Connect 70 Years of the New Town Act in Scotland July 2017
70 Years of the New Town Act in Scotland The New Town Act in Scotland was passed in 1947 at a time when Britain was tentatively starting to rebuild itself after the Second World War. It was recognised that people living in cramped city-centre locations required rehousing in more spacious, modern and green-spaced developments. Industry was starting to come to life again and there was optimism and anticipation about the future. Five new towns were designated in Scotland: East Kilbride, 1947; Glenrothes, 1948; Cumbernauld 1955; Livingston, 1962 and Irvine, 1966. These new towns slowly took shape in the late fifties and sixties affording families better living conditions yet within easy reach of major cities. To mark the 70th anniversary of the New Town Act, we asked the churches in the five Scottish New Towns the following question to find out their thoughts about the changes in their New Town in Scotland over the years and how this has affected their work and witness for Christ. It s 70 years since the New Town Act was passed and new towns were designated and established in Scotland, how has the work and witness of your Baptist church changed in that time? What have been the opportunities and challenges? Bourtreehill, Irvine When people came to live in Irvine new town they came with great hopes and expectations. For many there was the prospect of a new start and the first residents were all in employment. Things have changed since then and Irvine faces similar problems to many other towns throughout Scotland - poverty, unemployment, addiction and other issues associated with social deprivation. The Bourtreehill Church has had to deal with challenges throughout the same period. The church had to weather the blow of losing the founding pastor and go on to meet the demands of a changing community. The church had sought to do that and for the past 17 years it had provided an oasis for people which has become one of the most deprived in the country. We are encouraged that in 2017 we are baptising people and welcoming people to services in our church building and community cafe with no previous church background.
Irvine BC In the past seventy years, Irvine has changed, some things have improved and others deteriorated. There was great hope as the New Town came into being, there was work as firms established factories, workshops etc, some are still in operation. With recessions, and cut backs, where there was auto engineering, today it is levelled ground. The Magnum has closed and a completely new sports centre opened in the centre of the town. Alcohol and drugs is still the great pull down in the town and surrounding area. The church, seven different denominations, does not seem to have much impact on society but Irvine Baptist still tries to be a faithful witness to Christ in the midst of the changes. East Mains Baptist Church, East Kilbride People moved to East Kilbride seeking a new life, through the witness and work of the Baptist Church, many found new life in Christ. A Baptist witness was established in East Kilbride in 1952, with the Church subsequently planting 2 new churches in other areas of the town. The one Church now became 3 Congregations: East Mains, Westwood and Calderwood, in order to reach the people with the message of Jesus. New Towns are by nature dynamic and ever changing. For the Church to remain effective and relevant it needs to share that characteristic while remaining true to the unchanging gospel. In 1998, in response to changes in East Kilbride, East Mains embarked on a process of radical transformation which affected every area of the Church s life. Alongside these changes, God called the Church to create a Centre for the Community as a place where needs could be met, people could be helped, and Jesus could be shared. Today, 2,000 come through the doors of the Centre weekly, and more than 130 community groups use it regularly. The Centre enables the Church to engage with local people providing practical help and care, and to share the love and message of Jesus. As a result, people have come, and are coming, to faith in Christ.
Calderwood Baptist Church, East Kilbride Calderwood Baptist Church was the last of the three Baptist Churches planted in East Kilbride under the visionary leadership of the late Peter Barbour. In the last 14 years we have responded to the challenge of reengaging with our community and maximised the opportunities that a thoroughgoing theology of family and community care has afforded us; to build the congregation, growing to a gathering of more than 200 and enjoying a community impact that reaches 1,000 s. The Hunter House Transformation story, documented elsewhere is a visual symbol of the changing face of ministry in the New Town! Westwood Baptist Church, East Kilbride and a cafe style service in the evening. Challenges - WWBC was planted 50 Years ago and the challenge has always been to stay true to the Word and be relevant to contemporary culture. To meet the needs of the different generations we have a traditional early morning communion once a month, a morning family service Opportunities - Many in our communities, although not church attenders, are searching for spiritual answers to life s big questions. To fulfil the great commission our church vision is to encourage an outward expression and sharing of our faith through Alpha and the Food Bank and other local Christian initiatives.
Carbrain Baptist Church, Cumbernauld Much has changed in Cumbernauld since the days of exciting opportunities with young families, isolated from their familiar environment, full of hope and seeking a new lifestyle. Friendship and activity in a busy Church all-age programme when few community facilities were available, offered a new spiritual dimension for some, which has outlasted the fabric of New Town living. Sports, leisure and other activities became readily available and the practical role of the church in filling these gaps decreased but the unchanging message of Christ s love for a broken society is still there. Economic and social changes mean that the church now runs a Job Club and space for A.A. and other Groups to meet. With few young families in the catchment area of the church we are challenged to find fresh ways of reaching our community in the days ahead. Psalm 90 : The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong; even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. If applying this to New Towns, then Cumbernauld, in common with others, has had its share of toil and trouble albeit over a shorter lifespan than seventy years. However, we are not yet ready to fly away! Dedridge, Livingston This church was planted by Ladywell Baptist Church Livingston in 1980. Since that time Livingston has changed radically and is now home to nearly 60,000 people. In the early years there was much evangelism and growth in the church but in recent years the congregation has become much smaller. However, there has been a growing emphasis on community involvement and extension of the church building in 2006 has greatly helped with this. We are very involved with outreach to the community, especially young families and the elderly, but are struggling to bridge the gap between social action and preaching the good news of Jesus Christ.
Ladywell, Livingston The biggest change in the past 7- years, in any new town, Livingston included, would be the growth - an increase in population and of course housing. All the preparatory and ground work of planting a Baptist Church and establishing a Baptist Witness in the New Town of Livingston was done in the late 1960s. Ladywell Baptist Church being constituted in Autumn on 1968. (We celebrate our golden anniversary in 2018. Delighted that our guest speaker on that occasion will be the very first Pastor, Rev Bruce Milne). Of course, Dedridge Baptist Church was born/planted from Ladywell I suppose too, like all new churches, there was much coming and going. Over the past years the Baptist Church memberships in the two Baptist Churches in Livingston has declined. In saying that, I believe the Baptist Witness is still strong, it is just that society has a different take/view on God and worship and the need to attend church. Nevertheless, we continue to be salt and light, in the very New Town of Livingston, where our Lord has placed us. Glenrothes Baptist Church The aim of Glenrothes Baptist Church is to glorify God through worship and witness by making disciples who make disciples (Matt. 28:19). The church has been wellserved in this great commission by its four pastors: Rev. Alexander Wright (1958-1992), Rev. Neil Allison (1993-1998), Rev. Archy Macmillan (1999-2010), and Rev. Jacob Brothers (2011-present). The church has changed with the New Town, from its first meeting in April 1956 until now, always seeking to keep that gospel-centred focus. Our premises, too, have changed as the congregation has grown and the work expanded. We now meet in a former office building adjacent to the Town Centre. Our current challenge is to fully develop these strategicallylocated premises to enable us to make the most of the many opportunities for reaching out with the gospel to the lost community around us.
#BUShope Hope, Baptist Union of Scotland, 48 Speirs Wharf, Glasgow, G4 9TH. Videos BUShope2017@gmail.com
Prayer Link July July 2nd Alan Donaldson, General Director, BUS Gourock Baptist Church Granton Baptist Church Grantown-on-Spey Baptist Church July 9th Jim Purves, Mission & Ministry Advisor, BUS Greenock Baptist Church Hamilton Baptist Church Harestanes Baptist Church July 16th Martin Hodson, Ministry Development Coordinator, BUS Hawick Baptist Church Helensburgh Baptist Church High Blantyre Baptist Church July 23rd Peter Dick, Finance Director, BUS Hillhead Baptist Church Hillview Community Church Hopeman Baptist Church July 30th Ali Laing, Next Generation Development Coordinator, BUS Frances Bloomfield, Convenor, BUS Inverkeithing Baptist Church Inverness Baptist Church Irvine Baptist Church Alan Donaldson General Director, BUS Ruth and I give thanks for health and strength during the last 6 months to care for Ruth s Father and ask for continued prayer as we grieve his passing and support Ruth s Mum, Barbara. This has been a dramatic year of personal change and we give thanks for God s sustaining presence. We invite you to pray that we might be refined in character as we reflect on this past year and discern his purposes. Please pray for wisdom for my leadership of our Union as we face the opportunities of an increasingly dechurched and unchurched Scotland. Martin Hodson, Ministry Development Coordinator, BUS Thanking God that several of our churches have been able to appoint new ministers in the last couple of months and praying for fruitful ministries to grow as church and minister discover how they can serve the Lord together. Praying for a number of churches that have recently entered a vacancy and are trusting the Lord to lead them to a new minister. Irvine Thank you fellow Baptists for your prayers on behalf of our fellowship. We give thanks to God for a greater numbers at the Wednesday Prayer Meeting and more open participation. We have been vacant for a number of years, and most grateful to those who have come to conduct worship Sunday by Sunday. Please pray that we might be bound together in love, with eyes to see, hearts to love and wills to obey. Then to know the will of the Lord for the future ministry in this large, expanded town.
Inverkeithing BC Please give thanks for God s faithfulness to the fellowship at Inverkeithing Baptist Church and for His faithfulness in healing, comfort, kindness and goodness to us. Please pray for the different areas of mission and outreach in the church: the Saturday kid s club and summer kids club - that local kids in the area would come along and have fun hearing about the Lord; the Haven Cafe and mum s and toddler group - that the local community will be blessed by the church and hear of God s goodness. Please pray that God would use these activities to reach out to Inverkeithing and the surrounding area with His love and goodness. Hillview Community Church We have much to give thanks for, not least the establishment of Kintore Community Church in January. At Hillview, we re grateful to God for increasing momentum in reaching out with Jesus love including a new Goalside football club for primary children; a continuing, vibrant mainly music community; and taking Vintage Teas, monthly services and sing-a-longs to the elderly in our local care homes. A busy summer ahead includes our third annual mission trip to South Africa and a week of Holiday Bible Club which we pray will be a great outreach to many children in our community. Hamilton BC We are thankful to see new faces regularly at our services, with increasing numbers of them being from far flung corners of the world. This brings a freshness and vibrancy to church life that is much appreciated by the wider fellowship. For a number of years we have been operating an outreach ministry to the Hillhouse area of Hamilton. The focus has largely been on children s work, and a small team has served there faithfully and effectively. Recently a number of team members have had to stand down for a variety of reasons. We are now seeking God for the future, is it time to finish the work there, or is it time to develop the work in new ways? Join with us in prayer for the Exodus ministry at Hillhouse. Jim Purves, Mission and Ministry Advisor, BUS As many historic parts of the church in Scotland endure serious decline, join in giving thanks for the many signs of health and growth we see across our Union churches. Pray that congregations, holding to what is essential, face the challenge of being faithful to Christ in a secular society. Please pray for those leading congregations, that they keep focussed on ministry that serves mission; and pray for mission initiatives into communities, that express both the love and integrity of Jesus Christ. Frances Bloomfield, Convenor, BUS I would love prayer for wisdom and clarity of thought for me in the drafting needed for the BUS company set up process and want to give praise for the welcome assistance BUS is being offered from OSCR.
Hawick Give thanks for increase in Sunday attendance, for around 30 young people that now meet on Tuesday evenings and for a real sense of hope and anticipation as we seek God s vision for His church here in Hawick. Please pray for Martin & Grace Smith as Martin prepares to join our ministry team as assistant pastor in September. We are very grateful for the generous support from Charlotte Chapel (where Martin has been serving as a minister in training) Please pray for our youth worker, Jacqui Souden who begins some theological studies in September.1 Gourock BC Thanks: For those who have come to us asking for prayer and the many answers the Lord has given. For warmth of fellowship, strong links with local schools, armed forces veterans, and the many contacts made with those in and around the church building each week who have a tentative or even nonexistent relationship with any church. Pray: As we explore more effective ways to reach our community; that the Lord might challenge those He has gifted to come to help us in this task. Our aging building has no disabled access or internal disabled facilities. Pray that the Lord will guide us as we work with planners and seek sympathetic grant awarding bodies to help us resolve this issue. Ali Laing, Next Generation Development Coordinator, BUS Appreciate prayer for my family, Jill, Joshua and Julia. I d also appreciate prayer as I work with Churches across Scotland that we would see more young people engaged with communicating the good news of Jesus relevantly to their generation. Granton We celebrated back in May our 77th Anniversary which again was a time for us to reflect on God s faithfulness to us as a church over that time. Also a time for us to look forward with anticipation in regard to what God is going to do. Since the turn of the year we have had a renewed emphasis on seeking God as individuals and as a church together. We don t want to go forward with our ideas but with what God wants us to do and be. We have been encouraged with what God has been saying to us. Pray for us as we seek to implement what God is showing to us. High Blantyre Pray with us as we face the financial challenges of maintaining a full-time ministry, a manse and a church building. Give thanks that our members and friends continue to show a high level of commitment materially, physically and spiritually. Pray that this summer rest and holiday period would be refreshing for everyone. We continue to have strong links into the local community, particularly through School Chaplaincy and through involvement in the local Foodbank. We praise God for our strong sense of unity and of fellowship as we work and witness faithfully in High Blantyre. Pray for us to be effective in outreach and can turn contacts into disciples.
Scottish Baptist College John Drane We re delighted to announce that John Drane has agreed to take on the teaching of the Christian Mission class next semester. We asked John a few questions John, tell us a bit about yourself? I grew up in north-east England, in Hartlepool, whose Christian story goes way back to the days of the Celtic saints when it was a significant centre for mission. As a teenager I left there to be a student in Aberdeen where I specialized in all things Biblical. You started out as a biblical scholar how has this interest shaped your thinking? At the time I was a student in Aberdeen, my head of department had spent most of his life as a missionary in India, and he brought those missional insights to the way we studied the Bible. After Aberdeen, I did a PhD in Manchester on Gnosticism in the New Testament, which was also about how faith might relate to the wider culture, and I soon discovered that nothing much had changed and the spiritual search of the late 20th century had much in common with the world of the earliest Christians. For me there has always been a direct connection between my interest in the Bible and my passion for mission. Some of the books that people associate with you are the McDonaldization books can you tell us what motivated you to write these books? That s easy a realization that we had ended up with a one size fits all way of being church that increasingly people (even those in churches) found at best to be boring and repetitive, and not at all reflecting the diversity and vitality of worship and mission in the Bible. When I came across the work of George Ritzer, I had the tools to reflect on that in relation to faith. We ve heard there are plans for another in this series can you summarise the direction of this next book? Beyond McDonaldization: This one will pick up on some things that have changed since the first one appeared and in many respects that s just about everything. So far the chapter titles are: Changing culture again; What really is the church?; Worship and Mission; The digital revolution; Reinventing Theology; and Redefining the Tradition. But like all works in progress, the final product could look quite different! Outside of teaching and writing, what do you like to do to relax? DIY believe it or not, I find this therapeutic and relaxing! Then there s cycling, walking, and travel to far-flung places, balanced by caravanning nearer home. And gardening. And I am pretty good at just doing nothing or watching TV. For the full interview see www.scottishbaptistcollege.org. For more information on John s Christian Mission class including topics, themes, times, and costs, please email graham.meiklejohn@uws.ac.uk
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