adventures-in-faith

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Adventures in Faith
August 2025

Welcome to Adventures in Faith: where everyone in the Diocese of Edinburgh can explore, learn, and grow in faith and fullness of life.

Launch of Edinburgh City Centre
Historic Churches Walking Trail

On 24 July, just in time for festival season, we launched a new leaflet that guides you round 10 of Edinburgh's historic churches, giving information on their locations, opening hours and historical backgrounds.

The leaflet was an ecumenical project, produced by the Diocese of Edinburgh on behalf of the City Centre Churches. Pictured above at its launch are (L-R) The Very Revd John Conway, Provost of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral; The Revd Dr Scott Rennie, Minister of St Giles' Cathedral; Anne Martin, the leaflet's editor; Monsignor Jeremy Milne, Administrator of St Mary's Catholic Cathedral; and The Revd Fiona Reynolds, Advisor for Christian Life at the Diocese of Edinburgh. (Photo: Peter Backhouse)

You can access an online version of the leaflet, including an interactive Google Map, here. Physical copies of the leaflet are available at each of the featured churches.

From the Mission & Ministry Team

Toddler Group Gathering Are you involved in running a baby and/or toddler group in your church? Are you thinking about starting one? If so, then join us on the afternoon of Wednesday 20 August at Ps & Gs, Edinburgh, from 2pm to 4pm, to share ideas, resources, best practice, and more. If you can't make the session, be sure to check out our new Resources for Toddler Groups web page, which includes tips from successful toddler groups run within the diocese.

If you are a member of vestry, you are a charity trustee! This brings with it duties and responsibilities, and we are here to help you do these well. At least twice a year, we offer training from an excellent speaker and experienced lawyer, and we encourage all vestry members to attend. If you have yet to join us, or it feels like a long time since you did, please do register for our next session in Haddington on Saturday 15 November. There are breakfast rolls, tea, and coffee from 9am; the training proper starts at 9:30am; and we finish by 1pm. Register here.

This autumn, we are again hosting a series of Sunday Afternoon Teas for key members of vestry. This year, we are inviting people by area, so please encourage your Vestry Secretaries, Wardens, Lay and Alt Lay Reps, and Treasurers to come along to one of these events. Start: 3:30pm. Finish around 5pm. Register here.

▶ 21 September: St Peter's, Linlithgow

▶ 5 October: Holy Trinity, Haddington

▶ 12 October: St Ninian's, Comely Bank

▶ 19 October: St Peter's, Galashiels

▶ 9 November: St Ninian's, Comely Bank

Creationtide starts on 1 September. Here are some ways you could mark the season in which we contemplate and celebrate all aspects of God's creation. There are a wealth of materials out there to help you read, pray, reflect, and act, and we have curated some on our Creationtide webpage: please do explore!

Creationtide learning and events

The Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace is running three online events with an ecological emphasis this autumn:

▶ Pope Francis: his Life and Work

Wednesday 3 September, 7–9pm
▶ Online Zoom Forum: St Francis of Assisi
Wednesday 24 September, 7–9pm
▶ Online Zoom Forum: Ecovillages
Wednesday 8 October, 7–9pm

Find more information on the EICSP website

The last two workshops in the 'Plants are our Teachers' 2025 workshop programme based at the Cathedral will be run in the next few weeks:

▶ Tree Portraits and Mandalas: 6 and 7 September

▶ Printing Autumn (Linocuts): 4 and 5 October

For more information about the 'Plants are our Teachers' programme, visit the A+E website.

Greenbank Church, Morningside Parish Church and Fairmilehead Church are running a FREE Autumn Lecture Series on the theme 'Ecology Matters – Wellbeing of Creation and Humanity':

▶ 7 September: 'Ecology, the Climate and the Need for Action' by Dr Mike Robinson OBE.

▶ 14 September: 'The Unstoppable Power of Hope: Christian Aid at 80' by Christian Aid’s Val Brown.

▶ 21 September: 'Nature’s Genius: Evolution’s Lessons for a Changing Planet' by Prof David Farrier.

All lectures are at Morningside Parish Church, 7-8pm.

Abernethy Kilmalieu's retreats chime particularly well with the theme of Creationtide:

▶ Faith in Nature (Autumn Gathering)

Friday 12 to Monday 15 September
▶ Autumn Birdwatching Retreat
Monday 29 September to Friday 3 October.
▶ Faith in Nature (Rainforest Special)
Friday 21 to Monday 24 November.

Exploring Julian of Norwich for Creationtide

"And in this he showed me a little thing, the quantity of a hazelnut, lying in the palm of my hand, as it seemed. And it was as round as any ball. I looked upon it with the eye of my understanding, and thought, ‘What may this be?’ And it was answered generally thus, ‘It is all that is made.’ I marvelled how it might last, for I thought it might suddenly have fallen to nothing for littleness. And I was answered in my understanding: It lasts and ever shall, for God loves it. And so have all things their beginning by the love of God."

This extract from Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich communicates a vision of God making, loving and sustaining all creation. If you're interested in exploring Julian of Norwich further, there are two recent books that could help you: I Julian by Claire Gilbert is a compelling autobiography of Julian, and Impossible Recovery by Hannah Lucas discusses the illness that led to Julian's visions and her theology of wellbeing.

On 4 November, Sarum College will be running a short online course featuring both these authors talking about "Writing Julian of Norwich in the 21st Century". Find more information here.

Further opportunities and events

The Adventures in Faith: Courses page on the diocesan website is where you can find a whole range of courses running in the coming weeks and months. There course provider websites so you can explore further. AND check out our Events Calendar for something local that might take your fancy!

24-7 Prayer have called a Global Week of 24-7 Prayer from 1 to 7 September. Thousands of prayer rooms will be set up in half the nations of the world during this time. If you cannot join physically this year, perhaps check out the information and resources that 24-7 Prayer have put together: these contain lots of great ideas for prayer. Or see if you can support the week unofficially by adding an hour or two of your own personal prayer as the week progresses. You could even get together a group and agree to cover a daily hour, or more, between you for that week!

Online Icon Painting Course for Beginners.

This is a 9-week course where you can learn to create a stunning icon of the Mother of God using traditional Russian iconography techniques. This step-by-step course is perfect for beginners and experienced artists looking to refresh their skills, and is led by renowned iconographer Basia Mindewicz.

It takes place on Sundays, 7-9pm, and starts on 21 September. Cost is £370, which can be paid in installments. More information here.

Edinburgh Interfaith Association

If you missed their "Stories of Belief" exhibition earlier in the summer, it is now at the Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre. Find it on the first floor until 4 September.

A three-part webinar series starts soon, entitled "Spiritual Disciplines", with the first to be held on Monday 25 August, 6-7:30pm. Click here for more details and to book a free ticket.

Deadline for course applications: 5 September!

Applications will be closing soon on the following short courses at Trinity College Glasgow:

Preaching in Church Contexts (onsite), starting 24 September

History and Theology of Worship (online), starting 29 September

Designing and Leading Christian Worship (hybrid), starting 29 September

Contemporary Visual Art and Christian Worship (online), starting 2 October

Listening in Mission (online), starting 8 October.

All of these courses are priced at £207. Get further information on the Trinity College website.

Sarum College has a full and exciting online autumn programme. Here are some of the highlights:

Journalling: Listening to the Soul: Wednesday 1 October, 10am to 1pm, £40

Worship through the Lens of Autism: Thursday 9 October, 1pm to 4pm, £40

Spiritual Exercises for the 21st Century Week by Week: Mondays from 13 October, 7:30 to 9pm, £65

The Uncontrolling Love of God: Tuesday 14 October, 1pm to 4pm, from £35 (early bird)

Queer Spirituality: An Introduction: Wednesday 22 October, 1pm to 4pm, £40

Writing Julian of Norwich in the 21st Century: Tuesday 4 November, 1pm to 4pm, £40

Or, explore the Modern Mystics, considering the lives of Edith Stein, Dag Hammarskjöld and Dorothee Sölle. This webinar series will run on Zoom on Monday evenings from 22 September to 6 October. Tickets are £20 for each session or £50 for the series. More information here.

The Center for Action and Contemplation are running an online learning event on 14 September: 'What Makes Contemplative Christianity Different?' The event starts at 4pm PT, which translates to 12 midnight in Scotland, but if you register you get access to a recording of the event. More details here.

Youth and Children’s Ministry Training Day at Ps & Gs Church is on Saturday 27 September, 9am-1pm. An invitation is extended to everyone working with children and young people across the Diocese to join this event. There will be tea/coffee and pastries to start, followed by training on 'Neurodiversity', 'Play', and 'Mossy Church'. The training will be interactive and run by guest speakers. There will be a chance to pray together as well.

Register here for this excellent, and free, event.

Godly Play Storyteller and Door Person Training

This accredited training in the Godly Play method is next running in Edinburgh on 22–24 October. It takes

an immersive, hands-on approach, helping participants to understand the process and the theory of Godly Play. The days are composed of storytelling, reflection, and practice, with breaks for tea/coffee and lunch (provided). The cost is £315, reduced by 10% if you register before 26 August, and by 5% before 9 September. More info and booking here.

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. Mark your diaries and more details to follow!

Retreats

You can find more than 25 retreat venues that we have come across, or that have been used by members of the diocese, on our Retreat Venues page. There is also a map, so you can see at a glance where the listed retreat centres are based.

And this is just the start! There are 100 retreat centres, most based in the UK, in the Retreat Association's Retreats Directory, which is online, or pop into the diocesan office to explore their 2025 Handbook.

Heart of Pilgrimage: Reflective walk in nature

11 October, 10:30am–3pm, £20/£15 concession
Walking in the natural world offers us opportunities to connect gently with the cycles of life, with God and with ourselves. The colourful splendour of autumn has much to teach us about gathering in, giving thanks and letting go. Whether you enjoy a hike or a gentle stroll, this is an invitation to walk with reflective material in the parkland and mature woodland of Dalkeith Country Park. Find more information here.

This autumn at The Bield at Blackruthven:
Seasonal Quiet Garden Day
30 September, 10am–4pm
Body Prayer Capacitar Wellness Taster
4 October, 2–4.30pm
Holding Space – Vessel Making
8 October, 10am–4pm
Advanced Enneagram
18 October, 10am–4pm
One Day Silent Retreat
29 October, 10am–4pm
HerSong: A weekend retreat
31 October at 3pm to 2 November at 3:30pm

Have You Tried?

In this section, we share a resource that might help you explore, learn, or grow in your faith: it could be a book, a podcast, an email subscription, or something else!

If you're wondering how to respond to the terrible news emerging from Gaza, here are two small ways you can support those who are suffering as a result of the conflict: by visiting the Palestine Museum on Dundas Street, which opened this May, or popping into Hadeel, a shop on George Street that sells fairtrade Palestinian crafts and food items.

Edinburgh's Palestine Museum Scotland, a satellite of the Palestine Museum in Connecticut, USA, is Europe's first museum of contemporary Palestinian art. It aims to challenge perceptions, fostering empathy and celebrating the richness of Palestinian culture, bringing the stories and experiences of Palestinian artists to Edinburgh. In August, the Palestine Museum Scotland will be open every day from 11am until 6pm. Find out more on the museum's Instagram page.

The aim of Hadeel, located at 123 George Street, is to provide a sustainable source of income and support for Palestinian craftspeople and artisans in The West Bank, The Gaza Strip, Galilee, The Negev and Palestinian communities within Lebanon and Israel. Hadeel is Arabic for a dove's cooing, and the Hadeel logo represents a wish for peace. The shop stocks goods from jewellery to olive oil, cook books to cushion covers. It's open from Monday to Saturday from 10am til 5pm. You can also buy Hadeel's goods online, on its website.

Thank you!

Thank you for being part of the Adventure this past year! It was in August 2024 that we started this newsletter, an electronic version of the much-loved quarterly magazine which stopped in 2017. It has been a learning curve for us and, we hope, a source of information and inspiration to you. Please keep spreading the word, and we look forward to exploring the coming year with you all!

Homepage – Outlines what Adventures in Faith is, with links to other landing pages.

Newsletter – Links to all previous newsletters and to sign-up for emails.

Calendar – Events happening across the Diocese, in congregations and partner organisations.

Courses – A list of courses & retreats from across the UK: something for everyone!

Awareness – Awareness days that link in with our faith and Marks of Mission.

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Revd Fiona (Fee) Reynolds, Advisor for Christian Life
0131 346 9089, [email protected]

Cathy Tingle, Interim Administrative Assistant (M&M)
0131 346 9085, [email protected]

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