The Church of Scotland's first women elders were ordained in
1966 following the General Assembly's decision to allow women
into the Eldership. Kenmure's first women elders - Mary
Houston, Ruth James and Myrette Cowan were ordained in
February 1990 during Mr Crawford's time as minister.
At the next ordination in August 1990, Moira Calderwood,
Evelyn Glasgow and Helen Steven joined the Session. I myself
was ordained in 1994. The next ladies to be ordained were Helen
Kidd, Aileen Watkins and Wilma Cox in 1996. In 2002 Jacqueline
Murray and Rebecca Wallace were welcomed to the Session. Most
recently in 2005 Christine Cameron and Lesley Shaw were
ordained as elders.
A distinctive characteristic of the elder's role is his or her position
as a channel between the congregation and the minister and an
important part of the elder's role is to identify pastoral concerns.
Each of us has different gifts and by God's grace the gifts that
women can bring to the work of the Session will be of benefit to
the life of the Church.
I have enjoyed working as part of a team along with the other
members of the Session in helping to make decisions which will
help shape the future of Kenmure.
In my role as elder I particularly enjoy and consider important
the contact with the folk in my district, and am grateful to God for
the many friends I have made along the way. I also have enjoyed
keeping contact going between the Church and those of our folk
who can no longer attend due to illness or infirmity.
I believe that allowing women into the eldership was a right and
wise decision and that the mixture of men and women on
Kenmure Session has proved successful. Hopefully Kenmure will
continue to ordain young women along with young men to
eldership in order to help secure the future of our Church.
Jennifer McLennan
Although women had no official role in the church they were the
backbone for the provision of finance through fundraising, they
contributed to the maintenance of the buildings and they tirelessly
supplied home baking and tea. Twenty three of the fifty three
signatories of the petition to found Bishopbriggs United
Presbyterian Church, in 1879, were women. They were members of
the first choir formed in 1893 and several ladies from the
congregation set up a committee to raise funds to honour Mr Dick
by providing him with his robes. These ladies also supplied and
served the tea on the occasion of the presentation of the robes on
November 16th 1893. They were Mrs Dick, Steven and Black, the
Misses Bell, Gourlay and McBride.
During the 1930s a Ladies Work Party met every week. They sold
the goods which they made until they had enough to contribute
items required for the church. They raised enough to renew the
matting throughout the church, the choir platform, the pulpit and
the pulpit stairs.
Woman's Meeting
In the 1920s the
Women's Meeting
began. This was a
weekly gospel and
devotional meeting
with speakers and
singing. They met at
2.30pm one
Wednesday and
7.30pm the next.
They also raised funds for the church donating
their collection money annually, holding sales of work and giving
the proceeds from concerts. In 1945 they raised £139.5.0,
[£139.25p] and again in 1951 the sum of £237.50 for the
Endowment Fund. In 1966 they gave £35 to the Organ Fund. Well
known names were on the committee in the 1960s; Mrs Gray,
Owen and Reid. The minister was chairman of their meetings, Mr
Heriot being the last before the demise of this stalwart
organisation in 1966.
They also had annual outings.
First outing to Rouken Glen Park 1920s
Helensburgh 1930s
Women's Guild
A branch of the Woman's Guild was formed in Kenmure in 1951.
It met on a Monday night at 7.30pm in the Williamson Hall.
The women folk in Bishopbriggs ance
tired got o' the same auld faces.
They threatened tae kick richt ower the traces
so somebody started the Womans' Guild.
There's Devotions, Worship and Praise,
and aye a need o' cash tae raise
but wi' guid hardworkin' committee
It's nae bother for the WG.
Noo ance a week they a' foregather
The hoose an family are left wi' faither,
And mum sets aff for the WG
in a hall like this in a' kinds o' weather.
We're indispensable, is that no' a fact
Even the elders will agree tae that
If they want someone tae make the tea
Wha dae the ask? Of course the WG.
The Woman's Guild was formed in 1887 by Dr Archibald
Charteris of Whamfray, Dumfriesshire. Kenmure Church had a
Ladies Fellowship which met on Wednesday afternoons in the
manse under the leadership of the minister Mr Williamson. In
1950 it was decided to form a branch of the Woman's Guild in
Kenmure. Founder members were Margaret Gray, Ann Penman,
C. Dawson, E. Kidd and Elizabeth McDowall. Sadly all these
ladies have passed away. They all did admirable work for the
Church and the Armed Forces.
In 1975, 1990 and 2001 we celebrated our silver, ruby and golden
anniversaries. In 2005 a Long Service Certificate from the
National Committee was presented to Mrs McDowall by our
President, Doreen Jobson. Sadly she passed away a month later
at the wonderful age of 105, housebound but still active.
We in Kenmure, together with other branches in Glasgow,
support the Lodging House Mission helping to prepare vegetables
for soup, then serving lunch. It's not only men but also women
who go there to enjoy a warm meal, shower and clothing. It is an
experience we have all been moved by.
Over the years the National Committee have set up annual
projects which we support. In 1997/98 the Woman's Guild
changed its name to Church of Scotland Guild. Projects now last 3
years covering 6 different organisations. The present six come to
an end in May 2006 and £490,000 has been raised so far.
The Guild in Kenmure is still going strong. Hopefully we uphold
our motto 'Whose we are and whom we serve'. We would love to
welcome more, not only ladies but men also. We have a very big
hall. Our present President is Doreen Jobson and Vice-president,
Margaret Forbes both of whom are very devoted to the work of
the Guild and Church.
Rena James
From the beginning they worked hard to raise funds by having
concerts and sales of work. This continued through the years and
many of the furnishings and refurbishments of the church, halls
and manses were donated by them yet when they started they
brought china from home when they had a speaker. It was 1964
before official blue and white Guild china was purchased.
They also supported other church organisations giving to the BB,
Girls' Guildry, Junior Choir, Life Boys and the Primary Sunday
School while in the wider world they gave to the Temperance
Association, Baxter House C of S Home for the Elderly, Tabatha
School, Jaffa, the Deaconess Bursary Fund and the Ladies
Highland Association amongst others.
They also held work parties where they made goods for those less
fortunate and over the years donated hundreds of blankets,
mittens, capes, bed socks and other items to Foresthall, Eastpark
Home, Stobhill Hospital and the Lodging House Mission. From
1971 members have helped out at the Lodging House Mission soup
kitchen. They also cared about the outside world and collected for
Foreign Missions. Margaret Gray was the correspondent with our
Missionary Partners, Alice Jones then later Helen Scott in Zambia
and their work was always a concern.
Whenever catering was called for the members baked and served.
They have provided tea and coffee after every Annual
Congregational Meeting and catered on the occasion of the
opening, in 1987, of the New Hall. When for several years in the
1970s there was no church officer they provided work parties to
carry out the cleaning of the church and halls.
Mr Williamson with
Back Row: Margaret Gray, Mrs MacLean, Jessie McAllister, Mrs McIntyre, Jean Wright, Mrs Owen, Mrs Davies
Centre Row: Bella Cowan, Mona Burnett, Jenny Burnett, Mary Penman, Ann Penman
Front Row; Mary Maclean, Marion Penman, Moira Gray
Indian Road was presented in 1953
but it was 1965 before Kenmure
Drama Group was formed from
members of the Guild and a nativity
play was performed in December.
They ventured out with another
offering in the Memorial Hall,
Balmuildy Road, in March 1966.
This was followed by a presentation
depicting 'People from Other
Countries' for Foreign Mission
Night in Kenmure Hall when the
members of Springfield Woman's
Guild attended.
Still going strong on Friday, 5th December 1969, again in the
Memorial Hall, they performed a three act play, 'Find the Girl'
produced by Harry Trott. As can be seen from the programme below
there were many well known actresses in the cast.
In 1982 a Guild Choir was started by Gladys King on Wednesdays
at 2.30pm.
The Silver Jubilee
dinner was held in
Brackenbrae House
1976 when founder
member Elizabeth
McDowall cut the
cake assisted by two
other founders,
Margaret Gray and
Mrs McFarlane.
In appreciation of
the help from the
Guild in setting up their group the Young Wives Group donated the
cake and also a bell to bring the meeting to order. Audrey Heriot, a
former president, presented them with a hymn book.
When Kenmure celebrated the Centenary of
the Founding of the Congregation several
members of the Woman's Guild became
models at a Fashion Through the Ages
presentation arranged by Grace Kinniburgh.
It was held in Kenmure Hall on Monday 22nd
October.
Betty Ferguson
Betty Bowles and Liz Patterson
On many occasions across the years they hosted the Women's
World Day of Prayer at Kenmure Church and were honoured to do
so in 1987 the Centenary year of the Church of Scotland Woman's
Guild. In April a Centenary Dinner was held with 65 members past
and present attending. Mr Jones proposed the toast and Mrs
McDowell helped by President, Nonagh Bell cut the cake.
Rena James, Vice-President, presented Mr and Mrs Jones with a
table lamp for their new home.
1991 saw them celebrate their
Ruby Year with a dinner. In
1997 it was decided that the
organisation should have a
new look and the name was
changed, after much
discussion and debate to The
Church of Scotland Guild.
The new constitution meant
that they no longer sent
delegates to the boards of World Mission, National Mission or
Social Responsibility.
Men were now encouraged to attend meetings. 2004 was their
Golden Jubilee in the year when Ruth Laing was President. A
dinner was held and an exhibition of past occasions was mounted
bringing back many memories to members.
50th Birthday - Guild Committee: 2001
Evelyn Glasgow, Sheila Allison, Giselle McGarvey,
Margaret Thomson, Maureen Brownlie, Helen Cranston,
Marion Inglis, Martha Boyd, Doreen Jobson, Ruth Laing,
Rena James.
Aim of The Guild
The Church of Scotland Guild is a Movement which unites
and encourages members to commit their lives to the
Lord Jesus Christ and enable them to express their faith,
in Worship, Prayer and Action.
The Kenmure Guild goes from strength to strength, still helping
good causes, giving spiritual support as well as practical to
members and enjoying a varied programme of speakers,
discussions and entertainments throughout each session.
The Young Wives and Mothers Group
This was formed in 1969 and received a great deal of help and
support from the Woman's Guild. They met every 2nd Tuesday in
the Viewfield Hall at 7.45pm. The syllabus shows a wide scope of
interest with speakers ranging from The Society for the Protection
For the Unborn Child, photography, hypnotism, the Open Prison
Governor as well as a display by Sandra, a then fashionable shoe
shop in Churchill Way. They also sang carols at Stobhill Hospital.
A happy group at Kenmure Young Wives' coffee morning at Schoolfield Lane.
Councillor William McIntyre joins his daughter, Jean and others, including Jessie Carlisle with Catriona Campbell on her knee. 1975
They continued to keep up-to-date with talks in the '70s on
decimalisation, the Common Market and Fashion on a Budget.
After the Billy Graham Mission in June 1991 five ladies who
wanted to make a commitment to Christ, enquired further about
becoming a Christian or rededicating their lives to God decided to
set up a Discovery Group to support one another and to learn
together. The evening consisted of prayer, Bible study and
discussion. Two new members joined Kenmure as a result. The
group grew to 12 members and they met fortnightly.
A Mothers and Toddlers Group began in 1988 at the
instigation of Shirley Crawford, the then minister's wife. It met on
a Wednesday morning from 10-11.30 am in the foyer of the New
Hall. It allowed mothers with children under school age to meet
with others and exchange ideas while the children played together.
Through a Beeline Clothes sale they raised £100 for the Ronald
McDonald House attached to Yorkhill Hospital which provided
facilities for families whose children are having treatment. In 1996
there were 26 mums and 30 children. The tragedy of the Dunblane
shooting, in April 1996, saw them hold a special prayer meeting
and a collection was taken for the appeal.
In 2000 it became Kenmure Toddlers' Group and childminders or
grandparents were made welcome. Over the years they have raised
money for meningitis research, the British Heart Foundation
amongst other charities and have contributed £150 to the Church
Creche.
This is one of two other services run mainly by the women of the
church. So that parents can attend church together a cr¸che was set
up during the morning service in 1964 with teams of volunteers
who entertain their young charges in the Session House. This
means that if there is a problem a parent can easily be contacted.
Toys have been donated over the years and from time to time a
plea goes out for replacements.
In 1989, while Stewart Crawford was minister, the idea that tea
and coffee should be made available after the morning service so
that people could meet other members in an informal setting was
mooted. Seven teams of volunteers were recruited on a rota basis.
This popular service, under the stewardship of Moira Calderwood,
has to date raised more than £3,500 for church funds from the
donations given by members, many of whom also donate biscuits.
Banners
Shirley Crawford, in
1989, set up a group to
make banners for
display in the church
and hall at appropriate
times of the Christian
Year. They consist of a
length of fabric with felt
words and pictures and
were designed by Ian
Thomson.
They also include embroidery and depict the Word of God. In 1990
they were displayed at Raising Standards in Renfield Church
Centre, Bath St, Glasgow. Two were exhibited in St Mathew's
Church of Scotland, Perth in 1992. New banners are being created
for the Centenary.
Several ladies in 1980 volunteered for service at the Marie-Curie
Centre, Huntershill, They served teas in the wards, washed up,
arranged and watered flowers, helped with hairdressing and
manicures. Some acted as drivers. In 1991, Vi Crichton thanked
supporters in Kenmure for raising £500 for the Hospice. Teams
are still active today.
Maggie Johnston and Sandra McSporran formed a Women's
Fellowship which was held on Monday mornings from 10-11.30am. They studied the Bible, prayed, invited speakers and
watched videos about family life. A creche for pre-school children
was offered.
A team of fifteen ladies under the convenorship of Shirley
Crawford, in 1989 set up a church cleaning rota. Margaret Simpson
carried on the good work until 2000 when an outside firm was
contracted to do it.
Flowers have always played a part in decorating the church and
afterwards are sent to the elderly, the sick and the bereaved. In
1926 members were asked to donate flowers from their gardens.
Mrs Farquharson was convenor in 1970 then for a short time Mrs
H. Bell. A flower calendar was set up and members could volunteer
to provide the money for flowers on a specific Sunday. In 1971,
when Rita Thomson was flower convenor the Flower Box was
introduced. It sat in the vestibule and members could give
donations any Sunday. The money was used to buy flowers when
there was no name against any date. Rita was convenor from 1970-1981. Mrs O'Connor gave the Christmas flowers every year.
Sheila Gibson took over the post for the next twelve years, followed
by Ailie Kidd until 2000 when the present holder of the post,
Margaret Simpson was recruited. Stella Stevenson also helped out
over the years as did many others who occasionally arranged and
distributed the flowers after the service on a Sunday.
Used Stamps
Since 1981 Kenmure members have contributed to the World
Mission Stamp Centre. Used stamps are gathered, sorted and sold
to collectors. The skilled work of preparing and selling is done by
volunteers who cut stamps from envelopes and parcels leaving at
least half an inch all round. Damaged stamps have no value but old
stamp albums are welcome. Stamps can be handed in at the church
door any Sunday. The collector attends a meet at the Renfield
Centre, Bath St. twice a year. From 1995-2004 almost £30,000
has been raised.
Many women have played their part in the groups and
organisations at Kenmure including the Sunday School/Junior
Church and uniformed ones and have always been willing helpers
in very many ways. When Jean Wright was appointed Clerk to the
Board of Management in 1953 she was the first woman to occupy
such an important position. Helen Kilpatrick followed in 1960.
Other members have spread their wings and served as missionaries
abroad.
Chapter Six
