Farewell, Welcome, and the Freshers Week
Good morning,
I hope you are enjoying the summer, and have found times of refreshment despite the extreme weather the planet has been experiencing. In the Chaplaincy, we have been continuing our ongoing work of supporting students and staff, leading worship, especially weddings and baptisms, and preparing for the new semester. It is under a month, believe it or not, that students will emerge from all over the world to make their home in our halls of residence. It will be wonderful to have them back.
One aspect of our summer has been around the Chaplaincy team.
Revd Giles Dove, Assistant Chaplain, is nearing the end of his two-year role next week, which he has chosen not to extend. Giles was appointed to allow me to go part-time to study for a Masters, and he slotted into the team with aplomb, leading many services of Evensong, Compline and the Eucharist, preaching and participating in morning services, and taking the lion’s share of Morning Prayer gatherings. Many people especially students found their way to his office in the roof of the Chaplaincy, and found him a calm, wise and sensitive pastor. He led Thinking Allowed for two semesters and the Ministry Discernment Group for two years with patience and imagination, encouraging students to think deeply about life, faith and vocation. And he stepped into countless other events with enthusiasm and a kindly ear. We will miss him hugely, and I wish him every blessing in his ongoing ministry.
We have therefore appointed a new Assistant Chaplain for a further two-year period, which allows me to continue to be part-time as I finish the Masters in September and hope to turn the dissertation into a published novel. I am delighted to let you know that she is Revd Debbie van Welie, a Church of Scotland minister who will be leaving her current role as a parish minister in Polmont, and beginning as a part-time Assistant Chaplain with us on 1 October. Debbie is a graduate of theology from St Andrews, and is thrilled to be back in a town and University she loves. She will be leading worship, preaching and offering pastoral care, leading discussion groups and available to any student or member of staff, regardless of faith or philosophy of life. She will be at the Freshers Faith Fayre a month or so before she formally begins, to meet faith society leaders and new students.
We also have a new Chief Usher, William Hirst, an undergraduate student of Modern History and Theological Studies. William will be overseeing the team of ushers greeting worshippers at the Sunday morning service, Evensong and Compline, and special occasions. Would you like to be part of the team, as a friendly presence helping new and returning students, staff, townspeople and visitors feel welcome in the chapels? We’d love to hear from students who could give a little time to this. Following a number of graduations of team members, there is a real need for new faces. I look forward to hearing from you if you’re interested.
There will be some new members of the honorary team of Chaplains which will be shared in due course. And of course, as we said farewell to some members of St Salvator’s Chapel Choir at graduation, there are spaces for new voices, especially altos, tenors and basses. There will be auditions in Freshers Week.
This month we are delighted to have a student intern working with us, Leonie Grosse Osterdahl, producing podcast episodes about the Chaplaincy, interviewing members of the team and students and staff who are part of our life. We are really excited to have her with us, and look forward to promoting the podcasts once they are available.
There will be a newsletter before the start of the new academic year, but here are some dates to whet your appetite for the Martinmas Semester:
Sunday 6 September, 11 am – Service of Welcome, St Salvator’s Chapel, followed by Pier Walk
Monday 7 to Friday 11 September, 8.45 – 10 am – Morning Prayers following by coffee, St Salvator’s Chapel
Wednesday 9 September, 12 noon – 3 pm – Freshers Faith Fayre, with lunch, Chaplaincy
Thursday 10 September, 11 am – 2 pm – Postgraduate tour of churches and sacred spaces, with lunch, meet at the Chaplaincy
Friday 11 September, 11 am – 2 pm – Undergraduate tour of churches and sacred spaces, with lunch, meet at the Chaplaincy
Sunday 13 September, 11 am – Opening Service of Martinmas Semester, followed by Pier Walk
If your Masters dissertation is due in next week, I wish you calmness and courage with writing, editing, saving and submitting. If a chat with a Chaplain would help, let us know. We are around throughout August and into the new semester.
And finally, a picture of Debbie to welcome her to the team.
All good wishes for the final month of the Summer Vacation.
Yours,
Donald