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A Faith to Proclaim, A Fellowship to Share
St John's-Renfield Church of Scotland
About Our Church
Welcome to SJR
St John’s-Renfield is a Church of Scotland congregation which worships in a beautiful and inspirational building on Beaconsfield Road in the West End of Glasgow. At present we are in vacancy and do not have our own permanent minister in post. Sunday worship is lead by visiting ministers, retired ministers who are members of the congregation, and a Worship Team.
We are an inclusive and friendly congregation, aiming to welcome all who may come to worship, whether they are committed Christians, are seeking faith, or are just plain curious. At various times in the church year, but particularly during Lent and Advent, we run a variety of study programmes open to all. As a response to worship, and in all our activities, we encourage open questioning and discussion, and aim to inform and stimulate rather than prescribe and dictate. We are a mixed group, as in most churches, but manage to conduct all our business in a friendly and tolerant way.
WORSHIP
We meet for the main service of worship at 11.00 a.m. on a Sunday morning and welcome all ages. Although the service is generally traditional in form, where appropriate and circumstances allow, we explore alternative forms of worship. Praise is lead by our choir under the direction of our organist and choirmaster, Cameron Murdoch. We do not currently have a Sunday school, but children are most welcome and activity packs are available for the younger children at the front door. We hold several “Messy Church” meetings during the year, which allow families with young children to worship together.
Communion is celebrated quarterly as part of Morning Worship, in March, June, October and December. Special services are held at Easter and Christmas. All-age services are held to mark the opening and closing sessions of the youth organisations, and to celebrate other important dates in their calendars as well. Needless to say, representatives of these organisations, such as Brownies and Guides, and members of the Boys’ Brigade, are welcome among us at any time of the year. We have a close and happy connection with the local Primary School within our bounds. The staff and youngsters are made welcome in the church for their Christmas, Easter and year-end prize-giving services and concerts.
We celebrate weddings and baptisms, and conduct funeral services for members within the congregation, and welcome approaches for all these occasions from the wider parish. See the Life's Journey page for more information
The building has particularly good acoustics, so much so that it is regularly used by several major Glasgow choirs for rehearsals and performances. Please get in touch through the church office (office@sjrchurch.com) to discuss these kind of services or to enquire about the availability of the building for hire.
Coming to Church
You will be met at the door by our Welcome Team, who will be wearing name badges, and given an Order of Service. Large-print versions are available if required. Please sit wherever you choose. Hymn books and Bibles are available in the pews. If you would prefer a large-print or words-only hymn book (lighter and smaller), please ask the office-bearers at the door. The church is fitted with an induction loop for the benefit of hearing-aid users, and the church and facilities are fully accessible. Breast feeding is welcome in any part of the church. The Sunday service lasts approximately one hour and is followed by further fellowship over tea and coffee in the Large Hall. Past services can be viewed on YouTube.
