Our faith: We, the Kirk Session and people of St Machar’s reaffirm our trust in the sovereign love of God, revealed most fully in Jesus Christ whose love for the world is declared in the gospels and is continued in the ministry of the church. We participate in this ministry through the celebration of word and sacrament, through lives of prayers and devotion, through costly service to each other and the world, and more particularly in welcoming the stranger, the outcast and the sinner into the community of God’s people, in healing mind, body and spirit, in sharing our resources of time, talents and money, and in gathering new disciples.
Our work: We, a congregation of the church of Scotland and the community in the Cathedral church, worship God, celebrate the sacraments, and further the Christian nurture, education, and pastoral care of the parish and of all in need.
We specifically minister to all visitors, including the many tourists, who come to the Cathedral. We seek to support the most vulnerable people in our immediate community and others seeking sanctuary and help, and participate in the wider work of the church in aiding the poor and the suffering at home and overseas. We support the education of the young in the congregation and the parish, in the schools and in the university in our midst. We use the historic building, music and the arts, as witnesses to the glory of God and the life and suffering of our Lord. We seek to sustain this witness through the development of our choral and liturgical tradition, and through the promotion of research into the past and present life of the Cathedral. We seek to attain Christian unity in partnership with the churches in north-east Aberdeen, and through participation in the world church. As an eco-congregation we further good practice ourselves and seek to extend an understanding of our responsibilities to the created universe.
We trust that these activities constitute a continuation of Jesus’ ministry now.
Pentecost 2005
Access Statement
The Kirk Session of St. Machar's seeks to be inclusive and "open to all".
The Kirk Session affirms it's commitment to maintaining and improving "Access" both now and in the future. Where "Access" is not feasible, it affirms that it will endeavour to provide an alternative service.
It recognises that changes to allow "Access" may cost money and that there are already enormous financial demands to be met from limited resources. However it will try whenever possible not to allow financial considerations to prevent "Access" being realised. Accordingly "Access" will be a priority and shall be subject to a biannual review in all future development plans.It recognises that "Access" is not just about buildings, but about the whole life of the church. It includes more than physical circulation around the building and it needs to address the requirements of individuals with a wide range of impairments.