September 2025

Dear Friends,

Autumn is in the air altho’ there is still a lot of wonderful sunshine to absorb as the days are still long but the ‘nights are drawing in’ as they say! Question? Did I reach the top of Schiehallion last month? Short answer – No! Reason? Ben Lawyers, an even higher Munro, turned out to be just behind our holiday house so that was our alternative challenge one morning. I did climb the height of a Munro – over 3000 feet – but I didn’t get to the top. In the mist and wind it was too much and I (wisely I think for me,) turned back before the summit. However the sun came out as I made my way down and actually I could see that I had been not far from the top. Most of the others made it I’m glad to say.   Whereas Ben Lawyers is described as a challenging climb, Schiehallion is supposed to be a ‘nice stroll on a sunny afternoon’  so I think I might still go back and try that Munro once more – what do you think? The thing I learned was that I tried my best, but was prepared to admit defeat without feeling that I had given up.  I just remember what Paul wrote to the Colossian church when he said ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as tho’ you were working for Jesus.’ Col.3v23 We cannot always win, but it’s the effort we make which is more important.

There are many things re-starting in your church this month, the  monthly Guild meets on the 2nd Tuesday afternoon  (9th September) – all welcome, the Forge on Tuesday evenings at 7pm – all men welcome, our Growing Together bible study on Wednesday evenings from 7-9pm – everyone welcome, coffee of course on Wednesday mornings from 10-12noon and the Super Club for primary children after school on Thursdays from 3.30pm will be starting VERY soon and all kids are welcome. We really shall be advertising for your new minister in the next couple of weeks which is exciting so please pray whenever the thought comes into your head. Pray for the person whom we know God has already selected, but also for wisdom for your Nominating Team, that they will be discerning as they consider enquirers and applicants. We cannot give you detailed information as the process continues but know that their work is all for the best outcome for ECCoS congregation.

Blessings to you all

Linda Broadley (Interim Moderator for ECCOS & Locum in Argyle Square) 07867 795792 – lindabroadley@btinternet.com

Weekly Prayer Opportunities in Argyle Square Church – come and join at ANY time . . . . .

–Wednesday morning – 9.45 – 10.15am . . . then coffee

–Sunday morning at 11am for 15 minutes before worship

–Wednesday evening at the end of Growing Together.

East Caithness Church of Scotland Guild 2025-26

Theme – ‘Let us Build a House with Living Stones’

Time – 2nd Tuesday of every month at 2.30pm

Place – Old hall in Argyle Square Church

Gentlemen and ladies and any of your friends just come along and join the fellowship – always good speakers or entertainment followed by refreshments and a wee bit of worship. Syllabus available in the churches

Donating to your Church

You can, any time, give money for the ongoing work of our Church

Account  Name – East Caithness Church of Scotland

Bank details: Bank of Scotland, Wick

Sort Code – 80-09-96                        A/C number   00704587

Or we have Gift Aid envelopes if you are a tax payer. The work of the Church goes everywhere; we have missionaries overseas,  homes and projects in Scotland; every penny counts, so  ‘thanks’

Summer Holiday Club 2025

Holiday Club 2025 was a DEEP SEA SUCCESS! A wonderful and extraordinary group of volunteers helped host this year’s Holiday Club so bairns could explore deep sea and pivotal stories from the Bible. We witnessed how Jesus rose to victory from the deepest, darkest “trenches” of this world and brought His victory and redemption to us. All we have to do is believe in Him. All the children agreed they want to be on TEAM JESUS!!! 

Now we look forward to continuing the conversation about Jesus in our Super Club held after classes on Thursdays, starting in mid-September. To volunteer or help out with this or other child/youth related activities please speak with or email me.       Rob Petersen.         rob@eccos.org.uk

Overcoming challenges!

When my children were small, a favourite bedtime story was that of ‘The Sly Fox and the Little Red Hen’, the story of how a small red hen escaped the clutches of a cunning fox. It is my job most evenings to see that our hens are safely shut in their coop to ensure safety from foxes! We look upon hens as being quite defenceless animals, unable to protect themselves. However a hen will protect her chicks in any way she can and will often shelter her chicks under her wings and suffer attacks from the fox and other predators, thus keeping her little ones safe! In the bible, Jesus describes Himself as a ‘Mother Hen.’ ‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who sent you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.’(Matthew 23v37) Jesus had been warned by the Pharisees that Herod wanted him killed and his response was to call Herod a ‘fox’ who would not distract him from his purpose. That purpose was, and is, to gather all God’s children into His embrace; to protect us and keep us safe, but just like those folk in Jesus’ time on earth, we often go our own way. We gossip, despair, build up anger, resentment, greed, unhappiness or whatever – and we forget or reject the forgiveness, guidance and safety offered by our God. So often we think that there is no way out of our despair or bad habits – we are lost! These are lies that the Devil(fox) wants us to believe but Jesus longs to gather us into His arms however he won’t force us to come. Love does not snarl or snap; He clucks and calls. Mother Hen Jesus wants you safe. He calls you away from your sin. He invites you out of your stubborn panic. Come and live under the shadow of His wings. This is where we can be safe if we respond to His invitation to repent, return and find refuge. In our chicken coops, the fox is always stronger than the hen, but in Jesus’ Kingdom the hen ALWAYS defeats the fox!                AMEN!!

Rev Heather Stewart ( Locum Minister in ECCoS & Latheron)

‘Open Doors’ – Caithness Sat 20th & Sun 21st Sept

Can you help to host? Maybe help with serving tea??

Your church in Wick is joining many other buildings in Caithness in being open for anyone to come and visit.

But we are adding a wee bit more – 2 short concerts

Saturday 20th – Pentland Brass play at 3pm

Sunday 21st – Caithness Bell ringers play at 3pm

There is no charge but do come and enjoy sharing your Church with others.  If you can help please let Linda B know

Your wee charity table in Argyle Square

Thanks for everything that you contribute to our monthly charity by adding to or taking from whatever is on our wee table and leaving donations in the box. Last month you supported the pending cost of the SOLAS conference being run in the Baptist Church in November which it is hoped many of you will want to attend. This month we are supporting Save the Children’s work in Gaza, where SO many children are suffering because of the awful war.

As Mother Theresa used to say. ‘Let us give until it hurts!’  Thanks

ECCOS Nominating Committee – ECCOS

We are delighted to tell you that your Kirk Session has approved the Parish Profile to support our vacancy here in ECCOS, so now that the new website is designed and functional we intend to have our advert for your new minister with the Church of Scotland on Ist September.  We ask you now to remember your Nominating Committee in your prayers as we seek to identify the right candidate to lead us in the next chapter of our ministry here in East Caithness.

‘The Lord gave some to be apostles, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare His people for the work of service, so that the body of Christ might be built up until we all reach unity in our faith and knowledge of the Son of God’  Ephesians 4 v11-13

Richard Munro – Nominating Committee Convenor

Memories       by Martin Macdonald

Hello everyone. I would like to share some thoughts I have had recently. The world is changing at an incredible pace. Our own country of Britain is pretty much unrecognisable from what it was some years ago. . . . . . . .

But we can take great encouragement and joy from the fact that our God never changes and He is ‘the same yesterday, today and forever.’ Hebrews 13v8.  As I look back on my younger years I count myself very fortunate to have had a childhood where the name of Jesus was special and respected by all the important people in my life.

Sunday school was a norm for most of the kids in the street. The Lord’s prayer was spoken at the start of lessons every day at school. And Sunday was a day of rest; it was seen as special.

My granny or nana, Margaret Rosie, better known as Daisy, had a most wonderful effect on my childhood, especially in telling me that old, old story of Jesus and the cross. I would ask her to tell me the story again and again.

I reckon I would have been about seven or eight years old. If there was no Sunday school going on in what was then the Old Parish Kirk hall, my granny would more or less drag me by the lug to the big church. To my young ears, sermons were hours long and I can tell you, I took very little in between my ears. However, when the minister did mention Jesus my ears pricked up and I was much more awake.

In my child like mind when my granny told me the old old story I got very sad and angry and would say to her “I tell you this nana, if I had been there when the soldiers nailed him to the cross I would have shot the soldiers and taken Jesus down from the cross and saved him because he was a good man”

Little did I know then that the good seed had been sown although it has taken many years to begin to grow. God is at work and he will complete the work that he has started.

I am a sinner by birth and by nature and have wandered and lost my way at times because I am prone to wander. But Jesus never gave up on me. The good shepherd always looked for me and carried me on his back and took me back into his flock.

The words of an old hymn come to my mind. . . .  ‘Man of sorrows,  what a name!  Hallelujah! what a Saviour!’

As I grow older and ripen for heaven I know with all my heart that Jesus died for all sins, and that he saved me and that, as another old hymn tells us . . . ‘the vilest offender who truly believes,  that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.’ . . .  and so it’s not me who was going to save him, as I thought so many years ago!

I had the privilege this year of helping Rob and the team with the holiday club. It was great to meet and share with the children and to be part of a wonderful outreach of spreading the seed of the Good News with them,  and with such fun!

The children were very attentive as we learned together more about Jesus. The kids were just soaking up new things like sponges. Let us always pray for all the children each day,  earnestly and with passion, because we have an assurance that our  prayers will move the hand of the Almighty, right here, in our town, in our county and further afield and so we can  hope that in God’s time the good seed will grow in all these young hearts so that they become ‘mighty oaks in the their faith’ as we read in Isaiah 61v3

And to God be the glory! He’s ‘the same, yesterday, today and forever!’                     Amen.

*East Caithness Church of Scotland (ECCOS)*

       Lybster and Dunbeath weekly  activities – September 2025

Sunday  7th September – Service in Dunbeath Hall           11am

Sunday           14th September –   service in Lybster          11am

                                                            led by worship group

Sunday 21st September – Service in Dunbeath Hall           11am

Sunday 28th September –  11.30am –  service in     Argyle Square                                   Communion with our neighbours, followed by lunch

Lybster Church is available for baptisms, weddings and funerals

**Please ask**

In Lybster Church Hall during September the following continues

             – All are welcome to join where they wish

Monday – 7pm  – JABOS (Just A Bunch Of Singers)

                        All are welcome to come and sing

Tuesday 1-3pm            Biscuits and Blether in Church hall

                                    Sit and chat over a cuppa

Wednesday  2-4pm   Knit and natter in church hall

            Enjoy company as you knit and sew – refreshments too

Friday 6.30-7.30pm    Friday Club for primary 1-7pm

Sunday Club in Church hall for High school and primary 7 kids. Explore your thoughts, talk and share.   Games and snacks too!

                        NB Starting date to be confirmed

*ECCOS – Argyle Square Church, Wick*                                         Calendar of Activities for September 2025

Sunday worship at 11.30am – tea/coffee beforehand from 10.45

     Prayer before worship from 11-11.15am – just pop in!

Sunday evening worship – 14th September at 6.30pm – tea after

( on alternate Sundays worship is in Baptist Church at 6.30pm)

NEW Last Sunday 6.30pm – 28th September – Cafe Church discussion over coffee on relevant topics for today.  Drop in and join us in the old hall.

Each week day:-

Tuesday – 7-9pm in upstairs lounge –  Forge begins again on 2nd September; all men welcome every week

Wednesday 10am-12noon – coffee club in church café

Wednesday prayer – 9.45 – 10.15am – pray for our way forward

Wednesday  7-9pm – ‘Growing Together’ bible study and prayer in upstairs lounge.  We are looking at the book of Revelation – challenging but VERY interesting. Come and join us. No question is too obscure!!

Thursday  3.30-5pm – Super Club for primary age children  –  watch for the date when this begins again – after school starts

Friday 2-4pm – Knit and Natter in upstairs lounge – starts 5th Sept.

This Month:-

Tuesday 9th September  — Caithness Guild begins again from 2.30-4pm. First afternoon will be on the theme –

                                                ‘Let us Build a House’. All welcome

Sunday 14th – Short service in Pulteneyhouse Care home at 3pm

Saturday 20th & Sunday 21st September –  ‘Doors Open Day’

            *Saturday 20th – Pentland Brass Cpncert at 3pm*

            *Sunday  21st – Caithness Brass concert at 3pm*

Sunday 28th September at 11.30am United service with Latheron

This is a Communion service and congregational lunch will follow

(NB – Kirk Session of ECCoS meets next at 7pm in Argyle Square on Thursday 2nd October)

East Caithness Church of Scotland in Argyle Square  

Prayer Card for September 2025

Bible Reading – Titus 3 v 4 – 8

‘God our Saviour showed us how good and kind he is. He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning; God sent Jesus Christ our Saviour to give us his Spirit. Jesus treated us much better than we deserved. He made us acceptable to God and gave us the hope of eternal life. This message is certainly true.

I love everyone who loves me and I will be found by all who honestly search.

Proverbs 8v17

Pray for our Church and Congregation

: Give thanks for Linda and pray God will bless her and keep her in health, strength and meet her needs.

: Thank God for Rob and for all his duties. Pray for Tiff, Jaden and Tristan.

: Pray for the Nominating team, and for Iain and the Elders.

: Pray for all the different meetings starting again this month. Pray God will be at the centre of every one and everybody.

: Give thanks and pray for all the volunteers on various rotas.

: Pray for the sick and the bereaved and those with mental health issues; the elderly living alone and those with special needs.

: Remember to pray for the lost souls, still in the darkness.

Pray for our Community

: Pray for students going to university, college, starting work, those looking for a jobs and the unemployed.

: Remember Andrew and Susan in prayer.

: Pray for our hospitals and emergency services

: Pray for those waiting on a long list for hospital treatment

: Pray for staff and residents in our care homes.

: Pray for our Council

: Pray for the elderly and sick people on a long waiting list for help in their homes.

Pray for God’s Wider World

: For all the wars around the world,  pray to our God for peace among the nations and pray for the political instability to be resolved.

: Ask for God’s blessing for Christians displaced by terrorism

: Pray for strength for persecuted Christians – they can be sent to camps where they are starved, tortured or worked to death. ‘God is their fortress and refuge’ Psalm 18 v2&3

: Pray for all who live in poverty and destitution.

: Give thanks tfor Suresh, Roja and family and for IVM

: Pray for Tear Fund, Open Doors, Asisa Link and the Scottish Bible Society.

: ‘It felt like heaven touched earth today’ Beautiful words from 2 Christians receiving a bible in their heart language. Thousands of people gathered, led by local choirs, and believers,  united in praise and a joyful celebration.     Praise the Lord!