DMMC News

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Welcome to July's Newsletter!

Information on courses, awareness dates, etc, are available via our Adventures in Faith pages:

Recent Research

Recently published findings from two pieces of research in England and Wales echo what is anecdotally happening in Scotland: people are seeking out a relationship with God through Jesus and the church. Here are some signposts for you to explore further, if and when you should wish.

The Quiet Revival was commissioned by The Bible Society and undertaken by YouGov. The report was published in April 2025, and can be downloaded for free by entering some details. An overview and some FAQs are available via the same webpage:

www.biblesociety.org.uk/research/quiet-revival

Finding Jesus was commissioned by the Evangelical Alliance, and was published in June 2025. It can be viewed online or downloaded. There is an introductory video and some visual stats, all on the dedicated webpage:

www.eauk.org/resources/what-we-offer/reports/finding-jesus

To help you explore these reports, there are some forthcoming free webinars:

▶ Wednesday 9 July, 1:30-2:30pm, with Church of England (book via the CoE Support Hub, which is available for SEC clergy registration).

▶ Wednesday 9 July, 8-9:15pm, with Church Mission Society (book via Eventbrite).

▶ Tuesday 15 July, 10-11am, with Share Jesus International (book via Eventbrite).

▶ Thursday 4 September, 1-1:45pm, with CPAS (book via website).

Watch (again)

General Synod 5-7 June. Recordings for informative and educational presentations, which were offered at General Synod 2025, are available to watch on the SEC YouTube channel. The topics covered are:

▶ The Nicene Creed (Revd Prof Charlotte Methuen)

▶ Assisted Dying (Revd Dr Hamilton Inbadas)

▶ Net Zero (Mr Paul Williams)

▶ Charity Governance (Mr Gavin McEwan)

Mental Health Presentations from Dr Rob Waller

Some of the material that Rob shared with us at May's CMD echoed presentations he conducted with King's Community Church. These are available the Mind and Soul YouTube channel, should you wish catch-up or brush-up!

▶ How we got where we are.

▶ Managing distress.

▶ Pastoral care and Q&R.

St George's College, Jerusalem. In a new initiative, Dean Richard Sewell and College Course Director, Rodney Aist are releasing a weekly series of 'Conversations from the College'. These will cover a range of topics, although primarily about the situation in Israel/Palestine, and will be available each Wednesday (except holidays). They are available via YouTube here.

The Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace hosts regular Zoom forums on a wide range of subjects. They now offer recordings of some of these sessions, which can be access for a donation. To browse and pay for a session, head to their website to explore: eicsp.org/events/event-recordings.

Beckly Lecture 2025. This an annual lecture is a fringe event of the Methodist Conference. This year it was delivered by Professor Anthony G. Reddie, who is Professor of Black Theology at the University of Oxford, and a local Methodist preacher. His lecture was entitled Whiteness is the Sea, not the Shark: a postcolonial critique of British Methodism.

This, and previous lectures from 2018 onwards, can be found on the Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT) website.

Bishop Search

Living God,

you walk with us in all seasons of life
calling us to follow you with joy, hope and love
as we share in your work of renewing the world;
give us humility and discernment to hear your voice,
that those discerning their calling
and all involved in our bishop search
may be encouraged in your ways
and open to your creative Spirit. Amen.

Key Dates

▶ Saturday 27 September 2025 – Preliminary Meeting of Electoral Synod (including an in-person meeting in Edinburgh of the Preparatory Committee).

▶ Saturday 7 February 2026 – Electoral Synod meeting with candidates.

▶ Saturday 14 February 2026 – Electoral Synod meeting to undertake election.

Bishop John's departure

▶ Friday 1 August 2025 - deadline for financial contributions for Bishop John's leaving gift. If using BACS, use reference BSHP25, and send to Sort Code: 60-01-73 and Account Number: 00215170 (Edinburgh Diocesan Synod).

▶ Sunday 24 August 2025 – Cathedral Evensong will be Bishop John's final service.

Governance

Safeguarding Changes enforceable NOW

The changes to the PVG Scheme is now legally enforceable. This means that non-compliance is a criminal offence. The document detailing the impact on the SEC is available on our website, with key points below:

▶ Regulated roles and activities replace 'regulated work'. This increases those who now need a PVG to include 16-17year olds working under supervision, and volunteers at regular events where children are present, e.g. Messy Church, Toddler Groups.

▶ PVG is a legal requirement for regulated roles. Failure to obtain PVG membership prior to starting a regulated role (including any trial period) is a criminal offence. Both the individual and the congregation will be acting illegally in these circumstances.

▶ All line managers of people in regulated roles and activities must be PVG members. This could be a vestry member or clergy.

▶ Anyone undertaking a Sunday service to enable the priest to be elsewhere must have PVG membership and authorisation from the Bishop. If in any doubt, contact the Bishop's PA.

Anyone who does not have PVG Scheme membership but needs it under the new law MUST cease all work in the church until clearance is received from the SEC Safeguarding Team.

OSCR Changes. OSCR will shortly ask charges to provide them with these details about each trustee: Name; Home address; Email address; Telephone number; Date of Birth. This information will be kept securely, whilst the first and last name of each charity trustee will be published on the Scottish Charity Register from 1 January 2026. More details here.

TechSoupUK. If you have previously received discounted software through Charity Digital, please note that this work is now being done by TechSoupUK. The discounts are still the same, just a different agent. If this is news to you, have a look: it is where you can get free or discounted access to Microsoft Office 365, 50% off the Adobe Creative Cloud suite, and access to other potential savings.

The next Trustee Training session is on Saturday 15 November. The venue is the Trinity Centre, Haddington. Hot breakfast rolls are provided from 9am until the training proper starts at 9:30am! The training concludes by 1pm.

Register for the training here.

Learning & Development Opportunities

Learning Lunches

We need to reschedule the 'Children and Church' session with Claire Benton-Evans. A timetable of autumn Learning Lunch events will be in the next DMMC News email. Thank you for your patience 🙂

Next CMD Day: Tuesday 18 September

Save the date for we will be joined by the Revd Dr Andrew Adam, aka AKMA. He is currently Associate Priest at the Parish of Abingdon-on-Thames, Theology Faculty in Oxford University (currently at Oriel College, having previously been at St Stephen’s House). In the 2010s, he taught at Glasgow University and ministered within the SEC. One of his areas of interest, namely New Testament Christologies, will be the subject of our CMD day. Do make time to join us!

The Scottish Episcopal Institute offers courses that SEC clergy and readers can audit for free, or study for credit at minimal cost.

▶ Health, Healing and Mission, with the Revd Dr Gillian Straine. Tuesdays, 7-9pm, 9 Sep-25 Nov.

▶ Advanced Topic: History of Liturgy, with Dr John R. Davies. Wednesdays, 7-9pm, 10 Sep-26 Nov.

▶ Elementary Biblical Hebrew, with Dr Amber Shadle. Thursdays, 7-8pm, 11 Sep-20 Nov.

▶ Ecclesiology and Conflict, with the Rev Dr W. John Carswell. Tuesdays, 2-4pm, 6 Jan-10 Mar 2026.

▶ Advanced Topic: Theology of the Eucharist, with the Revd Prof Bryan Spinks. Wednesdays, 7-9pm, 7 Jan-18 Mar.

▶ Reflective Practice: Leadership and Collaboration, with the Revd Keith Thomasson. Tuesdays 2-4pm, 24 Mar-9 Jun.

They also offer one of the cheapest MA degrees in the UK, accredited by Durham University. Interested in any of these? Email: [email protected].

Trinity College, Glasgow, are advertising their Autumn/Winter short courses, many of which are online:

History and Theology of Worship
Contemporary Visual Art and Worship
Preaching in Church Contexts
Listening in Mission

The following College of Preachers Zoom seminars take place from 10:30–1pm, and cost £12.

▶ Mon 7 Jul: Sermon Crafting; The Revd Dr Jennifer Brown.

▶ Sat 12 Jul: Preaching the Jesus of John's Gospel; Dr Rebecca Dean (this takes place 2–4:30pm).

▶ Sat 20 Sep: Preaching the Psalms; The Revd Dr Philip Jenson.

Season of Creation

The Season of Creation is coming around once more, and materials are starting to become available. Here are some to get you started:

▶ Season of Creation - resources for this year from the worldwide, ecumenical steering group.

▶ Eco-Congregation Scotland - resources from Rev David Coleman.

▶ The Episcopal Church - a series of resources and links from USA.

▶ New Creation Liturgies - a booklet of resources entitled Season of Creation: A Celebration Guide for Episcopal Parishes (Perennial Edition 2025).

▶ Honoring God in Creation - a booklet of resources from The Episcopal Church (USA).

▶ Doxecology - songs and study guides from Resound Worship and Engage Worship.

▶ Faithful Climate Conversations - guides produced by For the Love of Creation in Canada.

▶ Rich Living - a series of small group resources by A Rocha Aotearoa New Zealand.

▶ The Food Conversation - a guide to hosting 90 minute conversations on the food system, created by the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission.

Note that Fairtrade Fortnight now takes place during the Season of Creation, and there are plenty of resources available online to mark this as well.

Next month, we will be sharing some resources to help congregations think about the harvest of their own (working) lives, be they scientists, cleaners, police officers, retail managers, parents, retired, or whatever. The invitation is to help people reflect on what God is asking of them in their every day lives and what the harvest of that calling looks like.

Children and Young People

Youth and Children's Newsletter

Our Summer 2025 Newsletter is now available!

Click on the image to go straight to the online version, or access via our usual Newsletter / Update page at the link below:

edinburgh.anglican.org/publications/youth-and-children-newsletter/

Hard copies are available for congregations on request. Email the DMMC Team.

Toddler Groups have been a focus for us throughout June as we prayed for each of the groups run by our churches. There was a news item on the website, and there is now a permanent page highlighting all our groups.

There is a still-progressing resource page for people running, or wanting to start, toddler groups.

We also have an offer of practical support with paperwork from within the Diocese for any congregation looking to start this vital ministry. Get in touch with the DMMC Team for more information.

Moreover, we are going to have a gathering of those involved with (or interested in running) toddler groups on the afternoon of Wednesday 20 August. Save the date and more details will be out soon!

Play Day Wednesday 6 August

Play is not a nice-to-have: it is vital to the health and wellbeing of every child. This is marked across the UK every year on the first Wednesday of August. The theme for 2025 is Spaces for Play because every child deserves welcoming, inclusive spaces to play, connect, and thrive. Is there space for your church to offer some play that day, or any day?!

Adventures in Faith

Go to the Awareness Days page on the diocesan website, then click on 'July'. There are dates to the end of 2025, for those who like to plan ahead!

Net Zero Event

The Net Zero team will undertake a ‘Roadshow’ across the Province in 2025, visiting each Diocese. For Edinburgh, this will be on 19 July. The day will provide an opportunity for Charges across the Diocese to engage with the NZ team and many other organisations that will be able to assist them in their Net Zero journey and more.

As well as all the Net Zero team being there will be stalls for grant funders, Historic Environment Scotland, suppliers and other organisations such as Christian Aid and wildlife organisations. There will, of course, be refreshments.

On 14 July, Christian Aid is holding its last 'Faith into Action' webinar before the summer. The subject will be 'Art and Activism'. More details here.

On 29 July, there will be a webinar as part of the 'Restore Campaign' series, entitled 'Looking at the Role of Restoration, both within our Christian Faith and in our Latest Campaign'. More details here.

A Place Like Home: a summer retreat from Heart in Pilgrimage reflecting on belonging, identity and flourishing. Access to the materials is £30 (£35 including printed booklet) and is available now until 30 September. This gives you a complete retreat package with reflections to read and listen to and other materials with which to linger.

Sarum College offers a number of online or hybrid short courses this summer, including week-long intensive introductions to biblical language:

Leadership, Imagination and Innovation
Exploring the Assisted Dying Debate
Clare of Assisi and Female Expressions of Franciscan Spirituality and Theology
Introduction to Biblical Hebrew
New Testament Greek in a Week

On 11 October, 2–4pm, Professor John Swinton will give a talk at St Mary's Cathedral: 'Mental Health, Faith and Community: Rethinking How the Church Cares'. He will reflect on the roles of prayer, preaching, and worship in responding to difficult psychological experiences – not simply by offering answers, but by allowing space for honesty, hope and compassion. More details to follow!

Growth in Prayer and Reflective Living will be running again from 28 October through to May 2026. Tuesday evenings (online) plus three Saturday sessions in person at Christ Church Morningside, £465. Further information on Epiphany's website.

Summer in the City

Exciting News!! As part of the work of DMMC over the past year, we have pulled together a leaflet entitled Edinburgh City Centre Historic Churches Walking Trail. This trail will be 'launched' by a group walking the trail, and anyone can join us 👣 We will leave St Giles Cathedral at 10:30am on Thursday 24 August and finish up at St Mary's Cathedral, Palmerston Place, when we get there!

Stories of Belief is an exciting audio-visual exhibition, visitors will be taken on a journey through 900 years of faith and belief in Edinburgh. It has been curated by Edinburgh Interfaith Association, and is being exhibited at (our) St Mary's Cathedral until 15 July and then at the St James Quarter 16-23 July.

edinburghinterfaith.com/stories-of-belief

Festival at St Mary's Cathedral is a full month's worth of programming, covering music, drama, art, and worship. Everything is detailed on the Cathedral's website: www.cathedral.net/whats-on/festival

This year's Edinburgh Festival of the Sacred Arts runs Sunday 10 until Saturday 16 August, inclusive. A full programme of worship, music, art, textiles, poetry, film, and more can be browsed online.

This is the final year for the Just Festival in its current format, and there is plenty on offer. As well as events at St John's, Princes Street, the team are partnering with Museums and Galleries Edinburgh to host a weekend-long Festival of Faiths as part of the Edinburgh 900 celebrations.