Group spent some time sightseeing in Delhi and Agra including a visit tot he Taj Mahal.

Dr Graham’s legacy, begun in 1900,  continues to provide education, shelter and a safe passage through adolescence for Indian children.

For more information on the visit please go to Dr Graham’s Homes Visit 2017

St Ninian’s Cathedral in North Methven Street, Perth are hosting BBC Songs of Praise on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th March 2017.

Doors are open at 1.15pm for 2.30pm – 5.30pm on both days for the Recording Sessions.

Spaces are still available in the Cathedral for both days.  To book your free ticket, please phone the Cathedral on 01738 632053 or BBC Songs of Praise on 0161 335 8429.

The Choir Rehearsal takes place on Saturday 11th March 2017 in St Leonard’s-in-the-Fields, Marshall Place, Perth from 2.30pm – 5.30pm.

All those who have applied for a ticket are also welcome to come to this rehearsal.

The Revd Roy Anetts was instituted in St James the Great on Friday 24th February 2017 by the Bishop, The Most Revd David Chillingworth, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church.

Roy and his wife Kate have moved up from Birmingham to take up this post of Rector of St James and is also the Rector of the small church of St Mary’s, Ladybank, which is a Dependent Congregation of  St James.

The photograph shows, Roy with The Very Revd Kenny Rathband, Dean of the Diocese on the left and Bishop David on the right.

 

The ever-popular BBC One programme, Songs of Praise, is coming to St Ninian’s Cathedral, Perth. The recordings will take place on the afternoons of Saturday 18^th and Sunday 19^th March.

The producer, Garry Boon, says: “These recordings give local singers a great opportunity to come together to enjoy two wonderful afternoons of music-making for broadcast on BBC One. For Christians in the area it’s the chance for a wonderful ecumenical expression of their faith.”

The conductor will be Gordon Stewart, a professional organist of international renown, who has been one of the regular conductors on Songs of Praise for over 20 years. A native of Dundee, his first appointment as an organist was at Dundee Methodist Church at the age of 14. He subsequently worked in cathedral music for many years and has become one of the UK’s most popular organists. Keen singers are invited to join a specially-formed massed choir under his direction who will lead the viewers at home in the singing.

Admission will be by free ticket. Singers and those wishing to be in the congregation are welcome to attend one or both recordings. They can apply by going to the ‘Tickets’ page of the Songs of Praise website, by e-mailing songsofpraise@bbc.co.uk, or by telephoning 0161 335 8429.   The deadline for all ticket applications is Tuesday 28^th February. The music recorded will be broadcast in future editions of the programme.

Songs of Praise celebrated its fifty-fifth anniversary in October last year.

Dave Stanford, executive producer, says: “The world has changed a lot in five and a half decades, but Songs of Praise has continued to thrive thanks to those who join together to raise their voices and inspire our audience week after week. I do hope lots of people in Perth and thereabouts will want to be part of this exciting event.”

There will be an additional practice for participating choirs on Saturday 11th March at St Leonard’s in the Fields, Perth

 

For further information please contact:

Programmes.desk@bbc.co.uk

The Songs of Praise website is http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006ttc5