Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans

The photograph on the right of the page shows a service at the First Presbyterian Church at Fort Worth, Texas.

Bert Gibbon, who sent in the photograph, says: “Most Scots think of Texas as a land of cowboys and Indians. If they could only see the church on the first Sunday in February when the Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans service is held, they would realise that it’s more Scottish than Scotland!

“The award-winning North Texas Caledonian Pipes and Drums herald the beginning of the event,” he explains. “The church is normally packed to capacity and there is a real emotional pull for the congregation when the pipes and drums strike up.

“Following them are the 60 flag bearers with the clan tartans and it’s a sight to behold, truly inspirational to the church members, as the church’s roots are based firmly in the Church of Scotland.

“The church service is Presbyterian with a true Scottish bias. The sermons are given by a Scottish minister either living in the US or visiting from Scotland.

“The history of the kirkin’ service is ‘all American’ with a Scottish twist. The origin is said to lie at the door of the Reverend Peter Marshall, originally from Coatbridge. In 1940, the Rev. Marshall held prayer services at his New York Avenue Church in Washington DC in order to raise funds for the British war relief.

“At one of his services, on April 27 1941, he gave a sermon entitled The Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans and the legend was born.

“Today many churches across the US and Canada hold such a service and while the majority of churches are Presbyterianm such is their popularity they are also held in Episcopalian, Methodist and even Roman Catholic churches.”

• Bert Gibbon is an elder of the First Prebyterian Church in Texas. He was born and brought up in Anstruther and worked in Ayrshire for 20 years before emigrating to Texas in 1982.