Printed on 15 August 2025
4 minutes learn
It was a weekend exercise throughout her college research which set the sample for Rev Liz Henderson’s future ministry profession.
Having determined at simply age 10 that she wished to be a minister – regardless of her personal minister advising her towards it – she was learning theology at New Faculty in Edinburgh the place she joined her fellow college students in a bunch known as the Missionary Society (now Paxis) at a Saturday morning membership in West Pilton, one of the vital economically disadvantaged areas within the capital.
“On the time it was only a enjoyable factor to do, however working with youngsters who had a lot lower than I had rising up had a profound affect,” she commented whereas being interviewed for our month-to-month Speaking Ministry function.
“It was the start of a way of name to work with the poor which has by no means left and has all the time been rewarding.
“I’ve all the time believed that Jesus gave us a lead in caring for everybody, however significantly the poor and people disenfranchised from society in any manner. I felt strongly that was the place my ministry would lie.”
It was a facet of ministry that Mrs Henderson developed in her first cost at Granton, however was to correctly furnish when she moved on to Richmond Craigmillar in 1997.
The church was on the centre of a group with its personal challenges, however helped by a congregation which was welcoming, prepared to experiment with what Christian worship may appear like within the modern-day and able to show their religion in sensible methods, she noticed Richmond Craigmillar grow to be a focus for the individuals of the world.
“My workplace was within the church and I used to be there six days per week. We had been open, we had been obtainable and folks would are available searching for assist or needing one thing and the church responded as finest we might with sensible assist,” she stated.
“It humbles you and teaches you a lot about valuing what you could have and in addition studying, as Jesus taught us, to see Him in others.
“It is an train in religion that takes you to the very coronary heart of what scripture is.
“As a church, we walked alongside individuals they usually walked alongside us. We learnt from them and had been higher for it and I believe we gave one thing again: I do know that after I left how many individuals talked about what the church meant for them and can proceed to imply.”
Hope for the grieving
Maybe essentially the most vital legacy from this want to stroll alongside these in want of help and present Jesus’ love in motion was the creation of the charity Richmond’s Hope, which Mrs Henderson co-founded with Jessie Douglas, considered one of her parishioners, and has now unfold past Craigmillar to supply help to bereaved households in East Lothian, Fife and Glasgow.
Arrange with the goal for supporting youngsters and younger individuals who had misplaced members of the family, Richmond’s Hope was established following a sequence of deaths locally, amongst them Jessie Douglas’s personal son who was killed in a motorbike accident.
Mrs Henderson stated: “We did some analysis and located there was nowhere in Scotland to assist with bereaved youngsters. I found that my understanding of grief was outdated, so myself and others within the church went on a journey to know updated grief theories.
“One thing like 5,000 youngsters have now accessed help consequently. After I retired, younger individuals got here to me to say they’d not have managed their bereavements or grown into the adults they’re with out that help. I discovered that very shifting.”
By Royal appointment
In distinction to Mrs Henderson’s day-to-day work in a parish masking one of many poorer components of Edinburgh – which led to her being awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her dedication to her group – her ministry has additionally seen her transfer in very completely different social circles as a Royal Chaplain.
“Being a Queen’s Chaplain and now a King’s Chaplain can be an enormous privilege, significantly for a precedence space ministry,” she acknowledged.
“It all the time appeared to me to be an honour for the church and its work, and never only for me. I do know the church was very proud and did see it as their honour.”
“Now we have had some beautiful occasions. All through my profession, individuals have stated to me ‘you could possibly do higher’ or ‘your expertise could be higher utilised.’ However I can look again and say: ‘I had a ball: ministry was enjoyable and I’ve had these great honours which would not have come if I had been anyplace else.’
Every month, the Speaking Ministry sequence shares a private story from these serving or who’ve served in Christian ministry, in addition to discernment assets full of questions, prayers and reflections to assist encourage your individual reflection on how God may be calling you.
You may learn Rev Liz Henderson’s full interview and entry the assets for August on our Speaking Ministry web page.
Printed on 15 August 2025
4 minutes learn
It was a weekend exercise throughout her college research which set the sample for Rev Liz Henderson’s future ministry profession.
Having determined at simply age 10 that she wished to be a minister – regardless of her personal minister advising her towards it – she was learning theology at New Faculty in Edinburgh the place she joined her fellow college students in a bunch known as the Missionary Society (now Paxis) at a Saturday morning membership in West Pilton, one of the vital economically disadvantaged areas within the capital.
“On the time it was only a enjoyable factor to do, however working with youngsters who had a lot lower than I had rising up had a profound affect,” she commented whereas being interviewed for our month-to-month Speaking Ministry function.
“It was the start of a way of name to work with the poor which has by no means left and has all the time been rewarding.
“I’ve all the time believed that Jesus gave us a lead in caring for everybody, however significantly the poor and people disenfranchised from society in any manner. I felt strongly that was the place my ministry would lie.”
It was a facet of ministry that Mrs Henderson developed in her first cost at Granton, however was to correctly furnish when she moved on to Richmond Craigmillar in 1997.
The church was on the centre of a group with its personal challenges, however helped by a congregation which was welcoming, prepared to experiment with what Christian worship may appear like within the modern-day and able to show their religion in sensible methods, she noticed Richmond Craigmillar grow to be a focus for the individuals of the world.
“My workplace was within the church and I used to be there six days per week. We had been open, we had been obtainable and folks would are available searching for assist or needing one thing and the church responded as finest we might with sensible assist,” she stated.
“It humbles you and teaches you a lot about valuing what you could have and in addition studying, as Jesus taught us, to see Him in others.
“It is an train in religion that takes you to the very coronary heart of what scripture is.
“As a church, we walked alongside individuals they usually walked alongside us. We learnt from them and had been higher for it and I believe we gave one thing again: I do know that after I left how many individuals talked about what the church meant for them and can proceed to imply.”
Hope for the grieving
Maybe essentially the most vital legacy from this want to stroll alongside these in want of help and present Jesus’ love in motion was the creation of the charity Richmond’s Hope, which Mrs Henderson co-founded with Jessie Douglas, considered one of her parishioners, and has now unfold past Craigmillar to supply help to bereaved households in East Lothian, Fife and Glasgow.
Arrange with the goal for supporting youngsters and younger individuals who had misplaced members of the family, Richmond’s Hope was established following a sequence of deaths locally, amongst them Jessie Douglas’s personal son who was killed in a motorbike accident.
Mrs Henderson stated: “We did some analysis and located there was nowhere in Scotland to assist with bereaved youngsters. I found that my understanding of grief was outdated, so myself and others within the church went on a journey to know updated grief theories.
“One thing like 5,000 youngsters have now accessed help consequently. After I retired, younger individuals got here to me to say they’d not have managed their bereavements or grown into the adults they’re with out that help. I discovered that very shifting.”
By Royal appointment
In distinction to Mrs Henderson’s day-to-day work in a parish masking one of many poorer components of Edinburgh – which led to her being awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her dedication to her group – her ministry has additionally seen her transfer in very completely different social circles as a Royal Chaplain.
“Being a Queen’s Chaplain and now a King’s Chaplain can be an enormous privilege, significantly for a precedence space ministry,” she acknowledged.
“It all the time appeared to me to be an honour for the church and its work, and never only for me. I do know the church was very proud and did see it as their honour.”
“Now we have had some beautiful occasions. All through my profession, individuals have stated to me ‘you could possibly do higher’ or ‘your expertise could be higher utilised.’ However I can look again and say: ‘I had a ball: ministry was enjoyable and I’ve had these great honours which would not have come if I had been anyplace else.’
Every month, the Speaking Ministry sequence shares a private story from these serving or who’ve served in Christian ministry, in addition to discernment assets full of questions, prayers and reflections to assist encourage your individual reflection on how God may be calling you.
You may learn Rev Liz Henderson’s full interview and entry the assets for August on our Speaking Ministry web page.
Printed on 15 August 2025
4 minutes learn
It was a weekend exercise throughout her college research which set the sample for Rev Liz Henderson’s future ministry profession.
Having determined at simply age 10 that she wished to be a minister – regardless of her personal minister advising her towards it – she was learning theology at New Faculty in Edinburgh the place she joined her fellow college students in a bunch known as the Missionary Society (now Paxis) at a Saturday morning membership in West Pilton, one of the vital economically disadvantaged areas within the capital.
“On the time it was only a enjoyable factor to do, however working with youngsters who had a lot lower than I had rising up had a profound affect,” she commented whereas being interviewed for our month-to-month Speaking Ministry function.
“It was the start of a way of name to work with the poor which has by no means left and has all the time been rewarding.
“I’ve all the time believed that Jesus gave us a lead in caring for everybody, however significantly the poor and people disenfranchised from society in any manner. I felt strongly that was the place my ministry would lie.”
It was a facet of ministry that Mrs Henderson developed in her first cost at Granton, however was to correctly furnish when she moved on to Richmond Craigmillar in 1997.
The church was on the centre of a group with its personal challenges, however helped by a congregation which was welcoming, prepared to experiment with what Christian worship may appear like within the modern-day and able to show their religion in sensible methods, she noticed Richmond Craigmillar grow to be a focus for the individuals of the world.
“My workplace was within the church and I used to be there six days per week. We had been open, we had been obtainable and folks would are available searching for assist or needing one thing and the church responded as finest we might with sensible assist,” she stated.
“It humbles you and teaches you a lot about valuing what you could have and in addition studying, as Jesus taught us, to see Him in others.
“It is an train in religion that takes you to the very coronary heart of what scripture is.
“As a church, we walked alongside individuals they usually walked alongside us. We learnt from them and had been higher for it and I believe we gave one thing again: I do know that after I left how many individuals talked about what the church meant for them and can proceed to imply.”
Hope for the grieving
Maybe essentially the most vital legacy from this want to stroll alongside these in want of help and present Jesus’ love in motion was the creation of the charity Richmond’s Hope, which Mrs Henderson co-founded with Jessie Douglas, considered one of her parishioners, and has now unfold past Craigmillar to supply help to bereaved households in East Lothian, Fife and Glasgow.
Arrange with the goal for supporting youngsters and younger individuals who had misplaced members of the family, Richmond’s Hope was established following a sequence of deaths locally, amongst them Jessie Douglas’s personal son who was killed in a motorbike accident.
Mrs Henderson stated: “We did some analysis and located there was nowhere in Scotland to assist with bereaved youngsters. I found that my understanding of grief was outdated, so myself and others within the church went on a journey to know updated grief theories.
“One thing like 5,000 youngsters have now accessed help consequently. After I retired, younger individuals got here to me to say they’d not have managed their bereavements or grown into the adults they’re with out that help. I discovered that very shifting.”
By Royal appointment
In distinction to Mrs Henderson’s day-to-day work in a parish masking one of many poorer components of Edinburgh – which led to her being awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her dedication to her group – her ministry has additionally seen her transfer in very completely different social circles as a Royal Chaplain.
“Being a Queen’s Chaplain and now a King’s Chaplain can be an enormous privilege, significantly for a precedence space ministry,” she acknowledged.
“It all the time appeared to me to be an honour for the church and its work, and never only for me. I do know the church was very proud and did see it as their honour.”
“Now we have had some beautiful occasions. All through my profession, individuals have stated to me ‘you could possibly do higher’ or ‘your expertise could be higher utilised.’ However I can look again and say: ‘I had a ball: ministry was enjoyable and I’ve had these great honours which would not have come if I had been anyplace else.’
Every month, the Speaking Ministry sequence shares a private story from these serving or who’ve served in Christian ministry, in addition to discernment assets full of questions, prayers and reflections to assist encourage your individual reflection on how God may be calling you.
You may learn Rev Liz Henderson’s full interview and entry the assets for August on our Speaking Ministry web page.
Printed on 15 August 2025
4 minutes learn
It was a weekend exercise throughout her college research which set the sample for Rev Liz Henderson’s future ministry profession.
Having determined at simply age 10 that she wished to be a minister – regardless of her personal minister advising her towards it – she was learning theology at New Faculty in Edinburgh the place she joined her fellow college students in a bunch known as the Missionary Society (now Paxis) at a Saturday morning membership in West Pilton, one of the vital economically disadvantaged areas within the capital.
“On the time it was only a enjoyable factor to do, however working with youngsters who had a lot lower than I had rising up had a profound affect,” she commented whereas being interviewed for our month-to-month Speaking Ministry function.
“It was the start of a way of name to work with the poor which has by no means left and has all the time been rewarding.
“I’ve all the time believed that Jesus gave us a lead in caring for everybody, however significantly the poor and people disenfranchised from society in any manner. I felt strongly that was the place my ministry would lie.”
It was a facet of ministry that Mrs Henderson developed in her first cost at Granton, however was to correctly furnish when she moved on to Richmond Craigmillar in 1997.
The church was on the centre of a group with its personal challenges, however helped by a congregation which was welcoming, prepared to experiment with what Christian worship may appear like within the modern-day and able to show their religion in sensible methods, she noticed Richmond Craigmillar grow to be a focus for the individuals of the world.
“My workplace was within the church and I used to be there six days per week. We had been open, we had been obtainable and folks would are available searching for assist or needing one thing and the church responded as finest we might with sensible assist,” she stated.
“It humbles you and teaches you a lot about valuing what you could have and in addition studying, as Jesus taught us, to see Him in others.
“It is an train in religion that takes you to the very coronary heart of what scripture is.
“As a church, we walked alongside individuals they usually walked alongside us. We learnt from them and had been higher for it and I believe we gave one thing again: I do know that after I left how many individuals talked about what the church meant for them and can proceed to imply.”
Hope for the grieving
Maybe essentially the most vital legacy from this want to stroll alongside these in want of help and present Jesus’ love in motion was the creation of the charity Richmond’s Hope, which Mrs Henderson co-founded with Jessie Douglas, considered one of her parishioners, and has now unfold past Craigmillar to supply help to bereaved households in East Lothian, Fife and Glasgow.
Arrange with the goal for supporting youngsters and younger individuals who had misplaced members of the family, Richmond’s Hope was established following a sequence of deaths locally, amongst them Jessie Douglas’s personal son who was killed in a motorbike accident.
Mrs Henderson stated: “We did some analysis and located there was nowhere in Scotland to assist with bereaved youngsters. I found that my understanding of grief was outdated, so myself and others within the church went on a journey to know updated grief theories.
“One thing like 5,000 youngsters have now accessed help consequently. After I retired, younger individuals got here to me to say they’d not have managed their bereavements or grown into the adults they’re with out that help. I discovered that very shifting.”
By Royal appointment
In distinction to Mrs Henderson’s day-to-day work in a parish masking one of many poorer components of Edinburgh – which led to her being awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her dedication to her group – her ministry has additionally seen her transfer in very completely different social circles as a Royal Chaplain.
“Being a Queen’s Chaplain and now a King’s Chaplain can be an enormous privilege, significantly for a precedence space ministry,” she acknowledged.
“It all the time appeared to me to be an honour for the church and its work, and never only for me. I do know the church was very proud and did see it as their honour.”
“Now we have had some beautiful occasions. All through my profession, individuals have stated to me ‘you could possibly do higher’ or ‘your expertise could be higher utilised.’ However I can look again and say: ‘I had a ball: ministry was enjoyable and I’ve had these great honours which would not have come if I had been anyplace else.’
Every month, the Speaking Ministry sequence shares a private story from these serving or who’ve served in Christian ministry, in addition to discernment assets full of questions, prayers and reflections to assist encourage your individual reflection on how God may be calling you.
You may learn Rev Liz Henderson’s full interview and entry the assets for August on our Speaking Ministry web page.
