A Statement of Purpose for Bedrule Church Future

Following the Church of Scotland’s decision to dispose of Bedrule Church, this group intends to secure a sustainable future for the building as a community asset, owned and operated by an appropriate community body.

The church building sits in a commanding position at the head of the Rule Valley and is at the heart of its rural community as a vital part of local heritage, culture and history.  It serves as an historical anchor for a wide diaspora of families and clans, and as a focus for communities of interest such as archaeologists, historians, and people with religion in their lives.

We believe the church, in conjunction with the nearby village hall, have the potential to tap into all these communities by:

• Offering visitor information services for interpreting local culture, history, and archaeology, 

• by adding to the area’s tourism offering as a destination and thereby supporting local tourism businesses

• providing a space for performances, training days and traditional events such as weddings, christenings and funerals by all denominations

• providing a symbol of rural resilience for the area in the face of continuing degradation of rural services

The steering group for Exploring the Future of Bedrule Church was set up in 2024 and aims to build a sound business case to justify a community buy-out of the church building, supporting development of and collaboration with Bedrule village hall, and initiating a new chapter in the life of Bedrule Church.