new access ramps

The progress on the access ramps continues at a very fast pace. The front one is completed and the railings have also been attached (although not completed). The 2 ramps at the rear are also well advanced with the railings soon to go up as well. When the ramps and railings are completed, we are fitting new doors to all the entrance points. We hope that all the work will be completed within the next 3 weeks.

60 plus

60 PLUS enjoyed another good afternoon together on Wednesday. A major highlight of the afternoon was the presentation of a 90th birthday cake to Norma. The big day is next Monday. As a congregation, we are going to celebrate her birthday with a special lunch on Sunday 4th March.

leunig

A clip which reflects the frantic liives we often lead.

LENT 2012

It's hard to believe that we are at the beginning of Lent again. Here's a link which has given me a few ideas for what I would like to do over the 40 days.

EL GRUER

El Gruer shared this poem this morning as part of our worship. We are really looking forward to having El with us nexT Sunday at 6.30pm. Come along and bring a friend. It will be a cafe style evening and we are hoping that folk will bake cakes and bring along some other tasty biscuits.

MISSIONAL COMMUNITIES

Life as a Christian is a journey and over the years different emphases and insights arise. Alpha has probably been one of the most significant, as we discovered the age old truth that it's good to sit down to talk and share food together. This practice had largely disappeared in the Church at large where folk in churches generally only met for worship services or other meetings. This was certainly my experience of Hilton when I first arrived. Over the past few years, one of the most promising insights for mission has centred around the experiences and the fruits of missional communities in Sheffield and then far beyond. Personally, I think this "newly discovered" insight is one of the most important developments in recent years. There is a lot of literature about it on the web, but I see that Mike Breen has just posted a summary on his blog. It's an amazing story. I spent a week seeing it in action in Sheffield several years ago, and last May several us spent 2 days with Mike Breen at a CLAN event in Stirling. Barry and Doda Dennis are now seeking to develop a new missional community in the Lighthouse, and we look forward to seeing how that emerges in the time ahead. If this interests you, Mike Breen is also going to be at CLAN this July, and will be teaching each day during the week.

LIGHTHOUSE DEEP CLEAN

Next Tuesday from 6pm onwards, we will be aiming to do a deep clean of the entire Lighthouse building. If you can help, your presence would be much appreciated. We have cleaning materials, but if you are able to bring along a bucket (if you have one) and a cloth/s that would be great (just in case we run out!)

CHURCH WORKS

The works began at the Church on Wednesday morning, and the level of progress since then has been quite extraordinary. Malcolm Urquart who is the main contractor was part of our team in Peru in 2005, and most of us had never experienced a work rate like that in our lives! He had us up working before 6am some mornings. To be fair, it was so hot on the Amazon by the middle of the day that it was impossible to work. Malcolm is aiming to have the front steps ready for Sunday morning.

National Prayer Breakfast

It's been a torrid 3 years for Obama at the Whitehouse. It must be pretty tough when your Presidency coincides with the biggest recession in living memory. I have just read his recent address to the National Prayer Breakfast, and found the insights he gives into his own Christain faith very illuminating. While Blair didn't "do God" in office, Obama clearly does, and not in a way that makes you cringe as many other US politicians in the past have done.

alive festival

Alive Festival – The Hudson Taylors in Concert.
This concert will be held on Friday 24 February at 7.30pm in the Culduthel Christian Centre.
Tickets are priced £9 for adults and £5 for Concessions and can be obtained from the CLC bookshop, Inverness, or online at www.alivefestival.co.uk

ISLAND CONVERSION - new book event

Myles Campbell (who has been called one of the most acclaimed and talented Gaelic poets of his generation) and his wife Margaret will be talking about their new book which is entitled Island Conversion, their spiritual journeys, their ‘glimpses of the glory of the Being behind all things’. This event will take place on Friday 10 February at 7.30pm at Inshes Church of Scotland. All welcome, admission free.

BUILDINGS

There are many positives to a congregation having its own buildings, but there are also a significant number of downsides too, especially as a buildings gets older. Many congregations can end up spending the majority of their money on simply keeping the buildings wind and water tight. Hilton Church was opened in 1958, and over the past couple of years we have spent significant sums of money in bringing it up to standard in relation to its electrical systems and fire safety. Next week, we are embarking on a further series of improvements providing disabled access at 3 major entry points to the buildings as well as installing new doors. These are much needed improvements and we look forward to having them done as soon as possible.

LIGHTHOUSE MANAGER

Adrienne Dempster began her new job as the manager of the Lighthouse yesterday. She will be in our prayers, as she takes on this significant role within the life of our community.

CONGREGATIONAL LUNCH

We are having a congregational lunch on Sunday 4th March to celebrate the 90th birthday of Norma Fraser. The lunch will be pot luck. There are sign up sheets in the church foyer. Norma retired from co-ordinating teas & coffees after the service last week! We look forward to celebrating this special birthday with her.

LIFE STREAMS

We had a really good evening reflecting on the benefits of LIFE STREAMS with Philip & Ros Noble on Sunday evening. The presentation can be found on the church website, if you would like to have a listen. There will be a follow up evening at 6.30pm on Sunday 19th February.

kiwi news

Eilidh got out of hospital today. Shona has booked flights and is going out to visit her next week.

el gruer

We are looking forward to hosting El Gruer. It will be a cafe style evening suitable for all ages.

eagles soaring

I have been doing some research today around the text above for Sunday, and in the process discovered the clip on sea eagles. The film brings back many happy memories as I spent my childhood and youth exploring these hills and cliffs. It is extraordinarily beautiful. The only challenge with the west coast is that you have to visit several times in order to get a dry day!

LIFE STREAMS

LENT 2012 -LIFE STREAMS

“What will help me to grow spiritually?

Life Streams provides practical ways to transform your life from the inside out.

During Lent there will be teaching on how to key into Life Streams, and the encouragement to find a friend or two to share in it with you.

SUNDAY 5th Feb @ 6.30pm An outline of what LIFE STREAMS is all about with Philip & Ros Noble.

SUNDAY 19th Feb @ 6.30pm A chance to experience a LIFE STREAMS group.

Our Lent Book for 2012 is called LIFE STREAMS and is available to purchase at the discount price of £5. We have 20 copies for sale, and after that you can purchase copies on line for £6-99.

news from nz

Eilidh had a lengthy operation yesterday and we were able to speak to her last night. From all accounts, the surgery went well - much better than expected. We begin a new day with a mixture of relief and gratitude. Thank you to all who have prayed and supported us through this difficult week. Eilidh's prayer request is that she remains free of any infection which might jeapordise the postive outcomes of the surgery.

your kingdom come.....

65% of the work in the world is done by women;
12% of the paid salaries in the world go to women;
2% of properties in the world are on the hands of women;
1 in each 6 women in the world is a victim of incest;
1 in each 4 women will experience some form of sexual violence in life;
75% of people that die of hunger are women and children;
In all the world, women do not earn the same salary as men;
In all the world, the education level of women is lower than that of men;
In countries where women have more diplomas than men, the tendency is for less educated men to hold higher positions, changing, therefore, the criterion of promotion;
98% of structural decisions are made by men;
In all the world, women are more dependent on the land than men;
In many places of the world, the majority of abortions is of girls.
Given that, the lesson the Feminist Theology teaches us is that before worrying about explaining reality, theologies must pay attention to an unjust reality that needs transformation.
This situation must be taken as a theological challenge that requires an urgent answer seeking changes.
Felipe Fanuel Xavier Rodrigues
Towards a daily theology: listening to the unheard voices
from "Teologias com Sabor de Mangostão".
Isabel Aparecida Felix Translation from Portuguese by Gustavo Frederico

accident

We have had an anxious 48 hours following news on Sunday that Eilidh was in an accident while at a Camp in South Island, New Zealand. She was flown to hospital with a badly broken left arm and has had two operations so far. She is being transferred tomorrow to a specialist hospital in Wellington where she will have more surgery. We managed to speak with her this morning, and she was sounding very positive despite the circumstances. The care and support that she has received from her friends in New Zealand has been wonderful. We are also extremley grateful to the health service in New Zealand. It looks like this will be a significant blip in her gap year, but hopefully she will be able to continue once the surgery is completed. At this point, we are praying that no infection will set in and so far the signs are positive.

IT'S A BOY

Congratulations to Scott and Heather McRoberts on the birth of Daniel Joshua last night.

BLOGGING BREAK

I have not been blogging since Christmas. I felt as if I needed a break, and I'm not sure when or whether normal service will be be resumed. I am currently working on some plans to revamp the church website, and hopefully we will make some significant progress in that regard over the next few months. Belated good wishes for 2012.

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve and almost all the preparations for Christmas are done. We are going to have a candlelit watchnight service at 11.15am. I'll need to go down to the church in the late afternoon to sort out the lighting for the band, so there is enough light for reading music! It's already Christmas day in New Zealand, so heard from Eilidh who is later going to enjoy a bbq and a day outside on the beach! I'm now taking a break from blogging until the beginning of 2012. This blog is written mainly to keep folk linked to Hilton Church in the loop as to what is happening and what we are doing. It remains for me simply to thank you for your company on the journey through 2011. I am very privileged to share in the life of such a vibrant church with so many good people. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.Wishing you a joy filled Christmas and a 2012 full of peace and grace.

Duncan.

volunteer Friday

After a very slow start at the Lighthouse, the cafe took off and was very busy up until 3pm. The cafe now closes until Monday 9th January. Next year, we may well look at opening over the Christmas holidays with a mix of staff and volunteers.

Christmas Services

WATCHNIGHT SERVICE @ 11.15PM ON 24TH December.

CHRISTMAS DAY ALL AGE WORSHIP @ 10.30AM

Bon Voyage

Wendy Budge, our most recent Lighthouse manager returns to New Zealand on Monday. She has been such a blessing to us all over the 6 months she has been with us, and we wish her well as she returns home with her family. The picture was taken of Sarah and Wendy at the recent staff and volunteers Christmas party. We hope to confirm the appointment of a new manager in January.

Volunteer Friday

This Friday will be a Friday with a difference at the Lighthouse! Annie will have a band of faithful volunteers - Eilidh, Shona, Brian, Barry, Doda and myself - to help her. Why not come along and see us all in action!

photos of 2011

Here a fantatsic photo of Lorne from "Are you in the picture?" A few more emails arrived yesterday with photos of 2011. I would love to have some of yours too, if you haven't sent me any yet. duncan@hiltonchurch.org.uk

photos for 2011

The photos of 2011 started coming in today. If you have a moment, please have a look and email me some of your favourites. duncan@hiltonchurch.org.uk

2011 photos

I want take a look back at 2011 at the service on 1st January. I have taken lots of pictures during the year of many different events and experiences linked to Hilton Church. If you would like your memories reflected in the presentation, I would love it if you could email me some of your pictures. duncan@hiltonchurch.org.uk

carol singing

A group of around 20 went out carol singing around the local area tonight. It was good to get out of the building and onto the streets, but it was also good to have some mulled wine and mince pies to warm up with afterwards. I'm especially struck these days by the fact that there are such diverse tastes within any one congregation in relation to what people are drawn towards and want to do. As far as I could make out, none of the folk who turned up tonight came to any of the recent Storylines evenings or would regularly be at an ordinary evening service, but they were keen to get out onto the streets and do something public to celebrate advent. I received this note from Peter Neilson last night, which I thought about when I saw the turn out tonight.

‘Sacred Pathways’
Find your spiritual temperament.

If our spiritual need is not being met in our congregation, we grow dull and disillusioned and may even move on to another church – or none – thinking that we no longer believe. More people leave church because of the method of their worship than because of their theology.

Each of us has been created to find God and to worship in different ways, but so often we expect everyone to be just like us. Based on two books, "What's Your God Language?" by Myra Perrine, and "Sacred Pathways" by Gary Thomas, this retreat will be a day to explore how God has uniquely wired each of us to pay attention to Him, to worship Him, and to come alongside others.

Our goal for the day is that it will expand our view of ourselves, of others, and of God, and will invite us to appreciate the ways that God has been calling to us.

So what is your spiritual temperament?

The day will be facilitated by Dorothy and Peter Neilson
A booking form to be filled in and returned to Ann at annvt@btinternet.com

Saturday 11th February 2012
10am – 4pm.
Cost £40.

I'm wondering whether it's largely a matter of spiritual temperament as to why there is such a striking difference between who wants to go out onto the streets to carol sing and who wants to go to a more indepth bible study group. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it. Maybe folk just didn't fancy the cold! Anyway, it's inspired me to read further and I'm going to order copies of the books in the advert above. Watch this space.

christmas all age worship

I'm just back from the all age service this morning which was absolutely outstanding. Jonathon led it, and there were fantastic contributions from OUT OF THE BOX and the Sunday club (great singing!) with Nitelife sharing the readings and some more reflective spaces. . It was great to see so many different people involved in the service. What especially struck me today was the relative simplicity and excellence of everything that was shared. It felt like a morning when we were able to celebrate the heart of the Christmas message - Jesus born to save the world! Thank you to everyone who made the morning so special.

news from kiwi land

Eilidh isn't the most prolific blogger, but it sounds like she is having a good time in New Zealand.

Some of the things I have learnt in New Zealand:

You cannot call jandels flipflop, they are jandels

The weather is just like Inverness

I can navigate myself around a new city without getting too lost

Its easy to make friends when you have a Scottish accent

All New Zealands love the Scottish

Sport is very important and is better organised than in the UK

It snowed in July and everyone was very excited

Most public secondary schools are single sex

The rats tail hairstyle and the mullet is very much in with boys here

Everyone has a Scottish relation

I have made lots of friends that I know I will keep even when I leave NZ

New Zealand like Scotland is a very Patriotic country

I love New Zealand

x

christmas 1967

This is a short extract from Dr Martin Luther King's last Christmas Eve sermon:

"I've seen too much hate to want to hate, myself, and I've seen hate on the faces of too many sheriffs, too many white citizens' councilors, and too many Klansmen of the South to want to hate, myself; and every time I see it, I say to myself, hate is too great a burden to bear. Somehow we must be able to stand up before our most bitter opponents and say: "We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering. We will meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will and we will still love you. We cannot in all good conscience obey your unjust laws and abide by the unjust system, because non-cooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good, and so throw us in jail and we will still love you. Bomb our homes and threaten our children, and, as difficult as it is, we will still love you. Send your hooded perpetrators of violence into our communities at the midnight hour and drag us out on some wayside road and leave us half-dead as you beat us, and we will still love you. Send your propaganda agents around the country, and make it appear that we are not fit, culturally and otherwise, for integration, and we'll still love you. But be assured that we'll wear you down by our capacity to suffer, and one day we will win our freedom. We will not only win freedom for ourselves; we will so appeal to your heart and conscience that we will win you in the process, and our victory will be a double victory."

roses are red

I used this song in the Service last Sunday morning. It's a song which challenges us to reflect on the way our lead can shape the lives of others, especially those setting out on the journey.

TED TALK

During Advent we are reminded of the pivotal role which God gives to women at critical times in history. Naomi Klein has an important message for the world today.

fischlock update

This is the time of year when emails and letters arrive from afar with news of happenings over the past 12 months. Hilton (and Inverness in general) is a church that many people have passed through en route to some where else. It's great to receive news of how people have grown and developed in their faith, and that's certainly the case with Keri, who with his wife Angie are serving with YWAM near Denver. Here's their Christmas letter.

60 plus

Our pastoral care team have been running a monthly afternoon tea for the 60 plus age range. This event has drawn in a lot of people for a blether and some company. Many of those who come have been living in the Hilton area for 50 plus years. We have plenty capacity for more folk to come to these gatherings in 2012, so we will need to work out ways in which we can make folk more aware of this opportunity for friendship and company.

plain song

ht to Sally

carol singing

At the moment, the rain is pouring outside and the wind is howling! I'm praying that by 6pm on Sunday it will be a calm star lit night and you'll be able to join us on a carol singing tour of Hilton. Let's take the joy of Christmas out onto the streets! I will try and organise some warming beverages in the Lighthouse for afters!

mission shaped evangelism

I have just finished reading MISSION SHAPED EVANGELISM by Steve Hollinghurst. I wish I had read it 2 years ago when it was first published. It's a book I would strongly recommend to anyone involved in church leadership. Personally I think churches in general are experiencing a missional crisis in the West today insofar as we seem largely incapable of impacting with our good news beyond the boundaries of the church and its culture. If you were to have a show of hands in any average church today, there would be practically no one present who hasn't had some kind of church background. "The vast majority of those our curent evangelism reaches come from the dwindling minority who have church backgrounds."We appear to be fishing in an ever decreasing pool. This reality is one which really troubles me, and so I'm glad to have read a book that looks at this very issue and asks how we might look at our situation today in Scotland as if we were cross cultural missionaries.

Hollinghurst doesn't offer any quick fixes. Indeed he writes, "We will need long term projects in the new foreign mission fields of the once Christian nations of the West."

The strength of the book lies in the fact that it is the fruit of a life rooted in experience as an evangelist in a post Christian culture. For any Christian leader who is becoming increasingly disillusioned today by the churches seeming irrelevance, this is a must read. The review on Amazon sums it up well:

This book is essential reading for all church leaders who have a passion to engage with the local community they serve. As the iceberg of Christendom melts, many still see the task of evangelism as catching the drips and freezing them back on to the iceberg! Steve Hollinghurst addresses the need for a new approach, rooted in the truth of the gospel and suited to the post modern culture that is emerging around us. Earthed in practical experience and careful research, this book encourages churches to 'wake up to the cultural changes around us' and points the way to an programme of evangelism which reflects the radical inclusivity of the kingdom. A must read!

music for joy

The 5th anual Christmas concert took place last Saturday evening in the Church. This musical evening organised by Julie and Jeremy Keen is an advent highlight for me. The numbers attending this year were slighly down on last year, which was probably due to the poor weather and the number of people who were ill. The quality of the concert is such that it's a pity that the building isn't absolutely packed out! Perhaps we need to get a little film of the event, so we can show a trailer of it at Church to encourage more folk to come along.

cloth for the cradle

What are you hoping and waiting for: for yourself? for your church? for the community in which you live? for the world?

We invited the congregation to reflect on these questions over 2 weeks and to write/draw their responses on a piece of cloth. It would probably have worked better if we had all done the exercise together rather than have a gap of 2 weeks, but it's difficult to do arty things with such a large number. I loved the creativity of some of the responses, especially the one where the cloth is wrapped around a candle.

nobel peace prize

Tomorrow morning I am preaching from the OT lectionary reading - Isaiah 61. During the sermon I am going to tell the story of this remarkable woman who today was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. I have also ordered the film about her campaign called PRAY THE DEVIL BACK TO HELL, and hope to show it soon.

storms

Scotland is being hit by the most almighty storm today. The wind was so strong that it was hard to keep the car straight on the road home this afternoon.

loft

Thank's to the team who installed additional insulation into the roof space above the church office. Hopefully it will lead to a warmer office and cheaper heating bills over the coming years.

strings

SNOW

The roads and pavements haven't been gritted following the overnight snow, and as a consequence are very dangerous. A recipe for broken bones for anyone who falls.

paradise

Paradise - Chelsey's Story from Central Online on Vimeo.

Barry Dennis is currently running a training course in the Lghthouse which we hope will lead to our community and Church being a place and a people where those facing various addictions can find love and compassion, and hopefully release. Here's a video which Steve Aisthorpe has just sent me which I hope will inspire and encourage

STRINGS @ HILTON

Last month, we had an all age time together at Hilton focused around bubbles with Philip Noble. This Sunday night at 5pm, it's an hour with string. It's not quite going to be all age since apparently it's a little difficult for under 7's, but I'm sure there will be some fun for them too in the midst.

ARE YOU IN THE PICTURE?

This week the Lighthouse has been offering free family/individual photographs taken in front of a Bethlehem tableau. Costumes have been provided and Chris Watt has been taking the photos.

Singing God's song

Come to the Launch of Singing God’s Song

70 of John Dempster’s Christian Viewpoint columns
from the Highland News, North Star and Lochaber News

@CLC Bookshop
23 Castle Street, Inverness
Monday 12th December 3pm All welcome!

Published on 12th December by the Merkinch-based
charity For the Right Reasons which supports people who are addressing and overcoming addiction problems.
All profits from the book will go to support the work of For the Right Reasons
Available from local bookshops - £6.00

advent

taize @ advent

advent

I think we all feel as if Advent has arrived early this year. It doesn't feel like a year has past since the last one. After two very demanding advent seasons in terms of activity and creativity, we are having a much simpler time this year. Along with the lectionary, we are simply re-telling some of the advent accounts with the help of Cloth for the Cradle. Angela and Angus retold the story of Mary and Gabriel today and did it brilliantly.

For the last 3 years we have followed the lectionary readings as part of weekly workship. From today, I am going to use the daily lectionary readings. Over the last 2 years I have used the daily readings in Celtic Daily prayer, and found them exceptionally helpful. For me, they have the great attraction of not being too long.

If you are looking for something inspirational this advent, I would recommend Common Prayer - a liturgy for ordinary radicals. For something on line, I would recommend Advent Synchroblog.

the divided brain

I have just watched a most remarkable 10 minute presentation on the human brain. I don't understand a fraction of what is being said, but find it completely awesome. ht to Jonny Baker.

sunshine

We are having the most beautiful weather I can ever remember in November. Last year, we had to cancel services in November because of the bad weather. This November it has been constant sunshine and blue skies.

UPDATE - Today I saw someone on the golf course playing in shorts! Apparently the temperature in the Highlands this month is five degrees higher than average.

Vine Trust in Tanzania

Tomorrow morning, some of the Hilton team members from the recent workparty to Peru will be sharing during the morning service. In the evening, I have been invited to share in a service at Dalneigh Church where several of their congregation will be sharing about their experiences on the same workparty. It's been quite amazing to see the development of this ministry through the Vine Trust over the last few years, and to see so many people going to Peru and now Tanzania. It's also exciting to hear that the new Barge HQ has received a design ward. , the first of many I suspect. It's an amazing place.

Lighthouse

Over the last 3 years, Primary school children have been coming to the Lighthouse in ever increasing numbers at lunchtime. Sometimes we have had as many as 40 children queuing at the hatch! In reality, the Lighthouse (in terms of staff and size) simply isn't big enough to cope with that kind of number of children. The management team therefore decided to limit the number of children at lunchtimes by requiring children under the age of 12 to be accompanied by an adult. We still have children coming, but the atmosphere is much quieter. We also became aware that many adults had stopped coming over the lunchtime period because of the noise and general commotion created by so many children being in such a small area. We hope the new arrangements will encourage them to come back.

missional church

The link to the video is here. Several of us within the Lighthouse and Hilton Church have been exploring Missional Communities. How do you make and raise up disciples who have a heart and a passion for those who are not yet followers of Jesus? A great deal of Christian life in Inverness seems to be about already Christians joining and/or moving around different congregations rather than the congregations actually growing with new believers. I think that is a pretty common phenomenon across the Western world. In the main, larger congregations aren't better at mission or evangelism, they simply offer a more attractive context for already Christians to share in.The Missional Communities website shares some wisdom as to how that might be different.

lighthouse volunteers

Over the past 3 years, we have not really suceeded in recruiting many folk linked to Hilton Church to serve within the Lighthouse. This has been a bit of a surprise to many of us who were in the vanguard of the project, since we thought it would be an ideal way of serving and sharing the local area. On Sunday, Christine MacDonald, one of our management team members shared the need for volunteers during the service, on the basis that a diffferent voice might have a different outcome! We also stressed through Christine, that 2 hours per fortnight could make all the difference to the Lighthouse, and you could serve in a variety of different ways according to your gifts. After the service, I was immediately approached by a lady who is in her 80's who feel she is fit and able to welcome and serve in the Lighthouse for one session a week. She has now met with Wendy our manager, and begins this Thursday lunchtime. An encouraging start to the week for those of us who long to see the Lighthouse growing in its service to the local area.

update I have just heard from Christine that we had a further 2 offers of volunteer help on Sunday, so a very encouraging outcome indeed!

71,000 at prayer meeting

Here's an account from Andrew Jones of an extraordinary prayer meeting in Cairo on Friday night.

Os Guiness in Inverness

The Solas Centre For Public Christianity (www.solas-cpc.org) have arranged an evening with the well known author and apologist Os Guinness at Smithton on 17 November at 7:30pm.
Os’s subject will be “Challenging The Darkness – Towards a new Christian renaissance”, in which he argues “for the vision of a new Christian renaissance that is faithful, hope-filled, and culture-shaping at the same time.”

LIGHTHOUSE MANAGER POST

We had a very productive Lighthouse management team meeting last night. Wendy Budge has done an outstanding job as manager of the Lighthouse over the past 5 months, but sadly (for the Lighthouse) she is returning to New Zealand with her family at Christmas. We now find ourselves in a position where we need to recruit a new manager before Christmas. In the very near future, I will post a more formal advert, but if the possibility of being involved in a leadership role within the Lighthouse excites you, why not give Wendy Budge a ring to find out more 01463 224477.

EILIDH

I haven't had much time for the blog lately between one thing and another. It's been a time of change for us with our daughter Eilidh departing for a gap year in New Zealand. Eilidh is going to be doing an internship with the Pacific Partnership Trust. If you want to keep up with her news , you can find her blog here.

Stuart Farmes

Congratulations to Stuart Farmes who was inducted at Pultneytown Parish Church last Thursday evening. Stuart recently completed his probationary time at Hilton Church. We wish him and his congregation well as he begins this new chapter in his ministry.