Scottish Church News 1937

Some more snippets from The Scottish Churchman of 1937.

St Andrew’s Cathedral, Aberdeen

In order to receive help towards the expenses of the Cathedral, the Provost sat there for a whole day recently. Gifts of the faithful amounted to £308.

(I could do that. Beats a sponsored walk anyway.)

St Thomas, Aboyne

In memory of his mother, Lord Glentaner has given an endowment of £8600 New Zealand Government stock to St Thomas’s. He is also installing electric light in the church.

St John’s, Greenock

An anonymous offer of £1000 to provide a side-chapel and clergy vestry has been made to St John’s, and has been accepted with gratitude by the Vestry.

Edinburgh Diocesan Lectures

The first lecture of the session was delivered in the Chapter House, St Mary’s Cathedral, by the Lord Bishop of Glasgow. His subject was “Life after Death and our contact with it.” There was a large audience, and the Bishop’s impressive lecture was listened to with close attention.

All Saints’, Edinburgh: Proposed Memorial Chapel

An offer has been made by Miss Emilia Mylne of a chapel in memory of her father and mother, to be made in the south transept. Plans are being prepared by Sir M Ochterlony, Bart. The Vestry has accepted this generous offer. It will add much to the beauty and usefullness of the church.

St Columba’s, Edinburgh

A memorial erected by members of the congregation in memory of a former rector, the Rev H H Flower, was dedicated by the Lord Bishop of the diocese. It takes the form of an oak reredos.

(Sounds lovely. I wonder who replaced it with that ghastly painting…)

St Gabriel’s, Govan

As a result of a parochial visitation by members of the congregation, and of conferences, there have been improvements in the church life – many more communions, more dignified worship, a stronger choir, more devoted people, and a richer fellowship, expressed in the rise of such organisations as the Men’s Club, Young People’s Guild, Boy’s Club, and Dramatic Club. A staff of ladies do loyal service in systematic visiting of the sick.

(Sounds like the men get all the fun!)

St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow

The Children’s Corner has been enriched by the addition of a miniature Sanctuary, with Altar, furnishings and frontals. These will be used for the purposes of instruction. The Sanctuary was made by Mr E Beckett, and the Altar furnishings by Miss A Littler, who also made a set of miniature vestments, placed beneath glass in a frame, each labelled with its proper designation.

(I want one of those!)

Christ Church, Falkirk

A member of the congregation has given a crucifix carved at Oberammergau, to hang above the pulpit, and a set of fourteen stations of the Cross – sepia photographs of wood carvings, framed in mahogany, will be fitted into the panelling that surrounds the church.

(And where the heck are they now, I’d like to know?)

The Call to Religion

The Dean of Edinburgh, Dr Perry, put the matter in a nutshell when he said in the Edinburgh Synod that “the duty of the laity was to sit up and think, kneel down and pray, and then to be evangelists.”

St Columba’s, Clydebank

At the sung Eucharist at 9.30am the number of communicants has steadily increased of late. On Palm Sunday, when there was a procession and distribution of palms, there were 100 communicants. The rector conducted a series of lantern services in church during Lent on Sunday evenings. Keen interest was shown in these, the attendance ranging from 200 to 250.

(Hmm, a lantern service… I wonder if he did shadow puppets…)