This weekend, the First Presbyterian Church of Greenwood will host its ninth annual “Kirkin' O' the Tartans” service.
“The Presbyterian Church's roots are in the Scottish Presbyterian Church. This is a celebration of our Scottish Presbyterian heritage,” said the church's pastor, Dr. Rusty Douglas.
The Rev. William W. Manhood, former moderator of the United Reformed Church of England and a native of Belfast, Northern Ireland, will serve as the guest speaker.
“This is Reformation Sunday, so he's an appropriate guest for the occasion,” Douglas said.
Manhood holds degrees in theology from the University of Nottingham and the University of Oxford. He was ordained in 1962 and has served in churches throughout England. From 1993-99 he served as convener of the Inter-Faith Relations Committee of the United Reformed Church. His particular interests are in Islam and modern Judaism.
The festivities will begin Saturday morning with the Kirkin' Golf Tournament. First Presbyterian Church members will compete for the Kirkin' Cup in the scramble tournament, which will be held at the Greenwood Country Club.
Sunday's events are open to the public and will take place at the First Presbyterian Church, on the corner of Washington and Main streets.
At 9:30 a.m. Manhood will present a lecture on the Protestant and Catholic “Troubles” in Northern Ireland.
From 10:15 until 10:45 a.m., Mississippi's own Father of Waters Pipes and Drums band will be on Main Street in full Scottish dress to perform traditional Scottish music prior to the worship service.
At 11 a.m. the “Kirkin' O' the Tartans” service will begin. Kirk is the Scottish word for church, and tartans, with their distinctive plaids, represent different Scottish clans, regions or regiments. The “Kirkin' O' the Tartans” is the presentation of a Scottish family's tartan at church for a blessing.
The worship service will include a procession of kilts, swords, bagpipes, flags and tartan bearers. Manhood will present a sermon and the blessing of the tartans.
Guests are invited to bring their family tartans to be blessed during the service.
The origins of this service go back to 1746, when Bonnie Prince Charlie's Scottish forces were defeated by the English and the wearing of tartans and the playing of bagpipes were forbidden in Scotland.
Some Scots began wearing pieces of their tartans under their clothes when they attended church. At a particular point in the worship service, the minister would offer a blessing and they would touch their hidden tartan cloths.
Lisa Cookston, a Kirkin Committee member, said the historical service will be fun and educational for anyone who wishes to participate.
“It's a unique service,” Cookston said. “It's not strictly for Presbyterians; it's an open service. Guests can come and see the Scottish influence in the Presbyterian Church.”
Sunday's service will end with a recessional, and then lunch will be served across the street in Shuler Hall, located in the church's education building. Tickets to the lunch are sold out, but visitors are welcome to come enjoy the Celtic music, kilt auction and “Knobbiest Knees” contest.
The “Knobbiest Knees” contest is a Scottish tradition in which a woman decides who has the knobbiest knees out of all the men in kilts.
For more information, call the First Presbyterian Church at 453-4680.
