My church

Elizabeth Bradley, Session Clerk at Carluke: St Andrew’s, explains the importance of serving others.

WHEN I moved to Carluke, I visited St Andrew’s Parish Church first and was given such a warm welcome that I decided to stay and I have been a member for over twenty years.

The congregation welcomed me into the church family, providing teaching and encouragement to deepen and strengthen my faith, and offering love and support during the bleak times in my life.

I became an elder in 2005 and have been Session Clerk for more than four years.

A few years ago, I trained as a Worship Leader and take part in services in the church and the local care home. I often think ‘How can I manage this?’ but God is always there to guide and lead me and the difficult tasks are accomplished. I am also a member of the Dementia Hub Governance Team and have been Presbytery Elder.

In 2012, our minister, the Rev Helen Jamieson, working with our local community mental health team, invited some members and friends who had memory difficulties to afternoon tea in the church hall. Six people came. There was no doubt that ‘tea and chat’ fulfilled a need as the numbers grew every week. Soon those with dementia and their carers, as well as the occasional pet dog, were meeting twice per month. As the Dementia Hub grew, the Kirk Session felt that God was leading it to focus on this work. The Dementia Hub became our mission outreach. The Hub is needed more than ever as care services are overstretched or have remained closed after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Dementia Hub numbers grew rapidly as Covid restrictions were lifted and it now meets three days per week. On Tuesdays, people meet for lunch and enjoy various activities in the afternoon such as music, crafts, gardening and board games. Carers can have a therapeutic massage or simply spend some quiet time in what used to be the vestry.

“ The congregation welcomed me into the church family, providing teaching and encouragement to deepen and strengthen my faith, and offering love and support during the bleak times in my life.

On Thursdays we have Heart for Art. Inspiring paintings have been produced and we have regular exhibitions online and in the community of Carluke.

On Friday trained walk leaders lead a dementia friendly walk, followed by tea and coffee. A favourite game is dominos which can become quite competitive and noisy! We have a family afternoon once a month as we have become aware of the effect dementia has on all the family, including grandchildren.

Work is in progress to create a sensory garden in the church grounds, a place to plant and grow, which can be used by the Hub and the community.

Two members of staff are employed on a part-time basis and we hope to employ a Project Manager soon. We rely on our wonderful, hardworking volunteers.

I have been asked: ‘Why do you work in the church? Shouldn’t you be at home having a rest?’

‘Church’ for me is about showing God’s love by welcoming, valuing and accepting people. ‘Church’ is meeting people where they are. ‘Church’ is serving others in whatever way I can. It is, for me, a way of living.