Greensboro’s First Presbyterian Church held Scottish Heritage Sunday on May 18, during which the church explored its Scottish roots.
Following the ringing of the bell, the Athens Piper Band began the processional with the Highland Cathedral, accompanied by Moona Yu on piano.
Pastor Rev. Meg Jackson Clarke welcomed the congregation.
The ceremony of the Kirkin of the Tartans was included in the service and originated with Rev. Peter Marshall, who was born in Scotland. The Kirkin is a blessing of the tartans and the families and heritage they represent.
After the service, shortbread and tea were served to the sound of the Athens Piper Band, followed by music sung by Nicole Chillemi and Clarke, who also played the violin, and Greensboro Assistant District Attorney Blayne May played the piano.
Presbyterian Heritage Sunday is celebrated annually on the Sunday closest to May 21, which was the opening date of the first General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States in 1789. During the 1550s, Scotland’s John Knox, a key figure associated with Protestant reformers, studied under John Calvin in Geneva, Switzerland.
Knox was instrumental in establishing the Presbyterian Church in Scotland, and when the Scots immigrated to America, they brought Presbyterianism with them. General Oglethorpe and 200 Scottish Highlanders arrived in Darien, Georgia, in 1735. Additionally, other Scottish Presbyterians migrated to Georgia from South Carolina and the northern colonies.
The first official record of a Presbyterian church in Greensboro dates back to 1820, although gatherings of Presbyterians are noted as far back as 1786.
Greensboro First Presbyterian Church is a historic, mission-minded church that welcomes everyone into its church family.