Religion

Cornton Baptist Church have the only Church building in the Cornton area. It serves the Cornton area, including both local authority and private housing developments as well as nearby communities of Causewayhead, Bridge of Allan and Dunblane.

In her record (see here) of the establishment of the Baptist Church in Cornton, Miss P. Catherine Coles recalls the roots of the Church in the area as follows: –

“…When the Municipal Housing Scheme was planned, laid out, completed and occupied no provision was made for this side of human life. There was no Church and no ground set aside for such a building. There was a Community Centre – a vast barn of a place -…” “…It was constructed of corrugated sheeting, draughty, easily damaged and very costly to heat and remarkably unattractive inside.”

Catherine’s recollections continue: –

“Over the years various Christian bodies did try to meet this spiritual need. For a time the Brethren had some form of witness there. When that failed the Salvation Army attempted a Sunday School which also failed because of lack of staff. The Boys’ Brigade from St. Andrew’s Church had use of the Centre for a time and a united group of ministers and workers from various Churches tried out the experiment of after-church services on Sunday evenings. None of these lasted long…”

“… At some date in 1959 there was an opportunity given to all interested parties to appear before a Dean of Guild Court and declare any interest they might like to have in the Community Centre…”

“…All of the other applicants were interested in secular events so the three men representing Stirling Baptist Church had the spiritual field to themselves…”

“… their request for permission to work there amongst the children was warmly upheld by a member on that Court. With this encouragement for a toehold in the area a meeting of the Stirling Baptist Church Sunday School teachers was called in October of that year and the opportunity to work there was put to them.

On November 25th 1959 the first Sunday School was held in the afternoon. The Minister from Stirling Church, Rev. D. P. McCallum, and Sunday School superintendent, Mr Jack Adam opened the work with an initial attendance of over one hundred children, and a gift of £5 for hymn sheets from Miss Gavin, then of the Sunday School Union. After an initial period the work was passed over to a Cornton superintendent, Mr J. Galloway, who has been there ever since…”

Of course the nature of the development within which that building was included was nothing if it was not transient. It wasn’t until 1965, when the rebuilding of the areas upon which the prefab bungalows were built was underway, that the short future of the centre became evidently clear. Coincidentally, some might say by the Grace of God, an elderly benefactress who had benefittied from the work of the Church in her declining years offered to donate a considerable sum of money “…towards the building of a place to carry on the Cornton children’s work…”

It was with this assurance of backing that plans were immediately put in place for the building of the new facility. And not before time! On June 19th 1966 Cornton Community Centre was available for use for the last time and was used for the prizegiving for the Sunday School.

The construction of the present Church Building was begun, and in January 1966 the walls were noted to have been four feet high which included the laying of the Foundation Stone.

It proceeded to serve the Community so well that it was extended in 2008 with an extra hall, a meeting room, improved kitchen and toilet facilities and barrier free access.

The Pastor here is Rev. Hamish Wishart who is also Chaplain to the Local Primary School and Stirling University. He says: –

“The church continues to be in good heart, with a sizeable congregation spanning the age ranges. They meet for worship services each Sunday morning and evening with a thriving Sunday School work. The church continues to serve the community through the weekly Larder (food bank) on a Tuesday and community cafe each Wednesday, as well as through a kids club for primary aged children each Wednesday evening and youth cafe for teenagers on a Friday evening. Various other activities take place as well. More information can be found on the church’s website www.cornton.org.uk“