Together, Neil Urquhart and Jo Black meet with Joel Nicholas, Youth Minister from Gorebridge Parish Church about the fruit of their long term intentional investment in young people and the ways they are seeking to equip and train new youth pastors for wider Scotland. It’s a really encouraging listen – don’t miss it! Join us as we discover, faith ho…

Laura and Linda are back with a new season of podcasts. This second episode explores the life of Gladys Aylward, who overcame many obstacles to be a missionary in China. Gladys Aylward was a determined woman. Once she felt the call to the mission field, she refused to allow any excuses to hold her back. She chose to follow God’s call to serve in Ch…

Together, Neil Urquhart, Ruth Kennedy and Verene Nicolas discuss the use of non violent communication in the process of conflict and reconciliation within the Church. Join us as we discover, faith hope and stories of grief in the Church of Scotland. Come! Emmaus, Emerge from the gloom. Come Holy Spirit Come! Listen to the previous: Episode Fifteen …

Episode 5: Salt “This can’t be the end. I thought there was more to it. We all thought there was more to it. He can’t have died for nothing. I thought there was more to it. More to Jesus. I’m going to make soup.” This Holy Saturday Laura concludes our series, imagining how an exhausted disciple might have felt on that bittersweet day, and the salt …

Episode 4: Umami “Agnus Dei. Your body broken for us Your blood shed for us Pause Your body broken for me Your blood shed for me” On this Good Friday Laura and James take us to the foot of the cross to contemplate the unstoppable love of Agnus Dei, the Lamb of God. This is a series of five audio meditations running daily Tuesday - Saturday of Holy …

Episode 3: Sour “Sour, stale bodies make preparations, hands shaking, hands questioning if this will be the last time the last time we’re all together acidic words are exchanged words that bite there is excitement and unease faith and doubt mystery and wonder…” This Maundy Thursday James takes us to the upper room of the Last Supper where the anima…

Episode 2: Sweet “Breathe in the sweetness, in and out, in and out. Gaze upon his face Breath in his love…” Listen as Laura takes us to Bethany and writes in the second person to immerse us in the story of Jesus’s anointing with sweet nard. A series of five audio meditations running daily Tuesday - Saturday of Holy Week. Poetry, drama, music, and p…

Episode 1: Bitter “A small palmful of these bitter leaves are picked for Thursday for the meal that will become the last supper they are sought out of this dense overgrown garden while outside even now there are voices clamouring for a saviour, for a rebel, a warlord, an avenging angel…” Listen as James takes us to the brooding atmosphere as Holy W…

This week on the Emerging Emmaus Podcast we spoke to Anne Stott who is the community minister at Bertha Park in Perth. Watch the new episode live on Wednesday at 7pm, catch previous episodes on Sanctuary First, Spotify and Apple Podcasts Download the App: www.sanctuaryfirst.org.uk/app

Laura and Linda are back with a new season of podcasts. This first episode explores the unnamed Samaritan woman that Jesus met in John chapter 4. The Woman at the Well. She is never named, yet her encounter with Jesus is the longest between the Messiah and any other individual in the Gospel of John. Representing the lowest of the low — a female in …

This week on the Emerging Emmaus Podcast we spoke to Peter Neilson about Church Without Walls and where we are at now within the Church of Scotland. Watch the new episode live on Wednesday at 7pm, catch previous episodes on Sanctuary First, Spotify and Apple Podcasts Download the App: www.sanctuaryfirst.org.uk/app…

Introducing Creation and The Creator! Sanctuary First’s Green Christian Network Laura Digan and Laura Miller continue our Green Chistian Network series with Episode Two of our Creation & The Creator podcast. This time we are talking all about Food Waste! Every month there will be new material diving into a different idea around the enviroment where…

This week on the Emerging Emmaus Podcast we spoke to Barry Hughes about Divine Interventions and being in the right place at the right time. Watch the new episode live on Wednesday at 7pm, catch previous episodes on Sanctuary First, Spotify and Apple Podcasts Download the App: www.sanctuaryfirst.org.uk/app…

This time we are speaking to Rev William Boyle all about the community that has grown out of Port Glasgow New Parish Church, and how working together can help us to build better communities where all can bring there gifts of the spirit to the table. Together, Neil Urquhart, Ruth Kennedy explore the stories of struggle and perseverance within the ch…

This Labyrinth has been designed to encourage you to make a journey to follow the star like the wise men of old to find the child in the manger who is the Saviour of the world. Make this journey with Mary and Joseph, with the shepherds, with all who came looking for the promised king. There will be different stations to stop at on this journey givi…

Introducing Creation and The Creator! Sanctuary First’s Green Christian Network Laura Digan and Laura Miller dive into the first Episode of our Creation & The Creator podcast series talking all about Harvesting the crops from summer ahead of winter, and taking time to compost and cultivate new growth. A new monthly video, blog and podcast series ex…

What do we need to do to effect real change in the church and in our communities? This time Neil and Ruth are speaking with Rev Dr Liam Fraser all about ‘Mission & Change’ in the church, and his new book ‘Mission In Contemporary Scotland’. Together, Neil Urquhart, Ruth Kennedy and Steve Aisthorpe explore the stories of struggle and perseverance wit…

How do we build the next generation of Christians in our communities? Neil and Ruth are speaking with Graham Duffin and Sheila Notman all about the Growing Young program and how their churches have unleashed a passion of young people in their churches. Together, Neil Urquhart, Ruth Kennedy and Steve Aisthorpe explore the stories of struggle and per…

Ruth, Neil and Steve explore the story of a church’s lowest point and how it gathered its community around it to rebuild from the ground up! Together, Neil Urquhart, Ruth Kennedy and Steve Aisthorpe 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…

Emerging Emmaus is back after our Summer break! Join Ruth and Neil as we catch up over all that’s happened over the summer and discuss how we can all Run the Race Together as communities through a love for Jesus. Together, Neil Urquhart, Ruth Kennedy and Steve Aisthorpe explore the stories of struggle and perseverance within the church allowing Jes…

Welcome to Faith at the Fringe a Sanctuary First podcast series. What a month of we have had with the 2023 series of Faith at the Fringe podcasts! We have talked to singers, song writers, artists, performers, comedians and playwrights over 11 episodes. Albert Bogle and Peter Sutton look back on some of the interesting conversations we have had this…

Welcome to Faith at the Fringe a Sanctuary First podcast series. Albert chats with Stephen Callaghan about his new play ‘Oggie! Oggie! Oggie!’ about the life of St Augustine. Playwright and performer Stephen Callaghan returns to the Fringe with his stage adaptation offering a modern energetic twist on the original, without ever compromising the int…

Welcome to Faith at the Fringe a Sanctuary First podcast series. Minister of St Cuthbert’s, Rev Pete Sutton has an in-depth conversation with artist and friend Adrian Wiszniewski. One of Adrian’s masterpiece’s, “Lake Tekapo” graces the west wall of the sanctuary of St Cuthbert’s parish church, and is on display of visitors, tourists and festival-go…

Welcome to Faith at the Fringe a Sanctuary First podcast series. In episode nine Albert talks with Jon Lawrence, an author and musician who trekked across five deserts over five contents to raise money for a cancer charity in memory of his father. Their discussion focuses on grief, it’s influence on us, how we approach it, how it evolves and what w…

Welcome to Faith at the Fringe a Sanctuary First podcast series. In this episode we are speaking with Clara-Nel Haddon the writer of ‘When Kurt Met Thora’ and Kellie Gamble - who portrays Thora - about the show and the themes explored within. BBC Studios, November 1991. Thora Hird, aka Captain Emily Ridley from Hallelujah, encounters Kurt Cobain ah…

Welcome to Faith at the Fringe a Sanctuary First podcast series. ‘Tomatoes nearly killed me. but the banjo saved my life’ Keith Alessi a CEO of a large North American Corporation two weeks after quitting his high-flying job, to take up his dream of becoming a banjo player finds out he has a rare cancer with a 50% chance of living for a year. Seven …

Welcome to Faith at the Fringe a Sanctuary First podcast series. This Episode we are speaking to Camp Kirkland and Jeff Shelton all about music, Faith and the Origin Big Band from Orgin Scotland. ONE NIGHT ONLY! 17 August will see the launch event of the all-new 18-piece jazz Origin Big Band. Featuring four trumpets, five saxophones, four trombones…

Welcome to Faith at the Fringe a Sanctuary First podcast series. Welcome to the Faith at the Fringe podcast series! This Episode we are speaking to Comedian Bec Hill all about comedy, faith and the unexpected humour that can be found in the stories of the bible! Australian-born Bec Hill is an award-winning comedy performer and sought-after televisi…

Welcome to Faith at the Fringe a Sanctuary First podcast series. This Episode we are speaking to Andy Amour and John Kirk about the work of Street Pastors in Edinburgh, with a particular focus on their work interacting with the visitors to the Edinburgh Festival this year. To find out more about the work of Edinburgh Street Pastors, visit their web…

Welcome to Faith at the Fringe a Sanctuary First podcast series. This Episode we are speaking to Michael Taylorson about the play inspired by the film Chariots of Fire. Set in Paris, during the Olympic Games of 1924, we see the struggles Eric Liddell faces in staying true to his principles. ‘Engaging at all times’ (BroadwayBaby.com). Five shows onl…

Welcome to Faith at the Fringe a Sanctuary First podcast series. This Episode we are speaking to David Robinson all about his dramatic production of C.S Lewis The Screwtape Letters. The most critically acclaimed production of C.S. Lewis’ masterpiece is back! The Screwtape Letters is an award-winning satirical comedy that is now touring the UK for i…

Welcome to Faith at the Fringe a Sanctuary First podcast series. For our First Episode of the second season for 2023 we will be Speaking to Faith Sutherland from Green Shoots Youth Theatre. Find the show via the Sacred Arts Festival at St Vincent’s Chapel in Stockbridge. Five Medieval Mystery plays brought to life by Peter Holloway. The newly forme…

Welcome to the Emerging Emmaus Podcast, a new biweekly podcast on Sanctuary First. This time we are speaking Sue McKenzie and Erika Pryde from the community of Newton Parish Church, faced with church closure we hear of their journey of turning an unloved and unwelcoming church hall into a space where the community feel welcomed and find help and su…

Sustaining Faith Join Albert Bogle, Laura Digan and Iain Jamieson on the Late Show Podcast for an hour of inspiration and encouragement as they share together their stories of life, and how faith has sustained them through challenging times. This is an opportunity to reflect on the journey of faith each of us take only to discover Jesus has gone ah…

Welcome to the Emerging Emmaus Podcast, a new biweekly podcast on Sanctuary First. This time we are speaking with Rev Martin Fair the former moderator of the Church of Scotland about his new role and how he hopes we can begin to foster a new generation of church leaders and ministers that will help us to come together, heal past wounds and build th…

Unity Trumps Everything Albert Bogle and Laura Digan enter into an inspirational conversation with best selling Christian author Jeff Vanderstelt, centred around the strategic missional importance of Christian communities honouring each other and seeking to work as one church in order to share the mission of Christ in the world today. We are called…

Welcome to the Emerging Emmaus Podcast, a new biweekly podcast on Sanctuary First. This time we are speaking with the community from Dundonald Parish Church and we hear all about there transformations and changes over the last few years and how they have placed Love & Community at the heart of there church. Together, Neil Urquhart, Ruth Kennedy and…

Welcome to the Emerging Emmaus Podcast, a new biweekly podcast on Sanctuary First. This time we reflect on our first three episodes and dive into a bit more detail on the back stories behind Steve, Neil and Ruth’s Journeys of Faith and what has brought them to where they are now… Together, Neil Urquhart, Ruth Kennedy and Steve Aisthorpe explore the…

Our theme: Spiritual Health An in-depth discussion about the spiritual health of the nation, while numbers at church attendance are on the wain, interest in spiritual ideas and science fiction, self help material, and Well Being are all on the increase. Have we concentrated too much on social issues without linking the social to the spiritual? Wher…

Welcome to the Emerging Emmaus Podcast, a new biweekly podcast on Sanctuary First. This time we are speaking with Fiona Stewart and Peter Gardner all about ‘Creative Expressions of Faith’ and how art can help us to come closer to God. Together, Neil Urquhart, Ruth Kennedy and Steve Aisthorpe explore the stories of struggle and perseverance within t…

Welcome to the Emerging Emmaus Podcast, a new biweekly podcast on Sanctuary First. What does it mean to Act in God’s Time? What is the difference between a Good Idea and a God Idea? This time we are speaking with Rev Tommy MacNeil all about his Ministry and about Acting in Gods Time and how there may be hope on the horizon in the Church! Together, …

Our theme: Innovation This week Albert Bogle, Iain Jamieson and Laura Digan, are in search of Inspiration. They chat with Scott Shackleton who is head of the Church of Scotland Faith and Action Programme, and also Hannah Sanderson who has a special remit to seek and search for areas of innovation in congregations. Hannah shares inspirational storie…

Welcome to the Emerging Emmaus Podcast, a new biweekly podcast on Sanctuary First. In this Episode we are speaking to the community from Granton Parish Church about the changes they face with a new presbytery union ahead, a departing Minister and an ambition to continue they’re open hearted approach to outreach… Together, Neil Urquhart, Ruth Kenned…

The First Episode of the Emmerging Emmaus Podcast series will air on Wednesday the 22nd of March at 7pm on Sanctuary First, here on our Facebook page and will be available on Spotify & Apple Podcasts. Neil Urquhart tells us a bit more about the podcast series and what we can expect as we start this new journey together in faith together… Read Neil’…

Our theme: Outreach & Fellowship In the newest episode of our monthly podcast we are speaking to Brian Honey-Morgan from The Hive Cornwall and to Craig Mackay from The Refuel Summer Festival all about Outreach and Christian fellowship. Watch live here on Facebook on Sanctuary First’s website or via our App, or you can listen back as a podcast later…

Laura and Linda are back with the first Time of the Month podcast of 2023 talking all about Bathsheba from the Bible. Wife of King David and Mother to King Solomon. As usual Linda and Laura have a fascinating and wide ranging conversation covering a lot of topics including some of a more sensitive nature, especially so in this episode. It should be…

Year in Review At the end of the year, Albert Bogle, Iain Jamieson and Laura Digan look back over the past year and reflect up some of the guests and topics covered. We look at the poetry and social conscience of our national poet Robert Burns, and chat with John Lowrie Morrison, the well known Scottish landscape painter, and seek to understand the…

The Sleeping Giant This month The Late Show team meet Tommy MacNeil the author of the ’Sleeping Giant’ It will be an opportunity to hear at first hand from Tommy how his book is being received, and to engage with the vision that Tommy Sets our for the church. In his writing of the ‘Sleeping Giant’ Tommy MacNeil seeks to bring before the church a vi…

In the Footsteps of Jesus Sanctuary First contributor Rev Linda Pollock will be leading a pilgrimage to the Holy Land Monday 6 February 2023 – Thursday 16 February 2023. Members of the Sanctuary First community are invited to join Linda in this trip following in the footsteps of Jesus. View the Itinerary: In the Footsteps of Jesus For more informat…

This podcast will centre around the rising popularity in pilgrimage. There have been numerous TV productions following celebrities on the Camino and recently Ben Vogle on the Pilgrimage to the Scottish Isles. In the podcast we’ll ask what is it that attracts people to go on Pilgrimage. This week we are joined by Alec Shuttleworth, Ondřej Bockschnei…