The Brochure
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- Flexible accommodation to allow full use of our location
- New lower ground floor – modern kitchen; increased WC provision & flexible meeting space
- Ground floor visibility to the sanctuary – bringing the outside in!
- Serving the mission in our city centre
- Meeting the marketplace
- Setting the tone for the future of the work
- Fellowship area on ground floor for multi-purposes
- Reinstated pulpit area and greater flexibility in the sanctuary
- No loss of seat numbers – potentially a net gain
- Serving more of the church family more of the time
When Paul arrived in the great cities of ancient Greece, he found them replete with impressive architecture, steeped in sophisticated learning, alive with exotic ‘spiritualities’ and overrun with sensual hedonism. Little has changed in the urban landscape over two millennia. That’s Glasgow today.
But Paul saw beyond the buzz and excitement of the bustling metropolis to the crowds lost in the confusion of idolatry. His response? He did everything he could to get a hearing for the message of the truth wherever people were. He reasoned with the God-fearing folk who came to the synagogues on the Sabbath, but also spoke in the marketplace daily with those who didn’t.
We now have a unique position in our city’s marketplace. And so we too have a responsibility to do all we can to get a hearing for the gospel of Christ whenever people will listen—not just on Sundays, but every day with those who ‘happen to be here’ in the city. In recent years our church ministries have developed accordingly. But those at the heart of this work know that what we do now could be helped greatly, and many more dreams would become possible, if our premises were renovated to give a modern, flexible facility. It is for this reason—mission, not cosmetics and comfort—that proposals have been carefully developed over several years to find the best possible solution that fulfils the potential of our extraordinary site for the gospel.
I arrived late on in this project’s history, but became convinced it is indeed an essential part of developing of our mission at St George’s-Tron. Moreover, I respect and value enormously the dedication, experience, wisdom and spiritual conviction of the Building Development Team. We could not wish for better leadership, and I trust them completely to lead the way on our behalf.
Therefore, I want to urge us all to consider prayerfully the proposals before us at this momentous time, and seek to respond together, as a fellowship, to the challenge and opportunity they present. And remember, we are investing for eternity. William J U Philip
William J U Philip
Minister
Ground Floor Fellowship Area
"This is a really exciting space!"
Full height, easily folding glass screens separate the new fellowship area from the sanctuary. Visible from the street, this will provide access to the inside of our church and make a significantly more welcoming environment at all times of the day. This becomes our "shop front" to Buchanan Street.
The space is again designed to be multi-functional and the screens can be fully folded away to allow even more seating – up to 400 on the ground floor alone! The flexibility should prove invaluable to the mission of outreach, the weekly programme of worship and other events. In the first place it instantly allows everyone to enjoy an area for gathering after all our events. Beyond this, it will be the main scene of our 9-5 outreach to the city and allows us – for the first time – to provide informal accommodation within the first 30ft of our front door!
The space is so flexible that we can also create a private room for one-to-one meetings.
Pulpit and Enhanced Comfort for all
"Reinstate the original design and provide a
more flexible environment"
With the removal of the faux organ pipes and timber casing, we have an opportunity to return the pulpit area nearer to its original design. The north and south rooms will also be removed to release more space for seating and will provide flexible areas for such things as screened chair storage; the musicians; and private meeting areas.
The pews will be replaced by more comfortable ergonomically designed stacking chairs – the system envisaged can be laid out/cleared away in a matter of minutes. The occasion can determine the layout of the sanctuary – for example – a centre aisle for a wedding!
Lower Ground Floor Hall
"Delivering long needed on-site facilities and support to our main building and
providing modern kitchen and WC accommodation"
Capable of being divided into two rooms or one larger room accommodating up to 100 people, this facility is multi-purpose and is served by a galley kitchen. Designed to Grade A Office specification in terms of all dimensions and fit out, this lower ground accommodation will have the potential to revolutionise the way the church family operates every day of the week. Accessed by two sets of stairs and a lift, it is envisaged that this new facility augmented by greatly increased WC provision, will be capable of the following uses:
On a Sunday: Crèche; Junior Sunday School; Tea & coffee preparation/serving; Students and Internationals meetings; Prayer breakfasts/meetings before worship; Counselling/discussion groups after worship; Planning meetings; After evening service meetings etc.
And
During the week: Prayer/Business breakfasts; Staff meetings/training; Epaphras Trust Planning meetings; 12-2 impromptu meetings with visitors; Outreach lunches; Light refreshments before and after the midweek service(s); Student midweek meetings; Prayer meetings; Youth meetings; Christianity Explored courses; Teaching and ministry courses; informal and impromptu meeting space for visitors etc.
He saw the city was full of idols
so he reasoned in the
marketplace every day with
those who happened to be there.
Acts 17: 16-17
“I remember being very nervous the
first time I walked into the church. I
didn't know what was in there. I didn't
know what to expect. If the door
hadn't been open at that point, when
I felt I had to go in, I don't know if
I would have had the courage to
come back."
Kate Airlie, congregational member and
ex-atheist
"Currently 3-4000 people per year visit our Church in
the course of the Open Door ministry. We carry
literature in every common European language and
Asian languages. 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.
St George's-Tron (Building Development)
Buchanan Street, Glasgow G1 2JX
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