Parish Profile

Cardross Parish Church Profile

A pdf copy of this profile, can be downloaded by clicking here: PROFILE

Cardross Church
Station Road, Cardross G82 5NL

Email: info@cardrossparishchurch.org

Website: www.cardrossparishchurch.org Scottish Charity SC003494

INTRODUCTION

The Presbytery of Clyde has given permission for Cardross Parish Church to call for a minister on a part time basis of 0.7 FTE post on a 5 year renewable tenure on the retirement of our previous minister. The Kirk Session voted to depart on the matter related to Ministers and Deacons in same-sex civil partnerships and marriages.

OUR HISTORY IN BRIEF (History of the charge)

We can trace the origins of a church in Cardross back to 1226 in a charter of Maldoven, Third Earl of Lennox, which granted the Bishop of Glasgow “the Church of Cardrinos, with lands, tiends, fishing and pertinents of every kind, in pure and perpetual alms to be devoted to the use of the Bishop’s table.” Throughout the centuries, Cardross has always had a church within its parish.

In May 1941, the Church was one of several buildings destroyed by heavy bombing. Also within the village was a Free Church, which was opened in January 1872 and a decision was taken for a merger of the two churches and this building was adapted for use as the present Cardross Parish Church. The forward-thinking congregations at that time, decided to use the money awarded to restore the destroyed Church, to build a suite of Church Halls and the old Church Tower was retained as a War Memorial. As a Millennium Project the old Church Tower was completely restored and at a Service held on 10 October 1999 was rededicated “to the glory of God, as witness to past faith and future hope.”

ABOUT OUR LOCAL AREA

Cardross is a distinct village community, situated on the banks of the river Clyde, in a semi-rural area approximately four miles equidistant between Helensburgh and Dumbarton. It is approximately 20 miles west of Glasgow and there are excellent road, rail and bus links to Glasgow city centre. Glasgow has several Universities, Colleges and the renowned Conservatoire for the study of Music and drama.

The population of the village is around 2500. The village has both social and private housing and has been growing over the past ten years with planning applications for two significant housing development within the next five years.

The community is well served by a wide range of local amenities, including a primary school with nearly 200 children. The school also has an Early Learning and Childcare Establishment (ELC) established in 2021 offering a full curriculum now from the age of 3. The village has several shops and garages, including post office, pharmacy, restaurant, hairdressers, newsagents and a library. Cardross is also renowned for its sporting facilities; bowling club, tennis club, football team and an 18-hole Golf Course. The village is approximately six miles from Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, which provides excellent opportunities for walking, camping and engaging in water sports.

The congregation has been actively involved in the Cardross & Ardoch Place Plan. The purpose of the plan is to look at Land Use and Development; Transport and Accessibility; Housing and Community Spaces and Environmental Stewardship for the benefit of the whole community.

AREAS OF MINISTRY AND LINKS WITH THE COMMUNITY

The church operates under a Unitary Constitution with 33 Elders on the Kirk Session with a gender split of 2/3^rd Female and a 1/3^rd male. There are 265 on the communion roll and 35 adherents There are the following committees Mission and Outreach, Worship and Discipleship, Finance, Property, Communication & Publicity along with the statutory duties of Data Protection, Health & Safety and Safeguarding having dedicated Elders.

We currently have three missional priorities:

1/ MISSION TO THE VILLAGE – The Village Hub is a wonderful opportunity for mission to the whole village and beyond. The dedicated volunteers pride themselves on creating an inviting atmosphere where everyone can come together, in a warm safe place and catch up and indulge in delicious food and drinks - more on the HUB in our ‘action plan’ section.

2/ MISSION TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE - Messy Church / Holiday Club / Connect Group providing opportunities for children and teenagers to learn about Jesus and have fun in the process.

3/ MISSION TO THE CONGREGATION AND OTHERS - Using ‘The Chosen’ video series and Bible study series which brings the gospel to life and provides fellowship to all who come along.

At present the main service of worship takes place on a Sunday at 11.00am although in the summer months late June to August the time is brought forward to 10.30am with an average attendance of around 80. Currently the service is one hour in length with a mix of hymns both old and new along with other songs and anthems led by the choir of 8 under the tutelage of the organist and choir master. While the format is quite traditional, the content is less so with interaction, reflection, responses and relaxed atmosphere. There are 4 main communion services during the year which is complemented with a monthly round the table communion on the first Sunday of the month. There is a rota of willing helpers that include greeters at the door, Beadle, Bible Readers and members leading Prayers of Intercession on the first Sunday of the month. The congregation has two Elders who have completed the Worship Leader’s Course.

AUDIO VISUAL We are blessed to have an excellent Multicam audio-visual set up in the Church which allows us to live stream our usual services along with weddings, funerals, baptisms and other social events on request.

YOUNGER FAMILIES join us for our monthly Messy Church services where they enjoy learning about faith through bible lessons, song, games and activities which can be messy. We run a weeklong Summer Club for Primary age children to explore bible stories through craft work, songs, games, and fun rounded off with an all-age family service.

On Easter morning we have an early outdoor service in the Easter Garden adjacent to the Church which families are invited to and have breakfast together. Thereafter the main Easter service incorporates communion.

The congregation is currently working to the following action plan:

LOOKING UP - Worship Leader training for Elders.

LOOKING IN - Training for those volunteers engaged in Pastoral Care. Progress the new Kirk Session Teams with the new Unitary Constitution.

LOOKING OUT - Continue to develop the teenage clubs, drop in café and Connect Group and the provision of a suitable space for young people. Develop Messy Church by recruiting families to help with its preparation and running.

Our main form of outreach within the community is through the Village Hub. Operating since October 2022, The Village Hub is a fantastic place brought to life by the dedication of our wonderful volunteers. They pride themselves on creating an inviting atmosphere where everyone can come together, catch up, and indulge in delicious food and drinks. Whether you’re in the mood for a hot drink, a slice of home-baked goodness, or even a warming bowl of soup with a sandwich, they’ve got something to satisfy every craving. Since opening we have collected monies for 24 different charities both home and abroad totalling £6640.

Another part of our outreach is our Church magazine, FOCUS. This is a high-quality quarterly publication (circulation 1200 copies) which is delivered to every house in the village along with the Community Advertiser and available via local shops and the library. We also use the Church Website and our Facebook Page to provide outreach digitally. In addition we deliver a Christmas and Easter card, with list of services and events, each year to every household in the village.

SPECIAL SERVICES

There are special services throughout the year including Thinking Day, the World Day of Prayer and the Guild Week. There is a Remembrance Day service at the war memorial within the village, which is attended by all sections of the community including various youth organisations.

PASTORAL CARE

Pastoral care is delivered through regular Elder visits to their districts and information being passed to the minister as an when required. There are no care homes within the village of Cardross with residents generally being accommodated in Helensburgh or Dumbarton both of whom have several care homes.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

We have very few children who attend Church on a Sunday morning, but we always have activity packs prepared should they attend. Our focus for the young people, and their families, has been Messy Church which meets monthly. We also run a week-long holiday club during the Summer holidays. For Teenagers we have been working with other congregations and supporting the connect group within our Church Halls monthly.

In relation to adults we have been utilising the Chosen film and Bible Study pack and working our way through 5 series of that with fellowship on a Monday evening.

The minister is chaplain to the Cardross Primary School and is made welcome by the Head Teacher. The school Christmas Service and end of term service are both held within the Church.

The minster is also a member of a group of Chaplains that attend and support pupils at Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh and the weekly hot chocolate café at lunch time.

STEWARDSHIP AND FINANCE

Over the last two years the finances have been in surplus by a total of £9,700. Our giving to grow contribution is £47,748. A full set of audited accounts will be made available to applicants. We currently employ a cleaner for both the Church and Church Halls. We have a gardening contract to maintain the extensive grounds at the Church and the Church Halls.

BUILDINGS

CHURCH

Our Church has been well maintained both internally and externally. The 1872 building by John Burnet, originally for the Free Church, featured a square tower with a pyramidal roof. After the Presbyterian church was bombed in 1941, the churches merged, retaining the tower as a memorial. Original stained-glass windows remain alongside newer artworks. Sadie McLelland’s 1972 windows, depicting ‘Recurrent Creation’, illuminate the church with vibrant colours. Hannah Frew Paterson’s 1981 embroidered panels behind the communion table reflect life’s development, shaped by the hill for the cross. Sarah Sumison’s 1990 woven silk hangings convey themes of humility and love. John Lawrie’s 1992 Gospel Windows highlight key aspects of Christ’s humanity and sacrificial work. Susan Bradbury’s 2012 stained glass windows, illustrating Faith, Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. The tower’s bells were made by Wilsons of Glasgow in 1871. Originally six, two more were added to celebrate the millennium. The church has a universal access. Adjacent to the sanctuary, there is an office, vestry, which is used as a creche and cloakroom.

HALLS

At Cardross we are fortunate to have an excellent suite of halls, which were built in the 1950’s and recently extended. The suite of halls has universal access to one large and one small hall, meeting rooms, workroom, kitchens, cloakrooms and disabled toilet. The wifi has been recently upgraded throughout the Hall with high-speed fibre broadband. A new sound system has also been installed. The halls are utilised by numerous groups and are used every day of the week. Demand currently outstrips capacity.

Under the Presbytery Plan Cardross Parish Church has been asked to pursue the possibility of providing an accessible toilet and disabled access to the main door of the church. There will be other repairs needing attention soon. To that end the Kirk Session have decided to commission a feasibility study of both buildings. This will enable us to assess costs and possibilities of alternative options allowing us to continue our mission as the people of God.

MANSE

The manse is a large, detached bungalow located within the conservation area of the village. The spacious and flexible accommodation comprises of entrance porch, reception hall with open plan dining room, lounge with feature fireplace, fitted kitchen with integrated fridge and dishwasher, breakfast room off, utility room plumbing for a washing machine, 4 double bedrooms, ensuite bathroom and shower room. In addition, there is a floored loft area and a double brick garage. The property is in first class condition and has a well-maintained manageable garden.

OUR NEW MINISTER

OUR NEW MINISTER

We are prayerfully seeking a minister able, under God, to:

Lead worship effectively
Give pastoral care with warmth, sympathy and spiritual understanding throughout the whole parish
Have an excellent rapport with children and young people and their families
Encourage and inspire Church members to use their gifts in outreach and service
Engage proactively with the whole community.

This is an exciting and challenging appointment for someone with vision, energy and a sense of humour. Working with our new minister we would seek to respond to the many challenges and opportunities that will be presented to us, and to move the Church forward in a modern progressive society.

Thank you for taking time to read this and if, after prayerful consideration, you find that you are being called to Cardross we’d love to hear from you.

For further details please contact our:

Interim Moderator, the Rev Ann Cameron: ACameron@churchofscotland.org.uk

or our

Clerk to the Nominations Committee, Karen Renaud: vacancy@cardrossparishchurch.org

WEB LINKS

Church of Scotland Census data: h ttps://cos.churchofscotland.org.uk/church-finder/data/statistics/parish-profiles/181180.pdf

Church of Scotland Deprivation data: https://cos.churchofscotland.org.uk/church-finder/data/statistics/deprivation/Dep_181180.html

Church Website: www.cardrossparishchurch.org

Church Facebook: www.facebook.com/cardrossparishchurch

The Village HUB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevillagehubcardross?igsh=MXZxcmx3M3l0a3h0Zg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr