We have a small group who meet to practice Christian Meditation each Friday afternoon in Tiree. We have now been meeting for a little over a year, and are delighted to announce that Alex Holmes of the Scottish region WCCM (World Community of Christian Meditators) is coming to Tiree to give a day’s teaching on Saturday 23^rd May.

Christian Meditation is a tradition grounded in Biblical wisdom, the early Christian desert monks, and the spiritual classic The Cloud of Unknowing.

As well as the spiritual benefits, the physical benefits of meditation are now well recognised by the medical profession. These include reducing high blood pressure, reducing stress and depression, improving sleep and relaxation and even increasing one’s natural immunity.

Everyone is welcome to come on Saturday 23^rd May. We will meet in the manse at 10.30am. There will be no charge for the day, but anyone wishing to come for the whole day is asked to bring a packed lunch. Teas and coffees will be provided. The morning will be aimed at complete beginners with the afternoon taking us a little deeper into the tradition, but everyone is welcome to come for part or the whole of the day.

For further details contact Rev Elspeth MacLean on 220377.

Holy Monday 30^th March contemplative service in Heylipol church at 7.30pm.

Holy Tuesday 31^st March contemplative service in Heylipol church at 7.30pm.

Holy Wednesday 1^st April contemplative service in Heylipol church at 7.30pm.

The three services above will each last around 30 minutes and will include readings, chants and periods of silence in preparation for the commemoration of Christ’s death and resurrection.

Maundy Thursday, 2^nd April.

School Easter Service, 1.30pm in Heylipol church.

Service of Holy Communion and foot washing. In Heylipol church at 7.30pm.

Good Friday, 3^rd April.

Contemplative service in Heylipol church from 2.00-3.00pm.

Good Friday evening service. An Talla at 7.30pm.

Easter Day  5^th April.

Easter sunrise service. This will be held on the beach in front of the manse (weather permitting). At 6.30am for sunrise around 6.47am. Followed by bacon rolls and tea/coffee in the manse.

Church of Scotland morning service, 11.30am in Heylipol church. All age service.

Baptist church morning service 11.00am in An Talla.

Everyone is always welcome at our services. Come and hear about the miracle of Easter!

“He is not here; He has risen!”

TIREE PARISH CHURCH CONGREGATIONAL BOARD

(BORD COITHIONAL EAGLAIS STEIDHICHTE TIRIODH)

Update on Plans for Heylipol Church – 1^st March `15.

Making Heylipol Church wind and watertight remains the first phase of work planned, however the General Trustees of the Church of Scotland recently requested preliminary ideas from the Congregational Board about the interior, before they would commit any capital to Phase 1 works.

The Kirk Session and Congregational Board had already spent considerable time discussing various ideas as to how we could meet our need for space. There is a legal duty to provide a toilet in the Church which is accessible for all and as the layout stands, we aren`t providing this. We also don`t have a suitable area for Fellowship, meetings, Sunday School and we presently don`t have a kitchen area or storage. The items from Kirkapol Church remain in a Container and we haven`t been able to integrate those items into Heylipol Church. It seems important that we do so to unite the two buildings and give Kirkapol the rightful place and respect it deserves as part of our history and in our ongoing worship and use of the single building.

The Kirk Session and Congregational Board has decided that the pews in the back area of the Church (to the right as you enter) will be removed. The space created will be flexible in its use by using sliding partition doors. When the Church is full, the sliding partition doors will be opened and the chairs from Kirkapol Church used to provide seating. During regular Sunday worship the soundproofed partition doors will be closed and Sunday School will be held in the space. Glazing will be fitted above the partition doors to ceiling height to allow light from the back area to fill the rest of the Church. A toilet, kitchen area and storage will be contained within the area. This is still a provisional plan, subject to consulting architects and engineers.

The Church of Scotland is in agreement to this plan. They would not support an extension to the existing building due to the costs involved and they advocate efficient use of available space in all their Churches throughout Scotland.

We wish you all to know that this decision has not been taken lightly. It is best that we utilise our remaining building as flexibly as we can to meet our needs and we remember that closing the door at Kirkapol Church meant not just the removal of pews but the removal of a building of worship with all its history, going back many generations.

As members of the Congregational Board, we are happy to discuss this further with anyone who wishes to do so.

The Members are:-  Rev. Elspeth MacLean (Minister); Elspeth MacKinnon (Clerk to Congregational Board);   Judith Boyd (Elder);  Neil Munn (Elder) Pat Boyd (Elder); Ewan      MacKinnon (Elder);  Iain MacKinnon (Elder);  Tony McEwen (Elder); Ian Sharp (Elder); Caroline MacLean (Elder); Lachie MacFadyen (Elder); Catriona MacKinnon (Congregational Board); Mary Ann MacDonald (Congregational Board)

Come along and celebrate Christmas with us!  Click on each of the posters below to see full details.

The season of Advent is fast approaching and there’s lots going on to celebrate Christmas.  Here are a few dates for your diaries – everyone is very welcome to take part in all or any of these events – we look forward to seeing you there!

Carol Service 2014  at Heylipol Church on Sunday 21st December   6.00 pm.  We will be singing the island’s favourite carols (cast your vote at the Co-op) so why not come along and enjoy an evening of well-loved carols, mince pies and mulled juice!

Christingle Service at Heylipol Church on Tuesday 23rd December 4.00 pm.

Watchnight Service at Heylipol Church on Wednesday 24th December 11.30 pm.

Christmas Morning Service at Heylipol Church on Thursday 25th December 11.30 am.

Nine Lessons and Carols Service at Heylipol Church on Sunday 28th December 6.00 pm.

All of the above services are held jointly by the Tiree Church of Scotland and the Tiree Baptist Church.

£160 and many boxfuls of groceries were donated at last Sunday’s Harvest Festival – what a wonderful achievement for our tiny community! These donations were given to the Lord’s Larder which is based in Oban. This organisation was set up in order to assist families and individuals who struggle to make ends meet.  Food and toiletries are donated regularly and people in need are referred by the Social Work Department. Financial contributions are also welcome so that some fresh food can be included in parcels. The Lord’s Larder do not know who receives and do not wish to judge anyone, therefore the service is confidential and non-judgemental. Our grateful thanks go to all who contributed to such a worthy and essential project.

The Church of Scotland report “Imagining Scotland’s Future: Our Vision” was launched on 26 February. The report is based on the views of over 900 people who attended 32 community events run by the Kirk as an alternative national debate on the referendum. The events were held across Scotland over the past 12 months.
 
To download the report, and for details of other resources that will be available in the lead-up to the referendum, please visit this page on the Church of Scotland website: http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/speak_out/politics_and_government/articles/imagining_scotlands_future

A joint church service was held in the Big Top (circus tent) at TMF this year on the Sunday morning. Over 100 people attended, and were led in worship by Rev Elspeth MacLean, Rev Paul Beautyman (Youth Advisor to Argyll Presbytery), and Alan and Ursula Millar of Tiree Baptist Church. The musicians were John Gunderson’s grandson Ewan on pipes, Katie England on fiddle, Ian Smith on accordion, Sue Bottomley on keyboard and her son Jim Bottomley on guitar. Ishbel Campbell sang a beautiful solo in Gaelic and English. Everyone was invited to write a prayer on a piece of fabric and all these were them woven together (see photo of ‘tripod’ with woven strips on each side, along with other photos of the event  in the Gallery section of the website).

On Sunday 20th July,  there will be a joint service with Tiree Baptist Church at 10am in the Big Top in the middle of Tiree Music Festival. Refreshments will be served from 10am with the worship service starting between 10.30 and 11.00 am. Everyone is very welcome, (those who do not have tickets for TMF will be allowed in for the duration of the service).  Hope to see you there!