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The Scottish Episcopal Church Christ Church Lanark Parish Profile Status of Congregation Christ Church is an incumbancy situated within the Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway. Permission has been granted to appoint a full-time rector. Contact: Church Offi ce +44 (0) 1555 663065; 1 Cleghorn Road, Lanark, ML11 7QT Church Address: 37 Hope Street, Lanark, ML11 7NE Church Website: www.christchurchlanark.com Geography and History Christ Church is situated in Lanark, approximately 25 miles south-east of Glasgow in the heart of the picturesque Clyde Valley. Lanark has excellent transport links, with a bus and railway station. Trains to Glasgow are very regular during the day from Lanark, and trains to Edinburgh are available from Carstairs Junction (10 minutes drive). Lanark, a bustling market town, is one of the oldest Royal Burghs in Scotland, granted its Royal Charter in 1140 by David I two centuries after it became home to the fi rst Scottish Parliament (AD 978) The town has strong links with the William Wallace story, as he is reputed to have married Marion Braidfute in Old St Kentigern’s Church. In May 1297, after the English Sheriff killed Marion, Wallace gathered a body of men at Lanark Castle and killed the occupying English Sheriff and many of his men. With this act Wallace sprang into the national conscience and started the First War of Independence. The main highlight of the town’s year is the Lanimer celebration in June. This dates from 1140 with the granting of the Royal Burgh Charter which imposed the duty of checking the burgh boundaries (marches) annually. A Lord Cornet is elected to carry out this duty and he is accompanied by thousands of townspeople and horse riders. In Victorian times Lanimers evolved and since 1893 there has been a Lanimer Queen and court, and many decorated fl oats. For a whole week in June the town is in festive mood with the all the community, including the churches, getting involved. Nearby in the Clyde Valley gorge lies the world heritage village of New Lanark, the site of a cotton mill built in 1785 by David Dale. New Lanark fi rst rose to fame when Robert Owen was mill manager from 1800 -1825. Owen transformed life in New Lanark with ideas and opportunities which were at least a hundred years ahead of their time. Child labour and corporal punishment were abolished, and villagers were provided with decent homes, schools and evening classes, free health care and affordable food. Restoration of the village and mills has taken place and it is now a thriving tourist attraction as well as a living community. From New Lanark there are attractive walks along the river to the Falls of Clyde and along the Clyde Walkway to Castlebank Park in Lanark and for the energetic, you can walk all the way to Glasgow. Lanark is an excellent centre for walking with the Mouse Valley Walk also very popular with visitors and locals alike. 1 Lanark is a historic market town and still has a thriving auction market which serves our rural population well. Lanark’s hinterland is good farming country mostly given over to dairy, beef and sheep farming. Our district, while centred on Lanark, covers an area of some 400 square miles. Other large towns in the area - Biggar and Carluke - are at the south and north ends of the parish respectively and there are many small villages within the charge boundary. Each town and village has its own history and unique identifying characteristics. Our congregation has worshippers from all over the district as well as from outside its boundary. The 2011 census shows Lanark to have a population of 8,855, Carluke - 13,579 and Biggar - 2,294. Lanark is an expanding community with great potential for our mission to grow our church. The town has 4 primary schools: Lanark , New Lanark, Robert Owen Memorial and St Mary’s RC Primary. All four schools feed into Lanark Grammar School which helps break down any barriers of sectarianism. Lanark’s Memorial Hall, which was built in the early 1920s as a War Memorial to the fallen in WW1, has recently been totally refubished and is now an attractive place for many events and professional theatre performances and concerts. It contains a ‘History Corridor’ which displays much of the town’s heritage and also has a touch screen allowing visitors to trace the town’s history from the Beaker People and the Roman occupation right up to the present day. Lanark also has a small museum which is currently looking for a new home in order to expand. Biggar has already done this and boasts a beautiful new museum which tells the story of the area’s history. The recently completed Leisure Centre has a beautiful swimming pool, gym and dance studio. No matter what your interest or hobby is you are sure to fi nd a club in town to join. The various clubs and societies range from photography, archaeology, performing arts, swimming, badminton, football, horse riding, Scouts, Guides, Boys Brigade, Air Cadets, foreign language groups, dance of all kinds, music, choral groups, painting, weaving, tapestry making, gardening....... the list is endless. There is also a fl ourishing University of the Third Age society with more than 100 members. The Community Council and Lanark Community Development Trust are committed to improving the town and making it a more attractive and interesting place for locals and visitors alike. As you will gather from this, Lanark is a bustling, busy little town where the inhabitants show great community spirit. The main employer in Lanark is Border Biscuits which gives a great deal of fi nancial support to various good causes in the town as well as running the town’s website, www.lanark.co.uk 2 Christ Church Buildings Christ Church itself is situated just off the town centre in the appropriately named Hope Street. It was consecrated on Lady Day 1859 and the only major change since then has been the building of the side chapel in 1923 as a war memorial. We think we have the prettiest little church in Lanarkshire and we are very proud of the beautiful stained glass windows, carved chancel stalls and paintings. More information about these can be found on our website. (www.christchurchlanark.com) The church buildings, which consist of the church, church hall and rectory are all in generally good condition. Following the last quinquennial review, substantial work was carried out in the church and in 2014 to repoint the stonework. A new toilet has been installed at the rear of the side chapel in the church. One of our members has given a great deal of time creating and maintaining the beautiful garden round the church. It is an oasis of beauty and calm in a busy town and much appreciated by all. The rectory is a substantial family home adjacent to the hall, both buildings being diagonally opposite the church. There are two public rooms on the ground floor together with a small office, kitchen, utility room and toilet. There are four large bedrooms and a box room on the first floor together with a family bathroom. There is access from the first floor into a large room which is built over the church hall; this has been used previously as a study/ library/ playroom/ artist’s studio and a lumber room! A new gas central heating boiler was installed recently and also a new bathroom with free standing shower unit. There are plans afoot to refurbish the kitchen. The church hall is used for both church functions and by groups within the town. The toilets have been upgraded to include a fully accessible toilet and the electric heating system has also been renovated. The small vestry room is a useful meeting place. The hall roof has a large number of solar panels which contribute to the reduction of heating bills in both the hall and rectory. 3 About Christ Church Our normal service pattern is sung Holy Communion at 10.30 am each Sunday with a more relaxed ‘Family Service’ on the second Sunday of the month and a mid-day service on Tuesdays. There is also a said Communion at 8.30am one Sunday a month. Our small Sunday School meets every 2nd Sunday in the church hall. We also regularly have a Celtic Evening Service, often with a group of people playing clarsachs. Our talented organist team of four also organises a ‘Music Sunday Service’ which involves many gifted young musicians in our worship. Services on other Christian Festivals and special occasions are advertised in our magazine, website, facebook page as well as in the local press. At the Eucharist, the Scottish Liturgy 1982 (modern language rite) is used. NIV bibles are available in every pew. Our worship is liturgical, sacramental and scriptural in nature as is traditional in the Scottish Episcopal Church. We generally use Hymns Old and New but will sometimes try out different hymns as appropriate. The congregation participates actively in services with readers, intercession leaders and Eucharistic ministry. We have a strong team of four organists who provide all the church music. At present, services are taken by our two Lay Readers, together with visiting and supportive retired clergy. We have regular house/ bible study groups and Lent study groups. A Pastoral Care Team of six is active in regard to home communions and visiting the housebound. There are well supported rotas for church cleaning, church flowers, sidepersons, gardening, tea/coffee after church in addition to those mentioned under services. There is a church magazine produced monthly/ bi-monthly and a weekly notice sheet is available for those attending Sunday Services.