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Services
and Events
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About
Us
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Quick Links: Regular Services • Monthly Services • Dates for your Diary • Church News • Curate's Letter
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May
Collects, Intercessions
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SEC Daily Prayer - Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer and Night Prayer (Compline) See
also complete Morning
Eucharist list and recent Children's
Chapel list.
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Caithness Street Pastors The story of Street Pastors in Caithness is probably older than most people believe since the germ of the idea and need for Street Pastors in Caithness, focused probably on Thurso and Wick, but not exclusively, has been about for some years. The reason I say it is older than two years ago when I got involved is that a number of church leaders were already thinking and sounding out the local authority and local constabulary some years before any involvement from me. So when I arrived back in Caithness after a 20year absence in Aberdeen I soon found willing ears although I have to say with some were sceptical. Whilst I had been in Aberdeen I had served as a Street Pastor for 7+ years and was really wanting to keep up my training and had contacted the Inverness Street Pastors group. During that conversation I felt I was being guided to see if indeed there was a need for Street Pastors in Caithness. Fortunately for me Rev Ellie Charman was a Street Pastor when she was in Inverness and was totally behind the idea of starting a Street Pastor group in Caithness. It then left me to contact all the leaders of the Caithness churches, the Local Authority and Police to assess the need; obviously without a need being driven from the community a Street Pastor group would not get off the ground. Early in November 2019 the first meeting of interested parties was held which was followed by further meetings in late November both in Wick and Thurso when there was ample opportunity to discover why it was felt the need existed to start up a Caithness Street Pastor group. The motive for having Street pastors is to be a visible church presence on the streets ready to 'just be there' Caring, Listening, Helping - NOT to try and preach or convince people to become Christians but to help anyone in need in a totally no-judgemental way; in fact unless asked specifically those I met in Aberdeen would have been aware of my faith. We were on track up to March 2020 when the Coronavirus Pandemic was declared; we had a small number of volunteers who wanted to become trained as Street Pastors and we had been successful in gaining some funding through 'Your Cash Your Caithness' and even organised the initial training modules. In total there are 12 days of training spread over some weeks that volunteers need to complete before being allowed to patrol the streets. Training is centrally monitored by the Ascension Trust to ensure quality standards are maintained and are transferable if someone relocates to another part of the UK. Currently training is on hold as we wait for the restrictions that COVID-19 have brought. There is still sometime before we can be out on the streets but it is clear from the issues that the Pandemic has brought about it would be beneficial for Street Pastors being a visible presence to get alongside people of all ages. My aim is to restart the process of seeking for more volunteers, getting training completed which may take 3 or even 4 months and then start going out on the streets. Our motto is Caring, Listening, Helping and you can find out more at www.streetpastors.org or contact Alan Finch the local coordinator. Alan Finch |
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