Our church is named for Saint Ninian, who is traditionally regarded as one of the first Christian missionaries to the peoples of Scotland. He is believed to have lived in the late 4th and early 5th centuries AD, although firm historical evidence is limited. Our main written source about him is the writer Bede, who, in his Ecclesiastical History of the English People (731 A.D.), describes Ninian as a Briton who had been trained in Rome and returned to Britain to preach among the Picts. According to Bede, Ninian established a church at Whithorn, known in Latin as Candida Casa (“White House”), possibly referring to a stone-built structure unusual for the region at the time. Archaeological evidence at Whithorn supports the existence of an early Christian centre, though it does not definitively confirm Ninian’s role. Later medieval traditions expanded his story, attributing miracles and a wider missionary influence to St Ninian, but these accounts are less historically reliable. Despite uncertainties, Ninian remains an important figure in Scottish Christian heritage, symbolising the early spread of Christianity in Britain prior to the missions of figures like St Columba. His feast day is celebrated on 16 September.

St Ninian's is part of the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC), and St Ninian's itself is part of the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney. The Scottish Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, but it emerged through a distinct Scottish historical path. You can read about the history here. Theologically, the Scottish Episcopal Church is Anglican, holding to the authority of Scripture, the historic creeds, and the two dominical sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist. In terms of its management, the SEC is described as "episcopally led and synodically governed". "Episcopal" refers to the leadership structure of bishops, priests and deacons who oversee the ministries of the church. "Synod" refers to the church's parliament, where representatives from each church contribute to discussions on church issues, and vote on them. Despite common values and beliefs between churches, no two SECs will look exactly the same! ​ Some SEC churches will be very formal in their services, and have choirs, robes and processions, and others don't have these things at all. At St Ninian's, we're on the less formal side, but we use traditional liturgies in our Sunday church services and sing a range of historic hymns and modern choruses.

You can wear whatever you like - there are no rules. Most people wear casual clothes to suit the weather. Others dress up a little because that's what they're used to doing. Ultimately, we don't mind, and no one will judge you for what you wear.

If you come to a Sunday church service at St Ninian's, come in through the front door. If you have a wheelchair or mobility concerns, you can use the side door - there is a small ramp on the right hand side of the building. When you come into the foyer, you may see some hymn books and blue booklets to the left. Grab one of each of these and take them in with you. We use these during the service. Go into the main part of the building and sit anywhere you like. Through the service, one of the church leaders will guide us through the outline in the blue booklet. There are prayers and other words that we read aloud as a group. We also listen to readings from the bible, and someone will usually present a talk (a "sermon" or "homily") about the bible passages we've heard. We will also sing some songs together at different points in the service. A collection plate is passed around during one of the hymns - if you're visiting, don't feel like you have to make a donation, only do it if you'd like to. The collection for the regulars to donate to support the church. The money goes towards the costs of electricity, heating, our various outreach programs, and to support the priest's salary. At the end of the service, people tend to stay in their seats for a few moments, to enjoy the quiet or to pray. After the service we usually gather together to have a cup of tea or coffee and some delicious cakes and biscuits! Please stay on for a few minutes and enjoy some company. (This part of the service is just as important as the rest!)

Yes, we do, on the fourth Sunday of each month, during the service. Communion, also called 'the eucharist', is when we remember that Christ died for us. When it's time to celebrate the eucharist during the service, the priest will invite the congregation to come forward. Generally, people go out to the front row by row, starting with rows closest to the altar, so just wait until it makes sense for you to move forward and join the queue in the aisle. Make your way to the front and receive the wafer and then a sip of wine from the common cup. Alternatively, if you don't want to drink from the shared cup, you can dip your wafer into the cup when it's offered to you, and then eat the wafer. Afterwards, return to your seat and just take some time to sit quietly and reflect. You are always very welcome to participate in the eucharist, but if you don't wish to, you don't have to.

At the front of the building, there are steps. However, to the right-hand side of the building, there is a side door with a ramp, which is wheelchair accessible. Please join us, and if you need any assistance, please ask!