• Joint announcement from Diocese and Westhill

    The Diocese of Aberdeen & Orkney and Westhill Community Church near Aberdeen – formerly part of the Scottish Episcopal Church – have reached agreement on the way forward following a vote by the members of Westhill Community Church on the 17th January 2019 to leave the Scottish Episcopal Church and follow a different path. The […]

  • Reach out to one another and walk together, urges Bishop Dorsey

    Bishop Dorsey McConnell, Acting Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney, has written to the diocese following last week’s development in the Canon 54 process. The letter appears below in full. Dear Friends in Christ It was announced last week that the PPC have forwarded to the Scottish Episcopal Church’s internal procurator complaints against Bishop Anne Dyer.  […]

  • PPC arrives at decision on Canon 54 complaints

    The Preliminary Proceedings Committee (PPC) of the Scottish Episcopal Church has investigated the complaints lodged under Canon 54 regarding Bishop Anne Dyer. Those complaints which the PPC has decided require further consideration have been referred to the Church’s internal procurator as the next stage of the canonical process. The remainder have been dismissed. The Church’s […]

  • Bishop Dorsey arrives in Aberdeen to start new role as Acting Bishop

    Bishop Dorsey McConnell has spoken of his hope that people will come together and take forward the mission of the Gospel in the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney. The former Bishop of Pittsburgh, who has been Assisting Bishop in Aberdeen & Orkney since last year, started in his new role as Acting Bishop on 1 […]

     

  • The College of Bishops appoints Bishop Dorsey McConnell as new Acting Bishop in Aberdeen and Orkney

    The College of Bishops has appointed Bishop Dorsey McConnell to take over from Bishop John Armes as Acting Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney. Bishop John has completed a year in the position of acting bishop of the Diocese having carried out his temporary duties there in tandem with his role as Bishop of Edinburgh. Bishop […]

     

  • Ordination of Godwin Chimara and Ferdinand von Prondzynski

    On Saturday (September 23) the Rt Rev Dr John Armes ordained Godwin Chimara and Ferdinand von Prondzynski as Deacons at a special service at St John’s, Aberdeen. Following their ordinations both Godwin and Ferdinand will continue in the Diocese, with Godwin to serve as Assistant Curate at St John’s and St James’s, Aberdeen; and Ferdinand […]

  • Bishop Keith Riglin RIP

    Yesterday (24 September) the College of Bishops announced the sad news that the Rt Rev Dr Keith Riglin, Bishop of Argyll & The Isles, passed away that morning. The Rt Rev Dr John Armes, Acting Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney, said: “This is a time of great sorrow as we mourn the death of Bishop […]

  • St Margaret’s uses Fund award to signpost church recovery

    A church in the Diocese of Aberdeen & Orkney is among those to have its good use of a Recovery & Renewal Fund award highlighted recently. The Fund was established by the Provincial Standing Committee with the objective of helping dioceses and charges finance the costs of adapting and changing to meet the challenges and […]

  • Dr Holden selected as Scotland’s first Trinity Leadership Fellow

    The Rev Dr Jenny Holden, our Adviser for Christian Life, has been accepted as one of the 2023 intake of Trinity Leadership Fellows at Trinity Wall Street, described as a diverse cohort of emerging leaders spanning various faith traditions and vocations. Dr Holden was one of just 23 successful candidates invited to join the prestigious […]

  • Requiem Mass for Sister Columba

    Sister Columba, a devoted nun within the Society of St Margaret for almost 60 years, has passed away in Aberdeen at the age of 96. She was admitted to the Society in October 1964, and remained a faithful servant of God throughout her life. A Requiem Mass will be held in Aberdeen on Friday 21 […]

  • An Easter message from Bishop John

    In his Easter message to the Diocese, Bishop John Armes considers the human cost of wars and unrest, the effects of mass migration and fuel poverty, and the way the pandemic may have left a negative mark on us, but is uplifted by the extraordinary change that can begin to happen as we come to […]

  • Diocesan office closed for Easter weekend

    Please be advised that the Diocesan Office will be closed for the Easter weekend on Friday, 7 April 2023 and will re-open on Tuesday, 11 April 2023. We wish everyone in the Diocese a blessed Holy Week and a joyful Easter.

  • Bishop John gives thanks to Synod participants

    In a letter to churches across the Diocese of Aberdeen & Orkney, Bishop John Armes thanks all those who attended the Diocesan Synod meeting in Aberdeen last Saturday and highlights three key parts of the day. “We had a good Synod last Saturday, honest, robust and courteous,” writes Bishop John. “Thank you so much to […]

  • Net Zero Action Plan consultation

    The Provincial Environment Group is excited to announce that the draft of the Net Zero Action Plan (2023-2030) is now available for review and comment as part of the ongoing consultation process. Achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030 is our collective goal, and your input is crucial in helping the province develop a plan […]

  • Vocations Sunday 2023

    Every year the Gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Easter explores the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. In tandem with the practice of other denominations, the College of Bishops agreed some years back that this particular Sunday would be kept as ‘Vocations Sunday’ in the Scottish Episcopal Church, a chance to remind ourselves […]

  • A message for 2023 from Bishop John

    The Rt Rev Dr John Armes, Acting Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney writes following the feast of the Epiphany: “The New Year always neatly coincides with the Feast of the Epiphany in the Christian Calendar. This feast celebrates how visitors from the east recognised the significance of the birth of Jesus, and brought him gifts. […]

  • Newsletter lists special services across Diocese

    The latest edition of the Diocesan Newsletter for December gives details of special services in Advent, Christmas and Epiphany 2022-2023. The list gives details of special services received in response to a request from the Diocesan Office for the latter part of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. Regular Sunday Services for Sunday 1st January 2023 are […]

  • Over 400 coats given away in ‘Jacket Potato’ initiative

    As the cost of living crisis deepens across the country during the coldest months of the year, churches are increasingly to the fore as they try to find ways of supporting their local communities and those who are most in need. Heating bills are a particular worry for many people, after soaring energy prices put […]

  • Letter to the Diocese from the Acting Bishop

    The Rt Rev Dr John Armes has issued a letter to the Diocese of Aberdeen & Orkney, updating members of the Diocese announcing details of the 2023 Diocesan Synod as well a number of clergy appointments. Bishop John is currently serving as Acting Bishop in Aberdeen & Orkney. As we enter Advent and plunge into […]

  • Diocesan Newsletter – 11 November 2022

    The latest edition of the Aberdeen & Orkney Newsletter has been published, featuring news updates from around the Diocese. Acting Bishop John Armes provides another message following his recent, in which he underlines the importance of treating each other with kindness and respect during difficult times in the Diocese. Bishop John also gives thanks to […]

     

  • Visiting the Diocesan Office

    To help the daily management of the Diocesan office, anyone who would like to visit the office at Marischial College is asked to make an appointment. Please telephone the office in advance on 01224 662247 to arrange a convenient time to attend, or send an email to

     

  • Message to the Diocese from the Acting Bishop

    The Rt Rev Dr John Armes has issued a letter to the Diocese of Aberdeen & Orkney, following his appointment as Acting Bishop. The Bishop of Edinburgh is serving as Acting Bishop in Aberdeen & Orkney for the duration of the suspension of Bishop Anne Dyer, following the lodging of formal complaints of misconduct. The […]