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Kirk of Calder
is a 16th Century Church built on the site of an earlier
12th Century Church.
Today's Church is the Parish
Church for Mid Calder and Pumpherston; it has a active
congregation with services each Sunday.
During the summer months, it
opens between 2 and 4pm to allow visitors the
opportunity to view and learn some of its long and
fascinating history with guides on hand to provide tours.
The Church is part of the local
community, a place of worship and where its history and its
rich heritage are shared.

A Church has stood
on the site since the 12th century. Kirk of Calder, The
present church dates from 1541 with an extension added in
the 1860s. Two carved stone Celtic crosses, survive from the
original Church, one is on display within the Church.
The Church has close links with the Reformation and John
Knox was a regular preacher and one of its ministers
helped draft the Scots Confession of 1560. The first
reformed communion after the Reformation took place in
nearby Calder house.
The Church was also at the centre of persecution, and
at least 5 women were tried and convicted under the
witchcraft act. Information about these events is
available in the Church.
The Church was also a place of
worship for Frederic Chopin during his time in Scotland.
James ‘Paraffin’ Young and his family were regular
worshipers and the family later donated a number of fine
stain glass widows. It is believed that the explorer
David Livingston also visited the Church. Call to
worship is made each Sunday by the 17th century
Rotterdam bell.

"The
Friends of Kirk of Calder" open the church to visitors 2- 4pm on
Sundays, May to September and the Co-ordinator is Mr. John Jamieson
01506-411722.
For those who can't visit John Jamieson has
prepared a 14minute long Virtual Tour you can view
here or
click the image.

We were fortunate the last four seasons to host a special exhibition within
the Kirk by a separate organisation called "The
Calder Witch Hunt ". The Kirk was the actual setting for some of the
trials and even where some of the "witches" were tried and tortured.
We are hosting this again for the 2025 season

More details here

A memorial Plaque was commissioned and
placed in the Vestry in 2023

Link to the Witches memorial Website
https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/memorials
View the YouTube video on its
installation here
https://youtu.be/966a0WZR928
E

The Kirk minutes and Witch Hunt Exhibition

The Calder Witch Hunt have a comic book created by
brilliantly talented artist Caitlyn Bannatyne and it tells the stories
of the people who were affected by the Calder Witch Hunt.

The Kirk in 1547
For More photos visit the Kirk's Photo
Gallery
r

Windows and altar
 View
West Lothian Council Memorial Service 16th September 2022 Slideshow Pics
38 seconds long click here https://fb.watch/fBTtaeYJ3O/
View West Lothian
Council Memorial Service for the Queen on 16th September 2022 (click link) 48
minutes long https://fb.watch/fBUtCjJK8O/
Kirk of Calder service
for Sunday 18th September 2022
- Gordon Pennykid can be viewed at the link below.
https://fb.watch/fPeiaQrUDx/
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Over the past 3 years the
Kirk of Calder have had a fundraising campaign to raise
funds for property and maintenance work at the Church, Glenalmond
Hall, and the Manse.
This has also helped to support the church mission and its ability to
deliver pastoral services in the local community and beyond, and perhaps
in the future to provide new video and audio systems to enhance
the Church services and events.
ReGen 2025 is also focusing on extending friendship and fellowship
both within the Church and local area It has helped create the infrastructure
to attract a new minister.
ReGen2025 (Closing May 2025) Total raised to date approx £42,500
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Some Recent Past Events
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Food Taster Evening
FOOD, FORAGING AND ENTERTAINMENT!
Friday 2nd May 2025
7:30pm Glenalmond Hall
Raised £135.00 for new hymn books
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The Spring Fair on 26th April 2025 raised
£1,120.00

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The Spring Appeal 2025 raised £1,070.60
from 32 envelopes
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Pop In Café
– Every Tuesday from 10am – 12pm at the Glenalmond Hall. Tea,
coffee, soft drinks, and cake all proceeds to ReGen 2025 project.
Everyone welcome
Visit the Fundraising page to see earlier
REGEN 2025 activities
The Kirk's Highlights Community Choir are looking for new Voices!



The Kirk of Calder is situated on Main Street,
Mid Calder, EH53 0AN
what3words address ///lifeguard.cherubs.endings
Walk
round the historic Kirk of Calder on a sunny day is another new addition
to he YouTube videos Click the photo below to watch and listen

The Choir sing a selection of Traditional Scottish Songs Pop-up Sing
along
including Street Songs lasting 16 minutes. Click
here
or on image below
Their You Tube Channel can be accessed from this link
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm290UIhbwCTjkwBwyttm7w
The Choral Highlights Choir
meet on Wednesday evenings in the Church at
7:30pm
New members welcome. Contact John Rankine 01506 880029

Inside view of the Bell Tower


Some Pew Graffiti
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Service every Sunday at 10:30am
 | Next Services
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 | Thursday 8th May 2025 10:00
am West Lothian Council service for VE Day 80th Anniversary.
Ticket only entry - ballot for ticket (ballot now closed
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 | Sunday 11th May 2025 10:30 - Rev William Watt
followed with
soup and sandwich lunch for Christian Aid
Sunday 18th May 10:30 - Rev William Watt
Sunday 25th May 10:30 - Rev William Watt |
 | Teas and Coffee in the Glenalmond
Hall after most morning services -all welcome. |
 | The Reverent William Watt is
holding a new Communicants Class starting 14Th May 2025 for anyone over 18 who would
like to join the Church. Contact
W.Watt@churchofscotland.org.uk
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 | Christian Aid Week 2025 is 11th to
17th May |
 | Easter Morning on Cunnigar Hill |
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Rev William Watt,
our new minister, had his induction service on Wednesday
12th February 2025 in the Kirk followed with a
reception in the Kirk..
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Click the link below
to read the Daily Record article of 6th March 2025 on his
appointment
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/kirk-calder-finally-welcomes-new-34809254?IYA-reg=d3829414-bbb9-4c7f-9e19-3016b4ad187d
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Video of the service - see
publication page
William's bio (that appeared in the 27th October service's intimations)
can be viewed here.
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Rev William Watt has
indicated he wants to get to know his parishioners and intends
to visit the entire congregation along with their district elder
over the next few months.
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Debbie Fleming a solicitor with KW Law
again on 27th April 2025 offered the opportunity to meet members of the congregation, to discuss
the preparation of a Will
and/or Power of
Attorney. If you are interested in an appointment for
a future date please
contact - Susan Adams susanmjadams@aol.com
07823 328 609. Donations (min £50.00) for this service to REGEN2025
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 | The Sunday Club will resume
again after Easter on 27th April. We
welcome 4 to 11 year
old children and we meet every Sunday in the church at 10:30 and
after the children's sermon go on to the
Glenalmond Hall for fun lessons for pick up at 11:30pm when the
main service finishes. |
 | The Sunday Opening of the Kirk
(including the Calder Witch Hunt Exhibition) has now re-opened
for the 2025 season. It is open 2pm to 4pm from May to September.
Free Entry |
 | A box for Donations for the West
Lothian Foodbank and toiletries for Dignity Box can
both be left at the main door. |
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A great new drone picture
(Page banner and above) of
the Kirk by local Droneography expert Liam Bullerwell who has
kindly agreed that it can be reproduced here
If you click the picture above
you can see Liam's Video
Drone Fly Past of the Church lasting 38 seconds. Please note
it takes a little while to load or it will buffer so its best to let
it load fully first before playing!
Our grateful thanks go
to the Rev Liam Fraser, Rev Gordon Jamieson and the Rev.
Nanda Groenewald who have
previously all in turn undertaken on the Interim Moderator
role during the last 3 years years and have guided us through to
getting a new minister in post.
The Kirk of Calder Parish
Profile is on the Church of Scotland's website and can be viewed
here
DUO Fiona and John
Message from our musical director - Free performances! Hi everyone, We sing a variety of styles including classic pop, country and
ballads, with special requests taken in advance of bookings.
Available, free of charge, for community and charity events,
concerts and entertainment for local groups, care homes, etc.
With an extensive repertoire, we tailor the set list to your
audience and venue. See us at regular Wee Concerts held in
Glenalmond hall. We are in the process of planning our music entertainment for
the next few months. Easy listening, well known songs and a bit
of nonsense. Contact at john.rankine@lineone.net Web-
www.chvocalmusic.co.uk To hear some of the music we perform at the moment, you can hear us on You Tube Sampler.
https://youtu.be/VGusiAC7-6c
SYNOPSIS OF PARISH GROUPING July 23
The congregation of
Livingston Old Parish Church ,
the congregation of Livingston United Parish Church and
the congregation of Kirk of Calder Parish Church shall form a Parish Grouping called the
Livingston Parishes
Grouping.
Each church shall continue with the
Parish boundaries, ministries , session all remaining as ay
present, and continue to maintain their own buildings.
Areas
of Co-operation:
Deliver weekly
church services, joint pastoral care initiatives and community
involvement projects. Actively develop the mission skills of the
church elders and congregations to employ more of the untapped
and underutilised inherent talents within the congregations of
these three churches to encourage the young to participate and
lapsed members to reengage in the life of the church. Seek to
transform unjust structures of society, challenge violence of
every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation through
joint pastoral care initiatives and community care and youth
engagement projects. Actively develop further the
community support
initiatives, thrift
shops, community cafes and community events, to bring young and
old together in fellowship and fuller participation in the life
of the church.
Sustain and renew the life of the earth through shared
church, community and other local and world environment
protection projects. Actively develop further the eco church
activities already within the three churches and their links to
communities in other areas in Scotland and beyond.
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Kirk of Calder Giving
Please see
Accounts and Donations page
Please visit the Photo
Gallery to see all aspects of the Church
The Guild
meet
(Sept-Nov and Feb-April)
on the second and fourth Thursdays
of these months - The meetings are held
at 2pm - 4pm in the Glenalmond Hall.
Next meeting 24th April 2025 Speaker Sybill Cavanagh (West
Lothian Historian)

Previous weekly services
during the pandemic and the recovery can be accessed
here
(If anyone can't access this
the sermons are also available on DVD's- contact Eleanor Blair 01506
881302) Please Note -services are no longer routinely recorded
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