Welcome to THISTLEdown
Your local independent newspaper for Glenlivet and Inveravon published every March, June, September and December.
THISTLEdown covers a very large area including Marypark, Cragganmore, The Braes of Glenlivet, Ballindalloch, Glennrinnes and Kirkmichael and Tomintoul.
Our September issue is now available.
Our December 2021 issue will be published on Saturday 4th December 2021. Deadline for adverts 15th October and for copy 26th October 2021.
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| Kirk News
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What does the future hold?
July 2021 marked the end of my first year as Parish Assistant – and what a year it has been! We knew about Covid when I was interviewed in early 2020, but I don’t think anyone there on that day had any idea of the far-reaching effect on our daily lives.
We have missed many of our usual events and this last weekend should have seen the Tomintoul Games; usually a well-attended and popular event which brings scattered families home for a reunion, lots of blethering and even an occasional dram or two. In Tomintoul Church we could not let that pass and so embarked on our usual Scots Service. All readings and prayers had a local sound and flavour, and hymns were sung to traditional Scottish tunes, led by Bob Coutts on the accordion. Lauren Martin, granddaughter of Ebeth and Bob Coutts, piped in the arriving worshippers and ended our service with ‘Highland Cathedral’, as has become traditional. Someone said to me afterwards “What a happy way to praise God!” – it certainly is.
For Inveraven Church, many of you will have read Hugh Monro’s article in the last THISTLEdown (Use it or Lose it) - and he’s right, this lovely old church has been proposed for closure and disposal in the planning of our local Presbytery. So, what can we do?
| Although we have a small, faithful congregation who worship regularly, we also have many members, still on the church roll, that we haven’t heard from, and we’ll have been contacting them during the Summer to find out what the church means to them and asking how we can keep a presence in the area. If you haven’t been contacted and would like to be heard, please phone one of us – the numbers are above, or email me bblack@churchofscotland.org.uk or if you are more traditional drop a note to the church. We need to know what local people are thinking before it is too late.
There is a Sunday service at 9.30 am, it’s very friendly, and not too long as we do like to have a cup of coffee afterwards! Why not give it a try?
We also resumed our RhymeTime group for babies and toddlers, managing three sessions before the summer holidays. Sadly, Covid meant we had to limit numbers from the 20 families who wanted to attend to 8 each time. It was noisy, sometimes quite tuneful and tremendous fun. A great social occasion for the adults and a chance for the ‘lockdown babies’ to meet each other. By the time you read this we’ll be making a joyful noise again.
As a local church we are looking for God’s guidance as to how we can continue to be part of the community in Tomintoul, Glenlivet and Inveravon in the years to come. And trying to do it, not as St. Paul put it “out of selfish ambition or vain conceit”, and also “not looking to our own interests but to the interests of others”. Please, help us to find out what those interests are in our communities?
May God’s blessing be on you all,
Barbara Black, Parish Assistant
Tomintoul, Glenlivet and Inveravon.
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