The Big Question

The Rev Janice Faris, minister at Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn Parish Church

“Summer provides an opportunity to worship in a place less familiar but to worship together in the different parts of our parish. Instead of having two morning services in two different places we have one and visit Walkerburn, Traquair and Innerleithen in turn. This gives us all a chance to meet properly with one another and it also lets us support one another’s festivals.

“Highlights of the summer are the kirking services for Walkerburn Festival (June 25) and St Ronan’s Games and Cleikum ceremonies (July 9) when we welcome members of the wider community to the church. Some of the festival principals take part in the services and in Innerleithen the Silver Band provides the music

“We usually return to our usual pattern at the end of July – this year we shall return to our normal pattern in late August as we will be celebrating our Innerleithen building’s 150th anniversary. From August 11-18 we shall be having some special events. We shall be looking at the sermons preached 150 years ago when one building closed and the current one opened and having a Songs of Praise reflecting changes in Church music as well as various other events

“Every Sunday alongside this we have Breakfast, Song and Story – originally designed for families who want to get away for the day but it has proved popular with single people who enjoy sharing breakfast.”

The Rev Dráusio Gonçalves, minister at Edinburgh: Bristo Memorial, Craigmillar

“Summer at Bristo is not just a time to manage the lack of attendance in the service because of holidays but it is also an opportunity to recalibrate our worship and the way we ‘do’ the service.

“The plan is to have three ‘all age’ services throughout June, July and August with the Sunday School team leading them.

“The other services are designed to give people more opportunities to talk, discuss and thus be active participants in the worship.

“They will be encouraged to share their views on different topics which will be presented in short videos, pieces of music or even in poems and then discuss in the light of the Scriptures.

“The beauty of this approach is that our people will have the opportunity to participate along with our younger folk.

“Our services along the year are usually very informal; in the summer, however, we aim to bring something different and we hope this is a good experience for everyone and an opportunity to develop new ways to worship God for the coming year.

“So summer is an opportunity to recalibrate and change, but we are also conscious of the importance of our core values when we worship God at Bristo, that is, the blessing of the Father, the centrality of Jesus Christ the Lord, the anointing presence of the Holy Spirit and the authority of the Bible.

“Enjoy the summer!”

David McFie, elder at Rothesay: the United Church of Bute

“Our church serves a wide and varied congregation.

“Though our regular service is 11am every Sunday we do have others at different times and places throughout the week. That helps visitors take part in worship with us wherever they are.

“Having said that, our church holds weekly services mid-week at Port Bannatyne and another service at Kingarth hotel that are led by our minister the Rev Owain Jones.

“The Port Bannatyne service is attended by a broad selection of people from other traditions and is regularly attended by the kids from North Bute School which is always great.

“The children at the services are always catered for and are welcomed along with their family members. Being a holiday island, we get quite a few visitors to the church during the holidays and throughout the year. It is always lovely to meet and welcome lots of new people and worship with them.

“One thing we like to do is encourage our own members to bring orders of services from churches they attended when they were on holiday. In this way we then can have an idea what other churches do and this helps us to build on our contributions to our church,

“The elders here contribute to services regularly and can lead services.

“As an island community, working ecumenically is key and we worship together at services throughout the year.

“In many ways, no matter what time of year, the church here is very much my home.”

The Rev David A Collins, retired, formerly minister at Auchterhouse l/w Monikie & Newbigging and Murroes & Tealing

“The sacrament of communion is often a special, if infrequent occasion in the church year, and many congregations have added additional, less formal celebrations of communion at various times of the year, such as Maundy Thursday or Easter morning.

“In my own rural charge of Auchterhouse linked with Monikie & Newbigging and Murroes & Tealing we had an open-air communion service every summer in late July or early August.

“Some years we’d be in a field looking out over the Sidlaw Hills, and other years in a barn to shelter from wind or rain, but always we enjoyed a memorable service, well attended by members of the congregations and the wider community.

“Music was usually provided by my colleague, the Rev Mike Mair on the fiddle, or by one of our organists on a keyboard, with a short talk by our neighbouring minister (my wife, the Rev Catherine Collins). On at least one occasion we were joined by a visiting Boys’ Brigade Company who happened to be camping in the farmer’s field.

“After sharing bread and wine together we retired to the farmhouse for coffee, tea and home baking.

“Although I retired last year, the tradition continues, as does the 7.30am early morning Easter Service at the top of the Sidlaws followed by breakfast at another farm – the parishes are largely agricultural and the farmers and their families are very generous and hospitable! Any minister seeking a charge would find it hard to find a more welcoming and willing group of people.”

Elspeth McPheat Deacon, Unit Manager Crossreach St Margaret’s House, Member at Edinburgh: Canongate

“Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh where I worship is set at the foot of the Royal Mile and so we have a ministry of welcoming people.

“Visitors come to the church most days 10.30am-4.30pm from May to September through Open Kirk.

“We invite folk to come and visit this beautiful and historic building and kirk yard with volunteers on hand and written guides in a huge range of languages.

“We set aside the War Memorial Chapel for quiet prayer and reflection.

“Worship is at the centre of our life together and visitors are welcomed to the family service at 10am and parish worship at 11.15am.

“During the summer we have people who have found us through Open Kirk, people who are staying in local hotels and apartments and just passed by, people who have come to reconnect with the church and people who just happen to be there and are invited to join us for worship.

“This makes for a multicultural experience for all and we ask people to sign the visitor’s book and make themselves known to us so they can join in fellowship after the services.

“The 11.15 service has a set written liturgy and sometimes we hear people say: ‘I thought you were Presbyterian’ and we explain: ‘we are!’

“So in some ways you could say that nothing changes in worship over the summer but the worshippers do!

“It is a real privilege to meet so many interesting people and share in worship with them.”

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