The Opening and Dedication of the Gulberwick Mission Church took place on Sunday 12th June 1898. The notice of the opening in the local press referred to ‘this handsome little church’ and in the opening ceremony by Dr Theodore Marshall mentioned ‘this neat and comfortable church, which would be a great blessing in the district’.

The Lerwick Kirk Sessions first mentioned the building of a church in Gulberwick in 1893 on the property of Sand which belonged to the Marquis of Shetland who granted the site for the yearly rent of one shilling (5p today). The Churches Home Mission insisted that a Celtic Cross be erected on the gable ‘to indicate that the building was raised by “civilised Christians”’.

The church cost £388.7s.1d to build. The bell cost a subsequent £10.11s.7d and erection £3.0s.0d.

Up until 1722, there were three churches in Gulberwick; at Brindister, Wick and Trebister. There was a churchyard at Wick and what was believed to be a Pictish graveyard at Trebister.

Inside our recently redecorated church

At present, services are held every Sunday at 10.00am. Details of the parish churches are available at
this link http://www.shetlandcommunities.org/lbpc/.

A warm welcome is extended to all visitors and worshippers to ‘The Gulberwick Kirk’.

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Gulberwick Says Farewell to Reverend Gordon Oliver

After eight years as minister here the Reverend Gordon Oliver left Shetland recently to take up a new charge in the parish of Latheron in Caithness. Both Gordon and his wife Jenny were particularly fond of Gulberwick and both will be greatly missed by all who knew them here. After a short service which formed part of an informal gathering in Gulberwick Kirk on March 3^rd Gordon and Jenny were presented with a souvenir picture containing a selection of views of Gulberwick. During the service Gordon shared some “Gulberwick thoughts and reminiscences” with us all. 

If you would like to read what Gordon said,

click on his picture

After tea, home-bakes and lots of chat we reluctantly said our goodbyes. Although we were all sad to see them go the evening was nevertheless “lightsome,” warm and friendly – which is exactly why they both liked Gulberwick so much!  We wish them well in their new surroundings and hope they will always have fond memories of their time with us in Shetland.