UK #5: Adelaides in Glasgow

Monday marked a transition in my trip.  I left Poole and people I knew or got to know and set out on solo travel across the UK.  I started by traveling north, to Glasgow, Scotland.  I wasn't in Glasgow for very long, sadly.  But I enjoyed the time I had.

When I was preparing for my trip, one of the accommodations listed in Rick Steves' Great Britain 2013 is Adelaides Guesthouse.  It is in "a multitasking church building."  A tiny bit of internet research showed me that they are in the same building as Adelaide Place Baptist Church.  The guesthouse had an opening for the night (I turned out to be their first guest of 2013, as they'd been on a holiday break) so I made a reservation.  Then I sent an e-mail to the pastor of the church, telling him about my trip and asking if he would be available to meet with me the afternoon or evening I would be there.  To my surprise, he quickly wrote back and said yes.

So Monday afternoon, I spent some time with him, hearing how it came to be that their church building also houses a guesthouse and nursery (day care center).  The congregation has been worshipping in this building since 1877, and it is in the city center.  Like many such churches, members started into move to the suburbs, and membership started declining.  

About 18 years ago, they discovered dry rot in their building, which would cost a significant amount to repair.  They had to grapple with what to do about their building.  At about the same time they did a survey of areas of ministry need.  They found that there were six areas of need, and they couldn't address them all.  They decided to focus on the business community, partly since it is less common than ministering to the urban poor or students.  They thought creatively, and decided to start  business, Adelaides.  They mission would be to extend the kingdom of God through profitable enterprise.  They raised the money to renovate the building.  Now it houses an eight room guesthouse and a day care center to 6 week-olds-5-year-olds.  They also rent out their auditorium and other meeting space for a variety of events.  When they started they also had a cafe because there weren't many lunch places in the area, but that didn't seem to take off, so they have since closed it.

The businesses are formally seperate from the church, but the board of directors is made up almost entirely of church members, so they work hand-in-hand.  It isn't an easy mission.  Just managing the businesses takes an incredible amount of time and energy.  The pastor has been a key piece in getting this started and keeping it together.  They have sown lots of seeds and come into contact with lots of people who wouldn't otherwise have contact with a church.  But they haven't had many conversions (at least that they know of) because of this venture.

The pastor was honest that this is unique and it is a hard road.  They have had to sacrifice as a congregation--time, space, being able to use their space spontaneously, and probably other things.  Personally, I would not want to do what he has done with managing a business and being a pastor, because I'm pretty sure in would be bad at it and it just wouldn't be a good fit for me. But I am thankful for the congregation at Adelaide Place Baptist.  For their creativity to try something new.  For their commitment to keep working at it and making it better.  And for their passion to serve the people in their community.  I pray that God will bless them, and that they will see the fruits of their labors.

And the guesthouse was a fun place to stay, complete with a manager who lived up to Rick Steves' description of a "quirky sense of humor." He called me the "American vicar" and was shocked to learn I didn't realize that Kim Kardashian is now pregnant by Kanye and she's still married to the other guy (basketball player?).


Map image in public domain, from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scotland_map.png