Under Construction in 1963
St. Ninian's in 1980
St. Ninian's today
The majority of this article was part of a report called "Focus on Ferguslie" published in 1980 which detailed the work of the St. Ninian's Team Ministry from 1974 to 1980
As war took hold on Europe, plans were being made to open a new Church of Scotland charge in Paisley. On Sunday 8th September 1940, the Extension Charge of Ferguslie held its Opening Service in the Gymnasium of Ferguslie School pending the completion of the church halls. The first minister, the Rev. Robert Logan presided over the inaugural meeting of the Provisional Kirk Session on 27th September. On Saturday 6th September 1941 the new church halls were dedicated. The first recorded membership figure was 73 with a Sunday School roll of 245. 70 people took communion at the first Communion Service.
The Kirk Session minutes of 22nd June 1941 record a debate on the name of the new church. The Session was divided on whether to call it Ferguslie or Craigielea. After advice from the Moderator that the Church of Scotland encouraged new churches to be named after saints, the Session settled on St. Ninians with Ferguslie added as a compromise.
By the time the War ended, St. Ninian's Ferguslie had a new minister,
the Rev. Graeme I. Davidson Kelly, and the number taking communion in the course of the year had risen
to well over 200.
By 1954, membership had risen to 552, but the minutes record concern being shown at the poor
attendances at public worship, described by the Session Clerk as discouraging'. When the Rev. James
Robertson took over in 1958 the membership had dropped to 305.
The next landmark was 1960 when
St. Ninian's was raised to full status as a charge of the Church of Scotland. Membership grew in the early
years of the sixties, and by the time the Foundation Stone was laid for the new church building on 9th
October 1963, membership had reached 500 (with 375 taking communion in the year).
On Saturday 19th December 1964 the Dedication of the New Church took place. This event was
extensively covered in the Paisley Daily Express that Christmas time. "A new page was
added to church history in Paisley on Saturday afternoon when St. Ninian's Church was
opened." Going on to describe the new building the article continues.
"St. Ninian's church stands on its own in the West of Scotland. It is
constructed in the Norwegian style and doesn't have the conventional look
of a church......... It is obvious that the £34,000 spent on building the
church has been put to the best possible use".
More than 40 years on and the church has undergone a major refurbishment programme and both church and halls are once again ready to serve the community of Ferguslie Park.
Re-designated a New Charge Development charge, and now part of Network Paisley, the present St. Ninian's seeks to build on over 65 years of dedicated service to our parish and community as we continue through the grace of God to show the love of Christ in action.