Uddingston Old Parish Church Parish Profile www.uddingstonold.org.uk
Uddingston Old Parish Church of Scotland Parish Profile We are delighted that you are taking the time to read this Parish Profile for Uddingston Old Parish Church. We hope you will get a good flavour of our congregation and community and encourage you to find out more from us. Contact Information Interim Moderator: Chairperson of the Nominating Committee: Clerk to the Nominating Committee: The Reverend Peter Johnston 332 Glasgow Road Blantyre Glasgow G72 9LQ Telephone: 01698 828633 Email: peter.johnston@standrewsblantyre.com Mrs Alison Macauslane 131 Main Street Uddingston Glasgow G71 7EN Telephone: 01698 813265 Email: spenceetal@live.com Mr Bob Read 8 Holmwood Gardens Uddingston Glasgow G71 7BH Telephone: 01698 812419 Email: bobel@blueyonder.co.uk 2
Introduction On the retiral of our Minister, we are seeking someone with the following qualities to lead and work with us in our work for the Kingdom of God in Uddingston: ability to engage with all age groups, especially young people a good communicator encouraging and easily approachable strong pastoral commitment ability to manage change sensitively and appropriately There will be many exciting opportunities, and whoever is appointed will have a supportive team of office bearers. Please visit our website for the latest calendar of activities, and check out our photo gallery: www.uddingstonold.org.uk 3
The Parish Extensive new housing has been built in the area in recent years, but Uddingston still retains its village atmosphere, and has a good community feel. It is well served by public transport and the motorway network, making for an easy daily commute to Glasgow and beyond. Uddingston Grammar School is fed from both North and South Lanarkshire, and its sports facilities are open to residents in the evenings. Sports facilities within Uddingston include golf, cricket, rugby, hockey, angling, tennis and bowls. Strathclyde Park, with its excellent water sports facilities, is just a few miles away, as is Chatelherault Country Park, or you can enjoy a leisurely stroll along the banks of the River Clyde, which is a five minute walk from the manse. Our local organisation, Uddingston Pride, annually enhances the appearance of the village by the planting of flower tubs and baskets. This dedicated work resulted in Uddingston being declared winner of Britain in Bloom in 2007, and Beautiful Scotland in 2008. There is a Tesco supermarket, and various local shops which are suitable for everyday needs. There are several Christian denominations in the village, including Roman Catholic, Baptist, Episcopalian, Apostolic, Open Brethren, United Free and Nazarene. 4
The Congregation There are circa 670 members on the Roll. We have an ageing congregation, and our primary concern is to attract and retain young people, including young married couples, without losing sight of the needs of our older members. We are currently working with the Presbytery s Schools and Churches Youth Development Worker. There are 71 elders in the Kirk Session, with a good mix of men and women, and a further 18 on the Congregational Board. The Session and Board meet on alternate months between September and June. During 2009, the Minister conducted 14 baptisms; 12 weddings and 37 funerals. Since December 2009, we have admitted nine First Communicants. 5
Worship Morning worship is led by the minister, with music provided by the organist and choir. Duty teams of Congregational Board members welcome parishioners and visitors to the service. The children s address and hymn are an integral part of worship. There is regular participation of church members in the Bible readings, with Good News Bibles available in every pew. Baptismal services are held monthly as part of worship. The Boys and Girls Brigade parade twice yearly. Evening worship is held between October and May at 6:30 p.m. in the side sanctuary. It is led by the minister, with music provided by the organist. There is a real sense of quiet, reflective worship at this service. There is also a fortnightly Bible Study Group. Communion services take place quarterly, and home communion has been provided when requested. In addition, there are special services and worship with the wider community throughout the year: United ecumenical services during Holy week, hosted by rota among participating congregations. The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is held in the Episcopal Church, with participating congregations presenting musical items and Bible readings. Easter, Harvest and Remembrance Sunday (uniformed organisations parade on alternate years with another congregation). Flower arrangements enhance the sanctuary at morning worship, with flowers distributed to members following the service. At Christmas and Easter there are special decorations throughout the sanctuary. Christmas Service led by Kirk s Kids with Choir presentation in the evening. Watchnight and children s Christmas morning services. Uddingston Old hosts the carol concerts for Uddingston Grammar School and a Rotary Club charity fund raiser. Music Music is an integral part of worship. The Church organ was built in 1887 by Forster & Andrews of Hull. The unique instrument has three manuals and pedals with 27 speaking stops and usual couplers. Plans are in hand to update the pedal department of the instrument by adding a new pedal reed. The church organist and choirmaster co-ordinates music and leads the 17 member choir, which presents an introit and anthem at morning worship linked to the theme of the services or church calendar. Praise is from CH4, Mission Praise and Kidz Choice (which was collated by the children themselves). 6
Children and Young People The Minister provides chaplaincy services to Muiredge Primary School and to Uddingston Grammar School. Both schools hold regular services in the Church throughout the year. Along with the Christian youth organizations, our halls are used on a weekly basis for Brownies, Guides and a dancing and drama club. The Church operates the Young Worshippers League, where the children have their attendance marked each week, and are presented with a prize at the end of the year. Within the Church, we have a committed team dedicated to various aspects of youth work. A crèche is available for children under 3 years of age, the mini zone is for children aged 3-5 years old and the Sunday school is for children from 5 years upwards who meet during the Sunday morning service. Regular attendance has reduced over the last few years. We have a strong Girls Brigade Company with 70 girls and officers meeting in the halls on a Thursday evening. As well as offering the traditional badge work, the Girls Brigade also offers the girls the chance to achieve their Girls Brigade Queen s Award and their Duke of Edinburgh s Award. Our Boys Brigade Company meets weekly on a Friday evening, and has a strong Company of 70 boys and officers. The Company also has a prefabricated building in the grounds of the Church known as the HUBB (Headquarters of Uddingston Boys Brigade) which other organisations use throughout the week. The Company celebrated its 80 th anniversary in 2006. In recent months, both uniformed organisations and the Sunday School have joined together to develop Kirk s Kids. The aim is to work together to jointly promote the three organisations, and to increase the youth development within the Church. Working with the Minister, they took part in the Christmas nativity service; the Kirk s Kids service, where they led the service; and a school assembly at Muiredge Primary. A leaflet designed to promote work with young people in the Church was distributed by elders to their districts. Developing a ministry for young people is a key challenge to the new Minister, along with the support and help of the youth leaders and congregation, to improve the spiritual development and increase the numbers of young people in the Church. We believe there are great opportunities for growing involvement of families within the Church. 7
Pastoral Care In keeping with most congregations, we attempt to widen the scope of the Church in people s lives outwith the confines of the Church Buildings, to give our members the confidence that their church is not just there for Sundays or Services. There is a Pastoral Care Book available for the Congregation to enter details of the housebound or those in hospital. Morning services each Sunday are recorded, and the recordings distributed to the housebound. The Pastoral Care Committee seeks to assist members when and where needed. We organise transport for those wishing to visit family in Hospitals, or to go for treatment in Outpatients Departments. We also organise cars to bring infirm members to Church on a regular basis, both for Services and church activities such as The Guild and the Men s Fellowship. Home visitations with members who are housebound (temporarily or permanently) is co-ordinated by the Committee with the assistance of the elders, depending on the grapevine of members for the initial advice that attendance would be appreciated. The Committee also endeavours to encourage the Elders to visit their District regularly in addition to delivering communion cards. 8
Organisations and Social Activities The Halls The halls of the Old Parish Church are in constant use by a variety of organisations, church and non church groups, including a fitness class, badminton club, Men s Fellowship, The Guild, Probus and several youth groups. Most of these groups meet on a weekly basis. Social Activities Many activities are available for the congregation, organised by the Social Committee. For example, coffee mornings, ceilidhs, quizzes, the Cumbrae Walk and visiting entertainment such as a fiddle orchestra or a male voice choir have all contributed to the lighter side of church life. There have been outings to various churches, the theatre, the Scottish Parliament and to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Each year the Social Committee selects a charity to support. Charities which have benefited from the Committee s events in recent years have included Arthritis Care, Young Carers, PHEW (Parental Help, Evenings and Weekends), and Yorkhill Hospital. The Glasgow City Mission benefits from an annual appeal in the church for members to bring along groceries during the Christmas period. 9
Organisations and Social Activities (continued) The Guild The Guild has a membership of about 60 ladies, with an average weekly attendance of 40. The Guild programme is varied, with a mixture of serious and lighter hearted topics. An annual coffee morning is always well supported as is the ever popular daffodil tea and the ladies share an evening each session with other church Guilds in the Uddingston area. For many years the Guild committee has made a generous donation from their funds towards the upkeep of the church. Church Magazine Organisations are encouraged to publish news and forthcoming events through the monthly church magazine. The magazine is edited and published in-house and delivered by a team of distributors. Many members who are unable to attend our services are ensured of a contact with church life through the pages of the church magazine. 10
Wider Work of the Church The church responds through Christian Aid to national and international emergency appeals through retiring offerings, often at very short notice. Members instant and generous responses to such appeals make very swift action possible, for example the recent Haiti Earthquake Appeal raised 3020. Uddingston Old is the coordinating church within the village for Christian Aid Week and combines resources with four of the other congregations to form a team of some 75 collectors each year. The door to door collection throughout the village has raised more than 50,000 over the past 10 years. 2009 Special Collections Haiti Appeal: 3,020 Water Aid: 2,003 Harvest: 1,172 Watchnight: 467 Traidcraft is supported with a stall which sells a wide variety of free trade items at the monthly coffee mornings following morning service and on other suitable occasions. A turnover of 1,800 was achieved in 2009, and our Traidcraft profit is used partly to increase the variety of goods for sale, and partly for the charity Traidcraft Exchange The church has always believed in the power of regular giving, and in support of the charity Water Aid members are encouraged to save small change during Lent. The many jars of change returned each Easter morning make a significant sum for this worthwhile charity. A children s or family orientated charity is often chosen for the Christmas Gift Service. Children and adults bring along gifts and/or money to be placed on the chancel. Representatives from the chosen charity are invited to speak about their work during the service, and in this way, the congregation is given a very clear insight into the work of the charity. Women s Aid, Fir Park School, Motherwell, Yorkhill Hospital, and Rachel House Children s Hospice are some of the charities that have benefited from the Christmas Gift Service. Each month, one of the church organisations serves tea and coffee in the large hall following the morning service. Money collected is directed to our Overseas Mission Fellowship contacts, Ruth and Sam Lee. Ruth and Sam are currently in Thailand where Sam has been teaching for the past 3 years. The Old Parish was able to forward 500 last year to support their work. The Congregational Board decided that a legacy left by a late member of the church should be invested, and the annual income from the investment can realize as much as 8,000. The income has been disbursed each year for the wider work of the Church. Two of the principal charities to benefit have been Mary s Meals, for whom a school kitchen was funded in 2008, and the Lalibela Educational Alternative Project in Ethiopia. Offerings from the children of the Sunday School are directed to aid projects both at home and abroad. 11
Property Church Buildings The church buildings were formally opened on 8 March 1874, the foundation stone having been laid by Lady Douglas on 5 September 1872. Originally known as Uddingston Trinity Parish Church, following a union with Chalmers Church in 1982 the newly united congregation was renamed Uddingston Old Parish Church. The main church building has a seating capacity of 900 and incorporates an adaptable side sanctuary and session house under the galleries, added in 1984. The adjoining buildings comprise: the vestry, counting house, large and small halls. All buildings are well maintained and comply with the disability regulations. 12
The Manse The eight apartment Manse is a detached sandstone property with integral garage and sits in mature gardens. The Manse is well maintained, with gas central heating and double glazing. It is upgraded / redecorated as necessary on an ongoing annual maintenance programme. It is situated in the village, approximately half a mile from the church, with local primary and secondary schools within walking distance. Lounge Study Hall Dining Room Kitchen Ground Floor Plan Please see floor plan of the manse. W.C. Cup. Utility Room Mid Landing Plan Garage W.C. Bath & Shower Bedroom 1 Bedroom 5 Bedroom 2 Upper Hall Bedroom 3 Bedroom 4 Upper Floor Plan Mid-landing Note: these plans are illustrative only. 13
Finance Our church finances are in a very healthy state, showing a high level of financial commitment by the congregation thus enabling us to regularly exceed our local Ministries and Mission Allocation. This can be seen from the undernoted chart. 140,000 120,000 100,000000 80,000 60,000 40,000000 2009 2008 2007 20,000 0-20,000 Ministries & Mission Allocation Ministries & Mission Paid Ordinary General Income Ordinary General Expenditure Ordinary General Surplus/(Deficit) Please note that the deficit in 2009 was created as a result of increased costs including electrical work and salaries. We are still financially secure, and able to pay an additional voluntary contribution to our Ministries & Mission allocation. A break even budget has been prepared for 2010. In addition to regular giving, we have retiring offerings four times a year following Communion services; an annual Lent collection for Water Aid; Harvest Thanksgiving and Watch Night service collections which go to Christian Aid. 14
Income 2009 12% 2% 3% 2% 14% 67% Offerings Use of Premises Weddings and Funerals Tax recovered on Gift Aid Dividends received Coffee mornings etc Expenditure 2009 9% 12% 2% 11% 53% 8% 3% 1% 1% Ministries & Mission Allocation Additional Voluntary Contribution Presbytery Dues Minister's Expenses Other Salary Costs Fabric Repairs & Maintenance Council Tax Other Buildings Costs Other Expenses Please note that the pie charts list only the main income and expenditure items for the sake of clarity, for a full breakdown please see the Annual Report. 15
Uddingston Old Parish Church of Scotland Charity Number SCO 16893 Images from Google Maps