5 mins
‘Authentic relationships’
In the second part of the series looking at New Worshipping Communities, Thomas Baldwin learns about a market garden in Aberdeenshire and a well-being project in Ayrshire.
The Caim
“AT this stage we may not look like a new worshipping community,” admits the Rev Fyfe Blair, project lead on The Caim, which aims to establish a market garden on 2.5 acres of glebe land at Luthermuir in Aberdeenshire.
The partnership between West Mearns and Aberluthnott Parish (Marykirk and Luthermuir) Churches aims to work alongside the local community to address the problem of food vulnerability, in an area where local amenities have closed and there is limited public transport. An open day in March 2023 attracted over 60 people. “It was about having the right people inspired, passionate and trained,” says Fyfe. “Over a period, it was discerned that we had to take this step which held exciting possibilities, even if we were unsure of how things would unfold.”
Following this, work began to establish infrastructure such as polytunnels on the field. Last year, they completed their first full growing season, and have established links with the local larder and café, and the local schools. They have also started a local ‘growing network’ in the area with other groups with gardens.
Missionally, this offers the opportunity to engage with the wider community in fresh and meaningful ways, through presence and serving, listening and conversation with those involved or who happen to walk past, and the offering and acceptance of hospitality. Much of this is based around the concept of Kohā, a Maori word meaning an offering or contribution, especially one maintaining social relationships, or as a verb to enable, aid, contribute, embrace, celebrate, nurture, acknowledge and be generous.
“It is about adding to and giving life, expanding opportunities through generosity,” says Fyfe. “We are seeking to change the language and so culture through this so that people do not feel pressure to be involved, but rather have a desire to be involved.
“Presently, we are developing the field to cultivate the land to grow fresh local, seasonal produce of vegetables and fruit throughout the year, which we place in local larders and make available to the community. Importantly, the land opens a space for a different presence through hosting gatherings for Kohā and other events, and so beginning to tend relationships by walking alongside those we encounter. Through Kohā and larder, there are also people who now regularly walk through and stop a while for a chat. We are also using the field to connect and work with local primary and secondary schools. We have also started offering retreats.”
In addition to the regular Kohā offerings, a ‘Hairst’ (harvest) celebration barbecue in the autumn attracted between 50 and 60 people, including around 25 of the people whom they had encountered over the course of the year. And in Advent they hosted a walk through the orchard, with lights on the trees and a QR code trail, followed on December 21 by carol singing.
Thrive Stewarton
Pete Anderson, mission pioneer with the Presbytery of South West Scotland, writes: ‘Thrive is now my second family – I belong here’.
Emma, a young mum wasn’t a churchgoer but connected through our walk & talk sessions. Coming out of the pandemic we started to offer safe outdoor activities. She was on maternity leave from her role as a school crossing officer. Emma then came along to our Renew wellbeing drop-in and members of the team have given childcare and offered prayer as we’ve got to know her. She has been along to Alpha and recently had both her babies blessed.
Following mission events to inspire creative thinking in the former Irvine and Kilmarnock presbytery, John Knox church responded to an appeal for project proposals. The ‘Stewarton 20s to 40s’ initiative would focus on reaching and discipling this group in the town – a largely missing demographic from the mainline UK church.
But what would we do? We focussed in on the prophet Jeremiah’s words “Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it thrives, you will thrive.”
We wanted this generation to thrive and as Christians we knew experiencing life in all its fulness was possible in a society full of anxiety. Thrive’s first year was spent prayerfully developing structures, laying out our vision and values, and completing missional training from Forge. We were asking the question – what does this mean for our context? From listening to our community and finding people of peace we have discerned how we might best respond to needs and raise up our community in love.
We quickly realised it is all about authentic relationships. A focus on wellbeing has led to the provision of other activities like our roots and shoots growing project and Stewarton community shed. Sessions support physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health needs – body, mind and soul.
We’ve seen guests coming along to our outdoor sessions start to engage with forest church encountering God around the seasons. Mairi, was invited to roots and shoots and she in turn brought her adult son Steven and from there both have attended Alpha. They now engage with forest church where Steven reads the bible verses. He says: ‘I liked the way Alpha explained things relating to faith in a relaxed setting.’
With a new community focus, grant funding from the local council has enabled us to move into a refurbished sanctuary. Hiring a locally funded family worker is increasing capacity and enabling us to develop our family support and discipleship activities.
We are blessed to be building relationships with around 60-70 people mostly from out with the church each week and it is growing. People often ask ‘is this still a church?’ Or ‘why are you helping me fill in this form?’ We can share more about our faith and provide pathways to explore for themselves.
We are starting to see guests become helpers then leading. Fortnightly Connect huddles meet for coffee, bible study and prayer, This year Thrive will pilot ‘Bubble Church’, a monthly Sunday church service especially for young families. It’s a puppet-packed, Jesus-centred, coffeeand-croissant-fuelled, 30 minute kids and families worship time.
If you start with church you don’t always end up with disciples, but if you start with disciple making you end up with church. Our heart is to build a discipleship culture that sees disciples that make disciples, living life in all its fullness.’ ¤
This article appears in the February 2025 Issue of Life and Work
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