News and Events
News and events around our small community
Upcoming Comcerts and Events
Cathedral | The Battle of Littleferry – Musical Experience
Cathedral | SU-A LEE with Duncan Chisolm
Cathedral | Parish Gift Day
Cathedral | Golspie/Invergordon Choral Concert
Cathedral | Brozovsky Piano and Organ Recitals
Cathedral | Gizzen Briggs 30th Anniversary Concert
Cathedral | Soprano Amira’s special performance
Cathedral | SIAN – Three young Gaelic singers
Notice to appoint Nominating Committee
The following notice was read out at yesterday’s service (Sunday 23/6/24) and will also be read next Sunday:
Notice is hereby given that a meeting of this congregation of the Dornoch Firth Church of Scotland will be held in Dornoch Cathedral on Sunday July 7th at the close of morning worship for the purpose of appointing a Nominating Committee. The service will commence at 11am as usual.
At that meeting, the congregation shall be invited to elect 11-13 people, who are on the Electoral Roll of this congregation of Dornoch Firth Church of Scotland to serve on the Nominating Committee. If you wish to propose anyone to serve on the Committee you may do so at the meeting providing the person has indicated a willingness to serve. Any candidate must have a seconder.
The first meeting of the Nominating Committee is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 9th July at 7:00 pm in the West Church Hall.
The task of the Nominating Committee will be to take responsibility for all the administration, researching of applications, listening to possible candidates whilst preaching and then to nominate one person to this congregation of Dornoch Firth Church of Scotland to be the new minister.
I encourage all members and adherents on the Electoral Roll to attend.
Rev Alistair Drummond
Interim Moderator
WORSHIP ACROSS DORNOCH FIRTH CHURCH OF SCOTLAND PARISH
Minister Led Services across the parish in July
CONCERT: Restoring Scaramella – The Hortus Choir
On Friday, 21st June at 7.30pm in Dornoch Cathedral. Doors open at 7pm: ALL WELCOME
Dornoch Cathedral is the venue for a most special musical performance of Obrecht’s Scaramella mass, written in the late 15th century, by the Hortus Choir. Only two of the four voice parts survives intact, the other two having been lost.
However, composer and musicologist Fabrice Fitch, drawing on his extensive knowledge of the music of the time, has painstakingly reconstructed the mass although not precisely as Obrecht originally wrote.
Hortus is a new choir singing one voice per part and specialising in early music. We are very proud to present in this programme the first time that this mass has been heard in the UK for at least 525 years (or possibly ever!).
Royal Troon Open Tickets Donation
A generous Royal Dornoch member has donated 2 tickets for Thursday 18th July. A ticket for Thursday would normally costs £95 but none are available – SOLD OUT.
The anonymous donor wishes the money to go towards supporting Dornoch Cathedral. There is transport direct from Glasgow to The Open.
Email your bid to whookmackay@gmail.com with a closing date Tuesday 25th June unless an exceptionally high offer is made.
Cathedral Concert by Badenoch Chorale
Badenoch Chorale are performing in Dornoch Cathedral on Sunday 9th June at 6.30pm.
Entry by donation to Cathedral Funds.
DORNOCH FIRTH: WHERE ARE WE NOW?
A lot of background work has been going on in the new Parish over the last few months. The new Kirk Session has met 4 times and the webpage and Facebook page have been amended to show the name of our new Parish, a logo has been agreed (as below) and new email addresses for the Session Clerk Team and the Treasurer have been completed. Finance accounts have been merged and a committee structure is being developed so that everyone can play their part. The Electoral Roll has been completed. A Parish Profile is being prepared.
The Kirk Session voted at their meeting on the 22nd April to depart from the Church of Scotland’s position on Ministers in a Civil Partnership or Same Sex Marriage Act 1 2015.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Our next stage is to seek a new minister of Word and Sacrament.
A Nominating Committee of 13 will be appointed in the next few weeks and you are asked to give prayerful consideration around who might be suitable for this role.
The finalised Parish Profile will be circulated to the Kirk Session and to Presbytery for comments in the next few weeks. Once this is done an edict will be read to the congregation on 2 separate weeks, after which the Nominating Committee will be formed.
A Vision and Mission Statement is being prepared.
HOW WILL A NOMINATING COMMITTEE BE FORMED?
The Committee will be formed from representatives from all 3 former parishes. There has to be an odd number on the Committee, up to a maximum of 13. Candidates must be on our Electoral Roll, agree to stand and have a proposer and a seconder, who are also on the roll. There will be a Congregational Meeting held to elect representatives.
Rev. Alistair Drummond will take over as Interim Moderator on 3 June 2024
We hope this information sheet will be helpful in keeping you up to date in our procedure to appoint a new minister to Dornoch Firth Church of Scotland.
GIFT DAY FRIDAY 31st MAY 10.30am – 3pm in DORNOCH CATHEDRAL
Dornoch Cathedral is not only a place of worship and a sanctuary for many, it is much much more than that. Irrespective of whether or not you attend services, for many of you it’s where you were married, where your children were baptised and where you expect your funeral service to be. It’s a concert venue, it’s been a graduation venue for the UHI, it’s the place where the schools come to for their Christmas service, it’s the heart of the town.
For those of who are saying that it’s none of those things to them, keep reading….
The Cathedral is one of the main visitor attractions in the town. It attracts literally thousands of visitors annually. These thousands of visitors are the people who stay in your accommodation, eat in your cafes and restaurants, drink in your bars and buy goods and souvenirs from your shops.
If the Cathedral were not open as a place of worship it would be shut, end of story. Nobody would buy it or take it on as it is so expensive to run and, because it’s a grade A listed building, it would be almost impossible to get permission to alter or to get a change of use granted.
We are in the sad position of running on empty financially.
Does that threaten the future of the Cathedral? As a Church community no, it doesn’t, we have another building that we can use.
Does it threaten the Cathedral as a building, as a community resource, as a visitor attraction, as a concert venue? Yes, it most certainly does.
As you will know we have been without a permanent minister for some years now. We are now in a position to advertise for a permanent full time minister – except that the permission to do this is threatened by our financial position. Even if permission to advertise is upheld, it would be rare minister who would apply to a church in such a poor financial position.
Currently the Cathedral costs £394 PER DAY to keep open.
Our regular current income is £247 PER DAY.
We are looking at a shortfall of just over £53,000 for 2024.
Our new fundraising committee are working hard to narrow this gap but we need you to help.
Please consider coming along to Gift Day on Friday 31st May in the Cathedral, 10.30am to 3pm, and giving what you can. Teas, coffees, cakes and fellowship will be waiting for you.
If you can’t join us, you can give online by bank transfer to Dornoch Firth Church of Scotland, sort code 80-06-36, account number 06002380, reference Gift Day, or by sending a cheque made out to Dornoch Firth to Kim McCarthy, Gashagaich, Dornoch, IV25 3NH.
Or donate online here (please choose ‘Gift Day’ when you post your contribution – thanks.)
If a financial contribution isn’t possible, please consider helping us fundraise with either ideas, practical help or moral support – come along for a tea or coffee anyway, you will be most welcome.
Dornoch Firth News for June/July 2024
Saturday 18th May – The Jungle Book – with a modern twist.
The Dornoch Firth Church Youth Theatre group is performing the Jungle Book on Saturday 18th May in Dornoch’s West Church Hall with shows at 2:30 pm and 7:00 pm. All the well-known songs from the Disney original are there but the storyline is very different.
Loggers are tearing down the jungle at a staggering rate:
The animals – and the mancub Mowgli – must flee and seek help from the “man village”. Will help be forthcoming? Will the animals survive? Is there a future? Be there to find out! Entry is by donation.
Graham McCarthy
Visit by the Moderator of the Church of Scotland
The Moderator of the Church of Scotland visited the Cathedral and took part in some of the events to celebrate the building’s 800 years.
More pictures …
Dornoch Firth Church of Scotland – Parish Profile Questionnaire
A simple questionnaire has been developed to allow you to express your views on what we will be looking for in a new minister. Please take the time to fill this in as soon as possible. If you are unable to do this online then forms are available at the doors after Morning Worship on Sunday.
[LINK TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE]
Thank you.
800 Year Celebrations Concert with Local Artists
A great way to celebrate 800 years since the first stone of the Cathedral was laid was the Easter Sunday evening concert in the Cathedral itself – a great setting for a super musical event.
800 Year Celebration Soup and Sweet Lunch
Thank you to everyone who attended the Soup and Sweet Lunch on Sunday. The grand total of £695 was raised for the work of Christian Aid.
Many thanks also to the Social Committee and Women’s Group for their wonderful work and organisation, making the whole event very special.
A huge thank you to everyone who donated soups and sweets. They were greatly appreciated by everyone.
Dornoch Firth Parish News
The April & May edition of the DORNOCH FIRTH Parish News is available on Sunday at the Cathedral doors costing £1.
If you wish 5 digital copy for the year then make a payment of £5 to help with production costs.
Pay into Dornoch Firth Cashflow, sort code 80-06-36, account number 06002380 and add you name as the ref.
Easter Services (Plus 800 Year Celebration)
HOLY WEEK – Short services held Monday to Thursday at 6.30PM in Dornoch Cathedral
GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE – Dornoch Cathedral – 7.30PM
SUNRISE SERVICE – At the Dornoch Beach Car Park
at 6.35 AM
EASTER SUNDAY OUTDOOR SERVICE – At 8AM at The Stones, beside the Bridge, BONAR BRIDGE
EASTER DAY MORNING WORSHIP – Dornoch Cathedral – 11am
800 YEAR CELEBRATION ECUMENICAL SONGS OF PRAISE – 6pm in Dornoch Cathedral
Dornoch Cathedral 800 Years Celebration
For more information about events and the St Gilbert’s Pilgrimage Map go to
[800 Years Celebration Page]
……..
Coffee Morning 19th January
CHRISTMAS AT THE CATHEDRAL
Friday 1st December to Nativity Sunday, 24th December at 11am – find 5 minutes to come and meet Shalom the Star and join the Follow the Star Trail. This is perfect for little ones and parents and grandparents together, wanting to find out a little bit about what Christmas is all about. As you follow the trail, you’ll listen for noises, find things, draw, give yourself a hug – or hug each other – and more besides; and at the end there will be a special invitation, just for YOU!
Saturday, 2nd December at 3.30pm – St. Andrew’s Fair – Carols in the Cathedral
Sunday 10th December, 2-4pm – The Makers @ Advent in the West Church Hall. Come and find a wee bit of what you need as Christmas nears. This is a one-off event (unless you like it and want to do more) for anyone of any age, families and folk on their own, for those who go to church and those who wouldn’t dream of it. It’s for folk wanting to make space to explore Christmas in their own way or maybe just enjoy some space before December gets too crazy. There will (probably! it’s all in the planning!) be: snacks and drinks, games to play around the table, Lego, crafts to try, a prayer space, stories to explore. Come along and give it a go? You might just feel better for it.
Tuesday 12th December at 7pm – in the Cathedral, Carols for Christian Aid
Sunday, 24th December at 11am – Family Christmas Service
Sunday 24th December at 11.30pm – Watchnight Service with Carols from 11pm
Monday, 25th December at 10am – Christmas Day Service
ALL ARE WELCOME!!!!!!
Lion King Saturday 25th November
Dornoch Cathedral Youth Theatre have two performances of the Lion King Saturday 25th November:
Donations at the door for entry at 2.30 and 7.30pm
Come along – the scenery is stunning …
Cathedral FUN Quiz Night Saturday 18th November – 7.30pm
Quiz Night in West Church Hall. Topical and varied questions and enjoy the section “It’s a Mans World.” Donations for raffle welcome. BYOB (or bottles). You do not need to be in a team – just come along – £5 a head with soft drinks and nibbles served. Saturday 18th November – 7.30pm