Welcome to Moncreiff Parish Church in East Kilbride.

Welcome to Moncreiff Parish Church and we are glad you dropped by to find out more about us.  We are part of the Church of Scotland and as a parish church we cover the area of East Kilbride known as Calderwood. However, no matter where you call home, you are very welcome to be part of Moncreiff whether as a visitor onsite or online, or as a regular online or onsite.  In a world where technology can help bring us together we have taken the opportunity to add our voice to the cacophony out there! 

And it can feel like that.  Everyone is shouting from the sidelines with their two-pence worth, each feeling they have something constructive and helpful to say.  And absolutely many of them do but it can be hard to filter out the truly wise and useful.  We second-guess or simply ignore certain we know best.  We certainly feel justified in our cynicism and ‘aye rights’ when many of our politicians speak given that ‘practicing what they preach’ seems to have become ‘do what I say not what I do’.

And the Church, regardless of denomination or location is not immune to this either.  We have much we look back on and cringe over, some we have even had to apologise for.  Even today you will find Church is full of cynical, crabbit, and awkward folks, who make mistakes, who speak out of turn, who want to love their enemies but know that is easier to say than do.  Being a Christian doesn’t make life easy or perfect or without its tragedy.  What being a Christian does mean is that we are never alone.  Nothing we face whether adventure or trauma, nothing we feel whether joy or pain, nothing good or bad is faced alone.  

Firstly we are always with God and God with us.  Sometimes God is very visible – whether a cloudy pillar, a burning bush that doesn’t burn up, a child in a manger or that person you are convinced is an angel in disguise. The not so visible yet there is that deep peace in the hurly burly storm or the conviction all will be well when facts say otherwise…God is is with us.

Secondly we are human beings made in the image of God.  My children carry my image but they are their own person.  We are the image of God, and he knows that we are unique.  And through the Gospels we see God amongst us in the person of Jesus and still he loves us even though we are frustrating, even slow to understand and fragile.  God knows we need to learn, eat, sleep, rest (he practically demands we rest!) and he knows we need relationships. We are not designed to be alone. 

So his church is full of people- flawed people who don’t always get it right and that is okay. We are practising the art of forgiveness too and often eating humble pie!   And, yes, sometimes we get it really right too.  There is laughter and banter, friendships and relationships, adventures and experiences, mystery and clarity, faith and doubt, sorrow and joy, service and support.  However, there is no fear – for perfect love drives out fear.  We are loved with a perfect love which is of God. 

So do drop by – perfection is not required even if we are all striving for it.   Remember God loves you now. Get in touch and drop us a message or pop in to see us. Or don’t.  But do connect with God and may you know his love, peace and grace.  

Now you are no longer strangers to God and foreigners to heaven, but you are members of God’s very own family, citizens of God’s country, and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian. What a foundation you stand on now: the apostles and the prophets; and the cornerstone of the building is Jesus Christ himself! We who believe are carefully joined together with Christ as parts of a beautiful, constantly growing temple for God. And you also are joined with him and with each other by the Spirit and are part of this dwelling place of God.  Ephesians 2:19-22 (TLB)

 Love Sarah