St Andrew s Brechin Church Profile SCOTTISH EPISCOPAL CHURCH DIOCESE OF BRECHIN
Brechin Brechin was an early Christian centre. In the twelfth century the Culdee monks lived and worked amongst the community. They spread Christian teaching in the town and surrounding countryside and they also inspired the beginnings of literacy. Not only was there a medieval Cathedral, some of which survives, but a working monastery and a college which became the grammar school in 1429. Brechin was also an early commercial centre; in 1150 the Bishop of Brechin was given the right by King David to hold a weekly market. Wool, hides, sheep fleeces, grain and the like would have been bought and sold; people would have met and shared their triumphs and disasters. In the nineteenth and twentieth century most people of working age in Brechin worked on hand looms at home or, later on mechanised looms in the weaving mills, making linen for mortcloths; the flax for which was grown locally. Later they produced polypropylene for carpet backing and mailbags, most of which was exported worldwide. Today the population of Brechin is around 7,000. Some people work in the oil and gas service industries in Montrose and Aberdeen, others in agriculture or the building trades. Some work in care homes, Bearehill and The Glade, or in the Dalhousie Day Care Centre, others in one of the three schools in the city. The economic position is improving but opportunities for local employment are limited. Young people still may have to move away to find work and, like most towns, Brechin has some areas where there are social problems. On a more positive note, the Brechin City Football Club is currently in the Scottish League One and each match brings much excitement to its many supporters. There are lively societies and clubs, whether one s interests are bridge, photography, arts and crafts or others. The young people of the town can visit The Attic for support and participate in activities on most evenings. There are also flourishing Brownie, Guide and Scout groups. There is now a sizeable Polish community in the city and surrounding district and a shop in the High Street sells Polish food. The Davidson family who lived near Brechin moved to America and together with Bill Harley invented the Harley Davidson motorbike, famous the world over and the star feature of the film Easy Rider. The Brechin Business Community has used this connection to organise a Harley Davidson weekend each June and with other special events throughout the summer they hope together with the restoration and refurbishment of some of the buildings in the town centre to attract visitors and help with the regeneration of the town.
Overview of the Congregation St. Andrew s Scottish Episcopal Church is a caring, friendly and dedicated mainstream Scottish Episcopal congregation that has deep roots in the City of Brechin. It has maintained a presence within the City through the trials faced by the Episcopal Church during the disestablishment of the church to the many challenges of our 21st century society. The Church faces many challenges as do most of rural congregations within the Church of Scotland and Episcopal Church in Scotland today but we are facing them head on with a determination to keep the Kingdom of God growing in this place. The Church provides a strong social network which includes pastoral care for one another, a threemonthly bring-and-share lunch after the main Sunday service and under the leadership of a good Vestry is sustaining and developing worship opportunities. Our present total congregational attendance for Sunday services is between 25 and 30 people although we are reaching out to those on the fringes and have held a special "Back to Church" Sunday and we are trying to encourage the members of the congregation to continue the work that has begun. In partnership with Brechin Churches Together we have been involved in running Holiday Clubs and our Advent workshop and we are trying to increase attendance of children which is presently limited to special services. The congregation would like to see these special services developed. The congregation hopes to continue the stability provided by the previous incumbent s term of 9 years. Members enjoy the strong relationships that they form with a Rector within this small community and the Rector is well supported by a Rector s Warden. The congregation is led by an active Vestry of 11 members with wide and varied experience. Vestry meetings are held monthly. The Congregation: Worship Our present pattern of Sunday worship at St. Andrew s is a Said Eucharist at 8.00am using the 1970 Liturgy and a Sung Eucharist at 10.30am using the 1982 Liturgy. We have lay people leading the prayers and doing the Scripture readings and six Eucharistic Assistants who serve the Chalice and take Communion to the sick and housebound as well as conducting short services in our local Residential and Nursing homes. We have used Morning and Evening Prayer and Compline at various times preceded by discussion and/or meditation. We have had a mid-week celebration of Said Eucharist on a Wednesday morning and major feast days are kept with a celebration in the evening.
The Church is usually open between 10.00am and 4.00pm for private prayer and devotion. The Vestry has it in mind to produce a guide to the Church to help visitors and to complement our prayer leaflets offered with the votive candles. Together with the newly-formed worship group, the Vestry is sustaining and developing worship and there is an active desire for new forms of worship to help deepen our spirituality. For a number of years, ecumenical services, arranged by Brechin Churches Together, have taken place during Holy Week with each Church hosting an evening service. There is also an open air service at dawn on Easter morning. The Congregation: Music: We have a musical director, assisted by a small but dedicated choir. The main hymn book in present use is the Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New by Kevin Mayhew. Members of the congregation have organised musical events involving children from the local Brechin Primary and High Schools. The Brechin & District Choral Society also performs regular concerts in the Church and often rehearses in the church hall. A Makin Electronic Organ was installed in 1999. This three-manual, 42 speaking stop organ has made a tremendous difference. Each individual note and stop has been adjusted for the specific acoustics of the building. The organ has dual voicing and uses digital technology to produce an impressive sound. It is regularly maintained and has a service contract. We have a public address and loop system that operates within the Church. Safeguarding and Protection The Vestry has appointed an officer as the person responsible for the Safeguard and Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults at St Andrew's Church. This ensures that all the necessary approvals and disclosures are obtained. The Congregation: A Fairtrade Congregation March 2010 saw St. Andrew s Church awarded the status of Fairtrade Congregation. The St Andrew's Congregation had been using Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar for many years before receiving this award. The Church Rainbow charity shop has been selling Fairtrade products for the past 11 years. The Church was instrumental in working to get Brechin established as a Fairtrade city. The Congregation: Challenges Ahead There are a number of challenges facing St. Andrew s Episcopal Church as to how it may best continue to provide the congregation with a place of worship that fulfils their needs. St. Andrew's wishes: To nurture and grow the spiritual life of its members. To offer worship that inspires and renews and transforms lives in the community.
To continue our support for the elderly and be involved with the local care homes through leading worship and offering communion and home visits. To continue the work of our charity shop which provides social contact and outreach to the community. To widen the age profile by encouraging younger people to get involved. To encourage the involvement of those members who are on the congregational roll but who remain inactive. To develop our work on Eco Congregations and Fair Trade activities. More use of the Church building. Given the Church s favourable acoustics and its beautiful interior, there is potential for growth in this area. To develop our profile within Brechin. To develop our new website. The Rainbow Charity Shop We are most fortunate to have a double-fronted shop half way down the Brechin High Street that was purchased in 2004 from a bequest left to St Andrew s Church. It has a rear stock room with a staff area, kitchen and toilet and the front of the shop has recently had new carpeting and shelving. Funds from the shop have enabled us completely to refurbish the Church Hall. The profits from the shop go into the General Fund of the Church and 10% is given annually to local charities. The shop offers good quality second-hand clothing, bric-a-brac, books, household goods and a small selection of Fairtrade Foods. Unusable or excess products are recycled where possible. We are blessed to have at least twelve volunteers who cover three-hour shifts in the shop on a regular basis. The shop is managed by a paid part-time co-ordinator with the overview of the Rainbow committee who report to the Vestry on a regular basis. Our volunteers welcome people to the shop who benefit from the company and the social interaction. It is also an opportunity for the Church to advertise events and collect for the food-bank. In March 2014 the shop had its 10th birthday with a celebration in the shop by all volunteers (past & present) attended by Lord Dalhousie. Buildings: the Church St. Andrew s Episcopal Church is a B-listed building that was completed in 1888 (minus a steeple/bell tower for financial reasons). The Church is in reasonably good order throughout although continued maintenance is required. It sits on a pleasant site with spacious surrounding grounds, between St. Andrew s Street and Argyll Street and is close to the centre of the City. The sandstone structure has a beautiful interior noted by visitors and appreciated by the congregation. Inside the Church, the original features have been carefully maintained.
A nave altar stands on a dais at the front of the Chancel, created after the wooden floor of the church was replaced. This has brought the clergy closer to the congregation although the high altar is still used at the major festivals. Some pews have been removed from the back of the church to permit space which is presently used as a welcoming and gathering space and room for refreshments after services. There is also a Side Chapel that acts as the choir room on Sundays. On the opposite side of the chancel there is a very useful kitchen area and disabled toilet. This area also provides space for flower arranging. There is storage space in the organ loft and further space within the Tower which is not in use at present. The Church Hall, a C-listed building, is situated a short distance from the Church down St. Andrew s Street. The hall was completely refurbished and modernised in 2011. It has modern kitchen facilities. There is a disabled toilet and disabled access throughout the building. This has attracted user groups such as Yoga, Art & Crafts, Parent & Toddler, Photographic Society, Brechin Brownies and Scottish Slimmers. The location is convenient for the centre of town and car parking is available opposite the hall. A Vestry member manages the lettings for the hall which bring additional income to the church. The congregation of St Andrew s is pleased to have this facility available to the local community. Buildings: the Rectory The Rectory is at 9 Castle Street and is a leisurely five-minute walk from the church. Formerly the Bishop s House, it was originally built in 1805. The building which is in good order and maintained to a good standard is a four-bedroom family home built on three levels: Ground floor: Fitted kitchen Dining room Study with fitted bookshelves Further room used as an annexe to the study Toilet & Shower room First floor: Lounge Master bedroom Second bedroom Bathroom with walk-in cupboard Second floor: Two double bedrooms Large, walk-in storeroom The property also possesses some outbuildings including a garage accessible from the road. There is a large garden within the property. An annual budget is set aside for any remedial work needed. The rectory has a full gas central heating system with an annual maintenance contract. Under the terms of a Bequest, a grandfather clock belonging to the church is kept in the house. Associated Groups The Church is fortunate in having a Women s Guild, which is very supportive of the Church in its activities. This group has monthly meetings from September to April with an annual lunch and a summer outing. The members also organise two coffee mornings in the year. The 2nd Brechin Brownie Pack led by a member of the Church meets in the church hall. Although there is no direct affiliation to the Church, Brownies are invited to attend services periodically for special occasions and they help with the Christingle Service and the Autumn Sale.
The Brechin & District Choral Society uses the church hall for rehearsals and performs concerts in the church twice yearly. St. Andrew s Church is a member of Brechin Churches Together. This is the local ecumenical group which includes the churches in nearby villages. Combined services are held in various churches throughout the year. There is a small committee which maintains the presence of Christian Aid in the city. This raises awareness of the work of Christian Aid mainly by holding fundraising events. Brechin Explorers Group - This outreach group works with Primary-aged children in the Brechin and surrounding area. The aims of the group are to provide Activity Days and a Summer Holiday Club to promote Christian teaching in a safe and fun-based environment. Volunteers from all the churches in Brechin act as leaders and several grants have made it possible for two workshops to be held this year as well as a week-long club. At the Christmas workshop over a hundred children took part in various Christmas activities. Most of the children attending have very little understanding of Jesus and His love for everyone but have been enthusiastic and very willing to find out more. Brechin: The City Schools There are two primary schools, Andover and Maisondieu, each of which has a nursery. Andover Primary School is situated in the south eastern quarter of the city in a building opened in 1998. Maisondieu Primary School, situated across the road from St. Andrew s Church is the larger of the two primary schools within the Brechin boundaries. It is in the former Brechin High School building and a recent extension has been built to accommodate its pupil roll of around 400. St. Andrew s is used for the Christmas end-of-term service and there are longstanding church links with the nursery. Parents and children access the school through the church grounds. Brechin High School, which is situated three quarters of a mile from the church in the north of the city is presently being rebuilt. A new Rector (Head Teacher) was appointed in 2013 and it is anticipated that the new community campus will open in March 2016. The pupil roll of around 650 comes from the large catchment area which includes the surrounding rural villages in Angus. The High School has an ecumenical chaplaincy of which St. Andrew's is a part. Sir Robert Watson Watt, the famous pioneer of radar, was a former pupil of Brechin High School. Angus: Angus is a glorious county in which to live. There is so much to enjoy from the deserted sandy beaches and coastal towns of Carnoustie, Arbroath and Montrose to the unspoilt Angus Glens where it is easy to escape and experience nature and landscapes that have changed little over the centuries. Arbroath gave us both the Declaration of 1320 which won the approval of Pope John XX11 at Avignon to limit the power of the King of England over the Scottish Barons, and the Smokie, tasty smoked haddock tied in pairs and much enjoyed today. Carnoustie has provided an Open Championship Golf Course since 1931. Montrose has become an important construction and engineering centre for the oil and gas industry. Forfar has a long tradition in textile manufacture now well adapted to meet modern demands. The county of Angus is famous for its black cattle, its fertile arable land and its salmon rivers. The Montrose Basin is home to many different species of migrating birds and the hills abound with the call of the curlew and the silent flight of the black grouse. Glamis Castle, Arbroath Abbey and The House of Dun are some of the beautiful places to visit, reminding us of our rich history, artistic, religious, industrial and political.
The Diocese: The Diocese of Brechin, one of the seven dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church, has 26 churches with St. Paul s Cathedral in Dundee as the Mother Church. The Diocese celebrated its 850th anniversary in 1999. The Diocese of Brechin maintains strong links with the Dioceses of Swaziland and Iowa as our two companion Dioceses. We have a three-way annual prayer diary used by all our Diocesan churches as well as regular exchange visits and all three Dioceses continue to actively seek ways to strengthen our partnership. The Congregation: Financial Position St. Andrew s Episcopal Church has achieved relative stability in its finances. We have been fortunate in the past three years to have received the surplus from our Charity Shop. The Church has operated with a small annual deficit which is financed from the reserve account. However, in 2013/4 there was a small surplus. Requests for special donations from the congregation have met targeted needs. The Treasurer of the church has produced 5 yearly budgets that are annually reviewed by the Vestry. The Treasurer produces the Annual Accounts which are audited by EQ Accountants and are submitted online to OSCR (Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator).
Rector Profile We are seeking a Part-time Rector, female or male, who has a positive outlook and who is expecting a challenge which will be rewarding. Our Rector should be familiar with and appreciate the traditions of the Scottish Episcopal Church. We want our Rector to feel at ease with our present pattern and style of services but also to be our spiritual, forward-thinking, flexible leader who will be open to growth and will develop new patterns of worship with us. We expect our Rector to be people-centred and to help us to develop our ideas and on-going attempts to widen the Church s appeal to both those of our membership who no longer attend services, those who have never come but might consider joining us and to attract a wider age range. She or he should be happy to encourage outreach into the local community and society at large both in terms of our Christian commitment and our social concerns. With the laity, our Rector should continue to build upon the very good relationships that we have with the other churches in the City and district through Brechin Churches Together and continue to build our links with the local schools. Our Rector should, as far as time permits, take an active part in the general life of the City and together with the congregation, continue to make St. Andrew s a welcoming, praying, praising and valued part of the wider community. We consider that it is important that our Rector will work with those who visit and support the housebound members of the congregation and lead services in both the local care homes and sheltered housing complexes. We have a strong leadership team within the congregation and we expect our new Rector to be an enthusiastic team player assisting the Vestry problem-solve the day-to-day practical and financial business as well as forming our long-term plans for mission and growth. We would hope that our new Rector will be ready to play his or her part, join our welcoming, friendly, cheerful, ready-to-serve, honest team and help us to become more unified and focused. The urban and rural context of our churches, the limitations of public transport and the gathered nature of our congregations, diocesan and provincial life require our clergy to be currently licenced car drivers. We expect our Rector to have the following skills and experience: Nurture the spiritual growth of our members and encourage others to join us Have an aptitude for preaching, teaching and inspiring worship Ability to lead, develop and empower our leadership team Encourage and support the Vestry and congregation, working with them in consensual decisionmaking Ability to listen, motivate, initiate action, and handle conflict Sensitive leadership style with good communication and delegation skills Encourage us in developing our charity work and commitment to the social concerns of the wider world
Personal qualities we expect in our Rector: Be both guide and companion, encouraging and developing the gifts of the congregation in their own ministry Be caring and compassionate, as well as having an inclusive and accepting attitude, able to relate to those with doubts as well as those with certainty in their faith Have the desire to build on our musical heritage Have an interest in fostering ecumenical links and inter-faith dialogue Have the vision and energy to develop the wider use of all Church premises and inspire the congregation to use them as a spiritual resource and community facility Spiritually, be living his or her own faith, celebrating the certainties as well as grappling with any doubts and questions Be in touch with his or her own feelings and be able to express them appropriately. Have a sense of humour! We expect our new Rector will create a balance between maintaining our present aims and achievements and nurturing and developing a vision for the future. Terms and Conditions There is a working agreement in place between the Vestry and the Rector. Under this agreement the Vestry will pay: 50% of the Standard Stipend of the SEC. Statutory Sick pay. The employer s contribution to the SEC non-contributory Pension Fund. There are facilities for clergy to make AVC s to this fund. PAYE, NIC and payroll burdens. Children s allowance as set down by SEC. The Council Tax for the Rectory and Insurance cover for the building and fabric of the Rectory. The Rector will have responsibility for contents insurance. The cost of the annual central heating maintenance contract and will be willing to contribute an annual heating allowance of 250. 1/3 of the cost of internet broadband and telephone bill and the costs of stationery and postage for church business. The Rector s travel expenses against a monthly log sheet of all journeys undertaken on Church business. Mileage rates will be as the SEC and Inland Revenue Fixed Profit Scheme. Other forms of travel will be reimbursed against receipts and/or tickets. An annual sum of 100 towards retreats and other support and working expenses as agreed by the Vestry following discussion. Removal expenses to the Rectory from any UK location on receipt of three competitive quotations. A sum of 2,500 to contribute to general costs associated with the removal process. Holiday entitlement will be 5 Sundays as per SEC. This does not include retreats and study leave when the Rector will be expected to provide replacements.
The Rectory will be in sound condition and will be externally maintained but the internal decor will be the responsibility of the Rector. The Vestry will not be responsible for the Television Licence. Other information may be found under Vestry resources and the Clergy Personnel Handbook which can both be found on the Scottish Episcopal Church website at www.scotland.anglican.org/vestryresources.