May 2024: Probationary minister Dawn Westwood
The Church of Scotland's monthly Talking Ministry series shares personal stories from those serving in Christian ministry, along with resources filled with questions, prayers and reflections to help encourage reflection on how God might be calling you at this time.
My ministry: Dawn Westwood, probationary minister, Kirkton Parish Church, Carluke.
Following a career in nursing, Dawn Westwood began training as a minister of the Word and Sacrament with the Church of Scotland. Married to Graham and mother to Eilidh, Sophie and Logan, she is currently based at Kirkton Church in Carluke, and is also chaplain to Livingston Women FC.
What is your faith background?
I was brought up in a Christian family and my parents are both elders in my home church, Whitburn South. My uncle, who was a minister, baptised me in the hospital after I was born because I was premature and it wasn't certain I was going to survive. After that, I had a blessing in the church and it's been a part of my life ever since.
I was always aware of God in my life as I saw God's love in action through my parents and in my grandparents. They love God and love people and that is something that I have carried with me throughout my life and now into my ministry.
I loved nursing as I loved building relationships with people.
When did you start thinking about ministry?
That was always there and something I thought about in my teens, but it was really while I was nursing I started feeling that God was calling me to something else.
Conversations of faith weren't really open to me because it just wasn't the done thing. However, being able to share my faith in action was so important to me.
I loved nursing as I loved building relationships with people. I also had developed strong leadership skills within my role as a manager and these are skills which I have taken into my ministry, but being able to talk about my faith and pray for others when they don't feel able to pray for themselves is such a gift and a blessing.
What was it that drew you towards being a minister of Word and Sacrament?
My minister suggested I look into ministry so I went to the enquirers' conference and had a look around, but nothing really stuck with me until I came to full time Word and Sacrament. It was actually a woman minister who was there and she just spoke so vibrantly about what she did that it felt as though that was the missing piece of the jigsaw.
With Word and Sacrament, I could see the circle that was created in the journey of faith, and the sacraments seemed such a large part of that journey. In baptism and communion, we meet people at different points of the journey, but they all connect. I love that God binds us together in love.
After that, I went to discernment and then to selection conference, but I didn't get? through the first time, which was devastating. I felt God had placed that on my life and then the door was shut.
But after some time, I applied for a job as ministerial assistant at Palmerston Place Church in Edinburgh with Very Rev Colin Sinclair. I was there for two years, and it was a wonderful experience because it gave an insight into pastoral work and living ministry, which is obviously not an experience I'd had.
I then reapplied and was successful. In retrospect, I can see that I needed time to learn and grow, and that was a formative time.
I studied at Highland Theological College through the pandemic, which was challenging. With the kids at home and them trying to study and me trying to study, it was busy at times, but we survived! Then I gained my BA in Theology in 2023.
My supervisors, placement churches at Boghall in Bathgate, St Marys in Motherwell and Greyfriars in Lanark, my home church and my family have all been a wonderful part of my ministry journey so far. It is such a blessing, to have people who will guide, love and shape you and journey with you.
What did you learn from your training?
The biggest thing for me was that God has called me into ministry as myself and not to fit a mould of what I thought ministry should be.
You learn a lot about yourself during the process and realise that perhaps you have gifts that you didn't think you had.
One of the gifts of ministry is the joy of journeying alongside people, hearing their stories and seeing how God is at work in their lives, experiencing God in the everyday.
I don't think we should underestimate that. There's nothing else like it.
What is your current role?
I am probationary minister at Kirkton church in Carluke.
I am supervised remotely under the supervision of, Rev Bryan Kerr, I feel very supported, and Bryan has encouraged me to find my own voice, as we have journeyed through the ebbs and flows of ministry.
The congregation of Kirkton have been very welcoming and allowed me to try new things and it has been lovely living in the parish, although I do find myself taking a long time to get around Tesco now!
I have loved preaching on a regular basis, and have been privileged to take funeral services for families during my placement. I have also enjoyed school chaplaincy, and, with our youth and families worker Lesley Ewing, we have started a Sunday night youth group for S1-S6. It has been good to consider church in many different formats, and we have explored questions of faith and life together.
You are also chaplain to Livingston Women FC. What does that involve?
I got involved with Livingston Women's Football Team through Sports Chaplaincy Scotland. It's amazing how quickly I was accepted into the team. Because it's women's football, a lot of the players don't get paid, so a lot of them are police officers and teachers and other very professional jobs, but they give their heart and soul to what they do and they are just an absolute joy.
You are not there to preach at them but to come alongside them. You are there to show love in action. You hope people see God through you, just in the way you are with them, and they will ask things because they are as interested in you as you are in them, it is amazing the conversations that will occur about God and life. It is a very special ministry to be a part of.
What have been the biggest surprises about ministry?
How much suddenly each day feels like the missing piece of the jigsaw, I'm constantly surprised by people, the joy of relationships and being able to journey together in the highs and the lows with God at the centre of it all.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
The complete variety. No two days are the same and it's exciting to see what the day holds.
If anybody feels that nudge to explore ministry, go for it and they will never be sorry. Even if they decide it's not for them, God's got something else for them to do.
I'm a completely different person from when I started in lots of ways. You can definitely see the formation that has taken place through the journey and the way that God has shaped you.
I love all the joys and the challenges of ministry, knowing that God is there before me in all things, but the real privilege of ministry is God's call to go and make disciples.
That call is so exciting and makes each day new as we encounter people in our daily lives and are reminded that Jesus met each person for who they were and that we are called to do the same.
April Discernment Resources: A Time for Everything
For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
These well-known words from the third chapter of Ecclesiastes are often recited during funeral services or at moments of changes and transition. We may have heard them over and over, and they can be loved for both their familiarity and their timelessness.
But a note of caution needs to be sounded. If we tell ourselves that there's time for everything then we can very easily persuade ourselves that no present action is required; there will be time for that later. Aren't we all procrastinators at heart? There is a time for everything, but perhaps there isn't time for everything. Therefore, some things need doing now.
There are so many things that we could be doing with our lives and so much of that which would, undoubtedly, be worthwhile. But the result often is that it can be difficult to home in on that which we really should be doing, as being of highest importance and eternal significance.
How might I serve God is surely the question of all questions and it might just be that you need to consider it now. Yes, there's a time for everything but in the words of the Moloko classic song, ‘The Time is Now.'
Have you glimpsed something of the glory of God? Are you discovering more of who God is and, therefore, who you are? Are you on the journey of falling deeper in love with God? Has following in the footsteps of Jesus become what you're about?
Might God be calling you to serve - to give your life? Is it time?
Prayer
Loving Lord, it is so difficult to filter out the many voices that compete for my attention. I want, above all, to hear you but it's not easy. Noise and clamour and distractions are ever present.
My prayer is that you would seek me out in moments of stillness, brief as they might be - and there, that you would speak. I long to serve you, Lord, and to serve according to your will.
Is this the time? Is this my time?
Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.
In Jesus' name, AMEN.
Song Words for Reflection (Mark Altrogge)
© 1982 People of Destiny International
I want to serve the purpose of God In my generation
I want to serve the purpose of God While I am alive
I want to give my life For something that will last forever
Oh, l delight, I delight to do Your will
I want to build with silver and gold In my generation
I want to build with silver and gold While I am alive
I want to give my life For something that will last forever
Oh, l delight, I delight to do Your will
What is on Your heart? Show me what to do
Let me know Your will And I will follow You
What is on Your heart? Show me what to do
Let me know Your will And I will follow You
I want to see the kingdom of God In my generation
I want to see the kingdom of God While I am alive
I want to live my life For something that will last forever
Oh, I delight, I delight to do Your will
I want to see the Lord come again In my generation
I want to see the Lord come again While I am alive
I want to give my life For something that will last forever
Oh l delight, I delight to do Your will
More information
If you would like to consider how God might be calling you to serve at this time, you may want to discuss further with your minister or be in touch with your Presbytery to explore local opportunities.
If you are interested in exploring a call to the recognised ministries of the Church, you can find more information on our vocations page and can contact ministry@churchofscotland.org.uk for a Discernment Conversation with one of the Recruitment Team.