Dalarossie Church
A site of Christian worship spanning at least 1300 years, upon which this lovely old Church was built 220 years ago.
Dalarossie Church is also important to the community. A place were weddings and funerals have taken place down through the centuries. Somewhere the local population can come to pray and find peace.
At present, while we’re not able to meet for our normal services and activities, Moy, Dalarossie & Tomatin Parish Church folks are being encouraged to read Psalm 121 and say The Lord’s Prayer at 11 am every day and if you’d like to join in with this at home, too – that would be great! The more prayer the better at this worrying time.
In addition to Rev Robert’s Sunday Sermons, we’re also offering some additional music, readings and prayers to reflect upon during the Coronavirus Epidemic, which we hope folks may find comforting. As well as some more music, readings and prayers for more general consideration at this time when we’re not able to hold our usual Services and Prayer Meetings, etc.
And to keep you up to date with what’s happening in Moy, Dalarossie & Tomatin, you can read our latest Newsletter here
We are settling into our fine new Hall in Strathdearn – which after much debate it has been agreed is to be known simply as ‘The Strathdearn’ – built to replace the Old Hall dating from the mid 1960s which had to be demolished when it was condemned because of asbestos; and which also incorporates the meeting rooms previously available in the former Millennium Hall, built in 1999, now being extended and converted into a Shop and Cafe.
Our Tomatin Church closed in 2016 and was recently dismantled and removed to a site adjacent to the Balvraid Road for reconstructing into summer accommodation.
An extension will be required to provide kitchen and bathroom facilities and sleeping quarters, but the new owners have reassured us that they will keep the look of the old Church pretty much intact, which was good to hear. This seemed the best use for the Church from the offers we received after it closed. We could not have borne to see it demolished. The loss of this landmark, built in 1903 by the United Free Church as a Mission Church to serve the needs of the workers on the then new railway and distillery, coupled with all the new building going on around the Hall, has sparked a bit of nostalgia among the locals and the poem that follows, written by Donald MacAskill, captures the flavour of this very well.
Worship
Sunday Worship takes place at 10.30am. Services are held in Dalarossie Church on the first and third Sundays of each month from March – November inclusive, and in the Strathdearn Hall on all other Sundays, and special occasions such as Christmas Services etc. For the World Day of Prayer, and on Good Friday, and sometimes around New Year, we have Joint Services with Daviot & Dunlichity, with the venue alternating between the two parishes. Pulpit supply is provided by various Ministers and Readers, including Vivian Roden from Moy, Dalarossie & Tomatin, and Joyce Mitchell from Daviot & Dunlichity.
We sometimes use The Songs of Fellowship Resources (CDs and Hymn sheets) for Small Group Worship. Usually for Alpha Groups.
We also have Messy Church once a month at the Strathdearn Hall, usually on the last Sunday of the month. The worship at Messy Church is less traditional. Songs vary from Hymns from CH4 to contemporary hymns, to action songs. Prayers are sometimes interactive and the Bible Story or illustration during the Celebration reflects the theme of the crafts enjoyed during the first part of the afternoon.
The Messy Church Team has also been going into Strathdearn Primary School at Christmas and Easter-time to share the real meaning of Christmas and Easter with the children in what is usually a packed and fun-filled morning of activities including Quizzes, Puppet Sketches, Crafts, Spontaneous Drama, Action Songs and Interactive Stories!
We all have a great time!
All are warmly welcome at any, or all, of our Services or Activities.
Vivian Roden
Pray for us.
It may be eventually that Dalarossie Church will have to become a Trust, to preserve it as a building; but in the meantime we have permission to continue to use it as a live Church, subject to further review in 2023. We are thankful for this, and continue to seek new ways in which to use our beloved old church to try to keep it in use for as long as possible, via The Dalarossie Project. We are also thankful for the independent local funds which have been provided to pay for the maintenance of the church for the next five years. We would be grateful for your prayers for the future of Dalarossie Church.
