Parish Church linked with Alva Parish Church Parish Profile

“Sharing God’s love in this community and beyond” The Deferred Linkage of Alva and Menstrie, Presbytery of . The Charge of Menstrie, in the Presbytery of Stirling became vacant in January 2018. The Presbytery Plan for the Presbytery of Stirling proposed to continue with the plan of deferred linkage of Menstrie Parish Church with the neighbouring Alva Parish Church.

Both Kirk Sessions and congregations have agreed the Basis of Deferred Linkage and work amicably together.

There is a modern well-maintained manse in Menstrie. The Basis of Deferred Linkage allows conversation between the two congregations as to the location of the manse in the future.

Alva and Menstrie are both well-defined parishes with most of the congregation living in the two villages.

“Our Parish Profile aims to demonstrate what a welcoming and friendly community we are and to highlight the many opportunities we have to offer in our vacant charge.” 2 Menstrie The village of Menstrie set at the foot of the has two general stores, post office, pharmacy, pub, café, beauty clinic, take-away and a petrol station.

A large community centre includes a library, sports hall, meeting rooms, public park, children's play area and off-street parking.

The village has an active Bowling Club, and Scouts, Cubs, Beavers, Brownies and Rain- bows.

Close to the village centre is Menstrie Primary School with extended nursery provi- sion. There is a community garden and two churches - one being Menstrie Parish Church and the other being the United Free Church of .

A popular and well attended village gala is held in early June.

There is an active Community Council and a village newsletter published quarterly.

Menstrie Castle has won a Civic Trust award and The National Trust for Scot- land operates a small museum exhibition open to the public.

The village has expanded over the last twenty years with two new housing develop- ments established.

In 2014 Menstrie was rated the fourth most attractive postcode area to live in Scotland.

3 Menstrie Parish Church

Our mission statement is - “A Church where everybody is somebody and Jesus Christ is Saviour and Lord.”

Menstrie Parish Church is a focal point in the centre of the village and is fully connect- ed to all related rooms on the premises which are well maintained and appointed. This includes the vestry, session house, three good sized meeting/activity rooms and a hall with kitchen and all necessary toilet facilities. A new LED lighting system was in- stalled in 2014 and a new heating system installed in 2016.

Services are recorded weekly and there is an audio-visual system in the church as well as a loop hearing system. The church has a relatively new organ situated in the gallery as well as a piano. There is a regular salaried organist.

The church roll is 317 with a capacity of approximately 400 people.

Menstrie has a Unitary Constitution with a Kirk Session of 19 members. Committees also include members of the congregation. These are Finance; Property; Christian Edu- cation, Stewardship & Worship; Pastoral Care; Admin & Communications; Outreach.

Finances are in a satisfactory condition.

“A Church where everybody is somebody and Jesus Christ is Saviour and Lord”

4 Menstrie Parish Church Activities Menstrie Parish Church has an active, welcoming and very hardworking congregation with a faithful and committed Kirk Session, looking forward to exploring where God is taking them next.

Sunday Service is at 11.00am with an average attendance of 45-55. The church hall also opens on a Wednesday morning for tea/coffee and cake/biscuits and a chat from September through to the end of June.

Communion is celebrated 4 times a year.

An occasional Sunday service is held in nearby Menstrie House Care Home with communion service conducted by the minister when requested.

The Bible Study group meets in the church rooms fortnightly and the Guild meets monthly.

During Holy Week the Church participates in joint ecumenical services along the Hillfoots.

‘The Easter Journey’ for primary school children, led by the Scripture Union, was held in the church in 2019.

The church issues a quarterly newsletter along with an annual calendar of events & church directory which lists all church run groups along with those others that use the premises.

The congregation supports a range of local and national charities in a variety of ways. These include ‘The Gate’ Foodbank in , Christian Aid and Strathcarron Hospice.

5 Alva The village has many shops, a few pubs, a small library and a medical practice.

There are two large parks - Johnstone Park and Cochrane Park, which contains the local hall, playpark, public toilets and a newly opened outdoor gym.

Alva has both a primary school and a secondary school and three Christian places of worship: a well-established Church of Scotland, as well as a small but grow- ing Baptist fellowship and St. John Vianney's Roman Catholic Church.

The village lies right at the foot of the Ochil Hills. The spectacular Alva Glen cuts into the Ochils immediately north of the town. Alva Burn flows from the glen, through Alva, and into the River Devon.

To the east of Alva Glen is the Silver Glen, where silver was mined at one time. In fact, the communion cups used in Alva Parish Church were crafted from silver mined from this source.

Every second Saturday in July, Johnstone Park is host to ‘The Famous Alva Games’ which has been running for more than 150 years and features the Alva Games Hill Race.

Historically Alva was a thriving mill town with numerous mills lining the banks of the river. It is an area in which there is still evidence of Alva’s industrial past.

6 Alva Parish Church

Alva Parish Church and halls are in a single complex which is located in the centre of the main street in Alva. The church has two large halls, a kitchen and toilet facilities which are all in excellent condition and well-maintained. All ground floor areas are fully accessible.

Alva has a loop system for the hard of hearing and an audio-visual system. Weekly recordings of the services are made on CDs, available for the housebound or anyone who wants them. The church has a salaried organist.

There is a Quoad Sacra Constitution with a Kirk Session of 53 and a Congregational Board of 11 elected members.

The Church Roll is currently 503 including 10 Adherents.

The finances are in a satisfactory condition.

“Reaching out with God’s love, growing ever closer to God and our neighbour.”

7 Alva Parish Church Activities The congregation of Alva is always willing to try new ways of reaching out to people.

Sunday Service is at 10.30 am with an average attendance of 110-130. Sunday school and creche facilities are available. Monthly services are held in Alva’s two sheltered housing complexes. Tea, coffee and home baking are served after Sunday Service for those who wish to continue with fellowship; this is run by volunteers who enjoy the chance to serve. Funds raised are donated to various charities.

The Choir provides an introit and anthem each week. Christian youth club Zones meets on a Friday evening. The average attendance is 50-70 primary school aged children.

The Worship Group has 7 members who take part regularly in all services; the Prayer Group meets weekly and there are two House Groups. Our Pastoral Care Group has 8 members who visit the housebound and those in hospital on a regular basis. Chums is a group for women of all ages which meets twice a month offering a very varied programme and the Men’s Group also meets twice a month and organizes a range of exciting events. The Guild meets fortnightly and the Craft Group every second Friday afternoon working together on projects.

The Church magazine is distributed 4 times per year and is available on CD for anyone with visual impairment. A popular monthly quiz is fiercely contested, with any money raised assisting Sunday Zones in sponsoring African children. The sermon, prayers and news updates are published on the website. There is a weekly email newsletter and the Facebook page is updated daily.

“We seek to reach out to others, because God First reached out to us”

8 Our New Minister We are looking for a minister with a clear sense of calling who will:-

1. Share our vision of mission and outreach to the community. 2. Offer challenging and relevant worship appealing to all age groups. 3. Have the ability to draw in a younger congregation while supporting those who have been faithful members in our Churches over many years. 4. Engage with children and young people and their families in local schools as well as in the community. 5. Possess good communication skills and be proficient in the use of new technology. 6. Provide pastoral care with warmth, empathy and understanding. 7. Be a good listener and open to suggestions from office bearers and members of the congregations. 8. Operate effectively in a style of collaborative leadership. 9. Develop the talents of Elders and look towards a closer partnership between both congregations. 10. Be open minded to new ideas as well as being sensitive to the needs and views of older members. 11. Be prepared to take our churches forward in times of change and uncertainty. “The Kirk Sessions have decided to depart from the historic and current practice of the Church to allow the congregation to consider applications from those who are in a civil partnership or same sex marriage.”

9 The Manse

Menstrie manse is a modern bungalow built in the 1970s comprising large lounge/dining room; kitchen/ breakfast room; utility room; bathroom and four bedrooms one hav- ing en-suite facilities. All rooms are accessed from a cen- tral corridor and storage space is generous.

There is a separate modern building comprising 2 large rooms suitable for offices or meeting rooms along with a galley kitchen and toilet.

The property has also a large garage sited in the extensive attractive grounds.

It is situated at the foot of the Ochil Hills only a few minutes walking distance from the church.

10 Applications

Interested in this opportunity?

Informal enquiries and discussions are welcomed and encouraged to assist development of applications and a tour of the parish, local facilities and countryside can be arranged.

If you would like a hard copy of the Parish Profile please contact the Clerk to The Nominating Committee.

Closing date for applications :- ………………………………………………………

If you are interested in this post please e-mail the Clerk to the Nominating Committee. Further infor- mation on the process will then be given.

Clerk to the Nominating Committee [email protected]

11 Charity Numbers and Websites.

Menstrie Parish Church of Scotland is a Scottish Registered Charity No SC004778. www.menstrieparishchurch.com

Alva Parish Church of Scotland is a Scottish Registered Charity No SC000006 www.alvaparishchurch.com

The composition of the population within the two parishes is illustrated in the most recent Parish Statistics, taken from the 2011 Scottish Census.

Menstrie: http://cos.churchofscotland.org.uk/docs/stats_for_mission/231420.pdf Alva: http://cos.churchofscotland.org.uk/docs/stats_for_mission/231438.pdf

12 and Stirling Clackmannanshire is set in a beautiful rural location at the foot of the Ochil Hills. It capitalises on its central position and transport links, and attracts service Industries and tourism.

Menstrie Primary School has a roll of 230 and a Nursery Class, with proposed extended provision. The church has a good relationship through chaplaincy And Scripture Union. Alva Primary School has a roll of 295 and houses the pre-school nursery. The minister makes regular visits. is a 6-year comprehensive school which serves an area covering, Menstrie, Alva, , , Devonside, , Dollar and . There are also two fee paying schools nearby. Alva Health Centre is a group practice which covers Alva, Menstrie and . The main hospital is Forth Valley Royal Hospital which is in Lar- bert, as well as a minor injuries unit in Stirling. There are 5 Care Homes in Clackmannanshire.

There is a frequent bus service to and from Stirling as well as to Alloa and along the Hillfoots. There is a railway station in Alloa and trains run from Alloa, through Stirling to Glasgow and Edinburgh. There is a free car park beside Alloa station. Bridge of Allan and Stirling stations provide services to Edinburgh and beyond. The closest airport is Edinburgh.

Within the last ten years two new housing estates have been built in Menstrie, one of 48 houses and one of 350 houses. There have also been two new developments in Alva, consisting of 48 socially-rented homes and 42 private homes and a further site of 95 homes is being developed during 2019.

“More Than You Imagine.”

13 Clackmannanshire Leisure

Clackmannanshire lies between the Ochil Hills and the and provides the perfect year-round base to explore the stunning countryside, rich history, me- dieval castles and tower houses.

For leisure, there is Sterling Mills Outlet Shopping Village, six golf courses, Firpark dry ski slope, a luxury spa, a fantastic choice of hotels, B&Bs, cottages and campsites, and a variety of places for pub grub, light bites and fine dining.

Alloa leisure bowl is a sports centre providing a swimming pool, squash courts, gym, aerobics studio and indoor bowling as well as a cafe and bar.

The Indodrill Stadium in Alloa is the home ground of Scottish Professional Football League team Alloa Athletic and Central Girls Football Academy. There are two rug- by clubs in Clackmannanshire, one based in Alloa and the other in Tillicoultry.

Many young people are involved in Hillfoots scouting and girl guiding, and there are opportunities to join Air and Army cadets.

Cultural places of interest include , Alloa Tower, Broomhall Castle, Inglewood House, Gartmorn Dam, and Tullibody Old Kirk.

“Clackmannanshire always has lots of things going on for the whole of the family.”

14 Nearby Attractions

Clackmannanshire is an ideal location to explore Central Scotland, being so close to many major attractions and the cities of Stirling, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

About 6 miles from Alva lies Stirling University which is Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence. Situated in beautiful and extensive grounds, it has world-class facilities including an innovative fitness suite, indoor cycling studio, a new state-of-the-art high-performance suite, the National Swimming Academy, National Tennis Centre, sports hall and squash courts.

At the heart of the , MacRobert Arts Centre is a cultural hub for Central Scotland offering a huge variety of activities from comedy, dance, music, opera, art exhibitions, and a year-round cinema programme.

Stirling is well supplied with cinemas, art galleries, shopping centres and museums and is also home to the historic , Wallace Monument and The Battle of Bannockburn Visitor Centre.

“The Gateway to The Highlands”

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