Hope for the future

In the series considering the stories of people whose lives have been shaped by encounter with the Church of Scotland in some of Scotland’s poorest areas, Neill Shaw offers the story of William.

OVER the past few months, we have travelled around various Priority Area parishes, stopping to listen, get to know people and hear some of their life stories.

They described how their lives have been impacted for the better by the presence of their local Church of Scotland church and the faithful folks who lovingly serve their communities. In this article, we meet William, who has found renewed hope and made new friends because of his local church.

It was a cold autumn day when I met William. I had to scrape the ice from my windscreen, and the heater in my car seemed to take an eternity to produce any warmth. The church centre, at which William is a regular attendee, however, was cosy and welcoming and the homemade lentil soup was just what the doctor ordered! William and I sat down with our coffees – the conversation felt natural and free-flowing. William told me he first came to the church for a meal when he had no money or food but that the embrace he found kept him coming back. “I come here on the first and third Sundays of the month for dinner. They put on a worship service with a meal, and that makes a massive difference – just having a place to come, be with people and get a warm meal.”

“ They put on a worship service with a meal, and that makes a massive difference – just having a place to come, be with people and get a warm meal.

Life had taken a difficult turn for William after years in a high-pressure job. I reflected on the fact that difficulty can visit anyone’s door, even those who seem, on the surface, to be successful and thriving. “The stress became overwhelming. I wasn’t sleeping, and I started drinking to cope.” Things worsened when his parents passed away within a month of each other. “That had a big impact on me,” he says. Struggling with grief, he left for England, travelled for a while, and eventually found himself out of money and without anywhere to live. “Before I even really realised what had happened, I was homeless – sleeping in a tent on the beach, with just a sleeping bag.” A charity in England helped him return home, buying him a train ticket. “I don’t know what happened to me, suddenly I had gone from doing well to needing the help of others – it just crept up on me out of the blue.”

Before leaving for England, William had heard about the work the local church here was doing. “When I came back and found out the work was still going on, I came along and learned about all the places in town where I could go to meet people, get food and get help to reintegrate into the community. Try to get myself back on my feet.”

Coming to the church changed things for him. “It brought me out of my shell. What had happened obviously had a big impact on me. I was very introverted and had very little family to be in contact with, so coming here has made all the difference. It has brought me back into the community.” William realised he was suffering from social anxiety. “I didn’t want to leave the house. But now, I come here a couple of times a week. It’s really helped.”

William is on the basic level of Universal Credit. “My mental health isn’t great because of everything that’s happened, but I didn’t qualify for anything more than the basic amount.” Despite that, he has worked hard to regain stability. “A Jobcentre advisor helped me get in contact with the council, and after a bit of a wait and moving around, I’ve now got a nice wee bungalow nearby.”

His time at the church has also helped him tackle alcohol dependence. “I’ve managed to stop drinking now. I sometimes have a couple of cans now and again, but I feel it’s under control. That’s been a really positive change.” He credits the community at the church for helping him get to that point. “They told me I wasn’t allowed in here under the influence of alcohol, and with the support they provided, that gave me a target and a reason to develop some self-discipline.”

Like many, William still faces the pressures of the rising cost-of-living. “I only heat one room in my house – I sleep on the couch in the living room with sleeping bags and a quilt. It means I don’t have to heat the whole place, which helps keep costs down.” He has taken steps to manage his bills, too. “With encouragement from the staffhere, I spoke to the energy company and they put me on a regular direct debit. Now I can budget properly and don’t have to worry each month about whether I can afford heating.”

Food has also been a challenge. “I buy the basics, fresh milk and a few things, and the rest I get from foodbanks. There are a few places around town I can go to throughout the week to get a hot meal.” He also tries to give back where he can. “If I get something I don’t eat, like tinned fish, I take it back to the foodbank. It helps to sow back into the work that people are doing; it’s not much but it helps me feel like I am contributing”

William has seen real growth in himself and reflects on how much he’s changed. “It’s really because of this place: working with the staffhere, meeting people. It’s given me the confidence to reach out, speak to people and try to be part of the community again.” The presence of the church and commitment of the staff and volunteers to serve has been a major source of inspiration for William. “During the Covid-19 pandemic, when we couldn’t come inside, they made sandwiches and handed out food at the door. That was amazing. There was a real risk that I could have become depressed and withdrawn again, but knowing I could still come here, see people, and get something to eat made a huge difference.”

Now, William appreciates the freedom to choose how he spends his time. “There are some days now that I even choose not to come in because I just want to stay home and watch TV. Even being in a position to make that choice is a huge change for me.” He knows that without the church, things could have gone very differently. “If this place wasn’t here, there’s a good chance I’d be back suffering from depression, being withdrawn and self-medicating with alcohol. Where would I be without these people?”

While he enjoys the worship services, William describes himself as agnostic. “I’m not sure what I believe – there’s definitely something bigger, I’ve seen a glimpse of it here, but I don’t know what it is. But they don’t try to shove their beliefs down your throat here and that’s made me a bit softer to Christianity.”

For William, the church has been a place of acceptance, encouragement, and practical support. “The biggest thing is the friendships I’ve made here. Having people to spend time with: that makes all the difference.”

William’s story is a testament to the power of community. In 1 John 3:18, we are reminded: “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” The kindness William has experienced reflects that – people who have not only offered words of encouragement but have walked alongside him in his journey. Through their welcome, support, and friendship, William has found confidence, stability and hope for the future.