THE EARLY DAYS

Following a decision of the Church of Scotland Church Extension Committee to create a new church at Stamperland, a Provisional Kirk Session was formed in 1939 with eleven elders from the three neighbouring parish churches of Greenbank, Netherlee and Williamwood. Magnus Macintosh was appointed as minister. There was no place of worship, but John Lawrence, whose firm had built most of the houses in the parish, offered the use of the shop at 38 Stamperland Crescent and Stamperland Parish Church was in business.

The Shop Church had to be decorated and, thanks to one of our members, the late Hugh Steele, foreman joiner with John Lawerence, and some ladies of the congregation white muslin cloth was folded and draped down the bare walls of the shop. Tip-up seats were loaned by the Church Extension Committee. There was no Communion Table but vital features included an old teacher’s desk with a lectern and an old organ rescued “from somewhere”. Someone in Stamperland had not been paying up their house purchase, had been evicted in consequence and their furniture “pinned”. Hugh Steele had procured some of the furniture for the shop church and thus the first communion in Stamperland was served from a pinned kitchen table.

The Induction Service of the Rev. Magnus J.C. Macintosh M.A. took place in Netherlee Church at 2.30pm on Friday 23rd February. 1940. The first meeting of the Provisional Kirk Session was held in the Upper Room, Netherlee Church Hall on 6th March 1940 . The first minute of the Kirk Session records: “Services on Sundays 25th February and 3rd March 1940.

It was reported that the services on the first two Sundays of worship under the auspices of the new charge had been very encouraging and that the arrangement made, as a result of the shortage of accommodation on the first Sunday, to hold services at 10am, 11am and 12 noon had been satisfactory”.

According to information from a tape sent by the Rev. Magnus Macintosh on the 21st Anniversary of the church on 26th February 1961, the first service did not actually take place in the Shop Church but was held in an air raid shelter next door, the premises occupied by Stamperland Motors. The minute book gives no record of such information, however, this could explain phrase 'the arrangement made etc.' as recorded in minute of 6th March 1940.

The first Communion Service was held on 12th May 1940 with an attendance of 183 from a roll of 213. The Communion Vessels used at the Communion Service were provided by the Barony Church and had been in use since 1734 and 1871.

Britain was at war. Hitler was about to overrun most of Western Europe , and life on the Home Front was not easy. Yet, Stamperland Folk found time to care for their Church. Woman's Guild, Choir, Sunday School and youth organisations were started, pennies and shillings were saved to pay for the building of the permanent place of worship and on February 15th, 1941 the Hall Church was opened and dedicated. Worship there, with the impressive curtain bearing the cross on the chancel wall gave a real sense of fellowship and purpose to the members of the congregation and community.

Over the next twenty tears the congregation grew in strength and the fine Church we have today was dedicated on the 15^th October 1963 by the Rev William Grieve, Moderator of the Presbytery of Glasgow .

Sixty years on from its inception the corner of Stamperland Gardens holds high the Cross of Christ. Our Halls and rooms are busy with Adult and Youth Organisations. We have been abundantly blessed over the past 60 years and look forward in faith, with excitement and anticipation to the years ahead of this new millennium in His service.

Samuel H. Esler, Session Clerk. (November 1990 - December 2000)

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