Don't Be a Stranger to Stranraer

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 

Harry & Mary Jane: 6 weeks in Stranraer

Harry and Mary Jane Ward, an elder and his wife from the Shawnee (Kansas) RP Church were with us for 6 weeks from late April through to the end of May. While they were here, they were involved in all aspects of church life. Harry led a weekly Bible study and did some practical work around the church. Mary Jane continued to teach the second Sabbath School class which had been begun when Rita Lyon was with us.

On their final Lord’s Day with us, they were presented with a clock, the background of which is a map of the local area. We are very grateful for their willingness to come and their investment in our lives.

A Reflection on Three Months in Stranraer

Bob and Rita Lyon have recently returned home to Kansas after being with us for three months (February to April). Below are some of Bob’s reflections on their time here. We hope it will be useful for others considering doing something similar, and also provide a window into congregational life.

When we arrived in Stranraer, Scotland, we came with no specific expectations—only a desire to settle in, become part of the congregation, and help wherever we could. Our intention was simple: to quietly support the church by bolstering its numbers, contributing where needed, offering encouragement, and not to be a burden.

From the very beginning, we were warmly welcomed, accepted, and loved by the congregation. It was a joy to find how easily relationships formed with so many individuals. The church felt like home far quicker than we imagined. In joining the daily rhythms of this faithful body, we quickly saw the depth of commitment and effort poured in by the two elder families, the Steeles and the Frasers. Their leadership carries the full weight of responsibility for the congregation, and their dedication is tireless, though it often stretches them thin. If in any small way we were able to ease that burden—through helping with child care, offering friendship, or simply being present—we are deeply thankful for the opportunity.

The church is made up of a mix of individuals, many of whom are single and elderly. It was clear that visits, invitations, and personal attention meant a great deal to them. Small gestures of care seemed to go a long way, and we were blessed in return with rich conversations and shared moments of faith.

Throughout our time there, we were entrusted with a variety of responsibilities. We led adult Bible studies and children’s Sabbath School classes, participated in Bible distributions, visited schools, and assisted with infrastructure projects. We helped with congregational meals, and intentionally built relationships within the community—whether with local shopkeepers or individuals who had once been connected to the church. In these simple tasks, we saw the Lord open doors to extend the visibility and reach of the church within Stranraer.

We also had the privilege of coordinating two others who joined us for a 10-day short-term trip. With their help, we completed a number of physical projects on the church building and parsonage—an encouraging example of how even short visits can leave a lasting impact when guided by a shared vision.

Though we came to serve, we were the ones who were blessed—again and again. We had no particular gifts or expertise to offer, only a willingness to be present and available. And yet, God multiplied those small efforts. The experience deepened our walk with the Lord and taught us much about the beauty of quiet faithfulness, perseverance, and love lived out in community.

Spending three months in Stranraer felt like a good amount of time to truly integrate into the life of the church and to develop meaningful relationships. It was a joy and a privilege to work alongside the Steeles and Frasers, to share in their labor, and to witness the fruit of their long-term commitment.

We are deeply grateful for the time we were able to spend with the church in Stranraer. It was a wonderful season—one marked by service, growth, and genuine fellowship. We leave thankful, encouraged, and hopeful for the ongoing ministry in that part of Scotland.

Goodbye to Trinity!

At the end of April, we said goodbye to Trinity after her 7 months’ Short-Term Service in Stranraer. Trinity had been with us since the end of September, during which time she has been involved in all aspects of congregational life, teaching Sunday School, helping us get the drop-in restarted, doing one-on-one Bible studies, getting involved in local schools and helping different folk in the church in lots of ways behind the scenes.

We are grateful for her time with us and will miss her! Would you join us in praying that God will send us people to take over some of the roles she’s left behind?

Everyone's a Theologian

Book review by Trinity McConnell

Everyone’s a Theologian
R. C. Sproul
Ligonier Ministries, 2014

Is theology a dying art?

So often as a young person in this day and age I hear the phrase: “As long as you have a relationship with Jesus, nothing else matters." Although I commend the prioritisation of a relationship with Christ, it's disheartening to think of my generation in the church growing up with no desire to inspect the Scriptures to have a broader understanding of their faith and how they practise it. Everyone's a Theologian, by R.C. Sproul, seeks to make theology more accessible by encouraging all Christians to take an interest in, and giving a simple introduction to, big Biblical concepts.

As a novice myself I found that the book lived up perfectly to its subtitle: ‘An introduction to Systematic Theology.’

The book is in eight parts. An introduction informs the reader of important concepts to consider before studying theology at any level, eg the infallibility of scripture, the purpose of theology and the three theological disciplines: biblical, historical and systematic.

This is followed by sections on; Theology proper (the study of God), Anthropology (the study of human beings) and Creation, Christology (The study of the nature and work of Jesus Christ), Pneumatology (the person and work of the Holy Spirit), Soteriology (salvation), Ecclesiology (The study of the church) and finally Eschatology (death, judgement, heaven and hell). The book is laid out in simple format and uses easy to understand language.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever wanted to study theology (young or old), who thought they hadn't the ability or didn't know where to start. I'd also recommend it to anyone who thinks that theology is unnecessary or leads to traditionalism or legalism - in the hope that it will give them the positive outlook and joy that studying the word of God should bring. I would even suggest that those looking to revise an old topic, begin a new one or even just get a refresher of the overall picture of the main branches of Systematic Theology pick up a copy of this informative and to the point piece of literature.