“We believe that a healthy gospel church in every rural community is vital. Without that local gospel church presence many of Scotland’s one million rural people would become an “unreached people group.” That would be a tragedy.”
Rev. Ivor MacDonald
In November 2024 Skye and Wester Ross Presbytery of the Free Church of Scotland launched an exciting new project to establish a Centre for Rural Ministry. The centre’s aim was and is to support the revitalisation of rural congregations and foster effective rural ministry across Scotland.
Reflecting
Our Director for Rural Ministry, Rev. Ivor MacDonald, will be engaging in research and idea-sharing from other contexts, producing online content and supporting struggling rural congregations.
Resourcing
The Team will provide essential consultancy to rural congregations, help with development plans, coach leaders and host rural conferences throughout the country.
Recruiting
To address the shortage of leaders and lay workers in rural churches we run an innovative event for young people called The Gathering and offer opportunities to serve in rural congregations as a means to discerning God’s calling.
The Team
Rev. Ivor MacDonald graduated in agriculture and theology, is a former agricultural advisor, and has been the minister in two rural congregations. Ivor works part-time for the Centre, and part-time pastoring a church on Skye.
Megan Gray, situated in Gardenstown, Aberdeenshire, is our Administration worker. Her husband, Robin, is the minister of Gardenstown New Church, and they live in the village with their daughter. Megan works one day a week at the Centre.
We also have a Development Team that is made up of volunteers from across Scotland to give ideas, and input and help drive the work forward.
The cost to support the Centre over the first three years will be £82,640, with the denomination contributing £20,000.
We are looking for 100 people to donate £200 per year for three years to support this new initiative—roughly the cost of one caffeinated beverage per week from your favourite coffee shop!
To donate, go to Donate & Pay – Free Church of Scotland use the reference RURAL.
Get involved
Please also email us so we can keep you updated as the Centre progresses
Tell us who you are and that you’ve signed up to become one of that mighty army of 100 people who set out to change rural Scotland by the all-powerful gospel!