Welcome to the website of the Bankfoot Church Centre.
We opened our new building on
To some the Bankfoot Church
Centre
represents a new way of “doing church”, to others it is a recovery of a
model
based on scripture, where worship and daily life merge into one.
The aim of the project to rebuild the
church after the fire was to provide a twenty first century building
accessible
and relevant to all.
Throughout the planning and
building
process, the church sought to listen carefully to the needs, hopes and
plans of
its community. It also listened carefully for God's plans and was
encouraged by
the continued recurrence of the words of Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know
the plans
I have for you,” says the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm
you, to
give you hope and a future.” These words
seemed so fitting and deliberate that they became the inscription on
the
foundation stone on which the whole project was, quite literally built.
Within the building there are
facilities
for all ages, from the soft play area for children to a day care centre
for the
elderly. Our hope is that all who enter the building will not only feel
welcome
but know that God is present in the midst of this community.
The building is now busy all day every day serving the community of Bankfoot. For many it makes God's love tangible and understandable in their lives. In valuing and serving God’s children we are serving God and highlighting His presence in our midst.
Bankfoot Church Centre is a very beautiful and practical building but it is also a building with a message. The message is: “God cares for you and has plans for you”.
Iain McFadzean
MISSION STATEMENT:
We aim to provide a focus of faith and worship accessible to all within our growing community.
By relating to all ages we will reach out in Christian service and caring to all in Auchtergaven and Moneydie Parish.
We aspire to bring the progressive influence of Christ into the midst of the life of our parish creating a sense of belonging to the wider family of God.
VISION FOR THE FUTURE:
To foster and grow the ethos of unconditional acceptance to all expressed through our Christian faith.
To make the gospel available to all generations using the best methods and materials we can employ.
To be an open, outward looking congregation founded on the truth of scripture and led by the Holy Spirit.
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THE FUTURE OF BANKFOOT
As some will be aware when we called our present minister to our church it was the end of a difficult chapter in our history. A period which saw the retiral of our previous minister Rev. Bill McGregor, a fight to avoid a linkage or union and be allowed to call another minister and the burning down of our much loved church building
When we called our present minister, Rev. Iain McFadzean, we did so on the basis of a 5 year reviewable tenure. This meant that at any time the presbytery could review our minister’s tenure and decide whether he was required or not with no further reference to the congregation. When our nomination committee asked Iain at interview if this concerned him he said, “No, because within 5 years we will be seen as such a successful enthusiastic church that we will be moved back onto Full status once more.”
I am happy to say that on the 9th of February that prophecy was fulfilled when the Presbytery of Perth voted to remove the restriction on tenure at Bankfoot. In effect this means that Iain moves onto a permanent contract which can only be changed with his agreement. It also means however that Bankfoot Church is once more a Church in “Full Status”, securing a dedicated minister for Bankfoot and ensuring the ability to call another minister without restriction should a vacancy arise in the future. This is good news for Iain but great news for Bankfoot Church.
The one “fly in the ointment” is our financial situation. The Church of Scotland System requires each congregation to pay into a central fund which is then used to pay for all the ministers, ensuring that even churches which cannot afford it can have the services of a minister. Those who can afford it pay more and those who cannot, pay less. At present only one third of churches are self-supporting and they are subsidising those who are not. The situation is becoming unsustainable and there is a danger that, in the future, there will not be enough money to support the present number of ministers. The challenge therefore is to try to get more churches to be self supporting.
When looking at the list of self supporting churches it is humbling to note that many are in areas where per capita income is very low but where commitment levels are obviously high. If these churches can be self supporting, so can many others.
Unfortunately Bankfoot is still an “aid receiving” church to the tune of £18,000 per year. Although this has been reducing over recent years we still have some way to go. While we are still aid receiving, our position of trying to ensure that there will always be a full time minister in Bankfoot is considerably weakened.
We have come a long way in the last few years and are now in a much stronger position than we were. I hope that we will now be able to look forward to a time when we will be able to say with pride that we are not only “Full Status” but also fully “self supporting,” and indeed will be able, in time, to support others who are going through what we have been through.
This is not a begging letter and, at present there are no plans to start a new stewardship campaign, though we need to think about this soon. At present this is just a note of congratulation to Iain and the whole congregation and a warning that as one chapter finishes another begins. I am sure the next chapter will be as exciting as the last and I look forward to seeing how our story unfolds.
ALASTAIR MACDONALD
SESSION CLERK & DEPUTY TREASURER
