Scottish Episcopal Church News

The following post contains news from around and within the Scottish Episcopal Church for January 2015.

George Square Tragedy in Glasgow

The Rt Rev Gregor Duncan, the Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway was in George Square just after the recent tragedy involving a bin lorry. The accident took place just yards from the Glasgow and Galloway Diocesan Office.

Speaking after the tragedy, Bishop Gregor said:

We give thanks for the response of our emergency services.

The disaster occurred very near to the Diocesan office and I saw with my own eyes the awful aftermath. I shall not forget what I saw.

Bishop Gregor also engaged in a public dialogue about how Christians can respond to such events on 28 December 2014, the Feast of the Holy Innocents in St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow. This can be seen here:

Dialogue between Kelvin Holdsworth and Gregor Duncan in Glasgow on 28 December 2014 from Kelvin Holdsworth on Vimeo.

Video Message from the Primus

The Primus, the Most Rev David Chillingworth released a Christmas Message in video format this year.

The message, which some have noted doesn’t mention God or Jesus, can be seen here:

Changes to Marriage Law

The College of Bishops has issued guidelines relating to recent changes in marriage law. These have not been universally welcomed, with 50 clergy and lay readers writing a letter to the bishops in response with the Herald newspaper reporting: “Church leaders are facing an unprecedented insurrection amongst their own ministry over their gay marriage ban, with signals some clergy will not carry out any weddings until the matter is resolved.”

More information:

The Guidelines

The letter from 50 clergy and lay readers.

There is extensive coverage of other reaction on Changing Attitude Scotland’s website.

The Guidelines do not yet appear on the Scottish Episcopal Church website.

People

The Rev Terry Taggart is the be the new priest for St Peter’s Stornoway and St Moluag’s Eoropaidh.
The Rev Canon James Milne is to leave St Bride’s Hyndland in the new year to become Minor Canon and Sacrist at St Paul’s Cathedral, London.
The Rev Andrew Richardson is to leave the East End Congregations in Glasgow
The Rev Canon Jonathan Mason has left All Saints’, St Andrews
Donald Shell of St John’s Cathedral in Oban has been appointed as Warden of Lay Readers for that diocese.
The Rev Prebendary Bob King has been installed as Rector of St Andrew’s Kelso.
The Rev Liz O’Ryan has been licensed as Associate Priest at Alexandria and Dumbarton since 25 October 2014.
The Rev Kenneth Gibson was licensed as Priest in Charge of Holy Trinity, Monifieth on 21 December 2014.
The Rev Canon Ian Pallett will be installed as Priest in Charge of St Ninian’s, Invergordon and St Mary’s, Alness on 15 January 2014
The Rev Thomas Brauer has been appointed as Diocesan Missioner for the Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane.
The Rev Shona Boardman has been instituted as Rector of St Mary’s Burnam and St Columba’s Stanley.
The Rev Graham Taylor has been instituted as Rector of St John the Baptist, Perth.
The Rev Pam Skelton died on 7 December 2014
The Rt Rev Michael Hare Duke died in December – obituary from the Rt Rev Bob Gillies here: http://www.scotland.anglican.org/bishop-michael-hare-duke-rip/

The Buzz

Bishop David was at the launch of the Smith Commission findings about Scotland’s Future.
Sam Ferguson writes about a boy she fell in love with.
Kelvin Holdsworth has been making his New Year Predictions for 2015.
Ruth Innes has been making New Year Resolutions.
Christine McIntosh realises she is older than any of the bishops.
Malcolm Round advises anyone wanting to improve their prayer life to get a dog.
Rosemary Hannah writes about an uncle who was “staggeringly normal”.
John McLuckie thinks it is time to get back to Traditional [Episcopal] Values.
Beth Routledge thinks it is time to build a cairn.

Sabbatical Funding – The Alastair Haggart Bursary Fund

In memory of Bishop Alastair Haggart a bursary fund was established by his family.
The fund exists to help the financing of sabbaticals or other similar leave of absence for clergy and full-time ministers of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
A committee will convene in January 2015 to make th e next award. Awards totalling up to £4,156 will be made. Individual circumstances, financial resources, and the nature of the sabbatical and its usefulness to the wider church, are taken into consideration when making the award.
Closing date: 6 January 2015

Vacancies

Grangemouth and Bo’ness – advertised on the Edinburgh Diocesan website on 26 November 2014. No closing date listed. See profile for more details.
Secretary and Administrator, General Synod Office – still advertised on the SEC website but closing date is passed.

Roof Repair Fund

A new fund is available to help with urgent repairs to Listed Places of Worship. More details on their website: http://www.lpowroof.org.uk/ Note that the closing date is coming up in early January.

ACTS Trustee Needed

The Faith and Order Board of the Scottish Episcopal Church is seeking for someone to be the SEC’s nominated Trustee of ACTS – Action for Christians Together in Scotland. “A strong interest in ecumenism is essential, previous experience as a charity trustee would be helpful.” More details from churchrelations@scotland.anglican.org.uk

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6 responses to “Dialogue des Carmélites”

Moyra

25/06/2008

Mmmmm now you’re giving me ideas!

Rev Ruth

26/06/2008

Oooh, I have that on CD and haven’t listened to it for ages. Love that chopping sound!

kelvin

26/06/2008

I was told that some kind of scaffold had been rigged up offstage complete with block and tackle to provide the definitive thud as nun by nun, they fell to the floor.

The stage was littered with dead nuns by the end.

david

26/06/2008

It is a real shocker at the end. Liked Poulenc’s music, and the singing was good (Monday performance).

Jonathan Ensor

29/06/2008

Attended the performance on Thursday. Particularly liked the voices of Mere Marie(Elysia Leech) and the Father Confessor(L’Aumonier), James Geer.

Tim Dean led the performance admirably and there was hardly any poor casting although obviously with a student performance some were better suited to their roles than others.

James Geer is to be singing the Male Chorus in Britten’s “The Rape of Lucretia” at Aldeburgh-a favourite opera of mine with the Pagan story offset and contrasted with the choruses commenting from a Christian perpective.

It was good to see(at a distance) Donald Maxwell and Linda Ormiston in the foyer before the performance, both professional singers of some distinction. I remember them both from Good Shepherd Chorus performances at St Mary’s years ago.(Donald Maxwell sang the baritone part in a performance of Elgar’s “The Light of Life” and Linda Ormiston, who studied maths at Glasgow Uni and singing with the late Winifred Busfield who taught me, sang the alto part in Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody under Christopher Seaman.

The staging of Dialogue des Carmelites was very effective and succeeded in conveying most of the pathos of the final scene without gross exhibitionism, which would have made it unbearable to watch.

John Woodhouse

29/06/2008

It’s a great work – saw it at ENO.