About Us
Our Mission and Vision Comes from the Lord Jesus
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:19-20)
We are a reformed, presbyterian, evangelical church: part of a denomination (a network of churches) called The Free Church of Scotland. More simply we are ordinary people from all walks of life who want to love and serve an extraordinary God.
For information about what we beleive ‘Our Beliefs’ page which will give you a detailed insight into what we believe about God, the Bible, church and our commitment to good reformed theology.
The Dowanvale Free Church Vision
A place of God-centred worship, uncompromising in its adherence to biblical truth; A growing congregation that is as diverse as the surrounding community; A welcoming place characterised by well trained, sacrificial leaders where ongoing training, mentoring and mutual support is available through bad times and good; A compassionate place towards those in need, both materially and spiritually.
Training and Discipleship
We are conscious of the need to build and develop Christian character in our leaders and members. To achieve this, we are developing training programmes for current and prospective office bearers and a more intentional approach to discipleship for long standing members.
Knowing Our People
To support and encourage one another we need to get to know each other better. As a first step, all elders have been allocated a group of members for whom they have responsibility. There are some practical issues associated with traditional approaches to visiting members, but we are committed to finding suitable ways to provide the necessary pastoral support, training and mentoring. Another step towards building an increased sense of togetherness, mutual accountability and discipleship has been the recent introduction of local groups to meet for prayer and bible study
Welcoming
Everyone attending Dowanvale should be made to feel as welcome and comfortable as possible. The challenge of the gospel message might make people feel uncomfortable, but we should do all we can to remove other areas of discomfort or reasons why people might feel unwelcome
Local
For some years, the congregation has run a Monday night youth club and the Dowanvale café on Saturday afternoons. We are keen to explore other opportunities for reaching out to the local area with the gospel message.
International
The area surrounding the church building is becoming increasingly multinational and multicultural. We want to reach the nations that are on our doorstep and we are committed to finding ways of developing our work in this area including through the international café that meets on Thursday evenings
Frequently Asked Questions
Where & When Do You Meet on Sundays?
On Sundays we have 2 service times at 11am & 6pm located in our building at 35 Dowanhill Street, Partick in the West End of Glasgow. When you come in sit anywhere are there are no reserved seats so settle in wherever and if you are coming with children they are most welcome too. Each service usually lasts about one hour. The 11am and 6pm services are different in content and we would love for you to come to both. After the 11am service people stick around for tea/coffee and a chance to chat. If is the 3rd Sunday of the month then we have a light lunch together.
What Happens During a Sunday Service?
On Sundays we gather to worship God together and to refresh our hearts in teaching from the Bible. The service will normally be led by Kenny, our minister, who will pray and give a talk about a passage from the Bible. There are usually 4 singings which are hymns or psalms which vary being accompanied by a piano or just sung with our voices.
Are My Kids Welcome on Sundays?
We love having kids at services in Dowanvale – children are such an important part of our church family. We like to begin the service with everyone of all ages all together then after the first singing and a special talk aimed at the kids then all children & youth from pre-school to S3 age are encouraged to go to Sunday Club classes. We have classes as follows: Bubbles for P1-2; Splash for P3-4; Xtreme for P5-7; The Grid for S1-3/4. We also have a creche area for younger children with two leaders so parents can leave their children (or stay with them) during the service if they wish.
Will I Be Asked for Money?
The message of the good news of Jesus is free and open for all -poor and rich alike. There is no obligation at all to give money. Donations to the work of the church are given freely and generously by regular attenders to help keep the church running but they are not required to be given.
Is There a Dress Code?
Please come along to Dowanvale wearing whatever kind of clothes you feel comfortable. We have no expectations of what you should wear. Some people will wear smart casual or very casual or suits & dresses. No pressure either way!
Who Can Come to Dowanvale?
Everyone! You don’t need to be Christian to come along or a special kind of person with a certain status. We love seeing people from all walks and stages of life unite together. Kids, students, young adults, families, young, old, poor, wealthy, agnostics, atheists and people of other faiths and beliefs are all welcome to come to our services because we want everyone to know about Jesus.
Is It Just Sundays?
No! As Christians, we believe that prayer changes things, and so we meet during the week for a time of prayer and Bible study on Wednesdays at 7.30pm. There are a variety of activities that Dowanvale do and are a great way to get to know other people in the church or community. For a more detailed run down have a look at our activities page.