People associated with the Church share their Christian faith stories and why Jesus is important in their lives.

I grew up in the Church.

My Mum and both my grandmothers went to church – one of my Grannies went to the same local church in Edinburgh.

I went to Sunday School and other Church-based organisations including Scouts – up to Venture Scouts – and Youth Fellowship.

From about age 11 onwards, you could choose to stay in the Church service rather than go out to Sunday School, getting a stamp on a card each time and you could earn a book token (voucher) annually for good attendance, so there was a financial incentive.

But I drifted away from actual church attendance from my mid-teens onwards. I don’t think I ever really thought about faith up to that time.

In October 1988 (when I was 21) I was in pub in Govan in Glasgow. I was with other people I knew. I wasn’t there for any football-related reasons; I was actually there for political reasons. We’d finished our leaflet drop and decided to go for a pint before we got the bus home. I remember feeling a bit intimidated by the atmosphere in the pub and I remember feeling apprehensive when a middle-aged man who seemed the worse for wear for drink approached me and starting talking to me. He had had a lot to drink. But I wasn’t expecting his first question. He asked me if I was a Christian and I said “yes” (I don’t think I would answered “no” whatever the true position). He established that I was a visitor from Edinburgh then went on about how, in Glasgow, it was still important that “2000 years ago, a man died on a tree.” He spoke to me for a while – I was stuck with him for my whole pint. I don’t remember anything else he said but those words stuck with me. This impressed me as being a strange place to “meet God”.

I had been thinking anyway about finding my own church in Edinburgh that was nearer the student area of town I lived in then. I wanted to sing in a choir. So I found a new Church of Scotland to attend and sang in the choir on Sundays.

When I knew I was getting married in Germany (in 1991), it was a requirement there for me to be a member of a Presbyterian church in order to get married in church and that was the main motivation for me to join the church.

In 1992, we moved from Edinburgh to Lossiemouth and within a few months I had found a new church family here at St. James’.

In the words of the children’s song: John 3:16 says that God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him shall never die but have eternal life. I believe that. Do I ever have doubts? Yes, I do and, for me, that’s why I have to be part of a church like this. So we can share the good times and support each other through the hard times, including times of doubt.

I find the online Zoom midweek fellowship is a great help. Geoff’s Bible study is always useful and thought-provoking. There is a feeling of fellowship and contributions are encouraged, without pressure to participate. The prayer section covers everything from the state of the world to our own families, friends and community.

I find that reading books about Christianity and listening to podcasts about Christianity also helps me stay more on track and/or get back on track. Resources I have found useful include The Message translation of the Bible (the Bible in contemporary language), Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, Simply Christian by Tom Wright and the C.S. Lewis Podcast.

I am interested in digital ministry and find the community and fellowship through Digital Church Toolkit a great place for learning and inspiration. You get a wider of view of what others in the Church are doing across the UK, as well as seeing that there are young people with a vision and passion for sharing the Good News of Jesus.

Peter Brash, Elder.