St Andrew’s Lhanbryd & Urquhart Parish Church
TO KNOW - TO LOVE - TO SERVE
We want to KNOW God more fully
to LOVE Him more intimately and to SERVE Him amongst our neighbours
Contents
MISSION STATEMENT ...... 3 INTRODUCTION ...... 3 WORSHIP ...... 3 CONSTITUTION & STRUCTURE ...... 5 CONGREGATIONAL ROLL ...... 6 STEWARDSHIP & CHURCH FINANCES ...... 6 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION ...... 7 PASTORAL CARE ...... 9 CHURCH ORGANISATIONS & ACTIVITIES ...... 9 OUTREACH ...... 11 SALU HISTORY ...... 13 THE PARISH & THE WIDER COMMUNITY ...... 14 THE BUILDINGS ...... 15 COMMUNICATION ...... 17 LOOKING TO THE FUTURE ...... 18 THE INVITATION ...... 19
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MISSION STATEMENT
To know, to love to serve. We want to know God more fully, love Him more intimately and serve Him amongst our neighbours.
We seek to be – and believe that we are – a friendly and welcoming church, where members and visitors alike feel accepted and valued. As a congregation, we seek to support and care for our minister and manse family, mindful of the workload and challenges of the ministry today.
INTRODUCTION
St Andrew’s Lhanbryd & Urquhart Parish Church (SALU) became vacant after the call of Rev Andrew Robertson to Eaglesham Parish Church. SALU is a rural church mid-way between Inverness and Aberdeen and 3 miles east of Elgin. SALU is a result of the successful union of two churches in 1988 - St Andrew’s Lhanbryd and Urquhart: we are one congregation with two places of worship. Moray Presbytery has determined that this is an unrestricted call.
What’s in a name?
The spelling of Langbryde/Langbride/Lhanbride/Lhanbryd/Lhanbryde.
In 1791, Rev. William Leslie decided he liked ‘Lhanbryd’ for the parish name. No-one knows why, but he was the minister. It is now settled that the parish is ‘Lhanbryd’ and the village ‘Lhanbryde’.
WORSHIP
Worship is at the very heart of our church life. Communion is held regularly four times each year with other more informal Communions on an ad hoc basis. As well as the weekly service at 11 am every Sunday at St Andrews Lhanbryd, a service is held at 7 pm on the last Sunday evening of the month in St Margaret’s Hall, Urquhart. The audio system has recently been upgraded and the visual component is under review.
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Additional services take place at particular times of year, mainly Easter, Christmas and during Christian Aid Week. In addition, Remembrance Day services take place every year at the war memorials in Urquhart and Lhanbryde.
Worship is enlightening, thought provoking and participatory; our pattern of worship is flexible and continually evolving. Members of the congregation expect to be involved and challenged. There is a worship support group that is actively involved in supporting the minister.
We have enjoyed cordial, informal links with Bellie Church in Fochabers. As well as pulpit exchanges, these have also involved joint services, including a Sunday morning service in the main marquee at the annual Speyfest event in Fochabers. During Holy Week we are regularly involved with Bellie as well as Gordon Chapel (Scottish Episcopal) and St Mary’s Roman Catholic church in Fochabers.
Church Services
• Sunday morning services are recorded on tape and are available to borrow.
• We are in the process of making the services available on-line. (podbean)
• The text of the sermon is made available on the Church website under Sunday Takeaways.
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Music
We have a team of organists who work on a rota to lead the singing, along with our church choir. We also have a small Praise Group (with instrumentalists), which was formed by Shirley Robertson, our previous minister’s wife.
Children & Young People
Children & young people are an important part of our congregation although numbers are small. We recognise the importance both of their being a part of the regular Sunday worship but also of receiving an input appropriate for them. For part of the service they meet together in the halls as Young Church and Tic Tacs. They are also invited to take Communion with their parents.
Prayer
The congregation makes entries into the Prayer book each week. This is then circulated after the service via email to those who wish the information, to encourage prayer for those mentioned.
All members are invited to attend the monthly evening church prayer meeting.
CONSTITUTION & STRUCTURE
There are currently 32 active elders serving under a Unitary Constitution (implemented 8 years ago).
15 of our elders are male; 18 are female. 5 of our elders were on the Kirk Session prior to the union of St Andrews Lhanbryd with Urquhart in 1988. The most recent elder to join was admitted to the Kirk Session 4 years ago. On average, our elders have served for something over 16 years.
The Session comprises four working groups: Fellowship, Outreach, Stewardship/Finance and Worship. These groups meet on a regular basis and contribute to worship services.
Talkabout Sessions
The Session hosts regular Talkabout meetings, which aim to grow both the eldership and the congregation. Recent topics have included “What are spiritual gifts?” and “The future of SALU - strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.” These are day sessions and have proven popular and thought- and action-provoking.
National Church Representation
As a congregation we like to encourage our young people to attend the Church of Scotland’s National Youth Assembly. A number of young people therefore have attended the General
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Assembly as the Presbytery’s Youth representatives, which has allowed them to become involved with presbytery throughout the year. In addition some have become involved with the national councils of the church.
CONGREGATIONAL ROLL
The church roll is currently 350 members and 16 adherents. We have a regular attendance of approximately 90 every Sunday morning and 20-30 on Sunday evenings.
STEWARDSHIP & CHURCH FINANCES
Stewardship Campaigns
SALU is actively involved in the National Stewardship Campaign. We are just completing the Stewardship of Talents programme having built on the previous year’s successful Stewardship of Giving campaign. For a summary of the 14 months of the talents campaign see link.
Finances
Our Church is in a healthy position. Total receipts for 2015 amounted to £85,416 and payments were £80,972 resulting in a surplus of receipts over payments of £4,444.
Our principal source of income is offerings made by Gift Aid; tax recovered in 2015 amounted to £11,615.
SALU is recognised as a Scottish Charity SC008850.
For Annual reports and accounts 2012-2015 see SALU website https://salucofs.wordpress.com/annual-reports/
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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
Creche, Young Church & TIC TACS
Young Church is aimed primarily at youngsters who are at primary school. Together in Christ, Together at Church (TIC TACS) is for secondary school youngsters. Each Sunday morning they join the whole church family for the first part of the service and then go through to the hall for a time of exploring the Bible through games, stories, music, video and crafts. To assist parents, crèche helpers are available from 11 am to allow the youngest children to be cared for from the start of service. Like many churches we face the challenge of competing interests on Sunday mornings. We do not see a regular large group of youngsters, but we seek to continue to encourage those families who do come.
A highlight for the teenagers is their weekend away to Abernethy Christian Outdoor Centre at Nethybridge where they have fun and enjoy challenging themselves to do things they have not done before and to think about what Jesus means for them.
Connect
For some time the Young Church team have been discussing how to better engage with the young families in our church and community. From the “Talkabout” in autumn 2015, we developed the concept of an early Sunday morning café style session.
Starting in Feb 2016, we now run CONNECT twice a month in the church hall, starting with breakfast at 9.30 am. The emphasis is on an informal, relaxed environment with youngsters and adults
7 learning and sharing together. CONNECT lasts an hour, so allowing people to move on to the service at 11 am.
In each CONNECT we have looked at a different Bible character and their relevance for today through film clips, readings, music, discussion and interactive prayer.
Conflicting demands on family life has meant we have not seen the same faces on each occasion, but the overall feedback has been positive.
“Refreshing.”
“The sharing of time, stories and interactivity makes it real. I am not a passenger – this is important.”
“Great to meet in an informal setting to discuss aspects of our faith.”
House Groups
Evening and daytime house-groups led by SALU members met regularly for a block of 5 weeks (2015- 2016) to explore Steven Croft’s study guide “Experiencing God’s Love”.
Saturday Morning Discussion
14 - 16 people met during the autumn (2015) to discuss contemporary topics and how to apply them.
We have looked at “The End of Religion” by Bruxy Cavey and Rob Bell’s “Everything is Spiritual” podcast.
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PASTORAL CARE
Pastoral care is delivered by the Elders who inform the minister of pastoral issues. The Elders are supported by members of the congregation who also visit. We also have a dedicated hospital visitor.
With an ageing congregation and declining numbers of young families attending, funerals are – not surprisingly – more common than baptisms. In the last three full years we have had 3 baptisms (one each year), 46 funerals and 4 weddings. 7 new members have joined the church in the same period – 2 by profession and 5 by certificate of transference.
Welcome Corner
We have a reputation for being a welcoming and caring church. However, as it is difficult to have a proper conversation in the narrow aisles as you come into the church, a Welcome Corner has been created at the back of the church. As well as a small seated area there is a table which was made out of the pews removed to provide the additional space. This table is used for the visitors’ book, the prayer book, the flower distribution book and displays.
CHURCH ORGANISATIONS & ACTIVITIES
TOFM (Together On Friday Mornings)
This group of ladies from the congregation and community meets on Friday mornings, to share fun and laughter while exercising, studying, stitching a banner, reading poetry, cinema going or engaging in a wide range of other activities. Whatever the activity, coffee and chat always feature as does caring and sharing!
9 St Margaret’s Hall – Coffee & Chat Moderator’s visit to TOFM The Guild
The Guild is a happy group of about 24 women who are very supportive of each other and are good team players. The Guild theme is followed and good use is made of the discussion topic. We support national Guild projects.
The Thrift Shop
The Thrift Shop is run in a garage adjacent to the manse and manned by church volunteers. It opens Tuesday 10:00am - 11:30am, Thursday 1:30pm - 3:00pm. The Thrift Shop is often referred to as an Aladdin’s Cave and sells a variety of clothes, toys and household goods donated by the community. Fifty percent of money raised goes to Christian Aid, with the remainder supporting local charities.
Our Aladdin’s Cave
The Christmas Eve Walk
This is a walk around the village of Urquhart to help keep the Christmas message alive. At the end of the walk and carol singing, we gather in St Margaret’s Hall for more carol singing and of course mince meat pies, refreshments and fellowship. I t has become a popular event attracting in excess of 100 people, many of whom do not attend church.
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“Follow the star” In from the cold on Christmas Eve
Flower-arranging Team
We have an enthusiastic team of ladies who arrange the flowers each week. After worship on Sunday the flowers are delivered to someone in the parish who is ill or just in need of cheering up.
A lesson from Marlene & Susan
OUTREACH
Messy Church
Messy Church runs once a month in the community centre in Lhanbryde. Usually this is on a Sunday afternoon from 4 till 6 pm. The numbers coming along have fluctuated between 12 and 60, but on every occasion much creativity, fun and good food have been enjoyed.
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We have grown relationships with families in the community and value the contact that this brings with non-church people. Currently we are consulting and discussing options for the future: whether to continue with the same meeting time or try a change.
Link to SALU Messy Church
School Chaplaincy
We have good relationships with Lhanbryde Primary School. We share the chaplaincy at Milnes High School, Fochabers.
Christian Aid
We have supported the work of Christian Aid for over 30 years and Christian Aid Week in May has become a very important time in our church life.
Organised by a small, dedicated group, events are very well supported both in church and in throughout the villages and district.
How many boats have made it Margaret? The “boat race” team at Burnside Burn
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Souper Sunday
Our church continues to support the work of World Mission in their HIV programme by holding the annual service and lunch.
Overseas Partner
We have a partner in Nepal, with whom we are actively involved, not least through financial support. She was a member of our church some 24 years ago and we maintain regular contact through email letters. Her visits to us whenever she is home on leave are invariably informative, interesting and enjoyable, and we always enjoy her participation in services when she is with us.
Street Pastors
Five of our congregation volunteer as Street Pastors in Elgin – listening, caring and helping people where they are, without judgement or prejudice. As a church we support them in prayer.
SALU HISTORY
The united charge of St Andrew’s Lhanbryd & Urquhart came into being in November 1988, following the departure of Rev David Lunan from St Andrews Lhanbryd and the retiral of Rev Stanley Forsyth from Urquhart.
Urquhart Church is first mentioned in a deed dated 1237. The original Parish Church was dedicated to St Margaret.
The first reference to a church in Lhanbryde was in 1225 - St Bride's Church in Walkers Crescent. This building became a ruin around 1783. At much the same time, the church at Kirkhill, in the Parish of St Andrews, was burned to the ground. These churches were replaced by the present building, and the parishes renamed St Andrew’s Lhanbryd.
Following the union of the two churches in 1988, the church and manse at Urquhart were sold, with St Margaret's Hall being retained as our place of worship in Urquhart. The church, formerly known as St Andrew’s Lhanbryd, then became the St Andrew’s Lhanbryd and Urquhart Parish Church.
For further info click here.
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THE PARISH & THE WIDER COMMUNITY
The Parish is to the east of Elgin, lying to the north and south of the A96. It is a pleasant rural parish, about 30 square miles in size, with agriculture the predominant industry. Many of the residents of our parish travel to work beyond its bounds to Elgin and other locations. A significant minority of our congregation live outside the parish.
Lhanbryde is the larger of the two villages within the parish, with about 3000 inhabitants. It has a mixture of private and council housing. Amenities include the village shop, pharmacy, hairdresser, butcher, post office, a pub and the village hall. There is a primary school, within easy walking distance of the manse. The church has both formal and informal links with the busy and thriving community centre. Several of our members are involved in the Lhanbryde Community Challenge (www.lhanbryde.org.uk)
Urquhart, with a population of around 500, is about 2 miles to the north of Lhanbryde. It is a small village with a village hall. There are some newer housing developments as well as the original village.
Our church is the only centre of worship in the parish; there is no other church presence.
Parish census data
Our village volunteer gardeners Summer basket outside the manse
Nearby Lossie East Beach
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Attractions of Moray
SALU is in the area of Moray which enjoys a mild microclimate and excellent natural beauty with a variety of beaches and forests within easy reach. There are many things to do in Moray including outdoor activities such as golf, mountain biking, watching dolphins, touring distilleries, visiting castles, fishing and exploring museums. The nearby county town of Elgin is a former cathedral city and Royal Burgh. It is the administrative and commercial centre for Moray and hosts the football team Elgin City.
Elgin has a shopping centre and retail parks and a wide selection of supermarkets and restaurants. It has a leisure centre and ice rink, bowling alley and a three-screen cinema. It has a District General hospital - Dr Gray’s - and Moray College, which is part of the University of the Highlands and Islands.
There are good public transport links with bus services to Aberdeen and Inverness, railway stations at Elgin and Keith and easy access to Aberdeen and Inverness airports which now serve an expanding list of UK and international destinations.
The local Lhanbryde Primary School is a feeder school for Milne’s High School, Fochabers and Elgin Academy.
The websites listed below all give further information about the area: www.lhanbryde.org.uk www.moray.gov.uk www.northern-scot.co.uk http://www.speyfest.com
THE BUILDINGS
The Church
Situated in a rural location a mile or so on the Elgin side of Lhanbryde village, the church is a traditionally styled building, dating from 1783. In addition to the sanctuary, the building comprises a large and a small hall, the “purple room” suitable for small groups (designed by teenagers), a modern kitchen with good facilities and two toilets, one of which has disabled access. The property is well maintained throughout, benefits from recent additions and refurbishment, and complies with all current statutory requirements. There are two large parking areas, one to the north and one to the south of the building, the latter having designated disabled parking spaces.
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View from the balcony
Church bus bringing folk to morning service
Church bus linking community to Sunday service
St Margaret’s Hall
St Margaret’s Hall is located in Urquhart village. It is a multifunctional facility. In addition to the hall area itself, there is a small kitchen and a toilet with disabled access. It is a warm and homely place – particularly so on winter Sunday evenings when an open fire is used to dispel the winter chill! There is a grassed area adjacent to the building which provides car parking space.
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The Manse
The manse is a traditional stone-built detached house on the main street in Lhanbryde. It is a spacious family home. On the ground floor are 2 public rooms, a study, a fitted kitchen, a utility room and toilet with shower. Upstairs are 5 bedrooms and a bathroom. There is a small garden at the front and a large low-maintenance lawned garden to the rear. There are three outbuildings, including a single garage and a building adjacent to the manse which is used as the Thrift Shop. The manse meets the standards required by the Church of Scotland. We would like to make some modest interior alterations to the manse, which we consider will improve its function as a family home and official manse.
The location of the manse in Lhanbryde makes the minister accessible to the community. The manse is a tangible presence of the church within the village and is a focal point for contact and outreach.
COMMUNICATION
Church Magazine
See link for copies of magazine
Bulletin
The weekly activities and forthcoming events are publicised in the following ways: • In the printed order of service • on the church website • via the blog on website which is emailed to those who sign up
Social Media
The church uses the following social media: • Church website • Blogs to those signed up with email • Facebook page • Twitter @salucofs
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LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
The Session organised a Talkabout to explore the future direction of SALU and assess its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It was also agreed to hold a “Cafe-style” service focussing on the Stewardship of Talents, where the congregation would bring their talents and gifts before God. A good response was received from the congregation resulting in people offering their services in many different ways. These responses are currently being collated and discerned as to how to be best used as we go forward in our ministry and service.
We are a congregation that pulls together and would welcome a minister whose fresh ideas could use our strength and talents to develop and encourage new avenues of worship and outreach in our predominantly rural parish.
We are open to new iideas. Before our minister was called to his new charge we were exploring our potential involvement with the PATH OF RENEWAL initiative.
______Strengths • We are very welcoming, warm, supportive and caring to outsiders • Strong well run and supported groups within the congregation • A strong kirk session with a good mix & wide skill base • Our faith and commitment to God; desire to put God at the centre • Eagerness and enthusiasm in facing challenge and openness to new ideas • Willingness to use our personal gifts and talents ______Weaknesses • Geographical location of the church – too far from the village; too far from the school • Age spectrum: lack of young people generally – we need to connect with and attract the young folk in Lhanbryde & Urquhart • Narrow social spectrum within the congregation; need to engage with the whole community • Church aesthetics: non-flexible seating in sanctuary • Lack of helpers -some people becoming over-loaded
______Opportunities • Opportunity to attract new members from Urquhart, coffee mornings? Holiday club? Lunch Club? We have a physical presence in St Margaret’s Hall. • TOFM – has attracted non church-goers, some of whom now attend church • Opportunity to reach a wide demographic of people e.g. building on Messy Church outreach • Opportunity for greater involvement in our communities – practical work (see a need, meet a need) publicising who we are • Increased interaction with schools ______Threats • Conflicting demands on families on Sundays • Lack of connection with people in Urquhart • Society moving away from faith to a “shopping culture;” relevance of church to people • Ageing congregation – what will our church look like in 20 years time? • Lack of a base in Lhanbryde village
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THE INVITATION
God has brought us to the stage where we have undertaken a period of self-reflection and have begun some new initiatives. We believe the Parish Profile demonstrates an exciting proposition and opportunity to lead and take forward the ministry of SALU supported by a congregation who are open to new horizons and challenges.
Are you the minister God is calling to SALU?
Have you found yourself saying as you have read our profile - “Yes! They sound like my kind of people! I could work with them! That’s my kind of vision for the church!”
Then we need to meet!
At our Spring ‘Talkabout’ - we were praying and asking ourselves – “What are we looking for, hoping for, praying for, in our new minister?”
We want our new minister to be him or herself, and for us to be willing and open to giving him or her the space and the encouragement to lead us, perhaps in ways we had not considered or imagined, and to challenge us to step out in faith along new paths – to walk and work with us in a shared vision as we step out together with God.
We have what we imagine to be the common hopes of many congregations, which find expression in the qualities we would hope for in our new minister:
• A minister who will help us understand the Bible and how to apply it in our lives • An individual with good people skills and an enthusiasm for outreach to all within our local community, especially to families, schools and young people • Someone who is open to innovation • A person who has a deep pastoral care for people within our church and parish • A leader who will walk and work with us to shape our church for the future, including new initiatives in local communities
While we have compiled the list above, it may be of course that God is preparing someone very different as the right person to be our minister and we are open to hearing and following God’s leading.
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Informal Visit & Enquiries
We appreciate you may wish to find out more or to make an informal visit to SALU before you consider making an application. We would be pleased to show you and your family the area, the church and the manse and can arrange a visit in confidence if required – please contact our Interim Moderator, Rev Isabel Buchan to discuss this.
Contact Details
Interim Moderator: Rev Isabel Buchan North Manse 14 St Peter’s Road BUCKIE Banffshire AB56 1DL
Tel: 01542 832118 Mobile: 07519 972124 Email: [email protected]
Applications and recommendations should be made to: Clerk to Nominating Committee: Rhoda Murdoch Email: [email protected]
Closing Date for applications: 30 November 2016
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