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Welcome to June's Newsletter!

Information on courses, awareness dates, events, etc, are available via our Adventures in Faith pages:

Welcome Bishop Dagmar!

The Rt Rev Dr Dagmar Winter was installed as the new Bishop of Edinburgh at a joyous service in St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral on Saturday.

Guests from all over Scotland and from as far as Ghana and New Zealand packed the cathedral, including church leaders the Most Rev Dr Leo Cushley, Roman Catholic Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, the Rt Rev Gordon Kennedy, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and the Most Rev Rt Hon Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York.

After celebrating the Eucharist, Bishop Dagmar said: “Thank you to everyone who contributed to such a wonderful launch into my new episcopal role. In the following weeks and months there will be many to meet and I have much to learn and absorb. I can’t wait to get started! The Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church next week comes early in my time and will be a further opportunity for important encounters.

“The joy of the Lord is our strength! In this spirit I look forward to working with all the charges in the Diocese of Edinburgh and the wider communities and their leaders beyond as we seek the kingdom Jesus proclaimed.”

Read the full article on the diocesan website. A video recording of the service is available here.

Diocesan News

We're moving! The date for our office move is approaching, and we think the main bulk of activity will happen between 11 and 15 June inclusive. During this period we may only be contactable via our telephone numbers (see how to get in touch on our staff page). One major issue will be making sure our ‘tech’ works, so we ask for your patience as that progresses.

Our new address is 34 Manor Place, EH3 7EB. If you’d like to pinpoint us exactly, the What3Words reference is super.land.bless. Yes, really!

Congratulations to Amy Jo Philip!

Winnner of Volunteer of the Year (Proud Scotland Awards)

On Saturday 30 May, Revd Amy Jo Philip received the Volunteer of the Year Award in the Proud Scotland Awards, held in Glasgow. Speaking about the event, she said:

"The Proud Scotland Awards celebrate those who champion diversity and inclusion throughout Scotland by recognising the outstanding work and commitment of individuals and organisations within and supportive of the LGBTQI+ community in Scotland. The awards, which have been running for seven years, honour and encourage all, north to south, who stand up for diversity, equality and inclusion.

"This year, there were 19 awards (plus the Hall of Fame Award, which went to the comedian Karen Dunbar). There were more than 800 nominations, which were whittled down to around 120 finalists. Volunteer of the Year is awarded to 'an individual who selflessly gives their time and energy behind the scenes supporting the LGBTQI+ community.' I still have no idea who nominated me and I only found out about the nomination when someone congratulated me on being a finalist! I assume, especially because I was listed as 'Rev', that it was for Quirk!

"Honestly, I was amazed to have been nominated and astonished to win. Astonished too by the roar that erupted when my name was read out and all the friends and colleagues telling me it's well deserved. But it is hugely encouraging and underlines the value of what we do at Quirk! Everyone at our table who we told about the group expressed how important it was that we've created such a space and some people even said they would love to come. Folk from Lochaber Pride talked about how much it had meant to them that a local church had supported their event.

"I was also delighted for Ritchie Currie-Jenkins, who set up the Rainbow Warriors football group at Stenhousemuir FC Community Foundation, which won the Sports & Recreation Award. His passion for giving trans people in particular, and the wider LGBTQ+ community, a safe space to enjoy football is infectious, even for someone like me who's not really a footie fan.

"There will be Piskies marching at Pride Edinburgh on 20 June. Some of us will join the ecumenical Pride breakfast at Augustine United Church on George IV Bridge at 9.30 am before setting off together towards the march at 11:15 am. Anyone who would like to join us, please contact me: [email protected]"

For more details on Quirk!, visit the Quirk! Facebook page.

Talking Faith is Hitting the Headlines!

Lesley Penny and Pip Blackledge's new podcast, Talking Faith, is well into its first series, and now includes reaction videos as well as conversations exploring key subjects in faith and an interview with Bishop Dagmar. The podcast has caught the attention of ITV Borders, which featured it in mid-May (you can catch the feature here at about 11 minutes). Catch the podcast at either of the links below.

Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/talking-faith/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TalkingFaithPod

Soul Sisters Answer Jedburgh's Faith Questions

In Jedburgh, Revd Andi Hofbauer has teamed up with Revd Sarah Cook of Jedburgh & Oxnam Parish Church to become the Jed' Soul Sisters. Together they are holding a series of Q&A events to allow people to explore the Christian faith. Andi describes the background to the idea and how the first session went:

"Over the last 18 months St John’s Episcopal Church and Jedburgh & Oxnam Parish Church have been working more closely together by re-starting a regular shared Messy Church ministry, establishing a relationship with the local Grammar School and sharing special services like the Kirking of the Callant, Remembrance Sunday, Maundy Thursday and a Walk of Witness on Good Friday.

"At a recent Messy Church, a couple of mums thanked us for sharing the Good News of Jesus with their children and asked whether there could be something for them, ideally some weekday mornings, to learn a bit more about the Christian faith. Revd Sarah Cook, and I decided to run a pilot of four Q&A sessions with a Bible study and the ‘Jedburgh Soul Sisters’ were born.

"Our first session (pictured) took place on Monday 1 June. We had nine guests, several Messy Church mums, a couple of congregation members and a couple of townsfolk who had seen a flyer or Facebook post. Sharing refreshments, a round of introductions and a prayer, we dove straight into the Parable of the Good Samaritan and also looked at the wider context of the parable in Luke’s Gospel. There was some deep and honest sharing, questions, ‘wrestling’ and laughter.

"For the future, we plan to run another four-week block in the autumn before settling on a fortnightly/monthly pattern to encourage engagement with more people and nurture regulars along. Will any of these folk join either of our congregations? We don’t know, and it would of course be lovely, but the important thing is that Jesus is proclaimed, relationships formed and people find a sense of belonging, growth and hope."

Jed' Soul Sisters will run on Mondays until 22 June. Find the details in our events calendar.

Diocesan Support

Pre-Retirement Day: Thursday 25 June 2026

Our next 'Pre-Retirement Day' will be held in the Walpole Hall on Thursday 25 June. There will be two parts to the day. The morning will be most relevant to those approaching retirement in the next few years, led by the Revd Canon Cedric Blakey. This will cover the 'less quantifiable' aspects of retirement, e.g. vocation, identity, purpose, etc. The afternoon will be for anyone interested in learning more about pensions and retirement housing, led by GSO's Neil Wright.

Further details and the registration form are here.

Grants: Next Deadline 25 August. The DMMC Grants Committee meets in the first weeks of March, June, September, and December each year. If you wish to apply for a grant, your application should be with the DMMC Team by 25th of the previous month. Click on the links below to find out more:

▶ Youth & Children's Grant

▶ St Hilda's Grant

▶ CMD Grant

Learning & Development Opportunities

For detailed listings across a range of providers, check out the Courses page. This is updated very regularly and is a one-stop shop for you to browse any time.

The Scottish Episcopal Institute offers courses that SEC clergy and readers can audit for free, or study for credit at minimal cost. The courses for the upcoming 2026/27 academic year have just been announced and are detailed below.

▶ Research and Reflection with Dr Victoria Turner, Tuesdays, 15 September–24 November, 7–9pm.
▶ Theological Perspectives: Empire, Bible and Mission with Dr Marian Kelsey, Wednesdays, 9 September–25 November, 7–9pm.
▶ Elementary Biblical Hebrew with Dr Amber Shadle, Thursdays, 10 September–26 November, 7–8pm.
▶ Elementary New Testament Greek with Dr Patrick McMurray, Thursdays, 3 December–25 February, 7–8pm.

▶ Christian Worship and Human Community, Tuesdays, 5 January–20 March, 7–9pm.
▶ Secularisation and Christianity with Dr Liam Fraser, Wednesdays, 6 January–21 March, 7–9pm.
▶ Intermediate Biblical Hebrew with Dr Amber Shadle, Thursdays, 7 January–22 March, 7–8pm.
▶ Intermediate New Testament Greek with Dr Patrick McMurray, Thursdays, 7 January–22 March, 7–8pm.

▶ Feminist Pneumatology with Dr Anna-Claar Thomasson-Rosingh, Tuesdays, 30 March–15 June, 2–4pm.
▶ Themes in Moral Theology with Dr Joel Pierce, Wednesdays, 31 March–16 June, 7–9pm.

For more information, visit the SEI website: Continuing Ministerial Development.

Holistic, Regenerative Leadership

At our May CMD day, the Revd Dr Gillian Straine of Go Health talked about Regenerative Leadership. If you didn't manage to attend, or want to hear more, catch the podcast that Gillian recorded with Wendy Ball about Regenerative Leadership for Our Times. Or look into Burn Like Stars, a 12-session self-led online course run by Go Health that invites you to go on a journey into how to live and work in health and holistic ways, grounded in the wisdom of our Christian faith. Find out more about Burn Like Stars.

The College of Preachers has released a summer series of webinars. All are £15.

▶ Introduction to Preaching:

11 June, 10:30am–1pm
▶ Taking Inspiration from History’s Great Preachers:

24 June, 2–4:30pm
▶ Preaching for Harvest:

6 July, 10–12:30pm
▶ Interpreting the Miracles of Jesus:

22 July, 2–4:30pm

CPAS's upcoming online courses.
▶ Spiritual Development vs Christian Discipleship: Shared Theology for Schools and Churches:

10 June, 9:45–11:45am, £20.
▶ Build and Mobilise a Thriving Team:

10 June, 12:30–1:15pm, free.
▶ Church Leadership Deep Dive (under 40s):

11 June, 12:30–1:30pm, free.

▶ Called. Shaped. Sent. (Clarifying Clergy's Unique Contribution):

16 June, 9:30am–12:00pm, £20.
▶ Church Growth and Engaging with under-30s:
17 June, 9:45–11:40am, £20.
▶ Church & School Planning Together:

17 June, 1:30–2:30pm, £20.
▶ Courage, Character, and Church Planting:

23 June, 12:30–1:30pm, free.
▶ Working with People who are Neurodiverse:
30 June, 1:30–3:10pm, online, £20.

Sarum College has lots online in the next few weeks:

▶ Faces of Metanoia: Francis, Clare, Dorothy Day, Oscar Romero
Five Wednesdays from 3 June, 7:30–9pm, £90.
▶ Come and See ... an Introduction to Further Study in Theology, Ministry and Mission
Wednesday 3 June, 7:30–9pm, free.

▶ Biblical Hebrew in a Week
Sunday 9 August to Friday 14 August, 9am–2pm, hybrid with online option, £400.
▶ Biblical Greek in a Week
Monday 10 August to Saturday 15 August, 9am–2pm, hybrid with online option, £400.

Messy Church Goes Wild

On 30 June there's a special Messy Church Masterclass: Messy Church Goes Wild. This 90-minute live and interactive Zoom Masterclass is designed to help you confidently start or grow a Messy Church Goes Wild in your own setting. The session explores what it looks like to be church outdoors, sharing stories from groups already meeting outside and offering simple, practical ways to get going, whatever your context.

Find out more about Messy Church Masterclasses

Provincial Events for Young People

Yeek 2026, "On the Way", Glenalmond College

26 July–1 August 2026

Are you ready to set off On the Way? If you are in S1–S6 then there can be no better starting point than at YEEK 26. Over the week, join other young people from across Scotland at Glenalmond College in rural Perthshire for a slight detour on your journey of faith: full of fun, great people, and plenty that can happen on the way. There's also an online information evening on 29 June to help young people decide or prepare to attend. Find out more about Yeek 2026 at yeek.scot

Pilgrimages to Iona, October 2026

The Provincial Youth Committee will be hosting two pilgrimages to Iona for young people in October 2026: ▶ 10–14 October for 12–18 year olds
▶ 14–17 October for those aged 18–25+

Pilgrims will gather in Oban before travelling by ferry and across Mull to Iona, staying at Bishop’s House and exploring the island, including opportunities to visit Iona Abbey and join the community there for worship.

The cost, which includes travel from Oban, accommodation and food on Iona will be £235 for 12–18s for four nights and £210 for 18–25+ for three nights, with a supported rate of £160 available. There will also be the option to pay by instalments.

Places are limited, and applications should be completed by 10 August. Book here: 12–18 application or 18–25+ application.

Ministry with Children and Young People

Could YOU be the Next Host of Play Church?!

Play Church will be available from November! Would you like to host it in your charge? It comes with outfits, props, books, an instruction booklet, and lots of opportunities to interest and engage children in the various services and traditions of the Scottish Episcopal Church. If you're interested, email [email protected].

Wondering how to cater for younger members?

Thinking about all-age worship?

Is your current Roots subscription due for renewal?

The Diocese is a subscription ‘hub’ for ROOTS on the Web, enabling congregations to sign-up for access to Lectionary-based digital resources (including the 20-year back catalogue) for the subsidised cost of £20 for the year. Interested congregations should register via this form. One-month free trial here.

beHeld: Youth & Children’s Ministry Training Days

In 2026, all involved in youth and children's ministry are invited to a fresh series of training days at Ps & Gs Church called 'beHeld'. The next is on 26 September (the final date this year is 28 November). Each is on a Saturday morning, 9am–1pm, with light refreshments, worship, and the chance to hear from experts on key subjects.

beHeld costs £15 per session, but the diocese will cover the cost of one ticket per charge. Just email us at [email protected] with your name and charge, and we'll book you in for 26 September.

Adventures in Faith

Remember: you can cut and paste anything from this newsletter into your own communication channels!

The monthly Adventures in Faith Newsletter from Edinburgh Diocese shares lots of ideas for your ongoing Christian life. Each month, there are news items, courses, events, and ideas for you to explore. You can read past mailings, and sign up to receive future ones, via the diocesan website (tinyurl.com/EdinburghAIF).

Awareness Days

We list Awareness Days that may be relevant for congregations to consider on our website here. Most entries have links to external websites that provide information and resources for the particular cause or event.

Godly Play Summer Activities

▶ Godly Play Circle, 9 June, 7:30pm–9pm,

St Ninian’s, Comely Bank: Our story for this circle will be from the collection of GOTT IM SPIEL Jesus Stories – stories written in the style of Godly Play. Everyone is welcome, whether you've been trained in Godly Play or you're new to it and wondering what it is. No need to book and no charge.

▶ Godly Play at the Fringe, 10–13 August, Salvation Army at the Pleasance: The Salvation Army’s City Corps is right in the heart of the Edinburgh Fringe venues. Among all the buzz, the comedy, drama and music, they are offering eight Godly Play sessions.

Come along and hear stories, wonder, respond and feast. The sessions start at 11am and 2pm.

Find out more about Godly Play events here.

Refugee Festival Scotland runs from 12 to 21 June, to coincide with Refugee Week from 15 to 21 June. You can browse events in Edinburgh and the Lothians, the Borders and online here.

One event is the New Scots Ceilidh, organised by Edinburgh Churches, on Friday 12 June at 6pm at Ps & Gs. Find out more here. The event also needs volunteers – to help with set-up and registration but also to dance! Sign up here.

Free Bus Spaces to Solas

The family-friendly Solas Festival will take place from 19 to 21 June at Errol Park, on the Tay, and thanks to the Anchor foundation there will be a bus to get people there from Edinburgh on Saturday 20 June (leaving outside the old Royal High School on Regent Road at 9am and leaving Erroll at 10pm). Places are free, although any voluntary contributions would be welcome. People will still need to buy festival tickets from the website (children are free). There is a limit of 30 places, so act quickly! Get names to Tricia Anderson, [email protected], by 10 June.

Heart in Pilgrimage Summer Retreat. This is a new retreat package for summer 2026 entitled A River Runs Through It: Insights from the river for the journey of faith. Rivers flow through Scripture, turning the desert into fertile ground, welling up in springs of living water. Rivers map our lives, sometimes gently meandering, at other times tossed over perilous rapids. This retreat draws on Scripture and other writing, images, poetry and the natural world to deepen our understanding of ourselves and our journeys, and our relationship to the Source of all life.

Available in the second half of June, this is a complete retreat package to use in whatever way is helpful to you. Order now for £30 (£35 with printed booklet):

https://heartinpilgrimage.org.uk/a-river-runs-through-it/

The Society for Ecumenical Studies is holding an online discussion, Church and State: prophecy and dialogue, on 16 June at 7.30pm. Tickets are £5 and available through Eventbrite.