The date of when the church was built in Unknown. It began a a chapel of rest for those on the Herring trail which was used by people bringing home a stock of salted herring for winter use and also by fishwives carrying huge creels of herring from Dunbar to the markets in Lauder. The church was also used by pilgrims on their way to Iona. The church is located close to the Holy St Johns well which may also be a reason for visiting Spott Church.
The Church has seen many changes and survived the reformation, the burning of witches and battles of Dunbar in 1296 and 1650.
Further reading of the history of the church and its ministers can be found on a leaflet entitled `600 Years of History` within the church.
Booking your place for Sunday services From 29th May 2021
Pre-booking of seats will still be required to ensure we comply with Track and Trace and stay within the guidelines from the Church of Scotland. Please email or phone Christine Gray (01368 863035) if you wish to book a place for future Sunday services. (Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
In person worship at Spott is at 10:00 am each Sunday. The use of face masks and adherence to covid restrictions within the church will continue meantime. A recorded service from Belhaven Church will be posted on the Facebook page and the website on Sunday afternoon. These same arrangements will apply for subsequent Sunday services until further notice.
Booking your place for Sunday services
The Sunday Service at Spott begins at 10 am. In-person services have returned since 25th of April, however pre-booking will still be required, to ensure we comply with Track and Trace regulations and stay within the guidelines from the Church of Scotland. Please email or phone Christine Gray 01368 863035 if you wish to book a place for future Sunday services. (Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
We extend a warm welcome to everyone attending Spott Church which is linked to Belhaven Parish Church in Dunbar.
We would like to welcome our Interim Moderator - Rev Brian Hilsley. Brian has recently retired from the Ministry and was the Minister at Aberlady, with Gullane before his retirement.
Brian will be guiding us as we seek a new Minister.
MESSAGE FROM REV BRIAN C HILSLEY
Dear Friends As a recently retired Church of Scotland minister, living in Dunbar, I have been appointed by Lothian Presbytery to serve as your Interim Moderator following Neil’s demission. The role of the Interim Moderator is to chair Kirk Session meetings and to give guidance and support to the congregations as you maintain and develop your ministry to your respective parishes. Privileged to serve as an Interim Moderator on a number of occasions, I have always enjoyed the experience. I look forward to getting to know many of you as the months unfold and to working alongside you. The Kirk Sessions have agreed that I should also serve as Locum during the vacancy. I will provide part-time pastoral cover and lead Sunday services on most Sundays. My appointment is for two days per week [14 hours] plus Sunday worship. Funerals, weddings and worship planning will take up a large part of that time, but I will make pastoral visits to homes and hospitals when possible. If you feel the need of a visit or know of someone who is in that situation then please contact Christine Gray for Spott and Maureen Watt for Belhaven.28 MAY 2021 ISSUE 20 Born and brought up in Galloway, I studied law at Aberdeen University before qualifying as a Solicitor in Edinburgh . After 10 years, I felt the call to Ministry and on gaining my BD, I was ordained on 27th September 1990. I greatly enjoyed almost 25 years in Wardie Parish Church, Edinburgh. In 2015 I was called to Aberlady and Gullane Parish Churches. Once again, my wife Dorothy and I found many blessings there until my retirement in October 2020. These are challenging times for the Kirk, nationally and locally. No congregation is exempt from the anxieties of uncertainty and the discomfort of enforced change. Even within the relatively short period of Neil’s tenure things have become more acute. It is Now far from an automatic conclusion that Belhaven and Spott will be allowed to Call another Minister on a full-time basis. The next few months will see the Kirk Sessions engaged in discussions and consultations with Lothian Presbytery. I know that as your representatives the elders will take that responsibility very seriously and together with the Sessions I will do all that I can to keep you informed as to progress. The process will take some time, so we will all need to be patient. However , if you have questions or concerns please speak, in the first instance, to your Session Clerk.
Brian can be contacted by email - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Please contact the Session Clerk (Christine Gray 01368 863035) if you need pastoral help or information. Calls to the manse number are being monitored, with redirection numbers quoted to callers for specific members within Belhaven and Spott churches who will be able to help.
Spott Parish Church is linked with Belhaven Parish Church and you can find their details on their website which is www.belhavenparishchurch.org.uk