My church

Gillian McLean, an elder in Corby, Northamptonshire, describes the challenge of change.

ALTHOUGH a ‘Black Country’ lass from the West Midlands, I relocated to Corby, Northamptonshire, like so many of those of Scottish heritage, to keep my job. I met my husband, a ‘Brandane’ from the Isle of Bute, and we were married in 1996.

My first visit to St Ninian’s was for a carol service during a vacancy. When the new minister arrived, he started a Sunday evening Bible study, which I picked up the courage to attend. It was through this that I started to get more engaged with the life of the church and not just a ‘Sunday morning visitor’. At the first meeting, I asked if anyone wanted a lift home, a lady said yes, and I took her home and we are still close friends both inside and outside our allegiance to the church.

Since I joined the church there have been quite a few changes. The main ones resulted from when we became a charity and moved to a unitary constitution. Then more recently from uniting with our sister church St Andrew’s in Corby and forming the new church of ‘Corby, Church of Scotland’. Each change has given us a challenge, that brings us together knowing that God is calling us to have faith and to go into his world to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.

After attending a ‘Mission-based Church’ course, God put Messy Church on my heart. It is almost ten years since we first had permission from the Kirk Session to look at this mission to the community. The team researched the vision and prepared a plan of action. This was agreed by the Kirk Session, if we could find a way of funding it!

“ Each change has given us a challenge, that brings us together knowing that God is calling us to have faith and to go into his world to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.

God blessed our project financially. We obtained funding from what was then the Go For It fund. Members of the congregation gave and continue to give donations to the fund, and the Presbytery of England and the Channel Islands have supported it throughout the years.

Messy Church opened in September 2016. We have had many people come through our doors during that time. Since Messy Church re-started after the Covid-19 pandemic we have been blessed even more. We now have a core attendance of forty parents and children, plus community and church volunteers. Those who are unable to help physically form part of the Messy Church prayer group.

Many things changed during Covid-19, including the investment in technology which has enabled our church to hold weekly bible study and daily prayers online. The prayer meeting is quite popular with members of the church and important to me personally. It gives us an opportunity to start our day with prayer and fellowship.

In July, Corby holds its own Highland Gathering including the traditional dancing and pipers, and even a Scottish porridge eating competition. Of course, Corby, Church of Scotland will be there flying the flag, but not as piper or dancer but as ‘fisher of men’, and we have been blessed by Seeds for Growth with a grant to cover this event. Another step in our journey of faith. ¤