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Welcome to October's Newsletter!

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

Congratulations!

On 16 September, The Revd Dr David Bagnall was instituted as the new Rector of St John's, Princes Street. Congratulations to David and we wish him every blessing on this stage of his ministry.

News and Highlights

The Autumn Diocesan Synod is not taking place on 23 October as previously listed in the "Future Dates" section of this newsletter. Further information about what is happening instead will be shared soon.

October is Black History Month

If you are looking for resources to mark BHM, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) has collated a useful document, which you can access here.

BHM resources from previous years can also still be accessed via their archive website.

Subsidised Christmas Booklets to Give Away

"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."

Congregations can order these books via the Diocese for the reduced and subsidised cost of £1 per book. Have look at what the inside is like here, or view a copy the next time you're in the Office. Order via this form and we will be in touch once they are available!

Wondering how to cater for younger members?

Thinking about all-age worship?

Is your current Roots subscription due for renewal?

The Diocese is a subscription ‘hub’ for ROOTS on the Web, enabling congregations to sign-up for access to Lectionary-based digital resources (including the 20-year back catalogue) for the subsidised cost of £20 for the year. Interested congregations should register via this form. One-month free trial here.

Taizé: One Week in July.

Taizé is an ecumenical monastic community in Burgundy, France. In July, Nick Bowry, Rector of St James the Less, Penicuik, accompanied a group of young people aged 18-28 from the SEC on a week-long trip to this modern-day pilgrimage site. On Friday 3 October, 7:30-9pm, Nick will talk about the history of Taizé, its mission and the peaceful encounter that this special place offers. £5/person. Find out more here.

On 11 October, 2–4pm, Professor John Swinton will give a talk, followed by open discussion, 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.

Book Launch: "All Is Not Loss" by Revd Duncan MacLaren

Duncan has written this book "reflecting on the fact that we experience grief and loss throughout our lives, and exploring the possibility that such pervasive grief – far from being hopeless – may harbour hidden gifts and an invitation to spiritual growth." You can read more about, and discuss, the themes of the book on a dedicated blog site: https://www.allisnotloss.org/. Join Duncan and others at St James' Goldenacre on Friday 17 October at 6pm – all welcome!

Scotland Demands Better is a national campaign by The Poverty Alliance, Scotland's multi-agency network behind events such as 'Challenge Poverty Week' (which this year is 6-12 October). A March is being held on Saturday 25 October, assembling from 10am at the Scottish Parliament, to leave at 11am. It will culminate in a mini, family-friendly festival in The Meadows, 1-4pm. Individuals and congregations are invited to join with the Primus and "demand that politicians make the changes we need for a society where every household can thrive and prosper."

Awareness Days in October.

We list Awareness Days that may be relevant for congregations to consider on our website here. Each entry has a link to external websites that provide information and resources for that particular cause or event.

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.

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 passed on 27 September Synod:

▶ Friday 31 October 2025 – Closing date for nominations (extended by one week from the draft timetable).

▶ week beginning 12 January 2026 – Interviews of short-listed candidates.

▶ Saturday 7 February 2026 – Electoral Synod meeting with 3–5 candidates.

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

There is a dedicated page on the website for this process, both for your information and for sharing with potential candidates: edinburgh.anglican.org/bishop-search

Acting Bishop.

Bishop Mark 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.

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.

Sunday Afternoon Teas are now taking place for key members of vestry. This year, we are meeting geographically, 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.

▶ 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

For detailed listings across a range of providers, check out the Courses page. This is updated very regularly and is a one-stop-shop for you to browse any time.

Thursday Learning Lunches 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.

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

27 Nov – Children and Church with Claire Benton-Evans.

Next CMD Day: Tuesday 3 March 2026

We will be joined in the new year by the Revd Keith Thomasson, Rector of St Ninian's in Troon, and Chair of the Provincial Mission Board. He will be foreshadowing his course with the SEI on Leadership and Collaboration. Please mark your diaries, and more details about location will follow.

Further Skills Course with Place for Hope

This online course is for those who have already completed the Living Well With Differences course, and is an opportunity to further deepen your knowledge and skills in recognising and responding well to differences, change and conflict in our churches. It takes place over two Wednesday mornings (9:30am–1pm), 15 and 22 October. Register here.

Flourishing in Ministry: Walking with Elijah towards Wholeness. A 3-part online evening course from Sarum College (7:30–9pm), which costs £20 per night or £50 for all sessions.
▶ Thu 6 Nov: Facing reality in the wilderness.

▶ Thu 13 Nov: Receiving God's provision and new rhythms.

▶ Thu 29 Nov: Hearing the whisper, renewing connection.

This course is based on work done by Duke University with the United Methodist Church, and you can access helpful resources online:
▶ Fully Alive: A Resource to Guide Clergy Towards Four Behaviours of Flourishing – find here.

▶ A catalogue of all Duke's clergy-support resources – find here.

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:

▶ 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.

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

▶ 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.

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

Youth & Children

Youth and Children’s Ministry Training Days 2026

In 2026, all involved in youth and children's ministry are invited to a series of training days at Ps & Gs Church. These events will be hold on a Saturday morning, 9am–1pm, and free to attend. Add these dates to your diary now and look out for registration links in future newsletters.

▶ 21 March

▶ 23 May

▶ 26 September

▶ 28 November

Play Church. You may have seen the reel about Play Church on our social media feeds. Did you know that it is hosted by congregations throughout the year? We have hosts booked up until autumn 2026, but if you want to host the Play Church at some point in the future, get in touch with Fee and she can talk you through what is involved and/or slot you in as a future host

The latest Youth & Children's Update was published very recently, and is packed with information, ideas, and resources. If you have not received it, lost it, or want to know where to find it in the future, look for the icon above on our website. Or click it now and have a read!

Looking ahead to Advent and Christmas

We have started to update our 'Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Candlemas' page on the diocesan website. For the next few weeks we will continue to add links to interesting resources – and if we're missing anything, please do let us know!

You can find the web page here.

One early event that might start you thinking is a Prayer Spaces Session dedicated to Advent & Christmas, taking place on Monday 6 October, 7:30–8:30pm. It will be run by Prayer Spaces in Schools and promises to be full of ideas for thought-provoking activities for children and young people over the Advent and Christmas period. Find out more and register here.

Subsidised Christmas Booklets to Give Away

And remember, you can order these wee Christmas Family Time books to distribute this Christmas via the Diocese for the reduced and subsidised cost of £1 per book. Have look at what the inside is like here, or view a copy the next time you're in the Office. Order via this form and we will be in touch once they are available!

Adventures in Faith

Safeguarding Training for those working with children and protected adults is available online, 8–9pm, on Thursday 20 November. This is being run by Ps & Gs, and is approved by the SEC Safeguarding team.

SEC Expertise Audit. The Doctrine and Church and Society Committees of the Province are asking members to complete this 'expertise audit' as a way of scoping members who could advise them. At this stage, they are seeking information and an indication of willingness to respond to requests for assistance on an ad hoc basis. Please share this link with your congregation(s).

SEI Annual Lecture: Scottish Theology and Scot-land. Dr Dafydd Mills Daniel, Lecturer in Divinity, St Andrew’s University, will offer this year's SEI Lecture on Thursday 30 October at 5pm via Zoom, entitled, ‘Scottish Theology and Scot-Land’. Join Zoom via this link

The majority of private land in Scotland is owned by just a few hundred wealthy individuals and international corporations. It was in response to the concentrated ownership of Scot-land that the Scottish Land Commission was established in 2017. This lecture will argue that it is possible to trace the language used in recent Scottish Land Commission policy documents to two competing theological discourses within the Scottish Enlightenment. Looking at contemporary political discussions through the lens of Scottish Enlightenment theological controversies not only changes our impression of the Scottish Enlightenment, but raises the question of whether the central question for contemporary debates is not who owns Scot-land but how it is used? Join Zoom via this link

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 events

▶ 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 watch online here.

▶ Wednesday 22 October, 7–8pm - Webinar: inspire your church to act for a just peace.

▶ 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.

The Creed as Lived Reality: Doctrinal Formula and Spiritual Encounter. An online conversation between the Revd Professor Paul Fiddes and the Revd Dr Susan Durber hosted by Fr Dragos Herescu, from the Society for Ecumenical Studies.

Wednesday 15 October, 7:30-9pm, £5. Register here.

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:
▶ 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:

▶ 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

From New College, Edinburgh

There are a number of events coming up in the next couple of months at New College: what will appeal to you and your congregation?! All events are listed on the School of Divinity website.

Implications of The Quiet Revival

In July's DMMC News, we shared some resources and events around The Quiet Revival research conducted in England and Wales by The Bible Society. Here we share some more sources of information and suggested resources to engage with the faith-seekers in our midst.

Whilst most of the data and research comes from England and Wales, there are clues that could be applicable in Scotland and in our Diocese. So here are some screenshots of data and links to resources to help you think through what responding to our own 'Quiet Revival' might look like.

Webinar Recording. The Church of England held a webinar in early July, which shared some key findings of the research and heard from other speakers engaged with this area of church growth. A recording of the webinar and the copies of the presentation findings can be found on the CoE Resource Hub (no need to sign in, but you can register as an authorised minister in the SEC).

It would seem that non-churchgoers are becoming more open to prayer, attending church, and learning more about the Bible. The percentages are higher in the younger age groups, perhaps because they have not been as exposed to negative views of church and Christianity as older generations? To find out more about the range of 'spiritual openness' and what we might do with it, there is a website called Lumino which outlines eight personas of Bible attitudes.

The information shared above from the Finding Jesus research shows how important it is for our members to be confident in their own faith: to have a literacy to share with others about the Bible and their life of faith. In the webinar, The Bible Course was shared as one example helping Christians grow in confidence. This course has been used in our Diocese and is positively rated. Perhaps this is something for you to explore?

To stay abreast of discussions and resources, you may wish to subscribe to The Quiet Revival podcast. This link is to the website, where you can listen; or use your usual platform.

Virtual Water Cooler

This new section is for you to reach out to colleagues with some of the things you might chat about over coffee at a CMD day or lunch at Conference...only those can feel quite far apart. If there is something you want to connect over, get in touch with the DMMC Team and we will share here.

First up... Gav Burnage is keen to engage with those who are interested in the work of American Dallas Willard (d.2013). Whether you are an aficionado or just curious, Gav wants to hear from you.