The Right Reverend Rosie Frew, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, has visited the ruins of St Mungo’s Church, Cumbernauld, which police believe was destroyed in a deliberate act.
The church, which had a distinctive pyramid shaped roof and dated back to the 1960s, was went on fire on the evening of 2 August.
By the time emergency services arrived on the scene the fire was already well advanced. The church burned through the night and by morning was a blackened ruin. Fortunately, no one was injured.
Speaking to parishioners at the ruins, Rev Frew said that “time will be needed to grieve, to re-think, to re-imagine, to seek God's guidance".
"You are very much in the thoughts and prayers of members and congregations across the Church of Scotland," she said.
Also present was Morag Rusk, Session Clerk of Cumbernauld Trinity Church. St Mungo’s entered into a union with Trinity just under a year ago. Prior to the union, Rusk served as Session Clerk to St Mungo’s.
Rusk said, "I was alerted just after 8pm by a member of the congregation who was hysterical and told me ‘St Mungo's is on fire, it's terrible, I'm heartbroken'. I immediately went up to the church and just stood looking at the scene for an hour or two with people from the congregation.
"We are absolutely devastated and still coming to terms with it, it is such a well-loved and unique building for the congregation and people in the town.”
St Mungo’s, as well as being a centre of faith in the town, was also used by a variety of local groups, such as a Gaelic choir and a free café for those struggling with poverty.
Rusk expressed her hope that the fire would not be the end for St Mungo’s: “I would hope that we can recreate something on the site. I don't know what that will be yet and I don't know how long it will take but the bell is still there in the tower and we have retrieved some plaques.
"We have to get through our grief but we hope to honour this special place and recreate something in its memory as there is so much history for people.”
The police have appealed to anyone with information or footage related to the incident to help them with their inquiries.
