Welcome to Netherlorn Church of Scotland
Netherlorn is linked with Colonsay & Oronsay. For a link to the website of Colonsay & Oronsay click here.
Netherlorn Church of Scotland is one congregation covering a wide geographical area. Each part of our parish is special with its own unique flavour, and we meet regularly for worship in our four places of worship. We meet at Craignish village hall, Kilmelford church building, Kilchattan church building on Luing, Kilbrandon church building on Seil and occasionally in Kilnivner church building for special occasions. We have met for worship on a hilltop at Easter, and in the village halls for Messy Church and our Annual Stated Meeting.
The places of worship that make up the parish of Netherlorn are situated in a truly beautiful part of Argyll, characterised by close-knit communities. Easy-going hospitality is a trademark of Netherlorn Church.
Whether you are visiting the area for the first time or you have lived here all your life there is a place for you in the mixed and open communities which come together for worship on Sundays and other occasions.
We would love you to join us – whether at a service in a church or village hall or at the top of a hill, or in fellowship throughout the week.
Join us at our next service
Click ‘View Calendar’ below for more services.
Our places of worship
Latest news
- Kilmelford Church Annexe History
In response to requests to learn the background to the annexe being built at Kilmelford Church, here is a brief account.
From 2004 to 2008 around £120,000 was raised in two separate appeals by the congregations of the Parish of Kilninver and Kilmelford and further afield for the essential restoration work needed on both buildings.
Part of the fundraising activity which included – among other events in the case of Kilmelford, a 100 mile motorcycle circuit through Glencoe starting and finishing in Kilmelford and a sponsored Swimathon – was the publication in 2009 of a booklet relating the history of the two churches. Both are linked to the early Christians who arrived around 1300 years ago from Ireland, bringing the word of God to isolated settlements. In the foreword our minister at the time, the Rev. Alastair McLachlan, wrote. “I have been gratified to witness the commitment of the communities, the fellowship and support from near and far, and the generosity of so many people”.
Commitment and support has not diminished over the years since and some eight years after the restoration work was completed, attention turned to the oft repeated question of when were there going to be toilet facilities and proper wheelchair access at Kilmelford Church. Indeed, some people’s donations at the time were conditional upon such provision. A recently installed outside tap was the only nod to ‘modern facilities’.
2017 saw a small group of enthusiasts formed with the support of our minister, the Rev. Ken Ross. Thus started a lengthy process, with discussions progressing over the months from the initial proposal being contained within the church building (alarmingly, one suggestion was a curtained off area by the main entrance at the back of the church) until settling on the more ambitious structure of an annexe outwith the church itself.
In 2019 we were given a terrific boost with the award of £35,000 from an annual holiday visitor to Kilmelford who wished to show enthusiastic support to us in the early stages of the project and was a very welcome morale booster to our small group dedicated to seeing the project through.
After a fairly lengthy process an architect was appointed, plans submitted and permission granted in August 2020. By this time Ken Ross had left and we were seeking another minister. This process was interrupted as the Nominating Committee was sisted (suspended) owing to the wider reorganisation of the Church during that period, coupled with Covid which resulted in further delay.
Nevertheless, in spite of these challenges the work of the group forged ahead and with Building Warrant finally obtained, we were in a position by Spring 2023 to start widespread fundraising in earnest. Rev. Trudi Newton was ordained and inducted to be minister of Netherlorn in November 2023.
Legal work relating to the relocation of fank and adjustment of glebe land being finalised, allowed the diggers to move in on 4th November 2024. Groundwork was finished before Christmas ready for the timber frame construction in February and completion due in the Summer.
We are currently short of our target figure but, given the tremendous support and enthusiasm engendered, we are cautiously optimistic that funds will continue to come in to allow us to complete our task.
The prospect of proper wheelchair access, up to the minute toilet facilities and a large and bright meeting room with heritage boards, while allowing the familiar and much loved sanctuary to be untouched, is very exciting and a suitable reward for all the hard work of the Annexe Group over the years.
The expansion of the church in Kilmelford in this way is ample evidence that “the commitment of the communities, the fellowship and support from near and far, and the generosity of so many people” still bears witness to the presence of Christ in today’s Church and its work in the wider community.
- Kilmelford Church Annexe Appeal – Fundraising report
Since launching the Kilmelford Church Annexe Appeal in May 2023, we have been overwhelmed by the generosity and support from our community and funding partners.
Our goal is to raise £225,000 to bring this long-awaited project to life. Thanks to the tremendous response we are now close to reaching that target.
Following an appeal letter sent out in May 2023, individual donations have flowed in from community members. The generosity of our supporters has been both encouraging and inspiring. We have built on this momentum, applying for grants from various charitable foundations.
We are deeply grateful to the following funding bodies for their generous contributions:
- The Foster Wood Foundation
- Garfield Weston Foundation
- The Benefact Trust
- The Beatrice Laing Trust
- The Baird Trust
- Carraig Gheal Green Power Community Fund
- Church of Scotland General Trustees.
Their pledges and grants have been vital in moving our project forward.
The community’s efforts have been extraordinary, with numerous people contributing to a wide range of fundraising activities including: monthly community lunches, music evenings, a garden opening, a motorcycle event, and the sale of the Kilmelford compendium of recipes, gardening tips and local stories.
These events, along with the generous individual donations have helped us raise £46,000 within our community alone – a truly significant amount for such a small rural community
Thanks to all these efforts, we have already raised an incredible £219,000. This significant milestone allowed construction on the Annexe to begin in November 2024. We are continuing to raise funds to meet our full target and cover remaining costs, including internal works, and landscaping.
This QR code leads to a simple method of donating online.
We are immensely grateful to everyone who has contributed to the appeal, whether through donations, participation in fundraising events, or providing support in other ways. The success of the Kilmelford Church Annexe Appeal is a testament to the strength and generosity of our community. We look forward to completing this project and welcoming you to this new community space.
- Seed for Life. Feed for Life
Support Seed for Life
The Netherlorn Church is committed to raising funds for Seed for Life. This project, based in the Bemvu district, Malawi continues to make life changing differences to those who live there.
Around 8500 people live in this area in 15 villages. Seed for Life is supporting families to make better use of the land available, increasing their food security and ensuring a better standard of living for the residents of Bemvu. The school children are receiving one extra meal a day at school during term time, helping encourage better concentration and improve their standard of learning.
Using Easyfundraising has now raised over £830 without costing our donors a penny. You can add to this, raising donations when you shop online, by registering for free. Alternatively, you can donate to Seed for Life directly.
All proceeds are sent directly to the community of Bemvu in Ntcheu Province Malawi in order for them to purchase quality seed and fertiliser to go through the cycle of preparing/planting and cultivating a crop which will ultimately improve the lives of the community by providing food security and feeding the primary school children and become self sufficient after a period of time.
- An update on the Kilmelford Church Annexe project
Kilmelford Church Annexe project
Ross MacKay, our Property Convenor, gave an update to the recent Annual Stated Meeting on the proposed Kilmelford Church Annexe project – for those not there however the position is as follows.
Firstly, a quick recap perhaps? The proposed addition of an annexe to Kilmelford Church in order to provide a meeting room, kitchen, WC and disabled access has been under way since perhaps 2015 at least but in 2019 consent was obtained from Argyll Presbytery to the overall project in principle (with the General Trustees in Edinburgh also doing so in January 2020). Thereafter, the required Council planning permission and listed building consent were issued in August 2020. That of course was right in the middle of Covid restrictions and so matters necessarily had to be put on hold.
The project however recommenced with discussions in 2022 resulting in the required Council building warrant being issued to us in 2023. That then allowed us to start looking at and working on the required finances to fund the building works.
Over the last year I am pleased to say that with a mixture of generous personal donations, grants, sale proceeds and our own reserves we now have in hand or pledged a sum in the region of £170,000. Our target to cover contractors costs, fit out and contingencies is £225,000.
The annexe planning group continue to work on fund raising initiatives (of which the recent Music Night is an example)
We are finalising plans to deal with the relocation of the sheep fank currently to the rear of the church as also liaising with the new Presbytery of Cleir Eilean I and the General Trustees to hopefully tick off the final boxes before any work commences.
If anyone wishes to know more, please simply get in touch – and of course, all thoughts as to fund raising possibilities will be appreciated!
- The Link: July – August 2024
The latest edition of The Link is now available to download.