Parish Profile

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

After a long and happy ministry of twenty years our minister has recently retired and we are looking for a new minister to take us forward. One who has a collaborative and visionary approach to the opportunities and challenges, which offer themselves at the present time. Are you that person we are looking and praying for?

In St. Michael’s we seek to preach and live a gospel in Jesus as Lord, that is relevant in the 21st century and the busy lives we lead. Our worshippers are a warm, accepting community, showing unconditional positive regard in the redemptive love of Christ. Come and lead us in the next phase of our journey. As a congregation we have taken the decision to depart from the Church’s historic and current practice in relation to human sexuality and will consider applications from all applicants for this vacancy.

WHO ARE WE

St. Michael’s and South was formed in 1983 when St. Michael’s and the former South and Townhead church united. This has been a successful union from the outset and after all these years, although aware of our separate history, we are one congregation and our motto is, “ Here let no one be a stranger “

While we acknowledge and draw strength from our history our focus is on the present and the future.

We are a traditional, broad church of open and community involved Christian witness, with a Communion Roll of around 630 members and an average Sunday attendance of 100-120 worshippers. While our Communion Roll covers a wide age range, those who attend Sunday worship are, in general, our older members. We are open to any initiatives, which would encourage our younger members not only to worship more regularly, but to become actively involved in the life and work of the church. We don’t believe in telling people what to think but, rather invite them to think about Christian faith and its relevance to where they are in their lives. Pastoral care, home and hospital visiting are a central focus of our work and we would expect our minister to continue with this.

We enjoy our church music and are blest with a wonderful Willis organ and excellent organist . We have a small church choir and a junior choir, who perform regularly at special services in the church.

Church Choir and Junior Choir

At the moment a full Communion is celebrated on two Sundays of the year and less formal Communions on the church green on Easter Sunday (weather permitting) and twice a year in local community halls, which provide easier access for our less able members, who prefer the companionship offered at these services, rather than having home communion

St.Michaels and South Parish Church - Church pews prior to service of communion.
St.Michaels and South Parish Church – Church pews prior to service of communion.

We are a self supporting quod omnia church, with a Kirk Session of forty elders. The majority of our elders are retired people, which while not ideal, provides us with many years of varying work and volunteering experience, which is put to good use.

View of St. Michaels from the Greensands

CHURCH and BUILDINGS There has been a St. Michael’s church on this site for well over 1000yrs.and the present red sandstone building was built between 1741-1746, though the ten supporting pillars are part of the previous building and date, we think, to around 1500. It is the ceremonial Burgh church of Dumfries and the minister is the burgh Chaplain, which means he has a role in certain civic events. We host various special services during the year which are often attended by the Lord Lieutenant of Dumfries, the Provost, MPs, MSPs and local councillors

It is a galleried church with steeple and is in good order with no major work or repairs in the pipeline. We do have an ongoing maintenance programme to preserve our beautiful stained glass windows.

church interior

St. Michael’s is a listed building and a Member of Historic Churches of Scotland.

We are open to visitors from May until September and tours of the church are provided by volunteer guides.

Our churchyard is also of great interest with over 3000 gravestones. It holds the mausoleum of Robert Burns, his original grave-site and many other graves and memorials of historic significance. This connection with Burns is also marked in various ways within the church itself and a commemorative service is held.on the 25th.January each year in St. Michael’s. The upkeep of the mausoleum and churchyard is the responsibility of the local council.

 We are lucky to have two church halls, both in a good state of repair and well used by many of our organisations Our main hall is a popular meeting place for after- church fellowship on Sunday mornings and has the advantage of opening onto a large green, which can be used in good weather. 

There are two free public car parks within a few minutes of the church and level access is available from the rear entrance.

THE MANSE

The manse is a traditional sandstone semi-detached house in a residential area of the town, 5-6 minutes. drive from the church. It has easy access to town centre and both primary and secondary schools. It has two large reception rooms, dining room, kitchen, utility room and cloakroom / toilet on ground floor.

Main reception room
Front Hallway and stairs

Upstairs there are three good sized bedrooms a smaller fourth bedroom/study and bathroom. There is access to the floored attic via a loft ladder. Outside there is a large garage, a small front garden and a larger grassed and paved garden area to the rear.

Front View
Rear Garden

We are in the process of attending to work advised by the Presbytery Property Committee. The manse has been well looked after over the past twenty years by our Fabric Committee and the incumbent manse family. It will be repainted and flooring and carpets will be replaced as necessary. It is centrally heated, with gas fires in public rooms and relatively new double glazing.

CHURCH ORGANISATIONS and GROUPS

St. Michael’s has a number of organisation and activities for both adults and children; For youngsters there is our  Children’s  Sunday Club (from age three upwards) which meets during morning worship, Brownies,  Anchor Boys and  Boys Brigade . and our Junior choir ( for ages 7 to 14 ) .

We have an active Church Guild, currently only ladies, but open to any men, who would like to join; a Men’s Club and our own Burns Club, one of many in the town of Dumfries.

   As part of our fellowship and to help with the work of the church, there is a Home Visitors Group, Home  Study Group, Flower arranging and our Senior choir, which although small in number leads us joyfully in worship each Sunday. Our Church Guides are on duty from April to October and take pride in showing our historic church to the many visitors we get from home and abroad.

We also have a Fellowship Committee, which organises social events  throughout the year.

TOWN of DUMFRIES

Dumfries has been a royal burgh for over 800 years and is the capital of Dumfries and Galloway Region with a population of around 32,000. It is built on either side of the river Nith. It has the usual shops, chain stores and amenities one might expect in a small town and has twice been voted best place to live in Scotland.

River Nith DUmfries

We have a large general hospital opened at the end of 2017 . A new swimming pool / leisure centre opened in July this year and we have an ice rink. There are facilities for most other sports available in the area There is a railway station and easy access to the M74. A by-pass mostly keeps heavy traffic away from the town itself.

Within St. Michael’s parish there is the Crichton University Campus, which holds campuses of University of the West of Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway Technical College and Glasgow University. Our previous minister was chaplain to the university.

This is a beautiful part of Scotland in which to live with open countryside and hills nearby and the coast within easy reach.

We are proud of our beautiful and historic church and of our friendly, dedicated congregation. We are hoping and praying for a minister, with the enthusiasm to inspire and lead us into a new era of worship and service to God.

We are happy to offer an informal look around the church and a chat to any interested party.

Facebook: St. Michael’s and South Church

From the Nominating Committee. For further information contact:

Convenor:   Esther Preston   prestoncraigavon@supanet.com      or

Secretary:   Audrey Brown     abtherac@gmail.com