Welcome To St Cuthbert's Church Find Out More About Us

In my early days, I lived in Fife. After school at Fettes College, I was commissioned into The Black Watch as an Infantry Officer. Whilst in the army, I studied Theology and Divinity at King's College, London and then at St Andrew's University. I served as a Platoon Commander in Berlin and Northern Ireland and then as an Operations Officer in Hong Kong where I was ordained an elder in the Regimental Kirk Session.  

After leaving the army, I was appointed Chaplain to Loretto (1994-1997). During this time, I studied at New College for a Master of Theology in Ministry. I then became Head of Religious Studies and Chaplain to The Perse School in Cambridge (1997-2000), and whilst there I was elected to the Fellowship of Trinity Hall. I spent the next eight years as Chaplain at Gordonstoun School. In 2008, I was appointed Headmaster of Ardvreck School, Crieff. 

During my period of training for the ordained ministry of the Church of Scotland, I undertook placements at Stockbridge Church and Inverleith St Serf's before undertaking my probationary period at the Canongate Church. In the summer of 2016, I represented the Church of Scotland in South Africa at their probationers' conference and have recently returned from a study tour to the Holy Land. I have recently completed a Counselling Degree at Edinburgh University. I also work on a part time basis as Chaplain at Loretto.  

I am a keen skier and often look after the Church in Wengen and Zermatt in Switzerland when on holiday. I am married to Isabelle and we have five daughters. 

Until November 2005, I was Minister of Canongate Kirk here in Edinburgh where I served for over twenty-seven years. Before that, I was for nearly fourteen years Minister of a parish near Dingwall in Ross-shire, the lovely parish of Kiltearn (Evanton). In 1965, I married Alison, who then taught geography in St Margaret's School, shortly before my ordination and induction to Kiltearn, where we had three children, all now very grown up.  

I am an extra Chaplain to Her Majesty the Queen, and also serve as Chaplain to the Merchant Company of Edinburgh.  

For many years I was involved in liturgical matters: I was a long-time member and then Chairman of the Joint Liturgical Group (a United Kingdom inter-Church committee); was Secretary of the committee which compiled The Church Hymnary: Fourth Edition; and, before that, for many years the Secretary and then Convener of the General Assembly's Panel on Worship. I also had the privilege of serving as a founder member of the Broadcasting Standards Council and as a member of the Historic Buildings Council of Historic Scotland. For more than twenty years, I was a Governor of St Columba's Hospice, and a member and then Chairman of Queensberry House Hospital. 

My wife Alison, and I are both keen on classical music: she plays the violin in the New Edinburgh Orchestra, sings in St Cuthbert’s Church Choir, and enjoys playing the piano. She also founded and runs The Scottish Stained Glass Trust, a Registered Scottish Charity. 

You will see from all this that we have had and are still leading full and fulfilling lives. They are even more filled and fulfilling now that we have come to be associated with St Cuthbert's, and we are looking forward to getting to know as many of you as possible in the time we will be with you.  

I am Director of Music here at St Cuthbert's with responsibility for all aspects of the musical life of the church. I have been involved in the music here since November 2005 having begun my musical training in the Highland village of Kingussie, where I was appointed as Parish Organist and Choirmaster in 2000. 

Following secondary education, I read music at the University of Edinburgh, where my interest in choral and liturgical music grew; the history of music in Christian worship formed part of my honours degree. I graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Music with Honours in 2007, and went on to complete teacher training (PGDE) at the Moray House School of Education. 

Having taught in various schools in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Fife, I am now member of the Music Department at George Heriot's School here in Edinburgh. At Heriot's I teach music pupils of all ages from 3 to 18, and I have the opportunity to combine teaching with choir direction and playing the organ for school assemblies, services and concerts. I have accompanied the school's Chamber Choir in concerts here in Edinburgh in St Giles' Cathedral and the Usher Hall, and on their tours of the Northern English Cathedrals, the Scottish Highlands and Paris (including L'église de la Madeleine). A tour to Prague with performances in St Vitus' Cathedral is planned for October 2016. 

It is wonderful to be involved in the superb liturgy here in St Cuthbert's, and to be curator of the magnificent St Cuthbert's organ, one of the finest in Scotland. 

E-mail :

Details of currently planned organ recitals HERE 

Our Vision 

Our core vision in St Cuthbert's is : Living out the Gospel of Jesus Christ at the heart of our city as God's people
     Nurturing hearts for God
     Offering a home to friend and stranger
     Providing a hub to equip the people of God for the mission of God

Our Vision 

Our core vision in St Cuthbert's is : Living out the Gospel of Jesus Christ at the heart of our city as God's people
     Nurturing hearts for God
     Offering a home to friend and stranger
     Providing a hub to equip the people of God for the mission of God

Our Values 

Faith : Our Christian faith is rooted in tradition, recognises our heritage, is alive in the present, and looks to the future
Worship : We seek to worship God with reverence, dignity, diversity and within our strong musical tradition. Prayer and listening to God are essential aspects of our understanding of worship.
Community : The church is people - a community which is open, generous. diverse, welcoming, hospitable, healing and caring.
Mission : We respond to the call to communicate the faith in care, service, healing, concern and witness; locally, ecumenically and globally.

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Our contact details are: 

The Parish Church of St Cuthbert
5 Lothian Road
Edinburgh EH1 2EP
Scotland, UK 

Telephone : 0131-229 1142

E-mail the Church Office : 

A comprehensive list of all contact information, can be found HERE