Installation of new Dean and Provost
Posted: 22 January 2008, 12:28
The new Dean of the Diocese, the Very Rev’d Ian G. Stewart will be installed on Sunday 10th February at 6.00 pm at Choral Evensong in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Dundee.
The new Provost of the Cathedral, Rev’d Lindsay McKenna will be inducted and installed on Saturday 23rd February at 2.00 pm.
No Nonesense at the Diocesan Synod
Posted: 16 April 2007, 15:27
On a bright sunny morning, on 3 March, members of Synod met at Dundee University Chaplaincy for the annual meeting of the Diocesan Synod. Last year, the keyword was ‘peace’ – this year could be summed up by three words, ‘clarity, fairness and determination’. During our Bishop’s first full year, he has sustained peace in our diocese, and he certainly has a determination to get our house in order and then take us forward in confidence, reaching out to the people of our communities.
'Districts' and 'District Rectors'
Posted: 29 August 2006, 18:14
In this article, originally published in the Autumn 2006 edition of the Diocesan Magazine, the Grapevine, the Bishop, John Mantle, explains his ideas and invites comments. If you would like to respond to what he has to say, please click on the 'Comments or Questions' link at the bottom of the article.
The Bishop writes:
Present Hopes
Across our Diocese and even to the most casual observer, we are blessed with some lovely little churches. In one location the church nestles on the hillside above a small coastal hamlet. In another the church is at the heart of a village, and in a third it's in a prominent position in the local town or burgh.
In many cases these churches hide an extraordinary secret. They may be the only church buildings remaining open where they are, one of the last signs, you might say, of the presence of the Christian faith! The other denominations - with perhaps more churches than the Episcopalians - have often had to pull out. The Scottish Episcopal Church may be all that remains!
But of course many of these little churches cannot possibly afford an incumbent of their own. So traditionally we speak of them as 'coming under' a larger church, or even being 'taken over' by the big church in the next town.
A New Liturgical Ministry
Posted: 29 August 2006, 17:13
The following article was first published in the Autumn 2006 edition of the Diocesan Magazine Grapevine.
The Bishop, John Mantle, hopes to personally authorise a new form of lay ministry in the Diocese. Here he answers some questions on the subject:
What will these new ministers actually be?
As the name suggests, they will be laity who will be authorised by me to assist at the liturgy in a more comprehensive way than those who presently administer communion; rather like the Lay Readers in fact.
Then why not just create more Lay Readers?
The normal training for Readers is two years of the TISEC course. I belive that there are a number of men and women in our congregations who would come forward if the training didn't take quite so long. Apart from this, unlike Readers, the authorisation is within the Diocese of Brechin only. Lay Liturgical Ministers will not exercise a ministry that would necessarily be recognised elsewhere.
New Discipleship Course
Posted: 25 August 2006, 01:14
The Diocese's new adult Christian education course will begin at the Old and Abbey Church in Arbroath on Thursday 12 October, and sessions will run form 7.30 pm to 9.00 pm
The course consists of three eight-week modules - one for each term of the academic year. The first module will look at the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible, the second will look at the New Testament, and the third will look at the development of theology from the early church to the present day.
The course is open to anyone and all who attend and who do some simple work at the end of the module will receive a certificate.
The course will cost £25 for each eight-week module and there will be one or two books to buy. The £25 will pay for the hall and refreshments and for the travel costs of the speakers. Any money left over will go to future course work. It is hoped that Vestries will consider helping those who might find the costs hard to meet.
The Bishop hopes that anyone hoping to be involved in future lay ministries will take advantage of the course. But remember, you don't have to want to go on to lay ministry to do the course; you can do it purely out of interest.
Diocesan Administration Board Away Day!
Posted: 25 August 2006, 00:59
The Administration Board had an 'away-day' in Montrose in june. It was an opportunity for tidying-up policies and protocols and for some brain-storming free from the constraints placed on normal meetings by time and the amount of business to be transacted.
Members spent some time on quota (no surprise there!). All Dioceses (with the exceptions of Moray which has a voluntary system) work out quota based on income. Each Diocese excludes different items from the calculations so there is no one standard pattern. The Board looked at legacies, bequests, donations, etc., Treasurers will shortly receive guidance on how our Diocese calculates quota so that there will be absolute clarity.
Present Realities, Future Hopes - A Diocesan Lay Consultation
Posted: 24 August 2006, 11:45
In May 2006 the Bishop organised a Diocesan Lay Conference in order to discuss with church members from across the Diocese, the present condition of the Diocese and his vision for the future. Diocesan Clergy were not allowed to attend! What follows is personal account of that day from a member of All Saints', Glencarse.
On 6th May I attended a Lay consultation organised by the Diocese of Brechin, along with Lorne Heriot-Maitland and Louisa Leader. The event, which was organised and facilitated by our Bishop, John Mantle, took place at the Abbey Church Hall in Arbroath, right next to the historic Abbey. Representatives from nearly all the 27 churches in the Diocese were present. The focus of the day was 'Present Realities - Future Hopes' and we launched into the programme with a short prayer and a hymn. There were three main sessions, each of which was launched with a presentation from the Bishop:
- Present realities - Past Reality - Today's decline
- Present realities - the Diocese of Brechin
- Future hope
New Diocesan Website Launched
Posted: 24 August 2006, 11:24
Welcome to the newly designed website for the Diocese of Brechin. The site has at least three purposes:
- To provide basic information about the the Diocese and churches within it - including contact details for office holders and clergy, and information about things happening in the churches and around the diocese.
- To provide news to a wider audience of important events and initiatives in the diocese and the churches
- Potentially, to provide a forum for discussion and debate, both within the diocese and beyond, on significant issues affecting life in the diocese or in the wider church.
Comments, suggestions and articles for publication are always welcome, and can be emailed to the webmaster, Tim Bennison.
Activities Weekend for Diocesan Young People
Posted: 24 August 2006, 00:21
Voices of Youth, the Diocese of Brechin's Youth Forum is planning a weekend away in October. From Friday 20 to Sunday 22 October, the young people will be visiting the Compass Christian Centre in Glenshee. Staff at the centre are able to offer a variety of indoor and outdoor activities including: hill walking, canoeing, raft-building, archery, rock-climbing, abseiling and archery. Indoors there is a large sports hall where badminton, five-aside-football and other games can be played. All young people of secondary school age (approximately 12-18) are welcome, and the cost is £50 per person. Click to download a booking form.