 Faith and spirituality are important at Merchiston in a contemporary, civilised way in terms of awakening the minds and hearts of the boys. The Chaplaincy Team leads daily moments of reflection and often the Sunday Evening Services are based round themes of life and work. The major School Services this term have been the start of year Service, the Harvest Festival, the Service of Remembrance and Dedication, Choral Evensong for Advent, the J4 and J5 Readings and Carols for Christmas and, finally, the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at the end of term. So many of our major Services are so uplifting. Whilst many of these big Services in some ways involve a performance by pupils, I see the congregation of the boys, staff and so many parents as a coming together of the community. Also a source of pleasure was the attendance at the voluntary Sunday morning 'Breaking of Bread', held in the Robertson Building.
Our preachers have included Nick Blair, the Leader of the Chaplaincy Team, and Alex Anderson, a member of the Team; the Rev'd John Caperon, Director of the Bloxham project; Dr Judith McClure, Head of St George's; and a speaker from the Bethany Christian Drugs Rehabilitation Centre.
 Following the Harvest Festival, your gifts of food were distributed to St Catherine's Convent for their homeless project, and the chocolates, biscuits and flowers to Donaldson House, our local residential home for the elderly in Colinton Road.
On Remembrance Day it was extremely moving to welcome Merchistonian ex-servicemen who had served in campaigns around the world: JR Allan (31-33), Lt Col and Commander, was awarded the Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem; WA Craw (30-35) served throughout the Second World War with the Cameronians, and, as well as being a member of the BEF in 1940, saw action in India, Persia, Sicily, Italy and Germany; JS Crerar (27-32) served as a Lieutenant in Burma with the Royal Artillery; JW Donaldson (40-49), KOSB 1950, 2nd Lieutenant and member of the Black Watch Territorial Army; MSSB Green (40-44) served in the Royal Navy 1944-48; JT Hutcheson (50-54) served in the Royal Navy between 1955 and 1957 in Suez and Cyprus; JB Nicol (38-42) served in Anzio and Normandy as a member of the RNVR 1943-45. |
