Notices

Churches open for Prayer and Reflection

sheumais Events, Notices

The Episcopal Churches in Tain, Dornoch and Brora will be open today between 10am and 5pm for anyone who wishes to have a quiet place to pray and reflect on the life and death of Queen Elizabeth II or just a quiet place to be.

At Noon, the bells in St Finnbarr’s Dornoch and St Andrew’s Tain will be tolled 96 times to mark this sad day in the life of our nation as we remember a remarkable woman who dedicated herself to a life of service for over 60 years as Queen and was carrying out her duty until two days before her death.

Eternal Lord God, you hold all souls in life:
Shed forth upon your faithful servant, Queen Elizabeth,
the bright beams of your light and heavenly comfort;
And grant that she, and we with her,
may at length enter into the joys of your eternal kingdom;
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.
Amen.

Season of Creation – September 2022

sheumais Events, Notices, Services

The Season of Creation runs from 1st September until 4th October (The Feast of St Francis).

This year we have a number of things going on in addition to our usual services:

Study Groups

There will be five pairs of sessions, based on material produced in South Africa in 2008 by members of  Green Anglicans – one after each of the midweek services in:

  • St Finnbarr’s Dornoch (Wednesdays starting at about 11am) and
  • St Andrew’s Tain Hall (Thursdays starting at 7pm)

on:

  • 31st Aug/1st Sept – The Earth is the Lord’s
  • 7th/8th Sept – Water: the Source of Life
  • 14th/15th Sept – Climate Change
  • 21st/22nd Sept – Need not Greed
  • 28th/29th Sept – Stewardship: Caring for God’s Creation

The materials for the five sessions can now be found on the Study Group page.

Stations of Creation

There will be four services in different locations spread through the season:

  • St Andrew’s Tain – Friday 9th September at 5:30pm
  • St Trolla’s at the Crask – Thursday 15th September at 2:00pm
    (the same day as the Eucharist at noon)
  • St Columba’s Brora – Friday 23rd September at 5:30pm
  • St Finnbarr’s Dornoch – Tuesday 4th October at 5:30pm (The Feast of St Francis)

The service is based around St Francis’ “Canticle of the Creatures” and at each station there is a reflection from “Laudato si” Pope Francis encyclical on Care for Creation.

Season of Creation Study Groups – 2022

sheumais Events, Notices
Artwork by Bob Mash

Our Study Groups for the Wednesdays and Thursdays of the Season of Creation (the month of September) this year will be based on material produced in South Africa by members of Green Anglicans

There will be five pairs of sessions, one after each of the midweek services in:

  • St Finnbarr’s Dornoch (Wednesdays starting at about 11am) and
  • St Andrew’s Tain Hall (Thursdays starting at 7pm)

on:

  • 31st Aug/1st Sept – The Earth is the Lord’s
  • 7th/8th Sept – Water: the Source of Life
  • 14th/15th Sept – Climate Change
  • 21st/22nd Sept – Need not Greed
  • 28th/29th Sept – Stewardship: Caring for God’s Creation

The sessions will be largely independent of each other, so you are welcome even if you can’t manage all of them. Also the sessions will be similar in each of the venues, so you can mix and match to suit your diary.

If you wish any more information, speak to or contact Canon James.

Because
the Divine could not
express itself in any single being,
the Divine created the great multiplicity
of beings so that the perfection lacking to one
would be supplied by the others. Thus the whole
universe together participates in and manifests
the divine more than any single being
whatever.
St Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274)

Flower Festival in Creich Church

sheumais Events, Notices
Creich Church – Bonar Bridge

Creich Church in Bonar Bridge is holding its annual Flower Festival this coming week.

The Church will be open on the following days and times:

  • Friday 12th Aug 10am – 4pm ( pancakes and tea) 
  • Saturday 13th Aug  10am – 4pm
  • Sunday 14th Aug 10 – 11am and 2 – 4pm

On. Sunday 14th there will also be a celebratory Songs of Praise at 6pm.

All are very welcome.

War Memorial Centenaries

sheumais Events, Notices
Dornoch War Memorial

It is now over a century since the Great War, came to an end in 1918. In the period shortly after the war, war memorials were established in most communities to commemorate those who had lost their lives in the war. After the Second World War, additional names were added to those memorials and some have had names added in relation to subsequent conflicts.

Most of the memorials were built and dedicated in the period 1921-1922 although one or two were a little later, so several of the war memorials in the Creich & Kincardine area are marking their centenaries shortly.  

The centenary commemorations are:

  • Kincardine (Ardgay) – Monday 15th August, 2.45 for 3pm
  • Rogart – Saturday 24th September, 10.30am
  • Lairg – Friday 30th September, 10.45 for 11am 

All local residents are welcome, and the organisers would particularly like to hear from anybody with family connections to those named on the memorials, or to people who died in the many subsequent conflicts. If you have any information speak to James who can put you in touch with the appropriate organisers.

The Feast of Corpus Christi

sheumais Notices, Reflections

The Feast of the Thanksgiving for Holy Communion, commonly called, Corpus Christi was first celebrated in the 14th Century. It began as a local custom to celebrate the Mystery of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist and slowly spread throughout the Church, finally being added to the Kalander in the 15th Century.  In our Kalander we calebrate Corpus Christi on the Thursday after Trinity.

William Harry Turton’s hymn “O thou who at thy Eucharist didst pray” sung to a lovely tune (Song 1) by Orlando Gibbons.

Perhaps the most famous aspect of Corpus Christi (literally the Body of Christ), that people associate with this feast day, is the great processions through cities, towns and villages.  The Blessed Sacrament is held aloft by a priest, in a monstrance, as a public statement that the sacrifice of Christ was for the salvation of the whole world.

Monstrances are one of those liturgical curios that appear sometimes, but in our tradition not very regularly.

The Host (the consecrated Bread) sits in the glass plate in the centre with ‘rays of glory streaming out from it‘. A reminder of the Glory of Christ, present in the Eucharist, and the glory of the Heavenly Banquet that we join when we take Communion together.

Traditionally, at the end of the Mass on Corpus Christi the Host (the consecrated Bread) is placed in a monstrance and the congregation spend some time reflecting on this Mystery of Christ made present in the bread and wine.

The officiating Priest would then take the monstrance and carry it aloft down through the church and out into the streets – with servers throwing rose petals down in front of it to make a carpet – a bit like confetti at a wedding – with bells ringing out to tell everyone that Christ was walking among them in the Eucharist

Corpus Christi represents more than just the Church giving thanks for the way that Christ remains, with us always – even unto the ends of the Earth. It’s a celebration that we, the Church, are united in and as the Body of Christ.

Prayer for the Queen’s Jubilee

sheumais Events, Notices, Services

The Queen’ Platinum Jubilee celebrations take place from 2-5 June, marking Her Majesty’s 70 years of service as Monarch.

A prayer has been prepared by the Liturgy Committee to mark the occasion. It has been approved by the College of Bishops for use in their dioceses.

Prayer for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

Almighty and eternal God,
you uphold and govern all things 
both in heaven and on earth, 
and by your grace alone kings and queens do reign.
 
We thank you for all the blessings which you have bestowed upon us 
throughout the reign of our sovereign lady, Queen Elizabeth, 
whom you have set over us these threescore years and ten.
 
We thank you for the wisdom of her guidance and her love of peace, 
for the care and devotion with which she has served her people, 
for the example of her gracious life.
 
As we rejoice before you with thankful hearts, 
we pray that we may ever be united in love and service to one another, 
as people called to live according to your will, 
for the good of all the world, 
and the glory of your great name, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Service of Thanksgiving

There will be a Service of Thanksgiving for Her Majesty’s life and reign at Tain Parish Church on Sunday 5th June at 8pm – all are welcome.

Daffodil Day – 9th April 2022

sheumais Events, Notices

You are invited to a

Daffodil Day

which due to flooding in the garden at Knockbreck House
has been moved to

The Duthac Centre, Tain

on Saturday 9th April 2pm-4pm

Beautiful Daffodils,
Refreshments with Home Baking,
Treasure Hunt,
Craft Stalls,
Daffodils for Sale,
Raffle,
Lucky Squares,
Garden Stall,
Book Stall,
Lucky Dip.

Fun for all the family

Donations Welcome

Organised by the Tain and Dornoch Firth Fundraising Group
in aid of Marie Curie which provides care and support through terminal illness

Sunday 27th March – Mothering Sunday

sheumais Notices, Services

Tomorrow, Sunday 22nd March, there will be a services at 11am in St Andrew’s, Tain and St Finnbarr’s, Dornoch for Mothering Sunday.  There will also be a Service of Prayer for World Peace in St Columba’s, Brora at 4:00pm.

 

Mothering Sunday

Since it is Mothering Sunday, there will be posies of spring flowers for all, so take this opportunity to Bring a Friend to share in the joyous celebration of the Family of the Church.  A huge thank you to those who even at this moment are making posies for everyone to take for their mother or a friend or whoever might appreciate it at this, the midway point of Lent.

“As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”

Isaiah 66:13

Don’t forget that the clocks go forward tomorrow, because it would be a great shame if you turned up just as everyone was leaving!  Also Alistair Risk begins his ‘Sleep Out‘ in the church grounds of St Columba’s after the service there, to raise money to buy Shelter Boxes to house refugees displaced by the war in Ukraine.

Prayer for Peace – Sunday 27th March – Brora

sheumais Notices, Services

A Service of Prayer, Music and Reflection

The next in our series of special services for Peace in our World, remembering especially the people of Ukraine and the neighbouring countries, will be

in

St Columba’s Episcopal Church, Brora

on

Sunday 27th March

at 4:00pm

Anyone who wishes to join us

Reflecting on and Praying for Peace

is most welcome.

After the Service Alistair Risk will begin his five nights of camping to support the Rotary Club of East Sutherland in raising funds to send Shelterboxes to Poland and wherever needed – each complete with tents for 8 people, bedding, cooking and eating utensils, First Aid equipment, Toys and books as well as tools and axes & a water tank, so that a family can survive in some sort of comfort for up to a year. There will be a retiring collection after the service in support of Alistair’s efforts.