On Saturday 8 January 1966, a service of Opening and Dedication for the new sanctuary for Craigsbank Parish Church took place. This was a long anticipated moment for the congregation and indeed for all who lived in the parish.
Those officiating on the day were…
- Rt Rev Archibald Watt,Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
- Rev Thomas Maxwell, Moderator of the Presbytery of Edinburgh
- Rev George Paterson, Secretary-Depute of the Home Board
- Rev Robert Murray, Clerk to the Presbytery of Edinburgh
- Rev James B Donald, Minister of Craigsbank
- Mr W.P. Addley, Assistant Minister of Craigsbank
In a lovely detail from the order of service the following appears:
The congregation being assembled, the doors shall be closed two minutes before the hour at which the service is to begin. The Moderator of the Presbytery shall request entrance to the Church by knocking three times on the main door and say these words of Holy Scripture:
Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them and I will praise the Lord.
The door shall be opened from within by the Architect who shall deliver the keys of the Church to the Moderator of the Presbytery, saying:
In token that this building has been erected for the Church of Scotland I deliver to you the keys thereof, and pray you now to dedicate it to the worship of Almighty God.
The Moderator of Presbytery shall answer:
In the name of the Church of Scotland we accept the keys in tocken of the trust committed to us. We are ready to proceed to dedication.
Passing within the inner door of the Church the Moderator of Presbytery shall pause and say:
Peace be to this house, and all who worship herein.
Peace be to those that enter, and to those that go out herefrom.
Peace be to those that love it, and that love the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
This was followed by the singing of Psalm 100. before the keys were laid on the Communion Table, the ‘Holy Table’.
On the following day, the first service took place at 11.00am led by Rev Leonard Small. A second service took place at 6.30pm led by Rev WM Dempster, Secretary to Huts and Canteens Committee.
Previously, on the laying of the foundation stone on 22 February 1964, The Scotsman had commented:
‘The building is of interesting design, being square in shape with a stepped floor so that the congregation are seated round the communion table, which is at low level in the centre.’
They also mentioned that, ‘there willl be no visible windows, the light being reflected through apertures at roof level’. Of course this was to change at the request of the congregation and the one, beautiful stained-glass window (by artist Ruth Dodds) added, flooding the sanctuary with colour and light on the rare occasions when the sun shines at the right moment. The window had been gifted to the hall church by the Social Centre in 1954.
