Mearns Kirk

Update on the Linkage

We held the vote on the proposed linkage with Newton Mearns Parish Church on 19 October and it had a positive outcome, with both churches voting for the linkage. Mearns Kirk’s votes were 105 for the linkage, 3 against and 1 spoiled paper. To take things forward now, and call a minister, Mearns Kirk and Newton Mearns Parish Church, jointly, have to prepare various papers for Presbytery:

• the Vacancy Schedule (a finance paper) is complete; and
• 
  the Parish Profile for the 2 churches – which is essentially the advert for a minister - is almost complete. All that remains to be done is a joint introduction and this will be written by the time you read this.

These 2 papers go to Presbytery for approval and to 121, after which we should be given permission to call.

The Newton Mearns manse is being refurbished and will hopefully be finished around
Christmas or in the early new year.

Once we have permission to call a new minister, a Nomination Committee from the 2 churches will take this work forward (7 from Mearns Kirk and 6 from Newton Mearns). There will be more about this nearer the time.

Website

It’s important to have our website as up to date as possible before we call a minister so Liz, Christina, Pam and I have been working on the format and content of the new website and most of it is drafted. We hope to meet with a design company soon to take this forward – so watch this space!

Peripatetic Mission Work

Paul Cathcart is a Deacon, who until recently had been working as the Vacant Charge Enabler at Presbytery. Paul now has a new role as the Presbytery Peripatetic Missions Worker. This means that he supports churches / linkages / unions who have applied for his help to take mission and other developments forward.

Mearns Kirk and Newton Mearns applied jointly for Paul's time and were successful so he has started and is giving us 50% of his time (he is already working with the Merrylea/Orchardhill linkage). We have met with Paul and look forward to working with him over the next few months. He has written a letter, below, to let you know what he plans to be working on.

We will welcome Paul again to Mearns Kirk on Sunday 14 December when he will speak to the congregation at the start of the service. He will then go to Newton Mearns Parish Church and speak to their congregation at the end of their service. We will also see Paul in church as he shares in worship with us from time to time.