Carrubbers Christian Centre facts for kids
Carrubbers Christian Centre is a church located on the famous Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland. It's a place where people gather to learn about the Christian faith and help their community.
Contents
History of Carrubbers
How the Mission Began
The story of Carrubbers began in 1858. It was first known as the Carrubbers Close Mission. Its first workers met in a building that used to be an Atheist Meeting House in Carrubbers Close. The founder of this mission was a man named James Gall (1808–1895).
In 1883, a famous American evangelist named Dwight L. Moody visited Edinburgh. He traveled with Ira D. Sankey, who would sing his own songs while Moody preached. During their visit, they helped raise a lot of money – £10,000! This money was used to build a permanent home for the mission. The foundation stone for the new building was laid later that year. An architect from Edinburgh, John Armstrong, designed the building.
Helping the Community
Carrubbers was set up as a mission, not just a regular church. This meant it focused on helping other churches in Edinburgh with teaching and reaching out to people. It was run by a group of directors from different churches across the city. For most of its history, Carrubbers focused on sharing Christian messages, teaching from the Bible, and helping people who were poor, sick, or struggling.
A special part of Carrubbers' work was its Saturday night gatherings. Also, every Sunday morning, they still offer a free breakfast for people experiencing homelessness.
Carrubbers Transformed
Modernizing the Building
By the 1980s, large public gatherings were becoming less popular, and the building itself was getting old. So, the directors decided to update and improve the building. This project was called "Carrubbers into the Nineties."
Work began in 1990. A new floor was added at the balcony level. This created a welcoming main hall that could seat 350 people. In the new basement, a café was built, along with smaller halls and office spaces. Upstairs from the main hall, there are more halls, offices, a library, and even a private apartment.
New Focus for the Church
After the renovations, Carrubbers changed its focus. It started to build a smaller group of regular church members. It became an independent, non-denominational church, meaning it's not officially linked to one specific Christian group.
Today, Carrubbers holds its main meetings on Sundays at 9:45 AM, 11:30 AM, and 6:30 PM. They also have over 30 different activities and ministries. These include small group meetings in homes on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, and church prayer meetings on other Tuesdays.
Carrubbers Christian Centre is popular with many students and young people. It's known for its clear and detailed Bible teaching, and it offers many courses to help Christians learn and grow in their faith. Many people also find faith in Jesus through connecting with church members or by joining their courses for people exploring Christianity.
