This year is particularly important as it is 20 years since the service began.
Sometimes our thoughts and feelings can overwhelm us. It helps to get some Breathing Space. Pick up the phone. Breathing space offers a free, confidential, telephone and webchat service to anyone over 16 in Scotland experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety.
Death, bereavement and the making of a good funeral for Christians – a four part series for Lent.
‘Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return. Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ’.
In Lent, more than any other season we are reminded of our own mortality. It is an appropriate time to refresh our thinking on death. We will look at Christian hope at death.
We will reflect on the significance of the funeral ritual. Sometimes dreaded as an ordeal by mourners, we will consider how, if sensitively planned and conducted, the funeral can become an important transition to life beyond death for mourners and the person who died. We will engage with findings from recent research on what makes a good Christian funeral.
Understanding current thinking on bereavement and how that mirrors Christian theological thinking on death can equip us to find hopeful ways through grief. We will explore aspects of grief theories that may help us navigate our way through this painful experience.
These subjects touch on tender parts of our lives. Please do look after yourself. If the talks bring emotions to the surface which you need help with please do seek support from a trusted person you know or a source of support such as the free confidential Breathing Space helpline 0800 83 85 87.
The talks will be available on Youtube with links in advance via this page.
What is Christian hope at death? (Monday 26th February 2024)
Who is a Christian funeral for? (Monday 4th March 2024)
What makes a good Christian funeral? (Monday 11th March 2024)
How can Christians find a hopeful way through grief? (Monday 18th March 2024)
Presenter: Rev Dr Jane Edwards, a BACP Accredited Counsellor and Psychotherapist with 20 years experience, curate at St Baldred’s, North Berwick and St Adrian’s, Gullane and has recently completed a PhD on ‘What makes a good funeral’ with Durham University.
Our traditionally and very popular Pancake Party and Quiz takes place on Shrove Tuesday in St Andrew’s hall. The Quiz has been prepared and the catering is in hand, so all is now ready.
Points to note:
Pancake mix will be supplied but you should bring whatever you like in the way of fillings either savoury or sweet.
Please sign up on the list in St Andrew’s Hall or let Canon James know of your intention to attend (and how many people will accompany you) so that we can make sure that there’s sufficient accommodation and pancake mix for all.
After the pancakes and the quiz, there will be an opportunity for a number of people o do a Star Turn (recite, sing, play, or whatever else is your forte). If you would like to provide a small part of the entertainment, let Janet or James or Simon know, so that a programme can be worked out.
Our Lent Study Groups this year will meet on Wednesdays:
21stand 28th February and 6th, 13th and 20thMarch.
The groups will meet in person in the afternoons at 1:30pm at James and Anna’s house in Spinningdale.
The study is entitled “Freedom to Live – a journey through Galatians”.
The book of Galatians is written by the apostle Paul to churches in the province of Galatia (what is now central Turkey). Paul had traveled to the region on early missionary journeys, sharing the gospel with the Gentiles. As the churches grew and progressed, Jewish believers in Jesus began to come to the churches and insist that everyone followed to the letter the Law established through Moses for the Jewish community. Paul, hearing of this, became angry with the Jewish Christians, as he believed that this wasn’t the inclusive message of the gospel of Jesus. So Paul writes this letter to the Galatians to ‘restore’ their understanding of the gospel and what it means to be in right relationship with God.
In this study we will see what we as 21st century Christians might learn from all of this. You might guess since I have chosen this topic, that I think that we can learn a lot from it:-)
To whet your appetite, just remember that chapter 3 starts with Paul writing:
“You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?”
Galatians 3:1
Further details from Canon James. All are welcome, whether in our congregations or not. Anyone who would like access to the materials or to a paper copy (whether or not you are able to attend the sessions) please get in touch with James, so that they can be emailed out or printed for you, as appropriate
JESUS MAFA. “The Good Samaritan” from “Art in the Christian Tradition” Vanderbilt Divinity Library
Each year between 18th and 25th January, there is a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
This year there will be a service at:
St Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Manse Street, Tain
on Wednesday 24th January 2024
starting at 2:30pm
and a service at:
St Finnbarr’s Episcopal Church, School Hill, Dornoch
on Monday 22nd January 2024
starting at 1pm
This year, the service materials were prepared by an ecumenical team from the West African state of Burkina Faso facilitated by the local Chemin Neuf Community (CCN).
The chosen theme is ‘You shall love the Lord your God… and your neighbour as yourself’ (Lk 10:27). Brothers and sisters from the Catholic Archdiocese of Ouagadougou, Protestant Churches, ecumenical bodies and the CCN in the West African country of Burkina Faso collaborated generously in drafting the prayers and reflections.
The parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the best known passages of Scripture, yet one that never seems to lose its power to challenge indifference to suffering and to inspire solidarity. It is a story about crossing boundaries that calls our attention to the bonds that unite the whole human family.
In choosing this passage of Scripture for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the churches of Burkina Faso have invited us to join with them in a process of self-reflection as they consider what it means to love our neighbour in the midst of a security crisis. Communities in our context may be less vulnerable to acts of mass violence than in Burkina Faso, but there are still many living with the memory and/or the threat of serious violence, centred on issues of identity and belonging. There are also groups within communities, including people from ethnic minority backgrounds and people seeking asylum, who feel particularly vulnerable to violence or being displaced by the threat of violence.
All of whatever denomination (or none) are most welcome to join us in Christian Unity.
The St Finnbarr’s Charities Shop in Dornoch is now on Winter opening hours (though subject to short notice closure as a result of the weather).
The opening hours are Mondays to Saturdays from 10am to 1pm.
The Shop
The shop has been reorganised and has a New Look for the New Year and a half price sale for the month of January.
Donations of Items
It would be appreciated that if you have been saving donations of items for the shop that you drop them off during opening times only and in fairly small quantities as we have limited storage space.
Welcome
We look forward to welcoming everybody in the coming weeks, meanwhile keep safe.
Today we have our annual ecumenical service of Lessons and Carols in St Andrew’s, Tain at 3pm. Sing favourite carols and hear again the story of God coming into our world as a tiny baby – all are very welcome.
As you arrive you will pass our crib, this year nestling under the scaffolding, making a virtue of necessity and a poignant reminder that wonderful things can emerge from difficult circumstances.
After the service there will be mulled wine and soft drink, mince pies and shortbread and a chance to greet people from all the local churches as they meet together in peace and unity at this time when there is so much conflict and disharmony in our world.
Lord Jesus, who walked the land you made holy and blessed those who made peace; look with compassion on the people of your land today, Jew and Muslim and Christian, Israeli and Palestinian. May peace come for all with justice, may war cease and all live in harmony, and be the children of the one God who you made known, now and always. Amen.
The Very Rev Andrew Nunn
We pray without ceasing for justice, reconciliation, peace, and an end to hatred and war. We also pray for God to change the hearts of all leaders and decision-makers in our countries and around the world, For we are in dire need of hearts that love, show mercy, and are willing to live in unity with others – hearts that respect human dignity and choose life rather than death.
We entrust the countries of our Lord’s earthly home into the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, asking him to have mercy on us all and to give us his peace and blessing. Amen.
Archbishop Hosam Naoum, Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem
Scottish Episcopal Church - Dornoch, Lairg, Brora, Tain & Tongue 