Linklines 01.08.08
Emmanuel exhibition
AN EXHIBITION will be held next month to celebrate work carried out abroad by Emmanuel pastor Jamie Tonge and his wife Christine.
The couple have been travelling regularly to Mozambique over the last three years to work for the Christian organisation IRIS Ministries.
Their latest trip was in April when Jamie taught at a central Bible school in Pemba.
Not resting on their laurels, the couple are preparing to go out again next year.
But before then they will hold a two day exhibition on their work, to which all are invited.
The event will start off on Thursday 14th August at 7.30pm, but will run from 11am the following day, when a fund-raising lunch will be on offer to all those attending.
Minister’s induction
An induction ceremony will be held in Yell next month for the new Church of Scotland minister in the North Isles.
Rev David Cooper is taking over the role in Fetlar, Unst and Yell following the previous minister’s retirement.
He was mentioned in Linklines two months ago as a possible surprise candidate for some – not least because he trained as a Methodist minister.
He is already a well known face in Shetland, having worked at Scalloway Methodist Church for some time.
His induction will take place on 23rd August in Cullivoe.
Student placement
She is half way through her studies at Aberdeen University, but that has not stopped Elspeth MacLean from enjoying a stay in Delting and Northmavine over the summer.
The trainee Church of Scotland Minister decided to take part in the voluntary training after she was offered the chance of a placement in a rural location.
Born in Yorkshire, she moved to Scotland with her family as a baby and since then has lived in a number of places north of the border.
But this summer’s placement is by far the furthest north she has been. She says she is enjoying her stay here, which started on 2nd July and is due to run on until 11th August.
Prayer event
The first in a series of district prayer events for Methodist churches took place in Haroldswick this month.
Held on July 5th, the event has been designed to focus on the needs of individual communities.
Before the event took place, prayer cards were produced and distributed to Methodist preachers so that prayers would be said regarding the church and community needs in the North Isles.
“It’s a way of encouraging and exciting people about the potential of prayer,” said Methodist minister Nigel Barton.
Similar events are planned elsewhere in Shetland, with a prayer day in Vidlin scheduled for November.
Beach party
The days leading up to it were damp and grey, so it must have come as a great relief for Lerwick Baptists when their weekend beach party at Sound turned out to be the hottest day of the year so far.
Crowds of people turned out for the event to enjoy a day of music, food and entertainment, as well as the chance to meet new friends and catch up with old ones, too.
Fears of a wash out were laid to rest, as the sun beat down in the summer heat – all of which saw many people take a dip in the water before the day’s end.
The day’s activities were held as part of a church effort to get to know residents in the Sound area.
Plans are well underway for the new Baptist Church building, which is scheduled to go up in the Quoys area in the next few years.
The strong summer theme of the beach party contrasts with the cosy winter atmosphere of the church’s watch-night service, which was held in the Sound Hall last Christmas.
<b><i>Ryan Taylor</b></i>
