Islay North Churches Blog » Port Charlotte

Happy New Year

Ron — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:51:56 +0000

Hurray and Halleluiah! . After an absence of three years Kilmeny Church was at last able to hold the Carol Evening on a fine clear night with no snow. We are grateful to the youngsters of Islay High School Wind Band for coming along to accompany the well-known Christmas carols under the leadership of their dedicated instructor Scott McDermott. The church looked so attractive in candlelight with the fairy lights twinkling away on the tree and nothing was set alight.

The goodly sized congregation sang with enthusiasm and members of Kilmeny read lessons and poems. The evening was led by Rev Angus Morrison and Jim McNulty of the Islay Baptist Church, both of whom did a first-rate job. Once the singing was over the hospitality continued with tea, sandwiches and cakes after which people eventually began to wend their way home. We are extremely grateful to the members of the Band, to the folk who made and served the food and especially to Rev Angus Morrison who thought he had retired, but is very willing to help as much as he can, and to Jim NcNulty who already had had an afternoon of carol singing before coming up the road.

And after a two year absence we were able to welcome the children, parents and staff of Keills School to the church for their Christmas Assembly on the last day of term. It may have been a dreich day but it was very suitable for the children to walk from the main road. The children did the school proud with their story of the first nativity and singing of carols. After the service they were presented with a Christmas card and activity pack by the Church and off they, their parents and the staff went to enjoy the holiday.

Christmas Day saw a very good congregation come for a service of Lessons and Carols taken by the Elders. Again it was a fine day for travelling and we at last have managed to hold all the church Christmas events without let or hindrance ie weather. Deo gratias

Portnahaven held a successful Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve with tea and fellowship afterwards which everyone stayed behind for On Christmas Day the service was again one of Lessons and Carols, none of which had been sung the previous day. Again, these were led by the Elders and everyone went home happy having felt that it was actually Christmas Day with its true meaning being observed. The Advent Candles were lit on both occasions, 4 on Christmas Eve and 5 on Christmas Day.

New Year’s Day was special in Portnahaven when the Sacrament of Holy Communion was celebrated with the service conducted by Rev Angus Morrison, while in Kilmeny the service was again led by the Elders.

St Kiaran’s also had successful Watchnight, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day services led by members of the Worship Team. Now that we are into a new year we will continue to have worship services in each of the three churches while the Nominating Committee searches for a Minister for our charge.

Sunday Club meeting

Ron — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:17:40 +0000

As we have no Church Hall, the Sunday Club meets at 11.30am every Sunday in Term time in The Natural History Museum in Port Charlotte – otherwise known as the the Field Centre – under Leader Pat Jones and Assistant Hannah Waterworth. Current regular attendance is 10 – mostly of Primary school age. As part of their work, they produce paintings such as those shown, illustrating various Biblical stories and events. which are subsequently displayed in the Church. “Two, prepared for the Harvest Service are shown. The children themselves attended the Service, bringing Harvest produce, and taking a major part in the Service. The produce was subsequently distributed to members of the community and congregation unable to attend due to age or illness”

I also include 3 photographs from a selection of Sunday Club Christmas paintings and would ask you to add these, plus a sentence to the S.C. blurb as follows “This year, apart from the opening and closing by Scott our Lay Reader, the Nativity Service was totally run by the children, ably led by Pat the Club Leader. It was much appreciated by the congregation” The new collages were displayed in the church until the end of January.”

Annual Open Air Service

Ron — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 08:50:06 +0000

St Kiaran’s Annual Open Air Service which is held on the Green in Port Charlotte every year about this time, the aim being, that by holding it in the middle of the village, to let the Community will know we exist, and to encourage non members – including holiday visitors – to join in. To encourage participation the service is followed by a BarbeQue

Once again we were fortunate with the weather. It was a glorious August morning, but despite this, very few non members joined us – even for the BarbeQue -

Although everyone who did come, enjoyed the occasion, we may have to re-think the idea for future years

Happy Event at the Manse

Ron — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:54:31 +0000

27th June was a perfect day for a strawberry tea; tennis at Wimbledon, a dry and warm day, but with a breeze to keep the midges at bay!

A goodly number of people gathered at the Manse in Port Charlotte, to eat strawberries and cream, with scones and jam, and drink tea. Church members and visitors from the villages around the island, and further afield, were attracted to this happy event, and a total of £420 was donated for the Klay Orphenage project. St Kiaran’s church, in partnership with the charity “Mary’s Meals” is funding this orphanage in Liberia, west Africa during 2009.

Many thanks are due to the people who baked scones for the tea, and the volunteer who picked the Strawberries from Bridgend Community Garden! Also the staff who served on the day, Patricia Halsall, Jean MacKay, Karen Cracknell, Janet Waterworth, Chris Fulcher.

The next St Kiaran’s events are 23 July Summer Bazaar in Bruichladdich Hall; 9 August Open Air Service on Port Charlotte green.

St Kiaran’s charity event a great success

Ron — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:11:15 +0000

A very successful coffee afternoon was held in Bruichladdich Hall on Saturday 28th February by St Kiaran’s Church to support Mary’s Meals charity and our involvement with the Klay Orphenage in Liberia.
It costs just £5.80 to feed a child FOR A YEAR in Liberia, and St Kiaran’s congregation have committed themselves to raise enough funds for Mary’s Meals, the Dalmally based charity, to feed and educate all the children in this Orphenage.

The coffee afternoon was supported by people from right across the island, and Bruichladdich Hall was swamped! In the end, £319 was raised at the event, but with donations this rose to £453. In all St Kiaran’s has raised £1494.90 for this project since we began in January 2009, and this is in addition to our other commitments.

Many thanks to everyone who worked so hard for this project, and to all who supported it. Keep up the good work!