We always had planned to try the local churches in our new neighbourhood, but with John's illness, it somehow felt even more important to remain spiritually connected and share faith in the local community. As with most churches in the UK, attendance is pretty low and multiple churches band together, share resources/rotate services. Our group of churches, West Cowal, includes 4: our local (Kilmoden - at Glendaruel), Colintraive (9 miles), Kilfinan (11 miles) and Kyles at Tighnabruaich (11 miles).
Kyles was first up and was very welcoming (dogs allow to worship) then Colintraive (a smaller congregation but equally as welcoming both physically and spiritually and dogwise). Kilmoden was doing a Christmas Eve nativity service, and Kilfinan was our first service of the New Year. The nice thing was that from the four services we knew all but one of the hymns, and people came and spoke to us at each church, so we felt like we fitted in immediately.
Kyles is the biggest church of the four, looks freshly done inside and was the busiest service. It was our first attendance since we moved house and Liz found it very difficult to reconcile her faith and our current situation. The sermon felt like a message - the preacher spoke about a book by a man who was diagnosed with cancer who had a dream that he was sat with Jesus while the disciples slept around him, and Jesus spoke to him and told him he was healed. It was too specific for her to be reading meaning in where there was none...
We've talked about our local church and nativity service in another blog so here's a few other bits about the church. It has a number of ancient and important burial stones in its care. The Kilmodan Sculptured Stones comprise nine late-medieval West Highland grave slabs and one post-Reformation grave slab from 1636. An 11th stone was believed to be the head of the medieval Cross of Garvie, but is now thought to be a stone pillar worn to its present shape by its use as a tethering post. They are really quite beautiful, and kept in a small building within the church yard.
Compared to CoE (Church of England) so far the format is about the same in Scotland and the bits missed out (like oh lord save the king) are a welcome omission (in our humble opinion!). Hymns so far have been ones we recognise, sermons, readings and prayers again very much in keeping with the spirit of christianity we've known all our lives in England. All good.
As with all small congregations, everyone is welcoming and before you know it, you've connected people to places to other people and places and start to understand a little more about the fabric of how things are in these parts.
The view leaving Colintraive church across the Kyles to the Isle of Bute truly lifts your soul at the end of the service, and it will be a shame when, quite soon, it closes as a church and becomes a residence.
Kilfinan church is a spectacular drive from our house. Up and over the hill to Otterferry, with a beautiful view from the top, and that morning was perfect blue and frosty so that everything sparkled as we drove. We even came upon four deer by the side of the road. The service was lovely, and the vicar talked about light overcoming the darkness. Again, it felt like God was sending a message for us to keep the faith, keep hoping, keep going. Both John and I struggled with this service, and found ourselves tearful at various points throughout.
Yorumlar