what we do

The church exists for the non-member; we are not here for ourselves. So many church buildings are only used for a few hours on a Sunday. We believe that church is a 24/7 responsibility and buildings are merely tools through which we can touch the community. For us, the Christian message, while deeply spiritual has an intensely practical outworking in meeting the needs of people. The church does not exist to be a haven from the world but rather a haven for the world around us.

We currently have 150-200 people from the community attend our mid week activities in Leith and Gorgie, most of whom don't attend our Church services. Little Leithers and Gorgie Tots  , our parent and toddlers groups, work closely with statutory and voluntary agencies who refer single or isolated parents to the service we provide.

Our work with local teenagers happens on a Friday evening with Shine , our youth outreach for ages S1-S6, and in our Sunday meetings, where Wildlife offers youth church for ages 11-18. 

The Olive Tree is a weekly gathering for the over 50s, which helps combat isolation by providing a welcoming environment and a place to socialise over a cup of tea.

We have an accredited counsellor on staff and we have started offering a free counselling service to the community; our plan is to develop a team of accredited counsellors who can serve across the city.

We run a  marriage preparation course , which is available for couples in the congregation and wider community.

Debt advice is also available to those who need it.

We have partnered with "Care for the family" to offer parenting advice and work in partnership with Bethany Christian Trust to provide overnight accommodation for the homeless in our building.

January 2008 saw the launch of the Destiny Angels help line here in Edinburgh (this initiative was launched in May 2007 from our Glasgow Church) which will offer local support to those who have nowhere else to turn.

All these services are free and are available to anyone.