We are delighted to be celebrating 150 years since our building opened as a Seamen's Church in Leith.

There is a programme of events between 31st August – 2nd September 2018 organised by the Helping Hand Trust. All activities except Sunday Service are at Leith School of Art premises, 25 North Junction Street, Leith, Edinburgh

Friday 31st August
12. 00 Official Launch of the 150 year Anniversary, by the Norwegian Consul David Windmill, Chair of the Helping Hand Trust Mrs. Lisbeth Iversen and Principal Philip Archer of Leith School of Art.

13.00 Storytelling and Tasty bits: Norwegian and Scottish traditional foods similarities and specialities as presented by Fitjar Catering College and Scottish partners Edinburgh Larder and Edinburgh School of Food and Wine.  Free tasting.  Storytelling by historian/lecturer Christer Stewart Aarbø and lecturer Steven Brown.

14.30 Opening of an Art Exhibition with works by Aage and Mathew Storstein.

15.30 A historic church service (identical to the first service in 1868) by Norwegian Reverend Torbjørn Holt.  

17.00 Music by Paul sine Haner (playing Norwegian & Celtic folk music) and conductor/musician Espen Selvik on Trumpet, Horn, Lyre and garden hose. Songs.

Saturday 1st September    
12.00  Official Launch of the Cultural Historic Exhibition/Signposting by The Scottish Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development, Ben Macpherson MSP; Lisbeth Iversen, Chair of the Helping Hand Trust  and Chair Alistair Hector Leith School of Art. After Official launch - Open doors to the seamen church for the upcoming lectures in the main hall and guided tour/visit to the Storstein Art exhibition in the hallway of the church.

13.00 Norwegian & Scottish languages and linguistic relations. A lecture by prof. Gunstein Akselberg (UiB) assisted by Dr. Alasdair Allen MSP Scottish Parliament

14.30 The Viking Things - the true origins of the Scandinavian democratic model by Espen Selvik (MSc Historian, conductor, composer and former director of Gulating “Thing site”)

15.30 Storytelling and Tasty bits: Norwegian and Scottish traditional foods similarities and specialities as presented by Fitjar Catering College and Scottish partners Edinburgh Larder and Edinburgh School of Food and Wine. Storytelling will be by historian/lecturer Christer Stewart Aarbø and lecturer Steven Brown.

17.00 Music by Paul sine Haner (playing Norwegian & Celtic folk music) and conductor/musician Espen Selvik on Trumpet, horn, lure and garden hose. Songs.

Sunday 2 September
10.00 – 16.00 The Storstein Art exhibition at Norwegian Seamen’s Church/Leith school of Art.
10.30 Special church service at St.Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, by Reverend Torbjørn Holt.
                                      
You can read more about the history of the church at www.leithseamenschurch.no