DUFFUS SPYNIE & HOPEMAN PARISH CHURCH
PARISH PROFILE
Duffus Kirk Spynie Kirk Hopeman Kirk
WEBSITE – www.duffusparish.co.uk Facebook – Duffus, Spynie & Hopeman Church Scottish Charity No. 004853
CONTENTS 1. Mission Statement 2. Location 3. The Church and Congregation (1) Church and Services (2) Church Roll (3) Kirk Session (4) Congregational Board 4. Church Fund (1) Church Fund (2) Church Benevolent Fund (3) Millennium Youth Fund 5. The Manse 6. Church Organisations 7. Extracts from Draft Five-Yearly Report 8. The Parish – Activities and Amenities Location (1) Local Schools Youth Activities Leisure (2) Facilities (3) General Services. (4) (5) 9. Contact Information
Appendix ‘A’ - Copy of Moray Presbytery Advertisement in Life and Work (March 2012).
1. MISSION STATEMENT
The congregation of Duffus Spynie & Hopeman Parish Church is committed to Worship, Prayer, and furthering our understanding of our Christian Faith. Our aim is to share this with others and to support the work of the church with our time, talents and wealth.
2. LOCATION
The Parish of Duffus Spynie & Hopeman lies to the north of the town of Elgin and stretches for about six miles to the sea on the Moray Firth coast.
Map of Parish
3. THE CHURCH AND CONGREGATION (1) Church and Services. In 1979 the three individual churches were united. On the first Sunday of the month there is a united service at 10.30 am on a rotation of the three churches. Services on the remaining Sundays of the month are at 10.00 am in Hopeman and at 11.30 am in Duffus or Spynie alternately. Communion is celebrated every second month at a United Service and on Maundy Thursday. Church members take an active part in worship e.g. doing the readings. On average there are 2 baptisms, 2 weddings and 15 funerals per year.
The congregation is invited to have tea/coffee and fellowship after the 10.00 am and 10.30 am services and before the 11.30 am services.
There is a fortnightly service called God’s WWW (Wonderful Wednesday Worship) which provides an opportunity for younger members of the parish to join together for informal worship and instruction. The service, taken by members of the congregation, lasts for 30 – 40 minutes and attracts mainly children aged 3 to 11 years and their parents.
Gordonstoun School is within the Church Parish and although they have their own Chaplain there is a close relationship with Duffus Spynie & Hopeman Church.
(2) Church Roll. The present Church Roll is 280 communicant members, 24 adherents and 26 persons aged 17 years or under.
(3) Kirk Session. The Kirk Session consists of 26 active elders who visit their districts at least four times per year, with communion invitations, church magazine etc., and at other times as the need arises. The Kirk Session has two committees – Enterprise and Worship. (4) Congregational Board. The Congregational Board through its committees – Finance, Property and Social – look after the practical affairs of the Parish. The Board consists of up to 24 elders and 18 members elected from the congregation.
The Finance Committee ensures that members have the opportunity to review their givings regularly, with emphasis on Gift Aid.
The Property Committee has a rolling programme of maintenance for all our buildings which are in very good order. This programme includes the Manse which has a number of rooms redecorated in turn each year or as agreed with the minister. There is a contract for grass cutting at the manse and the churches.
The Social Committee organise a varied number of social events e.g. Musical Evenings, Bar-B- Queues, Coffee Mornings, Church Sales, Auctions etc. and have raised a great deal of money for the church.
4. CHURCH FUNDS (1) Church Fund. The Church has always fulfilled its financial commitments and the finances are satisfactory. There is no anticipated major expenditure in the foreseeable future.
(2) Church Benevolent Fund. This Benevolent Fund is for anyone connected with the congregation who would benefit from financial help which cannot be provided from other social funding or agencies. It is strictly confidential and administered by the minister and session clerk.
(3) Millennium Youth Fund. The aim of the Millennium Youth Fund is to assist pupils of secondary school age, residing in the Church Parish, to participate in high quality and challenging activities (drama, sport, music, travel etc.) which they might otherwise have difficulty in attending due to financial constraints. It is administered by a small committee appointed by session.
5. THE MANSE The Manse, built in 1980, is situated, facing south, in a very attractive setting in the centre of the Parish about one mile from Duffus Village. Of modern design, it has the following accommodation: Ground Floor – sitting room, small sitting room, dining room, kitchen, utility room, cloakroom and shower, and the study which is very conveniently situated right at the front entrance. First Floor – four bedrooms, bathroom and shower. It has oil-fired central heating, double glazing, garage, sizeable garden and greenhouse.
6. CHURCH ORGANISATIONS Church organisations include a Sunday School at Hopeman, Guilds at Duffus and Hopeman, Bible Study, Men’s Group and a Christian Aid Group. The congregation is an active one with a good community spirit throughout.
7. EXTRACTS FROM DRAFT FIVE-YEARLY VISITING COMMITTEE REPORT 2012 Extracts from the 2012 Quinquennial Visitation Team Report – “A very supportive and enabling congregation. Indeed we would like to pay due credit for the strong rapport and affection which became apparent between minister and office bearers” “The visiting committee got the impression that this is a session which is very pro-active in its work and would encourage them in their pastoral duties.”
Regarding the WWW services – “The visiting committee felt that this is a wonderful opportunity for primary school children to discover more about the rich opportunities for all-age worship in an informal setting.”
“The visiting team is of the opinion that this congregation is faithfully fulfilling its purpose and commends its work to the prayers and support of presbytery.”
8. THE PARISH – ACTIVITIES AND AMENITIES (1) Location. Our Parish is set in a very pleasant part of the country – the Laich of Moray – which has a mild climate and a variety of recreational facilities. A large proportion of our parishioners live in Hopeman, a coastal village, which is the biggest centre of population in the Parish. It has a number of shops and a beautiful safe beach. Duffus, a small village in the middle of a farming community has a small Post Office/Shop. Spynie, also in a farming area is close to Elgin.
Duffus Village Spynie Kirk Hopeman main street
(2) Local Schools. There is a Nursery provision at Hopeman School, about 2 miles from the Manse. This is the Primary School for the area. From there pupils go to either Lossiemouth High School or Elgin Academy. School transport passes the Manse. School Rolls are – Hopeman Primary School 177; Lossiemouth High School 685; and Elgin Academy 1,000. Moray College in Elgin, now part of the University of the Highlands & Islands, offers a wide variety of courses in further education.
(3) Youth Activities. Youth activities in Duffus and Hopeman include – Mother and Toddler groups, 2 -3 year old groups, play groups, Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Cubs, Scouts and Youth Club.
(4) Leisure Facilities. Leisure facilities within the Parish include – badminton, indoor and outdoor bowling, aerobics, fitness club, Scottish Country Dancing , S.W. R.I., over 60’s club, and a luncheon club. There is also a Golf Course at Hopeman. Many of our members are closely involved in these community activities. Church members taking part in a Keep Scotland Beautiful Litter Pick.
In Elgin there is a modern Leisure Centre with swimming pools, skating rink and gymnasium. Nearby there are sailing clubs and opportunities for water ski-ing and wind surfing. The ski slopes are not too far away at Cairngorm or at the Lecht, near Tomintoul. There are also lovely local walks along the coast and in the country side.
The Arts are well catered for in Elgin, with an Arts Club, Operatic Society and Amateur Dramatic Society. There are also Music and Drama Festivals. (5) General Services. Elgin, a very pleasant town, includes Dr Gray’s Hospital (a District General Hospital) and a variety of shops and supermarkets. Inverness - only 36 miles away – has a wide range of shops and Eden Court Theatre with high class entertainment – drama, ballet, music and film.
Transport links are good with Inverness Airport being only 45 minutes away and Aberdeen Airport a little more than an hour’s drive.
Moray, as a whole, offers much of interest - particularly in history and natural beauty, e.g. the River Spey / Speyside Way. In our Parish, we appreciate the Church’s vital role historically, but also in the life of our area today. We look forward to a mutually supportive relationship with our minister, to ensure that it remains a vibrant, Christian presence now and in the future.
9. CONTACT INFORMATION Further information may be obtained from:- Interim Moderator- Rev. Shuna Dicks, Mary Avenue, Aberlour, AB38 9QN Tel. 01340 871687 Email: [email protected]
Clerk to the Nominating Committee – Mrs Elsie Watson, 3 Hardhillock Avenue, New Elgin, IV30 6VG Tel: 01343 543914 Email: [email protected]
Session Clerk – Mr Ron Duncan, Begrow, Duffus, IV30 5QW Tel: 01343 830238 Email: [email protected]
Website – www.duffusparish.co.uk Facebook – Duffus Spynie & Hopeman Church.
Duffus Spynie Hopeman Flower Festival Displays depicting produce from the three Church areas.
Hopeman Playing field and Harbour Appendix A – Copy of Moray Presbytery advertisement in Life and Work (March 2012)