February March 2018 Services and Prayers St Columba's Portree Newsletter Scottish Episcopal Church Diocese of Argyll and The Isles Somerled Square, Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9EH E-mail: stcolumbas.portree@btinternet.com Assistant Curate, The Rev d Rosemary Bungard, Tel: 01478 660248, 07719585732 Lay Leaders: Steve Fennell Tel: 01471 820168 Robert MacDonald Tel: 01478 613069 Stephen Plant Tel: 01470 582735 Interim Rector: The Rt. Rev d Kevin Pearson, Bishop of Argyll and The Isles General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church: SC015962 Charity Number: SC020146 to our visitors and parishioners St Columba s, Portree Eucharist each Sunday at. every Sunday and Wednesday at. Sunday school meets during the service in term time. Candlelit Taizé Hour is held the 1 st Wednesday of each month at 7.30pm. The chants are simple and the silent meditation periods between each song are short. Contemplative Prayer is held 3 rd Tuesday and one Sunday as advertised. The Church is open daily to 3pm. St Michael and All Angels, Raasay Eucharist fortnightly, 2 nd Tuesday and one Sunday as advertised. St Mary s, Sleat Liturgy of the Word and Communion or Eucharist 5pm on 2 nd Sunday of each month in the Parish Rooms of the Church of Scotland, Kilmore., Prayers and Thanksgivings Everyday St Columba s is open for Prayer. A book is on the table at the rear of the church for any prayer requests. St Columba s Newsletter February - March 2018 Page 1
Letter from Rev d Rosemary Dear Friends in Christ, February opens with the ancient celebration of Candlemas on the 2 nd. Candlemas commemorates the ritual purification of Mary, 40 days after the birth of her son Jesus. This day also marks the ritual presentation of the baby Jesus to God in the Temple at Jerusalem. Jesus was met at the temple by Anna and Simeon. Simeon held the baby Jesus and called him a Light to the World. The festival is called Candlemas because this is the day that all the Church's candles for the year are blessed. Our celebration will be at 7pm so that we can enjoy a candlelit service during which, if fine, we will take candles outside to take the Light of Christ to the world. Do join us. As Easter is early this year, there is a short time before Ash Wednesday which falls on Valentine s Day. During Lent we will use various resources to help us consider our own relationship with God including a couple of Sunday afternoon film studies and a quiet day which Rev Canon Sister Clare hopes to come and lead. There will also be a Bible study and a prayer group. Please consider joining one of these activities as we meet as a community to listen to God s word and discern his calling to us. At our recent AGM Barbara Rutterford retired from Vestry and from Bread Basket after many years faithful service. Margaret Greer retired from being Treasurer but remains on Vestry. Archie Edwards stepped down from Vestry but is continuing in his role as Buildings Officer. Thank you to all for your invaluable service. John Henderson, formerly our Examiner of Accounts, was elected to Vestry and becomes the new Treasurer. to this vital role John. A Special Meeting followed the AGM at which a new constitution was proposed and unanimously accepted. This has to be ratified at a further Special Meeting to be held on Sunday 4 th February at 12.15. Grateful thanks to Rev David Mumford who has covered my January holiday leave. Wishing you many blessings for 2018 Rosemary St Columba s Newsletter February - March 2018 Page 2
Christingle at St Columba s Lord Jesus, kindle a flame in these children's hearts that theirs like Thine become. John and I are newcomers to St Columba s, newcomers to the form of worship, newcomers to the Liturgy but not to the Message of Scripture which transcends all styles of Christian worship so, I thought, I can deal with whatever she throws at me. That was until she said, in that cheerfully optimistic way she has, It s Christingle on Saturday and it will be messy. Will you play? Have you ever tried to say no to Rosemary? So, with some measure of trepidation we turned up at the appointed time to find our leader boring holes into oranges and threading pieces of dried fruit and sweets onto cocktail sticks - they don t do this in the C of S, I thought. Primarily designed for the children, it was, none the less, an extremely moving and rewarding experience for all of us who took part. Not common in Scotland, Christingles have been taking place in England for nearly 50 years but the idea of them originated much further back in time, in the 18 th century. It began in Marienborn in Germany in 1747 where, at a children s service, Bishop Johannes de Watteville looked for a simple way to explain the happiness that had come to people as a result of the Lord Jesus Christ s coming to earth. He decided to have the children illustrate this joy symbolically by giving them each a lighted candle wrapped in a red ribbon. At the end of the service, whilst the children held their candles, the bishop said the prayer, Lord Jesus, kindle a flame in these children's hearts that theirs like Thine become. In 1968, John Pensom of The Children's Society adapted Christingle and introduced it to the Church of England. This involved children s decorating an orange with a red ribbon, dried fruits, sweets and a candle to create a new visual representation of Christ, the light of the world, celebrated by the lighting of the Christingle candles. Each piece of the Christingle holds special symbolism to help children understand the importance of Jesus and the Gospel, and its relevance at Christmas time. The orange represents the world; The red ribbon (or tape) symbolises God s love wrapped around the world and blood of Christ; The sweets and dried fruit represent all of God s creations; The lit candle represents Jesus s light in the world, bringing hope to people living in darkness. So, on Christingle Saturday we all got stuck in to the task of making our Christingles, interspersing the various stages in the construction with singings of carols, readings and prayer. She was quite right. It was messy but it was wonderful to watch the concentration on those little (and not so little faces) as they laced the sweets onto the cocktail sticks, wrapped the ribbons round the oranges and finally lit their candles lighting up their lives and ours as they showed The Lord s continuing love and providence to the whole of mankind. Many thanks to Rosemary for her imagination and industry and a wonderful start to the whole Christmas season. Fay St Columba s Newsletter February - March 2018 Page 3
Christmas Day Service Where else would you want to be but at St Columba's on Christmas morning? Our church was full of families. Everyone from the youngest to the not -so -young came to join in the worship and to sing the carols with feeling and enjoyment. The main event of the service was the Towers family Christmas play which as always surpassed all expectations. Our thanks have to go to Eilidh, Ciorstan, Iona, their cousins and our own church school children who put such a lot of effort into performing the play. This year Fiona had written a play about the journey of Christmas following the star. This highlighted our life journey and how Jesus came at Christmas to start his journey walking by our side. Thank you Fiona for all your artistic endeavors on our behalf. We must also thank Jim and all of the other adults who helped with the play. All the Children in the church came together to make a choir to sing the carol Away in a Manger. The singing led by Fay was superb (not a dry eye in the house). The Christmas Day service celebrates the announcement of God's supreme gift to the world and our exultation in the coming together of our families and friends. Thank you once again to one and all who worked to make this service so special. St Columba s Newsletter February - March 20188 Page 4
Images from Christmas Photographs clockwise Christingle The Three Kings Eastern corner St Columba s Newsletter February - March 2018 Page 5
Lions Club International - Used Spectacles Appeal The Lions Club has partnered with Moorfields Eye Hospital and the Lions of Ghana to build and run an Eye Hospital in Ghana which suffers from a high level of blindness. The unit will train surgeons from the whole of West Africa in the basic skills and sub-specialities necessary to carry on this work over a wide area. The Lions Club are appealing for old spectacles which they can have re-used in this project. Please drop off any spectacles for which you have no further use at St Columba s. St Columba s Newsletter February - March 2018 Page 6
Office Refurbishment The office refurbishment is now completed providing an efficient working environment and a calming and comfortable area for those who want a private chat. Rosemary would like to thank all those who helped. And a calming and private casual seating area for those who wish St Columba s Newsletter February - March 2018 Page 7
General Notices Car Drivers Occasionally some members of our congregation need transport to enable them to come and worship with us. It would be very helpful to have a few volunteers who could be called upon to offer this service. Please talk to Beth or Rosemary if you would like to be involved. Volunteers needed Help needed! We are short of volunteers for the following Church Duties Leading intercessions during the Sunday service - Training can be offered Providing and arranging Flowers in Church We would welcome offers from people willing to make a cake for Bread Basket on a rota basis. Gift Aid Envelopes Our Gift Aid Coordinator requests that people donating in this scheme check that they have paid sufficient tax in the last tax year to cover their donations. Thank you Come and Join Us every Wednesday to 2pm St Columba s Bread Basket Open every Wednesday 2 course lunch and drinks available to 2pm All are St Columba's Bread basket opened on 20th November 2013 and been greatly supported. We are now open every week for those who want Company, Warmth and Friendship. Rosemary is generally available for anyone requiring a private chat. If you would like to help out or contribute, we are always delighted to have offers of help especially for holiday cover. St Columba s Newsletter February - March 2018 Page 8
St Columba s Church Calendar February Fri 2 nd Feb Candlemas 7pm Sun 4th Eucharist Wed 7 th Taizé Hour 7.30pm Sun 11 th Eucharist St Mary s Eucharist 5pm Tues 13 th St Michael & All Angels Wed 14 th Eucharist & Imposition of Ashes Sun 18 th Eucharist Tues 20 th Contemplative Prayer Wed 21st Sun 25 th Communion Service St Michael & All Angels Eucharist Wed 28 th March Sun 4 th Eucharist Wed 7 th Taizé 7.30pm Sun 11 th Eucharist St Mary s Eucharist 5pm Tues 13 th St Michael & All Angels Wed 14 th Sun 18 th Communion Service Tues 20 th Contemplative Prayer Wed 21st Sun 25 th Blessing of Palms and Eucharist Tues 27 th St Michael & All Angels Holy Week Eucharist Wed 28 th Thurs 29 th Maundy Thurs Washing of Feet and Eucharist 7pm Fri 30 th Good Fri Service 2pm April Sun 1 st Lighting of Paschal Candle, Renewal of Baptism Vows & Eucharist Other Events at St Columba s Every Tues Skye Cancer Care 1-3.30 Every Wed Bread Basket 11-2pm Every Thurs (not Portree Slimmers 8 9pm 13 th March) Every Fri Tiny Tots 1.30 3pm 4 th Feb Special Meeting to ratify Constitution 12.15 5 th Feb Vestry Meeting 6 th Feb & 13 th Skye Chamber Music March 6 th & 7 th March Diocesan Synod, Oban St Columba s Newsletter February - March 2018 Page 9
Readings and Rotas Candlemas Fri 2 nd Feb 5 th Sunday after Epiphany 4 th Feb Mal 3.1-4 Heb 2.14-18 Luke 2.22-40 Isaiah 40.21-31 Ps 147.1-12 1 Cor. 9.16-23 Mk 1.29-39 Flowers Rev d Rosemary Muriel Watson Robert MacDonald Chrissanne McInnes Sunday before Lent 11 th Feb Ash Wednesday 14 th Feb 1 st Sunday of Lent 18 th Feb 2 nd Sunday of Lent 25 th Feb 3 rd Sunday of Lent 4 th March 4 th Sunday of Lent 11 th March Passion Sunday 18 th March 2Kg 2.1-12 Ps 50.1-6 2 Cor 4.3-6 Mk 9.2-9 Jl 2.1-2, 12-17 2 Cor 5.20b-6.10 Mt 6.1-6, 16-21 Gen 9.8-17 Ps 25.1-9 1 Pet 3.18-22 Mk. 1.9-15 Gen 17.1-7,15-16 Ps 22.22-30 Ro 4.13-25 Mk. 9.2-9 Ex 20.1-17 Ps 19 1 Cor 1.18-25 Jn 2.13-22 Nu 21.4-9 Ps 107.1-3,17-22 Eph. 2.1-10 Jn 3.14-21 Jeremiah 31.31-34 Psalm 51.1-13 Hebrews 5.5-10 John 12.20-33 Flowers Marion Roberts Eileen MacDonald Robert MacDonald Muriel Watson Stephen Plant Barbara Rutterford Jackie Torrance Jackie Torrance Eileen MacDonald Jackie Torrance Jackie Torrance Barbara Rutterford Stephen Plant Palm Sunday 25 th March Maundy Thurs 29 th March Palm Blessing: John 12.12-16 Isaiah 50.4-9a Psalm 31.9-16 Philippians 2.5-11 Mark 14.1-15.47 Exodus 12.1-4(5-10)11-14 Psalm 116.1,10-17 1 Corinthians 11.23-26 John 13.1-17,31b-35 Muriel Watson Robert MacDonald Chrissanne McInnes Rev d Rosemary Good Friday 30 th March Easter Day 1 st April Isaiah 52.13-53.12 Psalm 22 Hebrews 10.16-25 John 18.1-19.42 Acts 10.34-43 Psalm 118.1-2,14-24 1 Corinthians 15.1-11 Mark 16.1-8 Flowers Stephen Plant St Columba s Newsletter February - March 2018 Page 10
Contact Us Scottish Episcopal Church Diocese of Argyll and the Isles Somerled Square, Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9EH E-mail contacts General stcolumbas.portree@btinternet.com Web Address: www.argyllandtheisles.org.uk Sat Nav coordinates:- Latitude N 57 24 50 Longitude W 6 11 44 General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church: SC015962 Charity Number: SC020146 Dolly Parrot Productions Kildonan, Isle of Skye. February 2018 St Columba s Newsletter February - March 2018 Page 11