‘Summer leave and updates’
Greetings,
Your computer may be forgiven if this found its way into your junk folder! For it has been a long time since the last Companionship email and blogpost, during which time I was enjoying a period of summer leave. I spent the time relaxing, reading, playing golf and tennis, with a holiday near Kinlochbervie in the far north-west of Scotland, visits to and from family and a belated 50th birthday trip to Edinburgh. I also walked the Fife Pilgrim Way from Culross to St Andrews in five consecutive days, helped by a different companion each day. Perhaps further Companionship pieces will explore the Fife Pilgrim Way in a little more depth
During these eight weeks, the Chaplaincy continued to serve students, staff and others, and I am hugely grateful to Sam, Tracy, Linda and honorary chaplains for working while I was not. They did a fine job preparing for the new semester – although much of the detail remains uncertain.
Let me briefly give you an update on what the Chaplaincy’s service looks like.
Pastoral care continues. Students and staff can continue to approach Sam, me or a member of the Chaplaincy team for a chat in confidence. We offer that via Teams, and, when the Chaplaincy building (known as Mansefield) is open, we will offer the chance of a meeting there too. Just email [email protected] or a chaplain directly (including me) and we will arrange to talk, in confidence.
Discussion groups will continue via Teams. That includes Thinking Allowed, the Ministry Discernment Group, Turning Pages (for staff), and a new Grief Group led by Sam.
Our support for students continues. Yesterday I spent an hour welcoming students in quarantine, sharing something of the Chaplaincy’s work and sacred spaces in St Andrews. You can see me, and the pictures I showed, and read an interesting auto-transcript of my words (not always completely accurate) at this link: https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/20c6fc2c-1435-4db2-94e0-23fc5d234e32
Every day for the next fortnight, members of the Chaplaincy team will be engaging with those in quarantine in the Countdown to St Andrews programme.
Morning Prayers will begin on the first Monday of Orientation Week, Monday 7 September. All through the semester, Morning Prayers will take place via Microsoft Teams. In other words it will be an online service, happening live with the leader (Usually Sam or me) and participants taking part wherever we are via laptop or phone.
We are making plans for the University Service, Evensong and Compline, all to take place in St Salvator’s Chapel. Scottish government guidelines indicate that worship services can have up to 50 people, and contain spoken prayers, readings and sermons, prayers said by all who are there, music from organ and instruments not using breath. We are thinking as imaginatively as we can as to how to make these services meaningful, beautiful and warm, while of course physically distanced and safe.
The first University Service is scheduled for Sunday 6 September, a Service of Welcome at the beginning of Orientation Week. I will be the preacher and my sermon title is: Out of Eden. However, St Salvator’s Chapel has yet to be re-opened, and so it remains in doubt whether that service will physically be in the Chapel. If it is, we will share that news as soon as we can and give guidance as to how to sign up for a place at the Chapel.
We hope to live-stream Chapel services. However the equipment ordered by the University for this has not yet all arrived. When it is in place and working, we will let you know how to access the live-streamed services. Are you a student who would like to join our Tech team, helping to live-stream services? Just let us know.
When Mansefield opens we will be able to confirm the use of the spaces there for prayer, worship and meditation.
As services in and from the Chapel are not yet assured, we are also considering offering online services much as we did via Zoom in March, April and May. This will be via Microsoft Teams meetings. Do not worry if you have not downloaded Teams on to your computer. We have been assured that anyone with the internet can access our services via Teams. You will access the links via these emails and on the Chaplaincy website and facebook page
As you may have realised, this is all a little bit stressful! And I haven’t yet digested all the emails from the summer which piled up…. But it’s good to be back, and I am looking forward to finding new ways of doing the ancient things we are here for: reflecting on our life, giving thanks, being open to wisdom, forming community and discovering hope.
I hope that you have had times of refreshment, enjoyment and hope during the summer. If you are returning to St Andrews for the new semester, I hope your journey goes well. If you need to self-isolate for two weeks, you are welcome to get in touch for a chat. And consider reading any of the following:
Hilary Mantel, The Mirror and the Light
Vikram Seth, A Suitable Boy
Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace
Here’s a picture from the summer while the rain falls this morning on St Andrews – Balnakeil Beach, Durness, Sutherland.
Yours,
Donald