Firstly thank you to all for your suggestions and ideas. Last month we asked everyone to submit ideas and Dreams for Holy Trinity’s building and how we could improve it. Vestry members discussed these and split them into 2 categories.
1. Those concerned with the building were divided into 3 – Discuss Now, Hopes and Dreams. Vestry will give regular updates on the progress towards meeting the points raised.
2. Those concerned with our services and outreach. Many of these points are being discussed and addressed by our Growing Congregations and Communications sub-groups.
Completed• Dust woodwork above pipes/organ – this was completed during the repair of the organ. Vestry will look to ensuring it is cleaned on a regular basis.
Discuss Now• Notice Boards; Signage; Sandwich board for front of church to say welcome we are open; story board in vestibule telling the story of our congregation• More banners and/or hangings and/or art in church – seasonal. YF/YC to contribute• Open to the community more often• New child friendly furniture for Young Church along with storage• Paint walls of church, vestibule and in the hall• Replace curtains and carpets• Encourage use of disabled access lift• Glass in door at rear of church• Glass door at front of church• Repair and paint side door to street • Bench at top level landing for people to wait• Rail in middle of the stairs in sanctuary• Handrail at lectern• Lighting, replace ceiling lights• Clean tiles• Heating • Seating strips on all the pews• Some of the vestibule windows don’t close• Audio visual connection, church office & wifi• Webcam to go live and stream• New sound system• Toilets – always freezing – add pull switch heater; Sort out plumbing in toilets – often there is no hot water, also very few signs for visitors• Screens or curtains to cover up cupboard and chairs storage area• Dishwasher in the kitchen• “as existing” drawings
Hopes• Make church building more child friendly – area for prams, baby seats. Remove some pews to make room for prams or wheelchairs• No pews – allows us to use the space• New modern temperature-controlled heating system• Storage in the hall• Refurbish hall• New entrance to the south into carpark• Handrail at the steps up into the garden• Open the church to those who want to come in for quiet time – 2-3 times a week • Screens in church for music, liturgy, videos, replace pew sheets
Dreams• Screens outside rooms & church to show what is on• Ramp up to altar or move altar down• Glass box extension at front of church, café or child space• Hall & kitchen extension to garden space, modern kitchen, roof top garden• Second and maybe third floor added to hall– classrooms, meeting rooms, shower• Top tier in church – use old pews, modern• Proper lift/elevator system
Suggestions to be taken forward to another meeting• Mix of old and modern hymns• A Sunday with no communion• Services on other days and times of day• Prayer team• More bible study • Family services to encourage in young families• Services need not be all formal. We are a diverse people of God• Involve young people in the church – intersessions, reading, welcoming visitors. Look at the church through the eyes of young people• Main 11am service is a minefield for newbies with no direction either verbal or written as to what to do. We go straight into hymns and Gloria with no direction, say together light text as well as bold. Need service sheets with what we actually do• Explore various types and ways of doing worship – music, singing, Taize, less formal, no communion• Make use of Common Ground as well as NEH or other hymn books• New hymn books, modern• More joy and celebration, more smiley faces • Less rigid service and larger selection of hymns and choruses• There are a lot of talented individuals in the church – we should use their talents. Encourage diversity and equality• Social event with church next door• More church “outside” happenings• Youth at one of the services• Consider doing church in the surrounding community – not just in our own building• Integrate more with our neighbours, Baptist and St Margarets. Perhaps a local ecumenical partnership. Join with St Margarets, Rosyth for joint services 3-4 times a year• Notices giving service and contact details should be distributed to hotels and B&Bs and homeless hostels for display• Cards that members of our congregationgoing on holiday could give to churches they attend giving greetings from HT• The church can be open as a venue for the arts, etc• Rector’s thoughts in magazine• Stuart is an ordained priest – perhaps he should be licenced. Will encourage younger people into church• What is our church’s mission?• What is our role in this community?
Update! Before this report was even published work has been ongoing to put up new signage to help visitors and our young church find the toilets as seen in the picture above. Also a more major change is the refurbished doors at the rear of the church, for more info click below! Please let us know how you feel and your thoughts on the list above, any we have missed?