St George’s-Tron Building Redevelopment Update

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Did you know?

• In the 1950’s / 60’s there were only a dozen or so people living in our parish — all caretakers at the top of buildings.
• At the last count in late 2003 there were 1716 homes — a further 200 have been completed since then.
• Glasgow City Council aimed to have 2000 homes in our Parish by 2005 — Looks like it’s happened!
• A further 1000 homes are either under construction or planned between 2005 & 2010.
• Since the opening of Buchanan Galleries in 1999, pedestrian flow in Buchanan Street has increased to the dizzy heights of 500,000 people per week. On a Sunday alone figures near 100,000. Other than Oxford Street, London, there is no busier place in the UK!
• Plans are afoot to almost double the size of Buchanan Galleries — likely to be by 2012.

There can be no doubt that the dynamics have changed around us dramatically over the past 7 years and seem set to do the same over the next 7 years and beyond.

And we are rooted in the centre of this Marketplace!

The balance of our work has also changed to reflect the mid-week traffic all around us. Over recent years a number of new Gospel initiatives have been introduced. The Wednesday 30 minute Service now gathers 150+ people weekly. City breakfasts, Christianity Explored and other groups run alongside.

Then there is the 12-2pm (Tuesday-Friday) and 2-4pm (Saturday) Open Door ministry, staffed by members who have constant opportunities for witness.

“3-4000 people per year visit our Church in the course of the Open Door ministry. We carry literature in every common European language—the Church is not open to be a tourist facility but to present the Gospel to all. Our location gives us increasing opportunity to present the Gospel in this fashion”.
Norrie Miller – Senior Elder

“We probably have as good a strategic location as any Church in the whole world!”
Alex Bedford – Epaphras Trust

The opportunities are boundless; only our resources impede us. As we look to the future, seeking to fulfil God’s command to be faithful in spreading the Gospel, we all can see the increasing importance of making impact locally—right here in the city centre—as well as city-wide.

We have extra-ordinary opportunities given our heritage and location. Witness the fact that Glasgow is the UK’s 3rd City; that 2.5 million people live within one hour’s travel of our Church, and the fact that we have a unique prominence on one of the top UK retail and commercial thoroughfares.

The convergence of the condition of our Building, the changes to Buchanan Street and to our Parish, and the national importance of Glasgow deliver a new Gospel challenge to us. There is a huge future for the impact of the Gospel here. As with Nehemiah we aim to do God’s work, God’s way.

We simply must seize the moment God has given us.