Bishop John Armes

Bishops sign letter on child poverty - The Scottish Episcopal Church All seven Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church are among a group of faith leaders from across the UK who have written to the Prime Minister and the Chancellor asking them to “seize this moment to ...

I am pleased to have joined the six other bishops of @scottishepiscopal.bsky.social, and 31 other UK faith leaders, in signing this open letter to the UK Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. It urges them to act to lift more British children out of poverty.

www.scotland.anglican.org.

Wonderful to be at St John's, Jedburgh, recently.

I preached and celebrated, and met with members of St John’s and their sister congregation St Cuthbert’s, Hawick.

Thanks to the Revd Andi Hofbauer and both congregations for the welcome and retirement well-wishes. Please do pray for them all.

The Fringe show 'Perfectly Imperfect' is based on the story of Grant Bromley, a friend of mine from my Lancashire days. With music and humour, it explores his discovery that he is deeply accepted for who he is as God's imperfect yet beloved child. Please do support Grant! Book: tinyurl.com/2ub5rup3

Congratulations to the Revd Fiona (Fee) Reynolds, whom I ordained as a priest in the Scottish Episcopal Church on Saturday. Fee is curate at St Ninian’s, Comely Bank, and the @dioceseofedinburgh.bsky.social's Advisor for Christian Life. Let us wish Fee all the very best. Do hold her in your prayers.

Congratulations to the Revd Juliet Stephenson, who was instituted on Tuesday evening as the new rector of St Columba's by the Castle, Edinburgh.

I wish Juliet every blessing in her new role and encourage you to hold her in your prayers.

✨ A week today, the Edinburgh City Centre Historic Churches Walking Trail is being launched!

Here are some of the Church of Scotland, Episcopal and Roman Catholic churches featured!

All welcome to join the inaugural Trail walk, leaving St Giles' Cathedral at 10.30am on Thu 24th July.

📷Anne Martin

🌍 Over £10,000 was raised across our diocese for Abraham's Children in Crisis in the Bishop of Edinburgh's 2025 Lent Appeal.

Thank you to everyone who donated. Nine new children have since been supported. Read a letter from the charity via the link in our bio.

📸 B Werner/Wikimedia Commons

Congratulations to the young people whom I had the pleasure of confirming recently at St Matthew's, Rosslyn Chapel, Midlothian. Please hold them in your prayers as they grow in faith.

Congratulations to The Revd Simon Schofield, whom I had the pleasure of ordaining as a priest in the @scottishepiscopal.bsky.social Church yesterday at St James Church, Goldenacre, Edinburgh. I wish Simon every success for this next stage of his ministry.

Lots happened at the General Synod of the @scottishepiscopal.bsky.social Church last week.

Click the link for some of the @dioceseofedinburgh.bsky.social's highlights.

edinburgh.anglican.org/2025/06/gene...

Photos: SEC

Congratulations to @chchholycorner.bsky.social, who recently celebrated 150 years since the laying of the church's foundation stone.

Wonderful to welcome the Most Revd Leo Cushley, Roman Catholic Archbishop of St Andrews & Edinburgh, as preacher, and Cllr Robert Aldridge, Lord Provost of Edinburgh.

🎉Congratulations to @chchholycorner.bsky.social on 150 years since the laying of their foundation stone!

🎵They celebrated with Choral Evensong attended by @BishopEdinburgh.bsky.social, RC Archbishop Leo Cushley as preacher, and Cllr Robert Aldridge (@edinburghcouncil.bsky.social).

📸Christ Church

During Thy Kingdom Come, we've created an A to Z of ways to pray: buff.ly/bHLqUjA

U is for Up! ⬆️

✨Go outside on a clear night and look up. It’s hard not to feel wonder at the vastness of the universe, how small you feel in comparison, and then more wonder that God loves you.

📸 Greg Rakozy

🔥 At Pentecost, we celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the first disciples.

O God, who enlightened your people
by the fire of the Holy Spirit:
give us wisdom and understanding,
that your Church may be kept in the unity of the Spirit;
[...]

📸 Rev Sophia Marriage, St Mark's Portobello

YouTube video by The Scottish Episcopal Church General Synod 2025

Live streaming from the General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRTM...

You can find the agenda and more details here: www.scotland.anglican.org/who-we-are/o...

Church prepares to celebrate 200th anniversary after major work Members of the newly renovated St Mark's Episcopal Church, Portobello have been joined by the Bishop of Edinburgh as they prepare to celebrate its 200th anniversary.

Thank you to the Edinburgh Evening News for this wonderful story about the extensive renovation work at St Mark's #Portobello, #Edinburgh.

All are welcome to attend the community open day at St Mark's on Saturday, 21 June, from 10am to 3pm.

www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/edinbur...

Don't forget to discover the @dioceseofedinburgh.bsky.social's new A to Z of Prayer, which has been specially produced for #ThyKingdomCome.

For this year's #ThyKingdomCome, the @dioceseofedinburgh.bsky.social has created a video series based on #OneWayIPray.

I am pleased to have taken part, and my contribution is letter Q of the Diocese's new A to Z of Prayer: tinyurl.com/pauad584

More on #ThyKingdomCome: www.thykingdomcome.global

Wonderful Evensong for 150th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone, Archbishop Leo (RC St Andrews and Edinburgh) preaching and farewell to @bishopedinburgh.bsky.social . Choir augmented by singers from St Mary’s Met Cathedral and St Peter’s RC Church. @dioceseofedinburgh.bsky.social

It was a pleasure to visit Loretto School, Musselburgh, recently to confirm some of their pupils.

Please hold those whom I confirmed and all those at Loretto in your prayers.

Photos shared courtesy of Loretto School

It was wonderful to be at St Mark's, Portobello, on Sunday, 18 May, to celebrate the first service of Holy Communion since their £900,000 renovation began six months ago.

Find out more: tinyurl.com/yup7zbsn

Photos shared courtesy of St Mark's, Portobello

Lovely to see our diocese's partnership with that of Espoo, Finland, continuing to flourish. I had the pleasure of joining a @lutheranworld.bsky.social/Anglican Communion summit in Jordan a few weeks ago, where Bishop Kaisamari and I planned for the future and shared key learnings with others.

🙏'Whatever God is up to – quiet revival or not – let’s take it for what it is, give thanks to God and allow ourselves to be consoled, to see it as evidence that God does not leave us comfortless...'

⛪Visit our bio link to catch up with @BishopEdinburgh.bsky.social's 'BIG Day' address!

📸P Backhouse

(3/3) The present situation is intolerable and it will not lead to the just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians that all of us so earnestly desire.

@scottishepiscopal.bsky.social

(2/3) ...to the Assembly.

I join him in calling for freely flowing aid to Gaza, and for an end to the bombing of hospitals and to the targeting of civilians, emergency workers and the media.

General Assembly condemns war on Gaza as it prays for peace in the Middle East The General Assembly has condemned the resumption of the war on Gaza as it continued to pray for peace with justice in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank and...

(1/3) I join the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in praying for peace with justice across Israel, Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon.

I welcome the timely and courageous words of Archbishop Hosam Naoum of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem [...]

www.churchofscotland.org.uk/news-and-eve...

I was excited to be at stgilescathedral.bsky.social on Sat, thanking God for @christianaiduk.bsky.social's 80 years. It puts into practice Jesus’ call to seek God's Kingdom above all things, to love our neighbour and to be good news for the poor.

tinyurl.com/4t2p5mpu

📸 Christian Aid/Julia Forsyth

Our BIG Day was a wonderful occasion! Thank you to everyone in the Diocese who came along to @stmaryscathedin.bsky.social. Thank you also to Peter Backhouse for these lovely photos.

Congratulations to @pausingplace.bsky.social, whom I installed yesterday as Priest-in-Charge of St Margaret's Church, Edinburgh, and Mustard Seed in Edinburgh.

I wish Diana all the very best in her new post. She brings many skills and experiences to the two congregations.

Some wonderful recent highlights from the @dioceseofedinburgh.bsky.social:

- Seven confirmations last weekend at St John's, Princes Street

- Five confirmations at St Andrew's, Kelso, and two St Cuthbert's Awards given for long service

- And an uplifting Eucharist at Holy Cross, Davidson's Mains