Our Constitution

In Christ we who are many form one body
Romans 12:5

1. The church shall be known as NEWTON MEARNS BAPTIST CHURCH and be in affiliation with the Baptist Union of Scotland.

2. The members of this church believe:-
(a) in one God - the Father Almighty, Jesus Christ His Son our Saviour and Lord, and the Holy Spirit our Guide and Helper.
(b) that the Scriptures, the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, are the rule and pattern for individual faith and church order.
(c) that faith in Jesus Christ, who “died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried and rose again on the third day,” is the way of forgiveness and that whoever believes in his heart and confesses Him as Lord shall be saved.
(d) that the church is a fellowship of believers which observes Christ’s ordinances -

i. of the baptism of believers by immersion upon confession of faith in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (In exceptional cases, other forms of believers baptism may be accepted.)

ii. of the Lord’s Supper, open to all believers, to perpetuate the memory of Christ’s death and to show forth the truths of redemption through His sacrifice and our union with Him and one another.

(e) that it is the duty of every Christian to bear witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to take part in the evangelisation of the world.

3. The church is congregational in its policy, i.e. it recognises Jesus Christ as its supreme Head and undertakes to manage its own affairs according to His Word and the practice of the apostles.

4. The members of this church shall be such as profess faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord and give evidence of living in fellowship with Him.

5. Applicants shall be accepted for membership upon satisfying the church of:-
(a) their faith in Christ.
(b) their sympathy with Baptist principles and acceptance of this constitution.
(c) their willingness to:

i. share regularly in the worship of the church.

ii. contribute systematically, as the Lord has prospered them, towards the support of the church.

iii. engage in Christian service.

iv. maintain the spirit of Christian love and unity.

v. endeavour to live a life worthy of Christ and His church.

6. The ministers, elders and/or deacons, two of whom shall fill the offices of Secretary and Treasurer, shall be baptised believers.

7. The appointment of the ministers, elders and/or deacons shall have the approval of the church and the method of appointment be determined by the church.

8. An ordinary church meeting shall be held at least twice a year following two Sundays’ notice to transact business remitted from the elders and / or deacons, to hear a statement of church finances and to consult about church work generally. Special church meetings may also be called by the elders and / or deacons as necessary, providing two Sundays’ prior notice is given. These formally constituted church meetings may be supported by additional arrangements for non-binding engagement, consultation and information sharing as determined by the church.

9. In cases of private offence between members, the rule prescribed by Christ in Matthew 18:15-17 shall be observed. In cases of open backsliding, inconsistency or doctrinal error, it shall be the duty of the church to exercise discipline according to 2 Thessalonians 3:6,14,15 and Titus 3:10,11.

10. All cases of discipline and confidential church matters shall be treated as strictly private to the members.

11. The church is a Registered Charity and shall appoint Trustees in accordance with the guidance of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. The Trustees will comprise the Church Treasurer (ex officio) and three other appointed Trustees, one each from the Elders and Deacons and one from the current membership of NMBC. Trustees are appointed for a 3 year term and may serve a maximum of 3 consecutive terms. After a year out of office they may be considered for re-appointment. Appointment and re-appointment of Trustees will require the approval and confirmation of the church at a properly constituted Church Meeting.

12. No alterations shall be made to this constitution except by vote of two-thirds of the members present at a church meeting, called for the purpose by special intimation to all members giving details of the proposed amendment, and allowing at least two weeks’ notice.

13. A copy of this constitution shall be given to each member and to each applicant for membership.

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When - Greenfarm Road

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10:30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team who will be wearing a Welcome lanyard.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Where and When - Maidenhill Primary

We meet at in the primary school dining hall (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10:30am. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team who will be wearing a Welcome lanyard.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access and disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Our Service

The main service begins with a warm welcome from one of our team members. Then follows a time of sung worship, led by our band. We typically have 2 or 3 songs lasting approximately 20 minutes. Sometimes a person might pray out loud or read a small passage from the bible. This might seem strange the first time you hear it but it’s all part of our connecting with God. We then share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church. One of our leaders will then give a sermon that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with a final worship song. Sometimes there is an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.

What about my kids?

We have a great programme lined up for kids of all ages.

At Greenfarm Road the children split into groups:

Creche (0 months to 3 years)
Bright Sparks (3 years - P1)
Live Wires (P2 - P7)
Fusion (S1-S4)
Young people (S4+ years) Stay in service.

At Maidenhill, the children are given an activity to do at the rear of the space during the sermon.

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and notices. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. At the end of the notices someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy. Whilst you are dropping your kids off at their groups, we pause to take time to chat to someone sitting near or next to us, giving folk a chance to come back before the sermon begins.

The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

Getting Connected

Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team.

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.