Moderator visits ruin of 'iconic' church devastated by fire

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland visited the ruins of an iconic church destroyed by fire to stand in solidarity and support the devastated congregation.

Rt Rev Rosie Frew stood shoulder to shoulder with visibly upset members of the former St Mungo's Church in Cumbernauld yesterday as they surveyed the wreckage of what was an iconic landmark at the heart of the town.

Struggling to contain her own tears, she said they are "grieving" the loss of a beloved gathering place and the thoughts and prayers of the wider Church of Scotland family were with them.

With its pyramid shaped roof, the B-listed building is in the town centre and has been an important landmark since it was built in the 1960s, designed by notable Scottish architect Alan Reiach.

The alarm was raised around 7.50pm on Saturday, 2 August that the building and connecting halls, was well alight.

The emergency services attended the scene but unfortunately the complex could not be saved. There were no reports of injuries

Detective Sergeant Craig Jeffrey of Police Scotland said: "Enquiries so far have established the fire was deliberate.

"We are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed anything to contact us.

"We'd also ask anyone with footage of the area at the time to please come forward."

Speaking at a gathering outside what is left of the building, Mrs Frew said: "How often do we hear it said and sung that the ‘church is not a building, the church is people?'

"But people need a gathering place and this has been your gathering place since 1966.

"A building described as iconic, a landmark – a building that holds a special place in the lives and the memories of so many."

St Mungo's Church is now part of Trinity Parish Church, a union formed from Cumbernauld Old Church and Kildrum and St Mungo's churches on 15 August, 2024.

Mrs Frew said: "I'm conscious that there has been much change in recent times with the coming together of the churches that make up Cumbernauld Trinity.

"I've read of your plans and hopes and dreams, the St Mungo's Hub was, is, a big part of your vision for the future.

"Following this awful fire, so much will be on hold, time will be needed to grieve, to re-think, to re-imagine, to seek God's guidance.

"You are very much in the thoughts and prayers of members and congregations across the Church of Scotland."

Mrs Frew led those gathered, including members of the congregation, Rev Dr Grant Barclay, Clerk to the Presbytery of Glasgow, and her chaplain Rev Dr Karen K Campbell, in prayer.

"Loving God, gathered here today we give thanks for this church building

A place of worship where God has been glorified in word and music, in beauty and creativity

A place of gathering for this community, the people of this parish

A place where the good news of Jesus Christ has been preached faithfully Sunday by Sunday

A place of joy where life and love have been celebrated in the happiest of times

A place of refuge where tears have been shed and anguished prayers uttered in the hardest of times

A place of comfort where the peace of God has been felt in heart and mind

Gathered here today we pray

For this congregation and this community

Past and present

As they grieve this loss

As they come to terms with this tragedy

As they share memories

As they make plans for the future

Gathered here today we ask

That you would be their comfort

That you would give them strength

That you would be their guide

In the days and months ahead

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

Among those gathered was Morag Rusk, the Session Clerk of Cumbernauld Trinity Church and she was the Session Clerk of St Mungo's Parish Church before the union.

Reflecting on Saturday night, she said: "I was alerted just after 8pm by a member of the congregation who was hysterical and told me ‘St Mungo's is on fire, it's terrible, I'm heartbroken'.

"I immediately went up to the church and just stood looking at the scene for an hour or two with people from the congregation.

"We are absolutely devastated and still coming to terms with it, it is such a well-loved and unique building for the congregation and people in the town.

"It was an iconic landmark for Cumbernauld and the pyramid tower be seen as you drive into the town from whatever direction, Glasgow, Airdrie and Falkirk."

Ms Rusk said the building was used every day of the week by a range of community groups including a Gaelic choir and was the base of a well-used free café for tackling poverty that was set up after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Amidst our shock and grief, we are trying hard to find a positive and we know there will be one day," she added.

"Cumbernauld Trinity Parish Church's web page refers to a passage from the Book of Isaiah about new beginnings and we have to cling onto that hope.

"Looking forward in to the future after the cause of the fire is known, I would hope that we can recreate something on the site.

"I don't know what that will be yet and I don't know how long it will take but the bell is still there in the tower and we have retrieved some plaques.

"We have to get through our grief but we hope to honour this special place and recreate something in its memory as there is so much history for people – the scene of so many funerals, weddings and family events.

"You can see from the huge outpouring of shock and sadness in the community that it is such a loved building."

Rev Alastair Duncan, Interim Moderator of Cumbernauld Trinity Church, said he felt "deep sadness" over what has happened.

"St Mungo's was a place that has seen many, many important occasions for 60 years so it's just deeply, deeply distressing and devastating for the congregation," he added.

"Although it wasn't the principal place of worship of the united Cumbernauld Trinity congregation, it was still very much in use.

"To lose all of that, the history, the memories, the associations, as well as to lose the capacity for all the community groups that were using it and the possibility of what might have been in the future, is utterly devastating."

Mr Duncan said the congregation is "very much in mourning for what it's lost".

"It's early days but the hope is that there'll be something new as Cumbernauld is to be extensively redeveloped for the next 10 to 15 years, new houses are to be built very close to the site," he added.

"This church and all the artistic impressions of the future was very much in the plan so it would be tragic if there wasn't something fit-for-purpose built to replace it in the years to come.

"That remains to be seen and decided but at the moment it is a time to grieve, a time to mourn, a time for lament."