ANOTHER month has come and gone and here we are well into May already. It seems hard to believe that we as a family have been here over six months! Now the grass is getting green and the view from the Mission over to Bressay is wonderful. We are looking forward to our first summer in Shetland and are banking on there being one!
Sadly we had to say "farewell" to Robert Williamson of Whalsay early this month as he lost his long battle with Motor Nurone Disease. The thoughts and prayers of all of us here at the Mission are with Janet and the children as well as the larger family who have all done so much for Robert over the past few years. But especially with Janet who has worked tirelessly for Robert throughout his illness whilst bringing up their four young children, which is no mean feat in itself.
April was a very busy month for various reasons. Thankfully there were not the high level of casualties to report, which we have seen over the winter months, with perhaps this being a sign of improving conditions. I was speaking to a Skipper of a North East trawler recently whose boat had broken down and who was in Lerwick harbour on a flat calm day. I think he was shocked to see such a lovely day in Lerwick! He only saw it in the gales.
There were six recorded incidents this month however with two of these involving the same Peterhead pelagic fishing boat. Injuries included an eye problem, a broken knuckle and a cut elbow. There was also a fisherman who needed to get home because his father-in-law had died. The Mission were able to care for them all.
The highlight of the month by far was the Anniversary Weekend at the end of April celebrating 36 years in the present Lerwick building. The guest speaker for the weekend was the Mission Secretary Paul Jarrett MBE, JP. He was due to arrive on Friday 24th April but due to fog at Sumburgh airport the plane was unable to land despite making three attempts. He finally reached Shetland the next day by ferry. I know Cliff and Kym and myself breathed a sigh of relief when Mr Jarrett finally arrived.
On the Saturday evening there was a Shetland Variety Concert with a host of rich and varied talent to delight us all. The weather was good and the event attracted 150 people. The evening was compered by Cliff and we were entertained by Shetland Folk Group Filska who played local and traditional music and were excellent! Just as excellent were Marion Anderson and the ladies from Burra with their hilarious sketch. I am sure all those who saw it will remember it next time they do any baking!
Then there was Ivy Cluness with her Shetland poetry which warmed our hearts and tickled our sides too. Jimmy Neill entertained us with his own style of country and gospel music. To round off the Saturday evening the Corbies played a mixture of local, traditional and gospel music. All of these performers gave freely of their time and our thanks go out to them for their support. In all nearly £500 was raised over the weekend.
The Mission Secretary Paul Jarrett rounded off the evening by giving a short talk about the current picture of the National Mission and about changes in direction which means there is now Mission representation in 90 ports around the country. He also brought the thanks and appreciation from the Chairman and Mission Council to all those who support the Mission in Lerwick in different ways throughout the year, without your help we really couldn't carry on.
The celebration did not end on Saturday. On Sunday evening we had a special Sunday Night Cap Service. Cliff Powell welcomed everybody and we enjoyed musical items from a group of local "Lads" who were "sickeningly talented". They sang and played for us and helped to lift the roof (steady on we've only just got a new floor!). Certainly the praise was uplifting.
Ivy Cluness again gave us some poetry, this time relating to her Christian faith. Local singer Angela Watt sang two lovely songs urging us to hope in God and to take our candle of Faith and light the world. Mission Secretary Paul Jarrett gave a short epilogue and asked the question "Is your faith an anchor or an ornament".
Refreshments were again served and after such a lovely evening nobody wanted to go home!! The band carried on playing and the people kept on singing! But it would be better if we said the people kept on praising because there was a lovely atmosphere of praise to God both during and after the service and everyone just wanted it to continue.
Thanks must be expressed to all those who helped with the catering and the lovely homebakes over the whole weekend. Especially to the Ladies Appeals Committee and all the Mission ladies involved. The atmosphere was special on both nights and the people who made that so special were the ones who came along, packed the place out and supported us by their presence.
The first Hymn that we sang at the Night Cap Service is one of my favourites and one that set the tone for whole evening "Great is thy Faithfulness". If we believe that God is indeed a faithful God then we have nothing to worry about. Yes we will have problems. Yes we will have frustrations. Yes life will not always be easy. We are reminded of the folk from our community who are unwell or in hospital at the moment either in Gilbert Bain or in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Please remember them in your prayers. Remember also those who have been bereaved recently. But if God is faithful he will see us through the good times and the bad times. As the Hymn says:
"All I have needed Thy hand has provided"
God is good and he is faithful.
The Anniversary Weekend was a wonderful demonstration of that fact. There was great fun and great fellowship. But hopefully and more importantly as a result of the weekend we were reminded of God's Faithfulness to us all.
Assistant Superintendent
Peter Dade