South Wishaw Parish Church facts for kids

South Wishaw Parish Church is a special place of worship in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It's part of the Church of Scotland and serves the southern parts of the town. This includes areas like Pather and Netherton, and even stretches down to the River Clyde. It's a central spot for the community.

The Church Building

The main church building was designed by Alexander Hinshelwood. It was built in 1874. The church has a Gothic style, which means it looks a bit like old castles or cathedrals. It has a tall, square belltower with a stone spire at one corner. The walls are made of yellow sandstone. You can see pointed-arch windows, which are typical for Gothic buildings.

Inside, the church used to have galleries on three sides. These were like balconies where people could sit. There were also traditional wooden pews. A large, carved wooden pulpit stood at the front. Behind it was a big pipe organ.

Next to the church, there's a separate Church Hall. Malcolm Ross designed this hall, and it was built in 1903. It has a large main hall, a smaller hall, a kitchen, and toilets. This hall gives the church much more space for activities.

Church History

South Wishaw Parish Church was created in 2004. This happened when two older churches, Thornlie and Chalmers, joined together. The new church decided to use the buildings on East Academy Street. These buildings used to be Chalmers Church.

The old Thornlie Church buildings were sold. A new home for the minister and their family was bought. It's close to the church, so they can easily walk there.

Modern Updates

The church and hall got a big makeover in 2012 and 2013. Many changes were made to make the church more modern and useful. The side galleries inside the church were removed. The old wooden pews were also taken out.

Now, the seating is flexible and comfortable. The floor is made of engineered oak, which looks nice. A glass wall was added to connect the main church area to the entrance. A special toilet for people with disabilities was also installed.

The church now has a multi-media system. This includes screens and monitors throughout the building. It allows for many different uses, like showing videos or presentations. It also has internet and TV access.

The large church hall was also updated. The old stage was removed. A new, modern kitchen was put in. Above the kitchen, there is now extra storage space. The old kitchen area was turned into a computer room. This room has 10 computers with internet access. Community members can use these computers.

There's one more update planned for the future. The church hopes to make the entrance to the hall bigger. This would create a new meeting place for everyone to use.

Church Leaders

Rev Dr Klaus of Buwert was the minister until October 2013. He had served in Wishaw since 1999. He first led the Thornlie Church before it joined with South Wishaw Parish Church.

The current minister is Rev Terence C Moran. He started his role on August 27, 2015.

In 2022, the church opened a "New Life Recovery Hub." This hub helps local people who are struggling with difficult life issues. It is open two days a week. The church also runs a food bank to help those in need.