Dear friends
This year is Interfaith Scotland’s Year of Climate Action. We have created a document about ways that you can be involved with COP26 (the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2021) including resources, activities and campaign actions which is attached to this email. We also have a comprehensive list of resources and videos on our Interfaith Scotland website at the link below:
www.interfaithscotland.org/climate-action-resources
We are also excited to bring you news about Scottish Interfaith Week 2021. Scottish Interfaith Week will coincide with COP26 this year, launching on Sunday 31 October and running until Sunday 7 November. The theme for 2021 is Together for Our Planet, and individuals, faith communities and organisations across Scotland will be encouraged to host climate-related events for the week. You will be able to submit an event on the Scottish Interfaith Week website from May onwards at:
www.scottishinterfaithweek.org/submit-an-event
Best wishes
Frances Hume
National Development Officer
Interfaith Scotland
Flemington House
110 Flemington Street
Glasgow G21 4BF
During May we are invited to pray for the work of Mary’s Meals. There is more information about their work on their website:https://www.marysmeals.org.uk
Please click the links below for some material which may be helpful;
On 25th March, the Feast of the Annunciation, Bishop Ian licensed Heather Cardwell as a Lay Reader in this diocese. Before moving to Scotland, Heather served for many years as a Lay Reader in the Church in Wales. Her ministry here will be within the congregation of All Saints, St Andrews, where she has been a member for some time.
The licensing took place on Zoom, attended by Heather’s friends and family as well as by members of All Saints church and representatives from the Lay Reader community in this diocese.
“Lay Readers are called to serve the Church of God and to work together with the clergy and other ministers. They are to lead public worship, to preach and teach the word of God, to assist at the eucharist and to share in pastoral and evangelistic work. As authorised lay ministers, they are to encourage the ministries of God’s people, as the Spirit distributes gifts among us all, and to help the whole Church to participate in God’s mission to the world.”
We welcome Heather into this ministry among us.
For further information please click the link below:
Karen McClain Kiefer resides in St Andrews and has been an active member of Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church there for over four years, having most recently served as the office administrator, PA and digital media specialist. She is currently pursuing a PhD in the Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Arts at the University of St Andrews, after careers in corporate management, IT and consulting followed by service in pastoral, social and theatre ministry. Originally from Ohio, Karen has lived in several regions throughout the US, including Maryland, Northern Arizona and Minnesota where she earned a Master’s degree in Theology and a Spiritual Direction certificate at Saint John’s School of Theology, a thriving Benedictine university with a strong spirit of ecumenism.
With a rich background in both creative and technical communications in a variety of contexts, Karen felt particularly called to digital mission as lockdown restrictions fell upon us in early 2020. She drew inspiration from Esther in the Hebrew scriptures who was told by her uncle Mordecai that she was made ‘for such a time as this’. Amid the chaos and confinement of the initial phase of the pandemic, God worked in unique ways to help her respond in this time. Her inner strategic planner sprung into action identifying areas of impact in the church community and mobilising swift initial responses with consideration for longer term impacts. She believes the most significant impact was to our sense of community itself:
What seemed to be common across congregations in 2020 was desire and creativity – desire to stay connected and creativity to adapt to make it happen. I believe in 2021 we are called to further engage our creativity as we reassess the past year, and reimagine our communities based on how God is calling and equipping us to encourage and accompany others. I look forward to helping our diocesan community reassess and reimagine in 2021.
– Karen, February 2021
In her PhD research, Karen is exploring theological and theatrical contexts of ‘empty space’ with emphasis on improvisation and Holy Saturday. Karen is a community theatre co-founder, director, improvisor, and a certified Advanced Practitioner of Playback Theatre. Some of her practical work emphasises collaborative and improvisational storytelling (and producing/directing unconventional performances in unconventional spaces – including Zoom!). She also avidly enjoys hiking, skiing, and taking in the breathtaking beauty of this rugged and wonderful country.
For further information please click the link below:
East Perthshire Group
St Catherine, Blairgowrie; St Anne, Coupar Angus; St Ninian, Alyth; St Michael, Ballintuim
Bishop Ian is delighted to announce that the Revd Kim Lafferty, has been appointed as Rector to the East Perthshire Group of Churches. Kim is currently serving as Team Vicar of Farnworth, Kearsley, in the Stoneclough Team of the Diocese of Manchester. She will be instituted on Sunday 20 June.
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, greetings!
I have recently written this song/hymn to a beautiful Irish melody and wish as many churches as possible to freely use it, as the Holy Spirit moves.
Letter of His Love (to the tune of “Down by the Salley Gardens”)
The immortal and self-existent
Who made every quark and star
Has of his very own substance
A letter of his love sent
He understands you completely
And knocks at the door of your heart
He wants to come in so sweetly
And never from you part
For every moment of being
There is a choice to make
Whether of a path corrupting
Or of caring good to take
He understands you completely
And knocks at the door of your heart
He wants to come in so sweetly
And never from you part
He knows your dark thought hidden
And sees your vilest act
But to follow him are you bidden
To leave wrong for better track
He understands you completely
And knocks at the door of your heart
He wants to come in so sweetly
And never from you part
So choose the One who dying
Bled and suffered for your sake
Jesus who by death defying
Made the way for you to take
James Boswell Collett 01-03-21
Yours in Christ,
James Collett
member of Christ Church Orpington
© 2024 The Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane | A diocese of the Scottish Episcopal Church | Scottish Charity Number SCO17654 | The Scotttish Episcopal church is part of the world wide Anglican Communion