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Congregational meeting - Sunday 21st October - Timing of Sunday worship
When the two congregations of Holytown and Wrangholm were linked on 26th October last year, part of the basis of Linkage was that, after 6 months, we would review the timing of our Sunday services. Both Kirk Sessions have been discussing the matter at our last few meetings and we are at the point now when we would like to make a recommendation for the congregation to consider.
The Kirk Session at Wrangholm indicated that many members there find the 12 noon start to worship quite late and a time that eats into the afternoon – especially for those who are responsible for counting the offering, dealing with flowers and clearing the church. Wrangholm Kirk Session, therefore, hearing what people were saying, proposed to the Holytown Kirk Session that we consider bringing the service 30 minutes earlier. In other words the Holytown service would be 10.00 am and the Wrangholm service would be 11.30 am.
When the Kirk Sessions were considering this matter, we spoke of the possibility of changing the times of the services on a rota basis - in other words we would have the 12 noon service for 6 months, say and then we would move to 10.30 am. However, it was felt that this could well lead to a bit of confusion. The Session, therefore, felt that the most satisfactory way forward would be to find a time that we hoped most people could agree with. We are very conscious that whatever decision is made not everyone will be happy, but we do very much hope and pray that we can resolve the matter in a way that people can work with. For this reason, we are calling a meeting of the congregation on Sunday 21st October following the 10.30 am service. The purpose of the meeting will be to consider the proposal of the Kirk Session that we move the time of Sunday worship from 10.30am to l0.00am.
There are two important things to say:
(1) The recommendation of the Kirk Session is clear, but the decision lies with the congregation.
(2) Our existing bus company cannot provide a service for a 10.00 a.m. start to worship, but we have been able to find an alternative company willing to take on the task for us.
(3) Both congregations are meeting on the same day, and both Holytown and Wrangholm Kirk Sessions are recommending that the time of their services be brought forward by 30 minutes.
This is an extremely complicated issue. It inevitably involves a bit of compromise, a bit of give and take, but hopefully, we are able to resolve the matter on 21st October.
Property matters - hall reconstruction
The rebuilding of our hall is well underway, the contract having been awarded to Alexander Braidwood & Sons Ltd from Blantyre. As this item is being written a crane is on site lifting the roof trusses into position over the main area and it should not be too long before the building is wind and watertight. Works have been slightly delayed due to the complexity of the roof structure but the contractor is endeavouring to have the works completed by November all as programmed.
It is only when you reflect on the scale of works being undertaken and imagine back in 1910 when the original hall was built there were no mobile cranes, cement mixers, plastics, aluminium etc the construction of the building would have been extremely difficult. On the other hand, they did not have the burden of Health & Safety legislation, Building Control and Planning, all of which have had to be dealt with as part of the construction process.
As a condition of our planning consent, additional car parking has had to be provided at the rear of the manse on ground in the ownership of the Church. Negotiations have been ongoing with the adjacent landowners (PPG Ltd.) and agreement has been reached that they will gift a triangular section at the rear of the hall, which will allow us to access this area. The whole area will be leveled and fenced off as part of the building contract, which will make parking easier for all of our parishioners.
David I Paterson, 28th September 2007
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