JACKSON, Tenn. — The sound of the City of Memphis pipe band filled First Presbyterian Church in Jackson on Sunday morning as the congregation marked 25 years of its Kirkin of the Tartans service, a tradition rooted in Scottish heritage and faith.
During the service the congregation honored Reformation history, blessed family tartans and remembered loved ones who died over the last year. WBBJ, which covered the service, said the tradition began as a way to celebrate family clans and heritage. For members in Jackson, it is also an annual bridge that honors the people who came before them and passes traditions on to the next generation.
The name explains the ceremony. “Kirk” is the Scottish word for church, and the distinct tartan patterns are used to represent families and clans. A Kirkin service is a way for a congregation to symbolically ask God’s blessing over its families, its church and the heritage that shaped them. WBBJ reported that the Kirkin service was started in America during World War II.
The sound of the pipe band set the tone for the morning and gave the celebration its distinctive feel.
After the service, the fellowship continued with a brunch for members and guests. The church has held the observance in past years as well, and WBBJ has covered earlier services in 2022, 2024 and 2025.
A 25-year run is a long time for a congregation to keep one tradition going, and it says something about how much it means to the church. Members who joined in recent years now share the same service as those who helped start it. In a season when many people think about family history and remember relatives who have died, the Kirkin gives that impulse a place to go. This year the service fell on Nov. 1, which is All Saints’ Day, a time when many Christian congregations remember the departed.