Scottish Episcopal Church

Music Music Welcome to St James, a Scottish Episcopal Church in Leith.

This is the podcast edit from our Sunday morning service held on September 27th, 2026.

For news and information, and to find out how to join us in person or online, please visit stjamesleith.org.uk.

[upbeat music] Welcome to St James, a Scottish Episcopal church in Leith.

This is the podcast edit from our Sunday morning service held on September 20th, 2026.

For news and information, and to find out how to join us in person or online, please visit stjamesleith.org.uk. [music]

The, the, the 19th century, the rest of the 19th century, um, was, was a, was a developing one in society, and so you had, uh, v- various- Uh, denominations in Scotland.

You had the Church of Scotland, you had the Scottish Episcopal Church, uh, which-

Yeah

... which was the, which was a throwback to Charles II.

Yeah.

Um, and what he wanted the church to look like.

For those who aren't familiar, the Scottish Episcopal Church is just the Anglican Church in Scotland?

Well, y- well, I suppose that's a simple way of putting it.

it? So, it's the City Centre Evangelical Episcopal Church.

So, part of the Anglican Communion around the world, but part of the Scottish Episcopal Church.

And 42 years ago, congregation down to 12, it was going to be closed.

Wow.

They words of his express the loving gratitude of the great American church to the poor disestablished Scottish church for her gift of an apostolic ministry and an apostolic form of worship.

The Scottish Episcopal Church has a noble history, and although so long as there was a steward left many of her members were true to the old family, they are now most loyal subjects of the Hanover dynasty.

They are doing a grand work for God and the Church, and if they will only bide their time in patience, God will bring unity and order out of the trials and disorders of the past.

We sat long by the inglenook, and the old man glowed with enthusiasm as he gave me just the information I craved.

I learned to follow the services in the Book of Common Prayer, but the prejudices against a prearranged form of worship were hard to uproot, and my Scottish soul revolted at the English accent of the clergymen.

Nothing is more repellent to my countrymen than to think of their being dominated by the Sassanach.

and nothing has contributed more to the success of the Scottish Episcopal Church than the administration of clergy of Scottish birth and lineage.

My old friend, Mr. Lindsay, was sometimes very caustic in his criticism of a certain young English cleric who was in charge of a country living at no great distance from us.