Church of Scotland Welcome to the linked parishes of Cawdor and Croy & Dalcross

Cawdor Parish Church

Croy CroyParish Parish Church Church

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Are you our future? The charge has become vacant on the translation of the popular Rev. Jan Mathieson after 12 years ministering to us. We look forward to developing an equally positive relationship with our new minister. Shortly after Jan departed, permission was given by the Presbytery of Inverness to call on an unrestricted basis. The vacancy has given us the opportunity to look at ourselves and where we want to go with our mission and churches. In recent discussions we concluded that we are looking for someone who could lead us in reaching out to serve the needs of our community, strengthen our pastoral care and enable us to see more people worshipping regularly in our churches. We seek a minister who is compassionate, inspirational, enthusiastic, energetic and has a clear commitment to pastoral home visiting. Some life experience would be an asset, as well as a sensitivity to and interest in all types and ages of people. Nonetheless, we appreciate that perfection cannot be found in any one of us! Rather we will give whomsoever God chooses to lead us our fullest support in addressing the challenges which lie ahead. There is plenty of scope for new initiatives and fresh ideas! While we wait, we have been fortunate to have the services of an excellent locum who inspires and enthuses us and as a result attendance is consistently high. Both Kirk Sessions have voted unanimously to accept applications from, amongst others, ministers in civil partnerships, following the procedure under Act 1, 2015 (Ministers and Deacons in Civil Partnerships).

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Our Location The linked parishes of Cawdor with Croy and Dalcross are situated on the Moray Firth between Nairn and Inverness. As well as enjoying a sunnier and drier climate than much of Scotland, they are within half an hour of both Nairn, with its blue flag beach and top class golf courses, and the city of Inverness, now the main centre of the University of the Highlands and Islands. The local recreational and sporting opportunities and the quality of local schools make this a very desirable area for families. Also in close proximity are the historic tourist sites of Fort George, Cawdor Castle and Culloden Battlefield, as well as Inverness Airport.

Fine farmland, with a hinterland of woodland, forest and open moorland very much define the parishes as rural in character. While that would also have defined the occupation of many parishioners in the past, a large number now commute to work over a wide area and range of employment. Local schools are of high reputation making the area very desirable.

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Our Heritage and Properties Cawdor Worship has taken place at Cawdor Parish Church since 1619. Very proud of their heritage, the congregation has faithfully kept the beautiful church building in exceptional condition. With one central and two side galleries, the church has a capacity of over 150. The church hall, known as the Mound, has also been preserved as a very usable centre for coffee and tea after services, for meetings and social functions. Bought from Cawdor Estate by means of a generous legacy, it was the early village school, then a family cottage and still has the original thatch for insulation under the corrugated iron roof.

The Mound

Croy’s Halls

Croy & Dalcross The small, intimate and friendly barrel-ceilinged Church at Croy was built in 1764 but Christianity in the Parish can be traced back to the 12th Century and the current Kirk stands on the site of older places of worship. The union of Croy and Dalcross Parishes dates from 1618. Unfortunately, only the ruins of Dalcross Church can still be seen close by Little Dalcross Farm. Croy’s halls - a metamorphosis of the old Glebe steading- are well-designed to meet the needs of the congregation. All the properties benefit from regular maintenance and are in good order throughout. Both Cawdor and Croy & Dalcross are surrounded by ancient and modern cemeteries which are maintained by Highland Council. Croy also has a watchtower that we think was used to deter grave robbers!

Watchtower

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Our Manse The impressive Victorian stone built manse is situated near the church in Croy. It is well maintained being in good repair both internally and externally, with oil fired central heating and open fires. Accommodation comprises 2 public rooms and kitchen on the ground floor, 3 bedrooms on the first floor (one with a study/dressing room) and 2 plus a box room on the second floor. The bathroom is on the first floor and there is a downstairs toilet. The internal garage has an automatic electric door and there is also a separate external wooden garage. The public rooms and bedrooms are carpeted and most rooms have curtains. There is abundant storage space at the rear of the property and an extensive walled garden. The manse has a modern burglar alarm.

The manse enjoys spectacular views over the Moray Firth and Black Isle.

The Glebes for both Parishes are administered by the General Trustees in the usual way.

Our Congregations

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Part of Cawdor’s Autumn 2015 Communion congregation The two parishes have enjoyed a very successful linkage since 1964. Cawdor meets for worship at 10.15am and Croy at noon every Sunday and jointly at Christmas and Easter. There is fellowship with tea, coffee and biscuits/cakes after every service. The congregations also come together at other times throughout the year for social and religious gatherings and fundraising, reinforcing the strong bond and genuine friendship between us. Both have Quod Omnia constitutions, celebrate Holy Communion twice a year and use the CH4 hymnbook.

At the moment neither Church has a Sunday School but there are some children who come to the main services with their parents at both Cawdor and Croy & Dalcross. We have very good relations with the Primary Schools in Cawdor and Croy, with the Brownies and Guides in Cawdor and with the Scouts and Cubs in Croy. We are hopeful that from these interactions more youngsters will start coming to Church and we will be able to resurrect our Sunday Schools.

Croy’s 2015 Joint Carol Service

Pastoral Care and Outreach 7

Cawdor: In autumn 2013, as part of our Stewardship Campaign, using Statistics for Mission and Voters’ Roll information, we distributed questionnaires to 277 households in the parish. We received a 14.8% response, half from members and half from non-members. Although we had set very open-ended questions and invited anonymous responses, we did not receive any negative or illuminating answers. The most frequent comment was, “Friendly and welcoming people.” Criticism of slow, mournful music, over-formality and a need to modernize was equally balanced by those preferring a traditional service with the praise not neglecting the well-loved hymns, the metrical psalms and paraphrases. “Action” songs were not appreciated! More outreach was sought for those cut off by age, infirmity or personal problems. Our huge effort to reach as many parishioners as possible gave us no insight as to why so few in the parish attend church. Our fortnightly friendship and fellowship Evergreens lunches now take place in the local community centre and are staffed by volunteers. The Mound could not safely accommodate the ever- increasing numbers. This popular activity is open to all in the parish, whether church attendees or not. We have good relations with our local Brownies and Guides who are made welcome at services and have used the Mound for sleepovers. Our elders distribute our 24-page illustrated church magazine and an invitation to Holy Communion twice a year. Our services of worship are recorded on CDs which are distributed to those who cannot attend church or are in hospital. Croy & Dalcross: Although small in numbers, the elders and members are an enthusiastic and willing team which undertakes many initiatives in the parish.

We have a successful Community Lunch Club, which meets every fortnight in the Church Hall and is well supported by members of the congregation, other churches and members of the community. We have a strong association with the Scouts and Cubs who meet in the Village Hall and attend Church on Founder’s Day and Remembrance Sunday. “Christmas What’s On” postcards are distributed throughout the parish. Our Church of Scotland Guild meets monthly and is well supported by members of our own, Cawdor and other local Churches. The Guild does a lot of good work and enjoys a high profile in the community.

Joint initiatives

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Our World Church team, in particular supports Dr Graham’s Homes in Kalimpong, India through fund raising events to sponsor the education and accommodation of two young brothers there. The team also holds an annual Charity Christmas card sale where we supply refreshments and up to fourteen charities have had free publicity and use of the hall to sell their own cards. Christian Aid, Farm Africa, Embrace, Traidcraft and other local and world charities are supported on a regular basis. A church group regularly visits Whinnieknowe, the local Church of Scotland Crossreach care home, and also the local Nairn hospital providing fellowship, music and a short service. Our minister was very welcome at local school assemblies in Cawdor and Croy and we regularly have pupils attending as a group for special services. We host “back to school breakfast” for Primary 7 in our Church Halls after the summer holidays. They are very well received by pupils and school staff. Cawdor Primary School is very helpful in distributing church information - for example, invitations to Christmas and Easter services. We have developed a new joint website and a Facebook page that is getting a lot of “hits”. Members regularly donate groceries to the local Food Bank, collect stamps and used spectacles and support local charities by attendance at dances, coffee mornings, ceilidhs and plant sales both at Cawdor Community Centre and at Croy Village Hall. For a number of years we have offered hospitality and friendship at the annual Nairn Farmers’ show. Please see attached appendices with parish statistics and an outline of the churches’ finances.

Some more highlights from our annual activities

Croy Lunch Club Christmas 2015

Santa visits Whinnieknowe

Nairn Farmers’ Show

Barevan open air service 2015

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Other activities in the parishes

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Cawdor:There is a very active Cawdor Community Council in which church members play their part. There is a strong sense of village allegiance with the church supporting local events such as the establishment of a Remembrance garden to mark the centenary of the first World War. Between May and October there is a noticeable tourist footfall in the village, with nearby Cawdor Castle and gardens being a major tourist attraction. Cawdor Community Centre hosts a wide range of activities and events for all ages in a very modern building. Cawdor Bowling Club is in the centre of the village and very much welcomes new members. There is also a very active Scottish Women’s Institute. Croy and Dalcross:Shopping – The nearest shops to Croy are in Ardersier (3.5 miles) and Cawdor (4 miles). The main shopping centre is Inverness (8 miles from Croy) where there is an excellent choice of supermarkets and major and local retailers. Nairn (7 miles from Croy) has a major supermarket and a number of other local retailers. Transport – the parish enjoys good road links to Inverness, Nairn and beyond. There are railway stations in Inverness and Nairn and Inverness Airport is less than 5 miles from Croy. During the day there is an hourly bus service from Croy to Inverness but nothing to Nairn or Ardersier where the doctors’ surgeries are located. Public transport links are not good but there is a Dial-a-Bus service available by prebooking for villagers and rural residents in Nairnshire, Croy and Ardersier (both in Inverness-shire) to take them to and from the doctors, hospital etc. We are also fortunate to have a Community mini-bus with volunteer drivers available. Leisure activities– Groups meeting in the Village Hall include mother and toddler, short mat bowls, Scottish Women’s Institute and dance groups. A Pilates classes and other ad hoc activities are hosted in the Church Hall. There are 3 championship golf courses nearby, Castle Stuart, The Nairn and Nairn Dunbar and there are several other local courses to suit all ages and abilities. There are also several indoor and outdoor bowling clubs, football, athletic and rugby clubs, excellent fishing, an ice rink, health clubs, cinemas and theatres within easy reach. The parish is well served with good restaurants in Inverness, Nairn and the surrounding area. Health services - A local hospital and GP services are located in Nairn and Ardersier with a fully equipped regional hospital in Inverness.

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Remembrance poppies created and arranged by talented members and friends

Looking to the Future

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Cawdor: Our buildings are in an excellent state of repair, with toilet, child play and disabled access facilities. There is potential for improving the comfort and accessibility in the church for members with limited mobility and for babies and toddlers. There is a very effective sound and loop system which could be linked to enhance visual presentations. We are always aware that we must not overstretch our human resources. Four of our eleven active elders work full time and many of our very supportive congregation are well past retirement age. Our greatest blessing would be an influx of younger, committed members who could share our enthusiasm and benefit from our support and experience and that of our new minister. We work tirelessly to encourage the new members who have recently joined us. Stronger links with all denominations in the Nairn area would give us opportunities to learn from others and give our rural youngsters larger Christian activity groups to relate to. Croy and Dalcross: We have employed an architect to draw up plans for a toilet in our 18th century Church, and are in dialogue with the local authority and other agencies over this. We hope to install a sound system in the Church to assist those with hearing impairment and to enable amplification of sound for spoken and/or musical contributions to worship. We are about to embark on the project by evaluating the different systems available to us. We want to analyse the statistics and other sources of information available to us to see how and where we can assist the community and thus reawaken interest in God and Church. The village hall provides the only amenity in Croy and we are looking to expand use of the Church Hall for the local community. We would like to revamp our pastoral care and consider introducing a visiting group. We are very conscious we need to redouble our efforts to reach out and spread the Christian message in the parish. We would like to increase our ecumenical activity with other Churches and denominations.

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For further information Please contact either The Interim Moderator The Rev Peter Nimmo, 24 Damfield Road, Inverness IV2 3HU (01463 250 802) Email [email protected] or The Clerk to the Nominating Committee James M Dow, 8 Montgomerie Drive, Nairn IV12 5RW (01667 459340) email [email protected]. Please send written applications with CV and names of 2 referees to the Clerk

“Tha failte bhlath a fantainn oirbh.” A warm welcome awaits you.

Full moon at joint Watchnight Service Cawdor 2015

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Appendix 1 As you will observe from the following statistics the age profile of our congregations is following the national trend within an aging church.. We can only reverse that trend by reaching out to the large numbers on non affiliated individuals shown in the census figures . Cawdor: Church Profile

Parish Profile per 2011 Census

Current Number of members 154 + adherents 27 = 181

Inhabitants

<16 Age profile – 16 – 44 45 – 64 >65

17 24 140

560

105 161 204 90

98 (54.1%) members and adherents live outside the parish boundaries. Per the 2011 Census 29% (165) of parish residents state their religious affiliation as Church of Scotland, other Christian/Roman Catholic 20% (111), other religion 1% and no religion/ religion not stated 50% (279). Only 14.8% of parish residents are members or adherents of the Church against 29% attributing their religious affiliation to the Church of Scotland. While there has been a trend of members moving home from the parish to Nairn, it leaves an even more significant number of residents who have no formal link to the Church and who should be central to our future plans.

Croy & Dalcross:Church Profile

Parish Profile per 2011 Census

Current Number of members & adherents

70

Inhabitants

1692 <16

366

Age profile – 16 – 44

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570

45 – 64 >65

25 36

539 217

31 (44.3%) members and adherents live outside the parish boundaries.

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Per the 2011 Census 37% (491) of parish residents state their religious affiliation as Church of Scotland, other Christian/Roman Catholic 15% (199), other religion 1% (13) and other religion/no religion 47% (623). Only 5 1/2% of parish residents are members or adherents of the Church which reflects starkly against 37% attributing their religious affiliation to the Church of Scotland. Narrowing the gap presents an opportunity to involve our community more closely with our Christian activities and a challenge working out a road map to ensure success. Other statistics on ethnicity, education, health, household tenure, composition of households and employment are provided within the Church of Scotland’s Statistics for Mission and, if necessary, other data can easily be obtained using the internet from the Government and other organisations. All will be of use to us as we develop our strategies to engage with the community. Appendix 2 Finances

Both churches are financially stable with reserves and property assets. A copy of their 2014 accounts is available on the OSCR website. In summary the figures were Cawdor- receipts £36,088 (2013 - £35,105), payments £39,001 (£41,767) and reserves £99,193 (£102,106) Croy & Dalcross - receipts £18,551 (2013 - £18,049), payments £14,686 (£16,588) and reserves £53,579 (£49,798).