St Peter’s Episcopal Church, We have changed as a church in the Parsonage Road, , way we view ministry and leadership, and are looking for a Priest who will of . suggest and inspire new things in the congregation, challenge what we currently do, and equip us for the journey.

St Peter’s church is home to about 100 members and has a core of regular worshippers of around 60. ST PETER’S CHURCH PROFILE Some ten years ago a decision was CHURCH AND CONGREGATION taken to remove the pews and renew the floor in the main church. The church now seats around 100.

St Peter’s Church is located on New layout from the back Parsonage Road in Galashiels in the and has been in There is a recently refurbished hall existence for 165 years. The church is which is also used by church groups situated near the centre of the town on and the general public. the A7 heading South. This means that the church and the adjoining hall are well used every day by the local community and it is not unusual for Zumba groups, children’s ballet and music groups to be found on the premises at various times during the day and in the evenings.

The vestry/church office is situated off St Peter’s is a friendly, small, the chancel of the church. welcoming and enthusiastic church with a desire to grow and share the good things God has given us with the community. We are already active in the community but seek now to grow our congregation for the benefit of the church and the wider community. Memorial garden

Sunday Squad at work

Charity cheque presentation rd On the 3 Sunday of each month between April and October at 8.30am where the 1970 Liturgy is used, with an attendance of around 6.

The main service is at 10.30am, a sung Eucharist, with an attendance of around 40.

A Family service is held at 10.30am on rd the 3 Sunday of each month. Charity group in the hall There is a Eucharist on Thursday . morning at 10.00a.m. held in the church hall.

During the summer a monthly Afternoon Tea service is held for those less able to attend church.

Messy Church

There is a kitchen and good storage facilities. The loft has been converted to “house” the stock for the Food Bank run by the

Galashiels Fellowship of Churches Inner wheel ladies

There are 3 Sunday services. On the 1st Sunday of each month at 9.30am there is a Sunday Squad service in the hall.

services as leaders, readers, intercessors. Liaising with and being advised by the Interim Pastor. Spiritual Development. Prepare service sheets using the lectionary for collects, and readings. Administration including printing the service sheets, editing and printing the church magazine. Working with the Vestry regarding the practicalities of caring for the

Brindley & Foster organ congregation and the church buildings. Music supports our worship and St Peters has a choir and music is The work of St Peter’s is greatly provided by a Brindley & Foster organ, enhanced by the range of activities which has recently been overhauled. which we support and which contribute to the life and growth of the church. The church membership can best be Community Prayer Response described as mature but attendances Bible study group at the 9.30am services and Messy Sunday Squad Church are encouraging and it is to be 3rd Gala Boys Brigade hoped that a large number will Local A.T.C. group eventually attend as adults. Soup ‘n’ Pud Lunches and other fundraising events Messy Church Outreach in the local Residential Homes with services at Easter, Harvest and Christmas. Monthly Communion services are held at Oakwood Park Residential Home. Galashiels Fellowship of Churches. There is a small ACAT (Action by Christians Against Torture) group – joint with Holy Trinity, Melrose Sunday Squad at Easter and on Sea Sunday At the moment, the church has a We Support the TD1 Youth Hub Shared Leadership Team in place. This consists of six members of the congregation who were “called out” by the congregation as a whole. Collectively their duties cover pastoral care, home communions, sacristan and servers, reserved sacrament when there is no ordained clergy, actively encouraging members of the congregation to be involved in all Several members belong to Cursillo in St Peter’s is a Fair Trade church We are also represented at the Area Council which encompasses all the Episcopal Churches in the Scottish Borders.

Noah’s Ark – winning float

Gala Day Breakfast at St Peter’s

The Lead Evangelist will live in St Peter's Rectory which is located near the church on Parsonage Road. Rolling Easter Eggs outside the church It is a semidetached Victorian building. There is a large lounge, a good sized study, living room, kitchen, utility room and downstairs cloakroom. Upstairs there are three large double bedrooms, one with a small en-suite and a large family bathroom. Ample car parking and a mature garden.

A member of our church family on her wedding day

St Peter’s Rectory from the drive

Wildlife garden at St Peter’s ST PETER’S CHURCH PROFILE GALASHIELS TOWN

St Peter’s Church is located on Parsonage Road in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders and has been in existence for 165 years. The church is situated near the centre of the town on the A7 heading South. Pedestrian bridge over the Gala Water connecting the Galashiels is a small, historic town, originally built beside the River Gala which was used to power its numerous woollen mills. The town is a major commercial centre for the Borders region.

new transport interchange with the centre of town

Bank Street Gardens

Galashiels Railway Station

Social facilities are good. The town has a cinema, a swimming pool, a library and is well served by a number

Pipe Band at the War Memorial of restaurants. Sports facilities are first class and the town has very The population of the town is around competitive teams in Rugby, Soccer, 15,000 and most are now employed in Cricket, Tennis and has both outdoor Local Government, the large and indoor Bowling greens supermarkets or in the large local hospital. Agriculture still features, but the farms are smaller than in the past and do not employ the same numbers of labourers as previously. Many people now commute to Edinburgh, which is only 32 miles away and can be reached easily by car, bus and the Galashiels Rugby Club recently reopened Borders railway. A number of choirs are based in the St Peter’s Primary School is located across town and the Amateur Operatic Society Parsonage Road from the Rectory. presents an excellent performance every March.

St Peter’s Primary School which has strong connections with the Church Langlee Community Choir in St Peter’s

In common with most of the other Border towns, Galashiels hosts an excellent summer festival known as “The Braw Lads Gathering “. At least 300 supporters follow the Braw Lad and Lass on horseback as they “ride the marches” on the first Saturday Galashiels Academy in July.

Borders College/Herriot Watt Campus

Borders College is based in the town as is a campus of Heriot Watt University which boasts brand new student accommodation.

Braw Lads Gathering crossing the Tweed

This is the culmination of a week of celebrations which include a number of ride outs, a swimming gala and a fancy dress parade.

The people of the town come out in huge numbers to support all of the Borders General Hospital events, bringing to the fore the attributes of local pride, honour and Local health care is provided by a number of G.P. tradition. practices, dentists and the Borders General Hospital (3 miles out of the town) The town has six primary schools distributed geographically around the town which feed the local Academy (A Roll of about 900 pupils). GALASHIELS FELLOWSHIP OF CHURCHES

Galashiels Baptist Church Victoria Street Sunday Worship - Morning Service 10.30am

Old Parish & St Paul's Scott Crescent, Galashiels Sunday Worship 11.00 am Joint Evening Service with St John's 6.30pm St John's Church of Scotland Hawthorn Road, Langlee, Galashiels Sunday Worship Morning Worship 10.15am Joint Evening Service at 6.30pm

Our Lady and St Andrew's R C Stirling Street, Galashiels Confessions Saturday Mass 5.15 pm Vigil Mass 6.00 pm Sunday Mass 11.30 am

Trinity Church of Scotland High Street, Galashiels (Linked with Caddonfoot) Sunday Worship Caddonfoot 9.45 am St Peter's Episcopal Church Trinity 11.15 am Abbotsford Road, Galashiels Eucharist 10.30am

OTHER FAITHS

Stow (Linked with Heriot) Chaplaincy Centre Sunday Interfaith Heriot 9.30 am Borders General Hospital Stow 11.00 am

Hope Community Church Borders Islamic Centre Roxburgh Street, Galashiels Sunday Worship 4.00 pm