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Cranhill Parish Church is a small community of faith with a big heart. Most live locally. There are all ages, though most of us would count ourselves not-so-young. We are employed , retired and unemployed. We are single, married, widowed, divorced. We represent a number of different nationalities.
Worship on a Sunday at 11 am is traditional-with-a twist: we use the common lectionary in tune with many congregations around the world, but our liturgy is quite informal and participative. We enjoy using symbol, art, drama and contemporary readings, music and images.
As we gather, we seek to meet the Living Word and then, refreshed, re-enter the world with vision and passion. We celebrate communion on the first Sunday of each month.
Along with partners in the Cranhill Community Project, which is based in the church building, we work for justice for the people of Cranhill. Although there is housing regeneration and two new primary schools, Cranhill is still an area of poverty where people often have low expectations and poor health. There are many isolated people.
Many of our members volunteer in a number of ways in the Project. Our weekly Nearly New Shop provides affordable bargains and some income for the congregation, but most importantly allows folk to catch up and feel listened to.
Hospitality is very important to us. We share meals regularly and are glad to welcome visitors.
We seek to engage creatively with the community and provide prayer and pastoral support, and soon we hope to develop a midweek house group to explore questions of faith and deepen our fellowship. We also enjoy celebrating, and invite the community to join us.
Our vision is of a community hub which welcomes the whole community and offers leisure, health and educational opportunities, as well as space to reflect and someone to listen. We know we can’t do this ourselves, and so we are glad to join with our partners in the Edinburgh Road Grouping (High Carntyne and St Enoch’s Hogganfield Churches) and in the wider community.
There is a hymn we like to sing that says, ‘Let us build a house where love can dwell…all are welcome in this place’. We mean it.
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