Andrew Forbes at the organ
It was a great privilege to welcome Andrew Forbes to St John’s for the second in our series of summer organ recitals. Andrew is the Director of Music of Glasgow Cathedral and the winner of the 2014 Northern Ireland International Organ Competition. Some years back he played the previous pipe organ in our church, and more recently he has played that same organ after its installation in its new home, a church in Edinburgh.
For this recital he chose a programme which would demonstrate all the capabilities of our new organ, emphasising that a good digital organ is certainly not inferior to a pipe organ. The ‘Suite Gothique’ by Leon Boellemann provided a good introduction to its different moods. This was followed by Set 2 of the Psalm Preludes by Herbert Howells (De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine) and a Leipzig Prelude by J.S.Bach (An Wasserflussen Babylon). Finally he played three movements (Mars, Venus and Jupiter) from ‘The Planets’ by Gustav Holst, transcribed for the organ by Arthur Wills.
Our Director of Music and our Rector welcome Andrew Forbes
This was a really exciting recital and was enjoyed by all present. Revd. Graham Taylor, our rector, was joined by our Director of Music, Alison Grant, in welcoming Andrew and expressing the thanks of all present at the close of the recital.
Flowers at our patronal festival
We celebrated our Patronal Festival on 28th June 2015. Thanks to a lot of hard work the day before, the church was filled with white and golden flowers which enhanced our worship.
Several members of the congregation had joined the choir for a music workshop the previous weekend when they learned the anthem ‘Cantate Domino’ by Dave and Jean Perry. It was good to have additional voices singing with the choir, and we hope this will be repeated for special occasions in the future. The anthem was one that members of the choir had sung in Glasgow recently at the Triennial Festival held by the Royal School of Church Music.
An augmented choir for our patronal festival
After our morning Eucharist we enjoyed a bring and share lunch in the Threshold Centre next to the church. Thanks to all who brought food, prepared tables, served and helped clear up.
Lunch after our patronal festival
Our Patronal Festival marks the start of our summer season when there will be no services of Matins, Alive For Christ or Evensong. On the first Sunday of July and August there will be a Sung Eucharist at 10.30 am.
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.
St John the Baptist and Christ, from our East Window
In common with two other churches of other denominations in Perth, our patron saint is St John the Baptist. We will celebrate our Patronal Festival on Sunday 28th June at 10.30 am with a Sung Eucharist, followed by a bring and share lunch.
On Saturday 20th June the congregation is invited to a musical workshop at 10.30 am, an opportunity to learn their part in the anthem we will all sing together at the Patronal Festival service.
Agnus Dei. the symbol of St John the Baptist, carved on our main altar
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.
A group of ten walkers set out from the car park by the old kirk in Glen Artney to follow the footpath to Comrie along the Water of Ruchil. Our prayers for good weather had been answered, and we enjoyed glorious sunshine nearly all the way.
After one break for mid-morning tea or coffee and another for lunch we arrived at the tea rooms just outside Comrie in time for mid-afternoon tea and cake. We all enjoyed this walk which was new to most of us.
The Water of Ruchil in May sunshine
More photos can be seen on our Facebook page.
The latest issue of Quest is now available to download as a PDF.
In this issue:
- Photos from Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday
- Autumn 2015 Project
- Our Poster for the Gathering
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.
Please note a change to our service times on the first Sunday of each month.
From 3rd May our all-age ‘Alive For Christ’ service will start at 10.30, rather than 10.45. This brings the first Sunday of the month into line with other Sundays and ensures that there is a service of communion starting at the same time in church every Sunday.
What a change there was after our Good Friday meditations…
Many people worked hard on Easter Saturday to decorate the church and prepare for our Easter celebrations. The Easter morning sunshine streamed in through the windows, giving a joyous air to the whole church.
As the 8.30 Communion service ended the smell of bacon from the Threshold next door proved irresistible. Many from this early service stayed on to share an Easter breakfast and were joined by people arriving early for the 10.30 Eucharist. We must do this more often!
The church was packed at 10,30, with both balconies in use as we joyfully celebrated Christ’s resurrection. At the end of the service the children hunted enthusiastically for Easter eggs around the church, then refreshments were served in the Threshold with tea, coffee and cake.
More photos can be seen on our Facebook page.
