Last week we recognized with gratitude the heroic work being done for us all at the moment by the staffs of our hospitals. This week we began with a recognition of the work of our churches which, even locked down have, through the imaginative use of technology provided comfort and prayer well beyond their usual congregations.
On Monday we noted the Church of Scotland's arms in a vessica, granted in 1959:
Continuing with the theme of thanksgiving to our churches, here is the beautifully simple, yet rich in symbol, coat of arms granted to St Brigid's RC Church in Newmains to mark its centenary in 1996 with the reed crosses of the saint and canting symbols for Motherwell.
Wednesday's church heraldry was the arms, recorded in 1960 on a vessica, of the Episcopal Synod of the Episcopal Church in Scotland, now known as the Scottish Episcopal Church.
It was less easy to find a coat of arms for one of the many caring agencies so these were represented by the individual arms of Colin Russell OStJ, a community specialist podiatrist, one of the many
carers and other professionals who have been looking after people in their own homes at considerable risk.
We finished the week with a return to medics, with the arms, matriculated for use in Scotland by the (Royal) College of General Practitioners in 1962.
