GRANGEMOUTH ABBOTSGRANGE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND. REGISTERED SCOTTISH CHARITY 000775
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GRANGEMOUTH ABBOTSGRANGE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND. REGISTERED SCOTTISH CHARITY 000775
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The congregation of Abbotsgrange Parish Church was formed in May 2006 from the former congregations of Dundas Church and Kerse Church. By common consent the buildings being used are those of the former Kerse Church as they best meet the needs of the new church. A decision about the buildings of Dundas Church has still to be made by the members of the Abbotsgrange Church. Both of the congregations have been in existence for more the 100 years and have long and interesting histories. The church is of cruciform shape with seating for 650. There are stained glass windows in the Chancel (above) and on the east wall. Adjoining the church are a large hall (with a stage) which seats 150, a small hall, session room, kitchen and toilets. The church halls and facilities are in an excellent state of repair and are fully Disabled Direct Access compliant. WorshipCurrently the Sunday service starts at 10.30am and services follow a fairly traditional format with members of the congregation taking readings. Sunday School and Bible Class join in worship before going to their own activities. From time to time, they play a greater part in our services. Crèche facilities are also available. During the summer months, there is also an activity scheme for younger members of the congregation. Holy Communion is celebrated four times a year with a very popular additional “Family Communion” on Easter Sunday. Praise is led by an enthusiastic organist and choir. CH3, Mission Praise and Songs of God’s People are the main, but not exclusive, sources of our praise. Kirk SessionThere are 67 elders at present, both men and women, meeting every month except July & August. Following the union, their districts are being re-organised.Congregational Board
The board is made up of all the elders and a
further 16 elected members. It
meets quarterly and works through the Property and Finance Committees.
The ‘A Team’ of volunteers look after the church gardens and carry out some building maintenance as needed. The Church Officer is responsible for the oversight and timetabling of these activities and the use of the halls. Church ActivitiesSunday Service at 10.30am Crèche in Session Room Sunday School in Large Hall Bible Class in Small Hall Monday ‘A Team’ meet in morning Guild and Men’s Association on alternate weeks Ladies Circle meet in Session Room Tuesday Girl’s Brigade Wednesday Badminton in Large Hall Kirk Session in Small Hall (every month) Congregational Board in Small Hall (Quarterly) Thursday ‘Open Door’ - A lunch club organised by Social Work Department Anchor Boys and Junior section of the Boy’s Brigade Friday Senior section of the Boy’s Bridge Saturday Regular Coffee Mornings by the various organisations in the Large Hall (In addition the Halls are made available to local and community groups
e.g. RNLI, the Bohemians and Grangemouth Horticultural Society, when needed.) Financial
Summary Abbotsgrange Parish Church is considered to be in a healthy financial state and self sufficient, meeting its financial commitments to the central church. The opening cash balance of approx. £19.000 represented the fund transfers from Kerse and Dundas Church. The funds are as follows: General (inc.
Fabric)
Kirk Session
Flower Bible Class
Sunday School
Choir & Organ Reserve Stipend Building Creche In addition to the cash balance above, the church has investments of approx. £160,000. The interest from the invested sums is credited to the appropriate fund depending on the conditions assigned to the legacy/capital. The church operates 3 methods of offering: · Open plate · FWO – 200+ envelopes in use · Standing orders – 80+ in place plus (Gift Aid declarations – 175+ members signed with tax reclaims made on the appropriate FWO and SO payments.) It is estimated that ‘total income’ through all forms of offering will exceed £55,000 over a full 12 month period. The church operates a ‘tithing’ principle – 10% of major fundraising activities is donated to charitable organisations as agreed by the Kirk Session. (e.g. £600 from the Autumn Fayre) The Finance Committee (Treasurer as Convenor) discusses /oversees any major or impending financial issues and reports back with the appropriate recommendation to the Congregational Board. The FWO, SO/Gift Aid & Stewardship convenors are members of the committee.
The town of Grangemouth has a population of approx. 19000. Within that figure, there is a complex mixture of socio-economic status.The area around the church and its manse is fairly prosperous with privately owned stone built houses and villas. The local park opposite the church building makes for an attractive setting. It is also close to the busy town centre with a variety of small to middle sized shops. This centre is poised for significant re development to upgrade the facilities with a proposed superstore in former dockland site.There are, however, areas of deprivation, mostly in the newer parts of the town. The unemployment rate is slightly higher than the Scottish national average as is the number of single parent and pensioner households.EmploymentThere is a good range of employment opportunities in all sectors within the Grangemouth area but the main employer is the petro-chemical industry with two large petrochemical complexes (Ineos and Kemfine). It is the largest port in Scotland and has timber yards and many other smaller industries.Infrastructure
Grangemouth is well served by the communication infrastructure of central Scotland. It has easy access to the motorway and railway network and it is a relatively short journey to the international airports of Edinburgh and Glasgow. The town centres in Falkirk and Stirling offer a wider choice of large shops and the bus network and schedules provide easy access around the town itself, towns in the surrounding area as well as the nearby cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Public Service Facilities There are 4 primary schools in the town and 1 high school and Falkirk has the Forth Valley College for further education. There are plans to re-build the existing high school by 2009. There are 3 medical, 2 dental practices and a health centre in the town with ample places available to incoming patients. Hospital facilities are available jointly in nearby Falkirk and Stirling Royal Infirmaries, which will merge in 2009 in a newly purpose built facility in Larbert. Leisure
and Recreation Recreational facilities in the town are very good with a large public park, a modern Sports Complex with a swimming pool, squash courts multi gym etc., a Sports Stadium with all weather track and a Municipal Golf Course. Most are within walking distance of the manse and church, as are excellent library facilities and a spacious town hall. Future Development
The local plan has
identified several areas within Grangemouth for redevelopment, significantly
around the docks. The
green belt between Grangemouth and Falkirk is earmarked as an Eco-park.
The Church in GrangemouthThere are three Church of Scotland churches, two Roman Catholic churches and one Scottish Episcopal church and several small mission style churches in the town. The ministers meet regularly as a “Fraternal”. Over the last 30 years, the number of Church of Scotland churches has been reduced by half, through closure and union. The
Council of Churches provides a vehicle for the individual congregations to work
together. They also work
together for Christian Aid. The previous minister of Kerse (now Abbotsgrange) was chaplain to Beancross Primary School and a member of the chaplaincy team at the High School. At present, hospital visits for Abbotsgrange are carried out in Falkirk Infirmary by a group from the church and Stirling Infirmary by our locum minister. By 2009, the local Health Board intends to open a new general hospital in Larbert about halfway between the present two. Nursing and Care homes are also visited regularly and on request by the locum minister. These arrangements are over and above visiting by district elders. The
Manse The manse is a modern, well-maintained detached villa, built in 1993. It is situated in Naismith Court, at the end of a cul-de-sac in a quiet estate, which is less the ten minutes walk from the church and the town centre. On the ground floor, are living room/dinette, study, utility room, family kitchen and cloakroom. Upstairs are the family bathroom and 4 bedrooms (one with shower en-suite). There is a single garage attached to the house and small front and rear gardens. The property has gas-fired central heating and is double-glazed throughout. The Congregational Board is aware of Church of Scotland guidelines for manses and the need for re-decoration in consultation with the incoming minister.
Looking AheadAbbotsgrange Parish Church belongs
to the wider family of the Church of Scotland and as such has at its central
core the aim to worship God by following the teachings of Jesus. We express our
love for God by our work in the community of Grangemouth by involving as many as
possible in the work of the church; by striving to follow Jesus’ example and
provide a welcoming and loving experience for those with whom we interact. We are looking for a minister who will: v Be a collaborative leader v Help us cement our new union v Help us capture a vision for the future v Help us to sensitively adapt worship, outreach and the life of the congregation. ENQUIRIES AND/OR APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO;- For further details please contact Mrs Maureen Tait 35 Heugh Street Falkirk FK1 5QR Tel 01324 626920
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