Chaplaincies
Members of the Diocese support the work, activities, patients, students and staff at Aberdeen Hospitals, universities, and further education college in Aberdeen. The current chaplains are listed below.
Aberdeen Hospitals
Hospital chaplains provide spiritual, religious, and pastoral care in all the hospitals in Grampian.
- they are available for patients, relatives, carers, visitors, and staff.
- to listen…to support…to celebrate…to comfort…to pray
- in complete confidence no matter what a person’s faith or beliefs
This care is available to people with or without specified religious beliefs. More information is available on the Hospitals Chaplaincy Website
Please let us know if any member of our congregations, or any Episcopalian or Anglican is in the Aberdeen Hospitals by contacting the Diocesan Office.
RGU
The Chaplain aims to:
- provide a listening ear for students and staff.
- work with others in Student Services, offering confidential support.
- visit staff or students in hospital if requested.
- assist those enquiring about specific religious services (e.g. baptism, marriage, or funeral).
- provide links with local churches of various denominations.
- offer helpful information to people of different faiths about local contacts in Aberdeen.
More information is available on the RGU Religious Support page.
You can contact the Chaplain, the Revd Dr Isaac Poobalan at:
- Email: chaplaincy@rgu.ac.uk
- Tel: 01224 640119
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen has a Multi-Faith Chaplaincy. This is a place of pastoral care where chaplains provide not only a warm welcome but also support and advice to members of the University community in times of stress, crisis, bereavement, or illness. The University Chaplaincy actively works to develop and organise inter-faith dialogues and community celebrations, building community through various campus events.
If you would like to contact the Chaplaincy for support, you can do so over the phone or by email or by simply visiting at:
Multi-Faith Chaplaincy
25 High Street
Aberdeen AB24 3EE
Tel: +44(0)1224 272137
Email: chaplaincy@abdn.ac.uk
There is an ecumenical service on Wednesday evenings during termtime.
NESCOL
NESCol stands for North East Scotland College. The college is the single largest provider of vocational education and training in the North East of Scotland. It has six campuses with two in Aberdeen (Gallowgate and Altens) as well as at Clinterty, Peterhead and Fraserburgh. The college provides full-time and part-time courses in a very wide range of vocations and subjects.
The Very Reverend Dr A. Emsley Nimmo (Rector of St Margaret’s Church, Aberdeen) is the chaplain for NESCol and can be contacted at alexander306@btinternet.com or on 01224 644969.
People Stories – The Diocese oF Aberdeen and Orkney
Wild Strawberries
Sir John Ninian Comper (1864-1960) was a prominent British architect known for his significant contributions to ecclesiastical architecture and church furnishings. Ninian Comper was born in Aberdeen, Scotland and studied architecture at the University of Edinburgh. His father, Revd John Comper, died in 1903, and it is often said that he died while dispensing strawberries to children in the Duthie Park in Aberdeen. The motif of wild strawberries appears in every work of stained-glass produced thereafter by Ninian Comper’s studio.
Ninian Comper’s use of the wild strawberry motif in his stained-glass windows is rooted in its rich symbolic significance and its aesthetic appeal. This motif was not chosen at random; it carries layers of meaning, particularly within the context of ecclesiastical art and architecture.
The symbolism of the wild strawberry has a number of religious meanings. In Christian symbolism, the wild strawberry is often associated with purity and righteousness. Its delicate and unassuming nature can be seen as a representation of the virtues that are valued in Christian teachings. The wild strawberry, with its white flowers and red fruit, has traditionally been linked to the Virgin Mary. The white flowers symbolize her purity, while the red fruit represents Christ’s sacrifice, making the strawberry a fitting motif for ecclesiastical art. Strawberries grow low to the ground and in humble settings, which can be seen as a metaphor for humility and modesty. These virtues were highly esteemed in Christian spirituality and were often celebrated in church art.
Ninian Comper’s work can be seen in several churches in the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney, especially St Margaret of Scotland and St Andrew’s in Aberdeen and St Mary-on-the-Rock, Ellon.