Our family spent the summer living in the southwestern town of Stranraer, Scotland—our intention: to show up and encourage our brothers and sisters in the Reformed Presbyterian Church.
In the summer of 2024, we attended RPIC. After hearing a talk on the current church in Scotland, my husband Josh’s heart was stirred to ask: Could we spend a summer with a Scottish RP church that needed encouragement?
Josh works remotely and has long wanted to use that privilege for kingdom purposes. To anywhere else in the world, I might have immediately said no, but Scotland has a special place in my heart. The captivating beauty of Scotland includes mountains, rolling hills, and the ocean. The mild weather is a welcome change from Pittsburgh’s summer heat. My answer was yes. We began to make plans to spend the next summer (2025) with Stranraer RP and the Steele family. Our 2 1/2 month stay would be a test to see if we could manage a longer residency.
It was a grand undertaking. I prepared myself for the possibility that it might not happen, but at every roadblock, God made a way. Housing, plane tickets, timing, preparations, and dog sitters were all sorted out. We picked up our eldest from his last day of school and boarded the plane!
In speaking with Pastor Stephen Steele and his family, one need of the church is for “warm bodies” to attend worship and fellowship. This became clearer once we arrived. The congregation is small, with fewer than 50 people attending regularly, and has no elected deacons. Many members are elderly and or retired. On our first Sunday, we had a fellowship lunch, and the pastor was the one vacuuming and tidying up afterwards! Others helped, but I could see that more was needed. It became our joyful duty to wash dishes, arrange chairs, bring “picky bits” (finger food) to evening service, and teach children’s Sunday school. We attended morning and evening worship and a weekly Bible study. The kids and I met the families often for library and park outings. We chose not to rent a car during our stay. The town is very walkable. Something I wish were more common in the States!
Our family has been blessed immensely. The Steeles found a flat for us to rent, and saw to the details, making sure we had a sufficient kitchen, a crib for Em, and toys for our kids. We could feel their love and hospitality before we left the States! The friendships we made are priceless.
Our children experienced a different culture and now know firsthand that the church is global. Walking everywhere is great exercise! These are just a few benefits.
When you attend a new church, you might not know what you're getting into. Even if it belongs to the same denomination. I prepared my heart, knowing that my preferences in worship are not what we show up to glorify. It’s easy to get attached to your church's “style” and compare it. (If your church has switched to the blue Book of Psalms for Worship from the red book, people have strong opinions!) I kept my expectations low. I may have (mistakenly) expected too little. The preaching was faithful. Psalms to different tunes still spoke truth. The fellowship was warm and welcoming. From the first Sunday, I knew the Holy Spirit was at work here.
If you’re considering attending Stranraer or another church in need of encouragement, some suggestions:
Be brave and sit in the middle, close to the front, for worship. Not because it’s about you, but it makes the sanctuary look fuller and inviting.
See needs and meet them. Put books away, pick up trash, vacuum, and wash the dishes in the sink, doing these things with joy as for Christ.
Introduce yourself to people you haven’t met, and seek out fellowship, especially with those who might be lonely during the week.
Pray before, during, and after that God would grow his church. Pray for the laborers that they would not grow weary of doing good.
Ask what the needs are. Some needs require skill. Some only need a humble willingness. Be willing to show up in ordinary ways.
Remember that God changes hearts. Our job is to be faithful. God works salvation.
Joyce Giesler
