Kilwinning Abbey Church
Parish Profile
March 2019
Charity Reg No SC001856 / Cong Ref No 120664
• INTRODUCTION
Thank you for accessing our Profile and for showing an interest in our vacancy which has arisen due to the retirement in March 2019 of our Minister, Rev Jeanette Whitecross, who has served the Parish with diligence, care and compassion for the past eight years.
The Presbytery of Ardrossan has approved an unrestricted tenure for our next Minister and the Kirk Session and congregation will now approach the future with enthusiasm and purpose as we seek the leadership of a new charge to build on, and further develop our faith and vision.
In order to achieve our goals, we are looking for someone who .....
- has excellent communication skills; - is open minded and willing to tackle challenges; - is a team player with the ability to encourage participation in the life of the church by members of all age groups; - most importantly, has a good sense of humour!
Our Kirk Session voted against departure from the Church’s practice in relation to human sexuality in respect of the current vacancy for a minister.
We see ourselves as a traditional church with a perfect balance of history and modern life. Our main aim is to promote the message of Christianity within our parish and beyond, and to be recognised as a place where all are welcome in the name of fellowship and worship.
Mission Statement
We commit ourselves to upholding Christian values at all times and presenting our Church as a living example of the family of God by -
• always seeking to build our congregation, both in numbers and in strength, through regular and joyful worship, biblical teaching and study, faithful prayer, loyal pastoral care, a strong desire for social justice and a full awareness of our social responsibility; • engendering and nurturing a strong fellowship through promotion of and participation in regular and varied events - both social and religious - that are attractive to all ages and backgrounds, always being willing to extend a hand of peace, welcome or friendship when any occasion demands; • freely offering our resources - be they time, talents or money - to uphold our purpose, increase our commitment and further our cause in our parish, our community and our world.
We hope the information contained in this Profile gives a flavour of who we are and what we seek to do in the parish and beyond.
Informal enquiries can be made to the Interim Moderator and applications with CV and the names of two referees may be made to the Clerk to the Nominating Committee, both of whose contact details can be found at the end of this profile.
• HISTORY OF THE CONGREGATION
Following the Scottish Reformation, the Kilwinning Abbey was largely destroyed and the first Parish Church of Kilwinning was constructed within the ruins of the old abbey in 1590 using the dressed stones. The Abbey itself (now mostly in ruins and maintained by Historic Scotland) dates back to 1188 AD.
The building in use today was completed in 1774 on the site of its 16th century predecessor and funded by the Earl of Eglinton. The year 2024 will therefore be the 250th anniversary of the building in which we worship.
In 1929 the parish of Kilwinning was divided between the congregations of Erskine, Mansfield and the existing Parish Church which then became known as Kilwinning Abbey Church.
Today we are one of two churches in communion with the Church of Scotland in the town.
The Church is located in the Presbytery of Ardrossan and is administered in accordance with the terms of the Unitary Constitution.
The Kirk Session serves 48 districts within the town and surrounding countryside. It meets ten times a year, is responsible for spiritual affairs within the church and matters relating to finance and property, and is chaired by the Minister. It is currently comprised of 53 elders (19 males and 34 females), 4 of whom were inducted/admitted in 2018. The elders’ ages range from the 30s to the 70s, with the majority being in the over 60s category.
Elders also attend an annual conference - usually in September - to allow time for study and reflection. This has been led by the Minister, often with a guest speaker, and many of the initiatives undertaken in the past few years have arisen from ideas put forward at these sessions.
To encourage active participation of Elders in the various aspects of Session business, a series of committees exist to which all members of session are nominated, namely:
Communications & Outreach Education & Worship Fabric Finance Ministry & Mission/Church & Society Pastoral Care Senior Members Social Team World Mission & Christian Aid
Meetings of these committees are held as appropriate and reports on their activities are included in the Agenda of Kirk Session meetings.
• COMMUNITY PROFILE OF THE CONGREGATION
The town of Kilwinning, with a current population of around 21700, is situated in a pleasant area of North Ayrshire, about three miles from the sea.
It is approximately 30 miles from Glasgow, 15 miles from Ayr and 11 miles from Kilmarnock. Rail communication in the directions of Glasgow and Ayr - with onward connections to Stranraer, Ardrossan and Largs - is very good, with fast trains running every twenty minutes for most of the day. There is also an excellent bus service to and from Kilmarnock.
The town is served well by two local GP surgeries, three pharmacies and three dental practices. For those requiring it, the Ayrshire & Arran Health Board maintains three local hospitals, namely:
- Ayrshire Central Hospital in Irvine provides young disabled / rehabilitation services, and a number of assessment beds for elderly mental health services. Recent years have seen significant developments on the site with a new general outpatient department and rehabilitation centre. All have excellent facilities with the Douglas Grant Rehabilitation Centre being recognised as one of the best in the country.
- University Hospital Crosshouse is situated two miles from Kilmarnock town centre. It is a large district general hospital providing a wide range of services, including paediatric inpatient services. It is also home to the national Cochlear Implant Service and houses the Emergency Department for East and North Ayrshire. The Ayrshire Maternity Unit is also located on this site.
- University Hospital Ayr lies on the southern outskirts of Ayr. It is a district general hospital providing medical and surgical services on an inpatient, day case and outpatient basis. It houses the Emergency Department for South Ayrshire and provides a number of Ayrshire-wide services including vascular surgery, ophthalmology and audiology.
In addition, the town boasts a newly refurbished library, a well established community sports club and three bowling clubs.
The industrial base of Kilwinning has changed over the years, with small to medium sized firms providing most of the employment locally. Many people travel to Glasgow or beyond.
There are seven primary schools in the town, two of which are denominational. There is one comprehensive school, Kilwinning Academy, whilst those seeking to attend a Roman Catholic secondary school travel to St Matthew’s Academy in the nearby town of Saltcoats.
Our church oversees the chaplaincy of Kilwinning Academy, Blacklands Primary, Abbey Primary and Corsehill Primary, with whom we enjoy very positive links.
There is a Kilwinning Campus of the Ayrshire College in the town, which is a popular source of Further Education courses, and again church and college have forged a strong link.
• WORSHIP LIFE
Worship takes place from 10.30 am until 11.30 am, with the Jigsaw Club and Grid (Sunday School) joining us for the first part of the service, when a children’s address is given. A printed Order of Service is provided. A car pool brings those requiring transport to and from regular worship on Sundays.
A particular feature of worship life is the role of the organist and our growing choir. The sound system has recently been upgraded and an amplifier and sound loop system is in place. Resources include Braille hymn books and there is ample space for the disabled and for working dog attendance.
We are particularly proud of our organ. It was specially built and installed in 1897 by Forster & Andrews of Hull - one of the most successful organ builders in England - at a cost of £750 (the equivalent of £100,000 today). The British Institute of Organ Studies has given the instrument Grade 1 status and regards it as “important to national heritage and deserving of careful preservation for the benefit of future generations”.
Rated one of the finest pipe organs in the UK, it has helped people celebrate the love of God, the joy of weddings and baptisms and provided a source of comfort in times of sadness.
Indeed, so important is this beloved instrument to the congregation that we decided to throw it a special 120th birthday party. More than 200 people attended the event which featured a choir, string quartet, a ‘Name that Tune’ feature and a stunning ‘organ shaped’ cake.
A Worship Team, involving presbytery trained elders, takes services at appropriate times during the year and a reading rota for Sunday services brings wider participation in worship by members of the congregation.
Currently, there are 500 hundred members on the Church Roll, with an additional 69 members on the Supplementary Roll. Average weekly attendance at worship is between 120 and 140, and this has been fairly consistent over the last five years.
Baptisms and Blessings are offered to babies, children and adults.
Weddings and Funerals are offered to both Church members and to the wider community.
At regular worship, the sacrament of Communion is celebrated four times annually - on the second Sunday of March, June, September and December. Dates can be revised if necessary.
A Service of Remembrance is held in November to coincide with the national services. In addition, a Memorial Service is held on a December afternoon for those who wish to remember loved ones.
The Church hosts a hospice ‘Light a Light’ service, usually in December each year.
Christmas cards with times of services are hand delivered by Elders to members within their districts.
• PASTORAL CARE
Priority is given to the care of the elderly and housebound. A Pastoral Care Group has responsibility for visiting, and Elders are encouraged to maintain regular contact with members in their districts. Quarterly magazines are delivered to members.
Members are encouraged to notify the Minister of anyone requiring her/his services via forms located in the vestibule.
We have a dedicated number of members who regularly use their skills to arrange the flowers in the Church for our Sunday services, and these flowers are subsequently delivered to those members of the congregation who are ill, have suffered bereavement or are celebrating a special event.
Monthly services are also held at the local Sheltered Housing complexes and a local Care Home, which several members of the congregation attend.
• CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
Contrary to the current trend, we are fortunate to have seen the number of younger members of our church slowly but steadily increasing. Running from the first Sunday in September until the end of May, they worship regularly with us:
- January 2019 saw the reintroduction of a Creche for pre-school children and we have been encouraged by the regular attendance of 4/5 wee ones. - At present 6/8 children regularly attend the Jigsaw Club (Sunday School) and range in age from Pr 1 to Pr 6. - Started in 2018, the Grid is for young people from Pr 7 to 3rd year where we recognise the need for a more in-depth look at the bible and how it relates to young adults today. At present, there are 5/6 regularly attending and enjoying the programme on offer.
Members of the Jigsaw Club and Grid meet at 10.20 am in preparation for going over to the church the first part of the service, when a children’s address is given. Thereafter, they make their way over to the Abbey Hall where, led by an enthusiastic team of younger members of the congregation, they enjoy completing worksheets, hearing stories and participating in crafts to get the message of that day’s children’s address across.
The congregation eagerly looks forward to their involvement in the Christmas Family Service when their performances in Nativity plays have included those of a traditional nature as well as “Mamma Mia” and “Hosanna Rock”.
Each year a Summer Club is run during the school holidays. This lasts for five days (Monday to Friday) and is open to all young people of the town, not just those with a church connection. The children then participate in a Sunday morning service and a display of their activities is on show in the Abbey Hall after the service.
In addition to the school chaplaincies, 2017 saw the first participation of some Primary 6 pupils in “Bubblegum and Fluff” - a resource to help the children to uncover the real message of Christmas The event lasted two hours and featured games, sketches, spontaneous drama, craft ideas, storytelling, theme song, worksheets, and much more. Such was the positive feedback from those involved that it was repeated in December 2018.
The local Boys’ Brigade Company has the use of the Abbey Hall for its weekly meetings.
In addition, in January of this year we were delighted to be asked to host the presentation of Queen’s Badge awards to two members of the 19th Kilwinning Scout Group and such was the success of the event that the Scout Leaders have intimated that they would like to return later in the year to share in our worship.
Our Guild is well attended and meets on alternate days each week - on Wednesday evenings at 7.30 pm and on Thursday afternoons at 1.30 pm - during which we enjoy a varied syllabus of speakers and activities.
A Good News Group meets once a month when a particular biblical passage is studied and discussed.
• ECUMENICAL CONTEXT
The town has two congregations of the Church of Scotland, of which our church is the largest, the other being Mansfield Trinity. There is also a Congregational Church, a Roman Catholic Church, a Cornerstone Church, an FIEC Church and a Mission Hall. Relations with other churches and denominations are convivial.
Over the years, each of the clergy in the town take their turn in conducting a lunch time service during Holy Week in the Congregational Church. Our church and Mansefield Trinity alternate the Maunday Thursday Evening Communion and Good Friday services. At 9.00 am on Easter morning we host a short communion service in the Abbey grounds followed by breakfast in the Abbey Hall. These services are supported by members from the various churches.
Bridgend Gospel Hall gives out pamphlets at the annual picnic in the park in August and they have a Bible Information interactive display for the local schools. The Bridge Church offers hot chocolate and biscuits to the crowds making their way to the annual firework display and encourage young people to use their drop in cafe.
The clergy recently decided to use the name Kilwinning Churches Together for joint events in the local community such as the Messy Church held in a shop during the ‘Christmas Light Switch On’ celebrations in November and the carol singing in Main Street in December.
More importantly, the clergy are working together to raise awareness of the poverty in some areas of the town and to offer support.
• WORLD CHURCH
More widely, Kilwinning Abbey Church is active in sharing responsibility in the wider work of the church through its support for the Ayrshire Food Bank, Mary’s Meals (Backpacks) and Blythswood Care (Shoebox Appeal). Christian Aid and CrossReach, and a varied range of local and national charities enjoy constant support from funds raised during tea/coffee provision following church services, and special collections taken after a Communion Service.
In May of each year, members of the congregation participate in the Cumbrae Challenge and the money raised from sponsorship is donated to Christian Aid.
We have raised an average well in excess of £4000 per year, in the last five years, for distribution to a range of charities as well as responding, as required, to one off disaster relief concerns.
We take a bus to Heart & Soul each year and are accompanied by members of other churches in the area.
• STEWARDSHIP AND FINANCE
As it is with many churches at the present time, finances are a challenge. However, despite this, we are currently in a reasonable financial position.
With three church buildings, the upkeep both in terms of capital and revenue costs are high, and it is a continuing process to manage costs against income received. For that reason, any potential expenditure requires to be approved by the Kirk Session and must be warranted to be both essential and the best price possible.
The following are the balances at the end of the given years for the General Fund:-
2015 £7,779 2016 -£3,068 (taking into account a number of major fabric expenditures 2017 £15,675 (including donations/bequests of £14,000) 2018 £409 (however a further £8,071 was raised for refurbishment of the Church organ during 2018)
An annual turnover in a “normal” year lies in the region of £120000 for the General Fund alone.
The Ministry and Mission payments over the same period were:–
2015 - £67,500 2017 - £67,640 2016 - £67,560 2018 - £67,480
These payments have always been met in full.
In line with the General Assembly instruction in 2011, we follow the three year rotation of Stewardship encompassing time, talents and money which encourages us to review and cultivate our gifts.
• STAFFING
Full time: Minister Deaconess Part-time: Organist Church Officer Church and Hall Cleaner Erskine Hall Caretaker Manse Gardener
• PROPERTIES
The church building and halls are fully accessible, with ramps and disabled toilets. The church has an induction loop system and Sunday services are also recorded and copies made available to anyone wishing them.
Church The church, which is a Listed Building Grade B, stands in the grounds of Kilwinning Abbey (Historic Scotland) and has been well maintained over the years. The grounds also include a 19th century clock tower (1816) which is maintained by North Ayrshire Council.
Both Kilwinning Academy and the local branch of the Ayrshire College hold their annual award ceremonies in the church, and members of the congregation serve tea and home baking afterwards.
Halls There are two hall buildings, both of which are used extensively by groups within the congregation, eg the Guild, Keep Fit & Line Dancing, the Darby and Joan Group, the Good News Group and various Craft Groups.
The Abbey Hall is separate from the Church and is approached through the Abbey grounds. As well as a main hall, the Lesser Hall (as the name suggests) is used by the children on a Sunday morning and for smaller gatherings. The building also houses a fully fitted kitchen, toilets and a downstairs office. In addition, it is used by the local Boys’ Brigade Company, local Badminton and Table Tennis Clubs, and is used to host the annual Flower Show.
The Erskine Hall is located between the main pedestrian area of the town and the main vehicular road. This hall has a meeting room, two kitchen areas and toilets.
As well as being the venue for our weekly Luncheon Club, the Erskine Hall is let out to a variety of organisations including AA, Al Anon, Weightwatchers and the local Bridge and Whist Clubs. During school holidays, it has been used for the distribution of lunches to those children entitled to free school meals.
Manse The manse is a detached red sandstone building, overlooking the McGavin public park. It has gas fired central heating, two public rooms, a study and four bedrooms. There is a large kitchen and utility rooms to the rear. Surrounded by a large garden, it is convenient for schools and public transport, and is a ten minute walk from the town centre.
• WEB LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
KilwinningAbbeyChurch.co.uk KilwinningAbbeyChurch
• CONTACT ADDRESSES
Interim Moderator Rev Ross Mitchell 11 Dunbar Gardens SALTCOATS KA21 6GJ Tel: 01294-474375 E-mail: [email protected] Clerk to the Nominating Committee Mrs Lynne Mathieson E-mail: [email protected]
2018 - OUR YEAR IN PICTURES
January February March
Jigsaw Club – Our Annual Burns Supper Mother’s Day Service clearing the car park - piping in the Haggis
April (Easter Breakfast)
He is Risen
Easter Bonnet entry Ready for breakfast
May June July
Jigsaw Club Cumbrae Challenge – summer outing Arran Outing time for a cuppa
August (Holiday Club)
Professor Potty & Dippy Di get a visit from Adam
Time to travel Action Songs
September October November
All Age Beetle Drive
Organ Birthday Cake Back to school!
December
Merry Christmas from Bubblegum and Fluff the cafe volunteers Hossanah Rocks Nativity Play