St Oswald's Magazine StOM 1607 | Page 8

“That’s why we stood in the rain last night, making present a world that, in God’s purposes, has yet to be and looking for the rainbow.” Queen’s Birthday Honours Two leading musicians in the Scottish Episcopal Church have been recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours: Dr John Kitchen, Director of Music at Old St Paul’s Church, Edinburgh and City Organist for Edinburgh has been awarded an MBE for services to music. Mr Alastair Chisholm, Lay Chaplain and Director of Music at the Cathedral of the Isles in the Diocese of Argyll and The Isles has been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to music and culture on the Isle of Cumbrae. Across the Dioceses For news of activities and events across the seven dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church, check out the diocesan websites: Aberdeen & Orkney Argyll & The Isles Brechin Edinburgh Glasgow & Galloway Moray, Ross & Caithness St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane www.aberdeen.anglican.org www.argyll.anglican.org www.brechin.anglican.org www.edinburgh.anglican.org www.glasgow.anglican.org www.moray.anglican.org www.standrews.anglican.org SAINTS DAYS COMMEMORATED IN JULY/AUGUST 3 July St Thomas (First Century) Thomas is known from 3 episodes in John's Gospel, the third is one of the best known passages in the New Testament, "doubting Thomas". He becomes the only one of the disciples to make a full confession of faith in Christ's divinity. His role is therefore of vital importance, it has been suggested that he is 'the beloved disciple', not John. After that, all his life is tradition. Eusebius wrote that Thomas went to preach to the Parthians, which is now in Iran. Most persistent is the tradition that he went to Southern India. The Syriac Christians of Malabar still call themselves 'Christians of St Thomas'. They claim that he was martyred there in 72 and his body is buried in Mylabore near Madras. An account of his work in India is in the “Acts of Thomas” (3rd century). In 1940 a Coptic manuscript of a Gospel of Thomas was discovered, also an 'Infancy Gospel of Thomas' tells StOM Page 8