dmmc-news

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Welcome to September's Newsletter!

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

Congratulations!

On 1 September, The Revd Janet Spence was instituted as Rector of Holy Cross, Davidson's Mains. Congratulations to Janet and to her new charge!

News

Acting Bishop

As you will know, and can see from the photo above, Bishop Mark is our Acting Bishop. He will not be spending much time in Edinburgh Diocese, and much of the work that was done by Bishop Armes will be covered by Dean Frances. If you wish to contact the Bishop, please do so via Hannah Harcus, who will coordinate all the various needs with Dean Frances and Bishop Mark's PA. Thank you.

Saint Ninian Declaration signing

On 16 September the Saint Ninian Declaration, which supports a deepening relationship between Episcopalians and Roman Catholics in Scotland, will be signed.

The first part of the signing will take place at St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral in York Place, and the second part at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Palmerston Place.

The day will include a Symposium on the history of the relationship between the Catholic and Episcopal churches in Scotland. This event will start at 2pm at St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral.

At 4pm, the Declaration will be signed at St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral by Archbishop Leo Cushley on behalf of the Conference of Bishops of the Catholic Church in Scotland and by the Most Rev Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross & Caithness and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The Archbishop and the Primus will then move on to an Evensong service at 5.30pm at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, where the second signing will take place.

All are welcome to attend the signings. See the SEC website for more information.

We've had a refresh!

Last week we pressed the button on our refreshed diocesan website. We're hoping it will make navigation easier for visitors to our site. We've also taken the opportunity to create some landing pages for Mission and Ministry and clergy resources so you can find what you need more quickly. Here are the links to the refreshed content:

Front page: https://edinburgh.anglican.org/

Mission and Ministry resources: https://edinburgh.anglican.org/dmmc_resources/

Clergy resources: https://edinburgh.anglican.org/dmmc_resources/for-clergy/

The resources pages are also available via both the 'Mission and Ministry' menu tab and the 'Resources' menu tab.

If you think something is missing, or it isn't working as it should, drop us a line!

Sunday 14 September 2025

Be aware that Sunday 14 September is a busy one in Edinburgh, with road closures due to the following events:

▶ Edinburgh Riding of the Marches

▶ Edinburgh Kiltwalk

You may wish to warn congregants to double-check their journeys ahead of time.

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.

For Vestry members!

Ordained and lay vestry members alike are encouraged to attend the next Trustee Training session on Saturday 15 November at the Trinity Centre, Haddington.

Hot breakfast rolls are provided from 9am until the training proper starts at 9:30am! We conclude by 1pm.

Register for the training 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

Learning & Development Opportunities

It's a busy start to the academic year! We keep the Courses page updated, so please do go and browse to see what piques your interest!

CMD Day: Thursday 18 September

We will be joined at St Columba's by the Castle 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 Scriptural Christologies, will be the subject of our CMD day. Do make time to join us and, for catering purposes, please register your attendance here 😇

Lay Reader Conference: 6 October

This is, once again, taking place at Prestonfield Golf Club and is a chance for all the Lay Readers from the Diocese to come together, learning and reflecting from one another and others.

Clergy Conference: 3–6 November

Invitations for Clergy Conference have now been issued. Please complete your registration as soon as practicable – thank you! tinyurl.com/EdCC25

Thursday Learning Lunches These take place online (using Zoom), starting at 12:30pm and finishing between 1:30pm and 2pm...depending on how much you talk!! Join the Zoom Meeting with this link.

25 Sep – Children and Church with Claire Benton-Evans.

30 Oct – Advent and Christmas – a collective brainstorm, particularly for those in panic mode!

27 Nov – topic tbc.

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. Applications close 5 September and each course costs £207.

▶ Preaching in Church Contexts: Wednesdays, 24 Sep–3 Dec, 4–6pm, onsite.
▶ History and Theology of Worship: Mondays, 29 Sep–24 Nov, 6:30–8:30pm, online.
▶ Designing and Leading Christian Worship:
Mondays, 29 Sep–24 Nov, 7–9pm, plus Sat 11 Oct, hybrid delivery.
▶ Contemporary Visual Art and Christian Worship:
Thursdays, 2 Oct–27 Nov, 7–9pm, online.
▶ Listening in Mission: Thursdays, 8 Oct–3 Dec, 7–9pm, online.

New College, Edinburgh are holding a FREE CPD day on Wednesday 17 September, from 9:30am until 5pm. There are a range of sessions to choose from, including:

▶ Dr Selina Stone: Tarrying with God and One another.

▶ Dr Peter Atkins: Texts, Sources, and Migrants: Issues in Isaiah and Exodus.

▶ Dr J-Thomas Hewitt: RCL(A) Epistles: Currents in Scholarship for the Church.

The College of Preachers offer a series of seminars and talks via Zoom. The regular Zoom seminars take place from 10:30am–1pm, and cost £12:

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

▶ Mon 3 Nov: Preaching Matthew's Gospel; The Revd Dr A. K. M. Adam.

▶ Sat 15 Nov: Preaching the Christmas Story; The Revd Dr Jennifer Brown.

▶ Mon 17 Nov: Preaching the Women of the Gospels; The Revd Dr Philip Jenson.

**Plus one additional offering:

▶ Tue 9 Sep: Putting Words to Work – how we use language in preaching; Dr Margaret Cooling; 7–8:30pm; £5.

Retreat for Clergy. If you're in full-time ministry and need some time and space to rest and recharge,

Whitchester Christian Centre are holding a Ministers'/Clergy Retreat from 10–14 November that might appeal to you. The centre is offering any two nights or more at a discounted full-board rate of £85pppn. Find out more on the Whitchester site.

Season of Creation

The Season of Creation is here. Head to the dedicated page of the website to find a range of resources to help you mark the season:

https://edinburgh.anglican.org/dmmc_resources/creationtide/

September's Diocesan Prayer Diary, on Facebook and Instagram, also has a Creationtide theme, with prayers posted each day along the themes of:

▶ Creator & Cosmos (Week 1)

▶ Water & Air (Week 2)

▶ Land (Week 3)

▶ Humanity & Justice (Week 4)

Posts for 29 and 30 September will mark Fairtrade Fortnight.

Note that Fairtrade Fortnight now takes place during the Season of Creation (22 September–5 October), and there are plenty of resources available online to mark this as well. This year's theme is Do It Fair, with a product focus of tea. There are resources, ideas, prayers, and more on the Fairtrade Fortnight website: have a look for more information.

Youth & Children

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.

Subsidised Christmas Booklets to Give Away

This booklet is described as "An affirming Christmas gift to give to families, encouraging them to talk together, be creative, be hospitable, be celebratory, and including activities for all ages." We are inviting congregations to order these booklets through the Diocese for the reduced and subsidised cost of £1 per book. Have look at what the inside is like here, or ask to see a copy the next time you're in the Office. Order via this form and we will be in touch once they are available!

The next Provincial Sleepover event will take place at St James Church in Aberdeen. It will run from 4pm on Saturday 4 October and finish at noon on Sunday 5 October. There will be fun, food and a sleepover in the church!

Anyone of High School age is welcome to attend, plus Yeek25 graduates.

Cost = £10 per person. Book via this link before 23 September.

Adventures in Faith

Retreat Venues. 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 dedicated webpage. There is also a map, so you can see at a glance where the listed retreat centres are based.

This panel discussion on 12 September from 7–9.30pm at St Mary's Cathedral will invite attendees to engage with pressing questions about the purpose, evolution, and meaning of liturgical practice in today’s world. For more information, visit the St Mary's Cathedral website.

Training for those in Regulated Roles. There are two in-person training sessions for people working with children or protected adults coming up at Ps & Gs. The team extend an invitation to anyone in the Diocese who is a member of the PVG Scheme and wants some Safeguarding training.

▶ Thu 18 Sep, 7:30–9pm, register here.

▶ Thu 20 Nov, 7:30–9pm, registration link to follow.

Autumn lecture series 'Here I Stand' is being run by The Church Times and St Martin in the Fields, London. Anyone can access remotely for £10 a lecture. Highlights include lectures by:

▶ Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde (Sun 14 Sep)

▶ Rowan Williams (Mon 15 Sep)

▶ Chris Bryant (Mon 20 Oct)

▶ Elif Shafak (Mon 10 Nov)

▶ Mary Beard (Mon 17 Nov)

Find out more and book on the St Martin in the Fields 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.

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.

You can now sign up for this talk on the St Mary's Cathedral website.

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.

Christian Aid

There are a number of Christian Aid events coming up, either in person or online. The key themes are 'Climate Crisis' and 'Just Peace'. Highlights are shared below; see the Christian Aid website for more on what's happening and when.

Events.

▶ Sunday 14 September, 6:30–8pm - The Head of Christian Aid Scotland, Val Brown, will discuss ‘The Unstoppable Power of Hope: Christian Aid at 80’ as part of Morningside Church’s autumn lecture series. Venue: Morningside Parish Church and online.

▶ Monday 15 September, 2–3:30pm - a panel discussion on the Global Debt Crisis, chaired by Humza Yousaf MSP, and featuring Christian Aid partners, economists, and experts in ethical finance. Venue: Augustine United Church, Edinburgh.

▶ Thursday 18 September, from 12noon - MSP Mass Lobby at the Scottish Parliament to meet your MSPs and call for fast and fair climate action. This requires individual sign-up in advance.

▶ Thursday 18 September, 7–8pm - Restore Campaign Workshop, with information on how to get your congregation involved in all aspects of the Restore Campaign, including the creative aspects. Online.

▶ Sunday 21 September - International Day of Peace and A Call to Prayer and Public Witness, with resources available via the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) website.

▶ Wednesday 24 September, 2–3:30pm - Prayers for Peace in the Middle East, with Palestinian guest speaker Daoud Nassar from Tent of Nations, whose motto is 'we refuse to be enemies'. This is a hybrid event, in-person at Augustine United Church, Edinburgh, and online via Teams. Note: the time is different from the usual prayers on the 24th.

▶ Monday 6 October, 7–8:30pm - Christian Aid Annual Lecture: "An Economics of the Common Good" by Professor Mariana Mazzucato, Professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value at University College London (UCL). Register to attend in person for free here. Details about watching online to follow.

▶ Friday 24 October, 7–8:30pm - Prayers for Peace in the Middle East, with Christian Aid partner, Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem. Venue: online.

▶ Saturday 28 October, 7pm - Heart and Soul Swing Band fundraising concert at Greenbank Parish Church, Edinburgh.

Campaigns and Materials.

▶ Afghanistan Earthquake Appeal.

▶ Tinderbox Film - CA have produced a guide on how to host a Tinderbox Film Night. They describe it as "a rare and thought-provoking examination of injustice and conflict in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory."

▶ Just Peace - a set of resources, from films to action ideas, to enable churches to work towards a just peace in the Middle East.

▶ Restore Campaign - "For too long, the UK Government has backed the world’s biggest polluters and greediest corporate lenders, whose reckless actions are
fuelling the climate and debt crises. The UK Government has looked the other way and repeatedly backed the wealthy and powerful over people living in poverty." Here are resources and ideas to "join in God’s work to restore creation".

▶ Climate Justice - resources, particularly highlighting the racial nature of climate justice.

Awareness Days