Saughtonhall United Reformed Church

Saughtonhall Congregational Church traces its roots to 1929, when worshippers met in a dance hall. The foundation stone for their first church building was laid in 1935.

When it became apparent in 1991 that major repairs were needed to the roof, the congregation agreed with Canmore Housing Association to demolish its old building and replace it with housing and a modern church. The fire in 1993 altered those plans, with terraced houses replacing the old church and the new church being built on the site of the former hall.

When the Congregational Union of Scotland united with the United Reformed Church in the UK on 1st April, 2000, the church became Saughtonhall United Reformed Church and continues to witness the Good News of God’s grace shown in Jesus Christ.

When flames swept through the church hall on 12th January, 1993, the congregation at Saughtonhall could have been forgiven for despairing. But fire isn’t necessarily a curse – it can be a blessing too.

The devastating blaze led to the creation of a multi-purpose building, which was dedicated on 12th March, 1995, and from which the congregation continues to serve its local community in the Saughtonhall area of Edinburgh.

Being blessed with a modern church building frees us from many of the constraints holding back other congregations and allows us to focus on being the neighbourhood church and part of the community, whether it’s by bringing people into contact through the drama group and film screenings, by hosting groups as diverse as Tots, Flexercise, the Dogs Trust and Sing in the City, or by working with our ecumenical partners through Murrayfield Churches Together to run the Murrayfield Dementia Project or the ECUDARE project in Kenya for families affected by Aids.