Welcome to the website for Ballantrae and St Colmon Parish Church a charge of the Church of Scotland.
Ballantrae Parish Church meets at 11:30am every Sunday.
Services are also held in Glenapp Church. ( Time and dates presently under review) This a liturgical and ecumenical service led by a dedicated group from the congregation of Ballantrae.
All the services are times of fellowship, prayer, worship and reflection on God’s word, as we get to know the living God more.
It will be great to see you at any of our services and if you want more information about either of the churches, please contact us
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There is a lot going on at your Ballantrae Church.
An informal coffee time continues on Tuesday mornings at 1030am in the BRICC house. Come along for some homemade goodies!
Glenapp church services happen at 3pm on the third Wednesday of each month.
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Reflection
Sunday 16th August 2026
Matthew 15: 21-28
The Faith of the Canaanite Woman
For our service we looked at this remarkable story. Our Lord had taken his disciples out of Jewish territory into the region of Tyre and Sidon. Opposition was on the rise against Jesus on one hand and he was also becoming very popular on the other hand, and crowds flocked wherever he went. He took his disciples into gentile territory no doubt because Jewish folk would be reluctant to follow him into it. He would get time to teach his little band of disciples away from expected distractions. The time was coming close when our Lord would face opposition and the cross, and the disciples has a long way to go in terms of their understanding.
Very soon a woman from that region came up to Jesus crying “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession”. At first Jesus did not answer. The disciples suggested sending her away. Jesus said he was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel. Then she came and pleaded with him. Jesus then made reference to her Gentile status referring to her as being like a dog. She caught on the analogy and said even pet dogs get to eat of the scraps that fall under the table. She begged for a crumb of mercy. She could see that our Lord was the messiah and she knew he would have mercy. She didn’t give up but was persistent in her request for her daughters healing. And she was rewarded for her persistence.
It was the role of the disciples to take the gospel to all nations. Through this encounter they could see the real importance of faith above national privilege. They would also see the need for humility and be given a lesson in perseverance in prayer.
In verse 29 Jesus says to the woman “You have great faith! Your request is granted”. We are also told that her daughter was healed from that very hour. God can be at work in the most terrible of situations. May we pray for ourselves and others with the same kind of persistence that this woman had.
Rev`d Theo Corney
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