Goin' to a Kirkin'

[macwilkin]

Sorry to be pedantic, but...

The information about the Rev. Peter Marshall who was originally from Coatbridge about 5 miles from my home town of Uddingston is fine but the rest of what these Montreat Caledonian Society people say is romantic nonsense 'Brigadoonerie' which as a bone fide Scottish Historian I feel a moral obligation to debunk.

A) The Hanoverians were not English monarchs and neither was the Parliament at Westminster which met from 1707. The House of Hanover were originally German and indirectly descended from James VI and I's (House of Stuart) granddaughter, Sophia. They were therefore more Scots by heritage than English. George I came to the throne in 1714, so the House of Hanover were always legally and constitutionally British monarchs.

B) Presbyterians were as a religious body whether Church of Scotland, or Erskinite seceeders opposed to Jacobitism.

Well said, Peter. Contrary to the myth that many diaspora organizations present here in North America and in other parts of the world, the Kirkin' service is a "Scottish-American" church parade that Rev. Marshall started during WWII to raise funds for war relief, specifically the relocation of urban children to the Highlands during the Blitz. It is similar to a regimental church parade for some societies. I have been researching the Kirkin' service for over a decade now, and the majority of sources, primary and secondary, seem to confirm Marshall as the originator of the service.

T.

[True Blue]

Interesting! I had never heard of this, so I tried to look it up. My first try I added a g to the end of Kirkin' by mistake and wound up with this:

1. Kirking
To have several relationships with hot women in short periods of time with no attatchment whatsoever.

Derived from Captain James T. Kirk of Star Trek TOS.


2. Kirking
(verb) A term for all the times in a sci-fi show and/or movie that a character has sex with an alien. A reference to Captian Kirk from Star Trek, often used in a phrase such as "Kirking it up"

[Grae]

Deledted

[MacBean]

I am puzzled how to pronounce "kirking" (I suspect there are local variations)? In Scandinavia, chuches are pronounced k-ear-kuh.

[ThistleDown]

I am puzzled how to pronounce "kirking" (I suspect there are local variations)? In Scandinavia, chuches are pronounced k-ear-kuh.

Mark, in Scotland it is pronounced just as the Captain pronounced it (and no doubt it's a "trade" name originally connected to the physical structure of the church). It is thought that it originated with the Angles, so it is possible, I suppose that it also ended up in Scandinavia.

There is no tradition of "kirkin the tartan" in the Free Church in Glasgow or anywhere else in Scotland, Grae. That story has made the rounds for years but has no foundation in fact. The Rev Peter Marshall of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington was born in Scotland; maybe that's where the tale originated.

In the north east there was a tradition of "kirkin" a newly-married couple; that is, conducting tnem to the kirk on the first Sunday after they were married. I doubt that tradition still exists. And "kirking" is still the common term for going off to church of a Sunday.

Although what you are wearing would not be considered "kirk-claes" in Scotland, WolfmanJack, you do cut a fine figure in what you are wearing.

[MacLowlife]

My local group has a acquired a reputation- if you ask us we will do it. That is, in addition to an annual Kirkin service that alternates between the Episcopal and the Presbyterian churches where many of our members worship* we have been invited to services at other Presbyterian churches, usually associated with an anniversary. We are friendly with a pipe band and we seem to come as a package along with them or at least one piper - a group of kilted men bearing colorful banners. One church outfits their choir members in tartan stoles for the occasion.

At the services which are linked to our membership, tartan banners are carried in the church procession by members of the society, preferably in kilts. We fielded about 40 a couple of sundays ago. We march in, sit together, and march out. We may supply a kilted layreader and the president ( who totes a claymore) steps up and says to the minister something along the lines of "Bless us and these tartans, on behalf of Scots everywhere." And here is where the clergy tend to get nervous, because nobody wants to sound exclusive in bestowing blessings, but anyway, a short prayer is said that may mention Scotland in some way. This is usually inserted around the passing of the peace or maybe the announcements. And then, at the end of the service, we march out.

There is another Scottish Heritage society in town and I believe they have a kirkin at another Presbyterian church. I don't know their particulars.




*Several years back, somebody got the bright idea of taking $2 bills to put in the collection plate of the "other" church- that is, the Episcopalians will give them to the Presbyterians' collection and vice versa- to call attention to the numbers and "generosity" of the visiting Society members.

[piperdbh]

Meanwhile...


What all can you tell us about that cape?

[iustus]

I wanted to make a quick comment on MacLowlife's point:

clergy, who might object to the lack of "inclusivity"


Blessings can be more general and they can be very detailed and particular.

To proclaim God's blessing on a particular departed soul, is particular.
To proclaim God's blessing on "us" or the world, is more general.

When blessing water or salt, usually there is a detailed prayer, often recounting God's work in creation with something from biblical story etc before asking that the thing to be sanctified.

Concrete and particular blessin can help focus the intention of the folks present and also contextualize the thing being blessed; making connections between lets say salt and healing or purification.

Prayers that are particular blessings have a long history, the votice office ie for the dead, and votive Eucharist or Mass for healing or marriage as another example.

Though I have never presided at a Kirkin, I have played them in my younger years. The congregations were mixed in origins: Scots, English, German, Caribbean, African American, Japanese etc. together. My limited experience was that folks were glad to be part of blessing Scots and the likes, much like folks were glad to be part the "steel drum mass" or even the "jazz mass" or for that matter the more traditional "chant mass" and with prayers for particular peoples of particular heritage. In Austria many years ago at a mass on the 4th of July, there was a blessing of the ex-pat Americans.

Some two cents.

peace,
Fr. Justin

[macwilkin]

Without doubt North Americans have raised the Kirkin of the Tartan service to the prominance it now enjoys. However I have been informed that a minister originally from Glasgow recalled that a similar Kirking service was held by the Free Kirk in Scotland before WW1 although not in the Church of Scotland. Services like fashion evolve and this is a service I always attend and enjoy.

Do you have a source, or a way to contact this particular dominie?

T.