Warm welcome for new reverend Ian
The new minister of Flemington Hallside has stated that the church must be “more than just architecture” as he settles into his new role in the parish.
Ian Cathcart took over at the Cambuslang church, succeeding Neil Glover, who departed for new pastures last year.
And Ian, who previously preached in Anstruther and in Penicuik, is pleased to be returning to the west after years away from home.
He said: “I am Glasgow-born and bred, but have mostly preached elsewhere. I felt it was the right time to move nearer home and get closer to my family through here, and Flemington Hallside felt like it was a standout option.
“Everything I saw about the church suggested it had similar outlooks and a similar focus to what I would like to do as a minister.
“In the past I’ve had a significant schools ministry and I know the Reach Out Trust do great work in that regard here.”
The new minister also believes that continuing to be involved in the wider community, and helping locals battle isolation, are key aims of the church.
He added: “I remember reading about minister saying that if the local church closed he was worried people wouldn’t notice, and that sums it up Flemington Hallside needs to be more than a piece of architecture.
“I’m not saying this will be the same, but previously we were involved with Christians Against Poverty and groups like that attempt to deal with the problems that arise from poverty.”
Church attendances are declining across Scotland, and Ian believes that making the church a community fixture can help reverse that decline.
“It isn’t just churches where that is happening, it is something affecting all the societal groups, the sort of places that used to be the glue for a local community.
“That is something that can cause problems because people are becoming more isolated and more lonely these days.
“We want them to know they need not be alone.”
Ian used to have an aunt who lived in Cambuslang in the 1970s, but other than that this is his first experience of the area.
He has been pleased by the warm welcome given to him and his family, which includes wife Jackie and four children.
He said: “When a congregation has lost someone greatly loved like Neil Glover, they feel the gap there and folk are appreciative and make you feel welcome.
“It’s a busy time (to be arriving at the church), but it’s a very nice time and it’s a family time, a time when I daresay you see more people at the church and people who might not be there at other times of the year, so it’s a chance to reach those people.”
Everything I saw about the church suggested it had a similar focus to what I would like to do