SAINT ANDREW'S AND SAINT GEORGE'S WEST, EDINBURGH

This is a very friendly and welcoming church where a large variety of spiritual and social perspectives are encouraged e,g, during the weekly debates. Everybody in the congregation is treated with similar respect, and the church is not as 'hierarchical' as many churches of denominations other than Church of Scotland. It is emphasised that the important thing is to help others and for each of us to do our bit for Society.


                                                                               

                                                                               

                                                                  ABOUT THE CHURCH


                                                                                   

                                                                                 

                                                                  UNDERCROFT CAFE
                                                                          (Highly rated)


                                                   

                                                                             WIKI

History[edit]

Historic view of the Church, c.1815)

The church was the setting for the Disruption of 1843, one of the most significant events in 19th-century Scotland. Fuelled by increasing concern and resentment about the Civil Courts' infringements on the liberties of the Church of Scotland, around one third of the ministers present at the annual church's General Assembly walked out, cheered by onlookers outside, and constituted the Free Church of Scotland.

In 1964, the congregation of St George's Church in Charlotte Square was united with St Andrew's, forming St Andrew's and St George's. The St George's Church building is now used by the National Records of Scotland. Today, the church hosts an annual book sale for Christian Aid. First held in 1974, in 2006 this event raised over £113,000, including the proceeds of the sale of the script of the Doctor Who episode "New Earth", signed by David Tennant and Billie Piper.^[2]

In January 2010, the congregation of St Andrew's and St George's was united with St George's West, Shandwick Place, to form the congregation of St Andrew's and St George's West.^[3] Both buildings were in use for three years, with the former St Andrew's and St George's building as the principal place of worship until renovation work started in 2012.

On the 17th of February 2013, St. George's West church closed its doors on yet another chapter in its history: the building's final Church of Scotland service was held at 11 a.m. with much fanfare: a special piece of choral music (which was dedicated to the choir of St. Andrew's and St. George's West Parish church) was written by Stuart Mitchell for the occasion. The congregation moved back to the church on George Street, and the Shandwick Place building was handed over to Charlotte Chapel, an independent Baptist church on the nearby Rose Street which had outgrown its building and purchased the church for £1.55 million. Charlotte Chapel don't expect to move in until 2016^[4] while £750,000 worth of renovation work occurs, most prominently the re-siting of the centrally-located organ console to make way for a baptismal tank. This will be the console's third position since its installation in 1897, and the church's third denomination (originally opened as a Free Church in 1869). The final hymn played on the Hollins organ was 'Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided'.