When I first visited Leith about ten years ago, I remember someone equally new saying to me, that Leith was the kind of place where you didn't have to be a different person on a Sunday, from the person you were on the other days of the week...and I know that this should always be the case, but not all churches make you feel like that! Here you can banish any preconceived ideas you had of the Free Church "brand" - the predominant brand here is that of Jesus Christ.
So, one of the things that has made me attend Leith regularly is that the folk here just take you as you are - they're warm, supportive and in the best way possible, unconventional! There's a sense of being involved in the whole Leith community, and Colin is very much a driver of that outreach.
Catherine Keschner
As a student in Edinburgh, attending Leith Free Church has been a great blessing. I have been coming to Leith for the past year, and have been so warmly welcomed into the congregation - something which can never be underestimated, especially when a stranger in a new city! It has been a great joy getting to know many members of the congregation and settling into the family-like structure of the church. I find Colin’s Biblically solid preaching also very applicable - the kind of preaching that is so relevant to our day-to-day lives, but also keeps the ol’ brain ticking!
For us ‘young uns’ there is a group called “20/30’s”, which is a good place to meet up with people of the same age who are all in similar situations. The group consists of folk aged from about 20-30 (give or take a year or two!), and meets at 2030hours - hence the name! Meetings usually consist of a Bible study, questions which are related to the passage, debates which usually follow (!), a Psalm or two, and of course, since students are involved...food! It’s great to be able to meet together with some of the younger folk in the congregation, discuss subjects that are relevant to us, and enjoy a good old dose of banter!
I have also found the prayer meeting on Wednesday to be really valuable. It is incredibly important for us, not only as individuals but also as a church, to set time aside and meet together as a congregation and spend time in prayer.
Leith Free is a warm, friendly, active, Christ-centred church. I have loved my time here so far and really look forward to welcoming new people in, just like I was welcomed this time last year!
Amy Macdonald
It is with a deep sense of privilege that I recognize that God has helped me to find my niche at Leith Free Church. I would like to share a little of what makes my experience there particularly special and allow you to decide for yourself whether you would like to join us.
Jesus’ priorities, goals and perspective on what it means to obey God are evident both in the outreach and ministry of this church. It means a great deal to me that the variety of practical activities in reaching out unconditionally to people in and around Leith have encouraged people to attend our services to hear the Word preached and in some cases, have been instrumental in leading them to the Saviour. It is also particularly heartening to note the diversity of backgrounds represented by those who attend on a typical Sunday. I have no concerns that anyone I might invite to attend would be made to feel awkward, as it is quite difficult to stand out from the ‘crowd’! It is also comforting to sense that some of the neediest members of society have a relationship of trust and oneness with our minister, Rev Colin MacLeod, and perhaps most of all, that they are accepted lovingly into our church community. This is unmistakeably what Jesus would wish, as shown by His own example when walking on this earth. Leith Free Church stands in contrast to a church where unity and identity thrive through cultural similarity.
It is evident that Colin depends on the Holy Spirit to shape his understanding of God’s Word and that he is continuously open to cross-cultural perspectives on practical Christianity where these can be justified through searching the Scriptures. His passion for learning in the things of God, his enthusiasm for sharing biblical truth in an accessible way and his openness in telling us from the pulpit that he loves Jesus all converge to make him a wonderful blessing from God.
Ultimately, I give thanks to God for what He as our true Head is doing in Leith Free Church and pray that as His people we will never cease to recognize the immeasurable privilege of having the Saviour Himself in our midst.
Margaret MacDougall