Dear Friends in the Northwest
This Sunday is the nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost; there will be a services in Ullapool and Achiltibuie. We will be keeping Harvest Thanksgiving at Achiltibuie.
Next weekend, we will be keeping Bible Sunday. The service at Kinlochbervie moves to the winter time of 12 noon on the fourth Saturday of the month (Saturday 22nd October this month) and we are returning to the Ceilidh House. We now have use of the kitchen so please do bring along food to share after the service. On Sunday 23rd October, there will be services in Ullapool and Lochinver (The Assynt Centre) at the usual times.
As I mentioned last week, I will be on holiday from Monday 24th October to Sunday 6th November inclusive. I then have a clergy meeting in Inverness on Monday 7th November and will be on retreat from that evening until Friday 11th November. Over that period, Fr David will be taking the services in Ullapool (there are none scheduled elsewhere) and will provide emergency pastoral cover for the Ullapool and Achiltibuie congregations. Fr John Green will provide emergency pastoral cover for the Lochinver and Kinlochbervie congregations.
As I also mentioned last week, the Feast of All Souls, the day on which the church remembers the vast company of the faithful departed, and especially family and friends, falls during my time away on Wednesday 2nd November. There will be a service at 11.00a.m. in St Mary’s Ullapool that day which Fr David is kindly taking. I should be grateful if you would let me know the names of any people you would like to be remembered at this service – anyone who is important to you can be included, they do not need to have connection with the church or this area, or to have died recently, and you do not need to be attending the service. I have the list from last year and welcome any additional names from across the charge. It would be helpful if you could do this in the coming week so that I can prepare the list of names for Fr David before I go away.
On Saturday 19th November, not that long after I return, we have the study day at St Mary’s, Ullapool with Bishop Rob Hardwick that will be taking a forensic look at the Bible. This will begin at 10 a.m. and finish mid-afternoon. It is quite a long time since this date was arranged and other things may have arisen in the meantime. If you are still planning on attending, I should be grateful if you would confirm that to me so I have a reasonable idea of numbers and space in St Mary’s is somewhat limited. Tea/coffee and biscuits will be provided, as will soup at lunchtime, but please bring your own sandwich. If you have any dietary requirements, please let me know.
With love and prayers
Rev’d Clare
Please click the link below for this week’s reflection