WELCOME

Welcome to the website for the Church of Scotland parishes of ORPHIR and STENNESS. These were linked congregations and are both at present vacant as we await the calling of new ministers. In both parishes the life of the church continues and this website is intended to provide details of the many activities taking place as well as being a source of information for those who would like to know more about us.

Our Interim Moderator is the Rev John L McNab of Sanday (01857 600429) and our worship is led by SONG (Stenness Orphir Networking Group) comprising Elaine Gunn (811205), Anne Brundle (771357) and Willie Buchan (874584).

Sunday worship is at 10.45am in Orphir and in Stenness at times to be announced .

May you receive a blessing with us.

The life of the Church

In 1964, the parishes of Stenness and Orphir were linked. The linked congregation was known as Orphir linked with Stenness and from January, 2000 was an aid receiving charge. Orphir has now voted to join with the Orkney Presbytery in seeking a minister who will combine the role of Parish Minister with that of a Community Minister in the wider Orkney Presbytery. Stenness has yet to decide it's future.

Orphir and Stenness each have their own Session and Congregational
Board. Stenness has 81 church members on the roll of which 10 - 20 attend regularly. Orphir has 121 church members on the roll of which 30 - 45 attend regularly.

Orphir has recently adopted the Church Hymnary CH4 and also uses Junior Praise. Orphir has a small but enthusiastic choir. The Stenness congregation have been using CH4 since 2006.

Since the retiral of the minister the churches have been largely responsible for leading their own worship, and this has been greeted with warmth and enthusiasm by the congregations. To facilitate this a Presbytery course on Leading Worship has been run for the parishes with some 18 members attending.

Holy Communion is celebrated three times a year. Special services are held for Thinking Day for Brownies, Guild dedication day, World Day of Prayer, Harvest Thanksgiving, Remembrance Sunday and Christmas Eve.

Orphir has a Guild whilst Stenness has a Church Friendship Group. Both these groups meet once a month during the winter months. Orphir and Stenness congregations take short services alternately at St Peter’s Home, a Residential Home in Stromness on the first Sunday of each month. Orphir congregation meet informally in the church hall after Sunday service for fellowship over tea/coffee, juice and biscuits.

Joint services held recently have been well received and a regular programme of joint services is now in operation. Both congregations hold fund raising events during the year.