SOUTH RONALDSAY & BURRAY PARISH NEWSLETTER. Parish Contact List AUTUMN 2016 DUTY ELDERS

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1 Parish Contact List MINISTER Stephen Manners Tel: The Manse Mobile: St Margaret s Hope smanners@churchofscotland.org.uk SOUTH RONALDSAY & BURRAY SESSION CLERK DEPUTE SESSION CLERK Shaun Hourston-Wells Mrs Margaret Laughton Westlea Skerloom St Margaret s Hope Eastside Tel: Tel: shaun.orkney@googl .com margaret.laugton@btinternet.com TREASURER CLERK TO THE BOARD Mrs Yvonne Nicholson Mrs Mary Omand Quoys Burnlea South Parish Eastside Tel: Tel: Annual shoe box appeal - This appeal is from 1 st to the 20 th of October when the Guild ladies pack and wrap shoeboxes to go via Blythswood Care. Our drop off points for goods for the boxes are Burray Shop, Doull s, Robertsons and the Church. Any Guild member will also be willing to accept goods. We can t accept second hand knitwear or clothes. Money donations are also accepted to help with fuel etc. Do keep collecting shoeboxes and items to go inside the Shoebox Appeal. Thank you in anticipation of a good response. Marjory Nicol DUTY ELDERS Oct - Lorna Whyte (Board member) Tel: Nov - Margaret Laughton Tel: Dec - Yvonne Widdall Tel: (Board member) (Elders on duty are also key holders) PARISH NEWSLETTER Scottish Charity No. SC CCCL license AUTUMN 2016

2 Minister s letter Today I am giving you a choice - Deutoronomy FUNERALS CHURCH AND PARISH REGISTER In life we have many choices to make. Every day we make choices. What we are going to wear, what we are going to eat, what T.V. programmes we are going to watch. Some of the choices we make are easy ones. We make them without too much thought. But at times we have to make big decisions. Life changing ones. Where are we going to live and work? Who are we going to marry and spend the rest of our life with? The biggest choice of all that we can make is choosing to follow Jesus. Choosing to be a disciple. Choosing to pick up our cross and follow him. We need to think carefully before we make this choice if we haven t already done so. Think carefully about all that it costs us. Jesus put it starkly to the people in the crowds following him and he puts it starkly to us. "Those who come to me cannot be my disciples unless they love me more than they love father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and themselves as well. Luke It is not always easy to be a disciple but we know that it is the only way to experience life in all its fullness. It is what we were made for! Stephen Open Day and Asha at the Manse There will be an Open Day at the Manse between am and 4.30 pm on Sat the 24th of September. This will be a fundraiser for ASHA. Any donations will go to Mike and Rosey Whittle s charity and there will be ASHA goods for sale. Please come along and bring a friend! The eternal God is your dwelling place and underneath are everlasting arms 6th July BAPTISMS William PL Thomson, South Manse, Burray Let the children come to me;...for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 24 August Lochlan Reid Scott son of Douglas and Lauren Scott The Guild After the summer break, the Guild began their programme with a fascinating talk on the Marie Curie nurses in caring for the terminally ill and was given by Linda Lennie. Marie Curie Orkney are planning on planting as many daffodils as possible, in memory of loved ones and as a reminder of their work, on the road by the new hospital site. This event will be on Saturday 19th November and we have been invited to participate. The next few months will be busy ones for the Guild! Some dates for your diary include: Thursday 15th September 10 am pm - The Guild Roadshow at St Magnus Centre Monday 3rd October from 2 pm - Shoebox set up at St Margaret s Church Tuesday 4th October 7.30 pm - Guild Meeting - Christmas Shoebox appeal Tuesday 1st November 7.30 pm - Guild Meeting - A talk by Alison Hutchings 13th-20th November - Guild Week Tuesday 15th November 7.00 pm - The Big Sing at East Kirk Saturday 19th November 2-4 pm - Vintage Cream Teas at St Margaret s Church Tuesday 6th December 7.30 pm - Guild Christmas Meal As always, thanks go to everyone who contributes to and participates in this programme in any way and makes the Guild s work possible. Krissy Simpson, Secretary

3 Dates for your diary September 28 th Drop in coffee from to 12 October 2 nd Communion at St Margaret s at 11am 3 rd Prayer meeting in Ben-end at 2pm. 4 th Guild meeting at 7.30pm 10 th Board meeting at 7.30pm 17 th Prayer meeting in Ben-end at 2pm. 26 th Drop in coffee from to th Sunday at 6 in St Margaret s November 1 st Guild meeting at 7.30pm 7 th Prayer meeting in Ben-end at 2pm. 19 th Prayer meeting in Ben-end at 2pm. 24 th Asha at the Manse between and 4.30pm 25 th Sunday at 6 in St Margaret s The Linties will be with us. 13 th Remembrance Sunday service 10am at St Margaret s, 11am at the War Memorial. 14 th Session meeting at 7.15pm 21 st Prayer meeting in Ben-end at 2pm. 27 th Sunday at 6 in St Margaret s 30 th Drop in coffee from to 12 December 5 th Prayer meeting in Ben-end at 2pm. 12 th Board meeting at 7.30pm 19 th Prayer meeting in Ben-end at 2pm. 24 th Christmas Eve service at 11.30pm 25th Christmas Day service at am FROM THE TREASURER In July we again had a stall at the Annual Sports Day, this year it was a perfect day for the event. There were hot and cold drinks, filled rolls as well as home bakes. The sum of was raised, thanks to everyone who contributed on the day and attended the stall. We hosted a lunch in St Margaret s Church on 20 th June for some members of the congregation of St Columba s Church in London, where Rev Andrea Price is assistant minister. There were over 30 members doing a tour of Orkney and left a generous donation for the lunch. The standing orders for the contributions to Edinburgh are from February to November. The ministers travel expenses are invoiced quarterly from Edinburgh. The Insurance premiums are paid monthly as is the council tax on the Manse. There will be some more fabric repairs required on the buildings in the future and a programme of redecoration is to be arranged. New envelopes are available for anyone who wants to make a one off gift aid donation. The wording for gift aid has been changed again. Forms for regular Gift Aid donations are also available. I have received the new weekly free will envelopes so if anyone wants to start using these please just ask. The Soft Play room continues to be popular with the young mothers. Birthday parties are sometimes held in the hall and playroom. The other rooms are available for hire for meetings. Drop in. Yvonne Nicholson You are welcome to drop in for tea/coffee biscuits and a chat on the last Wednesday of the month, in St. Margaret s Church. We use the meeting room and the church is open for quiet time and for the lighting of a candle should you wish. Drop in is from am until mid-day and there is no charge. Marion Dicken

4 Music and song ring out at the Guild s annual gathering The Guild s Annual Gathering brought 2,100 people from all over Scotland to the Caird Hall in Dundee for an inspiring weekend of sharing, worship, song and even dancing in the aisles. Another 600 people took part in the event by watching a live feed in homes and churches across the country. The keynote speaker at the gathering was Sally Magnusson who spoke about her mother s battle with dementia and how music can help people reconnect with their memories. The broadcaster talked about founding Playlist for Life, a charity that has pioneered using music to break though the barriers of dementia. Music from different stages in a person s life can help them remember the joy and happiness of earlier years. Some years ago my mother, Mamie Baird, wrote Out of Silence, the history of the Guild's first hundred years as a profoundly innovative social movement, Ms Magnusson said. I was immensely proud to come to the Gathering in Dundee and address the people who are still doing so much in churches and communities across Scotland. I am overjoyed that the Guild is willing to support Playlist for Life, the charity I established after my mother s death to bring the power of personally meaningful music to people living with dementia and their families. With the Guild behind us, I reckon we can do anything! For the first time in living memory Guild members were inspired to get up and dance in the aisles as they rocked out to music from the Heart & Soul Swing Band. Rosemary Johnston, the Guild s National Convener, said she was happy to send members back to their local churches inspired and energised. The Guild is Bold and Strong and we showed just how much on Saturday. Website - Our website is regularly updated. On Friday afternoons the blog column is renewed. This usually introduces the theme of the next Sunday s worship service. In the worship section you will find the order of service and most Sunday afternoons the bible readings and sermon are also there for you to read. Let Stephen know if there is anything else that you d like to see on our website. Sunday Club has restarted. We meet Hope Church. If you re primary school age do come along and join us.. we d love to see you! In December this year I will be standing down from my position as Sunday Club leader. It has been a privilege working with and getting to know so many children over the years. I would like to thank everyone who has given me their support and encouragement, both from within the church and also as parents. Wilma Currie 'On the Road' Listening, Sharing, Planning Kirk leaders are going On the Road' this autumn running a series of day and evening events across the country to hear from you. We want both to listen to your ideas and to share thinking about the future direction of the ministry and mission of the Church of Scotland. They will be in Kirkwall on September 28 th at Kirkwall East Church from 11am to 3pm. This is not just an event for others it is for you! Only by hearing from you, can we be informed to plan more effectively for the future mission and ministry of the Church. We are anticipating significant numbers of people at these events, so it would be helpful in planning if you would book a place at the event which best suits you. This can be done very simply online using the Eventbrite system and booking is open now at

5 Rev Dr Stuart Picken - Minister from 1966 to 1972 in South Ronaldsay and Burray It was with sadness that we heard of the death of a former minister, Rev Dr Stuart Picken, who died on Friday 5th August. I m sure there will still be many who remember his time as minister here. A lasting legacy was the book he wrote and had published - The Soul of an Orkney Parish. After leaving, he went to Japan where he became Professor of Philosophy at the International Christian University and remained there for 25 years. Upon his retirement from his academic posts, he returned to Scotland to re-enter the ministry in 2005, as minister of the linked charge of Ardoch with Blackford from which he retired 2 years ago. We remember his family in our prayers his daughters known to us, Janette and Fiona and his wife Hongwen and other children William and Lynn. We also remember at this time the late Mrs Rickman formerly of Ronaldsvoe, Quindrie, whose ashes were scattered on 14th June 2016 on her husbands grave in St Peter s. Mission statement At a recent meeting of the Kirk Session the elders agreed to a new mission statement for the congregation. It has three points. To know Jesus. To live Jesus. To share Jesus. We will look at the second point this month To live Jesus So then, my friends, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer. Romans 12.1 How do we live Jesus by all the things that we collectively and individually do to serve our communities. What do we do just now? - Peedie Pandas, Guild, Braeburn coffee mornings and services. Involvement in local groups bowling and golf club. Cromarty Hall, Pantomimes, Bingo, Marengo Centre lunch club, school lunch club and other things. Is there more that we could do collectively and individually? Though it s not just about doing. It s also about being. Being in God s presence and finding moments to contemplate that. Sara Prior-Sanderson is the daughter of Jan and Bob Prior-Sanderson from Burray. She spent several months of her recent Bible college course volunteering in Kirkwall. Below she shares something about herself and her continuing story. Sara Prior-Sanderson CMS people in mission Israel/Palestine My calling is to serve the people of Israel and Palestinian Territories as a Christian witness to Jesus love and compassion for all people. Dear friends, I m very excited to share with you that I have been selected by the Church Mission Society to serve on a short-term two year mission in Israel and Palestine, with a view to discerning my long-term calling while out there. As this is my first link letter, I thought I would take the opportunity to tell you a little about myself and my calling to Israel and Palestine. My interest in travel and other people and cultures stems from growing up as a military child. My father served in the armed forces and we lived in a number of different countries across the world. While I was at boarding school I gained an insight into different churches too. During the school term I attended the local Anglican church but during holidays, when visiting my maternal grandparents I attended a Baptist church. By my late teens I began to question my beliefs and unfortunately felt unable to discuss this with anyone, and so I walked away from church. I spent the next 20 years exploring other faiths and philosophies, but during this time I could not let go of God, and God did not let go of me. I think this period of exploration has prepared me for serving in a cross-cultural environment, giving me an insight and sensitivity to other beliefs. I returned to church in March 2011, the same Anglican

6 Church I attended while at school, and my journey towards mission began, although now I see it as a continuation! I went on a short mission trip to Hungary with my church. I then attended the Keswick Convention, where I met the Church Mission Society team and responded to the call to mission. As a result I applied to Redcliffe Bible College. Before starting Bible college, I felt very strongly that the Lord was asking me to go to Israel. I thought that because I had had such a long absence from the church, this would provide a real understanding of the places where our Lord had lived and walked. Although it did that, while I was there, the Lord really opened my eyes to all the different people of the Holy Land and the complexities of living there and I felt a desire to understand the situation for the people on a daily basis. This desire was deepened in 2015 when I spent nine weeks on placement with a reconciliation ministry based in Jerusalem. In June I graduated from Redcliffe and I will be working with Jerusalem Evangelistic Outreach (JEO) based in Jerusalem. JEO is a media, teaching and community outreach ministry that seeks to share the love of Christ and to strengthen the churches, impacting the society. They do this through a variety of outreach programmes. My role is mainly in an administrative capacity, working across various aspects of their outreach programmes covering both Jerusalem and the West Bank. However, I hold a TEFL certificate and hope to be able to teach English too. I m very excited to be working with JEO and look forward to seeing how the Lord s plan for my life unfolds. I hope you will join me in the journey. Points for prayer and praise: Give thanks for my successful graduation in June and CMS training in July. Please pray for me as I prepare to move to Israel. Please pray for JEO as they begin my visa application, that all will go smoothly. Please pray for the staff and families of JEO and their work in Israel and Palestine. Please pray for peace and reconciliation among the people of Israel and Palestine. With love and blessings Sara If you want to support Sara by prayer or financially there are leaflets at church. Sara will also add you to her list if you d like to receive her prayer letters. churchmissionsociety.org Church Mission Society, Watlington Road, Oxford OX4 6BZ Tel: info@churchmissionsociety.org Sunday at 6 We have had three Sunday at 6 services; each one different from the other. At our first service on 3 rd July our theme was the role of hymns in worship and we welcomed the Orphir Stenness Kirk Choir as our guests. Our own music group took a major part in that service. We had two violinists, two flautists, a guitarist, a keyboard player a drummer and a second keyboard played as a cello. On 31st July we focused on prayer. This was a quieter and more thought provoking service. Prayer Stations were set up and we learnt more about Taize and experienced a tiny example of what a Taize service might be like. On this occasion, the music group led the singing. In August we welcomed as our guests the Town Band together with members of the Salvation Army Band. Our theme that evening was songs of praise and we sang many favourite hymns chosen by people from within the congregation. Our own keyboard player, drummer and organist took part. We are looking forward to our next Sunday at 6 on September 25 th when our guests will be The Linties and the theme will be how we use our senses in worship. We are delighted that Douglas Montgomery has accepted our invitation to Sunday at 6 and has agreed to bring some of his pupils to be our guests either on the last Sunday in October or the last one in November. Everyone is welcome to join us at Sunday at 6. Marion Dicken