The Crossing Crieff

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near
to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled,
saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.””

Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Sunday Morning

Church Service

Strathearn Community Campus

Pittenzie Rd, Crieff PH7 3JN

11:00 - 13:30

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11:00 Kids Church

11:30 Worship and teaching

followed by fellowship

Listen to previous messages on
our YouTube channel

Service Times

Tuesday Evening

Home Bible Study

Craiglynne, Dallerie Rd,

Crieff, PH7 4EG

17:30 -19:30

Join us for dinner then study

and dig deeper into God's Word

In this open discussion bible study
we look at a book at a time and
examine God's Word and how we
apply it to our lives.

The Crossing Crieff is an independent church, which is
dedicated to the Study of God's Word and worship in a
welcoming environment.

we would class ourselves as ‘non-denominational
evangelicals’. we believe in freedom of worship, and have a
strong emphasis on bible teaching, we see ourselves as
family and are all growing together into the likeness of
Jesus. With this mindset of family, we love one another,
help and support one another, and bear with one another.
We are closely associated with the Calvary Chapel network.

Each Sunday we meet at Strathearn Community Campus
and worship together followed by bible teaching, in which
we systematically go through the bible looking at the big
picture of the bible and the individual events & stories.
Which show us God, lead us to Jesus, and His Love for us.
then refreshments and fellowship.

We also have a midweek Home bible study, where have a
more in-depth discussion about what was taught on
Sunday, we start this meeting with a fellowship meal.

About us

If I go east, He is not there,

and if I go west, I cannot perceive Him.

When He is at work to the north, I cannot see Him;

when He turns south, I cannot find Him.

Yet He knows the way I have taken;

when He has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold.

Job 23:8-10

First of let me introduce myself, my name is Allan Holleran and in the picture
above you see my lovely family, my beautiful wife Margaret, my eldest Elijah
(middle), and the twins Zoey (left), and Rose (right), I would like to point out that
although they are twins, you could not meet 2 more polar opposite children,
both awesome in their own ways.

​

I was brought up in a Christian family, I went to a Gospel hall in a town called
Bo'ness. It was in this church that I gave my life to God when I was 8 years old. I
remember coming home after another Gospel Hall meeting, I have no idea who
was teaching or what he said, I just remember God convicting me and drawing
me to Him, I shed a little tear in the meeting but hid it (as you do when your an 8
year old boy). When I got home I should have known better, you can't hide
anything from your mum! She asked me why I was crying and at that point I
gave my life to Christ. I also remember calling the preacher and telling him I got
saved.

​

From there, I was always so exited to tell people about Jesus. I remember
telling all my classmates (who most thought I was crazy), and anyone who
would listen. I get this from my dad who was well known in the town as a God
man, in the church he used to bring so many people, he was dubbed 'Billy the
bringer'. When I was 9 my dad was called to a town called Campbelltown to
help with a church there (although he was not a 'paid' preacher he often went
places to teach and was an elder in the church), It was there was where I
preached the Gospel to an audience for the first time, it was my Primary 7 class.
I told the teacher about God and salvation, and she allowed me to share the
Gospel with the whole class, and the memory has stayed with me all my life.
After a few years there when I was 12 God called my Dad (and family) to move
to the south of Ireland to a town called Bandon, to help with a church there.

When I hit the teenage years I turned away from God for friendship with the
world, this lasted through High school till I left at the age of 16 to become a
butcher in the family business, I continued turning away from God more and
more. At the age of 18, I left home and moved back to Scotland, where I spend a
year in a dark place, which we will not go into here. But through it all I always
"defended" God (like he needed my defending) and if people spoke ill of
Christians/Christianity I would be the first to speak up and "defend" God,
looking back I know I did not do a good job at it, but it comforts me to know I
still had faith, and He still had me. There was many things that God used to call
me back to Himself. The first was at my lowest point while walking to work, I
looked up to God and said "I don't believe in you anymore! If you are real, show
me now!" at that moment a dove flew out a tree and landed on the wall right
next to me and just looked at me (the distance could be different but it felt
right next to me at the time). Being brought up in the church, I knew this was
God showing me He was real, the next was a few phone calls from my parents
(separately) telling me about a church called Calvary Chapel Cork, which a
friends daughter had started going too and they where having a team over to
do outreach and we talked about skateboarding demos and stuff that they were
going to be doing.

About a month later I went back to Ireland on holiday to visit my parents, and
as mentioned earlier my dad had a butcher shop, so I got to use the work van
for travelling when I was over, on the condition I did the deliveries that needed
done. One such delivery was to a restaurant in Cork City Called 'Bullies'. It was
the usual Irish weather, raining then 5 minutes later sunshine, as I was coming
out of the service door of Bullies, I met a few people carrying a skateboarding
ramp, and from the conversations with my parents a month or so ago I was led
to ask if they were with the church that I was told about, and sure enough they
were and they were having a skateboarding demo in 5 min just across the road.
As I had finished the deliveries I stayed and watched, and was invited to a
Christian rock/metal concert. It was here that I found God. After the concert
the band did a call to repentance, I was too ashamed and to scared to go to the
front of the stage so I went to the corner, fell on my knees and cried out to God.
I was obviously noticed by someone who was helping and they came over to
speak to me, I cannot remember what was said but it was the pivotal turning
point in my life, and strangely enough I met an old class mate of mine at the
concert too who had been going to the church for a while which was good to
have a connection into the people, I remained with the team 3 days (oh how I
must have smelt) on the 3rd day, I needed to go home not only to shower and
change but so that my dad could get the van back to do the deliveries in it. I
was given a CD from one of the team and it had Shawn Grove song on it
"Welcome home" (if you have not heard it you should listen to it). This brought
me to tears, not just tears, sobbing, howling, from fear of turning away from
God again, I got about half way home before I turned around and stayed
another night at the teams accommodation before finally returning home.

​

When I got back to my house in Scotland, I found it broken into and all my stuff
gone. Again, another God moment, you see my gran had made me take out
house insurance about 2 months previous, with this it affirmed my heart that I
was leaving Scotland for good and NEVER coming back (Never say Never to
God), I went into work the next day and handed in my notice. When I arrived
back in Ireland to the parents house, I starting working again for my dad, and
going to the Calvary Chapel Cork (CCC), I remained there several years and was
shepherded by one of the most amazing and graceful persons I know Andrew
Stopyra, from his leadership, guidance, and no short amount of grace I grew in
faith, and knowledge of the Word of God. It was strange, I met up with old
friends and tried to reconnect but it was different, they were on a different
path than me, and these friendships never rekindled, CCC was my home now,
my friends were there, my family was there, my life was there. During that time I
have met lifelong friends who are dear to my heart (although we have all gone
to different places).

As most young men, I was seeking a wife and in 2005 God said go back to
Scotland and I will provide for you a wife, as I said earlier I left Scotland for
Good and I was NEVER going back there, well, God had other plans. After a year
of arguing with God, I finally gave in when visitor came into the church, at the
end when we were talking they said, God is telling me to tell you to go back to
Scotland and you'll meet your wife. So, with that in October 2006 I made plans
and left for Scotland. I arrived in Scotland on a Friday morning beginning of
October, and applied for a job early Friday afternoon, I had a phone interview
on the Friday evening, and an official interview Saturday, and started on
Monday, where true to His Word (as always) I met Margaret my wife to be. She
had started only a week before me and was also in the training, we met again on
Saturday evening an a church event which both of us were invited to by
different people and we recognised each other from work and got chatting. I
had a car and I offered to pick for up on the way to work. A few months later we
became close and, well the rest is history.

​

Throughout our marriage God has been faithful to us even hard times, the
harder times, and the amazing times. But those stories are for another day. The
important thing, God is the glue of our family, the roots of our lives and the
provision in everything we do.

We were going to a calvary chapel in Stirling for a while and it was here I was
introduced to pastoring. The current pastor Stewart Gillespie Invited me to the
Calvary pastors conference in York. Now unknown to me he saw God’s leading
on my life, and spoke with other pastors there about this, but not to me. This is
one of those decisions you need to come to the realisation on your own, I went
down to the conference several years with Stewart until like a lot of churches it
closed down. We attended the Albert Gospel hall in Grangemouth for a few
months after that where my parents, brother and family, and several of my
relatives went, and although welcoming and a great church, God did not have
us settle there. After Church one Sunday morning we were driving to Stirling for
some shopping. Margaret and I were discussing what we should do about
church as we did not feel this was where God wanted us to be, with that we
looked up the nearest Calvary Chapel and that was in Edinburgh, the service
started in about 2 hours, so we turned around and drove through.

As we walked through the door we immediately knew this was where God
wanted us to be, first we knew the pastor and family from the Pastors
conference, but it was more than just that, it was a God moment, where you felt
peace, felt at home. As we walked in I remember Margaret and I looking at each
other and we gave each other that husband and wife glace that said “yes, this is
it.” From this point, God used Dan and Pat Starling in our lives in a mighty way,
and those stories for another time and as mentioned above the hard time
stories had really took there tole on our marriage and we were at breaking
point. Though years of patience, grace and counselling God used Dan & Pat to
restore our marriage.

From this point on God started pressing on me to give up the family business
and start a church. When I approached Dan to speak to him about it, he said
“It’s about time.” You see Dan was one of the pastors that Stewart spoke to at
the conference about my calling, how God’s marvellous plan works. From there
Dan started mentoring me on how to prepare sermons and teach the bible, and
Pat started mentoring Margaret. We grew in both faith and knowledge.

It was at this point that Dan & Angela Loaiza came into our lives. Dan & Angela
were called over to start/restart the Calvary Chapel in Stirling, and as we were a
part of the original (Calvary 1.0) Dan reached out to us, and we went for a meal
and began a friendship. Now the event timeline is a bit hazy for me but over the
course of a few years God changed a lot of circumstances. I left the family
business to plant a church, Calvary Edinburgh closed down and Calvary Stirling
(Calvary 2.0) opened, Margaret went to collage to do Make-up Artistry and
Beauty therapy, and this is one of the main factors that God used to lead us to
where we are today.

After Margaret finished Collage she started working as a beauty therapist, and
was soon offered a job at the Crieff hydro, this was an hours drive away from
Bo’ness where we were staying at the time. I had suggested about moving to
Crieff and planting a church there which Margaret was not for having. Leaving it
in God’s hands I continued to look after the kids and serve in the churches
(Stirling and Edinburgh). While on holiday with my best friend Keith, an
opportunity arose for to move to Crieff, but I did not mention it to Margaret as I
did not want to put pressure on, or influence her decision. But as God always
does, I came home from the holiday and Margaret says to me, "I think we should
move to Crieff". With this and other God confirmations (and no lack of Satan
attacks) in December 2019 we moved to Crieff to plant a church.

Let’s just say that did not go to plan (well my plan). We all know what happened
next COVID!. Over the next few years, the world stopped. As my brother and
dad had a butchers it was a keyworker and I went back to work while Margret
homeschooled. But out of this God opened a community hub called Crieff
Connexions. I first volunteered there then was employed, and it was at this
point God showed me the people He was going to bring to the church. The
starting point was Christmas 21’ God put it on our heart to open the house for
Christmas dinner for those who were going to be alone over Christmas, we had
about 20 people come that year, and out of that the home church The Crossing
Crieff was born.

Over the next year, people gave there lives to Christ, were baptised and have
been coming along. Don’t get me wrong it has been a rocky road. Even with the
wonderful training and guidance from Dan S. & Dan L. I was still not a good
preacher and as I tried different methods and stumbled my way through
messages, numbers decreased and we were left with just a few people. but God
in His faithfulness has preserved us, and in January 23’ I was ordained as a
Pastor at Calvary Chapel Stirling (Now The Crossing Stirling). I would like to say
number have picked up but they haven’t, but the change in my life and those
we are ministering too is nothing short of amazing, and I wouldn’t change it.

Margaret does an awesome job at teaching the kids, and is learning the guitar
for worship and leading us in worship on the Wednesday night bible study,
though all this I would not have got very far without her. She works tirelessly,
preparing food, kids messages, worship to name some of the things she does to
hold it together.

My Testimony

Statement of Faith

THE CROSSING CRIEFF STATEMENT OF FAITH

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This statement of our faith is not debatable, meaning that we do not
enter into argument/debate over these issues. Our focus is fellowship
with the Father and the Son, and then with one another as an outflow of
that fellowship (1 John 1:1-4). We are not focused on convincing others
of the correctness of our views.

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WE BELIEVE the only true basis of Christian fellowship is Christ’s
(“agape”) love, which is greater than any differences we possess, and
without which we have no right to claim ourselves Christians.

​

WE BELIEVE worship of God should be spiritual. Therefore, we remain
flexible and yielded to the leading of the Holy Spirit to direct our
worship.

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WE BELIEVE worship of God should be inspirational. Therefore, we give
great place to music in our worship.

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WE BELIEVE worship of God should be intelligent. Therefore, our
services are designed with great emphasis upon the teaching of the
Word of God that He might instruct us how He should be worshiped.

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WE BELIEVE worship of God should be fruitful. Therefore, we look for
His love in our lives as the supreme manifestation that we have been
truly worshiping Him.

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WE BELIEVE in all the fundamental doctrines of orthodox evangelical
Christianity.

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WE BELIEVE in the inerrancy of Scripture, that the Bible, Old and New
Testaments, is the inspired, infallible Word of God.

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WE BELIEVE in the trinity – one God eternally existent in three
separate persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

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WE BELIEVE that God the Father is the personal, transcendent, and
sovereign Creator of all things.

WE BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human, that He was
born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, provided for the atonement of our
sins by His vicarious death on the cross, was bodily resurrected by the
power of the Holy Spirit, ascended back to the right hand of God the
Father, and ever lives to make intercession for us.

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WE BELIEVE that after Jesus ascended to Heaven, He poured out His
Holy Spirit on the believers in Jerusalem, enabling them to fulfill His
command to be His witnesses in the entire world, a responsibility shared
by all believers today.

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WE BELIEVE that all people are by nature separated from God and
responsible for their own sin, but that salvation, redemption, and
forgiveness are freely offered to all by the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ. When a person repents of sin and accepts Jesus Christ as
personal Savior and Lord, trusting Him to save, that person is
immediately born again and sealed by the Holy Spirit. All his/her sins are
forgiven, and that person becomes a child of God destined to spend
eternity with the Lord.

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WE BELIEVE in the gifts of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Scriptures,
and that they are valid for today if they are exercised within the
scriptural guidelines. We as believers are to covet the best gifts,
seeking to exercise them in love that the whole Body of Christ might be
edified. We believe that love is more important than the most
spectacular gifts, and without this love all exercise of spiritual gifts is
worthless.

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WE BELIEVE that church government should be simplistic rather than a
complex bureaucracy, and we depend on the Holy Spirit to lead, rather
than on fleshly promotion.

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WE AWAIT the pre-tribulation rapture of the church and we believe
that the second coming of Christ with His saints to rule on earth will be
personal, pre-millennial, and visible. This motivates us to holy living,
heartfelt worship, committed service, diligent study of God’s Word,
regular fellowship, and participation in adult baptism by immersion and
Holy Communion.

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WE SEEK to teach the Word of God in such a way that its message can
be applied to an individual’s life, leading that person to greater maturity
in Christ.

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WE REJECT: (1) The belief that true Christians can be demon
possessed. (2) Extreme or Hyper-Calvinism, as well as Hyper-
Arminianism (we believe that God is sovereign and yet He also gives us
freewill. It is a paradox that man cannot fully comprehend this side of
heaven.). Along with that we also hold to the eternal security of the
believer rather than a Christian can lose his salvation. (3) “Positive
confession” (the faith movement belief that God can be commanded to
heal or work miracles according to man’s will). (4) Human prophecy that
supersedes the Scripture. (5) The incorporation of humanistic and
secular psychology and philosophy into Biblical teaching, and (6) the
over-emphasis of spiritual gifts or experiential signs and wonders to the
exclusion of Biblical teaching.

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IN OUR SERVICES, we focus on a personal relationship with God
through worship, prayer, and the teaching of the Word of God. We
teach both expositional and topical. We do not allow speaking in tongues
loudly during services or prophecy while a Bible study is in progress
because we do not believe that the Holy Spirit would interrupt Himself.

Contact Us

07864 803123

info@thecrossingcrieff.co.uk

facebook.com/TheCrossingCrieff

Craiglynne, Dallerie Road,

Crieff, PH7 4EG