Built in response to the Dunfermline East Expansion (DEX), the new Dunfermline East Church of Scotland on Nightingale Place in Dunfermline, Fife is set to become a central feature of the community.
Muirfield Contracts Ltd are the main contractors and Oliver & Robb Architects the architects for the project, which is due to be completed in January 2012.
The construction of the new church has been supported by the Church of Scotland and reflects the desire of the congregation for a central place for worship. Although the church began in 2003, until now the congregation have not had a designated place to meet, instead meeting in a variety of locations such as Masterton Primary School and the local leisure centre.
The new Dunfermline East Church of Scotland will include a sanctuary area for worship along with a cafe area, office, toilets and meeting room. At the centre of the building will be a welcoming hall area with a servery through to the kitchen, along with a soft play area for small children.
The single storey 32m x 16m build comprises a steel frame on a concrete slab and a timber kit with masonry infill. In addition, the building features an insulated aluminium seamless roof with curtain walling and timber framed glazing. Internally there is a curved roof with a glazed infill panel and folding sliding partitions to separate the main sanctuary from the refreshment area.
The simple design is both cost-efficient and indicative of the flexibility of the building. The new church is intended to act as both a place of worship and a centre for community use, as Reverend Andrew Morrice explained:
“This building has been designed with the community in mind. Although it is primarily a place of worship, we are also eager for the people of Duloch to utilise the new community space available. It will be perfect for community groups, and we’ve had requests for everything from music classes to Zumba lessons.
“This is a very exciting project for us as it will allow the church to create a bigger impact in the area and form valuable bonds with the community. We are very happy with the progress being made and are looking forward to sharing the church with both our congregation and the people of Duloch.”
Site manager, Doug Caldwell, added: “All of the team has worked well together and I believe a good relationship has been formed between the design team, main contractor and the Church of Scotland.”
Dunfermline East Church of Scotland have a strong connection with Rwanda and have also supported the work of Tear Fund, Compassion and Bethany Christian Trust. They believe in the traditional teachings of Christianity, as revealed in the Bible.
Dunfermline East Church of Scotland believe that the Church is not a building or an organisation, but is made up of all true Christians throughout the world.
However, the new centre will certainly help.