macduff parish church Parish Profile 1
Introduction Macduff Parish Church became vacant following the call of Rev Calum Stark to Bellshill West Parish Church. Macduff Parish covers the town of Macduff and the country area to the south and east. Under the Presbytery of Buchan plan, the congregation has an unrestricted call. The congregation roll is 650. Near the church building stand the town cross and an anchor. These provide a symbolic reminder of what is at the centre of the congregation Jesus Christ crucified and risen, who through the gospel gives people an anchor in life. As the church building once guided boats into the harbour, it is the hope and prayer of the congregation that the church may today continue to guide people in their lives. The congregation is looking for a minister who will lead the church in a Bible centred ministry and in outreach to the local community. Members seek to work with the minister to use their God-given gifts and talents in the life of the congregation. Our prayer is that as well as providing leadership, the minister will work with the church to support and guide members and build up the church family, equipping us for mission and service. Church Life Worship Sunday Services services are held at 11.00am and 6.00pm every Sunday. The attendance in the morning averages 130, with 30 people at the evening services. In the morning a minibus service is provided to those needing transport. While the organ is the main instrument to accompany worship, there are regular contributions from a praise band, singing group and others. After the morning service tea and coffee are served in the church. The morning services are recorded and disks distributed to housebound members. 1
Midweek Meeting a weekly midweek meeting is held either in the Market Street Hall or the homes of members. This includes Bible Study as well as worship and times of prayer for the congregation, parish and the worldwide church. Special Services While we believe that every service of worship is special, throughout the year a number of specific occasions are marked in times of worship. These include: Communion this takes place on the last Sunday in April and October as well as on other occasions. Easter during Holy Week additional services are held and an early morning service takes place on Easter Day on the beach near the mouth of the River Deveron. Summer Guest Service this is held on a Sunday evening in July at Macduff Fish Market. Christmas an annual gift service allows members of the congregation to give food and toiletries for distribution by the local Social Work department. Christingle, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services are very well supported by the wider community as well as by members of the congregation. Uniformed Organisation Parades annual dedication in September, Remembrance Sunday and Thinking Day. Harvest Thanksgiving this is often linked with the Shoe Box appeal for Blythswood as well as a collection for Tear Fund. Funerals and Memorial Service in recent years approximately 20 funerals have been conducted by the minister per year. An annual service is held towards the end of the year to remember those who have passed away in the preceding year. Church Life Organisations Members of the congregation are active in leading and supporting a range of activities that serve both the needs of the congregation and act as outreach to the community. These include: 2
Coffee Corner on Tuesday mornings over 70 people gather in the Market Street Hall for coffee and fellowship. This serves as a support to members of the congregation as well as being an outreach to the community with many people attending who are not members. Church Groups a House Group meets regularly for Bible study and fellowship. The Visiting Group has a programme of visits to the elderly and housebound in the parish. A reading group meets to read and discuss books with a Christian theme. Junior Church the active Junior Church provides a range of opportunities for young people. During the Sunday morning service there is a crèche for babies and toddlers. Groups for nursery and primary school children meet in the church extension after the children s address. The Lazer and Lazer Extra groups meet for secondary aged young people. Up to 20 children and young people attend these groups. A Youth Alpha group also serves the secondary age young people A Parent and Toddler group meets in the hall on Tuesday afternoon and attracts a large number of people from the local community. Jaffa and J+ Clubs run activity evenings for upper stage primary children (P4-7). These attract a wide range of children, many of whom have little direct contact with the church, who enjoy games as well as a Bible teaching session. Junior Jaffa for P1-3 children runs on Friday lunchtimes in Macduff Primary School and attracts up to 20 children. The Guild fortnightly meetings attract over 30 people. The annual programme includes a number of speakers as well as contributions from members. The national theme and projects form the core of its activities. Uniformed Organisations Scouts and Guides have close links with church and attend three times a year for parade services. Ranger Guides meet in the hall. 3
Church Life Events Church Life Leadership Fun Days these are popular features of the community year and are organised by the Junior Church. 100-200 people often attend these family days. Coffee Mornings and Soup and Sweet these successful fund raising events support both church and other organisations as well as an opportunity to provide links with the community Scots Night and social events organised on an occasional basis, these allow members of the congregations and friends to develop friendships and enjoy fellowship together. There are 25 ordained elders who make up the Kirk Session. The Congregational Board consists of all the members of the Session and a further 12 congregational representatives. There are Finance and Property Groups who are actively involved in looking after the buildings and resources of the church. Elders and others in the congregation are active in taking on leadership responsibilities both within services of worship and the various activities that take place during the week. The salaried employees of the congregation are the organist and a cleaner. Church Life Chaplaincies The minister also serves as Chaplain at Macduff Primary School where there are opportunities to take regular assemblies as well as being involved in the wider life of the school. A Chaplaincy team operates in Banff Academy with input to assemblies and RME classes. Regular services are also taken at Doune Court Sheltered Housing, Dounemount Care Home and Banff Care Home. 4
Church on Sunday sets me up for the week ahead. I love hearing the gospel being preached and the encouragement I find morning and evening - and of course the fellowship It is great to be part of such a warm and welcoming church, to feel at home and find family in Christ. The church is my anchor and I miss it so much when I m unable to attend. macduff parish church Macduff Parish Church means an extended family where you can come together and share your life and belief in Jesus Christ. Coming to church is the highlight of my week. The church is where I feel most safe and secure, knowing I that I m in the company of like-minded people. Every morning we welcome each other before church starts It is a very warm, welcoming place that lifts my heart every Sunday and gives me the strength to face the week ahead. After each service there is tea and coffee and we all talk and get to know each other At jaffa, j+ and jive we play games and have fun 5 I enjoy being part of the church family and encouraging and helping others I moved to Macduff two years ago for work on a temporary contract and the church is one of the biggest reasons I have chosen to stay in the area. A wonderful, friendly, welcoming church that I am honoured to be a part of The church is where I meet people who, when I talk with them show that they care, give support, understanding and encouragement. It is by His people that we are often strengthened and see His presence with us. At Junior Church we play games and learn about the Bible There is junior jaffa on Friday at school Once a month we have jaffa which stands for Jesus a friend for all I have been challenged to grow in my faith every Sunday and enjoy seeing young people explore their faith through the midweek Youth Alpha It is great to have such a diverse range of ages and groups in the church and to see God at work in all of them. The church is the light of our life and the anchor of our ways. I help with young people s groups. It s always great to welcome along children from a variety of backgrounds to the clubs. The children enjoy the atmosphere of the groups and the outreach to young people is welcomed by the town.
Church Life Wider Support The congregation actively supports mission and the work of the church throughout the world. This includes praying for specific individuals such as Hazel and Hannu Sorsamo working with Wycliffe Bible Translators as well as collecting items for transporting to Malawi through the Raven Trust. In addition to meeting its dues to Presbytery and the Church of Scotland, regular donations are given to support a number of different needs worldwide through organisations such as Tear Fund, Christian Aid, Ekwendeni Mission in Malawi, The Raven Trust and the Scottish Bible Society. Buildings Church the church building commands a fine view over Macduff Harbour. A modern suite of rooms off the main church building is used regularly by the Junior Church as well as for other activities. The building was refurbished in 2005 to mark its 200 th anniversary. The roof was completely replaced in 2015 and outside paintwork was redone. This involved expenditure of over 150000 which was raised by donations from members and grants from the Church of Scotland, Government Roof Repair Fund and other bodies. The church has up to date AV equipment which is used in services. Hall the Church Hall is in the centre of the town. As well as a large hall, there is also a smaller meeting room and a modern kitchen. The hall is used throughout the week by congregational and uniformed organisations as well as by the Coffee Corner. Manse the manse was built in 2013. It is located in a quiet well-established street within easy walking distance of the church building, hall, shops and Macduff Primary School. It is a two storey building and the downstairs accommodation consists of three public rooms, a modern kitchen and a cloakroom. Upstairs there are four bedrooms (two en-suite) and a family bathroom. Outside there is a large garage and gardens of a manageable size to the front and rear. 7
Macduff The Local Area Macduff s situated on the Moray Firth one hour s drive north of Aberdeen and two hours' drive east of Inverness. It has a growing population of over 4000. The town of Banff is one mile to the west on the opposite side of the River Deveron. Within the area there are two supermarkets and all necessary amenities. The main industries are centred on the harbour where steel boat building and maintenance takes place at Macduff Shipyards. Sangs, the soft drinks company, is based in the town and has won international acclaim. Other employment in the area includes farming, as well as the traditional trades and service industries. The average household income is significantly lower than that for Aberdeenshire. Tourism brings a steady flow of visitors to the area to take advantage of the natural environment and attractions such as Macduff Marine Aquarium and the Duff House Country Gallery. There are good local recreational facilities in the Macduff and Banff area to meet the needs of all ages. These include water sports, surfing, walking, golf, fishing, swimming, sailing, bowls and ten pin bowling. At the time of writing major new sports facilities are being constructed in Macduff and Banff. Macduff Primary School enjoys a good reputation and has a current roll of 409 pupils. The local secondary school is situated in Banff (current roll 861). Further Education has a foothold in the Macduff Learning Centre, where a range of educational opportunities is provided, operated by North East Scotland College. A wide range of housing is available in Macduff and the surrounding community. This includes recently built private housing as well as council houses and other affordable housing. 8
Aberdeenshire Council is actively seeking to promote investment in the local community. The aims are to stimulate employment opportunities and to reverse the recent trend of business closures. There are also a number of local initiatives to support these developments and members of the congregation are involved in many of these projects. Further information about Macduff and the local area can be found on these websites: http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/macduff/macduff/ https://www.visitscotland.com/info/towns-villages/banff-macduff-p238051 http://www.banffshirecoast.com/macduff/ http://www.macduff.aberdeenshire.sch.uk https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/media/15548/macduff-profile-2015-update.pdf 9
Opportunities and Challenges Two key phrases have been used in recent stewardship and outreach campaigns: Building for the future and Come as you are. These reflect the congregation s vision and passion to serve God and spread the good news of Jesus in the community. A number of possible areas for future development and outreach have been identified: Reach out to children and their families through contemporary and fun activities Homework Club for school pupils Deepen our care for the elderly both in the congregation and the community Nurture even deeper faith in young and old alike Increase our support for community groups and projects Support disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in the community Encourage members to care for others and our world by reducing our carbon footprint and becoming a Fairtrade congregation Increase our support for the church throughout the world. Informal Visit We appreciate you may wish to make an informal visit to Macduff before you consider making an application. We would be pleased to show you and your family the area, the church and the manse and can arrange a visit in confidence if required. Further Information and Enquiries about Macduff Parish Church Follow us on twitter and facebook. Website: email: Convener of Nominating Committee: Clerk to Nominating Committee: Interim Moderator: www.macduffparishchurch.org.uk vacancy@macduffparishchurch.org.uk Lloyd Pitcairn Andy Simpson Rev Kevin Gruer 10
m a c d u f f parish church www.macduffparishchurch.org.uk 11