Members have say on building’s future
Cambuslang Parish Church members will have their say on the future of the church’s Kirkhill sanctuary building next Sunday.
The Reformer revealed in June that plans were being discussed between the church - formed in 2008, from the merger of three Church of Scotland congregations within the town, Cambuslang Old Parish, Trinity St Paul’s and St Andrew’s - and local voluntary organisation Lightburn Elderly Association Project (LEAP).
LEAPis interested in taking on the building, but if this is to happen, the move has to be approved by the congregation and the kirk session.
In a letter sent to all members of the congregation, Rev Dr Leslie Milton said: “The church building at Kirkhill is an important site in the history of Cambuslang. Kirk session is aware that this building is currently underused, and its current use does not serve our mission as a Christian congregation.
“We have been considering whether there are ways of allowing the building to be used that will respect its place at the centre of our community.
“The kirk session has concluded that now might be an appropriate time to investigate alternative uses for the Kirkhill sanctuary.
“We have entered preliminary discussions with LEAP, a local group providing services for older people across the area, and they are interested in taking the building on and renovating it so that it might be a centre of their activity.
“It needs to be stressed that at this stage only preliminary discussions have been held, and the kirk session wishes to bring recommendations for the future of the building in order that a final decision can be taken.
“Any decision to allow the church building to be transferred out of the keeping of Cambuslang Parish Church needs to be taken by a meeting of the congregation, and is not a decision of the Kirk Session alone.”
A discussion will take place this Sunday, allowing the congregation to discuss the matter amongst themselves.
Rev Dr Milton continued: “Kirk session is enthusiastic in its support for continuing conversations with LEAP. We are excited about the possibility that the building would be brought back into daily use, and we are also keen that such use would honour the heritage of that site.
“In discussion the future of the Kirkhill sanctuary building the kirk session placed service to the community and the honouring of the site’s heritage as a higher priority than financial gain.
“If this proposal comes to fruition we would no longer have ownership of, or responsibility for, the Kirkhill sanctuary building.”
We are excited about the possibility of the building being brought back into daily use