St Andrew’s Day has been marked with the signing of a joint Declaration between the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Church of Scotland during a special service at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh.

At the service Lord Wallace, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and Most Rev Mark Strange, the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, officially signed the Saint Andrew Declaration on behalf of the two churches.

St Andrew’s Day marked with signing of Declaration and church service Left to Right Primus Most Rev Mark Strange and Moderator Lord Wallace St Andrew’s Day was marked with the signing of a joint Declaration between the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Episcopal Church during a special service at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh.

The Declaration outlines a series of acknowledgments and commitments between the churches intended to deepen their relationship, and look at new ways of working together to serve the people of Scotland.

The agreement was welcomed and approved at both the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and the General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church earlier this year.

St Andrew’s Day marked with signing of Declaration and church service Left to Right Primus Most Rev Mark Strange and Moderator Lord Wallace St Andrew’s Day was marked with the signing of a joint Declaration between the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Episcopal Church during a special service at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh.

After a conference to discuss and explore the churches’ future relationship, Rev Prof Canon Charlotte Methuen from the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Rev Sandy Horsburgh from the Church of Scotland led the cathedral service where the Declaration was jointly signed by the Moderator and the Primus. 

Lord Wallace said: “I am delighted to be able to sign the Declaration on St Andrew’s Day in person alongside our friends in the Scottish Episcopal Church as we celebrate the close-working relationship between our two churches.

“We look forward in faithfulness to continuing to strengthen the ties, which already have deep foundations, and exploring our common calling further.”

St Andrew’s Day marked with signing of Declaration and church service Left to Right Primus Most Rev Mark Strange and Moderator Lord Wallace St Andrew’s Day was marked with the signing of a joint Declaration between the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Episcopal Church during a special service at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh.

The Most Rev Mark Strange said: “In many places in rural Scotland there is now only one church building. It might be Episcopalian or it might be Presbyterian, yet there will be people of both churches in the community.

“If this Declaration gives people the confidence to share, and to allow the church to be open and present to each other, then what a wonderful place we have reached.

“I look forward to seeing where we can now go from here, together.”

St Andrew’s Day marked with signing of Declaration and church service Left to Right Primus Most Rev Mark Strange and Moderator Lord Wallace St Andrew’s Day was marked with the signing of a joint Declaration between the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Episcopal Church during a special service at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh. ALL Photos Andy O’Brien
Phyllis Stephen
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.

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