NutshellIssue 2 - December 2009

Inveraray Community NewsletterOn-line edition

NutshellIssue 2 - December 2009 Inveraray Community Newsletter

Local History Society - Nicoll Hall 7:30pm - Musical EveningSenior Citizens Wednesday Club - Nicoll Hall 2pm - 4pm Afternoon tea - Raffle - donation £1 - St Andrew s Day - Alan McIntosh & FriendsA Night with Alastair McDonald in the Church at 7:30pm - Donation £5 ticketGlenaray and Inveraray Parish Church 11:15 - 12:15 Sunday Morning Service - Second Sunday of Advent.Senior Citizens Wednesday Club - Members to Panto in Glasgow - PinochioAccordion & Fiddle Club - Argyll Hotel 8pm Admission £4 - The MacAllister Brothers from CampbeltownSongs from the Shows - School Hall - Tickets will be available from SchoolGlenaray and Inveraray Parish Church 11:15 - 12:15 Sunday Morning Service - Christmas Nativity with the children. Third Sunday of Advent. Christmas party for the children after the service.All Saints' Episcopal Church 5pm Ecumenical Carol Service

A Night with Alastair McDonaldWednesday 2nd DecemberInveraray Church 7:30pm

Donation Ticket £5 available fromSweet Memories and Pier Shop

Christmas in Inveraray 2009

This is the second edition of our newsletter, the Nutshell, and it is also our Christmas edition. The aim of this edition is to highlight events taking place during the Festive Season, reflecting on memorable events that happened during the past year and looking forward to exciting events in the new year

DecemberTue 1st

Wed 2nd

Wed 2nd

Sun 6th

Wed 9th

Wed 9th

Fri 11th

Sun 13th

Sun 13th

Primary School Christmas Service 11 am in Glenaray and Inveraray Parish Church. Everybody is welcome.Senior Citizens Wednesday Club - Christmas Dinner - Argyll Hotel - 7pm for 7:30pm - see Yvonne Black by 9th to reserve a place [this is open to all senior citizens whether members or not]Glenaray and Inveraray Parish Church 11:15 - 12:15 Sunday Morning Service - Fourth Sunday of AdventSchools Close for holidayGlenaray and Inveraray Parish Church 11pm to Midnight - Christmas Eve Service with the Pipe BandGlenaray and Inveraray Parish Church 10am to 11am - Christmas Day Family Service.Christmas Day Mass at 12.30pm in All Saints Episcopal Church and everyone will be made very welcomeGlenaray and Inveraray Parish Church 11:15-12:15 End of Year Service

Glenaray and Inveraray Parish Church 11:15-12:15 New Year Service

Tue 15th

Wed 16th

Sun 20th

Tue 22ndThu 24th

Fri 25th

Fri 25th

Sun 27th

JanuarySun 3rd

Events during the Festive Season

Folksinger, Entertainer Broadcaster

Inveraray & District Branch - Royal British Legion ScotlandMembers of the local branch of the British Legion played host to a number of ex-servicemen from Erskine Hospital on Saturday 12th September.

Members also took part in the Armistice Day Parade to the Cenotaph in the morning followed by the special R e m e m b r a n c e Service in the Church conducted by Rev. Louis Bezuidenhout.

In the afternoon there was a short wreath laying service at the memorial at the Caravan park conducted by Rev.Roy Flatt. The site was the first combined training camp

during the war years. Members and friends planted wooden crosses bearing the names of those who they had known who lost there lives in service to the country.

S t u a r t Liddell is the first piper to achieve the Bratach/Gillies double in the 21st Century.He won the

Bratach Gorm and the Gillies cup both (piobaireachd) events open only to gold medallists and former winners. He achieved this 'double' at the big London event the week following his huge success at the Glenfiddich Championship. This double has only ever been achieved 7 times in the competition's existence - the last one to do it was Roddy MacLeod in 1998 The others were Robert Reid, Donald MacLeod, William H MacDonald, R.U. Brown and Robert Wallace all achieved their doubles in the 20th century.

Shinty ClubRetained the Celtic Cup for a further year and won the MacAulay Cup

Annie McWhinney's birthdayOn 22nd October Annie McWhinney celebrated her 94th birthday. Her colleagues in Chalmers Court and other friends gathered in the Chalmers Court lounge for a surprise party and what turned out to be a delightful old fashioned ceilidh of music and song with a lovely light supper and 'refreshments'. The birthday girl cut the cake (not 94 candles) and music was supplied by Allan MacIntosh, with songs from Margaret Campbell, Danny Kennedy and Niall Iain McLean. She was later observed helping to tidy up the hall when everyone else had gone home. They don't make them like that any more.

Eventful Year for Inveraray Parish ChurchThe summer sale was a great success. The Sunday Club started again for our children and the number of children is growing. Parents and friends of the Sunday Club have raised an amazing amount of money for this purpose. Four new elders have been ordained on 25th October: Dougie Gibson, Peter McArthur, Her grace Duchess Iona and Howard Spicer. Six new communicant members have been admitted on 1st November: David Currie, Noreen Couper, Kathy Reddie, Tom and Ruth Paterson and Margaret Elder. Music is playing an important role in the life of the church: A choir has been formed recently and is making a great difference in our worship. Every month people are coming together informally in the Manse or in Chalmers Court just to enjoy making music and singing well known songs.www.inveraraychurch.org.uk

Highlights of 2009Grade 2 BandBearsden 1st Balloch 1st Helensburgh 1st Bridge of Allan 1stPerth 1stScottish (Dumbarton) 1st British (Banbridge) 1st European (Greenock) 1st Worlds (Glasgow) 1st Cowal (Dunoon) 1st.

Novice Juvenile Band Bearsden 3rdHelensburgh 2ndBalloch 2ndBridge of Allan 7thPerth 8thRothesay 4th.Scottish 7thEuropean 5thWorlds 4thCowal finished 7th in qualifiers

Inveraray and District Pipe Band

Accordion and Fiddle ClubThe meetings take place on the second Wednesday of each month in the Argyll Hotel at 8pm and all are welcome. Our next meetings are listed on the back page.

Now and Then - TVJune 2009... It has been confirmed that Inveraray will receive Digital Freeview TV on 1st March 2011 with the switch-over of the Strachur Transmitter.

June 1978... The school found ourselves owners of a colour television set which has brought further interest to the schools television programmes .

A Bit of the ChurchThe PulpitThe lofty hexagonal pulpit is a simplified copy of one in the Baptistry at Pisa. It was made of yellow pine by Charles MacLaren and his son Edward, both Estate

joiners.The seven legs were turned on a lathe specially set up in the old mill at Carloonan.Carved Figures Mounted on the pulpit are three stucco figures and one wooden figure of a Roman soldier

INVERARAY LOCAL TELEPHONE DIRECTORY (November 2008 edition)

There are still directories available in the Post Office, Londis and Gillespie (Butchers) Price £3.00A boon when you are doing your Christmas card list!!Proceeds to the Parish Church.

Pipe BandThis is a quiet time of year when most of our time is spent learning new tunes and practising for next season.The Grade 1 band will be playing at Celtic Connections on 16th January in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall : Main Auditorium.On 20th March the band will play at an Invitational Indoor Competition organised by Lomond & Clyde Pipe Band also featuring Ballycoan, Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia, Cullybackey, House of Edgar Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia, Fife Constabulary, Robert Wiseman Dairies Vale of Atholl and Tayside Police.The Council want to give us another Civic Reception and this will be early in the New Year when we might arrange a concert locally.www.idpb.co.uk

The Inveraray Senior Citizens are all invited to an Annual Christmas Dinner. This year to be held on the 16th December in the Argyll Hotel. In past years the Committee have contacted all the Senior Citizens to issue an invitation. Due to the rising numbers of Seniors in the town and the added fact that everyone seems to be looking younger these days, the Committee decided that to ensure that no one was missed out, it would be the responsibility of all the Seniors themselves to contact Yvonne Black, Chairperson. Tel 302029.

The Christmas Dinner is free to all Senior Citizens and their spouses even if they are not yet Seniors themselves. It is a good night, with a lovely meal and entertainment followed by a raffle (for which any donations are gratefully accepted). The Wednesday Club for Senior Citizens meets every second Wednesday in the Nicoll Hall - details on the Nicoll Hall window, Londis, the Tree shop and various other places. We have a variety of speakers and entertainments in addition to a very nice afternoon tea/coffee.

Inveraray Parish ChurchInveraray Parish Church is looking forward to welcoming the Mums and Toddlers group into the Church Hall.Prepare for Strictly Come Dancing with the Salsa Dancing which will be starting in the Church Hall at the beginning of the year.Initial discussions have taken place with the architect for the complete refurbishment of the Church and Hall. The building is of great architectural interest.

Inveraray Senior Citizens

St.Margaret s RC Church celebrate Mass every Sunday in All Saints Episcopal Church, at 12.30pm. Soup and sandwiches are served in the Nicol Hall, Inveraray after Mass on the second Sunday of every month. On Thursday 24th December - Midnight Mass and carol singing will take place at 11.30pm on Christmas Eve in Lochgilphead. Inveraray parishioners helped with the parish sale of work in Lochgilphead on Saturday 21 November. In horrific weather numbers attending were as expected a little lower than normal, but still over £1500 was raised for parish funds.www.lochgilpheadcatholic.com

Looking Forward to 2010

The Community HallThe repairs to the community hall are now well in hand and the hall should be in use again very soon.

Glenaray Publications © 2009

Our Next Issue will be AprilWhile we do not intend to carry adverts, we would welcome sponsors for each issue.

If you or your Company would be interested please contact the publications committee.

NOTICE BOARD

Contact us by email: publications@inveraraychurch.org.uk or at The Manse, Inveraray. PA32 8XT Tel: 302060

Burns SupperSaturday 23rd January

in the Argyll Hoteltickets from Kenny Stark 302617

Accordion and Fiddle Club in the Argyll Hotel, Wednesdays 8pm9th December with the MacAllister Brothers from Campbeltown13th January with the John Douglas and his SDB from Dumfries10th February with Susan MacFadyen and her SDB from West Kilbride

Inveraray and District Branch - Royal British Legion ScotlandMeets in Waterside at Caravan Park - First Saturday of Month at 1pm More information from Jim Martin 302338 or Ian Lindsay at Sweet Memories or William Brown at Caravan Park or any Branch Member

History Society in the Nicoll Hall, Tuesdays 7:30pm1st Dec Musical Evening 5th Jan An Introduction to Genealogy 2nd Feb Burns and Argyll

Burns Club Inveraray Burns Club celebrated the end of the Year of Homecoming with a St Andrew s Night Dinner in the Argyll Hotel. Excellent toasts to our patron saint and to Inveraray were proposed and songs and works of Scots literature were performed by club members and guests Fyne Folk. The Burns Supper is being held on Saturday 23 January when Jamie McGrigor MSP will propose the Immortal Memory. Last year s supper was a complete sell out, so those wishing to attend including visitors - are advised to make early reservations by calling Kenny Stark on 01499 302617. The school verse speaking competition, organised by the club involving three local primary schools will again take place in January.www.inverarayburnsclub.org.uk

Shoebox Appeal 2009Since the beginning of the Shoebox Appeal in 1993,

a total of 1,122,000 boxes have been sent to countries like Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, India, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Ukraine.This year the Church appeal for

boxes saw 150 boxes being loaded into the van to bring that day s total for the van to 1000 from Argyll alone.We know how happy these boxes make the people who receive them and how surprised they are to receive a present from someone who doesn't even know them.

ACROSSACROSS is a registered charity based in Inveraray providing pilgrimages to the Christian Shrine of Lourdes in SW France for sick and disabled persons throughout the UK. Transport is by Jumbulance, a unique coach vehicle fitted with beds and medical equipment, and priority is given to those in terminal illness and those who cannot travel by conventional means. In 2009 over 750 pilgrims travelled on the Jumbulance including the volunteer helpers and medical teams responsible for providing care. ACROSS, is a totally non denominational organisation, and has taken people of many religions and no religion to Lourdes. Carers are always required for groups which leave the UK weekly, and anyone wishing more information should contact Sylvia or Julie on 01499 302715. www.across-uk.org

Local History SocietyIn our History Society, History is interpreted very widely. As well as political, military and social activities, from prehistoric times to the very recent past, we take an interest in literature, music and architecture: one might say, anything that has a link to mid-Argyll.The main activity is our winter/spring series of talks, generally on the first Tuesday of each month from October to April, in the Nicoll Hall. For the Annual General Meeting in May we visit some building or institution of interest in the locality. Occasional summer trips are also organised.For further information, contact the Secretary, Dorothy Paterson (302638).

A Big ThanksCharlie McLaren recently retired from the Kirk Session after many years of service as church officer, roll-keeper and many other duties.