Moderator traces family roots in Caithness
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THE Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland enjoyed a "wonderful" visit to Caithness and hopes to return for a holiday sometime.
During his stay over the past week, the Rt Rev Colin Sinclair was kept busy with a number of visits which gave him a chance to meet people across the county and conduct services of worship.
"It has been a wonderful time and everyone has been so kind to us – people have been enormously friendly," he said.
"I think the highlight has been meeting some of the people who have shared their world. It has been a privilege to hear their stories."
The Moderator preached in several parishes while in the county, ending his visit by leading the service at Halladale Parish Church on Sunday morning before taking over at Pulteneytown Parish Church in the evening.
"Preaching in other churches has been lovely, " he said.
Recognising that there was a shortage of ministers in some areas, he said he was grateful for those providing cover. The Moderator said it was very sad to see a shortage of children in some churches.
With his own Caithness family connection, the Rt Rev Sinclair was also keen to find out more about his links to the county.
He explained that on the first Sunday, following a worship service in Halkirk and Westerdale Parish Church, he met Elaine Watson, who said she was related to his family.
The Moderator said: "She showed me her family tree and it had all my family on it. That was wonderful for us."
The Rt Rev Sinclair and his wife Ruth ended up having lunch with Mrs Watson and her husband Bill at their farm at Harpsdale.
It turns out that Mrs Watson's great-grandmother and the Moderator's great-grandmother were sisters.
The Rt Rev Sinclair and his wife also went to visit the farm at Tacher, owned by Jim Falconer and his wife Cath, where his great-grandfather had lived before moving south when his grandfather was just six years old. Tacher was the name they gave their house in Glasgow.
His family also had connections with other farms in the county, including one at Hilliclay, as well as Brynach, Thurso, where the Anderson family farm.
He said: "Ruth and I have really appreciated our visit. I think we must come back and have a holiday sometime."
The trip to Caithness, which started on Saturday, September 21, and finished on Monday, September 30, was the first of four presbytery visits for the Rt Rev Sinclair during his year as Moderator.
He took over the role in May, succeeding the Rev Susan Brown, the minister at Dornoch Cathedral and Honorary Chaplain to the Queen in Scotland.
She was the first woman to take charge of a cathedral in the UK and officiated at the wedding of Madonna and Guy Ritchie.
A civic reception was held in the Wick Town Hall to welcome the Moderator and his wife to the county at the beginning of their trip.
Among the many local businesses they called in at were Annie's Bakery, meeting the three generations working there together, and the Dunnet Bay Distillery run by Martin and Claire Murray.
While in Wick, the Moderator took a tour of Caithness General Hospital where he heard a presentation on rural care and learned more about the pastoral care initiative, which offers care to staff and patients alike.
He said the tour of the hospital left him in no doubt that the people of Caithness were in good hands. "The hospital is a model of good practice, integrating medical, nursing, management and pastoral care holistically, as it should be," he said.
On Friday, the Moderator was shown round the East Caithness Community Facility and spoke at assemblies in both Wick High School and Newton Park primary.
The afternoon was spent at Wick harbour where harbour master Malcolm Bremner spoke about the regeneration of the harbour over the past 10 years.
They then enjoyed a visit to the Wick RNLI lifeboat station, before being given a tour of the nearby Beatrice offshore wind farm base.
In Thurso he visited North Highland College UHI, meeting students and staff, where he was given an insight into the wide range of opportunities and courses available.
A common theme seemed to be the financial constraints staff were up against and the pressure to meet targets.
He also took the time to travel to rural areas, visiting Dunbeath Primary School, the Dunbeath Centre and the Lybster Friday Club.
The Rt Rev Sinclair and his wife Ruth joined around 75 members, helpers and carers of Enable Caithness for their annual autumn afternoon tea dance in Wick's Norseman Hotel. The group members were delighted to welcome the special guests to the event on Saturday.
The Moderator joined in the fun and games and even tried to get to grips with the birdie dance.
Councillor Willie Mackay, who is chairman of the voluntary-run branch for adults with a learning disability, said: "It was a super afternoon and great to have the Moderator and his wife join in the party atmosphere, with non-stop fun games and dancing to Robin Young on the accordion and Steven Cameron on guitar."
