Notices
Service of Union - Findochty and Portknockie
Portknockie do great children's work (that's all of us singing in the background!):
Iain is looking for volunteers for port chaplaincy
Contact us if you want to try it out and spend a day at the Port of Aberdeen.
Safeguarding Training
Date & Time: 30.04.2026 7 pm
Type of Training: Introductory
Venue: Zoom
Contact: Rev Julia Meason JMeason@churchofscotland.org.uk
Date & Time: 4.05.2026 7 pm
Type of Training: Introductory
Venue: Zoom
Contact: Rev Julia Meason JMeason@churchofscotland.org.uk
Regional Gathering - June 6, 10 am, Alford
Presbytery invites you to a Regional Gathering on Saturday, June 6, at 10 am (set-up at 09:30), at West Gordon Parish Church in Alford: 110 Main Street, Alford, AB33 8AD.
These meetings serve to build connections between neighbouring congregations and presbytery staff. This is our chance to get to know each other, share our experiences and work on our mission together.
Coffee and tea will be provided on the premises, but you are encouraged to bring your own packed lunch.
Here is the schedule of the event:
10:00 – 10:20 —Arrival & Set-Up
10:20 – 10:30 — Welcome & Opening
10:30 – 11:15 — Meet the Presbytery Staff
11.15 – 12.00 — Congregation Presentations
12:00 – 12:45 — Lunch, conversation & browsing
12:45 – 13:30 — Group discussions
13:30 – 14:00 — Feedback, next steps and finish
Please note that the hall will be open from 9.30am and staff will be available throughout the day and after 14.00 for discussion.
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.
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.
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.
Update from Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees
SFAR continue to support and encourage faith groups to be involved in integration work and to speak loudly about their support for sanctuary. We were pleased to see our work highlighted recently on the New Scots Strategy website in their feature: Worship and welcome: the role of faith communities in welcoming New Scots.
Add your Faith Community to the New Scots Connect Map
The New Scots Connect map, run by the Scottish Refugee Council, is a fantastic tool that exists to help refugees easily find welcoming local communities. We are encouraging faith groups like yours to register for the map to help refugees to connect with your groups and experience welcome and support.
Registering is quick, free, and shows newcomers that your doors are open. It also connects you with a wider network of organisations supporting refugees across Scotland.
If your congregation or faith‑based group offers a friendly, inclusive space, we’d love you to add your details.
You can read more here: Help Refugees Find a Welcoming Faith Community, or start the process of registering directly by emailing communitiesmailbox@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk
720+ Faith Groups have called for refugee family rights - add your community to the letter
An open letter calling for the Government to restore the path to family reunion has been signed by hundreds of faith leaders. Organised by our colleagues at JPIT, it calls for the UK Government to reverse its recent suspension of family reunion.
Family reunion was one of very few safe and legal paths for people seeking sanctuary to come to the UK and was a vital tool in allowing families to stay together. As faith communities who believe in the rights of refugees and the sanctity of marriage, this was a shocking move and completely at odds with our values. Hundreds of faith leaders have now joined the call saying that families belong together, and are urging the Government to reverse course and reinstate this essential pathway.
There is still time to add your name to the signatories.
Staying Prepared for Far-Right Activity
Last summer we saw the shocking rise of far-right protests outside of asylum accommodation, the places where vulnerable people seeking sanctuary live. Thankfully activity died down over the winter as the nights drew in. However, advice from groups like Hope Not Hate is to expect another wave of protest in the summer. Edinburgh has already seen two demonstrations, one in Calder and the other outside the Scottish Parliament.
We would encourage you to use this quieter time to reflect, pray and plan. If, heaven forbid, there is protesting in your local area it is good to be as prepared as possible. On our website we are keeping a list of resources that is regularly updated. If you have suggestions on new resources to add, please do reach out.
Church of Scotland Representative on SFAR
Lastly a note to say that the Church of Scotland is currently recruiting for a volunteer refugee lead who will sit on the SFAR Co-ordination group and Public Life and Social Justice Programme Group.
I know this won't be directly relevant to everyone, but please do consider sharing the attached role description with friends and colleagues in the Kirk who have a heart for refugees.
Applications can be submitted to David Bradwell dbradwell@churchofscotland.org.uk.
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.
Poetry Competition in St Machar's Cathedral
Resources
Demystifying Death - free online webinars from NHS Grampian - May 5-7
In early May, NHS Grampian is hosting a series of free public webinars designed to support open, honest and compassionate conversations about death, dying and planning ahead.
Topics this year include power of attorney, funerals, wills, body donation, and a focus on children and grief.
See the schedule here.
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.
Vacancies
CrossReach CEO
A new chapter is beginning for CrossReach as we begin the search for our next Chief Executive Officer to take over from Viv Dickenson who will retire later this year.
As one of Scotland’s largest social care charities, the role of CEO offers the opportunity to lead a national organisation through a dynamic social care landscape, ensuring the delivery of high-quality services that meet the needs of the people we support. The CEO will represent the organisation with government, regulators, partners, and the wider Church.
At the heart of the work of CrossReach lies a love that is anchored within our Christian calling, and we are seeking a leader who shares that passion and can inspire a dedicated workforce through the continued delivery of our strategy ‘Love from CrossReach’
To find out more or to apply, please visit: https://roles.saxbam.com/advert-details/?id=186ecc75-8f32-f111-88b4-7c1e5203f73a
Intergenerational Mission Worker - Mannofield Church, Aberdeen
Mannofield Church, Aberdeen is hiring for the position of an Intergenerational Mission Worker (Initial Fixed Term – 2 years).
Are you passionate about community, faith, and helping all ages flourish together?
Mannofield Church, Aberdeen is looking for a creative, relational Intergenerational Mission Worker to help us grow as a vibrant, welcoming, multi generational congregation at the heart of Aberdeen’s West End.
What you’ll do:
• Build connections with families, young people & older adults
• Support worship & faith formation
• Strengthen community engagement
• Help us grow digital ministry
• Be part of a warm, outward looking church family
What we are looking for:
A committed Christian with experience in children/youth/intergenerational ministry, a heart for mission, and the creativity to help us grow.
Hours: 37.5 (or as agreed)
Salary: Competitive (aligned with similar church/community roles)
More details, and details of how to apply can be found here:
Vacancy: Intergenerational Mission Worker – Mannofield Parish Church
Growing Coordinator at The Caim
Employer: Howe o’ the Mearns Parish Church of Scotland
Location: The Caim, Luthermuir Church
Contract Type: Employed, fixed term for 2 years, with potential for extension subject to the receipt of additional funding
Hours: 12 hours per week, worked flexibly according to need and availability
Salary: £25,000 FTE (equating to £8,571 pa)
Responsible to: The Caim Project Lead
Are you an energetic and self-motivated individual with strong people skills? Do you love growing fresh fruit and vegetables, and developing the local environment? Do you have a passion for helping people from a range of different backgrounds?
If you can answer yes to these questions, then read on.
With thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund “Awards for All”, The Caim Project, part of Howe o’ the Mearns Parish Church of Scotland, wish to recruit for a new position of Growing Coordinator, to work with our Project Lead to oversee, develop and maintain the growing of produce (both on open fields and in polytunnels) and biodiversity work on our 2.5-acre site in Luthermuir. As well as the produce growing, this role will also support our all age group of volunteers, and liaise with the Project Lead on developing our existing schools link work.
This 2-year funded role will initially be for 12 hours a week, to be worked flexibly as agreed, but subject to further funding, has the potential to be extended and expanded.
This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with the correct skills and enthusiasm to make a real difference in a community that has so much to offer, with a group of people who have the drive and determination to succeed. This may not be easy but it will be hugely rewarding.
A Job Description and Person Specification is available by emailing our Project Lead, Rev Fyfe Blair, on thecaimfield@gmail.com. Rev Blair can also be contacted for an informal discussion prior to submitting an application if you would find that helpful.
To apply, please send your CV, together with a covering letter of no more than 2 pages, detailing why you think you’re the person we’re looking for, and how you meet the criteria in the Job Description and Person Specification.
Please email your documents to our Funding and Development Support Officer, Dan Rous, on info@communitydan.co.uk by 12noon on Friday 1 May. Interviews will take place in the week commencing 11 May at Luthermuir Church.
The job advert in pdf for sharing can be found here.
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
Spring Event at Springfield - May 3, 2.30-4.30 pm
Coming soon - Harmony Group
You can declare your interest by emailing doskolkova@churchofscotland.org.uk
Thinking Christianly - last Saturday of each month
Welcome Café for Refugees - April 12, April 28, May 12 & other dates below
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.
Guild
Encourage Young People to Join LiFT!
Save the Date for LiFT in Aberdeen - June 27
Don't forget to send your news to doskolkova@churchofscotland.org.uk