Margaret Broad and Graham Taylor at the first organ recital of summer 2015

The first of our summer organ recitals was on 19th June, with Margaret Broad at the organ. Margaret is currently the organist at St Matthew’s Kirk in Perth; prior to that she was the organist and Director of Music here at St John’s and she has an extensive record as a church musician working in Glasgow, Southampton and Yorkshire.

She chose and delivered a varied programme of music including pieces by Rawsthorne, J S Bach, Mendelssohn and Haydn. Many of us particularly enjoyed ‘Dance with the saints’ by Colin Mawby.

Following the recital there were refreshments in the Threshold.

Our next organ recital is on 17th July at 7.30pm when Andrew Forbes will be playing.

Towards the end of May St John’s collaborated with Giraffe Trading, Perth’s first community interest company, to raise funds for improvements to the church garden grounds. Giraffe is a not-for-profit social enterprise which supports people with mental ill-health, disabilities and other disadvantages in the workplace. Giraffe maintains St John’s garden of rest as well as providing planted containers outside the church, so a combined coffee morning and plant sale was an ideal fund-raising event, selling plants raised by jobseekers in Giraffe’s Ladeside centre. More photos can be seen on the church’s Facebook page.

We pray for the people suffering in the aftermath of Saturday’s earthquake in the Gorkha region of Nepal, thinking especially of those who have lost loved ones as the death toll rises, but also giving thanks for rescuers and aid workers struggling to do what they can in remote locations.

To donate to the Christian Aid Nepal Earthquake Appeal, please click here.

Graham Taylor interviews Most Rev David Chillingworth

On Mothering Sunday, 15th March, we welcomed our bishop, David Chillingworth, to preside at our Sung Eucharist. Families with young children were particularly welcome and children handed out posies of flowers to the congregation at the end of the service.

Instead of preaching a sermon, Bishop David was interviewed by our rector Graham about his faith journey.

After the service there were refreshments in the Threshold, including home-baked cakes.

Mothering Sunday congregation

During Lent there have been no sermons at the Sunday morning Eucharist service. Instead, different members of the congregation have been invited to share their faith stories.

Graham Taylor and Lillian Fleming in conversation

Graham Taylor and Lillian Fleming in conversation

This is proving to be a source of encouragement for all of us.

St John’s was packed with over 200 people on Thursday 30th October to celebrate the institution of Rev. Graham Taylor as our new rector by Bishop David Chillingworth in a joyous and inspirational service. The congregation of St John’s was joined by many members of Graham’s former congregation at St Mary’s, Carden Place, Aberdeen; a large body of clergy and lay readers from several dioceses; local clergy from other Christian churches; and representatives from the civic authorities, including Provost Liz Grant and other councillors.

David Rose, the Rector’s warden at St Mary’s, Carden Place, read the epistle and Rt Rev. Bruce Cameron read the Gospel. As a former rector of St John’s before his consecration as Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, as well as his recent time as Interim Pastor of St John’s, Bishop Bruce is well known to Graham and to both congregations. The sermon was preached by the Very Revd Gerald Stranraer-Mull, Dean Emeritus of the diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney.

Many people commented on the inspirational music during the service, which included Howard Goodall’s anthem ‘Love Divine’ after communion and the Toccata by Charles Marie Widor as a closing voluntary. Our thanks go to Alison Grant as director of music and Robin Miller as organist.

This was the first time many clergy from the diocese had seen inside the church since its redevelopment, and they were impressed by the spacious interior which was enhanced by some beautiful floral arrangements.

After his institution Graham recognised the input from so many members of the congregation and thanked everyone who had played any part in enabling the service to be such an overwhelmingly positive occasion.

The service was followed by refreshments at the Royal George Hotel in Perth, which provided an opportunity for guests to mingle and share in fellowship.

The Vestry unanimously agreed to offer the vacant Rector’s post to the Rev Canon Graham Taylor from Aberdeen and he has kindly accepted our offer. He is currently Rector of St Mary’s Church, Carden Place, Aberdeen, a post he has occupied since 2005.

Graham worked in commerce from 1987 to 2001 and during this period he studied at  the Theological Institute of the Scottish Episcopal Church between 1998  and 2001. He became Curate at St Mary’s on the Rock, Ellon, and St James’, Cruden Bay, with special responsibility for St Peter’s, Peterhead in 2001. In 2004 he became Priest in Charge of these churches prior to taking up his present post.

He is currently Diocesan Director of Ordinands for the Aberdeen Diocese and in 2008 was made Canon of St Andrew’s Cathedral, Aberdeen. Graham occupies a number of Provincial roles within the SEC including being a member of the Provincial Panel for Selection for Ministry and membership of the Provincial Home Mission Committee. He also serves as a Pastoral Selector for Ministry in the Church of England.

We look forward greatly to working with Graham over the next three months or so ensuring that his move to Perth to join us at St John’s goes smoothly. His date of Institution will be announced once this is agreed but in the meantime please hold Graham in your prayers.

Elijah, son of Andrew Kingsley-Rowe and Dee Desouza, was baptised in the Alive for Christ service on Sunday 1 June 2014. His godparents are Emma DeSouza, Fraser Carmichael, Isabelle Beyers, Dawn Leckie, and Becky Nunn.

We welcome Elijah into the life of the church!

Elijah’s parents and godparents make their promises at Elijah’s baptism

Elijah at his baptism, with a proud grandad

Applications for our new Rector have now closed. We have received applications from several strong candidates and the Vestry will be considering them over the next few weeks. We would appreciate your prayers as we work out who is the best person to help us follow God’s call.

On Ascension Day we held a festival service to give thanks for the successful renovation of the church and to rededicate the building and ourselves to the mission of Christ. Bishop David preached and presided at the Eucharist. In his address he reminded us that he had written of a church building as a place of warmth and welcome, and added that it also needs to be a place where we can feel a sense of God’s presence, a flexible space for worship, and a base from which we move out into the world to bring Christ’s love to those around us. As with the disciples at the Ascension, we are at the end of one part of our journey and the start of another – one which might take us into unexpected places. We must be open to hear God’s voice and follow where he leads.