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Dingwall Castle Street
Church of Scotland
Achievements and
Performance 2009
Worship:
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The average
attendance at morning service is approximately 90, and
approximately 35 at the evening service. During 2009 the
teaching on Sundays has been on: The Ten Commandments; the
Apostles’ Creed; the Life of Paul; and Luke’s Gospel
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Members of the
congregation regularly read the lessons, and frequently lead in
prayer.
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The weekly Bible
Study and Prayer group is attended by 15-20 people per meeting.
Joint Prayer Meetings have been held regularly with the Free
Church. The format has varied, with direct teaching; DVDs plus
discussions; missionary meetings, etc.
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There is also a
small Sunday School and crèche of between 3 to 6 children.
Pastoral Care:
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The congregation
provides the ordinances of religion to the congregation and
parish.
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The minister and
elders give support and pastoral care to any within the
congregation and parish area who need assistance.
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A few members also
take part in Hospital visiting schemes.
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The minister is
chaplain to St. Clements Special Needs School, plus visiting
Dingwall Primary School.
Ecumenical Activities:
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A joint Communion
service was held with Dingwall Free Church.
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A joint Communion
service was held with St. Clements Church of Scotland.
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A joint service was
held with St. Clements Church of Scotland, St. James Episcopal
Church, and St. Lawrence Roman Catholic Church for Christian Aid
week.
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A joint service was
held with St Clements Church of Scotland to mark Guild week.
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A joint service was
held with Dingwall Baptist Church on Good Friday.
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A joint service was
held with Dingwall Baptist Church when visitors from Malawi were
with us.
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A special evening
service was held, to which all local churches were invited, to
mark our Flower Festival which celebrated the centenary of our
Church building.
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The congregation was
also visited by the Rt. Rev. Douglas McKeddie, Moderator of the
Free Church of Scotland who preached at a Preparatory Service.
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The congregation
hosted the Scottish Northern Convention.
Regular Activities:
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Between 20 and 25
ladies attend the Guild, with occasional visits by male members
of the congregation.
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The Parent and
Toddlers Group, open to the community, was used by about 12
parents each week until the autumn. In the latter months of the
year numbers attending were low and the Group has been suspended
until August 2010.
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The Church Youth
Group has grown this year, with 7 to 10 attending regularly.
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The congregation
continues to run a weekly coffee morning which is well attended
by both members of the congregation and the general public, and
produces generous donations to Church funds.
Special Activities
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Members of the
congregation assisted the organisation Friendship
International, which does work among the poor and orphans in
Romania countries.
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Clothes were
collected for Romania and distributed through Friendship
International.
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The congregation
hosted a music concert at which the New Song choir of
Friendship International took part.
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The Congregation
continued to support Blythswood organisation through
participating in the Shoebox Scheme, and providing food for the
Highland Foodbank for those in critical need.
The Balaka Partnership
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The congregation is
formally partnered with Balaka church in Malawi through the
Church of Scotland partnership scheme. This partnership involves
education, mutual assistance, exchange visits, involvement in
spiritual and environmental projects, and fostering
Scotland-Malawi links.
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In September/October
2009 the congregation hosted four visitors from Balaka Church in
Malawi. Visits were made to: Schools, Hospitals, Voluntary
Organisations, Rotary, Blythswood, Youth Work projects, plus
many other venues. The visitors took part in worship, spoke at
meetings, visited some of the housebound, and made links with
relevant groups.
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A reciprocal visit
is planned for 2010.
Special Collections
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Special collections
were donated to: The War Blinded, Zomba Theological College in
Malawi, The Botha’s work in Ekwendeni in Malawi, the Church of
Scotland World Mission Fund, Christian Aid, Balaka, and Highland
Theological College.
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