Information about the churches’ work in the community.
St Bartholomew’s, Gourock, has a very active congregation and strong ecumenical links with the local community. As part of that, all the local ministers/priests and head teachers of the primary and secondary schools meet quarterly to discuss various issues and to organise ecumenical services, the retiring collections from which go to the local McPherson Centre, which caters for adults with severe learning disabilities.
Pupils from the secondary schools help to organise a concert for retired people in the area, with meal and entertainment provided free of charge. Further fundraising for the Centre also takes place in the various schools and churches.
There is a ministers’ fraternal in the town which is supported by all the clergy.
St John’s, Greenock, is in the west end of Greenock, in an area surrounded by many other churches. Through the work of one of its members, emergency toilet bags are made for Inverclyde Royal Hospital. As a congregation they are involved in Starter Packs Inverclyde, which supports homeless people setting up a home, supplying various household items.
The church is involved at Harvest with Barnardo’s Threshold Initiative, collecting ring pull tins to supply food to homeless people.
Throughout the course of the year the church, supported by the Sunday School and its friends in St Bartholomew’s, has four away giving campaigns to raise awareness of many different charities by prayers and fundraising. In 2009 the four charities being supported are the Bishop’s Lenten Appeal, Aberlour (which they always support), Inverclyde Youth for Christ - a local Christian based organisation working with young people in youth clubs and on the street, as well as school chaplaincies - and the Maxie Richards Foundation.
St John’s is a fair trade church with a fair trade stall. The hall is used by local groups from the flower club, local men’s choir, tai chi, dog club and once a month by the church craft group consisting of members of the congregation and their friends.
St Mary’s, Port Glasgow, is currently a vacant charge but they have a very strong women’s ecumenical group. Once a month the church hosts a bingo evening where the local community can come to the church hall and enjoy a social evening, and at the same time raising some funds for the church.
St Fillan’s, Kilmacolm, and St Mary’s, Bridge of Weir, combine many of their activities. St Mary’s Transport provides lifts to anyone in the community with a hospital or dental appointment. Reading Group is a book group convened by church members and open to and used by community members. Social Group is convened by members of St Fillans with representation from St Mary’s and organises theatre trips, days out to shows at Pitlochry, Edinburgh etc. The churches hold a joint Lent Study Group which is again ecumenical, and both churches are fair trade.
Holy Trinity-St Barnabas, Paisley, sits in the heart of the town centre. They host SVDP Soup kitchen (Our Lady of the Wayside), Cornerstone Drop In (food and Christian support for those with addictions) and The Way (Christian Support group for those with addictions). The church is also used by Education Action Network for many of its study courses and day workshops due to its easy access by train and bus.
