Mearns Kirk kids look to the future

Young congregation members at Mearns Kirk made their mark on the church this week in one last celebration of the building’s 200th anniversary last year.

The kirk commemorated the milestone with a time capsule; a collection of artefacts by children from the Sunday Club ‘buried’ in the church with a plaque marking the spot.

Organiser Marianne McGregor told The Extra: “Messages for the future were placed in the time capsule, which will be sealed for at least 100 years.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The children were invited to speculate what the world will look like in 100 years. Will we still have books and newspapers, or will everything be digital? Will there still be shops on the high street, or will everyone shop online? Will we still have cars using fossil fuel?”

Some 40 items were included for future congregations to look at, including a copy of The History of Mearns Kirk and Its People, a book covering the last 1,000 years, produced by the church for the anniversary and currently on sale at Waterstones in The Avenue.

The youngsters also opted to include science magazines, national newspapers and even a few copies of The Extra, to let those who open the time capsule know what was going on in Newton Mearns when it was created.

Sunday Club members Scott Campbell and Molly Telfer were also asked to write messages about life in 2014.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Marianne continued: “To preserve the items inside, we consulted an expert at the National Museum in London, to ensure that all the printed items will be in good condition when the time capsule is opened after 2113.

“Who knows — some of the children witnessing the ceremony on Sunday might also witness the opening since our youngest member, baby Ben Wilkinson, is just seven months old.”

The Mearns project has even been registered with the International Time Capsule Society at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, to ensure it won’t get lost before the turn of the century.

Until then, it remains safe and sound for future generations to discover.

Related topics: