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Welcome To St Cuthbert's Church !
On This Page :
Our Minister - Rev David Denniston
Our Assistant
Minister - Rev Gerald Moule
Our Church
Manager - Mr Craig Marshall
The
Historical St Cuthbert's
Our Place
in the Community
Links To
The Letter from
the Manse
St Cuthbert's Guestbook
Contact Details
Our Minister - Rev David Denniston
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I thought it might be good to let you know just a little about me and
about the Denniston family.....
I was ordained in 1981 into my first charge in Glasgow, the city in which I
was born, raised, educated and married. There followed ministries in Fife and
then in Perth. In all this, as also in the work I have done with the
committees, boards and councils of the church, my deepest passions have been
for worship, preaching and mission.
But other interests also find their place. I am a keen fly-fisherman, enjoy
hill-walking when I am able, have eclectic tastes in music.
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(Although - sad to say - I am mainlyan unreconstructed
1970's progressive rock fan!) I play guitar and bass guitar, and am an
enthusiastic rugby supporter (indeed, I have just purchased my season ticket
for Edinburgh Rugby!).
Jane (who is also an ordained minister and who works with the
Ministries Council at 121 George Street) previously spent some years as an
artist, although she presently has little time to develop this talent. In
addition to her job, she is studying part-time for a for a Masters degree.
We have three grown up children: Iain, who works with a computer
games company in Leith and lives in Newhaven, Graeme, who has returned
to full-time education and is at university in Glasgow, and Ruth who has
been studying at the Galashiels campus of Heriot Watt, and who graduates in a
few weeks time.
It is a very real privilege for us to be part of the family of St Cuthbert's
and I look forward to sharing with you in worship, fellowship, mission and
congregational life.
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Our Assistant Minister - Rev Gerald
Moule
A few words to introduce myself as
the new St Cuthberts' Assistant Minister.....
It's a very attractive prospect to return to Edinburgh, even in a part-time
capacity. I was brought up in the Newington district and have memories of the
Edinburgh trams gathering speed down Minto Street to Craigmillar Park.
My Edinburgh link resumed after a degree in Economics and a spell in the
City of London doing Chartered Accountancy, when I went to New College to study
for the Church of Scotland ministry. At that time I was living close to the
Dean Bridge.
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My three children, who all work in London, went
to boarding school in Edinburgh, after primary education in Moffat. So there is
a real sense of returning to my roots.
I served as Parish Minister of Moffat and Wamphray for almost 25 years and
more recently as a Minister of the United Reformed Church in Richmond upon
Thames and Thames Ditton in SW London. My ministerial life changed considerably
after the Lockerbie "Air" Disaster in 1988, when I was the Presbytery
Moderator. Following that momentous incident and other UK disasters in the
1980s, I was invited to represent the Faith Communities of the UK, in Civil
Emergency Planning at the Home Office in London.
This commitment, approved by the General Assembly, developed on a national
and international level, which led to my appointment as Disaster Preparedness
Consultant for the World Council of Churches, responsible for a project (with
the UN and International Red Cross,) in central and eastern Europe after the
break-up of the Soviet Union. This took me to 11 different countries from the
Baltic States in the north, to Romania and Bulgaria in the south. As a result
of deepening involvement in this work, plus extensive lecturing in the USA,
Europe, and the UK, I changed my base from Scotland to London. Having recently
completed a post graduate degree at Oxford University, I have now returned to
Scotland, to live in my home in Moffat.
For recreation I enjoy cricket, rugby, "social" golf, hill
walking, and travel, especially to the small Greek islands. I try to keep fit
through regular swimming at a Health Club and am now looking for a Scottish
equivalent.
I count it a great privilege to be able to share ministry with David and the
congregation in all the opportunities provided at St Cuthbert's for worship,
mission and pastoral care. Also I am particularly looking forward to increasing
my circle of Edinburgh friends through my new responsibilities.
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Our Church Manager - Mr Craig Marshall
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I am delighted to have joined the team at St Cuthbert's after spending 18
years at Greyfriars Tolbooth & Highland Kirk, on the other side of the
Castle.
Following a degree in theology from Aberdeen University, I had intended
either to teach, or to go into something related to the ministry. However, I
spotted the advert for the post of Church Officer at Greyfriars, and thought it
would make a suitable 'stepping stone'.
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As Church Officer, and
for the past 14 years as Administrator, I was responsible for anything from
boiler programming to organising the extensive programme of concert activities.
I found the variety of tasks to be rewarding, although it was not always easy
to ensure that all of the complex interweaving of church, community and the
arts ran on an even keel all of the time.
I was also heavily involved with setting up the Visitor Centre at
Greyfriars, and for recruiting a team of volunteers to act as Welcomers, and
Concert Stewards.
For the past 8 years I have also thoroughly enjoyed my role as Deputy
Assembly Officer for the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. One of my
key tasks is to sound the gong when the Lord High Commissioner approaches the
long flight of steps up to the Assembly Hall! This is a fascinating role which
gives a wonderful insight into the behind-the-scenes workings of the highest
Court in the Church.
In my spare time I enjoy, rugby, photography and travel.
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The Historical St Cuthbert's
The history of St Cuthbert's is fascinating. According to tradition, in the
7th century, St Cuthbert - the famous Northumbrian Saint - built the first
church on the site, made of mud and wattle.
However, our first definite landmark is a Charter of King David I in 1127
which refers to 'The Church of St Cuthbert, hard by the Castle of Edinburgh.'
This is the oldest manuscript in Register House, Edinburgh.
In many ways, St Cuthbert's can rightly be called the Mother Church of
Edinburgh in that its parish once encompassed most of the present day city.
With a history spanning 1000 years and more, St Cuthbert's has been, in
turn, Celtic, Roman, Episcopalian and Presbyterian. For the last 300 years it
has been a congregation of the Church of Scotland and a
member of the Presbyterian family of churches.
It is reckoned that over the centuries there have been at least seven
church buildings on this hallowed spot below Edinburgh's Castle Rock. The
church's close proximity to the Castle meant it was often caught in cannon
crossfire between opposing armies and, as a result, sustained either severe
damage or was destroyed. Such was the resilience of our forebears, however,
that they immediately set about the daunting task of rebuilding.
The present church of 1894, built in an Italian Renaissance style,
possesses a magnificent interior. It is unusually ornate and sumptuous for a
Presbyterian church and is acclaimed for its beauty, atmosphere and sense of
'presence'. It is well worth a visit!
Our Place in the Community
The present Church building, lying below Edinburgh Castle and amidst the
trees, was dedicated in 1894.
Our members come from all parts of the city, as well as the parish itself -
which takes in the community from Princes Street to West Tollcross and High
Riggs.
St Cuthbert's has a long tradition of caring involvement, with current
examples being our active ministry among the business community - OASIS
- and our working to help relieve HOMELESSNESS in the city.
A Parish Residents' Team is working to establish links with people who live
in the area and we are ecumenically linked to our neighbour, St John's Scottish
Episcopal Church.
The area is the hub of the international financial centre and a magnet for
thousands in search of entertainment in cinema, theatre, pubs and clubs. Around
two thousand people live within our parish (SEE MAP) and we play host
to a steady procession of tourists from all over the world.
We serve a community on the move: a river of people swirling around the
ancient rock on Edinburgh's skyline. As a Christian Church we are trying to
learn how to ride the rapids of the Spirit and point to the Rock who is Jesus
Christ. You'll find a bit of both on your visit."
Minister's Letter from the Manse
Read the latest letter from the Minister HERE
St Cuthbert's Guestbook
Why not read and then sign our GUEST BOOK Please share your thoughts and
comments with us, and also with our other visitors.
Thank you !
Contact Details
Our contact details
are:
The Parish Church of St Cuthbert
5 Lothian Road
Edinburgh EH1 2EP
Scotland, UK
Telephone : 0131-229 1142
Fax : 0131-221 0899
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| Minister's e-mail : |
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A more comprehensive list of all our e-mail addresses and telephone numbers,
can be found HERE
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