St Kiaran’s Scottish Episcopal Church, Campbeltown
The church practises Local Collaborative Ministry (LCM).
It aims to encourage and develop the skills and experience of everyone to nourish its life.
Ministry Team: The Bishop has oversight of the Ministry Team
Mrs Lesley Barford (Lay Leader) Tel: 07771 926 328
Mrs Judith Macrae (Lay Leader) Tel: 01586 552429
Mr David McEwan (Lay Chaplain) Tel: 01586 551141
Retired priest in the congregation:
Revd. Canon Keith V Pagan B.A., M.A., Tel: 01586 830 310
The church family
Background
St Kiaran’s Scottish Episcopal Church serves an area covering Kintyre. The main town, Campbeltown, has a population of about 5000. Its main industries are tourism, agriculture, fishing, and forestry. More recently, Kintyre has become synonymous with the development of renewable energy, with the creation of a wind turbine factory near Machrihanish. Property is relatively inexpensive, and people who are retired or who are looking for a holiday home often move into the area. The area is a magnet for those interested in sailing, golf, angling, surfing and walking. In addition there is a thriving arts scene encompassing music, drama and the visual arts.
Campbeltown Loch
The Episcopalian congregation was formally constituted in the town in 1848. It is the most southerly congregation in the Diocese, the nearest congregation to it being at Lochgilphead, 50 miles due north. A history of the church – “Wings of Faith” ISBN 0 905573 53 6 (2003) can be purchased from the General Synod Office, 21 Grosvenor Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 5EE.
Church Services
At present (May 2021) there is a celebration of Holy Communion every Sunday at 10.45 am (Covid restrictions apply). Please book a seat by phoning Mrs Lesley Barford (Lay Leader) Tel: 07771 926 328.
Pre-Covid, the pattern of services were that on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Sundays of the month, at 10.45 am, a sung service of Holy Communion, with Sermon and using the 1982 Scottish Liturgy was usually administered by a Team of authorised Lay Persons.
On the 1st Sunday of the month, there was a sung service of Morning Prayer at 10.45 am, and, instead of a sermon, the Ministry of the Word took the form of theological reflection, based on the Bible Reading Fellowship Notes – “New Daylight” and “The Upper Room” – which are read by most of the congregation.
Occasional services are also held, as required by the church calendar.
Visitors are asked to check the noticeboard on the Church Porch or the Campbeltown Courier for any variation in service times.
The church is sometimes open on weekdays. Phone 07771 926 328 for details.
Self-help colouring-in sheets (including Gaelic ones) for the different seasons of the church year etc. are available for young children visiting the church, in addition to sheets for every Sunday of the three church lectionary years. A children’s table and chairs and a box of toys are available in the church for use during services.
The church has 28 attached members, of which 17 are communicant ones. (December 2020)
Eating together
Personnel
There is one Lay Chaplain, with overall responsibility, and two Lay Leaders. The retired priest enables sacramental worship to continue. A team of Scripture Readers and Intercessors also assist in the work of Ministry. An Organist supports the musical life of the church and the church business is administered by the Secretary who also handles all financial matters. There is an elected Vestry, which meets quarterly. Cleaners keep the church in good order throughout the year. The church garden is tended to on a regular basis.
Canon Pagan
Developments
Since the cessation of stipendiary ministry in November 1998, the church has been heavily involved in developing Local Collaborative Ministry (LCM) and it has been at the forefront of this, not only in the Diocese, but also in the Province.
The congregation, which meets at 10.45 am, is strongly committed to the principles of LCM and has willingly undertaken continuing ministerial development over the last 19 years. It has completed all 15 sessions of the Foundation Stage of Mission 21, it has sent delegates to the Provincial Conferences in St Andrews and Edinburgh, it has been part of several national training sessions for Facilitators and it has participated in local training sessions with the former Provincial Officer for LCM, covering such areas as “Reading in Church”, “Leading Intercessions”, “Pastoral Visiting” and “Setting Congregational Goals”.
It has completed all parts of the Diocesan initiative “Building the Vision”. The principal current aims of the congregation are “to continue to be a happy, outward-looking and welcoming congregation and to keep growing more worship leaders”.
In order to maximise greater ownership in decision-making, Vestry Meetings are open to all, but with elected members only being responsible if a vote requires to be taken.
The Team of appointed Lay Persons is able to lead services on a regular basis. New skills, such as leading services, informed discussion, preaching, preparing intercessions and administration of the Sacrament, have been acquired by the Team, all with congregational approval.
The housebound and those in hospital are visited informally by members of the congregation and ministered to by the retired priest, when required.
Learning together
Mission
The congregation is committed to supporting Missionary work, and it gives ongoing financial assistance to the Scottish Episcopal Church Missionary Association. Christian Aid and the Red Cross are actively supported. More recently the church has become involved in supporting the work of the Nepalese Children’s Trust and in giving financial help to a former member of the congregation working with street children in the Philippines through the charity “Fairplay For All”.
The congregation participates in ecumenical events and has active involvement in the World Day of Prayer and the Scottish Bible Society.
The church publishes a Newsletter, on a quarterly basis. This publication, which attracts positive feedback, embraces news items, sermons, historical articles and pastoral matters and it is circulated within the congregation, the U.K. and overseas. Digital copies are available on request.
The church contributes to the “Thought for the Week” column in the Campbeltown Courier on a rota basis.
The congregation engages in directed listening to music before every service.
Aware of the current interest in genealogy, the church has published cross-referenced documents, making its Registers for Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths available to enquirers. Copies can be consulted in the local library.
The Vestry supports the use of Gaelic in the Liturgy and there is an annual outreach Service, coinciding with the Mull of Kintyre Music Festival, incorporating Gaelic, every summer.
Worshipping together at the Gaelic Service
The annual Gaelic Service at St Kiaran’s Campbeltown
Address at annual Gaelic Service
General
Over the last 20 years, the Church has undertaken a general refurbishment of its building and grounds, dealing with dry rot and woodworm, making the church building watertight, providing a toilet and kitchen facilities, dealing with internal decoration, installing a new organ and making its appearance more welcoming and flexible. The church garden and grounds are maintained on a regular basis. To enable much of this to happen, a decision was made to sell the adjoining Rectory in order to provide a financial base from which to work positively.
Although few in number, the congregation is keen to survive and is committed to the principles of church growth.
David O McEwan (Lay Chaplain)
May 2021
The St Kiaran’s Mission Prayer
Almighty and everlasting God, who has inspired men and women in all generations to
proclaim your message of goodwill, grant to us all those things that are necessary for
our spiritual welfare. Be our guide as we journey together, teaching us to be
faithful in acknowledging you as Lord, and helping us to be sensitive to the needs of
those who belong to this fellowship and beyond. Give us the spirit to persevere and
enable us to see within ourselves those things which promote peace and harmony, that,
sharing in them, we may grow as a congregation and be strengthened to do your will,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
