On Swapping Pulpits

If you knock on my door this month, the chances are that an American will open it. (And if you see my car being driven by someone who looks like they’ve never driven in the UK before…that’s why!). The reason is something known as a “Pulpit swap”. For the month of July an American pastor will be preaching in Stranraer – and I’ll be preaching in his church near Kansas City. We’ve each brought our families with us, and swapped cars as well as houses and pulpits.

Although the church denomination in which I minister is small in Scotland, it is the mother church of congregations in the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland, France, Spain, Japan, India, Pakistan, Sudan, the Gambia – and another country which is never mentioned in print because of security concerns. In the last couple of years in Stranraer we’ve had visiting preachers from Reformed Presbyterian Churches in the US and Japan. A few weeks ago, we heard from a man who spent twenty years ministering in France. As part of this current trip, our family also had the opportunity to attend the RP International Conference (normally held every four years; this was the first for eight due to Covid). We joined around 1600 other delegates and had opportunities to hear updates from some of the countries mentioned above. I also had the opportunity to speak to around 200 people about needs and opportunities here in Scotland. To read the rest of this article written by Rev. Stephen Steele for a local paper, click here.