If you want to attend a service or any of our meetings or events please just come along. Everyone is welcome to attend and there's no charge unless the event is a play, concert or other entertainment.

We sometimes forget that not everyone is familiar with our way of doing things. You may be from another country or you may never have been in a church before except for a wedding when everyone's dressed up or a funeral when everyone's very sombre. I'll try here to answer questions that might be stopping you from joining us.

 At the door

As you enter the church before the service there will be one or two people with name badges. These are not "bouncers" but are there to welcome you, help you find a seat and give you an "Order of Service" - that's a sort of programme to let you know what will be going on during the service. It also has useful information about forthcoming events, etc.

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 Do I have to join?

No - the church is open to all. That's not to say you can't "Join the Church" but it's not a requirement for attending the church or joining in most of the activities. If you decide that you want to explore membership of the church, the Minister will be pleased to speak to you about it.

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When do I come and how long will the service last?

Greenbank still tends to like everyone to be in church at the beginning of the service. The Sunday morning service is currently at 10.30 am but see the calendar as it's different on special days.  It usually lasts just over an hour.

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 What do I wear?

Whatever you like! You'll find suits and jeans, trainers and high heels. Ladies' hats are rare and gentlemen are bareheaded. We are more interested in meeting you than analysing your clothing.

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Can I bring the kids?

Yes indeed, in fact we positively encourage them. At 10.20 am there's a crèche for the under threes and older children can join the Sunday schools if you'd rather they didn't spend all the time in the church.

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What will happen and what do I have to do?

The service is in several parts: talks, singing, readings, etc. We generally sit but stand to sing. We remain seated for prayers, bowing our heads.
You should get a printed Order of Service at the door which will tell you what's coming next. You should also be given a copy of whatever songbook we're using that day or the words may be displayed on the screens. The purple book is the Hymn book and Mission Praise is white but don't worry too much about getting it wrong as even long-standing members of the congregation get mixed up and someone nearby will be pleased to help.
At the end of the last song we remain standing for the "Benediction" - a short prayer at the end of which we sing "Amen" (Choral Amen on the Order of Service) or the Minister will say it. Then hopefully the people around you will chat to you as the church empties. Usually there's tea and coffee in the halls after the service

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Do I pay and how much?

There's no fee
As part of the service we take an "Offering" but there's no obligation to contribute. You needn't be embarrassed to put nothing in to the offering bag as many members don't, perhaps because they contribute by standing order or other means or maybe they've just forgotten their purse or are having a bad week.
The money goes to the upkeep of the church and to pay the minister, organist, etc. and, as Greenbank is a big congregation, a big portion of what we collect goes to the Church of Scotland headquarters to help maintain other churches and other work done by the Church.
You may wonder why people are putting small envelopes into the offering bags. These are given out so that members who choose to can fill them up weekly whether they're in church or not and as a means of tracking what money is given under Gift Aid so that we can claim tax back from the Chancellor!

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 Does the church have any facilities for those with disabilities, babies, etc?

An induction loop has been fitted in the Church for your use. To receive direct amplification, switch your hearing aid to 'T' position instead of 'M' and you should have clear reception. In some cases, an adjustment of the volume control may be necessary too.

There is a ramp for wheelchair or pram access to the church and halls via the Link Building. That's the building to the right of the church as viewed from the street. (It links the church and the halls hence its imaginative name!) There is a "disabled" toilet at the entrance to the gents' toilets and baby changing facilities in the ladies' toilet within the halls.

During the winter months there is a crèche during the Sunday morning service. Children over three are invited to join the Sunday schools.

Audio tapes of services are also sent free of charge to some of our members who would find these more helpful. If you could benefit from this service, please contact the Church Office (644 1841).

Our magazine "Good Neighbour" is produced on audio tape each month and sent to those who've elected to receive it in this form. If you would like to receive this or know of someone who would benefit from this service please speak to any of the duty team who will pass on your request.

There are usually large print versions of the weekly intimations. They can be obtained from the duty team at the front door of the Church. Please just ask if you need one.

Please note that there is no parking in the church grounds. For safety reasons, because of the large numbers of children using the church seven days a week, we ask that you please only bring your car into the church drive for disabled access or if bringing heavy or awkward equipment.

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