THE moderator of the Church of Scotland's General Assembly visited the peninsula's parish last week to see the good work in the community.

The Right Rev Dr Iain Greenshields and his wife, Linda, have been touring the Clyde Presbytery area and were welcomed first to Cardross Parish Church and then to a civic reception in Helensburgh with Argyll and Bute's Provost, Maurice Corry.

 

Then it was on to Garelochhead, where Dr and Mrs Greenshields visited The Oasis, the day care centre in the village operated by CrossReach, the care provider run by the Church of Scotland.

 

Rev Christine Murdoch, minister at the Kirk's Lochside Churches parish, which covers Garelochhead, St Modan's in Rosneath and Craigrownie Parish Church in Cove, said: "As well as being given a warm welcome, and a wonderful morning tea, Iain witnessed a Heart for Art and joined in a game of skittles.

"Then it was on to Route 81, where Iain and Linda met Michelle Macdonald, the youth work manager, Katie MacKay, the office manager and Rhona Knight, the Lochside Churches' family worker.

"Both Linda and Iain were delighted to find such a well-run service in a relatively rural setting and wished the staff all God’s blessing in their work, noting that the Slanj project had been commended in the Scottish Parliament."

Slanj was the name given to the five-week 'random acts of kindness' project run by the Lochside Churches and Route 81, based at Centre 81 in the village's Old School Road.

The project, funded by the Arts Society Lomond and Argyll, saw Route 81's young people create hand-made Christmas tealights to give to 34 people in the area as festive gifts.