Scottish Episcopal Churches

On Remembrance Sunday all the congregations gathered together to worship at St Catharine’s, Blairgowrie.

The service began with a time of silence, remembering the fallen, which was followed by bagpipe music and the singing of the national anthem.

Instead of a traditional sermon those gathered heard a moving account from Kirsty Barnett, head girl at Blairgowrie High School, of her visit to Auschwitz which was organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust.

The main message that she brought back from her visit is that hate is always destructive.

The congregation is invited to an event at St John’s Episcopal Church in Perth on Saturday, November 25, marking the start of 16 Days of activism against gender based violence. The title for the day is “Poverty has a woman’s face: side by side for gender justice.” Contact Lis Burke for more details.

All are welcome on Mondays to the parent and toddler group held in St Anne’s church hall, Coupar Angus, from 9.30am to 11.30am.

Members of the congregations will lead services of Remembrance in two local care homes this week. There will be a short service at the Balhousie Care Home in Coupar Angus on Wednesday, November 15, and at Beech Manor Care Home in Blairgowrie on Thursday, November 16.

During Advent the congregation will be using ‘Lighted Windows’, a book of reflections by Margaret Silf, as a basis for a weekly discussion group. Please contact Lis Burke for a copy of the book. The first discussion will be on Wednesday, November 29.

The congregation is collecting gifts and donations of money to help provide Christmas cheer to people living in difficult situations, focussing particularly on the inmates at Cornton Vale prison and the families of people who are currently receiving help from the foodbank.

Next Sunday Lay Reader Lis Burke will lead a Service of the Word at 9.30am in St Catharine’s, Blairgowrie and at 11am in St Ninian’s, Alyth. There will be no service at St Anne’s, Coupar Angus.

The Rector, Very Rev. Kenny Rathband, can be contacted via the church office on 01250 874583.

For more details see www. abcsaints.org.uk or find search on Facebook for ABC Saints.