ONE OF the most important dates in the Christian calendar Easter provides cause for celebration in churches and in the community.
A Silent Walk of Witness along Argyll Street on Saturday afternoon started off the more public events taking pace to celebrate Easter this year.
The walk started with Rev Jim MacFarlane officiating at a short service at St John’s Church. Then, about 75 people joined in as five local residents, young and older, took turns to carry a symbolic cross from St John’s to Argyll Gardens, where another service was taken by Rev Tom Elsby and musicians from all denominations played.
One of the organisers, Norman Wright, said: “It’s one of the best inter-church events we do in
Dunoon and we find that the silent walk delivers a powerful message.”
The silent Walk of Witness in now in its tenth year, and this year a good crowd of onlookers watched as the cross made its way along Argyll Street
Later that evening there was a service at Holy Trinity, where the congregation met in the darkness to listen to the story of ‘our Christian heritage’.
Maureen McKellar from Holy Trinity said: “After a busy Holy Week with some wonderful Ecumenical services following Jesus’ last days on earth, it was a real joy to watch the sun rise on Easter morning from Castle Hill and worship together with the other churches.
“At Holy Trinity we gathered together in the darkness on Holy Saturday to listen again to the story of our Christian heritage. Then we lit the new fire of Easter, renewed our Baptismal vows and celebrated the first Eucharist of Easter.
“On Easter day we had an all age service where the young people joined in, painted their eggs and had an Easter egg hunt.
“Altogether great celebrations to mark Jesus risen!”
Many fun events were held across Cowal to celebrate Easter. Glendaruel’s Easter Fun Day took place on Saturday and, blessed with superb weather, the annual fundraiser in aid of the local playpark was a great success. The face painting, treasure hunt and playpark kept the children entertained and the raffle, baking and bottle stalls, to name just a few, were busy throughout the afternoon. The BBQ did a roaring trade as usual and the final total raised was in excess of £1,200. The organisers offered thanks to everyone who helped in any way with the set up and manning the stalls, as well as those who gave donations and everyone who attended the event.
As the playpark is owned by the community, the money raised goes towards paying the annual insurance and inspection, with the money left over saved for any maintenance required.
Easter Sunday saw Glenfinart Walled Garden’s annual family fun day packed with visitors enjoying an egg hunt, egg and spoon races and an Easter Bonnet competition along with plenty of other games and crafts for the kids, including flowerpot ping pong and a coconut shy with prizes galore. One of the hottest days of the year saw families out in earnest with queues for the burger bar and the homebaking going like -hot cakes.
Printed 26 April 2019
