Service will mark church milestone
A Stirling landmark celebrates its 150th birthday next week.
Allan Park South Church in Dumbarton Road commemorates 150 years of continuous worship on Friday, October 20.
And to mark this milestone a service of thanksgiving will be held at 7pm with the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Right Rev Dr Derek Browning, preaching the sermon.
Also present will be former minister Rev Morris Coull, Fr Andrew Kingham (St Mary’s RC Church), Rev Christoph Wutscher (rector of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church), Rev Lynne Mack (Moderator of the Presbytery of Stirling) and current minister Rev Alistair Cowper.
They will be joined by the Lord Lieutenant of Stirling and Falkirk Alan Simpson, Stephen Kerr MP, Bruce Crawford MSP and Provost Christine Simpson.
The church building was completed in 1867 at a cost of £4983 8 shillings and 11 pence after a feu was obtained from the Patrons of Allan’s Hospital for ground beneath the town wall, known as Busbie’s Orchard or Gibb’s Garden. Mr Gibb was the owner of the Royal (now Golden Lion) Hotel.
The building today is remarkably similar except for the addition of the large hall in 1935 and the removal of the highest point of the bell tower in 1953.
Modernisation has taken place over the years and today the church is equipped with an audio-visual system, enabling it to be used by different groups in the Stirling area and beyond.
The spacious church halls are in daily use by a variety of different groups and welcome people of faith or of none. Everyone is welcome to the special service.