Welcome to Lochbroom & Ullapool Parish Church

 

Located at the heart of our community, we are an active and lively church with a wide age range, aiming to show the love of Jesus through all we say and do.

 

We are a Church of Scotland congregation who worship in our Mill Street building every Sunday at 11.00am. We are always delighted to welcome people of different traditions to join with us in worshipping God and in serving our community.

 

Visitors are always welcome. Our vision is to be a church which:

 

 

• Provides a warm welcome to all who join us
• Offers an inclusive, open and affirming ministry
• Shares our faith throughout the community
• Demonstrates a strong concern for social issues 

 

 

About the Church of Scotland

 

The vision of The Church of Scotland is to be a church which seeks to inspire the people of Scotland and beyond with the Good News of Jesus Christ through enthusiastic worshipping, witnessing, nurturing and serving communities.

 

 

Services / Worship

 

Sunday Morning Service

 

Our main act of worship is our Sunday morning service, which starts at 11am. The service is traditional but relaxed in style. 

Our welcome team will greet you at the door, provide you with a Service Sheet and a Hymn Book and will be happy to help with any enquiries or questions you may have.

You are welcome to sit wherever you wish within the body of the church.

 

 

Intimations & Service Sheets

 

Intimations are included as part of the weekly Order of Service sheet and also expounded by our minister before each service.

Service sheets are available in standard or large print format.  Please ask the door steward if you would like a large print version.

 

 

Children

 Have a special, carpeted "Children's Corner" with books and activities. Children are actively encouraged to be part of our Worship.

 

 

Praise

 

 

We generally sing from Songs of Fellowship and CH4 and large print copies of the words are available from the welcome team. The words of hymns are also projected onto a screen. There is an induction loop for anyone who is hard of hearing - hearing aids should be switched to the “T” position.

 

 

 

 

Bible Readings

 

 

 

We use the New International Version of the Bible following the narrative Lectionary which gives the text and focus for each week. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Offering

 

The Offering Bowl is located in the entrace vestibule as you arrive. Gift Aid envelopes are available.

There are also monthly retiring offerings for AIM and Christian Aid.

 

 

Visitors

 

 

If you are visiting with us we would be delighted if you would sign our visitors’ book on the table in the vestibule.

 

 

 

 

 

Fellowship

 

You are very welcome to join us for tea or coffee at the front of the church after the service so that we can get to know you.

 

  

 

 

 

Communion Services

 

We celebrate Communion at our 11am service on the first Sunday of September and the first Sunday in March. (Home communion is available; please contact the Minister). We also occasionally celebrate communion in a more intimate style.

 

 

Special Services

 

 

 

 

We hold a whole village Service of Remembrance at 10.00am on the Sunday nearest to the 11th of November, followed by a parade and procession, led by the Ullapool Pipe Band to the village War Memorial for the Act of Remembrance at 11.00am.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At other times of the year there is a Service of Tenebrae on Good Friday, an ecumenical “Praise on the Pier” Service on Easter Day, and candlelit services at Christmas time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Us / Who's who

 

The Church of Scotland operates a 'territorial' ministry in which every part of Scotland is served by a church. Elders have responsibility for the caring of our finances, buildings and, more importantly, those who live in our parish.

Our minister is a minister of 'Word and Sacrament', meaning that her main roles are to lead worship and administer the sacraments. Our minister also performs many other duties including weddings, funerals, home and hospital visitations and community work.

The Church of Scotland, as part of the Reformed tradition, celebrates two sacraments - Baptism, where people become members of Christ's 'body', the Church, and Holy Communion, where we believe that Christ meets with us, and renews and refreshes us through a meal of bread and wine such as he had with his disciples on the night before his death.

Matters affecting our congregation are dealt with by the Kirk Session, comprising the elders and minister. Our church has adopted the unitary constitution of the Church of Scotland. Within that constitution our Kirk Session has formed a number of groups made up of members of the Kirk Session and members of the congregation to ensure that the voice of the church family is heard by the Kirk Session.

 

Our Minister

 

Rev Heidi Hercus - has been our minister since 2018.

 

 

 

Tel: 01854 612360

 

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

DO YOU NEED HELP?

 

If you are all alone and need help at this time, please call!  No-one need panic or go hungry in this community.

Please phone Yvonne (612789) : Ruth (612790) : Robbie (612749) : or Pam (613736)  

 

We are here to help!

 

Please phone Yvonne (612789) : Ruth (612790) : Robbie (612749) : or Pam (613736)  

 

We are here to help!

 

 

Elder & Session Clerk 

Mr Michael Newman - the Session Clerk is the person who is the link between the congregation and the Minister. The Clerk prepares for meetings of the Session; keeps the Minutes of the Kirk Session; attends to correspondence, including the issuing of extracts; submits the annual Records of the Congregation to Presbytery for attestation; generally sees to the functioning of the Session; is concerned for the welfare of the congregation, and has a working knowledge of the Church's practice and procedure.

 

Tel: 01854 612635

 

Elder & Treasurer

Mrs Ruth Clark - the main duties of the Treasurer are to maintain the financial records of the congregation and produce annual accounts. Ruth ensures that income is collected and authorised payments are made promptly. She prepares budgets and reports on financial matters to the finance committee and Kirk Session. The Treasurer liaises with the fabric committee on the funding of both regular maintenance and major projects. Finally, she also monitors the church’s bank accounts and investments.

 

Tel: 01854 612790

 

Elders                                        

Miss Joan Buchanan – is the Pastoral Care, Mission & Outreach Convenor

Tel: 01854 613389

 

Joan is our link with Bill and Rosemary Rettie. 

 

Bill Rettie was commissioned and sent out from Lochbroom and Ullapool Church of Scotland in 1986. Serving with AIM (Africa Inland Mission International) he was assigned to Cheptebo in the Kerio Valley in North West Kenya to establish a new outreach programme with Africa Inland Church. Bill married Rosemary, an AIM missionary from Northern Ireland in 1988 and they served together at Cheptebo for the next 14 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Paul, who are living and working in U.K.

The Ullapool congregation has supported the family prayerfully and financially since 1986. The Cheptebo Centre is now managed and run entirely by national workers. The Centre has a flourishing demonstration and training farm, a large conference centre and an Agricultural Training College. Bill and Rosemary have now retired from AIM and live in Nottingham where they are serving in leadership positions in a large evangelical church. They still maintain close links with Cheptebo, making regular visits to encourage and assist in ongoing development of the strategic ministry.

 

 

Mrs Pam Eddington – is the Worship & Education Convenor, Safeguarding Coordinaor and Presbytery Elder

Tel: 01854 613389

 

Mr Tony Hercus - is the Property Convenor

Tel: 01854 612360

 

Mr Stephen Bowley - is the Data Protection Officer

Tel: 01854 655246

 

Mrs Jane Bowley - is the Health & Safety Administrator

Tel: 01854 655246

 

 

 

Life Events

 

Baptism

When a baby is born, there is much cause for celebration and thankfulness to God for the gift of such a precious life. If you are new to Church it may be that you have children whom you would now like to have baptised even though they are older. That’s great and we’d love to hear from you. Both baptism and thanksgiving services are normally held as part of a Sunday service which begins at 11.00am.

If you would like to have your child baptised or have a naming or thanksgiving service, then please be in touch with us and the minister will be very glad to meet up with you and discuss the best way to take your request forward.

Church Membership

The church is the people of God gathered together. It is a living thing - not just bricks and mortar but people striving together to work for the Kingdom of God.
We are a parish church, existing to help and support everyone who lives within our parish but we do have people who are ‘officially’ members of our church. You do not have to be a member to join us at worship on a Sunday or to take part in church activities throughout the week.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the congregation please speak to the Minister. If you are not already a member of the Church of Scotland this involves attending an informal meeting with the minister and others seeking to join the church at which we explore the meaning of membership.

If you are already a member of the Church of Scotland and want to join our church  you will be able to bring a Certificate of Transference, commonly known as 'lines' from your previous congregation. This should be given to our minister, or Session Clerk who will ensure that your name is taken to the next Kirk Session meeting to add your name to the roll of Lochbroom & Ullapool Parish Church.

We would love to welcome you as part of the family of Lochbroom & Ullapool Parish Church. If you want to think about church membership then please contact the minister who will be only too happy to help. But remember, you do not have to be a member to come along to any of our activities or services of worship.

 

 

Weddings

 

Have you ever considered getting married in our

quaint Highland Parish Church here in Ullapool?

 

 If you would like to be married at our Church or have our minister take your service elsewhere, then please be in touch with us via the contact form. The minister will be delighted to meet with you and discuss your wedding with you.

 

Before you finalise a date for the service and reception you will need to make sure that the minister is available.

 

 

 

Christian marriage

 

Church of Scotland ministers are free to marry people who are not members of the Church of Scotland, and - a big bonus in these ever-changing economic times - there is no charge!

 

In fact, I don’t ever charge a fee, no matter where you choose the marriage venue to be.  (If the marriage service 

takes place in church, there might be a small charge for heating and lighting etc.

and any organist or other musician would normally charge a fee.) I love working

with couples considering Christian marriage to create the perfect, personal wedding service that is just rightfor their big day. I will happily work with you, so that together with florists, event organisers and musicians you can create a service that is unique to your special love journey! We can even accommodate your ‘special’ family members. As you can see - Brian and Jeanette were joined on their wedding day by Gail the Collie.

 

 

"Heidi provided us with a most beautiful wedding ceremony which was so personal and meaningful. It was exactly how we envisioned it. She made us feel totally at ease during the run up and on the day with her highly professional yet relaxed manner. We can’t thank Heidi enough for marrying us and for a service we’ll never forget!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"It was a great privilege to have Heidi conduct the ceremony

at not one, but  two of our daughters’ weddings last year -

one in GG's yard in Gatehouse of Fleet in Dumfries and Galloway,                     

and the other in Dornoch Cathedral. Heidi is great fun, very down

to earth, light-hearted, and very easy to talk to and get along with;

whilst taking her role as a minister very professionally.”

 

 

Divorced couples

 

The Church of Scotland permits the re-marriage of divorced people

in church.  

Please contact me to discuss these matters if you are interested.

 

Blessing of a civil marriage

 

I can also conduct a blessing ceremony for civil marriages

(those which were legally conducted by a registrar but not in a church).

A couple seeking a blessing on their marriage stand together in church

and may be attended by friends and family. 

 

So – when you are planning your Wedding Day – please consider our offer 

and contact me to discuss your thoughts and ideas.

 

Rev. Heidi Hercus

 

 

Funerals and Bereavement

The death of someone you love is often a difficult time, even if their death is not unexpected. You may find yourself having to arrange a funeral and wondering how to go about that. You may also wonder whether to contact a minister or not.

Please feel free to contact the minister directly or via the undertaker if you would like them to conduct the funeral service. You do not need to be a member of the church for the minister to lead the service. The minister will then arrange a time to meet with you and, if you wish, other members of your family to discuss and plan the funeral service. You can also ask the minister to visit during a long illness or as life is ending. This can often be a source of comfort, strength and help to a family.

 

The death of a loved one raises a whole range of emotions, even when the death itself is expected after a long and difficult time. We will seek to support and care for you even beyond the funeral service, if you wish.

The Church of Scotland is a national church and as such has a pastoral responsibility. There will therefore never be a fee payable to a Parish Minister for conducting a funeral.