Watten newsletter

Watten Church Newsletter

September 2010

Dear friends,

The summer holidays are past, but the summer continues into September, and the  effects of summer visits stay with us all year long. I hope the summer helped many of you, like me, to recover from reduced health; or like Fiona, to cope with bereavement. For Fiona and me, the St Magnus Festival on Orkney, a few days on Colonsay for my annual tour of duty there; and a mixture of singing and dancing at the Marlborough Summer School  were all good therapies and recreations.

Now its time for making new beginnings  in church. A good habit started again to come and worship on Sundays will be a strength to life in the coming year. We invite children to come to our Sunday clubs at the same time as the morning services. Beginners singers  are invited to  discover your voices with Tony Hagon's classes at Bower on different week-day evenings. The Guilds are fellowships for the whole church (Watten and Bower start 21st September, Halkirk-Westerdale starts Thursday 7th October) . The Halkirk school Assembly  is now on Thursdays 1.45 p.m. instead of Tuesdays, and the Watten Assembly is now 12 noon on Fridays instead of 11 a.m. The Bower Assembly is still Wednesdays 9.15 a.m.

There will be a once in a generation  opportunity to experience the Royal National Mod in Caithness in October, and to see that Celtic or Gaelic praise is not just limited to the Western Isles. We can also cheer on our local heroes who will be taking part in the singing and instrumental competitions.

Lest we forget, we keep annual festivals and events: Harvest Thanksgiving will be on 3rd October for all three congregations, with our gifts then taken to Achvarasdal Home. Communion Sunday at Halkirk-Westerdale will be on the 17th October, and at Watten and Bower on the 5th December. Remembrance Sunday will be on the 14th November, with the times as shown on inside page.

Christmas prepartions starts in the autumn

From now to the end of the year, we get ready for Christmas. We will  start choir preparations for Christmas in September, and add to our repertoire we have build up over the last three years.
The Watten Christmas Fair will be on the 20th November - good Christmas Present -hunting time, and one of Santa's first outings of the year. The Halkirk-Westerdale Guild  Christmas teas are on the 4th December - good home baking assured. The joint Christmas Eve Watchnight service will be in Bower this year.

Our Sunday Clubs and school services will be using parts or all of the Musical ' Off to Bethlehem', and we will be learning the songs for that during the autumn weeks.

Fabric and Finance:
Halkirk-Westerdale would like to improve the layout of the church; upgrade the heating system, the toilets, and the path round the church. Bower would like to install a new kitchen and extend the chancel platform, and re-carpet the church and hall. The Watten Church Stables and the Church will have some repainting. Plans for Manse improvements have been drawn up by our architect and now await Presbytery's approval. Re-carpeting has begun.
The Bower Church produce stall at the Gala Day on 21st August raised £217. A legacy of £1,000 from the late Lily Andrews has been left to Halkirk Church. The Watten Gift Day on the 28th June raised £1329 so far. Please return any outstanding envelopes that you would like to use to give to the work of the local church. the Halkirk-Westerdale Annual Gift Day is on 18th September (free teas and coffees that day), and the Bower Annual Gift Day is on 7th November.

funerals
Joanne Cameron, Bayview Home 2nd June
Catherine MacLeod, 12 Sinclair Street 24th June
Lilly Andrews,  Pentland View - 25th June
Margaret Sinclair, Riverside home, Wick - 28th June
David Sutherland, Tails of Watten - 16th July
Eve Robertson, Clyth House, Watten - 19th July
Ann Hossack,  Thura Place, Bower - 7th August
Der Budge, Milton Farm - 14th August
Willie 'Broon' MacDonald, 20 Braal Terrace - 25th August
Margaret Morrison, Church Street, Halkirk- 26th August

Colin Campbell, Stanstill Farm  26th August

John Sutherland - Stemster Hill Farm - 30th August

Dolly Mowat, Achvarasdale Home - 1st September

Catherine Johnston, 44 Sinclair Street, Halkirk  - 3rd September

Weddings:
Alexis Henderson and Douglas McCowan - 8th May at Lyth
Alison Brims and Neil Hardie- 10th July at Bower
Leanne Simpson and Calum Mackay - 17th July at Canisbay
Gavin Gunn and Davina Banks - 20th August at Halkirk
Baptisms:
Antonia Ivy Webb at Dunnet -  30th May
Alexander James Alfred Mackay at  Keiss - 8th August
Murray Douglas Houston Perks at Canisbay - 8th August
Ross Alexander Campbell at Halkirk - 15th August

Yours in the Master's service
Alastair Gray

September
Wednesday 1st 7 p.m. Beginners Singers class in Bower Church Hall

Saturday 4th 2 p.m. Watten Autumn Show (All exhibits must be staged between 8 and 10.30 a.m. on day of the show)

Sunday 5th  10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 12.15 p.m. Sunday Clubs at Halkirk, Watten and Bower all resume. All children welcome

Sunday 5th 6.30 p.m. at Bower Church, Songs of Praise service, with the Pentland Brass Band and Bower Singers. Tea and home baking after the service
 
Monday 6th 7.30 p.m. Halkirk-Westerdale Kirk Session and Congregational Board

Tuesday 7th Caithness Presbytery in Thurso West Church.

Saturday 11th 10 a.m. - 12 noon Christian Aid   Coffee Morning in the Pentland Hotel

Saturday 18th  10 a.m.- 12 noon, and 2-4 p.m. Halkirk-Westerdale Church Gift Day Coffees and Teas in the Church Hall

Saturday 18th  Seaview home autumn fair and car boot sale

Tuesday 21st 2 pm. at Watten Church Room, The opening meeting of the Bower and Watten Guild

Friday 24th, 6 & 7 p.m. Watten Kirk Session  & Congregational Board

October
Saturday 2nd 7.30 p.m. Halkirk Church social evening - Mr and Mrs evening, and an auction sale.

Sunday 3rd Harvest Thanksgivings at Halkirk, Watten, and Bower. Retiring offerings for Christian Aid.

Tuesday 5th 7.30 p.m. Bower Kirk Session and Congregational Board (put back a fortnight from the 21st Sep)

Thursday 7th 7.30 p.m. Halkirk-Westerdale Guild, with Lyall Rennie as the speaker

Thursday 7th October 1.45 p.m. Halkirk School Harvest Thanksgiving in the church. We think of the flood affected harvests in Pakisan, and have a special collection for the Disaster Relief Fund.

Saturday 9th Bower  10 a.m. - 12 noon, Church Coffee Morning in the British Legion, Thurso

Sunday 10th,  8 p.m.  in the Assembly Rooms, Wick - Celtic Praise, part of the Royal National Mod's visit to Caithness

Sunday 17th. 10 a.m.  Halkirk and Westerdale Communion

Tuesday 19th,  2 p.m. Bower and Watten Guild meeting, with Mrs Heather Stewart as the speaker.

Sunday 24th,  services at all three churches conducted by Rev Ivan Warwick, Community Minister to Caithness Presbytery

November
Thursday 4th, 7.30 p.m. Halkirk-Westerdale Guild. The Samaritans.

Sunday 7th Bower Annual Gift Day. Envelopes will be distributed with this newsletter or by the district elders. Envelopes can be brought in person to church, or failing that, can be returned to the district elders

Sunday 7th services conducted by Lyall Rennie, while our minister leads the Keiss and Canisbay Communion services.

Sunday 14th Remembrance Sunday - Halkirk 9.45 at Memorial and 10 at Church; Watten 10.30 at Memorial and 11 at church; Bower 12.15 at church and 1 pm. at memorial.

Sunday 14th 3 p.m. Pulteney House service led by Watten, Bower and Halkirk congregations

Tuesday 16th 2 p.m. Guild meeting at Watten, to celebrate Guild week. Mrs Rena Mappin, - Children's Panel.

Saturday 20th, 2 p.m. -  Watten Church Sale of Work and Christmas Fayre in the Village Hall.

Sunday 28th,  Advent Sunday. Watten and Bower services conducted by Lyall Rennie, while our minister conducts the Dunnet Communion service.

December (more details in the December newsletter)
Thursday 2nd, 7.30 p.m. Halkirk-Westerdale Guild. Carols service, led by Guy Gordon and family

Saturday 4th 10 a.m. - 12 noon Halkirk-Westerdale  Guild  Christmas Coffee Morning

Sunday 5th Watten and Bower Communion services