Welcome to our News page.
We continue to hold one service, beginning at 10.30am every Sunday morning. All welcome! Covid restrictions have now eased significantly but if you have any of the associated symptoms obviously you should stay at home. We have removed the “no access” signs from alternate pews in the nave and the one-way system around the church. For the moment we are keeping some distancing options in the pews near the War Memorial Chapel so that anyone who is anxious can continue to feel safe within our building. Face masks are now optional in places of worship. Please be aware that the service will continue to be livestreamed and available on this website. Keep an eye on this page for further updates.
Read the latest edition of our MONTHLY NEWSLETTER. Paper copies can be sent out on request.
Our weekly Sunday service is livestreamed at 10.30am. Click on the picture below to watch.
Click here for the order of service for Sunday 17th November 2024, 2nd Sunday before Advent, St Margaret and Sacrament of Baptism.
Watch previous services on our You Tube channel.
Monthly Evening Service
In place of our usual monthly evening service in Canongate, members of our congregation are encouraged to attend a service of Choral Evensong at St Giles’ Cathedral at 6pm on Sunday 24th November 2024. The service will be sung by the combined choirs of St Giles’, Paisley Abbey and St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral and some of the service will be recorded for future use by BBC Radio 4. Free tickets are available on Eventbrite. The Congregation is asked to be seated by 5.45pm. Please note there will be no evening service in Canongate on Sunday 24th November or Sunday 29th December 2024.
St Margaret’s Day at Canongate Kirk
The Minister is joined by The Most Reverend Leo Cushley, The Right Reverend John Armes and The Very Reverend Colin Sinclair, representing the Roman Catholic Church, the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Church of Scotland respectively, in leading the annual service for St Margaret’s Chapel Guild in Canongate Kirk on St Margaret’s Day, 16th November 2024.
250th Anniversary of the Death of Robert Fergusson
On Sunday 13th October we marked the 250th anniversary of the death of the poet Robert Fergusson (1750 – 1774) who is buried in our kirkyard . Flowers were laid by his grave and the Minister gave a short commemoration, reading a prayer by Henry Newman.
August 2024 at Canongate Kirk
As part of the Fringe, the opening service of the Edinburgh Sacred Arts Festival took place on Sunday 11th August. We were joined by the Choir of the Robin Chapel and the address was given by James Holloway CBE, formerly Director of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. We were also the venue for two more Sacred Arts Festival events – ‘Refuge and the Road Home’ with poets Christine De Luca and Elspeth Murray and Katherine Wake on flute and the final of the Edinburgh Sacred Art Foundation’s Young Composer competition with prizes presented to these very talented young people by Dame Judith Weir, Master of the King’s Music.
The closing service of the Edinburgh Festival of the Sacred Arts took place at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Lauriston Street with Neil Gardner invited to give the homily.
As part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Canongate Kirk once again became Venue 60 and hosted a wide range of concerts including our own organist Simon Leach’s harpsichord recital, That 70’s Choir performing to a packed-out and dancing audience and traditional Scottish folk music from Fringe regular Alastair Savage and friends.
Royal Banner and Prayer
The banner which hangs on our north wall to the left hand side was temporarily returned to the Cathedral for the Service of Thanksgiving during which HM The King was presented with the Honours of Scotland in July 2023. It hung again exactly where it did on 24th June 1953, when The late Queen attended a similar service soon after her own coronation. In connection with the more recent service our Minister was asked to write the following prayer for the Church of Scotland website:
Loving God, centuries ago you kindled a flame of love in the heart of your servant Queen Margaret and by her humility and kindness made clear the way of royal service in this land. Now as we give thanks for our newly-crowned Sovereign King Charles, we pray that having been called to an earthly throne he might advance your heavenly Kingdom. Amidst all the panoply of Church and State, may our ancient ceremonies and symbols reflect your unchanging purpose of peace and goodwill. May they speak not just of our history and heritage but of our hope for years to come. For our hope is rooted in faith, and our faith rooted in Jesus Christ, the King of Kings. Amen.
New York Organ Recital
Canongate Kirk organist Simon Leach was invited to give a recital in St Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue, New York city, on Sunday 23rd April 2023. Click on the picture below and enjoy. Bravo Simon!
Bird’s Eye Views of Canongate Kirk
Taken from a drone during a recent roof inspection.
