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Welcome to August's Newsletter!

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

Welcome! We're publishing August's newsletter early, which gives us the chance to include the itinerary for Bishop Dagmar's Walking Tour, taking place on 30 July and 1 August. For updates and photos of the walk, make sure to visit Bishop Dagmar's Facebook page.

July's Joyful Welcomes

On 2 July, the Revd Fee Reynolds was collated at Priest-in-Charge of St Andrew's, Innerleithen and St Peter's, Peebles.

On 8 July, the Revd Cletus Sullo was welcomed with a special service, refreshments and gifts, as Locum Priest of Christ Church, Falkirk.

Bishop Dagmar's Walking Tour

On 30 July and 1 August, Bishop Dagmar (and Tilda the dog, pictured) will be walking between some of the churches in the Diocese of Edinburgh. Bishop Dagmar extends a warm welcome to anyone in the diocese who is able, to walk alongside her, for a short while or the whole route, or to meet her at one of the churches she is planning to visit. The first walk, on 30 July, will take in some of our Edinburgh City charges, and on 1 August Bishop Dagmar will be visiting three of our Borders churches, walking mainly offroad between them. Bishop Dagmar says:

"As you can see from the itinerary, the visits to the churches are brief and while the walking pace will not be suitable for those with mobility challenges, I have tried to be generous with the timings so we can also talk while walking to the next church.

"There will be short prayers and a blessing at every church. If you would like to join Tilda and me for all or part of the walk, please ensure you have appropriate footwear, clothing (including sun hat and sun cream if sunny), adequate water and nutritious snacks, a mobile phone (if you have one) and any medication you may need.

"The rural route in the Borders walk requires good fitness and is uneven underfoot, so strong walking/trekking shoes or hiking boots, please, and remember your trekking poles if you like to use them.

"While I will indicate the way, please note it is up to you to be careful, watch out for traffic and know your own capabilities and limitations.”

The Itinerary

Thursday 30 July: City Walk

09.00 Holy Cross, Davidson’s Mains (Morning Prayer before setting off)

10.30 St David, Pilton

11.30 St James, Goldenacre

12.30 St James the Less, Leith

13.30 St Margaret of Scotland

14.30 St Vincent’s Chapel

15.15 St Ninian’s, Comely Bank

16.00 St John’s, Princes Street

16.45 St Columba's by the Castle

17.30 St Peter, Lutton Place

18.15 St Michael & All Saints

19.00 St Martin of Tours

19.45 Christ Church, Morningside

(Final prayers)

Saturday 1 August: Borders Walk

Start 09.15 from St John’s, Selkirk with a prayer
Walk to Melrose – 8.2 miles, mainly offroad
Arrive at Holy Trinity, Melrose by 13.45, have a picnic
Leave Melrose at 14.30
Melrose to Galashiels – 4.8 miles, mainly offroad
Arrive at St Peter’s, Galashiels, by about 17.00.

You can find out how Bishop Dagmar gets on with her walking tour by checking her Facebook page. In due time we'll post some of her photographs on the diocesan website and in The Communicant.

Looking Forward to Creationtide

Creationtide, or the 'Season of Creation', begins on 1 September and runs until 4 October, the Feast of St Francis of Assisi. It is a time when Christians celebrate God as Creator, acknowledging Creation as a ongoing gift and act of God, and earth as our common home. It is a time of worship, prayer, reflection and action as Christians seek to collaborate, with God and each other, to love and care for all of Creation.

To enable you to mark Creationtide supported by a range of resources, we have updated the Creationtide web page on the diocesan website. The page now includes a message from Bishop Dagmar about the ecumenical European-wide celebration of creation as agreed in the Charta Oecumenica, and details about the newly instated Festival of Creation in Christ, to be marked on the first Sunday in September.

We've also included details about the 2026 Season of Creation, which has the theme of 'Living Water'. You can access the Season of Creation website here.

Finally, see the Learning & Development Opportunities section below for a College of Preachers course on 29 July about Preaching in Creationtide.

Catch-Up Opportunities

Talking Faith

Revd Lesley Penny and Revd Pip Blackledge's new podcast includes reaction videos as well as conversations exploring key subjects in faith and ministry, and interviews with Bishop Dagmar and the Primus. Catch the podcast at either of the links below.

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

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TalkingFaithPod

Diocesan Support

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 the 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.

Sarum College's post-summer online courses are listed below. The first, 'Being Christians Online', considers how Christians can balance online mission with integrity. ‘TikTok Vicar’ Rev Pippa White, a successful Christian influencer, and Arun Kataria share what it takes to live out the Gospel in an online world.

Being Christians Online
Monday 14 September, 10am–1pm, online, £40.
Modern Mystics: Egied Van Broeckhoven
Monday 21 September, 7:30–9pm online, £20, or discounted for all three Modern Mystics: £55.
Missiology 101: Reimagining Christian Mission Today
Tuesday 22 September, 2–4pm, online option, £40.
The Courage to Care: Francis and Clare of Assisi for Today
Wednesdays 23 & 30 September, 7 & 14 October, 7:30–9pm, online, £75.
Modern Mystics: Mother Teresa of Kolkata
Monday 28 September, 7:30–9pm online, £20.
Modern Mystics: Iris Murdoch
Monday 5 October, 7:30–9pm online, £20.
A Deeper, Rooted, Lasting Faith: Your Church’s Ministry to Parents and Carers
Wednesday 7 October, 10am–1pm online, £40.

Further information and booking via Sarum's Short Courses web page.

Founded in 2009, Place for Hope is an independent charity that supports and equips faith communities across the UK and beyond to navigate conflict and build peace. Here are their upcoming online courses:

When Conflict Escalates
Wednesday 19 August, 10am–12pm, online, £45.
Understanding Conflict
Wednesday 4 November, 10am–12pm, online, £45.
Holding Difficult Conversations
Friday 13 November, 3pm–5pm, online, £45.
The Decisive Space: Building the Confidence to Decide Well Together
Tuesday 17 November, 10am–12pm, online, £45.
When Conflict Escalates
Wednesday 18 November, 10am–12pm, online, £45.
Building a Healthy Church Culture
Thursday 19 November, 3pm–5pm, online, £45.

The College of Preachers has released its schedule until December, and it's worth visiting its website to see what's on offer.

We've listed courses until the end of September. The first course on offer is well timed to help you prepare for Creationtide. This workshop, run by Dr Lindsey Hall, will look at the set readings for the new Feast of Creation in Christ and explore resources for Creationtide.

Preaching in Creationtide
Wednesday 29 July, 7–8:30pm, online, £15.
Preachers' Forum
Tuesday 18 August, 7:30–9pm, online, free.
Preaching as Storytelling
Saturday 12 September, 10:30am–1pm, online, £15.
Introduction to Preaching
Thursday 17 September, 11am–1pm, online, £15.
Preachers' Forum
Tuesday 22 September, 7:30–9pm, online, free.

The Epiphany Group has three courses planned for 2026 to 2027:
▶ Spiritual Conversation Formation Programme: Tuesdays 22 September 2026 to early May 2027, 7–9.30pm online plus Friday and Saturday sessions in Edinburgh in person, £840.

▶ God’s Invitation to Relationship: An Introduction to Ways of Praying: Thursdays from 5 November to 10 December 2026, 7–8.30pm online, free.

▶ Growth in Prayer & Reflective Living: Tuesdays 3 November 2026 to 16 March 2027, 7–9pm online plus three in-person Saturdays in Edinburgh, £450.

Information about courses on Epiphany’s website

Children and Young People

beHeld: Training and Prayer Breakfasts

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.

beHeld: Youth & Children’s Ministry Prayer Breakfasts

Did you know that Ps & Gs hold monthly ecumenical prayer breakfasts for all those who work in paid youth and children's ministry? There's tea, coffee, pastries, prayer, and lots of sharing of ideas and resources. All sessions run from 10–11.30am, and the next three dates are:

19 August
16 September
11 November

If you'd like more information, contact Rachel Cooney: [email protected].

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.

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.

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).

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 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.

Edinburgh Festival of the Sacred Arts: This year's festival runs from 16–22 August and includes events in a number of our charges. St James, Goldenacre, Old Saint Paul's, and St Michael and All Saints are part of an 'Exploring Sacred Space' series. Find out more on the Edinburgh Festival of the Sacred Arts website. We're also listing all the events from this festival on our own events pages.

This year's Global Week of 24-7 Prayer, run by 24-7 Prayer, will take place from 6 to 13 September. Its theme is 'At the Name of Jesus', and its aim is to set up a prayer room in every nation, with non-stop prayer taking place throughout the week. Here are some ways you can get involved:

▶ Set up your own prayer space. See guidance on how to do this here, and ideas for themed activities and prayer stations here.

▶ Commit to regular individual or corporate prayer slots throughout the week, for example at 8am every morning or 6pm every evening.

▶ Listen to the Lectio365 app during this week.

Future Dates

29 Aug - Annual Pizza-Bowl (12–18yo).

26 Sep - Youth and Children's Training event at Ps & Gs.

10–17 Oct - PYC Iona Pilgrimage (for 12–18 and 18–25ish).

24 Oct - Trustee Training (St Peter's, Galashiels).

2–5 Nov - Clergy Conference.

28 Nov - Youth and Children's Training event at Ps & Gs

Keep up-to-date with Diocesan News & Events

Adventures in Faith

The Communicant

Youth & Children

Cathy Ballantine, Communications & Support Officer

0131 346 9085

[email protected]

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