Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
Haddington, East Lothian
Congregational Profile
Growing Congregations across South East Scotland, living our faith and revealing God’s love.
Rooted in a common heritage we belong to each other, enjoying our diversity, growing in unity and working for the transformation of individuals and society. We seek to sow seeds of new life under five priorities: Serving Our Communities Engaging All Generations Enabling Ministry Developing Disciples Sharing Faith
Our Diocese is one of the seven dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It covers the eastern side of southern Scotland and stretches from the Firth of Forth to the English border. It includes more than 50 churches with a total membership of 8,500 and a communicant role of 6,000.
The Standing Committee of Diocesan Synod has two main sub-committees, Mission & Ministry and Finance & Management, both of which seek to further God’s mission as set out above. Advice and support is available to charges in all aspects of their developing life. This includes work with young people and children, pastoral care and spiritual direction as well as more practical concerns for buildings and financial management. In 2016 we appointed our first full- time Mission Enabler who helps us to focus on how we share in God’s mission to the world.
The Bishop’s Introduction
I commend to you the people of Holy Trinity, Haddington. You will read here of a lively, faithful and engaging congregation with a love for its community and a passion for the things of God. East Lothian is a beautiful and rewarding place to serve God with much to offer people of all ages. There is new housing and a growing population.
This is a key appointment in the Diocese and we are seeking someone who knows from experience how the Good News of Jesus Christ can transform the lives of individuals and communities. I hold in my prayer all who are exploring the possibility that God may be calling them to this new ministry.
+John Bishop of Edinburgh
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Our Welcome to Visitors
Holy Trinity is a place where you can sit and find some peace. It is a place where you can say a prayer. We believe God’s love is unconditional and, as followers of Jesus Christ, we try to love our neighbours as God loves us. Whatever your background, whatever your age, gender or sexuality, whether you have a firm faith or are wondering if God is there at all, you are very welcome to join us.
In 2016 we began work on a congregational project entitled “2020 Vision”.
2020 Vision
In 2020, the Church building will be 250 years old. In 2016 the Vestry set the following vision for Holy Trinity Church for 2020:
More people in church more often Hospitality and friendliness extended and developed Breadth of worship extended and developed An increased involvement in our local communities through service More participation in a wider range of activities To establish a deeper pattern of prayer as the foundation to the church’s communal life and service in the community Holy Trinity to be a place where people find or renew a faith in Jesus Christ To have a clear and commonly owned understanding of what an Episcopalian church adds to the life of the wider community Committed to deepening our ecumenical partnerships with other churches
Who We Are . .
At Holy Trinity, we have seen regular attendance grow in the last tenure. We have thrived under an energetic ministry, particularly concentrating on outreach to the local community, with pop-up cafes, pet blessings, art and history lectures and concerts.
So far, the church has maintained its priority on welcome, hospitality and friendliness. This encompasses a depth of diversity in ages and backgrounds however we would particularly like to see more young families involved in the life of the church. In the town we are known as a church which is always open during the day and where help can be found.
New people have joined Holy Trinity, and our number of occasional worshippers has significantly increased. We do have many members in their seventies and eighties, with some turning ninety this year but we remain a vibrant church, not afraid of trying new things. Sadly, few children attend regularly. To attract more, a 9.30 Family Service, once a month, was instigated, so that the young could go on to other activities. This did meet with some success but not enough for us to maintain it during the interregnum.
There is much volunteering within the church and in the wider community:
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Within: People from the congregation regularly play their part in the services as readers, intercessors, singers, altar servers, chalice bearers, sidespersons and flower-arrangers. Also, some members share the leadership of our Lent Groups. We have a full Vestry. Recently, Holy Trinity became a Dementia Friendly Church and we are both an eco congregation and a Fairtrade church. Our members give a friendly visit at home or in hospital and, importantly Home Communion. The support for each other within our church community is very good and visits and prayers are much appreciated. Our magazine, “Gloria”, is produced 10 months of the year and is particularly popular with those who can no longer come to church. We are never short of volunteers to produce good food for our monthly soup and pudding lunches, the grander Epiphany Dinner or our half-yearly Café in the Trinity Centre. We have a drop-in on a Thursday afternoon when two members of our congregation provide tea and biscuits and a listening ear for anyone who comes into the Church.
In the wider community: We have a Traidcraft stall at coffee time once a month. We support Friday Friends, a local ecumenical project for substance abusers, the Bethany Care Van which cares for the homeless on the streets of Edinburgh, the East Lothian Foodbank, Christian Aid, the Haddington Day Centre and the Compass School in Haddington.
Our Vestry
Stewardship of Holy Trinity rests with the Vestry acting on behalf of the congregation.
Our vestry works well together addressing all issues concerning the church and congregational matters.
The vestry, as per its constitution, currently consists of a chair person (whilst we are in Interregnum) ex officio:- rector's warden, people's warden, treasurer and lay representative. The secretary is elected from within the vestry. We have four constituent vestry members. The Rector will chair the vestry when s/he is appointed.
Vestry meets once a month.
Our Clergy
During the vacancy, we have an Interim Pastor who accompanies the congregation in the process of finding a new Rector and celebrates the Eucharist at least once a month.
We have three retired priests who, along with other invited supernumerary priests, celebrate on the remaining Sundays and at weekday services.
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H oly Trinity and the Community Over the last seven years, a wonderful spirit of working together has developed amongst the four churches in Haddington, particularly with St Mary’s Parish Church. Sadly, the Minister at St Mary’s died recently but we hope that our new Rector and their new Minister will foster good relations and re-establish the firm link we have enjoyed for the last few years.
A fine example of this good relationship is that St Mary’s Session Clerk works 3 mornings per week in the Trinity Centre office as the Administrator for St Mary’s business and for the Trinity Centre’s bookings for hall use by outside organisations.
The four Haddington churches work together to celebrate Good Friday starting with a Walk of Witness from the West Church to one of the other 3 churches, followed by an act of worship together. In January we get together for the united service to celebrate the Week of Christian Unity and in March the World Day of Prayer, the host church changing each year in rotation. The churches of Haddington celebrate Remembrance Sunday together.
Holy Trinity’s focus for outreach has for many years been the provision of unofficial chaplaincies to Haddington Day Centre and The Compass School. This is a private school for pupils of primary school age, which was founded by the wife of a former Rector of Holy Trinity and began its life in Holy Trinity Church Hall. The school’s headmaster has recently described Holy Trinity as the school’s “spiritual home” and the church is used by the school at least once a year for concerts.
Church Life Worship
Worship The weekly pattern of worship is: Sunday: 8.30am Holy Communion (said) following the Scottish Liturgy 1970 Rite 10.00am Holy Communion (sung) following the Scottish Liturgy 1982 Rite
Wednesday: 10am Holy Communion (said) following the 1982 Scottish Liturgy
And monthly: Last Sunday: 6pm Evening Prayer following the Scottish Prayer Book (said) Last Tuesday of the month: 2.30pm Holy Communion (said) following the 1982 Liturgy. This service is particularly popular with the elderly who find it difficult to get to church in the morning especially during the wintertime.
Holy Communion is regularly celebrated on the greater festivals, usually in the evening and ecumenical services are held during Holy Week and on other appropriate occasions.
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Other services of note are: All Souls’ Day - a lay-led Service of Thanksgiving for those who have died has been held for the last 25 years. Christmas Eve - Stable Service (with real mini Shetland ponies!) with Christingles for the children. Easter Day - the Easter Vigil and the Service of Light is held (followed by breakfast in the Trinity Centre!).
It would be helpful if the new Rector could maintain the current pattern but we are open to innovative ideas as to how our worship can be developed to help us achieve our 2020 vision.
Music Music for services at Holy Trinity is provided by a rota of experienced organists and pianists, along with our Music Group which usually meets once a month. Part of the function of the Music Group is to explore possibilities for the development of music for worship in our church.
We sing a wide range of hymns, traditional and modern. Our current hymn book is "Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New", and this is supplemented by additional music from time to time, e.g. modern hymns by Getty & Townend. Last Christmas Day we also sang John Rutter's "All Bells in Paradise".
There is a fine Classical / Romantic organ of the late Victorian period and a grand piano within the church. There is also an upright piano in the Trinity Centre.
Holy Trinity has a thriving handbell group (Holy Trinity Handbells) which is much in demand locally. The group has a three octave chromatic set of Malmark handbells. Members raise money for charities, entertain local groups and occasionally participate in church worship.
The church itself has a good acoustic and is available as a venue for recitals by soloists, visiting choirs and orchestras.
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Our Buildings
The Church
With funds raised by the congregation and a very generous donation from the Earl of Wemyss, the first phase of the church building was constructed in 1770 on the site of the original 'Lamp of Lothian' which, from the middle of the thirteenth century until 1555, had been the property of the Franciscan Friars. An article in the transactions of the Antiquaries of Scotland published in 1792 describes the building as a very elegant chapel.
In 1843 the church was Gothicized with the addition of the nave parapet, nave south elevation window surrounds, porch and shallow apsidal sanctuary.
In 1930, the present Chancel was added to replace the apse and the interior remodelled in neo- Byzantine style by the Scottish architect B N H Orphoot.
Holy Trinity Church is much loved and visited by the residents of Haddington and the surrounding villages as well as those visiting Haddington from further afield. The building has excellent acoustics, making it ideal for the concerts, lectures and rehearsals that take place there. It is equipped with a multi-functional sound amplification system and hearing loop.
Holy Trinity church was Listed Grade B in 1977 and is in the Haddington Conservation Area.
In May-December 2016 external fabric repairs to the church building were completed, including removal of all cement render and repointing in lime mortar. The interior was redecorated in 2017.
The Trinity Centre
The Trinity Centre was built in 1892 on land adjacent to the Rectory. The interior of the building underwent a major refurbishment in 2004-05 to create new kitchen, toilets, office and meeting room, an improved hall and a new children’s covered play area in the courtyard.
The Trinity Centre was listed Grade C in 1977 and is in the Haddington Conservation Area. The Trinity Centre is wholly owned and managed by Holy Trinity Church with the help of a part-time administrator. It is used by charities, film clubs, children’s groups and health clubs. It is also used for public meetings by, for example, the local community council, East Lothian Foodbank, Haddington and District Amenity Society and East Lothian Council.
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In August 2015-May 2016 the Trinity Centre underwent extensive external fabric repairs, including re-building of the west and north chimneys.
The Rectory
Built in 1819, the Rectory is a fine and spacious Georgian house standing in its own walled garden between the church and the Trinity Centre. With a main south front of classical style, to the rear (north) there is a 2-storey extension and single-storey extensions to east and west. The one to the west is possibly a cottage that was already on the site. The house has three public rooms, kitchen, five bedrooms and two bathrooms and a downstairs toilet with shower.
The Rectory was Listed Grade B in 1977 and is in the Haddington Conservation Area. The stonework was repaired and the chimneys re-built in 1997. The windows, doors and rainwater goods were repaired and repainted in 2017.
Finance
Holy Trinity Church is in a sound financial position, having worked hard to keep costs under control and increase Congregational giving. Whilst challenging, it is proud to support a full time Rector and carefully steward its historic properties. In 2016, following a quinquennial inspection, the church embarked on a major repair and refurbishment programme to both the Church and the Trinity Centre. The cost was approximately £400k with £60k raised by the congregation and the remaining funds coming through a variety of grant awarding bodies. Careful financial management since 2007 has also allowed the Church to generate a significant investment portfolio valued at £160k which is currently held in the SEC unit trust pool. The church has lost a significant number of regular givers over recent years but this has been mitigated by new arrivals. It remains an ongoing challenge to grow the congregation to balance the natural turnover of the congregation.
There is also the ongoing task of maintaining three historical listed buildings although much has been done to ensure these are in a sound condition for many more years of service.
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East Lothian Area East Lothian is a great area in which to live with wonderful scenery and numerous sites where people can walk hand in hand with nature. The county extends from the rolling hills in the south through rich fertile farmland before reaching the many villages and beaches dotted along the coastline of the River Forth. There are good sport and leisure facilities throughout the county as well as over twenty golf courses to enjoy.
New homes are being constructed in most of the large towns attracting many commuters and retired people to the area which suggests that the area has appeal.
Haddington is the historic county town which retains many high street shops and is served also by two supermarkets. The town enjoys passing trade as the A1 road traverses the north side of the burgh as well as running a Farmer’s Market on the last Saturday in the month. The River Tyne caresses the south side of the town where nesting swans and ducks are a regular feature. This area also contains picnic tables and benches so all the family can take in the scenery.
Edinburgh, Glasgow and northeast England are all within easy reach for those who enjoy art galleries, museums and other historic buildings catering for all types of explorer.
Come to experience it for yourself - a warm welcome awaits you!
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If you believe you have God’s calling to be the person to lead us on our spiritual journey…
You will bring a knowledge of theology that has its seat in the teachings of Christ and be able to impart this knowledge to the congregation in an articulate and understandable manner bearing in mind the diversity of the congregation.
You will be expected to develop the congregation’s spiritual journey by the most appropriate approach that encompasses all ages with a diversity of knowledge and understanding.
You will need to be able to work with teams, including the Vestry and other leaders within Holy Trinity and the Trinity Centre and encourage the building of strong relationships including championing the inclusiveness of church activities.
You will continue to participate fully within the Diocese’s Area Council and the ecumenical links with other local churches in Haddington and within East Lothian and other organisations that have close ties with Holy Trinity Church.
You will bring a strong pastoral leadership with the skills needed to sustain members of the congregation that are unable to attend church or need support to encourage them in their spirituality. In doing this, you will be facilitating pastoral care now and in the future.
You will have the confidence to grow the congregation with respect to families with young children within Haddington and the local rural communities.
You will be expected to bring your own unique gifts, including a sense of humour, to the Church and the congregation and have the confidence to lead the congregation in fulfilling the 2020 Vision.
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