The Scottish Episcopal Church. The Parish Magazine of St John the Evangelist Forres Charity Number SC The Eagle

Transcription

1 The Scottish Episcopal Church The Parish Magazine of St John the Evangelist Forres Charity Number SC The Eagle Advent - Christmas 2013 The season of Advent is upon us once again. A time of prayerful reflection, a time to wait patiently for the coming of the Christ Child into our hearts at Christmas. The year 2013 has proved to be a mixed year of ups and downs for the inhabitants of the Rectory and no doubt for everyone associated with St John s and beyond. None of us knows for certain what 2014 will bring for any of us, but we do know with certainty that Christmas is coming and I hope and pray that as you make preparation for the feast, that you will also make some time for yourselves and for God. Take the time, the prayer, the reflection, the opportunity that Advent offers to make a place in your heart for the Christ Child. May you have a blessed Christmas and a joyful New Year. With love and blessings Father Cliff

2 Great Glen Sponsored Cycle Ride Having done this ride to celebrate my 60 th birthday I thought it would be good to do it again when I had retired and had lots more time. However in my first year of retirement I was too busy! This year was our 40 th wedding anniversary and our daughter, Michelle got married so it seemed the auspices were good for go. Last time it took 9 hours. Would the passage of time tell on my legs? Due to the logistics of getting to Fort William and then collecting the car after the ride I decided to start from Inverness and head west, and so it was that my son John and I found ourselves admiring the early morning seascape of the Moray firth just opposite the football stadium. We cycled through Inverness to the swing bridge over the Caledonian Canal, where we turned off the tarmac and headed for our first test up the steep climb of Craig Dunain. 2

3 From the top the single track route flows through woodlands towards Abriachan, followed by a few miles of tarmac giving splendid views of the hills to the north. After some steep climbs the narrow tracks become Forestry Commission roads, and we sped down the long descent towards Drumnadrochit. Due to the dry summer the stones on these roads had become loose and it was like riding on marbles. John had soon disappeared in a cloud of dust but at least I could see his tracks in the gravel and follow his line (which I assumed was the right one!). Over the last mile the road narrowed into a single track winding through huge conifer trees with Loch Ness glinting below us. Again I was left behind, but John s speed earned him a broken spoke while my carelessness earned me a puncture as I crossed a stone drain on the track. Nothing daunted repairs were quickly carried out and we rolled into Drumnadrochit for our first chocolate stop of the day. The road to Fort William is very flat - not so the Great Glen Way, and the climb out of Drum had our lungs bursting and legs screaming to stop. Once at the top the route is less severe but still has some strength sapping slopes. We pushed on, stopping only to have our photo taken by an obliging walker to prove we actually did follow the route. Another exhilarating drop through woods saw us at Inversmoriston and - you guessed it more chocolate, yes, but more pain as we climbed again to reach the Forestry Commission roads which would lead us to Fort Augustus. Still on schedule we had our planned lunch, supplemented by a delicious Chelsea bun from the local shoppe. The good news was that now it was flat as we rode on the canal tow path. The bad news was that we now felt the strength of the wind in our faces. At Invergarry the route crosses to the east of Loch Oich and follows the line of an old railway line which originally ran from Fort William, but was closed in 1947 for economic reasons. Half way down the loch, cleared of the encroaching woodland, there remains a platform. 3

4 At each end there are stems of 2 huge Douglas Fir trees standing like totem poles. A rather posh sign gives the history showing a picture of a goods train under the heading leaves on line. Our next target (Loch Lochy) loomed up, and crossing to the west of the loch we began the long haul to where we would meet the canal tow path again and be within striking distance of our goal. All went well until we took a wrong turn towards Achnacarry. We realised this was not the correct route (too much tarmac), but John was optimistic we could turn east at the next road. I was not too sure and after 5 miles a fisherman in a caravan informed us we were heading into Knoydart! So back we pedalled and regained the correct route and the long awaited tow path. Just a steady ten miles and we rolled into Fort William, meeting Dee, Graham and Michelle and a delicious fish supper (mobile phones do have their uses). We had been going for 9 hours 45 minutes, but taking off the time we were off piste the target time had been achieved. I raised just over 1400 for the Highland Hospice and I would like to express my sincere thanks for all of you who supported me so generously. Gareth Carol Service The Carol Service is at 7.00 pm on Sunday 22 nd December. Bring family and friends and enjoy the carols, mulled wine and minced pies. The Collection is in aid of the Aila Coull Foundation, please see the article on page 6. 4

5 Christmas Services at St John s The Fourth Sunday of Advent Sunday 22 nd December Holy Communion 8.00 am Holy Communion am Carol Service 7.00 pm Mulled Wine and Minced Pies Retiring Collection in aid of The Aila Coull Foundation Midnight Mass Tuesday 24 th December pm Christmas Day Holy Communion 8.00 am Children's Service (with Holy Communion) am St John the Evangelist Friday 27 th December Holy Communion am 5

6 FELLOWSHIP GROUP - will meet for lunch at the Mosset Tavern at noon on Monday 2 nd December. All are welcome. St JOHNS NOTICES MUSICK FYNE CONCERT Tuesday 3 rd December at 8.00 pm. Renaissance choral music by Thomas Tallis, Tomas Luis de Victoria, Robert Carver, and featuring the sublime Miserere by Gregorio Allegri. Admission 10 (including refreshments) in aid of church funds. SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE - Sunday 15 th December at 2.30 pm at Tom Ross & Sons Chapel, Orchard Road, Forres. An ecumenical service to remember all those who have died. All are welcome. BURNS SUPPER - Saturday 25 th January in the Church Hall. Volunteer speakers please contact Father Cliff. CHORAL EVENSONG - St Andrews Cathedral Inverness on 26 th January at 5.30 pm to mark the retirement of Father Cliff as Diocesan Dean. AUCTION & PANCAKE SUPPER - Tuesday 4 th March in the Church Hall at 7.00 pm. Aila Coull was born on the 22 nd April A little sister to Archie and a much longed for daughter to Sine & Fraser. Although it may sound clichéd, she really was one in a million. For 9 months Aila was a happy, normal baby. She was so content, her mummy often referred to her as an angel baby. She was always happy to sit & watch the world go by, taking everything in around her. Aila had a huge appetite, she was one of these kids whose face you barely had to wipe after a meal as everything went down the hatch but, one day in Feb 2012 she went completely off her food. A week or so later she had a nose bleed which lasted for 36 hours and then bled intermittently for the rest of that week. Six days after the nose bleed began Aila was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, she was just 10 months old and the Coull family s lives were changed forever. 6

7 Aila was treated for 5 months in Yorkhhill Children s Hospital in Glasgow with some of the most intense chemotherapy protocols available to a small baby. The strength of this chemo caused her immune system to be so depleted that she spent the majority of her time in hospital, almost a third of her life, in strict isolation where she could have no visitors. Only her mummy & daddy and the medical staff taking care of her could be in her room. She & her big brother used to shout at each other through a vent in the wall and she would bounce at the window every time she saw her grandparents looking in. She had no cuddly toys, everything had to be hard, plastic & wipeable to reduce her chances of catching an infection which could have been fatal. The chemo caused some horrible side effects but Aila sailed through. The sterile environment of her hospital room became her home and she thrived in there. But devastatingly, Aila s leukaemia was extremely chemo resistant and with every 5-6 week round of treatment she had, more leukaemia came back. She was all set to have a bone marrow transplant but sadly they could not clear enough leukaemia to be able to successfully transplant her and so, on the 10 th of August, 5 months to the day after her diagnosis, Aila left Yorkhill Children s Hospital for home with no more treatment available to her. Aila had 3 precious weeks at home with her family and on the 2 nd Sept, surrounded by love and holding her mummy & daddy s hands she passed on to the angels. Aila s gentle, but strong nature has inspired her parents to set up The Aila Coull Foundation in her memory in an attempt to help save other children with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia through research and awareness of the disease. It won t bring Aila back but if the foundation can help save one life then Aila s suffering will not have been in vain. St John s Carol Service is in aid of the Aila Coull Foundation. Please be as generous as you can be. 7

8 READERS ROTA DATE READER OLD TESTAMENT December 1 Advent NEW TESTAMENT GOSPEL Gill Horrocks Isaiah Romans Matthew December 8 Advent 2 December 15 Advent 3 December 22 Advent 4 Wiz Latham Isaiah Romans Matthew Sheila Biggs Isaiah James Matthew George Latham Isaiah Romans Matthew December 29 Christmas 1 Helen Barrett Isaiah Hebrews Matthew January 5 Epiphany January 12 Baptism of Christ January 19 Epiphany 2 January 26 Epiphany 3 February 2 Candlemas June Airey Isaiah Ephesians Matthew Gisela Bettle Isaiah Acts Matthew Mary Little Isaiah Corinthians John John Horrocks Isaiah Corinthians Matthew Jenny Swain Malachi Hebrews Luke This edition of the Eagle is available in full colour on St John s Website. The Very Reverend Clifford J Piper The Rectory, Victoria Road, Forres, IV36 3BN Phone: stjohnsforres@btinternet.com St John s website: Diocesan website: Provincial website: 8