Sunday Bulletin for 27 November 2011

Worship This Week
Sunday 4 December: The Second Sunday of Advent

10.00am Morning Service, with the Sacrament of Baptism, at St Stephen's
11.15am Morning Service at the Old High
3pm Carol by Candlight Service for Carr Gomm (formerly Crossroads Care), St Stephen's
6pm Alternativity: Advent meal and worship at St Stephen's
SUNDAY BULLETIN ANNOUNCEMENTS should be sent to Joy Cossar. The deadline for all items is Wednesday at noon.
NEWS FROM OUR CONGREGATION

RETIRING OFFERING on 27 November is for the L'Arche Community in Inverness, which is is part of the worldwide federation of L'Arche communities founded by Jean Vanier in France in 1964. Men and women with and without learning disabilities share a common life together. In Inverness, L'Arche has seven houses where 19 adults with learning disabilities live with assistants. They have a workshop that welcomes 25 people each day to work in varying activities including candle making, woodwork, horticulture or as part of our retirement project. They are an ecumenical Christian community but welcome people of all backgrounds, abilities and cultures. The community was founded in 1974 and continues to be a vibrant expression of Jean Vanier's original vision. If you would like to visit L'Arche Inverness, or would like to know more about being a House Assistant or a volunteer in our houses or workshops please do get in touch: L'Arche Inverness . You are also very welcome to visit our workshops at Drummond Crescent, which are open every day from Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm. Our shop there sells wonderful candles, kindling, woodwork plus plants, fruit and flowers according to the season.
THE GIVING TREE is our way of making Christmas gifts to those in need. Take a ribbon, and bring your gift back on a later Sunday. Details for this year as follows:
ST STEPHEN’S GIVING TREE will be at the Church door on Sunday, 4th December. You are invited to choose a tag from the Tree, but please return the red bow for future use. Details of the gifts required are on the labels. You should wrap your gift and attach the label for identification and return them either on 4 or 11 December for subsequent distribution. Gifts are for Beechwood, Cale House, Manna House (No men’s after-shave with alcohol please) Mackenzie Centre, Hilton Village (Social Work) + Porterfield Prisoners’ Children. Any queries to Cliff Sim
OLD HIGH GIVING TREE will be in the east corridor next week. Donations are for the Homeless Refuge. Take a card (marked M or F for Male or Female). Shower gel, deodorants and shampoos are especially appreciated (please no alcohol-based toiletries), as well as items such as socks, scarves, and gloves. Pleased return your wrapped gifts on Sundays 4 and 11 December. Any queries to Diana Fraser.
SOAPS We also appeal at this time of year for the congregation to donate soaps ( wrapped if possible) to those in Hospital and Nursing Homes. There will be boxes at the Congregational Service this Sunday and at both churches on 3rd December for those who wish to donate them. The following week Wednesday 7th December we meet in St Stephen's hall at 2pm to write cards and wrap any soaps that may require it, help would be appreciated in this regard. Please come and enjoy a cup of tea with us. Florence Munro
ALTERNATIVITY We are holding our Advent evening meal in St Stephen's at 6pm on Sunday 4th December. This year is different for the MEN are providing for us all, especially the women for whom Christmas is especially trying and tiring. Would all men willing to help see Iain Todd after the service over the next 2 Sundays or Christine Mackenzie at Old High, or If transport is required please speak with your elder. We are also planning to assist Woman’s Aid, Inverness, by making up special, pampering presents of quality toiletries for the women to help them feel special. Please bring a financial contribution to this on the evening, or if you cannot attend but would like to contribute, please send a cheque made payable to Old High St Stephen's Church to Iain Todd,.
MEN’S GROUP - EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL Would you like to meet with other men in our congregation? If so, you are warmly invited to a meeting to be held at 7.30pm on Wednesday the 30 November in the Crown Court Hotel. The purpose of the group is to provide a forum for men in the congregation to meet one another, and to be informal enough that friends or people we meet who are looking for a church can be invited along. The first meeting is to find out if there is any interest in the concept and to discuss the format and type of meetings that might follow. There is no fixed concept but options considered include social events, book group, Bible study, discussion/meeting groups, or any other ideas you may have for a mens group. If you have any questions or cannot make it along on the 30th but are interested, please ask David Anderson, Iain Todd or Ian Rudd We'd be delighted to see you.
CONGREGATIONAL BOARD will meet in St Stephen's Church Hall on Tuesday 29 November at 7.30 pm. Papers for the meeting will be e-mailed early next week and for those not on e-mail will be posted. There are important issues to be discussed at the meeting and hopefully there will be a good attendance from Elder and Congregational Board.
ST STEPHEN’S CHOIR CD “Revelation” is available now Christmas wrapped for you to purchase at no exta cost for £7.50 contact Joan Darcy
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS AT ST STEPHEN’S - Anyone who would like to help decorate the church for Christmas, please come along on Saturday 3rd December at 2pm. Any queries to Jill Russell
LUNCH CLUB The Lunch Club will meet at 12.30pm at the Craigmonie Hotel on Thursday 1 December. Transport is available. Please contact Val Cantlay or Diana Fraser
VINE TRUST David MacPherson from our Congregation has just returned from working with the Vine Trust, a Scottish-based Christian charity, in Tanzinai.. He is holding an Open House Fundraiser for The Vine Trust at his home at Balvonie of Daviot, from Friday 2 December at 10am and into the evening and all day 3 December until 7pm. More information from David.
ST STEPHEN’S GARDEN gives a lot of pleasure to our congregation and to passers by and it is thanks to all who take great care of looking after it. The triangle plot of garden has many Roses that have been planted in memory of loved ones but unfortunately are in need of replacement.If you would like to donate some money to go towards this please put your donation in an envelope marked Garden in the offering bag in any of the next two weeks or contact Joan Darcy.
ARCHIE FOUNDATION Following the 'Ding Dong Merrily Old High' Service on Sunday night the sum of £323.47 was raised for the Archie Foundation who are raising money for a new children's ward at Raigmore Hospital. Thanks to all who contributed.

OTHER NEWS

CARR GOMM is the organisation which has replaced Crossroads Care in providing respite care services in Inverness. They are continuing the tradition of a 'Carols by Candlelight' service at St Stephen's, which this year will take place at St Stephen's at 3pm next Sunday, 4 December- all welcome. More details from Carr Gomm.
WORLD AIDS DAY 2011 COMMUNITY GATHERING To mark World AIDS Day 2011, Waverley Care are hosting a Community Gathering event on Thursday 1st December at 7.30pm at St Andrew’s Cathedral, 15 Adross Street. Everyone is invited to attend the event, which provides an important opportunity to take time out of busy lives and reflect on HIV in a global and a local context. The stories of those who are living positively with HIV will be heard and there will also be a time and space to remember those who have died of AIDS St Stephen's Community Choir. The event will be led by our Minister and feature music from the St Stephen's Community Choir. Refreshments will be available at the Old Boys' School from 6.15pm. More details from Waverley Care.
FAIRTRADE BAZAAR Saturday 3 December 2011 from 10:30am - 3 pm
Old High Church Hall. There will be a wide variety of Fairtrade craft goods and gifts, attractive recycled glasses and food items, as well as cards and
wrapping paper on sale as well as a chance to enjoy a fairly traded cup of tea or coffee. Hope to see you there! For more information contact Hilary Lawson.
BORN IN BETHLEHEM- a puppet musical on Saturday 10 December from 7pm to 8.15pm at Trinity Parish Church, Huntly Place- features the Christmas Story told by the Out of the Box puppets for children and adults of all ages. Entry is by donation. For more information check out www.outofthebox.me.uk
MUSIC FOR JOY Saturday 10th December in Hilton Church at 7.30pm Tickets: £8/ Child £4 at the door Featuring Peter Donald & Julie Keen, ‘In Cahoots’, Animato, Beat Roots, James Ross and Helen Standen All proceeds to Carpathian Aid, Romania and the Joy Community School, Ndola, Zambia