A LOCAL church recently welcomed a new minister who hopes to create an inclusive and relaxing environment for people to explore faith.
The reverend Linda Forsyth was inducted as the new minister at the Renmark and Renmark West Uniting Churches earlier this month, after moving from Kadina recently.
“I haven’t really spent much time over here, so it is a whole new area for me to explore,” Mrs Forsyth said.
“One thing about being a Christian is that you figure God is leading you.
“You never quite know what’s going to happen – it’ll be different to what the other churches were because it’s a different area and has different stress, challenges and joys.”
Ms Forsyth has spent five years as a minister, after working in aged care for 25 years.
“I left the church and came back in, and I wasn’t quite sure how church people would cope with me, because everyone seems to be squeaky clean,” she said.
“Having walked that side of life means I understand how uncomfortable some people feel about coming into a church.
“People who feel like if they walked into a church the walls might crumble, people who feel they don’t fit into a normal church pattern, and people that explore God but don’t necessarily fit the mould – those are the people I am looking for.
“We may never change church on a Sunday morning, but who said church had to be on a Sunday morning, when it doesn’t fit with culture anymore?
“It’ll also be about looking at what other churches in the community are doing and doing something a bit different.
“I’m hoping that church and exploring faith will be relaxed.”