Author: sheumais

Grant from the National Churches Trust

sheumais Local, News

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE NATIONAL CHURCHES TRUST

ISSUE DATE: December 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Images: https://spaces.hightail.com/space/8y0EqKQsJC

Good news as unsafe belltower at unique Tain church will be rebuilt 

St Andrew’s Episcopal Church in the Conservation Area of Tain, Scotland, is at risk of losing its bell tower unless urgent action is taken. After the belfry was inspected, wet rot was discovered – making the tower extremely unstable. 

The decaying timbers have made the bell tower unsafe; indoor scaffolding has been swiftly erected to support the beams, but the main door of the church sadly cannot now be used.

As the weather gets worse, further deterioration of the tower is inevitable and it puts the incredible heritage inside this church at risk. 

Thankfully, help is on hand. The much-loved Grade B church is to share in a £496,625 urgent funding pay-out from the National Churches Trust. 

A £5,160 National Churches Trust Grant will help to pay for urgent repairs to the bell tower, ensuring the church can thrive today and tomorrow. The church also receives a £10,000 Wolfson Fabric Repair Grant from the Wolfson Foundation, on the recommendation of the National Churches Trust.

Once the belltower is made safe again, the St Andrew’s has plans to increase access to the church so that more people can visit the church and enjoy the wonderful heritage and local history the church has to share.

Claire Walker, Chief Executive of the National Churches Trust, said:

“The National Churches Trust is excited to be able to support St Andrew’s church to enable them to carry out urgent bell tower repairs to their building. Not only will this protect this important heritage, but it will help to keep the church building open and serving local people.”

“Whether seeking quiet reflection, access to community services or a place to worship, the National Churches Trust helps hundreds of churches each year and with the support of local people, keeps them thriving today and tomorrow.” 

Karen Hind, Scotland Support Office for the National Churches Trust, said:

“St Andrew’s has wonderful heritage inside – including a unique collection of ‘Mousey’ furniture. Once the bell tower is made safe, we are excited for the plans that St Andrew’s has to welcome even more visitors to this historic church.” 

Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation, said:

“Churches sit in the heart of their communities and provide unrivalled support to local people. We are delighted to continue to partner with the National Churches Trust to help conserve and restore listed places of worship of outstanding historical and architectural significance, preserving these much-loved buildings for future generations to enjoy.”

Rev Canon James Currall, Priest-in-Charge of St Andrew’s, said:

“We are all very grateful to the National Churches Trust and the Wolfson Foundation for so generously helping us to safeguard our wonderful church for the benefit of current and future generations of worshippers and townspeople in Tain and the many who visit our historic Royal Burgh.”

“Members of our congregation, as well as a number of organisations and people in and around Tain have been very generous in helping us to raise a substantial amount of money and this additional significant grant will help towards closing the funding gap and restoring the tower.”

“Once the scaffolding has been removed, we look forward to developing the grounds to provide a prayer walk, with benches for people to pray or sit in quiet contemplation.”

How the grant will help the church

The belltower will be made safe again. This will include dismantling the belfry – retaining the weather cock and bell and salvaging the slate where possible – and then replacing the beams and rebuilding the belfry to the original specification. 

More about the church  

St Andrew’s church replaced an iron corrugated church built on the same plot in 1878. The present building was designed by Ross and Macbeth of Inverness in 1887, and it is situated in a beautiful conservation area.

Inside the church, you’ll find many treasures. This includes one of the few unaltered F Hamilton organs that dates back to 1914. There is also a unique collection of Mousey Thompson furniture from Robert Thompson of Yorkshire. These designs can be found on the lectern, the pulpit, the altar rail and even the screen behind the high altar itself. More on the Mousey collection here: https://episcopaldornochtain.org/tain-mousey-thompson/

Significant help for churches

Forty churches across the UK will stay open and in good repair thanks to £496,625 of funding awarded and recommended by the National Churches Trust in this latest round of grants. Find out about all the churches we’ve helped in this latest round of grants here. 

In 2023, the National Churches Trust has so far made over 180 grant awards to churches throughout the United Kingdom, with funding totalling more than £1.4 million.

Moving into 2024, National Churches Trust will continue to help churches through our extensive grants programme. Grants are available for churches of any Christian denomination that are open for regular worship to fund urgent repairs, maintenance, installing toilets or kitchens and feasibility studies to develop projects. Full details are at: https://nationalchurchestrust.org/grants 

Pope Francis’ message to COP28

sheumais Reflections

Choose life, choose the future!

Although Pope Francis was unable, on the advice of doctors, to be in Dubai to deliver his message in person, his hard-hitting message was delivered on his behalf by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.

In it he said:

“Our world has become so multipolar and at the same time so complex that a different framework for effective cooperation is required. It is not enough to think only of balances of power… It is disturbing that global warming has been accompanied by a general cooling of multilateralism, a growing lack of trust within the international community, and a loss of the “shared awareness of being… a family of nations”… It is essential to rebuild trust, which is the foundation of multilateralism.“

“This is true in the case of care for creation, but also that of peace. These are the most urgent issues and they are closely linked. How much energy is humanity wasting on the numerous wars presently in course, such as those in Israel and Palestine, in Ukraine and in many parts of the world: conflicts that will not solve problems but only increase them! How many resources are being squandered on weaponry that destroys lives and devastates our common home! Once more I present this proposal: “With the money spent on weapons and other military expenditures, let us establish a global fund that can finally put an end to hunger” and carry out works for the sustainable development of the poorer countries and for combating climate change.“

“It is up to this generation to heed the cry of peoples, the young and children, and to lay the foundations of a new multilateralism. Why not begin precisely from our common home? Climate change signals the need for political change. Let us emerge from the narrowness of self-interest and nationalism; these are approaches belonging to the past. Let us join in embracing an alternative vision: this will help to bring about an ecological conversion, for “there are no lasting changes without cultural changes”“

Pope Francis made this appeal to the delegates:

“To all of you I make this heartfelt appeal: Let us choose life! Let us choose the future! May we be attentive to the cry of the earth, may we hear the plea of the poor, may we be sensitive to the hopes of the young and the dreams of children! We have a grave responsibility: to ensure that they not be denied their future.”

You can read the whole of the Pope’s message here.

Diocesan Advent Calendar

sheumais Notices, Reflections

Clergy and others in the Diocese have contributed a series of Daily Reflections, Photos and a Piece of Music for each day of December up until 25th. These are delivered in the form of an Advent Calendar which is entitled “Journeying through Advent“.

The calendar can be found in the ‘Reflections‘ pull-down menu on our web site (https://episcopaldornochtain.org/) or directly at this link:
(https://calendar.myadvent.net/?id=j6yqx3y2eoojtd275b5nm7rowkwk6vzv).

Fr Simon and Canon James have both contributed to the calendar, perhaps you might try to guess which pieces are ours:-)

On the Feast of St Andrew

sheumais Reflections
Detail from the ‘Souden’ window in St Andrew’s, Tain

Andrew son of Jonas and brother of Simon Peter was a fisherman by trade. The brothers seem to have come from Bethsaida, although at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry they are in based in Capernaum. 

In John’s Gospel (John 1:40) we hear that Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist before becoming a disciple of Jesus and one of the Twelve. As a result of Andrew’s first encounter with Jesus, he came to realise that Jesus was the Messiah. He then went to tell his brother Simon, whom he brought to Jesus. In the Eastern Church he is called Protokletos, meaning the ‘first called’, because his calling is the first mentioned in the Gospel narrative. The name ‘Andrew’ (from the Greek andreia, meaning ‘manliness’) seems to have been common among Jews from the 2nd century onward. His Aramaic name is unknown.

In the oldest representations Andrew is shown with a normal Latin cross. The X-shaped cross we now call ‘St Andrew’s Cross’ was associated with him from the 10th century and became common in the 14th. It is represented on the flag of Scotland and is also incorporated into the flag of the United Kingdom. His other symbol is, naturally enough, a fishing net.

Almighty God, 
who gave such grace to your apostle Andrew 
that he readily obeyed the call of your Son, Jesus Christ:
give us, who are called by your holy Word,
the grace to follow him without delay,
and to be messengers of the good news of your kingdom;
through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end. Amen

In the season of expectant waiting …

sheumais Pastoral Letter, Reflections

The are many deeply troubling events and situations in our world just now. Over the past year or two many of the old certainties, both political and personal, seem to have been swept away. And so it was for Jesus’s Disciples after His death and resurrection and for His followers ever since, but if our faith means anything, it must speak to us in troubling times as well as times of joy and celebration.

At such times, we need to choose either to live by the ways of the world or by the ways of God. That doesn’t mean separating ourselves off as a holy huddle focussed in on ourselves, hiding away from a world of dubious motives and evil actions and having anything to do with the other people living in it. No, we’re called to be in the world but not living by many of its cherished values; to be God-centred rather than self-centred.  In Advent, as we start a new church year, we have a few weeks to pause and reflect on what Jesus the Christ really means in our lives; and how we might respond to that realisation.

In our tradition, we re-tell the story of Jesus each year. I find that leaving the old year behind at the end of November and starting a new year on the first Sunday of Advent gives me a boost, just when I need it, when the days are short and winter is really beginning to take hold. It’s that sense of anticipation, that waiting to see what’s going to happen, that pause before the busyness of the festive season.

However, once things have started, most of us want to get to the conclusion as quickly as possible, preferring things to happen at once if not before. However waiting is an important discipline in our lives. The scriptures remind us that “those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength”. In fact, patience is a wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit, allowing us to take our time and live in the moment rather than always wanting to have arrived at some point in the future.

In Jesus’ time, people had waited a long time for the coming of the Messiah.  We all might long to see more decisive action from God; bringing justice and peace to our world and some stability and certainty, not least in the Holy Land where such appalling things are happening. In the Christ Child there is a clear sign of God’s commitment to us, in spite of our waywardness. In Jesus, God is with us, as one of us, a mystery “which passes all understanding” and one that we need time to reflect on. God’s gift to us in this season of expectant waiting, is the space to prepare ourselves to be able to sense and accept all that God longs to give us.

Let us keep a watchful Advent, so that when the time comes, we may celebrate with joy the one who came, the one who will come again, the one who promises to accompany us each step of our life’s pilgrimage, however uncertain the times.

Blessings
James

Awesome

sheumais Local, News

Yesterday evening a packed St Andrew’s, Tain was treated to a stunning exhibition of virtuoso organ playing. Jamie Campbell was giving a recital to help raise funds for the St Andrew’s Belfry Tower repair appeal, and what a recital it was. Jamie introduced each set of pieces in his own informative and humorous style and I for one learned a great deal. (the programme can be found in this post)

The audience made up of people from 9 months to over 90 years old, listened spellbound to a varied programme of old favourites and newer pieces, including an improvisation on “Yes Jesus loves me” by Jamie himself composed in the last few days.

There were splendid refreshments at the interval when the kitchen team managed to get everyone fed and watered in a very short time,

Behind every good organist there has to be an attentive and organised page turner, and Molly did an excellent job, ensuring that each score was ready when it was needed and turning the page at the merest nod from Jamie.

To cap it all almost £800 was added to the repair appeal.

An enormous thank you to Jamie and Molly, to everyone who helped to get things ready, keep things running smoothly and clear away afterwards – these things don’t just happen – and to all those who came along and contributed so generously.

Advent Study Groups 2023 – Gratitude

sheumais Events, Notices

“Always be rejoicing. Give thanks for everything.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 18

How grateful are you?  
Is it possible to live a life of gratitude in an age of entitlement? 

Gratitude helps us to focus on the positive, recognising all the blessings in our lives and can help us get closer to God. The Bible has plenty to say about gratitude, even when people are faced with struggles and suffering.

Gratitude is our rightful response to all that God is and has done for us. The Bible shows us that becoming a grateful person begins with the recognition that the God who owes us nothing has given us everything. 

This Advent, our study groups explore the theme of gratitude in the Scriptures, and how gratitude is an attitude that is key to our discipleship and Christian witness and that we need to cultivate. The aim of this three session study is to help us develop thankful hearts, regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves.

The Study Groups will meet 
on Wednesdays 6th, 13th and 20th December

Afternoons from 1:30-3:00pm 
at James and Anna’s house in Spinningdale

Evenings from 7:00-8:30pm online on Zoom

More details (including Zoom link) from Canon James 

Remembrance in every community

sheumais Local, News

The ceremonies and commemoration on Remembrance Sunday take a wide variety of forms in different communities.

In Tain this morning we started with an Act of Remembrance and two minutes silence at 11am and after our Eucharist, joined the parade from the Parish Church to the war memorial in the Collegiate Church where many wreaths were laid.

This afternoon in Brora we prayed for peace and for healing.

Unveiling a Blue Plaque to Andrew Maitland

sheumais Local, News
Unveiling the Plaque

On Thursday 26th October, the Lord Lieutenant of Ross-shire unveiled a Blue Plaque on the House in Esther Place in Tain where the architect Andrew Maitland lived for 40 years whilst he designed a large number of civic and domestic buildings in Tain and around Sutherland and Ross-shire.

Trustees of the Tain Civic Trust outside Andrew Maitland’s house in Esther Place

The proceedings in St Andrew’s Church started with a talk and film about Andrew Maitland and his sons by Hamish Mackenzie, the author of a book on the Maitlands work (A Highland Legacy: The Maitlands of Tain). Maitland designed the Sheriff Court, the Royal Hotel, the Parish Church, Tain Station, the Tain Picture House, Knockbreck Primary School and many of the larger domestic houses in the Tain district.

Richard Littlewood, Joanie Whiteford and Hamish Mackenzie

The talk was followed by refreshments and fellowship amongst the 40+ members of the audience, who then made their way down Hill Street to Esther Place for the unveiling.

It was a very uplifting event and the rain thankfully held off and umbrellas were not needed.

Flora Stone and Joanie Whiteford