Chapel Street,
Dunfermline,
Scotland

Now, with a new bus station on our doorstep and the regeneration of the Kingsgate Shopping Centre, we intend to be much more involved in the life of the town centre.  A town centre worker has been appointed to offer chaplaincy to the retail and business community (see right).
Looking further ahead, we are about to launch the “Oasis Community Project.”  The aims are : “To provide chaplaincy for people working in the town centre and an Oasis where people can meet and find a ‘listening ear’”, and “To provide an environment where people can meet and receive support for the life challenges that people living and working in the centre
of Dunfermline face today.”

The project includes support for the town centre worker and the renovation of Gillespie Centre to meet town centre needs.

Watch this Web space for more about the “Oasis Community Project.”  

See more about the renovation of the Centre here.

     So, here I am, in your midst, getting to know a really great bunch of people who are prepared to take Christ out onto the streets of Dunfermline and to prove to people that Christianity is not dull and boring, but vibrant and alive.
    It’s the wee things that God is good at changing.  The subtle push in the direction He wants you to take.  With me, He started nagging. The question was “Are you coming or not?”.  There I was, a nominal Christian, you know the sort; Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals with the occasional appearance at Christmas. Not acceptable, said the Lord.  Use your training, you are a policeman.  What is the evidence?  Look for it.
    I did. The evidence I found was everywhere.  It was in the people around me. It was in the books I was reading.  It was in the Bible.  Then I was left with choice.  To believe or not to believe.  To commit or not commit.  Then He nudged me again - and I was back attending church.  A bit dodgy at first, trying to remember the prayers, were people looking at me, should I carry this forward.
Then I realised what was going on.  All those wee nudges and shoves had done their job.  Before I knew it - I had committed.  I was a committed Christian!
That appears to be my job now.  Wee nudges and shoves to the people of Dunfermline town centre.  Being there for them when they are ready to commit.

   Then I introduce them to people like you!”

Pat Carrigan, Town Centre Worker

Pat Carrigan has just taken up the post of Town Centre Worker.  He is based in the office at Gillespie Church.  Under the heading “People like You, he says:

    “God works in mysterious ways, (and don’t I know that!).  You know, if you had told me seven years ago that in time I would be organising a Town Centre Chaplaincy, and that I would be working for the Church of Scotland, I would have laughed you to scorn.  But someone knew better, didn’t He!