My church

Elizabeth Pennykid, Session Clerk, Kirknewton and East Calder Parish Church recounts her faith journey and some of the work of the church.

“ The project has 20 volunteers who make all the initiatives within it possible and as the project grows, we are continually encouraged by the warmth and positive atmosphere that surrounds it.

I AM the Session Clerk at Kirknewton and East Calder (KNEC) Parish Church. At the moment we don’t have a minister – and being Session Clerk in a vacancy is not something I ever thought I would do but where God leads, we must follow.

It is a great privilege to share with you a bit about my faith journey and the life of the Church here in KNEC. As I write, I am reminded of the song: “I am the Church, you are the Church, we are the Church together!”

I have been at KNEC since I was about three years old! Growing up through the various groups has been a great encouragement for me in my faith journey. Coming from a Christian home where both my parents were very active in church life gave me a great example to follow and a thirst to have some of Jesus in my life too. My Church family is very important to me and has been a huge part of my life. I have always felt safe and nurtured in the church and I have been supported through good times and hard times.

I met my husband in the church and we got married and went on to have two children who are also very much part of the church family.

After our second child was born, we decided that I needed to stop my full-time job as a staff nurse and focus on family life. My husband runs his own business called Cool Creatures and we thought it was good to grow the business and nurture the family. This was a huge step of faith but one we felt God was leading us to take. Having that time to see my children grow up was such a blessing and I was very grateful to be able to be home with them.

Once my youngest reached primary three, the church were looking into setting up a community project and a job was advertised for a project co-ordinator, I felt very led to apply to do that.

From this the KNEC Community Listening Project was established. The project is all about making sure everyone has someone they can talk to. Providing a place for people to meet, running initiatives to encourage people to mix with and support each other. The project has 20 volunteers who make all the initiatives within it possible and as the project grows, we are continually encouraged by the warmth and positive atmosphere that surrounds it. All are welcome so if you are ever passing please check the Facebook page or website and drop in.

As Session Clerk and as project coordinator I try to remind myself of the fact that people notice the little things – ‘faith in action’ or ‘Christianity with its sleeves rolled up’ – serving others as Christ calls us to do – can speak louder than words.