Sanctuary First

Read this story as a Blog: Working with the Grain Next Episode: The Unexpected Gift 3 of 3 Working with the Grain by Katy Emslie-Smith The Third of our ‘Stories of the Unexpected’ is written by Katy Emslie-Smith. In this short story we hear of a carpenter dutifully working in his shop, he is interrupted with urgent and exciting news that makes him question everything ‘Sense of betrayal combated wi...

Luke 2:1–7 2:1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineag...

Matthew 1:18–25 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in...

This is the second in our Live recordings of the Songs of Christmas at the Brewery. This Episode we have Stirling North Church Choir bringing some Christmas carol classics and Rev Albert Bogle brings the message and story of Christmas. Join us this month at the Brewery as we dive into three evenings of music and the story of Christmas this season. Listen to the recorded podcasts or join us in pers...

Read this story as a Blog: Anna the Prophetess Next Episode: Working with the Grain 2 of 3 Anna the Prophetess by Linda Pollock The second of our ‘Stories of the Unexpected’ is written by Linda Pollock. In this short story we hear from the voice of Anna the Prophetess from the bible, she has recently lost her dear husband ‘Ronel’, in grief and in a moment of questioning faith she doubts Gods plan...

Read this story as a Blog: Upon a Midnight Clear Next Episode: Anna the Prophetess 1 of 3 Upon a Midnight Clear by Alec Shuttleworth The first of our ‘Stories of the Unexpected’ is written by Alec Shuttleworth. The short story tells of a man who has lost touch. One cold winter night he hears a persistent ‘Tap, Tap, Tap’ at his window, it turns out to be a little blackbird pecking at his window, wh...

This is the first in our Live recordings of the Songs of Christmas at the Brewery. This Episode we have Duncan Cullens & Jim Steel bringing some Original and some Old Favourite Christmas Songs and Rev Albert Bogle brings the message and story of Christmas. Join us this month at the Brewery as we dive into three evenings of music and the story of Christmas this season. Listen to the recorded po...

Is atheism on the way out as the belief in God tide comes back in? Podcaster, theologian, apologist, and down-to-earth good guy ‘Justin Brierley’ gives good reasons to suggest that here in the West there is a change in the air as people re-find the importance and significance of the Christian story. Talking about his latest book ’The surprising rebirth of belief in God’ - Why new atheism gre...

’From Stornoway Black Pudding to Angel Delight!’ Lewis’s Tommy MacNeil shares his journey of faith which took him from teenage disillusionment and work in a butcher’s shop to leading a thriving church, authoring a book about awakening the beautiful & beloved bride of Christ in Scotland, and leading the Church of Scotland’s Faith Action Programme Leadership Team. Full of empathy, compassion, co...

Why would the Moderator of the Church of Scotland take a service for 20 people? Not the start of a joke! But the start of Rt Rev Shaw Paterson’s Moderatorial year where he is catching glimpses of comfort, courage and creativity in the everyday wonders. Tune in to hear more about dusty feet and wet blazers! Together, Neil Urquhart and Ruth Kennedy explore the stories of struggle and perseverance wi...

Ruth and Eloho encounter Martin and Erin who are engaged in curating 900 works of art as a fundraising effort for St Margaret’s Saturday School for Ukrainian Children. The Edinburgh 900 Exhibition will be based in St Cuthbert’s Parish Church in Edinburgh — spiritual home of the podcast studio! Check out their webpage — maybe you have some art to contribute?! (Instagram: @usmssedinburgh900artworks)...

Ruth Kennedy and Laura Digan meet Linda Hoskins who is passionate about art and passionate about justice. Linda is fine art graduate and her driving force isn’t to necessarily ‘make it’ in the art world, but she is looking to restore hope, to think differently, to inspire others through creativity and to be a pioneering spirit: making a change one painting and product at a time. You can check out...

Ruth Kennedy and Laura Digan meet some of the cast and crew of Stirling Management who are bringing their show “What Matters in the End” to the Fringe this year. Together they explore the hard questions we face within society, family, love and culture. Catch it while you can, and book tickets here . Learn more about the production and how to book tickets, and follow the rest of the podcast series...

Ruth Kennedy and guest host Heather Thorpe explore the story of Antoni Gaudi, the visionary architect who is being considered for canonisation - being made a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. Stephen Callaghan, playwright and theatre maker returns to Faith at the Fringe to talk about ‘Gaudi God’s Architect’, and tackling faith topics more generally. Learn more on the Stephen&#8...

Ruth Kennedy and guest host Heather Thorpe speak with Wendy Patterson of Heart and Soul Producers about their production at the Edinburgh Fringe ‘A-Night-To-Remember’ the Christmas story re-imagined in a Broadway style - and debuting in August at the Fringe! Learn more on the Heart and Soul producers website, and watch digitally from the Edinburgh fringe website. https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats...

Ruth and Duncan talk with Tim Hunter about Northern faith, faith, music and history. Book tickets on the fringe website and/or listen to the album ‘Connecting with Faith’ on bandcamp. https://northernfaith.bandcamp.com https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/northern-faith Listen to the Faith at the Fringe podcasts here on Sanctuary First, our App and you can also find us on Spotify, Apple Music and...

“At Joppa, waiting to set sail for new adventures, contemplating his recent past and his encounters with Jesus. What did it all mean?” Sanctuary First minister Ruth Kennedy is joined by co-host Hannah Sanderson along with today’s guest Trevor Gill from Bright Umbrella Theatre discuss two of their upcoming shows: A Farther Shore, following the story of the biblical figure Peter, with a modern messa...

“Suffer us not to mock ourselves with falsehood” Sanctuary First minister Ruth Kennedy is joined by co-host Hannah Sanderson along with today’s guest Paul Burrows discuss the role of movement and dance in faith. TS Eliot’s poem Ash Wednesday is widely regarded as a work of great spiritual depth. Its images are full of movement, making it highly suggestive for choreography and the art of danc...

“A letter has finally been delivered to its destination – more than a century after it was written…” In this third episode, Sanctuary First minister Ruth Kennedy is joined by Hannah Sanderson, Programme and Innovation Manager for the Church of Scotland. Today’s guest is John Handscombe from Good Wolf People , and the podcast focuses on their new show The 100 Year Old Letter - made in collaboration...

Sanctuary First minister Ruth Kennedy and guest host Peter Sutton continue learning about the Edinburgh Festival of Sacred Arts from episode one. Today they explore Scottish religious poetry with Alison Jack - co-editor of ‘Scottish Religious Poetry’ - and Gordon Graham, director of the Edinburgh Festival of the Sacred Arts. Learn more on their website. Listen to the Faith at the Fringe podcasts h...

For our first episode of Faith at the Fringe 2024, Sanctuary First minister Ruth Kennedy and guest host Peter Sutton talk with Calum Robertson about the Edinburgh Festival of Sacred Arts, and their new Young Composers competition. Learn more on their website Listen to the Faith at the Fringe podcasts here on Sanctuary First, our App and you can also find us on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.

City Slicker Andrea Boyes followed Jesus into radical rural life, mission and ministry to pastor people and shepherd a growing flock of sheep. Tune in for some of Andrea’s hilarious, creative, and courageous stories of following ultimate Shepherd Jesus in North West Coast Scotland! Listen in to find out more! Together, Neil Urquhart and Ruth Kennedy explore the stories of struggle and perseverance...

Agriculture & Growth! Sanctuary First’s Green Christian Network This time Laura is speaking with Agriculture Consultant Charles Howie all about growth, sustainable agriculture and how we can support our farmers for the better of the environment. The Green Christian Network group for this podcast will be held on the Wednesday the 26th of June 2024 online. Come along with your questions and spea...

What have a pannier pilgrimage, hunger and singing got in common? The Emerging Emmaus team, Neil and Ruth, find the connections over their last few months of adventures. Listen in to find out more! Together, Neil Urquhart and Ruth Kennedy explore the stories of struggle and perseverance within the church allowing Jesus to renew our vision & vigour for His New Life. Join us as we discover, fait...

Laura and Linda are back with a new season of podcasts. This third episode looks at Anne Vallotton, a Swiss and French artist best known for her illustrations in the Good News Bible . Vallotton created over 500 illustrations and drew some of them up to 90 times to get them right. Vallotton’s distinctive style uses simple lines and shading to convey character and emotion: “I wanted to simplif...