A bountiful harvest delivered to the food bank today – thanks everyone.

In total, our congregations provided a staggering 175Kg of ‘harvest’ and the food bank is well stocked for the time being.

As the Season of Creation came to a close, the congregation at St Finnbarr’s Dornoch celebrated their Harvest Thanksgiving Service this Sunday. Our humble offerings to our magnificent Creator God were given extra lustre by our four part choir who helped us to ‘Raise the Song of Harvest Home’!

Today in St Finnbarr’s we prayed for creation

as we lit our candles we each made our own commitments

and

together we built a cairn uniting our individual stones to make something bigger and more impactful

Both these being metaphors for ways in which we can make a difference.

​Our Prayer of Commitment

We join with the earth and with each other.
To bring new life to the land
To restore the waters
To refresh the air

We join with the earth and with each other.
To renew the forests
To care for the plants
To protect the creatures

We join with the earth and with each other.
To celebrate the seas
To rejoice into the sunlight
To sing the song of the stars

We join with the earth and with each other.
To recreate the human community
To promote justice and peace
To remember our children

We join together as many and diverse expressions
of one loving mystery: for the healing of the earth
and the renewal of all life.
Amen

You may not have noticed that beneath the seats in St Finnbarr’s there are seventy tapestry kneelers with highland themes. They were designed and made over a twelve year period from 1981-1993 by fourteen members of the congregation.

Of these, 12 are mammals, 16 are birds, 9 are plants, 1 is a fish and 1 is a fungus.

During the Season of Creation (1st September until 4th October) many of these ones are on display along the front of the communion rail for all to admire, both the beauty of creation and the skill of the 14 people who lovingly crafted them.

During the Season of Creation, members of the congregation of and visitors to St Andrews, Tain are invited to write their prayers for Creation and Climate Justice on ‘leaves’ and hang them on the tree in the porch.

Over the month, the bare 2020 Christmas Tree will acquire new leaves and take on a new life.

During the Season of Creation a splendid banner will announce the season outside St Andrew’s, Tain.

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to this project, the result is testament to the creativity and industry of all involved.

On Saturday Carol took the charity stall outside the Tain Service Point and sold Scarves and Cards. The cards were donated and the scarves were lovingly knitted by Renata who until her death in 2020 was a member of St Andrew’s congregation.

Having been homeless herself at one time, Renata was very keen to alleviate homelessness in others and so the money raised will go to assist in that cause.

If anyone didn’t get the opportunity to buy on Saturday, both cards and scarves are available in St Andrew’s on Sunday mornings.

Well done Carol and thanks to everyone who contributed.