Arbuthnott, Bervie & Kinneff Parish Church facts for kids

Arbuthnott, Bervie and Kinneff Church, often called ABK Church, is a Christian community. It is located in the southern part of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This church serves people from the town of Inverbervie. It also includes the villages of Catterline, Gourdon, and Kinneff. The area of Arbuthnott is part of this community too.

Arbuthnott, Bervie and Kinneff Church
ABK Church
The church in 2000
Location	Arbuthnott, Bervie & Kinneff
Denomination	Church of Scotland
Tradition	Evangelical
Churchmanship	Reformed
Website	http://www.arbuthnottbervieandkinneff.org.uk/
Administration
Presbytery	Presbytery of Kincardine and Deeside

How the Church Was Formed

The three churches, Arbuthnott, Bervie, and Kinneff, used to be separate. Arbuthnott and Bervie churches shared a minister for a while. They also joined their church leadership (Kirk Session) in the last ten years.

Kinneff Church was connected with Stonehaven South Parish Church. Later, Kinneff joined Arbuthnott and Bervie. This allowed Stonehaven South Parish Church to link with Stonehaven Dunnottar Parish Church.

From 2007 to June 2009, Georgie Baxendale was the minister for the parish. Dennis Rose served as minister from 2010 to 2016. On March 7, 2019, Andrew Morrison became the new minister. He was 27 years old at the time. This made him one of the youngest ministers in the Church of Scotland.

Arbuthnott Church: A Historic Place

Arbuthnott Church is located on the Arbuthnott estate. It is one of Scotland's oldest churches still used for regular worship. The church was first built before the Reformation. It was officially opened in 1242. The church was dedicated to St Ternan.

The oldest part of the building is the chancel. The rest of the church was added around the year 1500. After the Reformation, the first minister was from the Arbuthnott family. This minister later became a leader of the Church of Scotland. Church services are held here on Sundays at 9:30 AM.

On October 24, 2021, a new part of the church was opened. Rev. Linda Broadley, a former temporary minister, officially opened it. During her time, people started raising money for new facilities. The new extension is at the back of the church. It has a toilet that is easy for everyone to use. It also has a small kitchen with a sink and storage space.

Bervie Church: A Busy Community Hub

Inverbervie Church is the largest church in the parish. About 70 people attend worship here every Sunday. The current church building is in the middle of town. It first opened its doors in 1837.

A pipe organ was installed in 1904. New stained glass doors were added in 2000. These doors were designed by students from Bervie School. Services are held every Sunday at 11 AM. A praise group helps lead the singing during worship. There are also activities for toddlers, children, and teenagers each Sunday.

Kinneff Church: Past and Present

Kinneff is a small area, but it has two church buildings. One is the Kinneff Old Church. This building is now looked after by the Kinneff Old Church Trust. The other is the newer Kinneff Church. It was originally built as a Free Church.

The Kinneff Old Church closed in the mid-1900s. In April 2010, the community decided to close the newer Kinneff Church too. Kinneff Church held its last service on Sunday, June 13, 2010. The building has since been turned into homes.

Gourdon Mission Hall: A Coastal Gathering Place

The Gourdon Mission Hall has always been closely connected to Bervie parish. Gourdon is a small village by the coast, just south of Bervie. Services are usually held at the Mission Hall every Sunday.

From October 31, 2021, the service time changed to 3 PM. This was a trial for the winter months. The parish minister leads one service each month. Other services are led by guest speakers. These speakers come from churches in Aberdeenshire and Angus. Some also come from ABK Church itself.

Other Church Buildings

Besides the main churches, ABK Church owns other buildings in Inverbervie. The Church Centre is next to the main church building. It used to be the minister's house. It has several meeting rooms. It also has a fully equipped office. The main meeting room has modern digital technology and kitchen facilities.

The Herd Centre is at the bottom of Townhead. It used to be the YWCA Hall. This center has a large hall. It also has a fully equipped kitchen. The Manse is the minister's current home. It is located in the West Park housing estate, on the edge of Inverbervie.