On Friday 24th June at  4.30pm the church  began a Bible Reading Marathon. The aim of the exercise was to read continuously without stopping the entire bible in public and getting as many people as possible from Shetland to take part in the reading.

Sir John Scott, the Lord Lieutenant, began our reading with Genesis 1:1 and we continued from then with each reader changing every ten minutes. Many people had offered to read and we had Sunday Schools including our own taking their own turns. The atmosphere for the whole weekend was heartening and electric, and many people kept returning just to experience the feeling again. The final chapters of the book of Revelation were read by The Dean Emsley Nimmo and Bishop Bob and when Bishop Bob concluded with the final 'Amen'  the congregation then gathered for the start of a Thanksgiving Service responded with a resounding, 'Amen, Amen!'

The whole weekend and the Thanksgiving Service were to give thanks for the £585,000 work of restoration of St Magnus Church Building, and as Bishop Bob preached at the Thanksgiving Service on the Monday night, we were setting our faces to the future mission and work of the church here. The church looked stunning for the weekend and the worship and many hours of loving attention and cleaning and decoration were duly admired and acknowledged.

Following the service we held a reception in the Church Hall and those gathered admitted they had been moved by the Bible Reading and the worship, greatly enhanced by the church choir who sang anthems and led the fine singing.

It was on June 27th 1864 that St Magnus church was dedicated to the glory of God and for service in this community. We felt it fitting and right that we should choose this occasion for the service of Thanksgiving. There has been a huge sense of connectedness with past pioneers here and we have expressed thanks for all that has been achieved here down the past 147 years. We are now left wondering how to celebrate the 150th anniversary