St John's Renfield Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John's Renfield Church |
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| The Parish Church of St John's Renfield Church | |
The church seen from Beaconsfield Road
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| 55°53′10″N 4°18′24″W / 55.8861°N 4.3066°W | |
| Location | Glasgow |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Website | Church website |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedicated | January 1931 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Architect(s) | James Taylor Thomson |
| Architectural type | Cruciform Church |
| Style | Neo-Gothic |
| Years built | 1929-1930 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St John's Renfield |
| Presbytery | Presbytery of Glasgow |
St John's Renfield Church is a parish church of the Church of Scotland. It serves the area of Kelvindale in the west end of Glasgow, Scotland. This church is part of the Presbytery of Glasgow.
Contents
Where is the Church Located?
The church building is on Beaconsfield Road in Kelvindale. You can see it from the Great Western Road. Nearby are Gartnavel General Hospital, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, and the Glasgow Nuffield Hospital.
A Look at the Church's History
The story of St John's Renfield Church began with three different church groups. These groups came together over time, showing how Glasgow changed in the 1800s and 1900s.
The First Church: St John's Parish Church
The first part of the story starts in 1819. Glasgow was growing fast, and many people lived in crowded areas. A new church, St John's Parish Church, was built to help the people in the Calton area. It stood on Bell Street until the 1960s.
Its first minister was Dr Thomas Chalmers. He was known for his ideas on helping people and his strong preaching. He wanted to improve living conditions by encouraging people to be independent. He also focused on personal care and schooling. Dr Chalmers' work was very successful, but he left in 1823 to teach at St Andrews University.
Later, in 1843, a big event called the Disruption happened in the Church of Scotland. This was about "spiritual independence" (the church's right to make its own decisions) and "patronage" (who could choose ministers). Many people, including Dr Thomas Brown and most of his congregation, left the church to form the Free Church of Scotland. They built a new church in George Street in 1845.
The Renfield Church Story
In 1819, another new church group started nearby. It began with about 30 members. They first met in rented rooms. By 1820, they had 236 members and found a permanent spot on Renfield Street. This became known as the Renfield Church.
As Glasgow grew, people moved to different areas. So, in 1855, the Renfield Church moved west and built a new, larger church on Bath Street. In 1864, Dr Marcus Dods became the minister. His time there made Renfield a very important place for religious life in Glasgow.
Because people kept moving, the Free St John's and Renfield churches decided to join together. This happened in 1923. The Renfield church building was newer and more convenient, so it became the home for the new "Free St John's – Renfield" congregation.
The Hyndland Congregation Joins In
A third church group, called "The Hyndland Congregation," started in 1852. It was a small group at first. In 1856, they found a better place to meet and became "Mitchel U.P. Church." Their membership grew quickly.
In 1873, they opened a new, bigger church called "Sandyford U.P. Church." Later, they were asked to move west again to serve the growing Hyndland area. Plans for a new church were delayed by World War I.
After the war, it was decided that the Hyndland group should join with "St John's – Renfield." This union happened in 1927, forming the "St John's Renfield and Hyndland congregation." The new church building on Beaconsfield Road was completed in 1931, and the congregation moved there.
About the Church Building
The current church building was officially opened in January 1931. It was planned by the United Free Church of Scotland. However, by the time it was finished, that church had already joined with the Church of Scotland in 1929. On December 15, 1970, the church was recognized as a Category B listed building, meaning it's an important historical building.
The church was designed in a Gothic revival style by architect James Taylor Thomson. He won the design competition in 1927, and the church was built between 1929 and 1930. Thomson even had his wedding in the church in 1931! The church features beautiful oak carvings and stained glass windows made by Douglas Strachan and Gordon Webster.
Church Ministers
Ministers Today
The current minister of St John's Renfield Church is the Rev Fiona Lillie. She has been the minister since 2009. Before coming to Glasgow, she was a minister in Orkney.
Many notable people have served as ministers or had connections to this church:
- The Very Rev Dr James A. Simpson was a minister here from 1966 to 1976. He later became the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1994.
- The Very Rev Dr Sheilagh M. Kesting was a trainee minister at St John's Renfield. She later became the first woman minister to be the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
Other Churches Nearby
- Kelvin Stevenson Memorial Church (Church of Scotland)
- Kelvinside Hillhead Parish Church (Church of Scotland)
- Knightswood St. Margaret's Parish Church (Church of Scotland)
- Jordanhill Parish Church (Church of Scotland)
- St. Luke's Cathedral (Orthodox)
- St. Mary's Cathedral (Episcopalian)
- St. Bride's Church (Episcopalian)
- Wellington Church (Church of Scotland)
