Notices
Education Report
Please find the report on the meeting of the Aberdeenshire Council Education and Children's Services Committee, kindly brought to you by Rev Carl Irvine.
April Prayer Points
Please find April Prayer Points here.
Cathedral Family Sessions - School Holidays
St Machar's Cathedral is hosting three family sessions in early April during the school holidays.
Bring all ages along to discover this historic building in different ways - from spring crafts and embroidery to dressing up boxes and Easter trails.
On Tuesday morning our Charter room will be open to browse the archives and some of our bellringers will show you their craft. See flyer for more details.
Walk of Witness - Good Friday, 10:30
Once again Aberdeen Churches Together have organised a Walk of Witness for Good Friday. Starting at 10.30 at St Peter’s Church, Castlegate, and walking from church to church, finishing at St John the Evangelist Church, Crown Terrace around 1pm.
All welcome to join in. The various stops and approximate timings are as follows:
St Peter’s Church
10.30 – 10.40
St Andrew’s Cathedral
10.55 – 11.05
St Nicholas’ Kirkyard
11.20 – 11.30
St Nicholas Square
11.40 – 11.50
Crown Terrace Baptist Church
12.10 – 12.20
Aberdeen Methodist Church
12:30 – 12.40
St John the Evangelist
12.50 – 13.00
Encourage Young People to Join LiFT!
Looking for a PA system
Our Healthcare Chaplain is looking for a a portable PA system to borrow for the time of reflection on 28th April for International Workers Memorial Day.
They would need to have it earlier to pac test it, if it wasn't already tested.
Please get in touch with Stella or the office if you can help out!
Looking for a Convener for the Property and Finance Committee
The Connections and Nominations Committee are urgently seeking a Convener for the Property and Finance Committee to take over from the current Convener in June.
The remit of the committee can be found on the Presbytery website https://nenipresbytery.org.uk/committees/
The Convener of the Nominations Committee, Ian Aitken, would be happy to discuss the role (without any commitment) with any member of presbytery who might be willing to consider it. Please contact Ian on iaitken@churchofscotland.org.uk or 01224686929.
Webinar on the Proposed New Directions in Ministry Training - April 28, 1pm-2pm
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Scotland Churches Trust offers Church Recording
Please see the message from SCT here.
Meet Rev Mike Newlands - newly ordained and inducted minister:
Neurodivergence in Faith Communities Research - Call for Participants
Aberdeen's Centre for Autism and Theology (CAT) is currently looking for people who identify or have identified as people of faith and who currently identify as autistic or neurodivergent to be interviewed about their experiences within their faith communities.
Participants need to be over 18 and willing to travel to Aberdeen to participate in the research.
There is more information in the attached Resource Information Sheet.
If you are interested or have any questions, please contact CAT at cat@abdn.ac.uk.
Divinity Library Access to Alumni and Public on Fridays
Last term we piloted a programme giving access to the Divinity Library to alumni and the general public on Fridays from 10am-5pm. We had a number of people make use of the library and so we'll be continuing to offer this access for the foreseeable future.
Thanks to a grant, we have bought a number Biblical commentaries which we are hoping will be useful to ministers and lay preachers.
We also have around 7000 books on a wide array of theological and religious topics which may be of interest (the full catalogue is available here).
Please email Dr Joel Pierce (joel.pierce@abdn.ac.uk) beforehand for he needs to be present during your visit.
Searching for the Junior and Senior BBC Young Choristers
Songs of Praise and Radio 2 are searching for the Junior and Senior BBC Young Choristers of the Year 2026!
Entries are now being accepted for this year’s BBC Young Chorister of the Year event, which will be recorded in July at Hallé St Peter’s in Manchester.
Eligible singers will be aged 10–17 and will enjoy singing sacred music of any genre, whether as part of a choir of any type, a worship group, or simply singing at home.
There are two categories:
- Junior– singers aged 10–13
- Senior– singers aged 14–17
(as of 7th April 2026)
It’s very easy to enter, and all the details, including entry rules, FAQs, tips on how to record your entry, and the online application form can be found here: www.bbc.co.uk/songsofpraise
Junior and Senior winners will each receive a trophy plus the opportunity to feature on Songs of Praise and BBC Radio programmes.
If you know a young singer who would love this opportunity, please encourage them to apply and feel free to share this information widely with schools, choirs, churches, and families who might be interested.
Please note that all applications must be received by 23:59 on Tuesday 7th April 2026.
Any questions or problems – please email: YoungChorister@ctvc.co.uk
Invitation to Host an Event for Refugee Festival Scotland
From 18 to 27 June Communities all across the country will be celebrating Refugee Festival Scotland, a week to highlight the contributions refugees and people seeking sanctuary make to communities across Scotland. The festival brings together arts, culture, conversations and events that promote welcome, understanding and inclusion.
We would love to encourage as many faith groups as possible to consider hosting an event as part of this year’s festival. Hosting an event might be as simple as a discussion, film screening, community meal or prayer gathering, or as creative as performances, exhibitions or workshops. Past events run by SFAR or our partners have included:
- Together for Sanctuary, an ecumenical worship service celebrating sanctuary
- You, Me and a Cup of Tea, interfaith tea parties for meeting and encounter
- Love without Limits, a gathering and ceilidh for New Scots
At a time of increasing tension, the festival is a time to celebrate hospitality and strengthen connections across our communities. Funding of up to £750 is available from the Scottish Refugee Council to help run events to help cover event costs such as venue hire, materials and access support. Alternatively a RFS event might be a perfect candidate for the Faithful Welcome small grants run by our friends at Faith in Community Scotland.
Please consider whether your group might host an event and share this opportunity with others in your networks who may be interested. I would love to discuss and help develop any ideas you might have.
Thank you for all you do in support of people seeking safety and welcome in Scotland. We would be delighted to see faith communities well represented in Refugee Festival Scotland this year.
Christian Aid Week - 10-16 May
Christian Aid Week is seven days to make a difference against global poverty. It’s a celebration of our movement, standing in solidarity with our global neighbours. We believe that every person is created in God’s image, and deserves a full and dignified life, free from poverty and injustice.
Church Reps and volunteers across Scotland will shortly be receiving their Guide to Christian Aid Week in the post, with information about this year’s appeal, instructions for ordering resources and ideas for getting involved. Here they are in the PDF versions:
Christian Aid Week 2026 in Scotland
Christian Aid Week 2026 in Scotland Christian Aid Week 2026 Guide for Churches
Christian Aid Week 2026 Guide for Churches Rev Foster-Fulton CAW26 Prayer
Beacon of Hope, Kenya
Christian Aid Week is our largest annual appeal and supports our global work to eradicate poverty. This year, we’re highlighting stories from our work with partners in Kenya, where Beacon of Hope is empowering urban farmers to use small spaces for growing veg. These gardens increase nutrition and income for families, and help parents send their children to school. The Church of Scotland’s support has been integral in making Christian Aid Week such a successful community fundraising moment, so thank you!
Get Involved
- Share our Christian Aid Week resources, including the attached prayer from the Very Revd Sally Foster-Fulton
- On the 24th of each month, we gather (usually online) to pray for a just and sustainable peace in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. In March our speaker will be William Bell, Christian Aid’s Head of Policy and Advocacy in the Middle East.
Please register on our website for the joining link and further information.
- Get a Presbytery team together for the Kiltwalk nearest you. The Right Rev Rosemary Frew, Moderator of the General Assembly, is walking the Saturday Kiltwalk in Glasgow. Could your Presbytery take on a sponsored challenge too? Our team are here to support you all the way.
Also in May
In addition to Christian Aid Week, May will be a busy month with the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and Scottish Parliamentary elections. If you’re in Edinburgh for the General Assembly, look out for a Christian Aid fringe event at Augustine United Church during the lunch break on Friday 15 May.
The 2026 Scottish Parliament elections will be a vital moment for shaping Scotland’s future on poverty, justice, and climate. You’ll find Christian Aid Scotland’s manifesto for a fairer world on our website.
If your church is planning to host a pre-election husting, get in touch. We can provide you with great resources on how to talk your candidates about global issues.
Philanthropy event –Edinburgh
Philanthropy is changing. We are co-hosting an event at the Library of Mistakes in Edinburgh, on Wednesday 29 April, from 5:00pm to 9:00pm, to launch our new social investment product. This allows people to invest their money for a return, but the money will be financing with local partners. Please do encourage people who are interested in ethical finance and philanthropy to come along.
Resources
The Skills Lab - Bible Confidence - 18 April, 9:30-11:30
To register for the morning scan the QR code, or visit https://NENIskillslab.eventbrite.co.uk
The Skills Lab is back! This workshop is aimed at equipping you with a better understanding of the Biblical narrative, and greater confidence to teach the Bible to children and young people.
- Come on a journey through the overarching Biblical narrative;
- Explore some of the key themes and patterns running through the Bible;
- Discover how the whole Old Testament points us to the person of Jesus;
- Find out more about Scottish Bible Society's youth resource "Field Guide to the Bible", and its accompanying 5-week course aimed at ages 10-14;
- Learn and share some tips on teaching the Bible to young people.
Join us from 9:15am for refreshments, with the workshop starting at 9:30am.
Disability Awareness Resources
For Disability Awareness Sunday (September 27), Triona is teaming up with charity Through the Roof on a new free resource for churches, due out in April, exploring how all types of people are needed in God’s Church – including those who are disabled or neurodivergent.
Read this article to learn more and get links to resources!
Preaching Course - starts April 20
Are you interested in preaching in your local congregation? Have you already taken on some preaching responsibilities, but would like more grounding in the theory and practice of how to construct an effective sermon?
The University of Aberdeen is offering a six session online short course led by Rev Dr Ken Jeffrey focused on just this! The upcoming course costs £250 and begins on April 20th and there are still a few places available.
If you are interested in joining in, more information can be found in the attached flyer.
To register, you'll need to create an account with Aberdeen's CPD services website.
Resources to Welcome Everyone in Your Church
Here is a message from Hilary Lacroix, Mission Development Coordinator from Prospects Across Scotland:
Perhaps your church is a bit like mine…you never know who is going to walk in through the door! Do people come with needs that you are not sure how to address? Do you have people attending and you would love for them to be more involved and grow in faith, but they seem to have disabilities that make it difficult?
Prospects Across Scotland is a small Christian charity that has been getting alongside churches to help them with these questions for many years. Our main focus is on adults with learning disabilities and autism, but we know that when you start to make the church accessible for people with learning disabilities, it becomes more accessible for everyone!
Our churches may have people at every age and stage of life. We may be welcoming people who don’t speak English as a first language. We may have people who have health challenges that makes coming to church a bit tricky. New Christians may struggle to understand what many of us take for granted. Neurodivergence, addictions, or mental health may all be reasons why people might face barriers to belonging. There are probably children we would like to understand better.
We would like to invite you to join us on our online training courses. We aim to make them relevant to a wide variety of churches, and be practical, positive and inspiring. We look at what Scripture has to say and how we can work that out in practice. Our ideas are tried and tested in the groups that we support in churches all over Scotland. All evening sessions are open to anyone in Scottish churches but perhaps especially useful to:
- Church leaders
- Pastoral care leads
- Youth workers
- Children’s leaders
- Welcome teams
- AV/Tech teams
- Anyone with a heart for accessibility
You can join our courses as an individual or as a small group gathered together. We don’t wish cost to be a barrier, so do get in touch if it is – we can help. All our sessions come with notes and further resources.
Our next courses are running:
- ‘Offering Bereavement Support to People with Learning Disabilities’ Monday 23rd March 7.30-8.30pm (FREE) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/offering-bereavement-support-to-adults-with-learning-disabilities-tickets-1977719463153?aff=oddtdtcreator
- ‘Church for All’ Monday 23rd March 7-9pm https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1977718208400?aff=oddtdtcreator
- ‘Autism in the Church Family’ Monday 20th April 7-9pm https://www.eventbrite.com/e/autism-in-the-church-family-tickets-1982785378442?aff=oddtdtcreator
I am always happy to offer in-person training to a group in your church or to a number of local churches together. This might be particularly helpful if you want to think about your own church setting. I attach a training brochure with more details if this is of interest.
Taste and See: a 5 Day Silent Retreat
We're excited to let you know we will again be offering a silent retreat at Tarfside in 2026. Taste and See is a five day (six night) silent retreat between Saturday 4th and Friday 10th July 2026 at St Drostan's Lodge, Tarfside in the beautiful Glenesk Valley in North Angus - a place that offers beautiful walking, scenery, wildlife, and peace - perfect for a retreat.
The retreat will be led by three members of the Epiphany Group and is open to anyone who wants to Taste and See, as we take the space on offer for God to meet us where we are. All are welcome, whether you are an experienced retreatant, or whether you are making a silent retreat for the first time.
The cost is set at £500 per person, but we do have grants available for those who would otherwise not be able to attend. Please do get in touch if this would help you be able to make a retreat.
If you would like to sign up, please send us a completed form. When we have confirmed there is a space for you, we will ask you to pay your deposit to confirm your booking.
More information can be found here.
Hakuna Matata Children Choir from Kenya
We are excited to share an incredible opportunity for your church family this coming May. The Hakuna Matata Children’s Choir, a vibrant and talented group of 12 children from Connect with a Child Orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya, will be touring the area, and would love the opportunity to bless your congregation with a performance.
These young singers and dancers, ages 9–15, are passionate about spreading the Gospel through music and testimonies. Over the past three years, their inspiring performances have touched hearts across several countries, combining joyful praise, powerful stories, and vibrant Kenyan culture. Their choir name, Hakuna Matata, means “No Worries” in Swahili—reflecting the hope and peace they carry in Christ.
Available Dates in May 2026:
| Wednesdays | Fridays: | Saturdays: | Sundays: |
| May 6th | May 1st | May 2nd | May 3rd |
| May 13th | May 8th | May 9th | May 10th |
| May 20th | May 15th | May 16th | May 17th |
| May 27th | May 22nd | May 23rd | May 24th |
| May 29th | May 30th | May 31st |
About the Choir & Visit:
The choir consists of 12 children and 5 adult chaperones.
Their performances typically last 1 hour (or a shorter version of 25 minutes for condensed services).
They sing in both English and Swahili, accompanied by drums and traditional instruments.
Their mission includes raising awareness and support for a new dormitory in Western Kenya to house over 700 orphans.
There is no performance fee. We simply ask that your church take a love offering during the service to support this life-changing project.
How You Can Host:
We kindly ask host churches to:
Provide host families for the choir during their stay (usually one week before performance).
Assist with transportation (pick-up/drop-off).
Provide meals and packed lunches.
Optional: Organize local cultural activities or school visits.
Coordinate logistics on the performance day, ensuring choir members arrive one hour in advance.
To see the choir in action, please watch this brief video:
Hakuna Matata Children’s Choir Promo Video
We would be honored to schedule a performance at your church and begin what we hope will be a lasting relationship. Please let us know if any of the available dates work for you, or if you have any questions.
Vacancies
Locum for Banchory Ternan East
Banchory Ternan East are looking for a locum for their charge who will assist with worship, pastoral visiting and funerals.
Please email Mike Jamieson (Session Clerk) or Tony Stephen (Interim Moderator) for details.
Ministry Assistant for the West Mainland
Ministry Assistant for the West Mainland (Charge 1)
Orkney Islands Church of Scotland
Part Time 9 hours 22 minutes per week (0.25FTE)
Salary £7,383 to £8,347 per annum
Ref: M01/25
Could you be part of something different? We have an exciting opportunity for a motivated and enthusiastic individual to use their gifts, skills and experience to make a difference to the lives of the people in our parishes and communities.
We are looking for a Ministry Assistant who will concentrate on the first Mark of Mission to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom, with the postholder largely focusing on Sunday work.
The successful candidate will have significant recent experience in leading worship and preaching with a good knowledge and understanding of congregational life of the Church of Scotland or be willing to learn. The candidate must be a committed Christian with an active Church connection (Genuine Occupational Requirement in terms of the Equality Act 2010) and have a relevant qualification in theology/pastoral care/counselling or similar, or significant, relevant and recent work experience in the area.
It is essential you have the right to work in the UK before applying to work with us. You will be asked to provide proof of your eligibility to work and remain in the UK if you are invited to attend for an interview.
For a full job description and details on how to apply, please click here.
Closing date: At present there is no closing date set and the post will remain open until further notice.
Events
Thinking Christianly - this Saturday!
Study and Sing: Creation - Workshop for Singers, May 16
A new 'Study and Sing' day at the University of St Andrews has been announced.
This is a very popular series - three so far, all designed by Jane Pettegree (who is a member of the Church Service Society), combining learning (and enjoyment) on more than one level.
It takes place in the attractive setting of the Laidlaw (the University's centre for music) where Jane teaches, and comes to a focus in St Andrew's Episcopal Church where she is director of music.
1 day workshop for singers of any ability and those interested in ecotheology. Workshop (£15) and end of day service of worship (open to public, free) Co-hosted by the University of St Andrews and St Andrew’s SEC church, St Andrews.
This is the latest in our annual ‘Study and Sing’ days, responding this year to the gift of God’s creation, and featuring some newly composed music as well as exploring more traditional hymns, and even insights from music theatre.
See the brochure for details.
For booking information see: https://events.st-andrews.ac.uk/events/study-and-sing-creation/ or email jkp1@st-andrews.ac.uk if you have any questions.
Created to Belong Conference - 23 May
There will be a special conference taking place this May in Kilmarnock: “Created to Belong - Celebrating Disability in the Image of God.”
This will be a joyful day of celebration, teaching, worship, learning, and community-building. We aim to make the event as accessible and inclusive as possible. BSL interpreters will be available throughout the day, and a Makaton signer will also be offering several workshops.
This is a day to celebrate disability in the image of God, and what God is doing in the lives of disabled Christians in Scotland. A number of organisations and individuals are taking part including: Through the Roof, Reachout Together, SPRED Galloway, Scripture Union Scotland, Centre for Autism and Theology, Godly Play Scotland, Suzanne Lofthus of Cutting Edge Theatre, ‘Know and Grow’ Makaton, Jeremy Balfour MSP, Ritchie Christian Media…and more!
Download the poster here.
LINK to get TICKETS.
Save the Date for LiFT in Aberdeen - June 27
Don't forget to send your news to doskolkova@churchofscotland.org.uk