Welcome!

Welcome to Sleat and Strath FC’s website / blog.

If you are a visitor to Sleat, or the south end of Skye, and looking for a church you are welcome to worship with us.   We are reformed, evangelical, bible-believing, Gospel-preaching, presbyterian and, above all, Christian.

New Sermon Content Added

After a long summer hiatus, we are now back to recording and posting our sermons on line.   You can find them here at sermon.net.   As usual, we recommend you treat the ads with discretion.

Bulletin: 25th October

Today
12:00pm @ Sleat – Morning Worship – Mark 5:21-43 – Side-tracked?
6:30pm @ Sleat- Joint Service with Church of Scotland – Thanksgiving Service

Wednesday
7:00pm @ Kyleakin – Day of Humiliation and Prayer

Next Sunday
11:00am @ Sleat – Morning Worship – Mark 6
5:00pm @ Kyleakin – James 1:1 – Greetings!

News and Coming Events

Thanksgiving Service
This evening’s joint service will take the form of a Thanksgiving Service.   People are invited to donate foodstuffs which will be appropriate for donation to Blythswood (which means it will either go abroad, or to the Highland Food Bank); and the offering that evening will also be donated to Blythswood Care.   “Shopping lists” are provided, but because we didn’t have these ready last week, the collection will carry over to next Lord’s Day.

Kirk Session
The Kirk session will meet on Wednesday evening, after the mid-week meeting.

Day of Humiliation and Prayer
Recognising the state of the Church and the Nation, the General Assembly have appointed 28^th October to be a day of Humiliation and Prayer.   The mid-week meeting on Wednesday will make this a priority, and will be a change from the usual bible study format.

Finance Committee (Hopefully!)
The Finance Committee should be prepared to meet a week on Monday (2^nd November) at the Sleat church at 7:30pm.

Sunday School and Service Times
From the 1^st November (Next Lord’s Day), the morning service will begin at 11:00am sharp.   Sunday School will be open at Bun Sgoil Sleite from 10:45am, if you wish to drop your kids off beforehand.

Duty Rotas
As mentioned in the Newsletter, a “Duty Rota” is now posted on the notice board in the entrance hall.   We actually need people to write on the rota when they can be available to help in these areas. The Rotas will remain on the wall one more week, and if we still cannot find people to commit to doing the work, we will probably need to look again at what we do as a congregation, and pull back from some things, like running a Sunday School.

The service next Sunday morning is at 11:00am.

Why are we changing the Sunday School?

Sleat & Strath Free Church
New Sunday School Setup
Parents’ Briefing

After the October school holidays we are planning a change to the way we run and organise Sunday school in the congregation.   This information bulletin has been provided to help explain why the Kirk Session feels we need to make the changes and how we hope the new setup will benefit the congregation.

Present Situation
On the face of things, the present setup is operating just fine.   This might leave some people wondering why we are in a rush to chance this feature of our congregational life.   The Kirk Session have some concerns about how things work at present.   One of our concerns is the spiritual health of our Sunday school staff and helpers.   Right now the same small team run all of our Sunday school program – from pre-school right through to Secondary-aged pupils.    That means that three adults in the congregation are missing at least one service every week, for four fifths of the year.
As we investigated the options to lessen the burden on our team, we discovered a number of other problems.   Firstly, the upper class are at a stage where they should really be trying to apply Biblical teaching to real life situations, but they lack the basic Bible knowledge to do this effectively.   We discovered the reason for this was the very broad age-range in the younger class, where there is far too broad an age-range to teach them all effectively.
This led us to consider other options, e.g. expanding the number of classes, so that we could have a well supervised pre-school crèche; a younger aged class and an older aged class.   However, the bottom line is that we do not have enough members to provide the regular commitment needed to teach two classes, and supervise a crèche.

A coincidence or God’s plan?
At the same time, Gordon was talking to John Urquhart and discovered that the Church of Scotland congregation at Kilmore have much of the same problems.   Their facilities are poor, and the teachers there are facing spiritual burn out, trying to carry the load of a weekly Sunday School class.   The conversation turned to ways in which we could cooperate in this area of our work, and it was agreed to approach both Kirk Sessions to see if they would consider a joint Sunday School.   Both Kirk Sessions agreed to investigate the possibility, and later representatives from both congregations met to discuss how we might organise a joint Sunday School.
In a meeting clearly marked by the presence of God’s Spirit, we were able to overcome a number of obstacles – where (a “neutral” venue with good facilities); when (our own Kirk Session had been discussing a change to 11:00am already); who (a core team who would carry the bulk of the teaching, with extra helpers).   Following these discussions, both Kirk Sessions agreed to bring the proposed changes to their congregations.

The Plan & The Benefits
Meet in the school                        
Excellent facilities, more room for classes, neutral venue, familiar to all our kids
Meet at 11:00am                            
A longer afternoon, making it easier for people wanting to attend services in Sleat and Strath
Continue our own crèche
Younger children will still be near / with their parents at church – we should also say we are flexible about the age when kids move up from crèche to Sunday School, if you would rather they stay at crèche until P2, that’s OK.
Smaller Classes                               
Better teaching for the kids, with more opportunity for staff to attend church services themselves (we envisage a “3-on-3-off” rota)
Outreach Opportunity                 
Having the Sunday School “away” from church might encourage some parents who don’t currently attend to send their kids, opening up new outreach opportunities

Children in Church?
We want to underline and emphasise that we are always delighted to see children in church.   We hope the new setup for Sunday School will not make the kids feel unwelcome at church.   Therefore we have two other things to consider.   Firstly, at Sunday School, part of the time will “feel” like church, with group singing, someone praying, and reading the Bible.   Secondly, during the school holidays we plan to adapt our services to a more child-friendly format.   Crèche will still be on for pre-school kids, but we want to encourage older kids to stay in for the whole service.   In the long term, we hope this plan will help kids see church-attendance as something they will continue with, even after it becomes uncool.

Sleat & Strath Kirk Session

October 2009

Bulletin: 11th October 2009

Today
12:00pm @ Sleat – Morning Worship – Mark 4:35-41 – “Who is this?”
5:00pm @ Kyleakin – Evening Worship –
6:00pm @ Sleat – Evening worship – Studies in the Psalms

Wednesday
7:00pm @ Kyleakin – Bible Study

Next Sunday (Special Collection for Buildings Fund)
12:00pm @ Sleat – Morning Worship – Mark 4:35-41 – “Who is this?”
5:00pm @ Kyleakin – Evening Worship – Daniel 12 – The End

News and Coming Events
Finance Committee & Kirk Session
The Finance Committee and Kirk Session will meet tomorrow (Monday 12^th October) at 7:00pm in Sleat.   Applications for the post of Treasurer should be made to Gordon, prior to this meeting.

Duty Rotas
As mentioned in the Newsletter, a “Duty Rota” is now posted on the notice board in the entrance hall.   We need volunteers to help in the following areas:
Recording Equipment – one person to operate the CD recorder each Sunday morning.
Crèche – two people to staff the crèche during the morning service (right now the burden falls on Anna and Connie most weeks, so extra volunteers would be appreciated!)
Money Counting – this is still a little haphazard, with people being “picked” to help after the morning service some weeks; men and women are encouraged to help with this.
Sunday School – the Sunday School will be staffed by a “core team” made up of Mairi Lindsay and three members from the Church of Scotland Congregation.   However, we will need one extra member each week to help staff the Sunday School.

Home Missions Board Support
The HMB (the denomination’s committee responsible for, among other things, supporting smaller congregations) has decided to make Sleat & Strath one of their highlighted congregations for a forth coming fund raising campaign.   They are looking for photos illustrating aspects of our work here, specifically people rather than buildings.   With the school holidays on they could have picked a better time, but we will try to get some photos for them after the services this week.   If you would rather not feature in this, please just say so.

Bulletin: 09 August 2009

Today
12:00pm @ Sleat – Noon Worship – Acts 7:9-10
5:00pm @ Kyleakin – Evening Worship – D.J. Stewart
6:00pm @ Sleat – Evening Worship – Studies in the Psalms

Wednesday
Mid-Week Bible Study @ 7:00pm (Sleat)

Next Sunday (Retiring collection for Buildings Fund)
12:00pm @ Sleat – Noon Worship – Mark 3:7-12 – Who did the unclean spirits see?
5:00pm @ Kyleakin – Evening Worship – Daniel 9 – Prayer & God’s Promises

News and Coming Events
Holiday Club
The Holiday Club went well – we are especially thankful for the help from the team from Lewis – Niall, John, Michelle and Ruth.   Please continue to pray for these young people.

Christianity Explored
Starting in September we will be running Christianity Explored.   This is not a one off event, as we hope to begin to run CE annually.   This year CE will run on Tuesday evenings in Sleat – the discussion and Bible study group starting at 7:00pm, with the option of gathering for a meal at 6:00pm.
CE is not taking place instead of our usual mid-week meeting, which will continue as usual.   This means members should not feel obliged to come, although you are welcome to attend.   Invitation cards are available, explaining what CE is, and what happens at a course.   Please feel free to give these to anyone you want to invite to the course.
Please invite people!   Ask people to be your guests.   Commit to coming with them, both to the course and the meal if necessary.   Let people know that the course will be an opportunity to ask any questions, but that they will not be asked to read, pray or sing.   While some people will respond positively to your first invitation, for others it may take years of working towards that point – don’t be discouraged if people don’t respond right away, we will be running CE again next year (DV) meaning you can work towards asking again then.

Broadford Prayer Group
The members living the Broadford area have agreed to meet for prayer on Sunday Evenings, after the Kyleakin service on Sundays when Gordon is preaching there.   This will not be a traditional “prayer meeting”, in the sense that people will not be called to pray but rather folk can share any concerns they have for the Church’s witness in Broadford, and these matters will be prayed for in a time of open prayer.   Although this meeting is for the work in Broadford that does not mean folk from other areas cannot gather with us to pray.   However, it does mean that we are meeting to pray specifically from the work in Broadford, and so people will be asked to be specific in their requests before God.

Free Church Press Release Re. Opinion of Lord Uist

The Free Church Denomination has issued the following press release in connection to recent case regarding the Broadford church and manse properties.   Sleat & Strath Free Church have no further comment to add to this at present, other than to underline that we continue to seek opportunities to serve God in the area, and are actively seeking to resume services regularly in Broadford, and that we see ruling is a big step towards this goal.

Free Church of Scotland successful in Broadford local property case

Lord Uist has found in favour of the Free Church of Scotland in the Court of Session case concerning congregational property in Broadford on the Isle of Skye.

The breakaway Free Church Continuing (FCC) formed in 2000 had been occupying the church and manse. On the retirement of the Rev. Allan Maciver, who had joined the FCC and been suspended from the ministry of the Free Church, the Free Church of Scotland took legal action to regain the property. The case was heard before Lord Uist in the Court of Session from 12^th to 15^th May.

Lord Uist totally dismissed the claims of the FCC and adjudged the property to belong to the local congregation of the Free Church of Scotland (FC).

Lord Uist’s Opinion is clear and decisive concerning the identity of the true Free Church of Scotland: “The FC which existed before January 2000 is the same FC which has continued to exist since then.  On the other hand, the FCC is a new body which was set up after January 2000”, and he found that the Free Church Continuing themselves “do not dispute that the FCC is a new body set up after January 2000 and that it has a separate and distinct organisation and structure from the FC.”  He also made reference to the fact that “the two bodies are distinct registered charities.”

In addition, he noted that the FCC did not claim that the Free Church had departed from fundamental principles (the only basis on which the FCC could have a legal claim to property).

Lord Uist concluded that: “The FCC are not, either in name or composition, the FC, they have entirely separated themselves from the FC and have no right under the trust to the use and occupation of property intended for the benefit of the FC.  In other words, the FCC are a breakaway group who have taken themselves outwith the institutional framework of the FC and set up their own, new framework.”

He also agreed with the Free Church’s contention that if the FCC were successful in their claim, “the result would be astonishing and lead to chaos” where any breakaway group from a voluntary organisation could claim property.

The Free Church are delighted with the clear decision and hope that this will pave the way for settling other local property issues without recourse to law.

The full text of Lord Uist’s Opinion can be found at:

http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/opinions/2009CSOH113.html

Bulletin: 2nd August 2009

Today
12:00pm @ Sleat – Noon Worship – Romans 8:26 – The Spirit Helps Us
5:00pm @ Kyleakin – Evening Worship – Daniel 8 – Alexander, Antiochus and Antichrist

Wednesday
Mid-Week Bible Study @ 7:00pm (Kyleakin)

Next Sunday
12:00pm @ Sleat – Noon Worship – Acts 7:9-10
5:00pm @ Kyleakin – Evening Worship – Preacher TBA
6:00pm @ Sleat – Evening Worship – Studies in the Psalms

News and Coming Events

Holiday Club

Today, we welcome the mission team from Lewis as they worship with us.   John, Niall, Michelle and Ruth will be helping out with the Holiday Club.   The club will be running each morning this week, between 10:30 and 12noon, at Bun-sgoil Shlèite.

BBQ – All Welcome

There will be a Barbeque at the manse on Friday evening (7^th August), food being served at 6:30pm.   There’s an open invitation to the whole congregation, as well as any families who come along to the Holiday Club.   Please inform Dolina if you have any special dietary needs (or if you want your kids to avoid fizzy drinks!)

Court Case

Despite expectations of a very long wait, Lord Uist announced his opinion in the Broadford Buildings case on Friday.   The ruling is clearly in our favour, and so we should now be looking to God to lead us into the next steps to be taken to put this matter behind us.   The denomination’s Legal Group will be meeting in two weeks time, and the FC(C) have three weeks in which they can lodge an appeal, so there is no rush to take further steps just yet – please keep the matter in prayer.   We should also not forget that among our fellow believers in the FC(C) there might be feelings of bitter disappointment at how this has not gone their way, and it might appear uncharitable of us to take hasty steps at this point.

Broadford Work

The Kirk Session have been very much of the mind that any new work in Broadford would likely not start until after the Buildings dispute was settled.   As this now looks set to be resolved sooner than expected, it would be good if the members in the Broadford area could begin to meet for concerted prayer in the coming weeks.   Could members in the Broadford area please wait behind on Wednesday night, after the mid-week meeting, to discuss arrangements for this?

June Prayer Letter

Please Give Thanks to God for:

• The first three months: The last three months have been tough: finding that the congregation’s financial situation was worse than anyone thought has been especially hard to cope with, but God has blessed us in many ways.   We will also shortly have a new treasurer in post.
• Enthusiasm for the Bible: the congregation shares a clear commitment to understanding God’s Word.   The mid-week Bible Study is well attended, and normally full of thought provoking discussion.   Attendances on Sunday mornings have grown.   Sunday evening attendances in Kyleakin are good.
• Partnership in the Gospel: Since moving the Sunday service in Kyleakin to 5pm, we’ve been able to join in worship more regularly with believers from the Church of Scotland.   We’re thankful for this alone, but pray that this partnership in worship in our buildings would extend into partnership in witness outside, in the community.

Some immediate concerns are:

• Membership: We have no deacons or other male members than our three elders.   In fact, the situation is perhaps more concerning in that none of the three elders are locals.   Actually, less than a third of our members are native Skye-folk, which is not reflective of our community, or attendance.   Most of our members moved to the area, having been converted elsewhere.   Pray for us to have wisdom in diagnosing the reasons for this, so we can provide the right biblical remedy to the spiritual problems in this area.
• Prayer: While we are really glad of the mid-week bible study time, there’s a clear need for more time to be spent in prayer.   This is hampered by traditional attitudes about men “leading” in prayer.   We have a lot to pray for, but are not devoting enough time to doing so.
• The Holiday Club (3^rd – 7^th August): with Gordon getting married and going away for most of July, all the Holiday Club plans need to be made now.   Pray for the organisation of this.

Some longer term concerns:

• The Autumn: We have already used Christianity Explored, but we are planning on making CE a permanent feature each year.   Our prayer is that the contacts made through the Holiday Club will carry over into the CE course.
• Gaelic Culture: With Sabhal Mor Ostaig and Scotland’s only English-medium unit in a Gaelic School on our doorstep, it’s little surprise Gaelic plays a big part in Sleat.   Pray for opportunities to bring the Gospel to this community.
• Broadford Church Plant: Broadford has been a disaster for the Free Church.   The cause of Christ is not strong there.   It is the second largest population centre in Skye.   God willing, we will plant a church there.   With the continuing distraction of a court case over property heading to conclusion, we are looking forward to devoting more time to this in the Autumn.

Bulletin – 31st May 2009

Today
12:00pm @ Sleat – Noon Worship – Mark 2:1-12 – A New Kind of Healing
6:30pm @ Sleat – Joint Service with the Church of Scotland

Wednesday
Mid-Week Bible Study (Sleat)

Next Sunday
12:00pm @ Sleat – Noon Worship – Mark 2:13-17 – Levi the Despised Taxman
5:00pm @ Kyleakin – Evening Worship – Daniel 5 – Writing on a Wall

News and Coming Events

Elders’ Conference
The annual elders’ training conference, organised by the local Church of Scotland congregation, is to be held next Saturday.   Please pray for this event.

Sunday School Trip / Congregational Outing
This is planned for Saturday 13^th June.   Weather permitting, we will take the ferry to Mallaig, and travel by bus to the Sands of Morar.   The Sunday School Prize-giving will be held at a Family Service the following day.   More details of times etc. will be given next week.

AGM
The AGM will be held on Tuesday 16^th June, in the Sleat church, at 7:00pm.   There are a lot of things to discuss on the night, so please attend.

Soup & Sandwich Lunch
There will be a Soup and Sandwich lunch, in the Ardvassar Hall, on 20^th June.   Donations of baking would be appreciated.   Please contact Janet for more information.   This event is to help raise funds for the Holiday Club, to be held in August.

Precenting Workshop
The Kilmuir Church of Scotland will be running a Precenting Workshop on 20^th June.  If you are interested, contact Gordon for more details.