MORAY, ROSS & CAITHNESS DIOCESE
The Bishop of Moray, Ross & Caithness
Extracts from +Marks 'blog' relevant to our 'Cluster'
Institution, Institution, Institution.
On Saturday 13th of September the Rev Christopher Ketley was instituted as Rector of Holy Trinity, Elgin and St Margaret’s, Lossiemouth. As most of you know those charges were my charges, the congregations I came back to Scotland to serve, so as I handed them into the care of Christopher I felt a great mix of emotions. It was wonderful to see so many people in church, it was good to be a part of the excitement of a new chapter but also a thoughtful moment as I considered the new relationship with the congregation and the changes I hope and expect to see as Christopher begins to live and work with the churches.
On the Sunday we all travelled over to Ullapool for the harvest thanksgiving at St Mary’s, this was an occasion when all the congregations of the West Coast came together. There were friends from Lochinver and Poolewe, Achiltibuie and Kishorn so we had a full church and a good harvest lunch to follow. I had, for the first time, left my suitcase behind so I celebrated in a very short alb with no Episcopal paraphernalia; I even remembered to crouch down for the photographs so my half mast robes wouldn’t be seen, though I suspect I will be reminded of it all with great glee, many times!
Sunday evening saw us all in St Ninian’s Glenurquhart to celebrate a slightly early St Ninian’s day. The sun was shining across the loch and the small church was warm and inviting. I spoke about Ninian’s church at Whithorn, it was referred to as Candida Casa, the white church that stood out as a symbol of light in a dark world, I then reminded the congregation that our own church is white, a highland Candida Casa, a place where our love should shine as a light in the world.
I travelled West on Thursday, the journey was through heavy and persistent rain or as locals call it, a bit of mist. First stop was Kishorn, calling in on a retired priest before saying midday prayers in the chapel at Courthill. Then I drove over to Nostie to check on the damage that had been caused by a break in at the church, all sorted Christine and Brian having put everything right. Finally I called in on one of our lay ministers who lives on Skye, before travelling East to pick up Jane for our third Lambeth talk at St Andrew’s, Tain. Once again we had a full house with questions and comments, prayers and hopes.
Assembly at Bishop Eden’s Primary School in Inverness was the highlight of Friday; I took along both Bishop Eden’s mitre and Pastoral Staff, both symbols on the school badge, the pupils were very keen to ask questions and to discover more about the links between the Bishop and the School. Bishop Eden was the first Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness, he had the Cathedral built and founded the Boys School and the Girls school. The two amalgamated and using the Girls school buildings founded the Episcopalian Bishop Eden’s Primary School. It is still a church school though run by the Education authority and it provides primary education for pupils from across the community. I had a great time with them.
On Saturday Beth and I attended the PYN (Provincial Youth Network) meeting in Perth before being driven home by a newly qualified driver. There is nothing more guaranteed to make a youth leader feel old than being driven by a former “youth”. Well done Ley-Anne you have mastered both the A9 and a back seat driving bishop.
Now back to all those institutions. Yesterday we completed Christopher’s welcome in the Diocese with two services, one in Dufftown and the other in Aberlour, he has been seated, prayed over, given gifts, had deeds read and been mentioned in enough sermons to let both himself and his wife Jane know, how welcome they are here among us.
The Bishop Speaks
I have copied below an extract from the Bishops Charge given on Monday 3 March 2008.
I trust it will encourage visitors to this website and to our diocese and that they will know our faith is one of joy and hope.
"I wish to start this charge in the place I concluded the last one, I spoke then of, I quote “Let us enjoy being Episcopalians, let us show the Highlands that our faith is one that allows us to laugh and dance and sing, a faith that they may wish to discover and which we openly ask them to share with us........
I have to say that I certainly seem to have been dancing and singing since the November Synod, dancing from place to place and singing hymns of praise in so many churches and fellowships. I believe that by the 15th of June I will have attended Sunday Worship in all of our churches, an experience that reveals the diversity and excellence of our liturgical and hospitable life together.
I spoke at my interviews about being an itinerant Bishop, spending time amongst the people of the Diocese, that is a commission I am trying to take very seriously, the reason for that is so that I can truly keep the promises I made before you all, promises I keep on my desk so that I can measure my daily life against them.
I promised, “as chief pastor to encourage and support all the baptised in their gifts and ministries, to nourish you out of God’s grace, to pray for you and to celebrate with you the sacraments of our redemption”. To that end I have presided at your Eucharist,....
What I have also discovered is that none of our congregations are fundamentally different from each other, whatever style or process they engage in, however large or small they are, what we have found Sunday by Sunday are people worshipping God with all their hearts and souls, people offering themselves to each other in service and congregations full of joy and hope....
There are many things both exciting and challenging facing us... Prayer and worship is at the heart of what we do, we need to be seen to be engaged in that cycle of prayer which makes up our church year. Our worship needs to be visible and welcoming, powerful and inspiring; it is the worship of God that draws people to us, not gimmicks. So do not be afraid of allowing people to share and live our liturgies with us, stop ourselves from excluding those who see things differently from us, let us not hear words of intolerance and hatred coming from our lips, for when we pray and sing, when we teach and learn, when we share and offer then there we will see the life of Christ. Keep me travelling along with you. Amen, + Mark
Bishop Mark - a little history
Bishop Mark was Rector of Holy Trinity Church Elgin and St Margaret's Church Lossiemouth, with St Michael's Church Dufftown and St Margaret's Church Aberlour until early October.
However, on Saturday 13th October he was ordained Bishop of the Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness.
Bishop Mark - The Consecration 13th October 2007
Bishop Mark on the day of his Consecration as our Bishop. This photograph reminds me of the book 'the loneliness of the long distance runner' and St Paul 'who ran the race'. Bishop Mark must not be left to run the race on his own but feel that we run with him. We can expect a long but exciting journey - no doubt those bagpipes will encourage (or scare us) as we step out in faith!!
Bishop Mark with the Cathedral's Provost on his right and the Dean on his left together with some of the Canons.
Bishop Mark with the 'girls of his family' (wife Jane and daughters Beth and Mara) on the Autumn Leaves outside the Cathedral
Bishop Mark with his son Aiden
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