A MORAY CHURCH that has not had a minister for three years now has a new man at the helm who aims to boost the 30-strong congregation by reaching out to people who have not set foot in a church for years.
Reverend Peter Turnbull has taken up his new post at the Burghead Free Church on Grant Street – and immediately set about the job of convincing the community to return to the fold.
Rev Turnbull has left behind a 900-strong congregation at the Christ Church congregation in Sheffield to take over the post that has remained vacant since the retirement of Rev Jim Abernethy in 2012.
He is, however, no stranger to Moray, his wife Morag being from Elgin and so making them regular visitors to Moray. He said: “Spending time in Moray has given us a love for the area and the people – and a window into the need for more churches to make Jesus known across the region.
“My aim is to do the simple things well, making the all church activities accessible to the outsider – and this will be especially true of Sunday services.”
Rev Turnbull, who has three young children, added that his aim will be to make Sunday services “intelligible” to his new congregation, insisting that does not mean dumbing down or lightweight teaching: “It means speaking in language that connects.”