This afternoon at the Crask we sang carols and heard Bible readings, poetry and stories, all followed with lovely seasonal foods and fellowship. Thanks Kai, Mike, Shane, Mack and John for making it such a lovely occasion and to all those who came and sang and read – it was won-der-ful.
Author: sheumais
Bishop Mark’s Christmas Message 2023
Glory to God in highest heaven, and on earth, peace to all in whom God delights.
So sang the angels as they told the shepherds of the birth of Jesus. Across the world those words are proclaimed in nativity plays and carol services; in places filled with joyful worshippers, excited by the festivities past and yet to come. But they are also proclaimed on battlefields and in refugee camps. They are heard in Israel and Palestine, in Russia and Ukraine and in the darkest places in our own communities. They are heard by people who have little to be excited about or to look forward to.
Yet in all these places it is the same message: the message of Peace, the Christmas message of Peace on Earth. Many of those who gather to listen to the Christmas story are seeking the same thing, a place and time of peace.
Too often those same people find themselves caught up in conflict, poverty and loneliness, yet all are those in whom God delights for God delights in creation, in us and in the wonders that we perform.
So I ask that we consider what we do this Christmastide. Do we hear the angels cry, then smile and drop off back to sleep around the campfire, or do we get up and go to find the Christ child? Do we put the call for peace into action? Do we gather with Jesus and demand justice and security for all? For let me assure you, God delights in all of us, God reveals that in his love for us through the life, death and resurrection of the child we gather to celebrate Christmas.
Last Christmas we prayed for those caught in conflict in Ukraine, and one year on, we pray for them again, and this time they are joined in our prayers by those whose lives are under constant threat as war wreaks its terrible toll in the Middle East; in the Holy Land. We pray for a permanent ceasefire there, and call on our leaders to see that peace is the only way forward, while the war they pursue or facilitate will only deepen the wounds.
Against that backdrop, how can we rejoice at this time, when there is so much suffering? But rejoice we must, as we retell the story of the love that came down to us, and all the time remembering that we are called not simply to listen to the angels but to respond, to be the peacemakers, in our homes, in our communities and in our hearts.
God bless you and may you rejoice this Christmastide wherever you are.
Blessings
+Mark
Carols at the Crask – 28th December @ 2:30pm
The Long Established
Carols (and readings, poems, stories etc.)
at the Crask
will take place
on Thursday 28th December @ 2:30pm
Come and join in the celebration, in singing and reflection
and in joyous fellowship
Followed by refreshments
All are very welcome
Carols in Tain
This afternoon we had a splendid Service of Readings and Carols enjoyed by a fairly full church drawn from right across the area. There were readers from several local churches and fellowships and a selection of traditional and other favourite carols. Afterwards there was a collection for the Samaritans which raised almost £140.
The service was followed by seasonal refreshments – mince pies, Christmas cake, shortbread washed down with mulled wine or spiced apple juice. It was wonderful to see so many people on a wet, slippery, slushy afternoon – well done everyone.
A huge thanks to all those who helped to make it the wonderful afternoon that it was and those who have helped to decorate the Church in the last couple of days and of course to Campbell for accompanying the carols on the organ..
Service of Lessons and Carols today at 3pm
Today we have our annual ecumenical service of Lessons and Carols in St Andrew’s, Tain at 3pm. Sing favourite carols and hear again the story of God coming into our world as a tiny baby – all are very welcome.
As you arrive you will pass our crib, this year nestling under the scaffolding, making a virtue of necessity and a poignant reminder that wonderful things can emerge from difficult circumstances.
After the service there will be mulled wine and soft drink, mince pies and shortbread and a chance to greet people from all the local churches as they meet together in peace and unity at this time when there is so much conflict and disharmony in our world.
Lord Jesus,
The Very Rev Andrew Nunn
who walked the land you made holy
and blessed those who made peace;
look with compassion
on the people of your land today,
Jew and Muslim and Christian,
Israeli and Palestinian.
May peace come for all with justice,
may war cease and all live in harmony,
and be the children of the one God
who you made known,
now and always.
Amen.
We pray without ceasing for justice, reconciliation, peace, and an end to hatred and war. We also pray for God to change the hearts of all leaders and decision-makers in our countries and around the world, For we are in dire need of hearts that love, show mercy, and are willing to live in unity with others – hearts that respect human dignity and choose life rather than death.
We entrust the countries of our Lord’s earthly home into the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, asking him to have mercy on us all and to give us his peace and blessing. Amen.
Archbishop Hosam Naoum, Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem
Tower – the story so far
Although we haven’t quite reached our funding target of £160,000, we’re almost there thanks to the generosity of many individuals and grants from organisations, including the Benefact Trust, the Edderton Community Council the National Churches Trust and an SEC Provincial Buildings Grant and the proceeds from Jamie’s wonderful organ recital. Two thirds of the money raised has come from members of the congregation and other supporters (which is awesome), whilst the remaining third has come from the four organisations listed.
The old tower has been taken down and an identical replacement is nearing completion in Peter’s steading. When that has been finished (by the end of December), it will be disassembled and brought down to St Andrew’s for reassembly starting w/b 9th January.
Note that the tower is being built on it’s side because it‘s too tall to fit vertically in the steading, the bottom of the tower is at the same end as the joiner with the orange jacket. The annotated photo has been rotated to show what it will be like!
The weather vain and bell are at the workshop off site being repaired at the moment. The bearings on the bell will need slight attention and also new bolting arrangements as the original ones were all rotten. A new central rod will need replaced for the weather vane and re-threaded along with some welding of the cast parts on the top.
We all look forward to the day when the scaffolding is taken away and we have the whole church back. Perhaps in February.
Christ in the Rubble
As we prepare for Christmas, we might wish to reflect on this image of the ‘Nativity Scene’ at the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem and also words from the Anglican Church in the Middle East and closer to home the SEC Palestine Group.
Archbishop Hosam Naoum, the Anglican Primate of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, has launched a Christmas and Advent appeal for children and families in the Holy Land who are in urgent need.
In his Advent Pastoral letter, Archbishop Naoum has written:
“As our beloved brothers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I invite you to join the 2023 Advent and Christmas Project as a means of living into the true meaning of Christmas by giving to those in need in the Holy Land. This Christmas Season we aim to bring smiles to the faces of as many children as possible, as well as support to struggling families. And so we would welcome and greatly appreciate your love, support, and generous contributions towards charities working to provide support for needy families at Christmas.”
“Due to the current situation in our beloved Holy Land and the heartbreaking scenes that have shattered our hearts, we have decided this year to limit our celebrations to prayers, liturgies and carols within our churches.”
“In a spirit of solidarity within the Body of Christ, I invite you to join us in this discipline by reflecting on the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ more than two thousand years ago, as well as on the conditions prevailing in the land at that time.” He went on to say that “they were no better than the circumstances here today.”
Archbishop Hosam Naoum
The Scottish Episcopal Church Palestine Group has written:
“As Christmas approaches, we cannot allow our celebrations to divert attention from the unrelenting carnage being perpetrated in Gaza and the West Bank. The sentimentality of tinsel and baubles must not be allowed to obscure our apprehension of the infant Christ, born in the squalor of a stable, his life threatened before it had begun by the gratuitous violence of a bloodthirsty and repressive tyrant. The commercialization of Christmas, and the parody of Santa Claus which debases Christian charity, must distract us neither from the suffering of hungry and traumatized children nor from the example of St Nicholas of Myra.“
“Our worship will lack authenticity and integrity if those who are suffering are not held before God in prayer, and if that prayer is not reflected in the ways in which we spend money and decide what goods to purchase for loved ones or to consume ourselves. We need each to consider whether donations to charities bringing aid to the afflicted are not more urgent, and a clearer sign of human love in practice, than festive over-indulgence, and gifts to family and friends which may be of very transient value. We need also to consider whether our purchases enrich those who profit from the suffering of others.“
Scottish Episcopal Church Palestine Group
Tain Carol Service – Saturday 23rd December 2023
A Service of Lessons and Carols
for Christmas
St. Andrew’s Scottish Episcopal Church
Glebe Crescent, Tain
SATURDAY 23rd December
3pm
Followed by Mulled Wine, mince pies & other seasonal refreshments
EVERYONE WELCOME
St John of the Cross – “Dark Night of the Soul”
Today is the Church’s commemoration of St John of the Cross.
On a dark night,
Kindled in love with yearnings
–oh, happy chance!–
I went forth without being observed,
My house being now at rest.In darkness and secure,
By the secret ladder, disguised
–oh, happy chance!–
In darkness and in concealment,
My house being now at rest.In the happy night,
In secret, when none saw me,
Nor I beheld aught,
Without light or guide, save that which burned in my
heart.This light guided me
More surely than the light of noonday
To the place where he (well I knew who!) was awaiting me–
A place where none appeared.Oh, night that guided me,
Oh, night more lovely than the dawn,
Oh, night that joined Beloved with lover,
Lover transformed in the Beloved!Upon my flowery breast,
Kept wholly for himself alone,
There he stayed sleeping, and I caressed him,
And the fanning of the cedars made a breeze.The breeze blew from the turret
As I parted his locks;
With his gentle hand he wounded my neck
And caused all my senses to be suspended.I remained, lost in oblivion;
“Dark Night of the Soul” John of the Cross (translated by Edgar Allison Peers)
My face I reclined on the Beloved.
All ceased and I abandoned myself,
Leaving my cares forgotten among the lilies.
Services at Christmas 2023
- Sunday 17th Dec – Christingle and Carol Service with collection in aid of the Children’s Society
- St Finnbarr’s, Dornoch at 3:00pm
- Saturday 23rd Dec – Service of Lessons and Carols with collection for the Samaritans
- St Andrew’s Church, Tain at 3:00pm (followed by seasonal refreshments)
- Sunday 24th Dec – Christmas Service
- Christmas Service at St Columba’s, Brora at 4:00pm
- Sunday 24th Dec – Christmas ‘Midnight’ Services
- St Finnbarr’s, Dornoch at 7:00pm and
- St Andrews, Tain, at 9:00pm.
- Monday 25th Dec – Christmas Day Services
- St Maelrubha’s, Lairg at 8:30am,
- St Finnbarr’s, Dornoch at 10:00am and
- St Andrews, Tain at 10:30am.
- Thursday 28th Dec – Crask Carol Service at the Crask Inn at 2:30pm
- St Finnbarr’s, Dornoch at 3:00pm
All are welcome at any of our services.
Scottish Episcopal Church - Dornoch, Lairg, Brora, Tain & Tongue 