“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry” (Robert Burns: To a Mouse) No matter how carefully we make plans or how much effort we collectively put into implementing them, there are times when things do not…
Back to school
This week thousands of children and young people, across our Presbytery, have headed back to school – with their new schoolbags and new uniform. After a six week holiday it will no doubt be a bit of shock to the…
Shortfalls
One of the significant changes in legislation coming from this year’s General Assembly relates to ‘insolvent’ congregations. Within the newly amended Presbytery Mission Plan Act, you will now find a section entitled Financial Sustainability Review. Such a review, which will…
Farewell to the Tall Ships
The Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025 is an international sailing event where tall ships from around the world compete and showcase their vessels. From last Saturday until yesterday, the harbour was packed full of tall ships and people, with…
Sea Sunday
“Sea Sunday” is a worldwide day to honour, recognise, raise awareness of, and support the many men and women who keep our world moving through their work at sea. Often in dangerous and lonely conditions and spending months away from…
Vacancies – allowances and action plans
As promised, this week we are picking up on another new piece of legislation with financial implications for congregations in our Presbytery. The CALL, ELECTION AND APPOINTMENT OF MINISTERS OF WORD AND SACRAMENT ACT revises the way in which we…
A different week in the life of a parish minister
By Rev Shuna Dicks “Rev Keith Blackwood and I are Padres (Chaplains) with the Army Cadets, as is Rev Sean Swindells. This week we are supporting our respective Battalions at their annual camps, which are taking place side by side…
Presbytery Services
The last week of June saw Presbytery meet four times. Two of these gatherings were Services of Induction, one was our June meeting and one was a Service of Union. Our Communications Officer put together ‘reels’ for each of these…
Bearing Fruit
Finance is something which is exercising the minds of many people in our Presbytery and across the whole of the Church of Scotland at the moment. Over the coming weeks, I’m going to spend a bit of time exploring what…
Attention to detail
On more than one occasion in my life I’ve been caught out because I’ve paid insufficient attention to the fine print. It is incredibly frustrating when you realise that you’ve not got what you thought you had paid for or…