Catalyst Vineyard Church & Community Hub has officially opened its doors, after extensive renovations, three years on from acquiring the building through a Community Asset Transfer from Aberdeenshire Council. Ribbons were cut and doors officially opened on the 7th of September with a drinks reception and fun-filled Ceilidh for the local community, hosted by the Catalyst Vineyard Church team and played by Fairdin, a fantastic local ceilidh band.
This building which Catalyst Vineyard Church now owns, has been sensitively restored to retain some old features whilst enabling the building to become fully sustainable and includes solar panels which form part of a sophisticated energy conservation scheme. The work completed in the building was partially made possible by a grant from the Government Levelling Up Fund. Now opened it will provide vital services to the community of Laurencekirk and the Mearns by enabling a lively church community for local people. It will be a place to continue running the local Mainly Music group, previously in the Dickson Hall and providing a warm hub for those who need it through the Open Doors/Transform Food Pantry. It will serve as a starting point for the much-loved annual Easter Egg Hunts which are well attended by over 150 people, Nativity Trails and other community events..The building, staffed by volunteers, will also become home to many other community groups who will use this affordable space throughout the week to serve a wide range of people, from tiny tots to senior citizens!
The newly refurbished Community Hub aims to serve the community well, by providing a Sunday church service, Gather lunches and offering a friendly space to all who come. They are also renting space to accommodate local events, parties and clubs for individuals and charities. Currently, the main charity using the space will be the Laurencekirk Out of School Club who will be using the Hub daily to provide much-needed support to parents and children. Currently running in the school, they need a bigger space to accommodate the needs of the community and Catalyst Vineyard Church are working closely alongside them to provide this.
The Old Mearns Community Centre has seen many incarnations in its lifetime, first as the local primary school until 1999 when the new school building opened. Then as a community centre providing a Hub for out-of-school care and other community groups to use. Catalyst Vineyard Church are keen that it will continue to be well used by the growing community in Laurencekirk of which they are already a part, having been running Mainly Music and the Transform Food Pantry from other venues in the town for the last 8 years.
The Mearns Community Hub coordinator Natasha Robinson said:
“Lovingly restoring this old building and safeguarding it for future generations is a brilliant project to be involved with. It also creates opportunities for local people to be involved in their community as we develop the outreach services, including the Transform Pantry and drop-in, parish nursing, Incredible Edible planting and work alongside other charities to meet needs within the community. It’s exciting to bring part of Laurencekirk’s rich history back to life”.
Commenting on the collaborative project, the Catalyst Vineyard Church Mearns Site Pastor, Kirsty Broadley, said: “For 8 years we’ve met as a church at the Academy and served the community from multiple venues, this is just the beginning of a long and beautiful partnership. We are here to put down roots, and create a space that can be used for generations to come. Our saying at Catalyst Vineyard Church is ‘Come as you are’ and we mean it. This is a place where people can come alive in Jesus and in community. Where we can all be known and seen and loved.”
SInce opening its doors many people have commented on the welcoming and vibrant space and said how the building “feels like home”. Catalyst Vineyard Church will continue to host an exciting array of community events from here onwards. Please check Facebook or the website at www.catalyst.vin for more information.
