Category: Scottish Women’s Convention

Thursday Spotlight

On Thursday’s we want to give you an insight into the lives of some of the women involved in the Scottish Women’s Convention.  Some of these women are involved in full time ministry in the local Church, while others balance serving in the church with a secular job.

We sent them a questionnaire asking them to give us a taste of what they do, the challenges they face and what they are looking forward to about the Scottish Women’s Convention.

IMG_0456Meet Naomi…Naomi lives in Edinburgh with her husband and works for Chalmers Church.

What area of ministry do you work in?

Mainly internationals and women

How did you come to work in this particular area of ministry?

I’ve been interested in overseas mission since going on a year abroad at university to Argentina and so I’ve been keen to meet internationals and get to know them.  When I started my apprenticeship at Chalmers Church, I got to know a Korean girl who was studying in Edinburgh.  Chatting to her got me thinking about how to reach out to more internationals in the city.  So we started an English conversation class at Chalmers. It’s been great to get to know people from all over the world and, by God’s grace, to try and share the gospel with them.

Give one great challenge and one great joy of working in gospel ministry?

A great joy is seeing God work in people’s lives through reading his word and hearing his word preached.  It’s amazing to see the impact it can make in people’s lives when they understand what God is saying through the Bible.  It’s a great challenge to see people ignore his word and wander away.  It’s a great challenge to keep on remembering to focus on Jesus and the Bible and to keep on letting it change my heart, my attitudes and my actions.

What one thing has the Lord been teaching you about yourself and himself in recent times?

He has been teaching me about his Son, the servant King who humbled himself in coming down to earth and reaching out to sinful people like us.  And in teaching me this about himself he has been teaching me more about the Christian life, that we are to follow Christ in this same way – to keep serving him humbly and thinking more about others than about myself.

What thing about the Scottish Women’s Convention are you looking forward to and why?

Seeing women from all over Scotland coming together to learn from God’s word. Joining together as we try to run the race for Christ and encouraging each other to keep on going.

Thursday Spotlight

On Thursday’s we want to give you an insight into the lives of some of the women involved in the Scottish Women’s Convention.  Some of these women are involved in full time ministry in the local Church, while others balance serving in the church with a secular job.

We sent various people a questionnaire asking them to give us a taste of what they do, the challenges they face and what they are looking forward to about the Scottish Women’s Convention.

my-passport-photoMeet Rachel…Rachel was born in Belfast, lived in England for 7 years and moved to Edinburgh when she was 13 years old. Edinburgh very much feels like home now! She grew up in a Christian family and committed her life to Christ at a young age.

What area of ministry do you work in?

Women’s Ministry. I am the Women’s Ministry Coordinator at Charlotte Chapel. Within this role I lead bible studies, disciple younger women, organise events and much more. I am particularly passionate about training and equipping women to grow and develop the gifts and abilities God has given them for service.
How did you come to work in this particular area of ministry?
Leaving university I knew I had a desire to be involved in ministry but was unsure how and what it would be. I trained to be a teacher and a couple of years into teaching the desire hadn’t changed so I started exploring options. A conversation with my minister, Robin Sydserff, led to me applying for the apprenticeship programme at our church. I was accepted and did this alongside the Cornhill Training Course in Glasgow (http://www.cornhillscotland.org.uk/). After my apprenticeship I got the job at Charlotte.
Give one great challenge and one great joy of working in gospel ministry?
The greatest joy is getting to speak to people about the gospel and Jesus on a daily basis. I love being able to open the Bible with people and show them how God speaks to them  through it today. It is even better when you see God transforming lives by His Holy Spirit.
The greatest challenge is to retain a desire for personal Bible study and prayer. When spending your work hours in the Bible it can be easy to let personal habits slide. I have learnt time and time again that when I am not deepening my relationship with God I am much more tempted to rely on myself. In those times I either become proud or feel overwhelmed. To keep going in ministry I need to be growing in my dependence on God which comes through spending time with him.
What one thing has the Lord been teaching you about yourself and himself in recent times?
More recently God has teaching me what his word has to say about singleness and this path he has me on. I still desire marriage and strongly believe that the Bible teaches that marriage is an honourable thing to desire. However, what God has been teaching is enabling me to see my singleness less as a burden and more as a good gift and time not to be wasted. Elisabeth Elliot put it this way, “This gift for this day. The life of faith is lived one day at a time, and it has to be lived not always looked forward to as though the “real” living were around the next corner. It is for today we are responsible. God still owns tomorrow.”
What thing about the Scottish Women’s Convention are you looking forward to and why?
I think I am most looking forward to seeing women from all over Scotland coming together to learn from God’s word.

Tickets

Flyer front.001.jpegOn Mondays we like to draw your attention to certain aspects of the Scottish Women’s Convention.  This week we are excited to announce that tickets for the Convention will go on sale this weekend at the super early bird price of £6!  Tickets can be purchased from Eventbrite here – tinyurl.com/swc16tix

This super early bird price of £6 will be available until the end of April.  From May until July tickets will be available at the price of £8 and then from August until on the day tickets will be £10.  So get them now!  It will be totally worth it!

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Speaker – Hebrews 12

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On Monday’s we like to draw your attention to certain aspects of the Scottish Women’s Convention. We asked our speaker Carrie Sandom to share more about what she will be speaking on.  Carrie will also be running a seminar “Reading and understanding the Old Testament”.

What are you speaking about at the Scottish Women’s Convention and why?Run the Race Design

We will be looking at Hebrews 12 together under the title “Run the Race”! The longer I have been a Christian and the longer I have been in Christian ministry the more I can see that we need encouragement to keep going in the race of faith. The writer to the Hebrews knew this too and wrote to encourage his readers to fix their eyes on Jesus. We will be looking at what this means in practice and how the Lord can use even the hardest of times to spur us on.

What is the title of your seminar at the Scottish Women’s Convention?  What is it about?

“Reading and understanding the Old Testament”

How can the Old Testament scriptures, written hundreds of years before Jesus was born, have any relevance for us living in the 21st century? And what do we need to bear in mind if we are going to understand them properly and then apply them today?

Why is this seminar topic important?

Many Christians find reading the Old Testament difficult and can’t see how it relates to Jesus and the New Testament, let alone how it relates to us today. But the OT is crucial to our understanding of who God is and what His purposes are throughout history. If we are to grow in our understanding of all that Jesus has done in the New Testament then we need to understand the Old Testament better. This seminar seeks to help us do just that.

Thursday Spotlight

On Thursday we want to give you an insight into the lives of some of the women involved in the Scottish Women’s Convention.  Some of these women are involved in full time ministry in the local Church, while others balance serving in the church with a secular job.

We sent them a questionnaire asking them to give us a taste of what they do, the challenges they face and what they are looking forward to about the Scottish Women’s Convention.

DSCN3406 (2)Meet Karen…Karen lives in East Kilbride with her husband Sam and two children Ryan (9) and Lucy (6).

How did you become a Christian?

I was brought up in a Christian home, so always went to church and was taught from an early age about God and what it was to be a Christian.  In my early teenage years attended many SU camps and youth events, where a few key leaders really drew alongside me and were a huge encouragement and influence on my life.  At the age of 14 I made a commitment and was baptised.  Since then it has been a journey full of ups and downs and I am continually learning more and more of what it really means to follow Jesus – a work in progress.

How do you serve within your church?

I work for the church as their Community Care Worker, as part of my role I have the privilege of serving in the EK Community Food Bank, Harvest Store, CAP Jobs Club and CAP money courses.

I also serve in the Sunday Club teaching P5-P7, help arrange Women’s events and play the flute in the worship band.

What are you usually doing at 2pm on a Wednesday?

Usually tidying up after Harvest Store, which we hold at Calderwood Baptist Church every Wednesday.  Harvest Store is there to support individuals and families in our community on low incomes by providing a range of goods (including fruit & veg, clothes, baby items etc.) at affordable prices. If I’m lucky there is just enough time to grab a quick cuppa with my friend before collecting the kids from school. ☺

What one thing has the Lord been teaching you about yourself and himself in recent times?

That we can’t and don’t have to face what life throws at us on our own.  We have to fully release everything to God and He will sustain us through. God has used the following quote and bible verse to really speak to me recently

“We are overcomers. We are more than conquerors. We are stronger than we know, braver than we feel and loved more than we can even imagine…”  Holley Gerth Inspired by Romans 8:31-39. 

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

How did you get involved in planning the Scottish Women’s Convention?

Agnes contacted my minister as we are part of the West of Scotland Gospel Partnership.  John then approached me and asked if I would like to be involved as I am part of the team that organises women’s events and conferences in our church.  I am very excited to be involved as I love it when women get together to equip, encourage and share with one another. 

What thing about the Scottish Women’s Convention are you looking forward to and why?

Not sure I can narrow it down to one thing but being able to take time out of a very busy schedule to spend time with sisters in Christ and be fed and encouraged through Gods word, building on current friendships and hopefully making new friends along the way. 

Seminar – The joy set before us

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On Monday’s we like to draw your attention to certain aspects of the Scottish Women’s Convention. For the next few weeks we’ll be telling you a bit more about the range of Seminars that are on offer.

Name – Agnes BroughIMG_1307

Lives – Glasgow

What is the title of your seminar at the Scottish Women’s Convention?

The Joy Set Before Us

What is the seminar about?

The seminar will help us to look forward to the new creation – filling our minds and hearts with the joy set before us to strengthen us to run the race before us. 

Who is the seminar for?

Everyone.  Really, everyone.  Young and old. 

Why is this area important?

I think we deprive ourselves of comfort and help when we avoid thinking about death and eternity.  Christians have nothing to fear and MUCH to look forward to – so let’s do our souls good and dig into the encouragement of Scripture and look up and look ahead.   

Besides your seminar, what one thing about the Scottish Women’s Convention are you looking forward to and why?

My prayer is that the day will fix our eyes on the Lord Jesus – and that we will all grow in our confidence that God speaks through what He has spoken. 

Thursday Spotlight

On Thursday’s we want to give you an insight into the lives of some of the women involved in the Scottish Women’s Convention.  Some of these women are involved in full time ministry in the local Church, while others balance serving in the church with a secular job.

We sent various people a questionnaire asking them to give us a taste of what they do, the challenges they face and what they are looking forward to about the Scottish Women’s Convention.

IMG_1307Meet Agnes Brough.  Agnes works at The Tron Church in Glasgow City Centre.  She is also the mastermind behind the Scottish Women’s Convention!

Prior to her current role Agnes studied law Cambridge and worked in the Lord Chancellor’s Department for 8 years.

What area of ministry do you work in?

A mixture – I work with children, teenagers and students and I run the church bookroom.

How did you come to work in this particular area of ministry?

How long have you got?  I always loved working with children and that grew into a desire to show them Jesus in the Scriptures.  And not a “children’s message” from a passage, but the real message of the passage, taught so that children could understand. 

Encouraged by my church in London, I trained to be a primary teacher and then at the Cornhill Training Course – before being offered a job in Glasgow (thanks to a little, innocent nepotism) teaching God’s Word to children, teenagers, students, office workers … a whole lot more than I had bargained for! 

Give one great challenge and one great joy of working in gospel ministry?

The greatest challenge is my own sinful nature and the greatest joy is to see a young person growing into adulthood and standing firm in the truth just as they’d been taught. 

What one thing has the Lord been teaching you about yourself and himself in recent times?

That He is good – much more willing to give me good gifts when I ask than I often give Him credit for – and that I should be less fearful about facing the to-do list!

What thing about the Scottish Women’s Convention are you looking forward to and why?

Lots.  Loo queue chat.  Meeting sisters in Christ from across Scotland.  Coffee queue chat. A big sing.  Bookstall queue chat. God’s Word doing God’s work in women’s hearts  – mine and yours.

Scottish Women’s Convention 2016

We are excited to announce that the first Scottish Women’s Convention will be happening this year.  It will be on 8th October 2016, at Charlotte Chapel, Shandwick Place, Edinburgh.  The Convention will be a day of faithful Bible teaching by women for women with the Lord Jesus as our focus.

Tickets prices to be confirmed