It was a privilege to have The Most Rev Dr Idris Jones – Bishop of Glasgow & Galloway and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church – with us at St Oswald’s on Sunday 21st December 2008 as celebrant and preacher. Assisted by Rev Dr Ian Meredith, Rector and Rev Canon Dr Bertie Collie, Assistant Priest our Dedication Sung Eucharist was a particularly joyous occasion in honour of the 125th Anniversary of the consecration of our building. After the service the congregation joined together in the hall for a well supplied Bring and Share lunch.
During his sermon the Bishop highlighted a number of issues that were as relevant 125 years ago as they are today including foreign policy with IRA attacks taking place and concerns in the Balkans and the Middle East. “The causes of some of the conflicts we live with today are to be found 125 years ago, and when we are tempted to think that our world is either worse, or better than it was then – the answer seems to be that nothing much has changed.” Our Bishop had unsurprisingly “done his homework” on the history of our little church and it would appear the whole congregation were completely engaged in what he had to say.
“…The Christian Church is a church founded on a faith passed on from age to age in which faithfulness to the tradition is essential…It does seem to me that as we celebrate all that St Oswald’s church has stood for in the past 125 years and all the blessings received here remembered, this is a good time to seek to re-dedicate ourselves to follow in the footsteps of those who gave us the faith – Ninian and Mungo among them in this part of Scotland and to those who passed it on so that in our day the name of Jesus might be honoured and God’s kingdom come on earth as in heaven. Here I am, here we are, here the church is – the servant of the Lord – may it be so according to His word.”
Although the building is 125 years old this year, the formation of the congregation predates that by 36 years.
The Episcopal form of church government and worship, which off and on had been the system adopted by the Church of Scotland since the Reformation, was routed in 1689 with the triumph of Presbyterianism which ever since has been the norm.
Those who adhered to ‘the old kirk’ suffered under a series of penal laws and eventually almost died out in Ayrshire.
The church was revived in 1847 when the Rev William Scott Wilson the Rector of Ayr discovered that there were 400 Irish Episcopalians in Maybole without a church.
They had been coming over to Maybole in waves during the previous years, due to the terrible conditions in Ireland culminating in the Great Famine of 1846.
As members of the Church of Ireland, the Anglican church in ‘the ould country’, the Scottish Episcopal Church was their church in Scotland.
The congregation then were mainly labourers, and in particular, weavers.
As weaving declined in Maybole, most of the congregation were involved in the shoe and boot making industries.
It was in 1883 that the congregation was able to have a building of its own and it was consecrated on 18th December by the same William Scott Wilson who was by now the Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway.
The pretty little church, seating just 90 people, is situated close to the town’s railway station.
The church began as a mission of Holy Trinity Church in Ayr and has always been associated with that church whose clergy have had responsibility for Maybole.
In the early 1960’s, Dr Bertie Collie, who was the GP in Maybole, started attending St. Oswald’s along with his family. Bertie had been a Lay Reader in the Anglican Church in the Seychelles, where he originated.
His leadership was soon recognised by the congregation who encouraged him to consider ordination.
In 1976 he was ordained a Deacon and a year later, a Priest. He was one of Scotland first Non Stipendiary Ministers which allowed him to continue to work as a GP.
Bertie soon became in effect, the Minister of St. Oswald’s in which capacity he has served until a few years ago. Even in retirement he still conducts services at St. Oswald’s.
Dr Collie’s leadership also saw the building of a church hall in 1973 which continues to a be a popular venue for many community groups.
St. Oswald’s, for a small church, has been very active in supporting the world-wide church. In 2000 the congregation raised £25,000 to provide a home for the homeless in South India.
Again in 2006 the children of the Sunday School raised £4,590 to send 17 children to school for 6 years in Byumba in Africa.
For the last few years the church has organised hundreds of shoe boxes full of little presents for needy children in eastern Europe. This has been done through the Blythswood Trust. The latest project was last month when the church raised £1500 from having the Maybole Charity Shop for a week.
This will go towards a new kitchen, which of course will be a great resource for all hall users, and for this we want to thank the wider community of Maybole for supporting us.
The church is keen to invite all friends and especially Anglicans throughout the area to be part of this outward-looking and caring church. We hope to see you at our special services next week.
