United Irvine Podcast - Ep4: Marilyn & Elma

In this episode Rev Neil speaks with Marilyn and Elma about their involvement in Girdle Toll Worship Centre

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

So welcome back to United Irvine. And here we have Houston has a problem. Not at all, not at all. No problems today. We've got Marlon Houston and Elma Campbell from Gerdo Toll Worship Centre. And we've just been chatting about your involvement at Gerdo Toll and how long it's been. We're not certain how long exactly it's been, but it's it's uh it's been a fair time. It's over three decades, maybe even four. And uh tell us a bit about your journeys to and in and through and where where we are just now uh at Gerdo Toll. About yourself, Elma?

SPEAKER_00 0:41

Uh initially um I went to I was a member of the Congregational Church in Co-Winning, and that's where my family was. Um always went to church, Bible class, youth group, choir, blah blah. Always involved in the church. And um when my daughter was born in '86, I wanted her to be part of the church family. Um so we moved to Girdletoll, and I wasn't quite sure what church to to go along to, and I thought we'll just go to the local church at that time. There was the the farm building, it was initially um a church building. So I plucked up the carriage, got heather ready, and off we went on Palm Sunday. And we've never looked back since really. We've always been going to girdletoll for as often as we can go, hopefully every week. But that's where my journey started, and it's just taking that leap of faith. I think God probably directed me on that day to say, Right, come on, Elmer, get yourself out the door and take a leap of faith into the the door, and I got a warm welcome, and um Heather joined a Sunday school that day, and we never really looked back after that.

SPEAKER_02 1:57

So and you're in with the bricks now, so you're involved in in what what different things?

SPEAKER_00 2:03

Um initially I was just the girls' brigade. I went to church and I got involved in all the church activities and that at that time we had quite a vibrant church, lots of children, and there was always lots of things going on, um coffee mornings, coffee days, charity things, sponsored walks, car treasure hunts. It was really a vibrant, you know, place to be in the community. And the church played a big part, I think, in the community, in the schools and things. Um so I because I was because I am a nursery uh teacher um at that time the the lady who was taking girls brigade, she kind of got wind of this and said, Would I like to come and help her? Because Heather joined when she went to school at five, she went to Annette Primary and folk kind of got wind of oh this lady works with a youth, she's done cubs and things, so I just put my foot in the door and that was uh you know you're pulled in and that was it. But I'm glad I did because it's been a very happy journey and lots hope to come in the future, so as part of United Irving. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:17

Yes, it's lovely to see the girls' brigade and and the way it has clearly blossomed and seeing the leaders that you've nurtured and developed and and grown and who are taking responsibilities now and and clearly the fun that that the and enjoyment that the kids have, the youngsters have.

SPEAKER_00 3:34

It's it's part it's really part of a family, Neil, I think. You know, it's part of the church. The church has always taken us on and and you know, encouraged the girls, encouraged myself and all they do, and so that's a lovely feeling, you know, that you're part of a bigger family, and I've always encouraged my girls and their families to become part of that family if possible. So it's nice when the families get on board, yes, you know.

SPEAKER_02 4:02

Lovely. And Marilyn, tell us a wee bit about your journey and how you came to to Girdle Toll and your involvement now.

SPEAKER_01 4:09

I initially grew up going to St Andrew's Church, um, joined the church with John Taylor, um, and uh when I left the house I moved up to the the Girdle um and um I joined the church then which at that time was in the wooden hut. Uh Chrissy's claim to fame as she's the little minister that said, Don't wash your football boots in here. Yes, very much so. Um and again a a very welcoming church and it is almost like a family. Chrissy done a service once and it was put hands round the world and pulling in uh to people and um I've always found that I've had you know a couple of instances in in my life and I do feel the church has pulled in with me. Um I uh I do volunteer at the food bank. I don't put my name down for a lot of things because I've got a lot of other things going on, but I do try when possible to volunteer um uh for the different things.

SPEAKER_02 5:31

I do the food bank, but um tell us a bit about the food bank and how that works and and connects with people.

SPEAKER_01 5:39

Um well the food bank is there for people that um for whatever circumstances uh need a bit of help and support and it's there for them. Um they can come along, they have it, they they contact the various departments and you know they're um they're given vouchers to come along, and we do our best to provide as much of the essentials, and if we've got the um the extra, then we'll give them a weapon extra here and there when we can. We're very, very fortunate in the the people that donate to it um from other churches um out with our own as well as we're own. And um it's uh it's always when you have people coming in for whatever reasons, there's various reasons for them coming, um, which we don't delve into, but we know that they need the help, so um we try and do that for them. Um and if they need a cup and a wee chat at the same time, then we'll we'll do that.

SPEAKER_02 6:51

Yes, what days does that happen? What what when does it when does it run?

SPEAKER_01 6:55

It's on in a Monday afternoon between two o'clock and four, and on a Friday between four o'clock and six o'clock. Um, and they're they're welcome to come along at any point.

SPEAKER_02 7:09

That's good. Yes, so so after the weekend and at the the start of the weekend, it's clearly times when often folk are are strung out and are needing some assistance, and I've spoken to people who have appreciated being able to come around at these times and the friendliness and the welcome and the support that it's not just food, it's it's uh it's it's an ear, it's it's uh a caring presence. Yeah. Yeah. Fantastic. And of course, there's the ability to to join in, to volunteer with that, and to to give foodstuffs as well, that uh our finances towards that. And it's a part of the the caring wider caring community of of Irvin, isn't it? Um along with the food ladders and other food banks, yeah. Good. And I know that uh we're just touching the the the the tip of the iceberg here or or the tip or the surface, uh, because I know you're involved in lots more. I want to hear more about about Girdle Toll and uh what's what's happening, what you've been involved in. Elma, you you've been involved in with the schools and and helping us to connect with some of the schools that you've already been involved in. Um tell us we bit about about connection with the schools and and some of the services that that uh you bring folk along to.

SPEAKER_00 8:34

It's lovely to be involved with the young people because young people are my my passion. You know, I love working with the youth um right up to teenagers. And um I always said it would be because of my background in schools around North Ayrshire, I had that extra help, you know, where I could connect with uh young people. So in the North Ayrshire, we have obviously three schools in the area now. Um we've got the new Montgomery Park, which I connected with last year, and we went along and visited the the teaching.

SPEAKER_02 9:11

Jamie and yourself have been along and we're going next time. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:15

So that that was lovely to get, you know, uh hooked up with Montgomery Park as well as Anick and Lawthorne primary, which was where I was that's where I was based, you know, when yeah I worked in the nurseries there. So it's it's just nice to be in amongst the youngsters and feel the vibrancy, feel you know, the I don't know, they just make you feel alive. You might feel the morning, oh I can't be bothered getting up, but um once you step foot in and you get that vibrancy off the young folk, I think that just lifts your spirits and it takes you back and you just you automatically in my case I think I automatically transport myself into a kind of classroom type of environment, you know. So I feel I feel very at home in the schools now, so it's really lovely to have the assemblies, you know, set up in uh United Irving. We have that connection going. But we've had some lovely over the past few years we've had some lovely services in the church, you know, at various festivals. Sometimes they come along to, for example, the Women's Guild. They love to see the youngsters come along, so they've been youngsters from Law Thorn and Annik have been along and entertained us at Burns time and so on, and that's been great. So you you know you've got young and older folk hooking up and it's great. And then of course the services themselves. We've had the schools use the building in a lot of the cases, so they've maybe had their harvest service or they've had their Easter or you know uh Christmas service in the school and that's an open invitation to them, you know. They always say please come along if you want to use the building, you're very welcome. Just let us know what your date is and so on. But yeah, there's always been a lovely connection between the schools and our building. Yeah, I think the teachers know that there is a a welcome in the door for the children. They're always made, you know, a cheery place to be and the children feel at ease. I think that's a good feeling, isn't it? It's a right, nice feeling when you think, well, they're happy to come along. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:29

And I'm sure we've got the aspiration to to see uh children's work established again.

SPEAKER_00 11:36

Hopefully, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:37

Yes, to to help the younger people grow up in the faith and come to faith and there's messy church as well.

SPEAKER_00 11:45

Yeah, I've been involved with Messy Church. Um John.

SPEAKER_02 11:50

Tell us a wee bit about what Messy Church is, because not everyone listening will know what Messy Church is.

SPEAKER_00 11:54

Well, um I don't know the ins and outs of it all where it you know where where it came about. So I got involved through Vicky Harper, who was very um she laid the foundations. As an out we had an outreach group group of three ladies, Elma Norwood, myself and Vicky Harper, who did all the sort of social events and the children's events and the messy church and all that, and the food bank, of course. Vicki was initially that's Vicky set it up 13 years ago in Girdle Tool and it's been going since. So I got involved with the outreach group and um as part of the three, the Girdle Toll three that we were called. And anybody else that wanted to come on board and help us. So um I didn't know anything about North Ayrshire Food Bank, I didn't know anything about Messichurch, but Becky had done her homework and she laid out the foundations and we just got along on board to give her help. So Messy Church, I thought, what's Messy Church? You know, that sounds a bit like paint going everywhere, which it can be, but I think it's just to encourage families to come along on a day that's not a Sunday, and in our case it was the Friday, first Friday of the month. So we had a good few families came along from the services, like the girls' brigade and so on, boys' brigade initially, kids in the church, and then their families came along, they were welcome. So it's just really um it was maybe a wee Bible story. There was always a theme going. Like the theme just now would be harvest if it was this time of year. So there was always a Bible story, choruses, dances, just getting the kids involved with all the art activities as well. So it was a fun night, and um the end of it was a sit-down meal where we sit sat down together as a family and we prayed and you know we had our meal together. So it was a lovely thing to be part of, I think, the McMessie Church. Um and then I don't know what happened, I sort of got uninvolved for a short period of time. I can't recall why, but um then George and I went, my husband and I went back to help with the the food side of things because the women were looking for help for somebody to be in the kitchen. So George and I just kind of fitted that bill. Whatever hat we can put on, we'll go. Kind of things. So um we're not we're not involved with it now, obviously. George's health's not that great or mine. So this year we're not going to be involved, but I'm always going to be there on tap, you know, to try and help them if they need help.

SPEAKER_02 14:38

But it's still going. It's uh a work that continues three or four times a year, sort of thing, and and and it's also at work in Muir Relief and Dreyhorn Springside, so we get three messy churches. Yes, I'm which is encouraging and it it connects helps us to connect with people who are maybe beyond uh the normal run-of-the-mill services and and help folk take steps closer to Jesus.

SPEAKER_00 15:05

Yeah, and a lot of our our people that came along were in church as well, so it was nice just to bring them closer, you know, to the playing together, freezing together.

SPEAKER_02 15:19

Yeah, yeah. That's marvellous. And Marlon, you mentioned earlier there about times in your life when church has been that family to you, that support, that encouragement, that comfort and courage. Can you uh you don't need to go into details, but can you tell us a wee bit about that? Because that's that's really at the heart of what Jesus is about, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 15:41

Absolutely. Um and it it strengthened my faith uh so much to know that I had this and it has been a family, and I feel connected to a lot of people through the church, and they've got me involved in other things and things like that. Um I took exceptionally ill uh one particular time and I landed up uh in hospital and I was in hospital for four months. Um but the children still went to Sunday school and all the rest of it, and then it was announced that I was getting home and it's um led to believe half the church was in tears at the time. It was a family, you know, uh and I was coming back into it, and I've always had that support. Um I then had uh another time, and it was um when my daughter had a horrific accident in Turkey, and uh again, um you know, first people I phoned was the the church and the prayers went out, and my daughters had been doing a tour of the world, and um they were praying for her in my own church, had family down in Wales, and their their pastor had gone back to uh Ghana, I think it was, and he set up a a charity. Cathy still spoke to Chrissy Lane's sister out in America, and they were praying, and it was things like that, and people that they had met and all these different prayer groups round the world. And again, I go back to that service of hands round the world. Um I could feel it from the power of it, the power of it from uh from everywhere, and uh we're all fine and you know now, but uh never forgotten and all the help and support that we've received right through um your faith really strengthened and very much so, very much so.

SPEAKER_02 18:00

Yeah, it's often through the difficult times that our faith is exercised and hopefully strengthened, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:08

It was definitely strengthened, you know, through through these times. Um it was uh it was so strong and my prayers were answered, you know.

SPEAKER_02 18:20

Um that's right, uh a people of prayer and care that you experienced and are a part of.

SPEAKER_01 18:28

I think I think the fact that it was all round the world, you know, in remote places, you know, Australia, Canada, America, uh everywhere. Um it was all round the world. Yes, so the faith is there all round the world.

SPEAKER_02 18:48

Yeah, yeah, what a comfort and encouragement blessing. Lovely. And Elma, you you you're a musical person as well. Uh I see you singing in the choir there.

SPEAKER_00 18:59

And I'm not in the choir. But you're not in the choir, so you just sit on the side. I just sit and sing. Stand and sing. I've always been musical, always been in it was a musical family, ours and um mum played piano, dad sang only at New Year. He was quite a shy guy, but he'd a beautiful tenor voice. And my sister, my drum my brother was Scottish champion side drummer at age 11. And um my sister played uh she was a flautist. I played the accordion because my mum loved Jimmy Shann and I didn't get a you know, you're getting an accordion, and that was that. But I was self-taught, taught myself, and um but I've always been involved in school choirs and then solo parts as well. So yeah, I love to sing. And the great thing is in church I just love to sing out, you know, praises. I just love that, you know. Doesn't matter whether they're old favourites, modern, you know, I just love to sing. Um sometimes George shuts his ears off, you know. Yeah, but I do have to do that.

SPEAKER_02 20:08

And that's one of the things that I love coming to to worship the good people the girdle toll is is that readiness and willingness to to join in with new as well as old and and there's a real sense of joy and and joining in.

SPEAKER_00 20:25

We like a challenge now. Yes, yes, yes. And it's good to have the modern praises because I I mean we listen to Premier Praise Radio all the time, so I get familiar with all the you know the the new hymns um and maybe people are not so familiar, but we we love that radio station and we just kind of tune in to all the new doing your housework about the house and having a weebop at the same time. But um I I tend to pass that on to the children because they can knock in with that type of praise. Um so it's good to teach them the new the new praise songs.

SPEAKER_02 21:06

And there's a lovely uh way that the building works in the service and then overflowing into the the hall next door, isn't there? That's right. And and and it's really important that cup of tea or uh you know chin wag afterwards, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 21:25

Absolutely, absolutely. Um because you're getting to know people uh even more. Um it's again, uh I know I keep saying it as a family thing, but it is it's like a family, you know. You're gonna you're sitting down, you're having your cup, and all the rest of it is uh and connecting with everybody and anyone new coming in, there's always people who are going to go straight over and go. Welcome, yeah. Welcome. We can uh In the chart chart, when we go through for a couple of hours, oh, haven't seen that face or somebody sitting on their own or something.

SPEAKER_00 22:08

So come and join us, you know.

SPEAKER_02 22:11

Looking out for folk, that's good. That's really great. And looking forward with with hope and prayer, what what what are your aspirations? What are your hopes and dreams for Gurdle Toll, for the United Irvin?

SPEAKER_00 22:28

I think it's part of a big family in Irvine. You know, it's it's been lovely over the past few years before we became a United Church, always had a nice connection with the other churches. Um, the ladies probably of the guild through the guilds, you know, Irvin Guilds, but um myself through the girls' brigade and boys' brigade companies. But not only that, we invited a lot of the churches to our songs of praise evenings and things like that, and if we had anything, we would put the invite out to the churches in Irvine to come along. Um so it's been nice to get to know people from Drehorn and Springside, from Fullerton, you know, St Andrews. It's been just a great experience, you know, to meet new faces. And the St Andrews people have fitted in, the ones that are coming, they've fitted in very nicely, and they've they've said to me myself, we do feel part of Girdle Toll now, um, that we get that warm welcome when we come in the door. And I think that's important for us as a church that people do feel welcome, they do feel warmly to be part of the church family. And that's I think that is very important because if they're not, if we're not welcoming, folk are not going to want to come back, are they? So we we we really need to make them feel part of the whole family of the church. Um I a lot of faces I've known through the music through Dreadhorn Musical Society because I was initially involved with that years ago when it was set up, you know, in 1992. So I know a lot of the Dreadhorn and Springside folk because they were in the musical society with me. Um and I've just kind of kept that connection with them. So it's been it's been nice. But it's easy, um I'm quite uh like Marlin, she's a free and easy, friendly. Um you know, I like I like meeting I like meeting people, that's that's what I'm all about. I'm quite a social person, me. If I see folk having a good time, that just lifts my spirits. And often at the Wee Hatch where we are, where we serve the teas, George and I s would stop for a minute and just think, listen to that sound, you know. People aren't they Marlon, they're chatting away and laughing, and it's just such a great buzz in the hall. And I think we felt it after COVID. Yes, you know, where the churches were closed, and just to feel that again, it it brought us to tears actually, just to because we really missed although you're you're worshiping online and following it all the different services online, and you think, gosh, I really miss being in the building and being having that face-to-face connection with people. So it's it's a great feeling just to be back amongst them.

SPEAKER_02 25:24

Yes, it's great, and it's good that you mention our our brothers and sisters from St Andrews, of course. The there was the linkage and then the union with United Church, and and there's been heartbreak with their building, buildings of course, that that have not been able to be used, and uh and it is good that there's a good number of folk who have come from St Andrews and are involved and as you say, become have become a part of the community, the f the family of faith, and and we and we're grateful that there's some I've gone to other churches and we pray for those who've not gone anywhere that that they will find somewhere that that that they can worship and witness and work together with God's people. Um but it's it's lovely to to hear about the warmth and uh the vision as well, the desire to connect with our community and to share and serve through the various opportunities, the food bank, the girls brigade, the the schools, the the and there is there are lots of uh groups that use the buildings as well for different things and community groups and so yes, Lord Jesus lead on and and open people's hearts and help us to to connect more and more and and grow the church of of today and tomorrow. Thanks.

SPEAKER_00 26:40

Amen. So amen.

SPEAKER_02 26:42

Thanks so much for for joining us, Marlon and Elma. And uh do subscribe to United Irvine Podcast and uh share it with others and tell us who you'd like to hear from as well. So thanks so much for tuning in, friends. Go well.