Service of union in March will celebrate linking of Dornoch Firth congregations
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A SERVICE of union to celebrate the new charge of Dornoch Firth Church of Scotland will be held on Sunday, March 10.
The charge was formed on January 1 and unites the congregations of Dornoch Cathedral, Creich and Kincardine, Croick and Edderton.
The Church of Scotland is undergoing a radical reorganisation across the country to create a “more sustainable Kirk and lay the foundations for future growth”.
A huge new presbytery has been created merging nine previous presbyteries and stretching from the Mull of Kintyre to John O’Groats and from the Western Isles to West Moray. The presbytery, has been named Clèir Eilean Ì after the holy island of Iona and represents over 100 congregations.
The agreed presbytery mission plan in Sutherland consists of five parish churches, most of which cover larger geographical areas.
Two parts of the plan are already completed – Dornoch Firth Church of Scotland (a union of Creich, Dornoch Cathedral and Kincardine, Croick and Edderton); and Assynt, Rosehall and Scourie Church of Scotland (a union of Assynt and Stoer, Rosehall and Eddrachillis).
Still to be implemented are a union of Altnaharra and Farr, Lairg and Melness and Tongue; and a union of Clyne, Golspie, Kildonan, Loth and Rogart.
Kinlochbervie and Durness continues as is.
The Dornoch Firth Church of Scotland held the first meeting of its new Kirk Session on January 22 when it was agreed that the role of session clerk would be shared between the three former session clerks. Kim McCarthy will continue as treasurer and Willie Mackay as property convener.
Interim moderator Rev Iain MacLeod posted on the church’s social media page: “We have been given permission by the new presbytery to call a new minister for a seven-year renewable tenure. The vacancy process has begun and the procedure requires us to create a new electoral register for Dornoch Firth Church of Scotland and to develop a parish profile, both of which are under way.”
Th Kirk Session meets again next Monday to discuss what the congregations are looking for in a new minister.
The service of union will be held in Dornoch Cathedral. Rev Carol Anne Porter is the locum minister.
