New academic year countdown…
Good morning,
It is a warm sunny morning in St Andrews, distinctly summery. But our minds in the Chaplaincy are turning to the new academic year beginning next month. Higher results are out – congratulations to people now sure they are coming to begin a degree at St Andrews, and good wishes to all young people taking next steps following their results. A Levels to come….
Just yesterday, we received our new booklet for the year, as you can see!
We have copies here in the Chaplaincy and will have them in chapel services, Freshers Fayre and other events as the semester begins. It is also available online – see https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/assets/university/chaplaincy/documents/chaplaincy-brochure.pdf
So, what delights are found inside? Well, for one thing there is a list of all those who will be preaching in St Salvator’s Chapel at the 11 am Sunday services. After 12 years as Chaplain, this year I thought it would be interesting to invite back the preachers who made the most impact in previous visits, relating scripture to contemporary life, especially the experience of students. Those preachers include Janet Foggie, celebrant and author; Abi Ngunga, pastor of St Andrews Baptist Church; Nina Laurie, geographer; Christopher Knight, Orthodox priest and eco-theologian; and Sally Mapstone, our Principal.
There are dates for your diaries – for Christmas services, candlelit labyrinth on the longest night, Chaplain’s Conversations, and religious festivals, events and holidays.
You can read about this year’s Chaplaincy Prize, on Crossing Cultures. And you can find out more about how to get involved – in faith societies, discussion groups from textual reasoning to Ministry Discernment, in ushering and bell-ringing.
There are useful contact details for faith societies, honorary chaplains and secretaries, and for Sam, Bill and me.
Halls open to new and returning students on Saturday 2 September, and our first service in St Salvator’s Chapel is Sunday 3 September at 11 am, with Chapel Choir, and a sermon from me called Holy Ground. And one last thing about the new Martinmas Semester – I have been writing new hymns based around our experience in the University of St Andrews. I look forward to hearing the congregation join together in the first of these on 3 September, To this town of stones and steeples.
That’s all for now. But on behalf of Sam, Bill and the whole team, remember that the Chaplaincy is open through the rest of the summer also, and if you’d like a chat about anything, feel free to get in touch.
Yours,
Donald.