Barbara’s special Day in Pictures
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100 years young today
Have you heard the one about the Funeral Director, the Priest and the Lord Lieutenant? Well this afternoon all three turned up with pipers and standard-bearers and an MP at Barbara Rae’s house in Tain. The occasion was Barbara’s 100 birthday.
Born in the aftermath of the 14-18 Great War, Barbara lived and served through the 39-45 second world war, and all its after effects – a life changing and life affirming experience for so many of that generation. Barbara, in common with both our own Marjorie Taylor and actress Patricia Routledge, attended Birkenhead High School; though of course they were not all there at the same time and neither Barbara nor Marjorie bear any resemblance to Hyacinth Bucket in “Keeping up Appearances”.
Barbara’s war included the blitz of Liverpool – she was not yet 21 by the time it ended. She was lucky to survive. She worked in Liverpool but lived with her parents in Birkenhead. Her brother David was serving in France and having his own adventures. The family home was badly bomb damaged in May 1941 and they had to move out, but the family survived.
Barbara joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in 1942 after the Liverpool blitz, and went into the Meteorology section of the RAF. She had her main training in London, and thereafter was based at several UK airfield locations. Especially RAF Millom and RAF Cark in Lancashire (Cumbria) the Lake District, which is where she eventually met Willis. They were married in 1945. During the time that Willis worked for Customs and Excise at Liverpool Docks.
They lived in Birkenhead until 1961 when they made the move up to Tain where Willis was the Excise Officer at Glenmorangie Distillery until his retirement in 1981. Their children Ian and Pat were educated at Tain Royal Academy. In 1974 they bought a new build house in Knockbreck Avenue – and lived there from 1976. So, Barbara is one of the longest duration residents of the Avenue…and certainly the oldest!
Barbara who had always been active in her church in Birkenhead quickly found her way to St Andrew’s Church. Barbara did so much in and for St Andrew’s Church over the years, much of it as part of the St Andrew’s Ladies Guild, (later the St Andrew’s Fellowship). She put in hours of patient needlework to make altar frontals and pulpit falls, she repaired vestments and all these things we still experience as they’re still in weekly use. She arranged flowers to enhance the congregation’s experience of coming to church. She did work on the Church Magazine and was a member of the Vestry. Just a few of the things that Barbara did in our Church.
Barbara was also very active for some years with the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service (the WRVS) in Tain again helping with their local work, and especially delivering ‘Meals on Wheels’ around Tain and environs. Both Barbara and Willis were also active in later years with the Tain Choral Group and the Garrick Singers (now Easter Ross Musical Theatre). Willis performed for a few years with the Garrick Singers, whilst Barbara as ever just got on with things needing to be done in ‘wardrobe’ and backstage.
Sadly Willis died in 2000 after having suffered a heart attack and a series of strokes in the 90s which left him with reduced mobility and unable to talk properly, but he was ably looked after by Barbara.
Today family and friends turned out up and down Knockbreck Avenue to honour Barbara, an amazing lady. It was a privilege that we were all able to celebrate with you on this special day…..
Caption Competition no. 2 – the result
There were 15 entries for the Caption Competition this time and they were quite a diverse set clustered around themes of Lockdown, Hugs, Dancing, Phones/Tablets and Musical Instruments, so a big thank you to all who entered and came up with this little lot:
Sending a big mobile hug x
“Hello….. can you hear me? I’m on my mobile…”
“…my shield and protector…”
“God is this the only way to get a cuddle in Lockdown??”
“Forget social distancing, let’s just have a good old hug”
Rev Simon was so over Covid 19 he couldn’t wait to have a bear hug – his new prescription from spec savers had been delayed !!!!
“One, two cha cha cha”
Simon was thrilled with his new tablet.
Beach Boy Simon gets ready to ride the next (Covid) wave.
Viewers question Fr Simon’s claim to never being board in Church.
A preview of the new normal for the next series of Strictly?
Um…. BYO referred to bottles, not musical instruments.
“How did you get past Security with that?”
“You really didn’t need to bring your own organ, Simon, we do have one here, you know. In the loft!”
But the one that made Anna and I giggle the most was:
“Do you know this keyboard’s standing on my toes?”
“No, but you hum it and I’m sure we’ll all soon be joining in.”
Well done Nicholas Court for coming up with that one.
James and Anna
Collect for Pentecost 7A
O God of power and might,
all good things belong to you:
sow in our hearts the love of your name,
and make us grow in the life of faith;
nurture the things that are good,
and tend them with your loving care;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end. Amen.
Churches Open for Prayer
Yesterday saw St Finnbarr’s in Dornoch and St Andrew’s in Tain open for Individual Prayer for the first time. A fair number of people took the opportunity to drop in for a little while during the two hour periods that the Churches were open.
A Psalm of lament and praise in a time of coronavirus
How shall we praise you, Lord, our God?
When we are locked down, how shall we praise you?
When the doors to your house are barred, and your people cannot assemble?
When those urgently in need of money and work can’t even wait in the market-place?
When we have to circle round people in the street,
and to queue for shops maintaining safe distance?
When we can only communicate by hearing on the phone,
or seeing on the screen; or by digital messaging,
or even just waving through a window?
When we cannot meet our parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren,
or other family members and friends?
When we cannot touch them in their flesh and blood, to know they are really alive?
How shall we praise you?
How, like Thomas, shall we not see yet believe that your son is raised among us?
How shall we praise you?
Lord, I will try to praise you.
Through gritted teeth, I will try to praise you.
I will try to remember that you created all things, and this virus is part of creation.
I will try not to hate it but seek to mitigate its harm.
I will try to do my bit to keep others safe, by the way that I behave.
I will pray for all those around me and seek to help in whatever way I can.
Lord, when I cannot pray or worship help me be aware of all your people
and your saints and angels hovering around me, lifting me up.
When I feel alone, let me feel you near me,
even if only for a moment that enables me to go on.
Let me hear you say “Peace be with you”.
Caption Competition Winner
Captions entered for this competition were:
- ‘Eye, nose, cheeky cheeky chin, cheeky cheeky chin, eye, nose!’
- ‘It’s great to have collared two nice men trained to amuse me!’
- ‘Two trained to keep me on the right lines!’
- ‘Am I too young to start the discernment process?’
- ‘Carry on ‘training’!’
- ‘Since those two are Gordon and James, can I be Thomas? Pleeeese!’
- ‘Station-ary Vocational Train-ing!’
AND THE WINNER IS…….
Number 6
‘Since those two are Gordon and James, can I be Thomas? Pleeeese!’
Well done to Beatrice Somers – a fitting tribute to the Rev Wilbert Vere Awdry – original author of the Thomas the Tank Engine stories.
Charities Shop – Distribution of Funds 2020
The first part of the distribution of funds from St Finnbarr’s Charities Shop for this year is now complete. £12,450 will be distributed this year to various groups and charities
So far £10,150 has been disbursed between the following local groups.:
- Caithness and Sutherland Womens’ Aid
- CALA
- Citizens Advice Bureau
- Dornoch and District Community Association
- Dornoch BRIG (Dornoch Beach Regeneration Improvement Group)
- Dornoch Firth Group
- East Sutherland Rescue Association
- Friends of Oversteps
- History Links
- Lawson Cambusavie Memorial Hospital Friends
- Maggies Highland
- Meadows Patient’s Comfort Fund
- Migdale Hospital Comfort Fund
- SSAFA
- Sutherland Care Forum
- Support in Mind Scotland (Golspie Gatehouse)
£2,300 will be disbursed between the following groups when they are back in operation.
- Alzheimer Scotland (Dornoch Dementia Cafe
- Dornoch Academy Additional Support Team
- Dornoch Academy School Library
- Dornoch Brownies
- Dornoch Cathedral Boy’s Brigade/Shipmates
- Dornoch Flowers and Fairs
- Dornoch Primary School Additional Support Team
- Little Lambs (Free Church Playgroup)
A huge thank you to everyone who helped to raise the money by working in the shop or donating goods for sale – the above groups really appreciate your efforts, as do we in St Finnbarr’s.
Holy, Holy, Holy
Sunday is Trinity Sunday, when we give voice to one of the central elements of our understanding of God, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit or to put it another way Creator, Redeemer and Giver of Life.
This year in ‘lockdown‘, we are missing out on singing some of the wonderful hymns which we use on Trinity Sunday, so Simon and Jamie have collaborated using various forms of technological wizardry to help fill the gap.
or with just the audio:
A Growing Family
On Sunday (31st May), which is the Feast of Pentecost, Revd Nicholas Court (above left) who has served the North-West corner of the Diocese (with congregations in Ullapool, Achiltibuie, Lochinver, Kinlochbervie and Tongue) for the last 11 years, retires. I’m sure that you would all join with me in wishing Nicholas and Gilly a long and happy retirement, even though until the end of lock-down Nicholas will still be helping to provide pastoral care in these areas. However from Monday (1st June), the congregation of St Mary-by the-Cross, Tongue will join our family of congregations in East Sutherland and Tain.
For the benefit of those of you who are unfamiliar with the Episcopal arrangements ‘up north’, I have assembled a little history and description, with the help of a number of people, as will become become obvious.
Anna and I have been regular visitors to Tongue for the last 30 or more years, since her parents Alan and Irene bought a house beyond Melness. There was no Episcopal worship for some while and so they (and Anna, the boys and I when we were visiting) made the 120 mile round trip down to the monthly service in Kinlochbervie. The Services there were at first in the Fishermen’s Mission, then the Old School Restaurant and finally in the Community Centre. Over the years, KLB was served by Revd Chris Dormer, who travelled from Ullapool, then Revd Cliff Piper, who travelled from Tain and then Revd Mel Langille, who travelled from Golspie.
From June 2003, Services started at the Fir Chlis, House of Prayer and Retreat, run by Kathleen Pannell, who had found a ‘half built property just outside Tongue village’ overlooking Ben Loyal, a year earlier. Kathleen takes up the story.
“We moved in on 24th March 2003 and on June 22nd Fr John Stevenson from St. Peter and the Holy Rood, Thurso celebrated the first Service of Holy Communion with about 20 communicants. I opened Fir Chlis up as a Retreat House, inviting people to ‘Come away to a deserted place, and rest a while’. Fr John continued to come once a month to celebrate Mass and when I was blessed with hosting a priest on retreat, we would be blessed with regular, sometimes daily, Mass.
Fr Len Black took over from Fr. John at some point when the Episcopal church was trying to find its way in a changing world, but the congregation was truly set on a firm footing when I met Fr Nicholas in April 2010. The congregation of St. Mary by the Cross was officially constituted on 5th April 2012 by Bishop Mark and numbers attending have grown significantly since. During 2017/2018 we counted up that more than 75 folk had attended the monthly services here at one time or another, many travelling miles to attend, and folk from several different denominations too. It’s been such a joy to host these services month on month, to witness people growing in their love of the Lord through His gifts of Bread and Wine.”
St Mary’s now enters a new phase of its life, at a time when although the future looks very uncertain for us all, it is more important than every that we trust in our faithful and loving God. As St Paul wrote to the Romans:
“We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” and:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
On behalf of all of us in East Sutherland and Tain, may I extend a warm welcome from our family in Tain, Dornoch, Lairg, Brora and all the places in between, to ‘our friends at the very top’ in Tongue.
Blessings
James
21 People and a Cockatoo
Very busy virtual coffee morning today with 21 people, a cockatoo and one or two dogs (not forgetting the cats – thanks Tanya).
The Coffee Mornings happen each Wednesday Morning at 10:30am on Zoom. Joining details sent out by email.
Scottish Episcopal Church - Dornoch, Lairg, Brora, Tain & Tongue 