The Interfaith Scotland newsletter is hot off the press! You can find it at the link below:
The Interfaith Scotland newsletter is hot off the press! You can find it at the link below:
The Revd Canon Cedric Blakey is making arrangements for a another Provincial Pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2024. He states: Working with McCabe Pilgrimages who provide secure travel arrangements including partnership with a Palestinian Christina company in the Holy Land which books the hotels, lunch stops, coach and driver, and our professional local guide. We get to meet local people, the “living stones” including hopefully the current Archbishop Hosam Naoum, if he is available, stay in both Israeli and Palestinian hotels, and cover a great deal of ground in a short period of time. It is at heart a Christian pilgrimage.
The price includes everything including return flights from Edinburgh, transfer, hotels, all meals, entrance fees and tips.
If this is of interest to you please see the attached poster for Canon Cedric’s contact details.
Is your church in Perth and Kinross Council Area and is your church thinking of opening to offer a warm space for your community. If so please find attached details regarding the Cost of Living Community Fund which is open for applications.
This fund has been designed to support groups and organisations with the following:
Successful applicants will be notified within 10 days of submission.
Further information can be found here: Cost of Living Community Fund – Perth & Kinross Council (pkc.gov.uk)
Aberlour Trust is again promoting their Christingle Appeal within our diocese. It is hoped that this appeal will shine a light in the darkness by raising much needed funds, and providing relief for the most vulnerable children and families in our society.
You can see details at https://www.aberlour.org.uk/christingle/
Dear friends,
Next Thursday, 20th October, will be the 4th Anniversary of my Consecration as your Bishop in 2018. I will be giving thanks to God that day, by celebrating the Eucharist at 11.00am in the Lady Chapel of St Ninian’s Cathedral. If you will be in Perth at that time, please come and join me, and if you will be elsewhere please pray for me and for our Diocese.
I value the prayers of every congregation whenever you pray ‘for the Bishop,’ and want you to know how much they have been appreciated, and needed, over the last 4 years.
With my thanks for all your support and encouragement since 20th October 2018, and for the joy of serving as your Bishop,
+ Ian
A wonderful celebration on Sunday 2nd October in the cathedral, when Rachael Wright was ordained deacon.
Rachael is pictured here with Bishop Ian, Rev Nerys Brown who will be her training Rector at St Mary’s, Dunblane, and Revd Canon Liz Baker, Rector of the Highland Perthshire charges where Rachael worked for three years as a mixed mode ordinand.
Bishop Ian sums up the day: ‘The Church of God has been changed… we have a new Deacon!’
Click here to see video of Bishop Ian’s sermon on service and discipleship based on Jesus washing the disciple’s feet (John 13) after Mary of Bethany had anointed his (John 12).
Some of you will know The Revd Joseph Leonard Ladd Fagerson and will be sad to know of his passing. Please continue to pray for his family at this time of their loss. There will be a service of Thanksgiving at Kenmore Church, Aberfeldy on Friday 23rd September at 2pm.
The Liturgy Committee of the Scottish Episcopal Church has produced three prayers, approved by the College of Bishops, to mark the death of the monarch, the repose of the deceased monarch, and the accession of the new monarch.
They are as follows:
Prayer for the death of the monarch
Almighty and eternal God,
you uphold and govern all things
both in heaven and on earth,
and by your grace alone kings and queens do reign.
We thank you for all the blessings which you have bestowed upon us through our late sovereign lady, Queen Elizabeth, whom you have called from this life (in recent days).
We thank you for the wisdom of her guidance and her love of peace, for the care and devotion with which she served her people, for the example of her gracious life.
We pray that you would fill our hearts with gratitude for all these good things, and give us grace that we may use the memory of them as a perpetual call to live according to your will, for the good of all the world, and the glory of your great name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for the repose of the deceased monarch
Eternal Lord God, you hold all souls in life:
Shed forth upon your faithful servant, Queen Elizabeth, the bright beams of your light and heavenly comfort; And grant that she, and we with her, may at length enter into the joys of your eternal kingdom; Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
Prayer for the accession
O God, you govern your people by your creative love:
we hold before you your servant Charles, our King, praying that, guided by your Spirit, under him this nation may be wisely and justly governed, and your Church proclaim your Gospel in peace; may he be dedicated to you in heart, and mind, and soul,
persevering in good works to the end,
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Dear friends,
Today is the first day of the reign of our new King. Which means that it is also the last day of the life of our Queen, the longest serving monarch in our history. Queen Elizabeth’s passing is something that many will feel deeply. We may feel sadness not only at the death of someone who gave their life to serving their country, but the death of someone who represented continuity for us in a world of change, who connected us with our own pasts, whether we had ever met her or not. For me, as for so many others, Queen Elizabeth has been there through my whole life, and today marks the loss of that part of my life’s journey.
But it also is a day to grieve for a person who gave such commitment to her role as Queen, such dedication to her faith in God, and such love to her family. As we grieve, we give thanks for a person who brought the humanity she lived as mother, grandmother and great-grandmother to her duty as Queen and the people she met.
We pray for Queen Elizabeth as she journeys deeper into life in the loving hands of God, and we pray for her family and those who love her. We pray for our country, which has lost a dedicated friend, and gained an example of steadfast faith to live by. And we pray for our new King, who enters into his new responsibilities at the same moment in which he grieves the loss of his beloved mother.
May Queen Elizabeth rest in peace, and rise in glory.
Gracious God,
we give thanks for the life of your servant
Queen Elizabeth,
for her faith and her dedication to duty.
Bless our nation as we mourn her death
and may her example continue to inspire us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,
according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people.
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles
and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
September 8, 2022
The Scottish Episcopal Church is deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, at the age of 96 after reigning for 70 years. The Most Rev Mark Strange, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, said:
“Today we will gather in prayer and sorrow as we mark the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. For nearly all of us, she is the only monarch we have known, she has been part of our lives and part of our prayers always.
“The Queen came to the throne at a moment of great hope. A time of rebirth following the difficulties of war. She dedicated herself to the service of this country and she has honoured that pledge, especially so when things were difficult. She never wavered from her service.
“Queen Elizabeth was steadfast in her faith, in her prayers and worship. She spoke openly and often of her devotion to God, and to the Christian message of respect and the value of people, of all faiths and none.
“Here in Scotland we know that the Queen found space to relax and to be amongst family and friends, we cherish the knowledge that she loved this place as much as we do. That knowledge brought a shared connection that many of us felt deeply.
“Today we will share memories and sadness. Her Majesty understood and believed in the promises of God. In her many statements over the years she spoke always of moving forward, serving the country that she loved, and giving thanks to God for the life she lived.
“May she rest in peace and rise in glory.”
Go forth upon your journey from this world,
dear child of God,
into the hands of the Father who made you,
to find life in Christ who redeemed you.
to rejoice in the Spirit who renews you.
May the heavenly host sustain you
and the company of the redeemed enfold you;
may peace be yours this day,
and the heavenly city your home.
© 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