‘Matchstick Man’ gives special gift to Fettercairn Church

An Aberdeenshire congregation has received a model of Fettercairn Church – made out of matchsticks.

The minister and congregation of West Mearns Parish have been given a matchstick model of Fettercairn Church.

Jim “Matchstick Man” Miller made the masterpiece – his 100th – for Rev Douglas Lamb, who retired to the area in 2002 after serving in Ayrshire.

Rev Lamb contacted Mr Miller back in 2019 to ask if he could build a model of the church, however, Covid-19 delayed things.

Last year Mr Miller and his wife Janet travelled from their home in Ayrshire to Fettercairn to take photos and measurements of the church.

He has been making church models for the past 27 years, with 95 being in Scotland, four in Wales and one in Germany.

Minister of West Mearns Parish, Rev Brian Smith said it was “magnificent”.

He added: “Mr Miller is gifting these models to local congregations and it’s hours and hours of work, so it’s incredibly generous.”