The University of Aberdeen has this week announced the varied programme of Sunday services for the new autumn term at King’s College Chapel.
The new season begins this Sunday (September 24) with Rev Easter Smart launching the new programme of services.
Rev Smart, the University Chaplain, is delighted at this semester’s distinguished line-up. She said: “It is wonderful that the University has attracted such an accomplished and diverse group of preachers. They embody a wealth of experiences from all over the world including Germany, America, Taiwan, the Sudan, and the World Council of Churches in Switzerland.
“Many of them happen to be graduates of our own University and it is a credit to us that they wish to preach. Accompanied by the Chapel Choir, these services promise to provide uplifting and insightful worship.
“I would encourage people to join us on Sundays at 11.00 am where they will be made most welcome.”
On Sunday, October 1, the congregation will be led by Rev Julian Randall, who is not only an ordained Anglican priest, but now also the Director of Graduate Programmes in the University’s Business School. On October 8, Rev Professor John Swinton will deliver the sermon. Professor Swinton is an expert in the area of spirituality, health and healing and directs the University’s Centre for the Study of Spirituality and Health.
Rev Elizabeth Wynne, Assistant Chaplain to the University, will lead the service on October 15 and on October 22, the congregation will hear from Revd Professor Joachim Schaper - a minister in the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Germany. Revd Schaper is a new Professor in Hebrew, Old Testament and Early Jewish Studies. Before he came to Scotland, he taught at the universities of Tuebingen and Heidelberg.
There is a special invitation to children to attend the all-age family service on October 29, before the November series gets underway on Sunday 5 with Rev Andrew Wilson. Rev Wilson is the minister at Aberdeen’s Rubislaw Church. He is the former Moderator of Aberdeen Presbytery and is Chaplain to St Margaret’s School for Girls, Aberdeen Grammar School, and Aberdeen College.
The annual Remembrance Sunday service is on November 12. This service begins at 10.50am with Rev Roderick Campbell, of St Andrew’s and St George’s, Edinburgh. Rev Campbell has worked with the Episcopal Church of Sudan in the liberated regions of the south. He is a former member of the Greater Glasgow Health Board with responsibility for the Misuse of Drugs and the HIV/AIDS committees.
On November 19, King’s will welcome a neighbour and friend, the minister of St Machar’s Cathedral in Aberdeen, Rev. Alan Falconer. A graduate of Aberdeen, he has been Director of the Irish School of Ecumenics, and Director of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches in Geneva. Dr Falconer has published widely on human rights issues, community reconciliation and ecumenics.
A once a year, special multi-faith service will be held on November 26. This Kirking of the Students’ Association involves participation from students and staff from the University of many different faiths who share in leading in a service, which celebrates the community and honours the elected leaders of the Students’ Association.
“This service is especially important because our life as a city is refreshed by the diversity of students and staff who come to Aberdeen,” added Rev Smart.
On Sunday, December 3, King’s welcomes Rev John Scott, Senior Chaplain to Higher Education in London. Rev. Scott has had vibrant and interesting career. Having read for the BD in Aberdeen, he was ordained in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland where he was a pastor before becoming Chaplain to the University of Liverpool. Along the way he studied politics and philosophy in Dublin and Belfast, Law in Manchester and London and Chinese at the National Taiwan University in Taipei. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a commercial lawyer in Taipei. He then returned to Europe, and to ministry as the Chaplain to Higher Education in London. He is currently working on a Phd in East Asian Theology.
The term-time programme for Sunday Chapel Services will be brought to a close on Sunday, December 10, by the University’s Chaplain, Rev Smart. Rev Smart works at the heart of the University community fulfilling a pastoral role for staff, students and alumni of all faiths. A daughter of Aberdeen graduates, Rev Smart grew up in Scotland and emigrated to Baltimore, Maryland, when she was 12-years-old. She returned to the UK and was ordained in 1996. She has worked in Colinton Parish Church, Edinburgh, and St Columba’s Church of Scotland, London, before taking up the post of Chaplain to the University of Aberdeen in 2000.
All of the Sunday services begin at 11.00am and people of all denominations are welcome. The congregation will also be given the opportunity to meet the preachers at the refreshments following each service.
For further details on the Sunday Chapel Services, visit: www.abdn.ac.uk/chaplaincy/service