Day 4: Scotland

Ministry and Gospel hope

Over the course of this vision trip, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: the Lord is doing beautiful work through faithful people who are carrying significant ministry burdens.

The team began the morning in Linlithgow, and met with Robin, pastor of Winchburgh Community Church, one of West End's newest church-planting partners. It was a wonderful opportunity to see firsthand the ministry we're helping support and hear about the ways this young church is reaching families and neighbors.

One particularly encouraging ministry is “Scripture Union,” a lunchtime gathering where young people enjoy a meal, play games, and are introduced to the Bible. Many have had almost no exposure to Scripture. One student even asked whether the Bible was a game!

And yet, after studying the book of Exodus, a ten-year-old girl was able to identify God as the great "I AM WHO I AM," and students were beginning to understand how the Passover points to Jesus. What a beautiful reminder of the power of God's Word!

The church also serves its community through a Baby Café and a gathering for adults over 50. These are simple, intentional opportunities to build relationships and share the hope of Christ.

The team also spent time with Dillon and Cody Bennett, new Missions to the World (MTW) missionaries supported by West End. They serve alongside Robin and Winchburgh Community Church. Dillon and Cody recently moved to Scotland with their three young children, and their transition has included some unexpected challenges, including housing concerns and transportation needs. We're grateful for their willingness to serve and want to be faithful in praying for their family.

The team also visited Bridget Bloxom, another MTW missionary supported by West End, and a familiar face to many in our church family. Bridget previously served in youth ministry at Covenant Presbyterian Church here in Nashville, where many West End families came to know her through the longstanding friendship between our churches and youth ministries. She's now serving with a church in Haddington, Scotland, having arrived earlier this year.

Bridget shared how grateful she is for the friendships the Lord has already provided and how those relationships have helped her settle into life and ministry in Scotland. It was a sweet opportunity to reconnect with a familiar friend and encourage her in this new season of ministry.

That evening, the women of our team joined the women's ministry at Hope Church Leith, where our friends Derek and Catriona are faithfully serving, for a wonderful gathering filled with hospitality, creativity, and conversation. Together they made a thankfulness tree and spent time getting to know women connected with the church and “Sparkle Sisters,” a ministry serving people experiencing homelessness and other difficult circumstances.

There were stories of hardship, but also beautiful reasons to celebrate, including a woman marking two weeks of sobriety! Through these conversations, our team continues to see how meaningful it is to create places where people are welcomed, known, and loved.

Laura Stacy shared an observation that resonated with the team: As they've visited churches and met ministry leaders, they've been struck both by the reach of West End's ministry partnerships in Scotland and by the significant needs facing these communities.

Ministry here is beautiful, but it isn't easy. Pastors, missionaries, and caregivers are pouring themselves into people navigating complicated and often painful circumstances. And yet, what stands out is their steadfast desire to love their neighbors and share the hope of Jesus.

Perhaps one of the most important things the Lord is teaching our team is that we haven't come to Scotland as people who have everything figured out; we've come as fellow recipients of God's grace, equally dependent on the mercy and redeeming love of Jesus Christ.

What a good reminder for all of us.

HOW WE’VE SEEN GOD AT WORK:

• Young people discovering God's Word
  Through “Scripture Union,” children with little previous exposure to the Bible are beginning to understand who God is.

• Faithful ministry partnerships
  Our team is seeing firsthand the work of new and longtime West End ministry partners, strengthening relationships with the people and churches we're privileged to support.

• Stories of hope and recovery
  The relationships being built through Hope Church Leith and “Sparkle Sisters” are creating spaces for genuine friendship, encouragement, and transformation.

• The Lord shaping our own hearts
  Our team is reminded that we need the same grace and Gospel hope we have traveled to Scotland to share.

prayer requests:

• Robin and Winchburgh Community Church — that the Lord would use “Scripture Union,” the Baby Café, and other community ministries to draw people to himself

• Dillon and Cody Bennett and their children — for God's provision in their housing situation, a reliable vehicle, and peace as their family adjusts to life in Scotland

• Bridget Bloxom — for continued friendships, encouragement, and the practical provision of obtaining her driver's license

• Derek, Catriona, and Hope Church Leith — that God would sustain them as they shepherd their congregation and love their neighbors, including the women connected with “Sparkle Sisters.”

• Tonight's Songs & Stories of Faith gathering — that the Lord would bring people from the community, open doors for meaningful conversations, and use the music and testimonies to reveal the beauty and hope of Jesus Christ