“MEET Your MSP is a great project and as an MSP I now appreciate more than ever how important it is to meet your churches!”

Those are the words of the former cabinet secretary for Rural Affairs, Richard Lochhead, after he took part by meeting one of his local ministers in Aberlour, the Rev Shuna Dicks.

The Meet Your MSP project is led by the Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office (SCPO) and has been running since the Holyrood elections last summer. The idea is a simple one – to create change in your community, get to know the change makers. In this case, SCPO has been equipping congregations to contact their local MSPs, inviting them to get involved in something that their church is doing.

MSPs have been asked along to special services, attended informal coffee mornings, visited homelessness projects and launches of foodbanks, met church goers at environmental lobbies, and frequently met with local church groups and members over many pots of tea and coffee.

At one such meeting, the five ‘peninsula parishes’ of Ardgour, Morvern and Strontian pastored by the Rev Donald McCorkindale, and Acharacle and Ardnamurchan led by Rev Fiona Ogg, met with local MSPs Kate Forbes and John Finnie.

Donald said: “I thought the Meet Your MSP initiative was a helpful catalyst to develop links with our MSPs, and I think it also gave permission for churches to be involved in politics.

“Ours was a fairly small gathering with about 16 people – most of whom had a church connection. Conversation touched on local issues – Corran Ferry fares, education, rural issues of staff retention, affordable housing, and also on the wider issue of community empowerment, and the role of faith communities.”

Donald added: “From a networking point of view it was very helpful, and has paved the way to increased future engagement in church and community projects. I am Presbytery Clerk for Lochaber and hope that other congregations in the Presbytery might consider hosting similar events.”

The Meet Your MSP project is ecumenical and has reached across the country and across denomination in order to link congregations with their MSPs.

In Orkney, MSP Liam MacArthur went to Peedie URC Kirk to a meeting of the lunch club, signing a pledge to help tackle loneliness and isolation in the community. In the Western Isles, local MSP Alasdair Allan visited drug and alcohol services run by the Church of Scotland’s social care arm, CrossReach. And at the opposite end of the country, MSP Oliver Mundell in the Borders visited Kate's Kitchen in Annan which is supported by local churches and the Go For It project.

Church leaders have also demonstrated their willingness to promote the project across Scottish churches. The Rt Rev Russell Barr met his local MSP Ruth Davidson, the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, David Chillingworth met one of his local MSPs – the deputy First Minister John Swinney, and URC Moderator David Pickering has met four of his local MSPs including Johann Lamont, James Kelly, Adam Tomkins and Clare Haughey.

Chloe Clemmons, Scottish Churches Parliamentary Officer at SCPO, said: “The Meet Your MSP project demonstrates the SCPO desire to do politics differently and how important it is for people in churches to get to know their local political representatives face to face.

“MSPs have the power to impact our lives in very significant ways and getting to know them early in their term in office is a great way to start a relationship that will hopefully be beneficial to both churches and MSPs for years to come.”

In February, the Scottish Parliament hosted an event to celebrate the project and to encourage MSPs and churches to continue with the work they’ve started and build on the relationships made.

The Meet Your MSP project is ongoing and SCPO wants as many churches as possible to get involved and all 129 MSPs reached. We need your help to do this, so please spread the word and let us know what you have planned!

For more information on the project go to www.scpo.scot