STEP THREE: THE SANCTUARY ROT WORKS

 

The reaction of the congregation to the ambush which was the dry rot in the sanctuary was to look to carry on, shaken, but quietly determined to work to secure a return to the building they saw as best fitted for the service of the Govan community. By March 2016 after discussions with The General Trustees of the Church of Scotland, with Heritage Lottery Fund and with Historic Environment Scotland Rev. Dr. Moyna McGlynn had led the congregation forward to the submission of a fresh application to these grant aiders for further support. We have to record here once again that without that same significant support from HES and HLF we could not have looked to address the works necessary to eradicate the dry rot. We knew that the aid offered was exceptional and unusual and we feel even now that such thanks as are recorded here are an inadequate expression of our gratitude to HLF & HES for staying the course with us.

It was just as we were working to secure all necessary finance to meet the rot costs that we suffered the loss of our minister Moyna on 5th August 2016 serving us to the last as best may be as she fought cancer. It is a measure of the will of the congregation that in the face of this loss there was a united determination “to make Moyna proud” by completing the rot works and returning to the Church at the Cross.

After the General Trustees of the Church of Scotland, at their expense, carried out emergency holding repairs and after an extensive study to be clear that all rot had been identified the congregation moved to secure the grant aid needed to supplement the congregation`s funds and boost finances to a level where the rot contract could be instructed. We could not have instructed the rot works without the generous support, large or small, from our various grant aiders since we knew with this being the third tranche of works to our building ( hall, roof and now rot) our own funds were under pressure.

Thanks are owed to:-

HLF. HES. Allchurches Trust. The Bellahouston Bequest. The Baird Trust. The Ferguson Bequest. The Napier Trust. Garfield Weston. Viridor

But with special mention of the gift of £5000 from our local Girls Brigade company and mention too of the special one off Gift Day where the congregation raised £20,000