News

Sing to the Lord a New Song

sheumais Charities Shop, Local, News

Each year at the end of the summer season, St Finnbarr’s congregation invites all the wonderful helpers who work so hard in the Charities Shop throughout the year to a sumptuous afternoon tea in order to say Thank You for a job well done (and over £34,000 raised this year so far).

After the tea, there is always an ‘entertainment’.  Due to unforeseen circumstances, the entertainment this year had to be changed at short notice and a dozen members of the Golspie Choral Society (above) gave of their time to provide a delightful rendition of a number of the pieces that they have worked on in the recent past.  As you can see, the guests really enjoyed their afternoon.

A huge Thank You to all those who work so hard in the Charities Shop the work that you do is much appreciated throughout the community.  And a huge Thank You to the choir who gave up their Saturday afternoon at short notice to help out and Fr Simon for getting them together.

Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers.

sheumais Diocese, News, Reflections

A stimulating and uplifting St Gilbert and St Boniface Regional Synod yesterday.  For those of you who cannot imagine that those two adjectives can be used in the same sentence as Regional Synod, just look at the expressions on the faces of those who were there.

We started with a celebration of St Michael and All Angels, led for us by Revd Julia, followed by refreshments and a chance to make new friendships and renew old ones.  At the business meeting that followed, once the usual administrative matters were out of the way, Synod discussed two more substantive matters and very much were DOERS as they set up groups to work on motions for Diocesan Synod.  … and that was all before lunch!!

After lunch Ley-Anne Forsyth (in the foreground above) spoke movingly and passionately about Child Poverty in the Highlands and in smaller groups we again looked at what we could DO to help in our communities.  Ley-Anne said that she had hoped that she could set us alight in her session, but found that we were at the very least starting to glow before she started and well ablaze by the time we finished.

St James says in his Epistle:  “Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. … Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

On the Feast of St Michael and All Angels, this Regional Synod might reasonable be described in these words by Bernard of Clairvaux:

“but even if the splendour and glory of the holy angels before God is beyond our comprehension, we can at least reflect upon the loving-kindness they show us. For there is in these heavenly spirits a generosity that merits our love, as well as an honour that evokes our wonder. It is only right that we who cannot comprehend their glory should all the more embrace their loving-kindness in which, as we know, the members of the household of God, the citizens of heaven, the heirs of paradise, are so exceedingly rich.”

A New Deacon in the North

sheumais Diocese, News

On Saturday, Revd Ellie Charman was ordained Deacon by Bishop Mark in Inverness Cathedral (Ellie is in the middle next to +Mark). It was good to have Revd Tembu Rongong from the Edinburgh Diocese (also the Convenor of the Provincial Youth Committee) as preacher.

Ellie will serve her curacy with the congregations in Thurso and Wick guided by Fr Chris and so many of you will get the opportunity to meet Ellie in the next wee while – perhaps at the Regional Synod in Dingwall on 29th September.  In the meantime I am sure that you all join with me in welcoming Ellie to the North and wishing her well as she starts her ordained ministry.

Welcome to Fiona

sheumais Local, News

Photo thanks to Caroline Daye

Lovely joint service today in St Andrew’s as Bishop Mark welcomed Fiona to our Church Family as she was Confirmed in her faith.  Afterwards, we shared fellowship, food and fun.  Thanks everyone who helped in any way, a splendid team effort.  It was lovely to have so many visitors and old friends in St Andrew’s as well as those who crossed the bridge from Dornoch.  And Fiona, its lovely to have you amongst us as well as giving us an excuse for a party.

SEI September Newsletter

sheumais News, SEI

The Scottish Episcopal Institute, which is responsible for training priests, deacons and lay readers in our Church, produces a monthly newsletter.  If you are interested in what the Institute and its students (including our own Don Grant) have been up to, you can read all about it September 2018 News from SEI.  Each student has a Diocesan Advisor, a number of whom are pictured above at a training day.

This weekend marks the start of the new year for the Scottish Episcopal Institute, which trains Priests, Deacons and Lay Readers for our Church. So from 31 August to 4 September SEI staff and students are staying at St Mary’s Monastery Kinnoull for five days of orientation when the new students can meet the continuing ones and the teaching and pastoral staff and everyone can get to know each other.

SEI August Newsletter

sheumais News, SEI

The Scottish Episcopal Institute, which is responsible for training priests, deacons and lay readers in our Church, produces a monthly newsletter.  If you are interested in what the Institute and its students (including our own Don Grant) have been up to, you can read all about it  August 2018 News from SEI.

Next month marks Mrs Denise Brunton who has been SEI’s Administrator throughout its life, and before that worked for TISEC and Coates Hall. In total, Denise has served the Scottish Episcopal Church for 27 years! A remarkable achievment from someone who has touched  the lives of many people, through her immensely caring attitude to all that she does and all those she meets.

Braw Bricht Nicht Music

sheumais Local, News

Accordion Duo Wow Dornoch – again!

Igor
Oleksii

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the eleventh year running these hugely talented musicians held a large audience spellbound as they made a couple of button-key accordions make sounds that convinced those listening that they were listening to a whole orchestra, an organ, strings or even the pipes.

In a programme featuring the music of Widor, Prokofiev, Bor, Heidrich, Bizet/Waxman, Khachaturian, Rimsky-Korsakov/Zubitsky and a number of other Ukranian composers, these professional musicians entertained us with their skill, their humour and their sheer virtuosity.

And all in the name of the charity Hippokrat, which supports the mothers of children born in the Ukraine since the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986. Many of these children have severe physical and mental problems and need constant support, even though they are now young adults.

Each summer this duo devote their holidays to raising money to support these families who get little help from the state – a labour of love. They left Dornoch having raised nearly £750 (including about £120 in CD sales) and appear again tonight at St Andrew’s Fortrose.

They intend to return next year, so look out for them and make it a date – superb entertainment and a very worthy cause!!

 

 

 

Charities Shop Distribution of Monies

sheumais Charities Shop, Local, News

The distribution of funds from St Finnbarr’s Charities Shop for this year is now complete.
£15,440 has been distributed among the following organisations:

  • Alzheimer Scotland for Dornoch Dementia Cafe
  • Angel Faces (Christian Fellowship Playgroup)
  • Friends of Brora Learning Centre
  • Caithness and Sutherland Women’s Aid
  • CALA (formerly Family First East Sutherland)
  • Citizens Advice Bureau
  • Crossroads (East Sutherland) Care
  • Dornoch Academy Additional Support Team
  • Dornoch Academy School Library
  • Dornoch Area Resilience Group
  • Dornoch and District Community Association
  • Dornoch BRIG (Dornoch Beach Regeneration Improvement Group)
  • Dornoch Brownies
  • Dornoch Cathedral Boys’ Brigade/Shipmates
  • Dornoch Firth Group
  • Dornoch Flowers and Fairs
  • Dornoch Primary School Additional Support Team
  • Dornoch Youth Café
  • East Sutherland Rescue Association
  • Friends of Oversteps
  • Historylinks
  • Lawson Cambusavie Memorial Hospital Friends
  • Little Lambs (Free Church Playgroup)
  • Maggies Highland
  • Meadows Patients’ Comfort Fund
  • Migdale Hospital Comfort Fund
  • SSAFA Forces Help
  • Sutherland Schools Pipe Band
  • Support in Mind Scotland (Golspie Gatehouse)

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.

A Cause for Celebration

sheumais Local, News

At our joint service this morning, we helped St Finnbarr’s organist Gill, mark a significant birthday.  Part of that was of course cake and the singing of Happy Birthday.  Congratulations Gill, it was special for us too.

Come to me … and I will give you rest

sheumais Crask, News

‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’  Matthew 11:28-30

Almost 30 people met at the Crask for a service that was best summarised by the Gospel for today – that wonderful passage above.  We celebrated the Eucharist, shared lunch together and yes, found rest for our souls. That in summary is what the ministry at the Crask has been about pretty much ever since Kai and Mike took on this isolated wayside Inn on a dozen years ago and is now being continued by Douglas and Denise.

We welcomed eleven folk who came on a (mini)bus trip up from Inverness Cathedral and also a couple from Germany who are travelling around in their campervan, as well as people from around the northern parts of the Diocese.

Douglas and the team sustained us, whilst also catering for a fair number of others passing by and feeling peckish.  If you have never been to a service at the Crask, you can always find one on the third Thursday of the month at noon and you will be most welcome.