Rev David Nicholson: “You have got to be comfortable out of the church environment”

David Nicholson was happy with his career in television, but after discovering he had an ability to preach, he found he was being called to a different path.

After graduating from Stirling University Mr Nicholson completed an intensive course in Gaelic broadcasting at Skye's Gaelic-college, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, enabling him to embark on a career in television, based on his home island of Lewis, but taking him across Scotland.

"It was good and I was very happy doing that, but through being more involved in church and getting the opportunity to preach, it was difficult to resist the sense of being called," Mr Nicholson said while being interviewed for the Church of Scotland's monthly Talking Ministry feature.

However, after finding he had an ability in preaching, it was someone else's sermon which pushed him towards training as a Minister for Word and Sacrament in the Church of Scotland.

"I was listening to a sermon where it was one of those moments where you think ‘Oh my goodness, I don't think there's anyone else in the church' because the message spoke so directly to me about leaving what was familiar to you and heading out to do what God wants from you," he recalled.

Others too thought he would be well suited to ministry, so he studied for a theology degree through the remote learning course offered by Highland Theological College, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands.

From the islands to the city

This was supported by practical experience in ministry which took him from Carloway on the west coast of Lewis to the inner city parish of St George's Tron in Glasgow via the suburbs of East Kilbride.

"I feel that I got to experience in some sense the whole gamut of Church of Scotland ministry because there is so much breadth to it," he said.

"In a city centre church you are obviously working with a lot of the particular social conditions there, and then the suburbs are very different again and they all have their own particular identity. I did some hospital chaplaincy too, so I felt like I got a good, well-rounded experience.

"The main thing I learned was that there is very little that works universally. A lot of ministry is about spending time listening and observing in the area around you and being able to shape ministry and mission in a way that's sensitive to that rather than attempting to bring some sort of blanket approach."

He was able to draw on that experience when he was inducted as minister of Erskine Parish Church in 2019, finding in the Clydeside church a congregation he could work with and for his wife Victoria and children Finlay and twins Autumn and Isaac, a chance to put down roots.

"I'm glad to say that's worked out. We feel at home here," he said.

But one thing he could not have foreseen was that within a few months the country would be locked down as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic making even church services impossible.

Mr Nicholson acknowledges that at the time he felt "robbed", deprived of the opportunity to get to know his congregation and community better.

"The world changed overnight, including just about everything that you had trained for in ministry," he said.

But there was some good came out of the "Jekyll and Hyde situation". It pushed the church online, providing a connection that is still much valued in our post-pandemic world by those who do not find it easy to get to church.

It also meant Erskine Church had a serious upgrade of its technical capabilities and Mr Nicholson, with his background in broadcasting and professional connections, was able to ensure that Erskine Church is now properly prepared for 21^st century online ministry.

"Now (our) infrastructure is first class and allows us to do a lot and make more of the space as a community facility," he said.

"There are all these plans that we now have as a result of the pandemic."

And reaching out to the community is an important aim for a minister who has always looked beyond the walls of the church.

Meeting the people of the area, whether through chaplaincy in local schools or with local football club, Renfrew FC, running fitness clubs, or just being an approachable friend and neighbour, is a way to reach out to those who may have no church connection, but still have a spiritual yearning which they want to satisfy.

"You have got to be very comfortable outside of the church environment and be really supportive," Mr Nicholson commented.

"That's certainly not going to translate into any quick or easy converts, but it allows you to take what you are good at in terms of being someone who cares about others and also being a good listener and good pastor, and take that somewhere different, well outside of church."

Come a long way

And as he approaches his fifth anniversary at Erskine, Mr Nicholson can see how far he has come, and what might come next.

"I feel we have come a long way as a congregation," he suggested.

"The pace at which we have been able to keep moving forward has surprised me. I thought it would take a lot longer and be a lot slower.

"I quite often joke to the congregation that I would like to do myself out of a job. I see my role as building up the people so they are able to do ministry for themselves and minister to each other.

"That's never going to happen 100 per cent in our model, but I would certainly like to draw out more gifts of ministry within folks and build up confidence and people's faith in others so we can go up a gear and flourish."

Read more on our Talking Ministry page.