Scottish Charities Number SC002833

We are very pleased to announce that our new rector will be Duncan McLaren.

Following the selection and interview process the vestry made a unanimous recommendation to the Bishop of Edinburgh that Duncan should be appointed. The Bishop has now confirmed the appointment.

Duncan was born and brought up in Helensburgh. He studied theology in Oxford and following ordination held various jobs in England. Most recently he has been part-time associate rector at St Paul's and St George's Church in Edinburgh - job-sharing with his wife, Jane.

We expect Duncan to begin work as our rector at the beginning of February, but we hope that there will be opportunities for him to meet many of us before then given that he already lives in Edinburgh.

You might like to read Duncan’s blog at: http://www.dunc.info/

For information profiles about St James and the role of the post of Rector we drew up a profile which you may also like to read: click here (pdf file)

We said a fond farewell to Steve, Anne, Sandy, Rory and Fay after 9 years ministry among us.

These pictures of Steve’s last service as Rector at St James graphically illustrate the impact that he had on our worship and on our worship space which is regularly re-created as part of our worship.

The church was full as we celebrated our time together and said our farewells and gave them an unusual farewell gift - a chain saw and the associated safety gear.  Steve and Anne will live in their cottage in Dumfriesshire and plan to live simply and as far as possible in a self-sustaining way.

Our love and best wishes go with them as they settle into their new life