Newbattle Parish Church Church of Scotland, Unrestricted Call Parish Profile www.newbattleparishchurch.org Newbattle Parish Church is Registered as a Charity in Scotland. Registration No: SC 035087
Welcome Welcome to Newbattle Parish and thank you for taking the time to learn about the life and witness of our congregation and the communities we serve in Christ s name. We are blessed to be in a scenic location in the county of Midlothian 10 miles south of Edinburgh city centre with excellent public transport links to and from the city centre and south into the contrasting beauty and tranquillity of the Scottish Borders. In 2003, the boundary of Newbattle Parish (covering Newbattle, Mayfield and Easthouses) was extended to include the village of Newtongrange - effectively restoring the original parish borders of several centuries ago. The result was the creation of the largest parish in the Presbytery of Lothian with a population of circa 15,000 which is forecast to continue to grow significantly with a number of planned new housing developments. Although one parish, it comprises three separate communities, each with its own distinct heritage and identity. We currently have 350 members on our Communion Roll, 10 Adherents and 70 on our Supplementary Roll. As well as this, we have a thriving Youth Church and Emerging Church (Connect Project) which brings even more people to the Christian Faith. We hope the information contained in this profile gives a flavour of who we are and what we seek to do to advance Christ s Kingdom in the parish and beyond. For more information, please contact our Interim Moderator, Rev. Brian Hilsley or the Clerk to our Nominating Committee, Tracy Teasdale. Contact details can be found at the end of this profile. The Vision Our vision for ministry is to serve the communities of our parish by offering an inclusive, evangelical ministry with an emphasis on preaching the Gospel and informal worship, underpinned by a strong family ethos where there is a welcome and a place for everyone. We seek to achieve this by reaching out to and developing robust relationships with the communities in which we serve. We have built and developed a range of relevant church activities which allow us to connect and create opportunities for people to develop strong relationships whereby they can be nurtured in the Christian faith. Central to our vision is for our Churches to be known as a place of hospitality and welcome at the heart of the communities.
Ministry Team and Structure A Team approach to Ministry Recognising the many challenges, we have developed a Ministry Team comprising, a full time Minister of Word and Sacrament (currently vacant) and a number of part time staff: An Associate Minister, An Ordained Local Minster, A Mission and Outreach Worker, A Congregational Development Worker. In addition, the wider ministry team is made up of Elders and other volunteers who are actively involved in: leading worship; weekly prayer groups; our young people s ministry, (including activities for children, teenagers and young adults); our well-established Pastoral Care Team and; the development of our families and mature people s ministries. We also have the full and continued support of the Lothian Presbytery as indicated in the Presbytery Plan. Our Constitution We currently operate under Model Deed Constitution but are currently planning our move to Unitary Constitution. All our activities are overseen and governed by an enthusiastic Kirk Session with 25 active elders. 11 of the Elders also sit on the Congregational Board along with 6 additional members. Also, working closely together to ensure efficient management of church affairs we have: A Session Clerk A Clerk to the Congregational Board A Finance team headed up by our Treasurer. Safeguarding Co-ordinators and a Safeguarding panel. Hall let convenors Fabric convenors
Worship Services We regularly review and plan worship aiming to best meet the needs of the congregation and the wider community. The Sacrament of Holy Communion is celebrated four - six times each year with Lent and Easter celebrations being of particular significance for us. On the first Sunday of each month we currently have a united service where our three congregations worship together. On most other Sundays, services are held in each of our three churches. A Sunday evening service is held once a month at the Mayfield and Easthouses church. This is planned and led by our young people guided and supported by our ministry team. Our Churches and the life within them We have a busy and varied programme of events and activities most of which take place at either Newtongrange Church or Mayfield and Easthouses Church, reflecting the parish s two main centres of population. Newtongrange The Newtongrange part of the parish has a higher concentration of people and this is reflected in the activities which take place there. Highlights include the Tuesday Travellers a lunch time Bible study and faith nurturing group and the Friendship Group, comprising church and non-church members, which meet each Wednesday with 60-80 people regularly attending. This group is valued by the Red Cross as a resource for bringing people back into the community. We recognize the need to reach out to younger adults in the Newtongrange area and explore with them different ways of being church. Our Congregational Development Worker heads up this Connect Project and with the team has developed a number of initiatives aimed at folk who have little or no church connection. We are currently experimenting with a Drop-in café on Friday mornings and a Thursday evening meal giving folk an opportunity to explore faith. Both are being received positively. There is also a much loved and long established mothers and toddlers group called JellyTots, which meets each week. Our Girl s Brigade Company in Newtongrange, which has around 40 members, recently celebrated its Centenary with several events, attended by members and families, as well as many past members.
Mayfield and Easthouses The activities based at Mayfield and Easthouses church have a strong emphasis on younger people reflecting the demographics of that part of the parish yet we are open and welcoming to folk from across the parish. Activities include: the weekly Inbetweens group; a fellowship group for teenagers and young adults; monthly Messy church and; a summer holiday club for primary school aged children. Our Mission and Outreach worker heads up this very fruitful aspect of our ministry in which we have seen significant growth in recent years Study Groups are often held once a week, normally for a 4-6 week block, focussing on a particular theme such as a book or part of the bible. There is a regular meeting of the Guild which supports a number of our members on their active faith journey and we were proud to celebrate its centenary in 2016. One of our two Girl s Brigade Companies meets here as well as the local Scout Troop. On Tuesdays each week around 70 people come to our coffee morning and we shape some activities around the Christian calendar. We have also been running a charity shop and community café in the church 2 days a week and will be looking to increase the number of days over the coming months. A real highlight for us is the base we offer 5 days a week to the Community Action Team (CAT), a day support group for adults with moderate to severe learning disabilities. They have embraced us and we them. It is a real blessing to have them as part of Christ s Church and one day each week this group runs the community café. Newbattle This church served as the Parish Garrison Church for the duration of WW2 and this is reflected in the RAMC Window and the many memorials to this war and others. The activities based at Newbattle are modest when compared to the 2 other centres of worship within the parish. The physical location of the church does not lie in the main centres of population. Nevertheless the activities based at Newbattle Kirk are much valued and well supported. There is a monthly coffee with friends and a variety of occasional events over the course of the year such as Holy Week Café. Taking advantage of the beautiful setting, Scout Groups often use the centre and woods for overnight camping. Also, every year a Good Friday workshop for children is held in the woods around the Kirk which has become a firm annual favourite with our young people. Other external groups make use of the facilities for events such as MIni Music Makers and ante natal classes.
local Outreach and Missionary activities The people in the communities which we serve often struggle with day to day life. Our deeply embedded ethos is to reach out to, and support all who are in need and hurting. Practically speaking, we partner with a local foodbank and we are involved in receiving referrals from social workers, teachers and community health professionals to assist with the provision of emergency food support for local residents who are in crisis. For a number of years we have also been working in partnership with Midlothian Council s Children and Families division and the schools within the parish to provide gifts, toys and food for for children and families at Christmas. Sadly, the demand for this support increases year on year, but the need is wonderfully embraced by the congregation who donate gifts, money and time most generously and gladly. Our school chaplaincy work continues to grow as the links with the local schools are strengthened and relationships with the head teachers and staff continue to blossom. We also support MidAid a partnership initiative between the Church of Scotland and Midlothian Council providing support for refugees. We actively participate in a range of large community events across the parish including; The celebration at an annual gala week The Community Christmas Celebration, in which the church plays a leading role and hosts it in our church and halls. The annual Pantomime held at our Newtongrange Church Hall. This is run by our church volunteers, involves the local community and is hugely popular with all ages.
Challenges we face Financial Challenges As it is with many churches at the present time, finances are a challenge. With 3 church buildings, the upkeep both in terms of capital and revenue costs are high and it is a continuing process to manage costs against income received. We have a very supportive congregation but many are on low incomes and struggling financially in the current economic climate. Our income has not changed significantly over the last few years and therefore any money received must be used prudently. Any potential expenditure is therefore approved by the Congregational Board and must be warranted to be both essential and the best price possible. With our largest cost being that of Ministry and Mission Contributions, Lothian Presbytery have worked closely with the treasurer, giving targeted support both in an advisory capacity and financial rebates. Consultation is taking place with Presbytery to find a long term solution which will alleviate this ongoing pressure. Through this careful financial management, our most recent accounts show a modest surplus (2016 accounts which can been seen on the OSCR Website). Congregational Numbers On Sunday mornings, we have an average of 110 people attending our service(s). Our communities are growing rapidly and we seek to find new ways of encouraging folks to join us and to allow God s message to spread and enrich our parish. A monthly Sunday evening contemporary Praise Service is organised and led by the young people in our Inbetweens group. This is fairly recent initiative and we trust that through this, more modern approach to worship we will encourage local young people to join us. Volunteering of Talents We are blessed to have many volunteers, involved in a variety of roles, from serving coffee or preparing and serving meals, to running the charity shop, helping with admin tasks, maintaining our grounds and buildings and working with our families and young people. Although we have a large pool of volunteers there is always room for more as we work to maintain efficiency in our day to day responsibilities and also to develop our outreach to our community. We actively encourage members and friends to use their gifts in our Lord s service by supporting and encouraging. Many of our volunteers are not as able as they once were and we seek to lighten their load by involving others. Young People at church Only 4 or 5 children presently join us in our Sunday morning worship. They are very much at home there and we would love to increase the number of children and parents learning of God s love at that time.
Church Buildings Our parish encompasses 3 communities with a suite of buildings which reflect the diverse nature, history and geographical spread of the parish. We have a church and halls in each of 3 separate locations. The buildings range from an 18th century kirk to a 10 year old energy efficient hall. Separately run projects are underway to renovate Mayfield and Easthouses Church and redevelop Newtongrange Church. Both projects have the approval and active support of Presbytery and The General Trustees. Over our 3 locations there are 5 church halls available which as well as being used for church organisation / outreach work are also available to the community for rent and which account for circa 20% of our annual income. The halls / meeting rooms offer a range of facilities suitable for a variety of events such as exercise classes, small meetings, community consultations, band practice, yoga, birthday parties and one of our larger halls even hosts our annual pantomime. Newbattle An historic Scottish Kirk, with B listing status, the church has a distinctive historical heritage. The current building was opened in 1727, but the congregation can trace its origins back to 1140 and the Cistercian Monastery established by King David I of Scotland. Whilst the church is in need of a certain amount of internal upgrading (heating & lighting) and a sympathetic restoration of the internal layout, we foresee the building becoming the principal venue for parish weddings and funerals. The Kirkbank Centre, (immediately adjacent to Newbattle Kirk), was opened in 2007 and extended in 2016. This modern hall facility serves as a venue for both church and community activities including coffee mornings, birthday parties, Yoga and Choir classes. Newbattle Kirk is a regular participant in Open Doors Day and in 2017 took part in Midlothian Heritage Week. Newtongrange Newtongrange church and halls, with C listing status, were opened in the early 1940's to serve the rapidly growing mining community. Although the colliery has long since closed, it is still a focal point as the National Mining Museum and the village is enjoying a new lease of life as a commuter settlement. This has brought increasing levels of prosperity and the reopening of the Borders Railway in 2015, with a station situated in the village, suggests this trend will continue. The church enjoys a large site and commanding position in the centre of the village and plans are progressing, (subject to securing the required approvals), to replace or redevelop the existing church building with a modern facility which will be part of a new development and wider regeneration of the town centre. The new, state of the art facility will continue to provide a venue, not just for our
regular worship and many church activities, including Friendship Group, Jelly Tots (Mother & Toddlers), and a weekly morning Drop in Café, but also for local groups and activities such as Girls Brigade, children s ballet classes, birthday parties, and Zumba classes. Mayfield and Easthouses Mayfield and Easthouses Church was opened in 1955 around the same time that the majority of the houses in the area were built to accommodate the rapidly expanding population. Originally conceived as a hall church, a separate hall was opened 10 years later. From its inception, it has had very strong links with the local community This part of the parish includes significant pockets of urban deprivation and has many of the social problems associated with post war housing developments and the relocation of families from other areas. Both the Church and Hall are extensively used for many church and community activities and events, including holiday clubs, Messy Church, Scouts, Girls Brigade, Community Action Team, birthday parties, coffee mornings and our thriving thrift shop and café. The church building, whilst very tired, continues to be a hub of activity and provides a central community base in the heart of Mayfield and Easthouses. Recognizing the increasingly pressing need to upgrade the church building we set up The Cornerstone Project to oversee the redevelopment of the building into a modern resource for the church and the community offering a café facility and kitchen, soft play area, charity shop and flexible accommodation which can be used by church and community alike. Plans have been drawn up and planning permission has been granted. We are currently submitting applications to various grant giving bodies to supplement the amount raised and pledged by the congregation several of these funding applications have already been successful. Once the required funding is in place work will commence, which we hope will be mid 2018. The church enjoys a prominent town centre location and it refurbishment supports and complements the plans of the local community, supported by Midlothian Council, to realise a major town centre regeneration. The opening of a new High School and Community Hub, which is situated at the heart of the parish, is planned for autumn 2018, presenting a range of opportunities for our congregation to further embed our community involvement.
The Manse Our Manse is a pleasant 4 bedroomed house, situated in the small quiet, rural estate of Newbattle Abbey Crescent. It is in close proximity to woodland and riverside walks and within walking distance of Newbattle Church and Dalkeith town Centre. There is currently a full review being undertaken to ensure the manse is of a good standard for our new Minister Contact Details If you would like any further information please contact either; Tracy Teasdale, Clerk to the Nominating Committee, nominating@newbattleparish.org or; Rev, Brian Hilsley, Interim Moderator, BHilsley@churchofscotland.org.uk Or alternatively look on our website www.newbattleparishchurch.org