The Rt Rev Dr Nigel Peyton was consecrated and installed as the Bishop of Brechin in a special service at 2.30pm on Saturday 8 October in the Cathedral Church of St Paul, Dundee. Two Irishmen had prominent roles in the service : Most Rev David Chillingworth and Rt Rev George Cassidy.
Prior to the service, the choir of St Paul’s Cathedral and over 100 clergy were joined by civic leaders including the Lord Provost of Dundee, the Provost of Angus and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Angus in a ceremonial robed procession from the City Chambers along the High Street to the Cathedral. The procession was led by local pipe band ‘Spirit of Discovery Pipes and Drums’.
Once inside the Cathedral the service was led by the Most Rev David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The Primus was be joined by other members of the College of Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church who, together with bishops from England, Finland and the link dioceses of Swaziland and Iowa participated in the act of consecration.The ceremony also included entrusting the diocesan crozier – a sign of a bishop’s pastoral office – to Nigel Peyton. Some young people of the diocese presented Bishop Nigel with the mitre, ring and pectoral cross.
The service was attended by about 500 people, including representatives from churches throughout the Diocese of Brechin and from across Scotland. In addition to civic leaders, other guests included local councillors, the MSP for Angus North and Mearns, the Area Manager of Tayside Fire & Rescue, representatives from the Universities of Dundee and Abertay and Nigel Peyton’s family and friends from the Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham. The guest preacher was the Rt Rev George Cassidy, retired Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham.
Having been consecrated, Bishop Nigel became the 54th Bishop of Brechin (the first Bishop of Brechin was consecrated in 1153).
Prior to his election Dr Peyton was Archdeacon of Newark in the Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham. However, his roots are very much in Dundee where he was ordained in 1976 and served the diocese until 1985. He and his wife Anne were married and began their family life in Dundee (three children and two grandchildren).