If you were after a final ‘blowout’ before Lent, then St Andrew’s Tain was the place to be on Shrove Tuesday! Church members and friends gathered together in the evening to share a feast of home cooked pancakes stuffed with a wide range of sweet and savoury fillings.

A special quiz (which included identifying ten smells and ten objects by feel only) had been prepared for our education by an intrepid member of the congregation and even greater fun was had trying to name all the different bits of ‘kit’ used on the altar during Mass.

Two teams – The House of Laity and The House of Clergy – took it in turns to toss the pancakes. “Mmmm”, said one hungry diner, ” the clergy definitely make pancakes that are more holy” (as in ‘full of holes”)!

Our thanks to everyone who contributed to this final bit of frivolity before Lent – such fun and a great time was had by all  !

This year the World Day of Prayer Service was beautifully crafted by the Women of Slovenia under the slogan “Come all is ready“.  And indeed it was – in Tain, Dornoch and Lairg.  Splendid ecumenical gatherings in all three in which people from across the denominations took active parts.  Thanks to everyone involved at all three places – they were very special reflective, prayerful and joyous gatherings.

The service was based on: Luke 14:15-24 – The Parable of the Great Banquet, when those invited all made their excuses and the Master of the House ordered his servants to “Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.”  The table was set following the guidance of the Women of Slovenia, to include symbols of their culture: bread (in the shape of a cross), wine, water, salt, carnations and rosemary.

After the services what else but sharing the banquet prepared by the hosts:

The Anne Frank Trust is dedicated to create a society safe from prejudice and discrimination, mainly through its work in schools and prisons.

On Thursday evening those who attended the latest ERICG meeting were each asked to reflect on a different quotation from the remarkable diary written by this young Jewish girl whilst in hiding from the Nazis. The presentation, with few spoken words needed, relied on emotionally powerful video clips of current victims of oppression and prejudice, in the form of anti-semitism, homophobia, and bullying of those perceived as ‘different’, interspersed with photos of Anne and her life: a normal young girl, leading a normal life…. until the day her family had to go into hiding.

The effect on the audience was palpable, there was much animated discussion both during and after the presentation, with everyone expressing a determination to do their utmost to fight discrimination, prejudice and bullying wherever they meet it, along with the realisation that, even here in this relatively peaceful and beautiful part of the world, these things still exist.

Today in St Andrew’s, we celebrated the Feast of the Presentation (Candlemas), with a ‘Bring a Friend to Church‘ service, followed by fellowship and food.  Quite a lot of ‘friends’ joined us for what was a very joyous and uplifting service.

A big thank you to all our visitors and to the congregation of St Andrew’s for doing so much to make them welcome, looking after them both during the service and afterwards in the hall with food and conversation – true Hospitality.

Last Friday was the Feast Day of St Brigid (or Bride).  Brigid was born in 5th century Ireland.  She established a double monastery for men and women in Kildare around 470AD as a centre of education, pilgrimage, worship and hospitality.  Brigid’s spirit of hospitality was legendary. For Brigid, every guest is Christ – “Let all guests who arrive be received as Christ“.

What a lovely afternoon of prayer and carols, nativity readings and Christingle making we had in Lairg.  Folk from all of the local Churches and Fellowships and many others from round and about came together to mark Christmas in the Lairg Christians Together (LCT) Family Christmas Service.

A group of the children who attend the LCT Big Club sang “A Starry Night”, and they were really good and we all joined in the final chorus.

At the end, the Christingles were lit and the congregation processed out of the Church and to the hall for mince pies, sausage rolls, shortbread and tea and coffee.

A splendid occasion for young and old.  Thanks to everyone who organised, helped, read, sang, played and made tea and to everyone who came and provided such a wonderful atmosphere.