Reflection - "Faith of Our Fathers, Hope for Our Future"

In this special episode, we bring you the 2025 Kirkin’ o’ the Tartan Reflection, “Faith of Our Fathers, Hope for Our Future,” delivered by Deacon Andrew McLean, M.Div., at First Presbyterian Church of Dunn on Sunday, October 26, 2025.

Drawing from the deep roots of Reformation Sunday and the enduring legacy of Scottish Presbyterian faith, Andrew explores how the “Kirkin’ o’ the Tartan” tradition connects heritage, community, and hope across generations. Listeners will journey from the courage of Martin Luther and John Calvin, through the reforming spirit of John Knox, to the faithful immigrants who carried their tartans—and their convictions—to the American colonies.

Through this reflection, Andrew invites us to see the tartan as more than fabric, but as a living symbol of faith woven through history and into our lives today. Whether your heritage is Scottish, Irish, or from another part of the world, this message reminds us that we all share in the same story of grace, perseverance, and renewal.

Tune in to celebrate the faith of our fathers and embrace the hope that leads us into the future of Christ’s Church.

And that wraps up today’s episode! We hope you enjoyed our sermon and found it inspiring. If you’re looking for a welcoming community to join for worship, we’d love to see you in person. Join us every Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Dunn. We’re located at 901 North Park Avenue, Dunn, North Carolina. Whether you’re a longtime member or new to the area, there’s a place for you here. Come and experience the warmth and fellowship of our congregation.

Transcript

Madainn mhath or Good Morning and blessings to you. Today we celebrate Reformation Sunday, a day to remember not only the theological courage of Martin Luther and John Calvin, but also the bold faith of those who carried that Reformation flame to Scotland, and ultimately to the shores of America.

Here at First Presbyterian, we honor that journey through a special tradition known as the Kirkin’ o’ the Tartan. Though it may sound ancient, the Kirkin’ began 1941, during World War II, when a Scottish American pastor named Peter Marshall invited his Washington, D.C. congregation to present their tartans for a blessing; a symbolic act of offering to their heritage, their families, their very lives to God. As a part of this morning’s service, our Kirkin’ o’ the Tartan, is a moment of dedication. Kirkin’ means simply “churching’ or “blessing. The tartans brought forward today represent more than a colorful fabric. They are symbols of family, of memory, and of identity, woven with the stories of those who came before us and carried forward by each one of us today. Today, as Pastor Cam blessed the tartans, we are reminded that our heritage is not merely behind us, but alive in us.

The history of the Kirkin’ draws from centuries of Scottish Christian tradition. It is said that during times of great struggle, when the wearing of tartans was forbidden between 1746 and 1782, faithful Scots would still carry small pieces of their clan tartan into church under their coats, praying quietly for God’s blessing on their families. Whether that legend is fact or folklore, the meaning is clear; our faith has always been tied to community, to memory, and to resilience.

The spirit behind the Kirkin’ reaches back centuries, to the very roots of our Presbyterian tradition. Our faith formation as Presbyterians began in the crucible of the Reformation, with figures like John Calvin in Geneva and John Knox in Scotland. Knox, a former Catholic priest turned Reformer, influenced by Calvin returned home to lead Scotland into a new understanding of the church, not ruled by kings or bishops, but governed by the people, by elders – presbyters. The Church of Scotland was established on the conviction that Christ alone is the head of the church and that every believer has direct access to God’s Grace. 

That flame of reform came to the American colonies with Scottish immigrants, who brought their faith, their tartans, and their fierce commitment to God’s sovereignty and grace. These faithful immigrants are who founded the first presbytery in Philadelphia in 1706. Many of those early Presbyterians worshiped in simplicity, valuing the preached Word, the sacraments rightly administered, and the priesthood of all believers. What we now call the Presbyterian Church USA was shaped by their prayers, their courage, and their belief in God’s sovereignty and scripture’s authority. 

So today, as we hear the blessing of the tartans, we also hear the echo of our ancestors’ prayers, offered in stone kirks scattered across the Scottish Highlands and now echoed in sanctuaries like this one, in Dunn, North Carolina. 

As we look around our sanctuary, we are also reminded of this heritage by the beautiful Celtic Cross that hangs before us. The Celtic cross is one of the most ancient Christian symbols in the British Isles. Its circle around the cross is a symbol, a symbol of eternity, that of God’s endless love, of Christ’s eternal victory, and the unity of all believers, past, present, and future. Yet, I feel, here in this sanctuary, it speaks of something else as well, continuity of the Christian faith through the centuries, generation to generation and the unity of tradition, worship, and mission in our congregation today. This cross reminds us that while symbols and traditions may change, the gospel of Jesus Christ remains the same. 

So today, whether your wear a tartan or not, whether your roots are Scottish, Irish, or somewhere entirely different, remember this.

You are part of a long line of believers who trusted God through trials, who reformed what was broken, and who handed down a faith that is living and active now as it was five hundred years ago. Let us honor that heritage by living boldly in our own day, with hearts reformed by grace and lives dedicated to Christ, our only Lord.

Thank you and may God bless each of your households, your heritage, and the ongoing story of this church, our church. May the peace of Christ be with you all.