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Eight O'Clock Club Reunion

Eight O'Clock Club Reunion Web Site
7.00pm 7 April 2006 - Pultneytown Parish Church

Photos From Reunion Night

 

3 April 06
Count Down Till Friday 7th April
Everything is now in place at Pulteneytown Parish Church for this Friday’s reunion as Hamish Gunn and David Topping host a “Get-To-Gether” of over sixty former associates of the one time highly popular Christian Youth Forum, the Eight O’Clock Club.

Teenagers who no longer can claim to be so, are arriving from as far north as Scarfskerry and as far south as Bristol by road rail and air, to what promises to be an event that will long be remembered with pleasure.

The evening starts with Supper in the church Hall at 7pm and moving into the Church ( hopefully ! an hour later ) where a wide and interesting programme has been arranged which will attempt to strike a fine balance between worship, Christian testimony fellowship and drama and an opportunity to sing one’s heart out to the Gospel Songs of 30 years ago.

Hamish and David will front the meeting in tandem and hope to awaken memories of earlier days with some screen presentations of “Take off your mask” “Night Flight” and “The Nicodemus report” that no doubt have long been forgotten.

The Reverend Sandy Gunn a founder member of the Club will address the gathering. Sandy and his Wife Ruth have traveled up from Aberfeldy in Perthshire just for the occasion. He will be also preaching at the services over the week-end at Pulteneytown Parish Church and at Thrumster in the absence of the Rev. Bill Wallace who is presently on holiday.

Those who have Camcorders are already involved in the evenings programme and are unable to film the event. Hamish and David would be glad to hear of anyone who wishes to volunteer this service in order that a record of the night’s activity could be put on DVD for those who were for one reason or another unable to make the journey back home. If you can help contact Hamish at 603539

A further opportunity will be provided for former Clubbers to meet up for Coffee and a Chat from 10 am to Noon on Saturday Morning in the Church’s Coffee Bar. H.T.G.

4 March 06
UPDATING YOU ON THE 8 O'clock Club Reunion.

Everything is now in place, as the final touches are being put to the preparations to welcome back former members of the Eight O'Clock Club to Pulteneytown Parish Church for a reunion celebration on Friday April 7th at 7pm.

The evening will start with a Buffet Supper in the Church Hall. Thereafter the company will move into the Church where Hamish Gunn and David Topping have arranged an interesting programme of events. The aim is to unite as many of the former members as possible in an evening of Christian Fellowship and Worship. The Club in its day was noted for the innovative ways it adopted to present Christian truths to young people and David & Hamish hope that the same tradition will be reflected in the programme they have put together.

Those who have notified us of their intent to be present should enter the Church by the EAST DOOR of the Front Courtyard where they will be welcomed and receive a name tag. You are asked then to make your way to the hall for Supper. We aim to have the Supper over by 7.45 when we will all make our way into Church where everyone is asked to use the chairs which have a Programme and Praise Sheet placed on them. It is anticipated that the programme will run to 10pm. A further opportunity to mix and have fellowship with others will be available on the Saturday morning in the church Coffee Bar from 10am to Noon.

The Rev. Sandy Gunn who will be attending with his Wife Ruth will address the gathering and in the absence of the Pulteneytown Parish Church Minister, ( who will be on holiday ), Mr Gunn will conduct all services on the Sunday where all former members still around will be made most welcome. In the mean time we ask that you make the reunion a matter for prayer that it will be a God honouring event and a memorable evening that we can all look back on with pleasure. H.T.G. & D.B.T.

10 February 06
Reunion Preparations Well On Schedule
The closing date for registration for the Eight O'Clock Club reunion is now past and some sixty folk have indicated their intention to be there on Friday April 7th at 7pm when DV the reunion will take place within Pulteneytown Parish Church. A Praise Band has been formed for the occasion and an interesting nostalgic programme plus a buffet supper has been arranged.

Former members of the Club are coming from all over the country and a few who are still reside in town, have made it known that they plan to be there.

The Rev. Sandy Gunn ( A founder member of the Club ) & his Wife Ruth are travelling up from Aberfeldy for the week-end and Sandy will be taking the Sunday services at the week end as Rev. Bill Wallace will be on holiday.

Anyone wanting further information should phone Hamish at 01955 603539

Date Set For 7 April 2006
Date has now been fixed for Friday April 7th 2006 in Pulteneytown Parish Church Halls.

The Eight O’Clock Club its early beginnings :
The Reverend Alexander M. Gunn MA BD ………….more affectionately known as Sandy Gunn, arrived to his first charge in Wick in 1967. Not long after, he and Rev Hector Cameron of Wick Free Church both Chaplains at Wick’s High School were concerned that there was no place where young folk on the Pulteney side of the river who wanted to explore the Christian faith could meet with folks of their own age to discuss and fellowship together.

So it came about that Hector & Sandy identifying a need established the very first meeting of what was to become the Eight O’Clock Club in the local Assembly Rooms. Regrettably Hector moved south shortly after . The venue changed after Hector’s departure and all the interested young folk gathered in the Church Hall of what is today Pulteneytown Parish Church.

The intention was to engage “Young Pulteney” in activities that would help them see the relevance of the Christian faith to their every day life. A committee was formed to plan out the programme and activities for the year, headed by one or two mature Christians. By and large they were there to guide and counsel the youthful members and keep them on the right path. A group of four young folk were assigned to the organisation of each Sunday evening’s programme and this worked very well.

It was not long before the meetings mushroomed and spread far outside the boundaries of Pulteneytown and young folk came from all airts to this hands-on interactive meetings where the issues concerning the Christian faith were eagerly discussed and debated. Many knowledgeable Christians addressed the youth of the day and the gatherings were enormously popular and frequently got a mention in the local press.

BUT that’s enough for the present !! …………………….We hope to tell the FULL STORY of this great Christian Adventure, God willing, when these one time young folk, now grown up men and women, who have made their mark in life, come north to Wick and Pulteneytown once more, to share memories and enjoy fellowship in the year 2006 .
Hamish T. Gunn.

EIGHT O'CLOCK CLUB REUNION
If you at one time attended the Eight O’Clock Club at the former St Andrew’s Church in Wick (Caithness) you will note from both the Caithness.org and this site; that Hamish Gunn and David Topping ( in response to many requests ) are trying to organise a Re-Union of all the Lads & Lasses who used to meet there on a Sunday evening in the 60’s & 70’s

We are aiming for an event to be held in Wick in about a year’s time and it would be of great help to us as we try to put things together if you could register your interest by email or conventional post ( You will notice I don’t use the term “Snail Mail” being an ex Royal mail employee !!!! ) giving us your address, email or otherwise, so as we can keep you informed of any developments.

We don’t ask for any commitment to attend at this stage, as obviously it’s a long time ahead and we understand that it will only be nearer the decided date that you will be able to say if you can/can not attend. Having said that, we are still anxious to hear from you if the idea of a re-union appeals to you, so PLEASE, PLEASE get in touch with either David or Myself ……… Contact addresses below:

Hamish T. Gunn
Email: [email protected]

David B. Topping
Email: [email protected]