Campsie Parish Church Parish Profile Introduction This vacancy has occurred, sadly, because of the demission on grounds of ill-health of Rev. Sandra Farrington. As part of God's Kingdom, the members of this enthusiastic, supportive and hard working church now seek a Minister who will lead us on our spiritual journey and who will walk with us as we seek to develop a strong Christian witness in the village. Under Sandra’s leadership our church grew in faith and enthusiasm, and we look for a new Minister who will continue this work, and bring new insights and initiatives to our mission in the parish. Our mission statement affirms that we are a voice for Jesus in the life of Campsie Together listening to God’s Word Responding to his love Faithfully and prayerfully loving, worshipping and serving our Lord Jesus Christ in obedience and humility Sharing God’s love with others and working through the power of the Holy Spirit for the coming of the Kingdom Our new minister We are looking for a minister who will Nurture the faith and enthusiasm of the whole congregation Put pastoral care at the centre of his or her ministry Give priority to reaching out to the local community Be an effective and inspiring preacher, able to communicate the Gospel’s message Be open to new developments in worship Have excellent communication skills and get on well with all kinds of people Develop and use the talents of all members Provide leadership to the office bearers and others in the congregation Develop a vision for the future of our church Church Website http://www.campsie.org.uk Campsie Statistics for Mission http://cos.churchofscotland.org.uk/resources/statistics_for_mission/parish_profil es/160852.pdf Page 1 Campsie Parish Church Parish Profile The Parish of Campsie The Parish of Campsie lies at the foot of the Campsie Fells, in the valley between the Campsie Fells and the South Braes. Lennoxtown is conveniently situated 9 miles from Glasgow city centre, with Edinburgh only 45 miles on the motorway, with Falkirk, Stirling and Glasgow Airport all within comfortable commuting distance. The parish consists of Lennoxtown, and the hamlets of Haughhead and the Clachan of Campsie; the latter is a conservation area, and lies at the entrance to Campsie Glen, a local beauty spot. There are also a few surrounding farms. Over the past thirty five years, a number of housing developments have been built in or near the original village. Lennoxtown is a great base for outdoor activities with extensive walking/cycling paths. The beautiful Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park is only 30 minutes drive from Lennoxtown. The nearest town is Kirkintilloch, known as the Canal Capital of Scotland. In origin the parish is pre-reformation. The ruins of the original church, which was built c.1175 can be seen in the Clachan. It took its name from St Machan who brought Christianity to the area. The church was built over his grave, and was the religious centre of the parish until the eighteenth century. The present church is the result of a number of unions, the most recent of which was between St Machan’s Church Campsie Trinity and Campsie High in 1979. Lennoxtown has a population of about 4,000 people, although many today have no church connection at all. Celtic Football Club has its training facilities in the grounds of the former Lennox Castle Hospital and local youngsters are invited to enjoy their sporting facilities. The main commercial business in the village is the local spring water bottling plant, which sources natural spring water from the Campsie Fells. This plant is currently owned by Highland Spring Ltd. The village has a residential nursing home and the building of a second care home is planned. Page 2 Campsie Parish Church Parish Profile The Nursing Home and the bottling plant are the main employers in the area and consequently most people travel further afield for employment. Housing in the village ranges from stone built villas and council houses to flats and new modern private estates. The village has a number of shops, including a pharmacy, a small supermarket, Post Office, hairdressers, optician, dentist and several fast food outlets. There is a health centre, a library and some Council offices; these are to be brought under one roof in a new Community Hub, now under construction. The local hotel is a popular venue for conferences and social functions. Leisure activities are catered for with a bowling club, football parks and a golf course. There are also several public houses and two tearooms. The Memorial Hall (run by a Community Trust) is used as a meeting place for committees, clubs and village events. Like many other suburban areas Lennoxtown does have its share of anti- social behaviour. However, this is not a predominant feature of life in Lennoxtown. There are three places of worship in Lennoxtown: Campsie Parish Church (Church of Scotland), St Machan’s Roman Catholic Church and a Free Church of Scotland. Our neighbouring Church of Scotland congregations are at Milton of Campsie (2 miles), Torrance (3 miles), Strathblane (4 miles) and Kirkintilloch (5 miles). There is a religious retreat and shrine at Schoenstatt –which is run by the German order Schoenstatt of 'The Sisters of Mary'. There are two primary schools in the village: the non-denominational Lennoxtown Primary School (with nursery attached) and St Machan’s Roman Catholic Primary School. The Minister of Campsie Parish Church has traditionally been Chaplain to Lennoxtown Primary School and end of term services are generally held in Church for pupils, and their Lennoxtown Primary School families. A joint carol service is held each year. On leaving primary school, many students continue their secondary education at nearby Kilsyth Academy; however, an increasing number now go to other schools in the area. Page 3 Campsie Parish Church Parish Profile The Church The Building After the 1979 Union, the Trinity building was used for worship until 1985, when it was demolished due to structural problems. The present multi-purpose building was constructed on the same site and was dedicated in December 1988. The Sanctuary is capable of seating 292 people and is linked by a moveable partition to a hall which can seat a further 126. This can be combined to form a single space if necessary. There are further rooms at the rear used for the Kirk Session, Sunday School, Crèche and other meetings. Local craftsmen were employed in furnishing the new building Elm Communion table, with decorative panels depicting the four seasons set within God’s creation. Created by Neil Baird. Font Font, made from hand-thrown pottery, with design based on a drawing by a Primary One pupil from Lennoxtown Primary School. Designed and constructed by Dave Norman Page 4 Campsie Parish Church Parish Profile Stained glass panels The above panel in the foyer is based on artwork created by Primary School children (a world first) and depicts the story of Christianity coming to Lennoxtown. In the sanctuary the stained glass panel highlights the promise of Christianity remaining in Lennoxtown with the shadow of the cross falling on the Campsie Hills. Created by Bryan Hutchison. To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the opening of the Church, a third glass panel was commissioned from Bryan Hutchison with local Primary School children again involved by submitting artwork. This new panel hangs in the foyer and illustrates various Bible stories with the infant Jesus as the centre-piece. Page 5 Campsie Parish Church Parish Profile Sound System The Church has a modern sound and audio-visual installation (upgraded in 2015), a Clavinova electronic piano and a new Gloria organ. Kitchen Facilities A few years ago a major refurbishment and extension of the kitchen was undertaken and we now have a much improved working area. The kitchen is fitted to the highest standard and the improved facilities are used regularly to facilitate catering for various events such as Alpha suppers, coffee mornings, a monthly Rainbow Café and other fundraising activities. Membership The Church currently has 145 members with a regular congregation of between 50 and 70. There is a small but lively Sunday School and Bible Class, with a Crèche for children under 3 years of age. The congregation is enthusiastic and lively and is made up from a variety of strands –those with local roots and many new members who have moved into the area. Photo of Congregation Page 6 Campsie Parish Church Parish Profile Baptisms, Marriages and Funerals In 2014, there were three baptisms, one marriage and fifteen funerals. Worship Worship takes place at 11.00am every Sunday, with an evening service on the second Sunday of the month, except during the summer months. Extensive use is made of audio-visual communication in our services. Words of hymns, bible texts, notices and illustrative material for the sermon are displayed in this way. Communion is celebrated twice a year, normally in June and October. Profession of Faith - 3 New Members Monthly services are also held at the local Nursing home and are conducted by a team of volunteers from the Church. On Christmas Eve the Watchnight Service is generally well attended and prior to this service Carol singers from the Church tour the village taking Christmas greetings to all. Special services are held during Holy Week. Sunrise Service At dawn on Easter Sunday a Sunrise service is held high on the Campsie Fells. This popular service attracts Christians from other parishes. Music The music used in worship displays a wide variety of styles ranging from traditional hymns found in CH3/4 to modern songs from many sources.