Pitlochry Church of Scotland

Pitlochry Church of Scotland

Pitlochry Church of Scotland
Pitlochry Church of Scotland
Location of the church in Perth and Kinross
56°42′15″N 3°43′58″W / 56.7042°N 3.7328°W / 56.7042; -3.7328Coordinates: 56°42′15″N 3°43′58″W / 56.7042°N 3.7328°W / 56.7042; -3.7328
OS grid reference NN940582
Location Pitlochry
Country Scotland
Denomination Church of Scotland
Churchmanship Christian, Presbyterian, Reformed
Website http://www.pitlochrychurchofscotland.org.uk
Administration
Parish Pitlochry
Presbytery Dunkeld and Meigle
Clergy
Minister(s) Rev Mary M Haddow

Pitlochry Church of Scotland is a congregation of the Church of Scotland, a Presbyterian Church. The church building is located in Church Road, Pitlochry, in Perthshire, Scotland. The church today serves the tourist town of Pitlochry in the Tummel valley. The church is a category A listed building.[1]

History

The congregation which today worships in Pitlochry can trace its history back to at least the 7th century when it seems that a church dedicated to St Colm or St Colman was founded.[2] Further evidence of early Christian activity in the area is the Dunfallandy Stone, an 8th-century Pictish stone depicting a Celtic Christian Cross, which was found near Killiecrankie, 4 miles (6.4 km) to the north.[3] but was moved to Dunfallandy farm close to Pitlochry.

The original parish church was at Moulin, just north of Pitlochry, from the Middle Ages. A charter for the church at Moulin together with "three carucates of land" was granted to the monks of Dunfermline Abbey by William the Lion, King of the Scots(1165 to 1214). In 1231, Pope Gregory IX granted the monks of Dunfermline Abbey patronage of Moulin, thus augmenting their income.

A disastrous fire gutted Moulin Kirk in 1873 and, in addition to restoring this building, a new church was erected on a site in Pitlochry offered by Mr Archibald Butter of Faskally. The new church, designed by Dundee Architects Charles & Leslie Ower was complete by 1884, comprising a mixture of Romanesque Architecture and Victorian Gothic and Byzantine features, inspired by the work of F T Pilkington.[1] A monument commemorating Alexander Duff (1806–1878), the first Church of Scotland missionary to India, is situated in the church grounds. A church hall was constructed in 1910.[2]

In 1929, when the majority of United Free Church of Scotland congregations rejoined the Church of Scotland, the Pitlochry United Free Church (which had been consecrated in 1863 as a Free Church and was from 1900 a United Free Church) became known as the East Church and the building currently in use became the West Church. The West Church, because of its prominent position overlooking the village, became affectionately known as "Mount Zion". It was designated as the second parish church of the Parish of Moulin in 1934.

In 1989, Moulin Kirk was closed for worship and in 1992 the congregations of the East and West Churches united to form "Pitlochry Church of Scotland".[2]

Ministers

Moulin Kirk

Moulin & Pitlochry West Church

Pitlochry East Church

Pitlochry Church of Scotland

One former Pitlochry minister, the Very Rev Adam Ferguson (Moulin Kirk), served as Moderator of the General Assembly in 1772.

The church today

Today Pitlochry Church of Scotland is a thriving congregation with a wide range of activities for all ages. The Mission of the church is "To know Christ and to make Him Known" — "Our aim as God's people in this place, is to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, make his name and love known as widely as possible, and to seek to serve the community in which God has placed us".

The current minister is the Reverend Mary M Haddow, who was called to the charge in March 2012. A central theme of her teaching and preaching is spiritual formation, the growth and development of the whole person through the authentic experience of a relationship with Jesus Christ. The minister is a Chaplain at Pitlochry Primary School and Pitlochry High School.

In 2011, the congregation had a roll of 418 members and adherents.[4]

Services

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Pitlochry Parish Church: Listed Building Report". Historic Scotland. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 "History". Pitlochry Church of Scotland. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  3. "Dunfallandy Stone". CANMORE. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  4. Church of Scotland Yearbook 2011-2012, ISBN 978-0-86153-623-8
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