Author: sheumais
The Black Mambas are Coming on 10th October
The Black Mambas are the first all-female anti-poaching organisation in the world and comprised solely of women. They are a nonprofit anti-poaching unit in South Africa, who won the Eco-Warrior Silver Award for their work combating poaching. Not only is this organization making impressive strides to reduce poaching, it is also helping to address South Africa’s unequal social climate.
The Black Mambas are a project that has not only given women a source of employment, but also a voice in their communities. They present a unique employment opportunity for South African women, many of whom are the sole earner in their families, to afford housing and schooling for their children. The women also teach the importance of their anti-poaching efforts in schools through the Bush Babies Environmental Education Program and through that have become role models for young South African girls.
You have a chance to hear about their work and meet some of them in person on:
Monday 10th October 2022
At 7pm in Dornoch Social Club
When a group from the Black Mambas will be giving a presentation, showing a video and taking questions from the audience. This event is child-friendly, so all ages are welcome.
This formal part will last roughly an hour and afterwards there will be a Coffee and Shortbread and a chance to have an informal “chat” with the girls.
There will also be a small raffle and a “silver collection” to raise funds for their work.
There will be additional parking available in the grounds of St Finnbarr’s if the Social Club car park is full.
All are welcome to come along and meet some of these ground-breaking women in person.
You can register for this event at: https://www.empowering-success.co.uk/meet-the-mambas
Stations of Creation – 23rd Sept & 4th Oct
Stations of Creation
During the Season of Creation, we have been holding services of Stations of Creation around the grounds of various places of worship.
The service is based around St Francis’ “Canticle of the Creatures” on which the hymn All Creatures of our God and King is based. As we move around the grounds, we pause 10 times for Scripture, Reflection and Prayer and then sing a little of All Creatures of our God and King as we move to the next stop. It is a lovely way to reflect on Creation and the Creator.
The next service is at: St Columba’s Brora on Friday 23rd September at 5:30pm
There will also be one at: St Finnbarr’s Dornoch on Tuesday 4th October at 5:30pm (The Feast of St Francis)
All are most welcome to join us either tomorrow in Brora or a week on Tuesday in Dornoch.
Sutherland Memorial Service – 25th Sept 2022
You are cordially invited to attend
an Ecumenical Service
at Dornoch Cathedral
at 6.30 pm
on Sunday 25th September
to commemorate the life of
the late Queen Elizabeth II
Churches open for Prayer and Reflection
The Episcopal Churches in Tain, Dornoch and Brora will be open today between 10am and 5pm for anyone who wishes to have a quiet place to pray and reflect on the life and death of Queen Elizabeth II or just a quiet place to be.
At Noon, the bells in St Finnbarr’s Dornoch and St Andrew’s Tain will be tolled 96 times to mark this sad day in the life of our nation as we remember a remarkable woman who dedicated herself to a life of service for over 60 years as Queen and was carrying out her duty until two days before her death.
Eternal Lord God, you hold all souls in life:
Shed forth upon your faithful servant, Queen Elizabeth,
the bright beams of your light and heavenly comfort;
And grant that she, and we with her,
may at length enter into the joys of your eternal kingdom;
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.
Amen.
A Message from our Primus
The Scottish Episcopal Church is deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, at the age of 96 after reigning for 70 years. The Most Rev Mark Strange, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, said:
“Today we will gather in prayer and sorrow as we mark the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. For nearly all of us, she is the only monarch we have known, she has been part of our lives and part of our prayers always.
The Queen came to the throne at a moment of great hope. A time of rebirth following the difficulties of war. She dedicated herself to the service of this country and she has honoured that pledge, especially so when things were difficult. She never wavered from her service.
Queen Elizabeth was steadfast in her faith, in her prayers and worship. She spoke openly and often of her devotion to God, and to the Christian message of respect and the value of people, of all faiths and none.
Here in Scotland we know that the Queen found space to relax and to be amongst family and friends, we cherish the knowledge that she loved this place as much as we do. That knowledge brought a shared connection that many of us felt deeply.
Today we will share memories and sadness. Her Majesty understood and believed in the promises of God. In her many statements over the years she spoke always of moving forward, serving the country that she loved, and giving thanks to God for the life she lived.
“May she rest in peace and rise in glory.”
Go forth upon your journey from this world,
dear child of God,
into the hands of the Father who made you,
to find life in Christ who redeemed you.
to rejoice in the Spirit who renews you.
May the heavenly host sustain you
and the company of the redeemed enfold you;
may peace be yours this day,
and the heavenly city your home.
A Prayer for Our Beloved Queen Elizabeth II
Almighty and eternal God,
you uphold and govern all things
both in heaven and on earth,
and by your grace alone kings and queens do reign.
We thank you for all the blessings which you have bestowed upon us through our late sovereign lady, Queen Elizabeth, whom you have called from this life today.
We thank you for the wisdom of her guidance and her love of peace, for the care and devotion with which she served her people, for the example of her gracious life.
We pray that you would fill our hearts with gratitude for all these good things, and give us grace that we may use the memory of them as a perpetual call to live according to your will, for the good of all the world, and the glory of your great name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Another Crask First
Saturday was ‘Friends Day’ at The Crask. It started with a Eucharist during which +Mark Confirmed Matthew, who had apparently been dodging it for about 20 years:-).
The service was as always followed by lots of good food and fellowship. Thank you +Mark and of course Douglas and Denise.
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This month’s Thursday Service will be on September 15th at Noon and after lunch, to mark the Season of Creation, there will be a service of Stations of Creation around the grounds.
All are very welcome.
Season of Creation – September 2022
The Season of Creation runs from 1st September until 4th October (The Feast of St Francis).
This year we have a number of things going on in addition to our usual services:
Study Groups
There will be five pairs of sessions, based on material produced in South Africa in 2008 by members of Green Anglicans – one after each of the midweek services in:
- St Finnbarr’s Dornoch (Wednesdays starting at about 11am) and
- St Andrew’s Tain Hall (Thursdays starting at 7pm)
on:
- 31st Aug/1st Sept – The Earth is the Lord’s
- 7th/8th Sept – Water: the Source of Life
- 14th/15th Sept – Climate Change
- 21st/22nd Sept – Need not Greed
- 28th/29th Sept – Stewardship: Caring for God’s Creation
The materials for the five sessions can now be found on the Study Group page.
Stations of Creation
There will be four services in different locations spread through the season:
- St Andrew’s Tain – Friday 9th September at 5:30pm
- St Trolla’s at the Crask – Thursday 15th September at 2:00pm
(the same day as the Eucharist at noon) - St Columba’s Brora – Friday 23rd September at 5:30pm
- St Finnbarr’s Dornoch – Tuesday 4th October at 5:30pm (The Feast of St Francis)
The service is based around St Francis’ “Canticle of the Creatures” and at each station there is a reflection from “Laudato si” Pope Francis encyclical on Care for Creation.
Behold I will make all things new
In Autumn 2019, no-one predicted how things would be a year later – covid, lockdowns, working from home, few people flying, etc. In the optimism surrounding COP26 in Autumn 2021, whilst few expected that the political rhetoric about targets for reduction in fossil fuel use would be matched by decisive and legally binding action, a complete abandonment of them wasn’t expected either. Back then, the idea that Russia would invade Ukraine within six months was not something that any of us expected, nor the consequences of that for fuel prices and the worldwide supply of staple foods.
Since 2019, six months is a very long time in terms of making plans for the future. On Friday we learned that the energy price cap for domestic gas and electricity is to rise by 80% in October and that will put keeping warm this winter out of reach of a large number of people in the fifth biggest economy in the world. Is that something that you would have believed just a couple of years ago, pre-brexit, pre-covid, pre-invasion?
So here we are at the Season of Creation again, with news items about burning more rather than less fossil fuels, a large number of the bathing beaches in the UK polluted with raw sewage, hosepipe bans in a number of areas but also flash-flooding and in much of Europe soaring summer temperatures. It’s the stuff of the Book of Revelation:
“And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a violent earthquake, such as had not occurred since people were upon the earth, so violent was that earthquake. … And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found; and huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, dropped from heaven on people, until they cursed God for the plague of the hail, so fearful was that plague.”
Revelation 16:18-21
If things can change so drastically over a short period of time, can we not hope for, pray for and work for positive change in our society, our country and our world. A society based on God’s values, where everyone no matter what their circumstances is of value and their identity is based on being beloved children of God, rather than a society based on world values, where what you have, what you do and what people say about you determine your identity.
During 2020 many people discovered that there was more to life than work as they worked from home. They learned to love family and friends more when they were unable to visit them. They helped their neighbours, who they hadn’t really got to know before and appreciated a cheery ‘hello’ from a stranger. We could base our positive new world on a more positive image from Revelation:
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth … And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ Then he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.”
Revelation 21:1a,5-7
“They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”
Revelation 7:16-17
Blessings
James
Scottish Episcopal Church - Dornoch, Lairg, Brora, Tain & Tongue 