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Adventures in Faith
March 2026

Welcome to Adventures in Faith: where everyone in the Diocese of Edinburgh can explore, learn, and grow in faith and fullness of life.

Praying for Peace

As events in the Middle East progress, you may be wondering what you can do as a praying person. Here are a few of the prayers and prayer resources that are currently on offer.

CAFOD: Prayer for the Middle East
24-7 Prayer: Global Call to Prayer (16 to 22 March), including creative activity resources to pray for peace
CTBI: Prayers and Statements on Violence in the Middle East

We have also gathered some prayers for peace on a new page on our website. If you come across any prayers for peace that you think we should include, please send them to [email protected] and we'll look to add them.

Day of Prayer for the people of the Middle East, 31 March: During Holy Week, the Primus, Bishop Mark Strange (pictured), had planned to visit Jerusalem and the West Bank, with one of his aims being to provide the background for a season of prayer for the region. The flights for this trip have now been cancelled and Bishop Mark cannot travel to the Middle East, so he has asked for a Day of Prayer for the churches and people of the Middle East on the Tuesday of Holy Week (31 March), the day he would have been on the West Bank.

More details about the Day of Prayer will follow, so please keep checking the dedicated page on the SEC website. In the meantime, Archbishop Hosam Naoum, the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem and Primate of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, asks us to pray:

God of mercy, look with compassion
on all who are affected by the present conflict.
Grant insight to hardened hearts,
comfort to the fearful,
protection to those in danger,
and hope to those who are despairing,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Lent Appeal

Aberlour Children’s Charity works to provide tailored support to families facing poverty, disadvantage and discrimination. It provides support at the earliest opportunity by offering a range of services across Scotland, utilising the voices of those impacted to create and implement tools for change. The charity has been in operation for just over 150 years, with a long and varied history, although giving every child the best possible start in life has always been at the heart of what they do.

Find out more on our website.

Ideas and Resources for Easter-Pentecost

Our Lent to Pentecost resources page now includes ideas and resources to take you all the way through to Pentecost Sunday on 24 May. Below are some of the highlights from Easter to Pentecost. Access the full list of resources here.

Graves to Gardens is a mostly analogue three-day experience beginning Good Friday evening and extending through to Easter Sunday morning. Created in New Zealand during the Covid era, Graves to Gardens helps a household or group of friends celebrate Easter together. Join with many others around the planet to dive into the story of Christ's death, burial and resurrection and celebrate the ever-expanding Kingdom of God within and around us.

You'll need a few supplies before you get started so make sure to read through the starter guide before Good Friday!

Encountering the Risen Christ, by Mark Bradford, has seven chapters that can be used across the seven weeks from Easter to Pentecost in individual reflection or group study. The book reflects on the main characters in the post-resurrection accounts and shows how we too can encounter Jesus Christ in a life-transforming way.

Here's one place to buy the book.

The theme of this year's Thy Kingdom Come, which runs from Ascension to Pentecost, is God With Us:

"From the story of Ruth to the story of Gideon, from the story of Elijah to the story of the early church who waited for the promised Holy Spirit to come – over the 11 days we will explore a different Bible story each day, which demonstrates God’s transformative presence, power and love at work in the lives of people and places."

There's a dedicated web page for this year’s TKC, and a resources page which will be added to, so keep checking back!

Sanctuary First offers two videos for Pentecost that might inspire your activity: Painting for Pentecost and a Pentecost Prayer in French (with English subtitles).

Awe, Connection and Community

in Sacred and Historic Spaces

You are invited to take part in research by members of Queen Margaret University by completing this survery.

The research into the influence of awe on community and sociality began with St John's, Princes Street, Edinburgh, and has now grown to encompass the whole diocese. This is an exciting opportunity to understanding in how architectural structures like churches contribute to a sense of community.

The survery is in 2 parts, with the second part being optional, and takes 10-20mins in total to complete. Please consider taking part yourself and, if you have your church building open to visitors, perhaps invite them to join in, using the QR code as extra encouragement 😊

Written Resources

SEI Journal Spring 2026: Pastoral Supervision.

The latest SEI Journal has now been published on the topic of Pastoral Supervision. Guest edited by Supervisor and Trainer Revd Liz Crumlish, it is a creative collection of articles that think about pastoral supervision in a range of contexts and how this practice assists those with high pressured/emotionally strained vocations. The articles cover both the practical elements of pastoral supervision and the theory and theology behind adopting it in church contexts.

Saints of Scotland by Revd Scott Brown CBE. A devotional guide, with a short history of each Saint of Scotland, and a Collect/Prayer. It is available on Amazon at £10.99. Scott is able to offer the book at an author’s discounted rate of £7.50, plus postage, allowing you to retail it for the same price as Amazon, raising money for local funds.

Email Scott for more information.

Scott is currently a Kirk Minister, now transitioning towards ministry in the Episcopal Church. He has served as a Naval Chaplain, including Chaplain of the Fleet, and a Parish Minister.

Soul Marks' first series of printed meditation booklets, 'God of the Elements', is now available via post. The series features four separate booklets (each with a six-page meditation) on the themes of Air, Water, Earth and Fire. The pack of four is £20, including 2nd class UK p&p. Individual booklets are £6 including 2nd class UK p&p. More information on the Soul Marks website.

Faith, Hope and Autism by Revd John Allister. Neurodiversity is big news these days, especially in its most common forms, ADHD and Autism: this book looks at this from a Christian and church perspective. John Allister, a vicar who is also autistic, shares honest stories, practical insights, and heartfelt letters to his younger self. He opens up a window into the joys and challenges of growing up autistic, discovering faith, and finding a place in the church. Blending personal experience with down-to-earth guidance, John helps readers understand how autistic people experience the world, why inclusion matters, and what real welcome can look like. Purchase here.

John is a Church of England vicar in Nottingham. If you recognize the surname, he is the son of Bishop Donald and Janice Allister of St Peter's Lutton Place (+Donald featured in last month's AiF!)

Events and Learning Opportunities

The Adventures in Faith: Courses page on the diocesan website is where you can find a whole range of courses running in the coming weeks and months. Many providers have just announced their courses for the first half of 2026 so it's definitely worth a look 👀. AND check out our Events Calendar for something local that might take your fancy!

GoHealth have recently launched a free online self-paced course, 'For such a time as this', inspired by the words and thoughts of the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Rt Revd Dame Sarah Mullally. Whether you serve in a local church, healthcare setting, chaplaincy context, or are seeking to deepen your spiritual life, this course offers spacious, thoughtful accompaniment as you grow in courage, clarity and compassionate presence. Find out more.

Edinburgh Gifford Lectures 2026. How did Christianity become global? This series of 6 lectures traces Christianity’s dramatic transformation—from a small Jewish messianic movement to a force at the heart of the late Roman state—by situating it within the vibrant religious, cultural, and political world of the ancient Mediterranean. Prof Paula Fredriksen is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and Aurelio Professor of Scripture emerita at Boston University and will be hosted by the University of Edinburgh 4–14 May.

For more information and to register for FREE tickets, go to Eventbrite page.

The Plants Are Our Teachers 2026 Workshop Programme has been released. Workshops are suitable for all levels of ability, and will be held at St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh. One-day courses cost £60, and two-day courses cost £120, with all materials included in the fees. A limited number of subsidised places are available on each course.

For more information on each workshop, plus booking, see the A+E website.

When Women Lead the Way, Tuesday 21 April to Thursday 23 April, The Bield at Blackruthven

What does it look like when we amplify the stories of women in scripture and take lessons in leadership from women like Miriam, Deborah, Jael, Vashti and countless unnamed women when they are released from the confines of patriarchy? This retreat, led by Rev Liz Crumlish, focuses on cultivating leadership practices rooted in the ancient wisdom of women, drawing on examples of inspirational leadership found in the, often hidden, stories of Biblical women.

More information on The Bield's website.

Here's what Sarum College is offering online in the next few months.

Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle: Journeying Towards Eastertide
Five Tuesdays from 24 March, 7:30–9pm, online, £85 for all five sessions.
Womanist Theology: An Introduction
Friday 27 March, 1–4pm, online, £40.
English Mystics Series: The Cloud of Unknowing
Monday 30 March, 7:30–9pm, online, £20.
English Mystics Series: William Blake
Monday 27 April, 7:30–9pm, online, £20.
English Mystics Series: Evelyn Underhill
Monday 25 May, 7:30–9pm, online, £20.
Taster Session: Postgraduate Study in Christian Spirituality Course
Monday 1 June, 7:30–9pm, online, £20.

Further information and booking

Beyond the Walls are offering these free webinars in April and May.

'Fringe Dweller' with Jonny Baker

Tuesday 14 April, 1–2pm.

'What posture and practices do we need to embody and follow in order to participate in God's Mission today?' with Revd Sally Taylor
Tuesday 12 May, 1–2pm.

Find out more, and access previous webinars, on the Beyond the Walls website.

The London Centre for Spiritual Direction has a number of online courses coming up. Listed prices are for non-members. Find out more on the LCSD website.

Ignatian Wisdom for the Journey: Practices for Desire, Discernment and Deep Encounter, Friday 10 April, 10am–3pm, online, £50.
Spiritual Direction and the Climate Crisis: Best Friends or Uneasy Bedfellows? Friday 1 May, 10am–3pm, online, £50.
Exploring Spiritual Direction: What It Is and How to Begin, Monday 18 May, 7–8pm, online, £5.
Holding the Whole Self: Anger, Grief, and Strong Emotion in Direction,
Friday 3 July, 10am–3pm, online, £50.

Pilgrimages

Did you know that the British Pilgrimage Trust has a resource page to help you plan your pilgrimage? It includes tips on accommodation and other practicalities, articles on different types of pilgrimage, reading recommendations, and much more. You can find it here. The website also has details about the recently restored St Andrew's Way, which runs from Edinburgh to St Andrews.

Retreats

At Whitchester Christian Retreat Centre:
The Psalms and CS Lewis
10–12 April 2026

Over this retreat weekend, led by Drs Chris and Ros Brett, you will explore the Psalms together in company with CS Lewis's Reflections on the Psalms, reflecting on this amazing resource for prayer and praise.

Cost: £195 for the weekend, to include two nights' accommodation and full board from Friday evening, concluding with lunch on Sunday.

Upcoming retreats at The Bield at Blackruthven:
Journey Into Healing: 21 March, £90.
Multi-Day Silent Retreat: 24–27 March, £375 FB

Seasonal Quiet Garden Day: 8 April, £75.
Introduction to Enneagram: 18 April, £75.
When Women Lead the Way: 21–23 April, £350 full board.
Renewing Ourselves in Sound and Silence: 28 April to 1 May, £425 FB.
The Wisdom Years: The Spirituality of Ageing Led by Margaret Silf: 12–15 May, £425 FB.

For more information, visit The Bield's website.

The next few months at Abernethy Kilmalieu:
Look at the Birds: A Birdwatching Retreat, 27 April–1 May, from £480.
Mountain Pilgrimage, 11–15 May, from £480.
Individually Guided Retreat, 22–26 May, from £360.

Meeting God in Creation, 1–5 June, from £480.
Deep Dive with Jonah, 12–15 June, from £360.
Wild Writing: Discovering Your Inner Writer, Exploring Nature and Going Deeper in Faith
13–17 July, from £480.
Celtic Wisdom for the 21st Century, 27–31 July, from £480.

Female-Only Retreat Accommodation: Come and be held in silence just four minutes' walk from Edinburgh's beautiful and restoring Royal Botanic Gardens. This accommodation belongs to an experienced spiritual director, and resources and books are available. You are also welcome to use the garden summerhouse. The accommodation is not catered, but there are many cafes, restaurants and takeaways locally. A simple breakfast can be arranged for those on retreat, and/or a variety of microwave meals are also available. This accommodation is bookable via Airbnb, or email the owner for concessions or day rates.

You can find more than 25 retreat venues that we have come across, or that have been used by members of the diocese, on our Retreat Venues page. There is also a map, so you can see at a glance where the listed retreat centres are based.

Have You Tried?

In this section, we share a resource that might help you explore, learn, or grow in your faith: it could be a book, a podcast, an email subscription, or something else!

If you're leading a home group, part of a home group, or thinking about starting a home group, Home Groups is a free online resource you can use to inspire and structure your meetings. It's an SPCK project, so sessions are linked to suggested reading, but all content on the website is free to use. Even if you're not part of a home group, there's lots to enjoy and to inspire you!

Adventures in Faith: All Day Every Day!

Homepage – Outlines what Adventures in Faith is, with links to other landing pages.

Newsletter – Links to all previous newsletters and to sign-up for emails.

Calendar – Events happening across the Diocese, in congregations and partner organisations.

Courses – A list of courses & retreats from across the UK: something for everyone!

Awareness – Awareness days that link in with our faith and Marks of Mission.

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