On Sunday 19th May Cheviot Churches celebrated Pentecost with an open-air service in the old walled-garden of Yetholm Hall. Our minister Colin spoke on the theme of communicating God's love. The service ended with the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. The sun gradually brightened as the service progressed and, though there weren't many tongues of fire on display, the air was filled with abundant birdsong! Afterwards we all enjoyed a birthday cake to mark the birth of the church and shared a picnic lunch. Many thanks to Michael and Margaret Rustad for allowing us to use their garden.

On Saturday 20th April about 20 folks (+ 1 dog) from Cheviot Churches attended a retreat day on Holy Island. Our group met in the URC St Cuthbert's Centre in the middle of Holy Island village. The day began with a period of worship, then some free time, a shared lunch, free time and finally a closing period of worship/Holy Communion. Thanks to Trish G and our minister Colin (in photo top-left) for organising and leading this event. We are very fortunate to live in such a beautiful area and to feel God's presence so closely all around us, both in creation and the saints that have worshipped here through the ages. There is St Cuthbert - of course - but also the more humble worshippers in the Presbyterian chapel who helped keep alive the faith for us to share today. The photographs show various participants - including the devout dog - and also the means of communicating with the minister before emails or WhatsApp!

   A group from Cheviot Churches, along with our minister, spent St Cuthbert's Day (20th March) visiting the site of the Northumbrian monastery at Old Melrose, where Cuthbert first began his monastic life. The trip was organised by the St Cuthbert's Way Churches Together Group, which has member churches in north Northumberland and the Scottish Borders (for more information click HERE).
   We were guided round the area by Dr Margaret Collin, who can be seen in the photograph above pointing out the site of the medieval ford used by pilgrims to this sacred space. Unfortunately, due to recent wet weather, the ford itself was barely visible! (Though weather on the day of our trip was dry, if rather grey).
    Located in a loop of the River Tweed, very similar to the situation of Durham Cathedral, the site is spectacularly beautiful. The peninsular on which the monastery was positioned is bounded in the landward approach by a still visible vallum, but all trace of the monastery itself has disappeared. As well being given archeological and historical background to the area by Dr Collin, we also took the opportunity for moments of reflection focussed on the life and times of this remarkable saint. The photograph below shows our minister, Colin Johnston, leading one such meditation near the site of the vallum.

   In the 9th century the Scottish king Kenneth Macalpin burned down the monastery, but its location was never forgotten. After monastic life was revived in the 12th century and the still-standing monastery at Melrose was built, a chapel was constructed on the site, which became a place of pilgrimage. We visited Chapel Knowe where this is believed to have been situated. Again, though, today nothing remains - except, perhaps, for a single enigmatic stone built into the 19th century steading built nearby ...

The day was very wet - sadly - but Cheviot Churches had a presence inside a relatively dry tent at the Yetholm Shepherds Show on Saturday 7th October. As well as making contact with both locals and visitors we sold jams and chutneys made by members of the congregation - raising over £90. Thanks to all who braved the dreadful weather and turned out to help.

Saturday 30th of September saw a small (but intrepid) group from Cheviot Churches meet on the green at Kirk Yetholm to take part in a sponsored walk. We headed over into Halterburn, then along to Yetholm Mains and Venchen, over Venchen hill and then down to Cherrytrees ... finally back to Yetholm. The walk was seven miles all told. The skies were grey, though in many ways that meant conditions were ideal for a long(ish) walk - in any case, whatever the weather, the views were glorious.
   Having completed the 14 mile Kiltwalk just the previous Saturday our minister took it all in his stride, though for some reason he didn't give the sermon on the following day from the pulpit - perhaps ascending the pulpit stairs was a step too much? We were all slightly diasppointed that he wasn't wearing a kilt either.

Many thanks to Simon Oldham, who organised the event (and provided scones) and to Amanda Barnes, who gave us a cup of tea  and some apple cake at Cherrytrees House, before we set off on the final stretch back home.

9.00am in a grey Edinburgh morning with 15 miles to walk! Rev Colin was participating in the Kiltwalk again to raise money for Christian Aid. He started in Musselburgh, before walking along Portobello Prom

through Leith and Granton to Silverknowes. The sun was now shining and the rainjacket taken off. It would have been good to stop at 10 miles, but he managed to walk on to Murrayfield to complete the challenge and be presented with his medal. His feet are tender and two toes seem discoloured, but there is a sense of accomplishment, not least from knowing that Christian Aid will benefit as they seek to bring hope to the disadvantaged and strive for a fairer world. He has so far raised £940 before Gift Aid with some monies still to come in.

The Finish line!

On Saturday 26th Colin + a couple of members of the congregation joined a group from the wider presbytery to walk the first part of the St Cuthbert's way. This 'Pilgrimage Taster' was organised by Rev. Peter Wood, the Lothian/Borders Presbytery Mission Officer. The day began with torrential rain and the start of the walk was delayed while we waited for the downpour to stop. Stop it did, though, and the while we ascended the Eildons we were rewarded with some spectacular views of the Tweed Valley - including a rainbow over distant Galashiels. From then on the walk progressed through a sodden, but glorious landscape. We had a break at Bowden kirk and then, after a trek alongside a turbulent river Tweed, arrived at at St Boswell's kirk hall for a final cup of tea.

On the evening of Sunday 20th August Cheviot Churches held a Songs of Praise service on the village green in Kirk Yetholm. In a summer that has been characterised by rather dreary weather we were blessed with sunshine.

Yetholm kirk was crowded with visitors on Sunday 11th June for the Kirkin' of the Bari Gadgi and the Bari Manushi - see photo above, with this year's Gadgi, Angus Wauchope, and Manushi, Gemma Litster, in the Yetholm colours of green and yellow. Also with them are the principals from Berwick, Coldstream and Duns. The photograph below shows Angus and Gemma with some of Yetholm's previous principals, who were also at the service. Carol Butler, Kirk Elder, is standing beside Angus - she (Carol Harvey, as she then was) was Bari Manushi in 1962 - see newspaper cutting. After the service, which finished with the Yetholm anthem, there was opportunity to chat and remember previous celebrations.

On Monday 22nd May, Cheviot Churches were visited by Lord Hodge, the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly (above, right - with the First Minister, Humza Yousaf, and the Rev. Sally Foster-Fulton, the Moderator). Lord Hodge attends the General Assembly as the personal representative of His Majesty King Charles III.
    On Monday 22nd Lord Hodge took time off to visit us here in the Cheviot Hills. A cavalcade of black cars accompanied by police motorcycles pulled up at the cemetery on the Morebattle Road. Lord Hodge was met there by our minister, representatives of the Churches Together St Cuthbert's Way Group and members of the congregation. Pulling on walking boots, Lord Hodge and his party walked along St Cuthbert's Way to the kirk.
   At the kirk there was a buffet and Lord Hodge and his wife had a chance to meet members of the Yetholm area community, including school children and this years' Bari Manushi Gemma Lister. It was nice to know that our small parish is not entirely overlooked by the General Assembly as they wrestle with the major issues that the kirk today has to face. We hope Lord Hodge took away pleasant memories of his visit to us - despite the rather grey weather - perhaps he'll be back to walk the entire route!?