FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do I have to be a member to come to church?
Do I have to believe in God to come to church?
When and where do your services take place?
What happens during church services?
What should I wear?
Where should I sit?
Is there wheelchair access?
Can I use a hearing aid in the churches?
Can children come to church?
Can you pray for someone or a situation close to my heart?
What do you do besides services?
What is the Church of Scotland?
Can I visit the churches to have a look around?
I would like to get married/ have a baptism/ arrange a funeral in one of your churches, but am not a member of the church. Is that possible?
Can you help me in researching my ancestors' connection with the local area?
I would like to enquire about purchasing a burial plot in the graveyard.
- Everyone is welcome to come to the churches, and join in with our services and all our activities.
Do I have to believe in God to come to church?
- No - all those who believe and those who are seeking God are very welcome.
When and where do your services take place?
- Usually, we have a Sunday service at 10am, either in Yester Church in Gifford, in Bolton Church, or in Saltoun Church in East Saltoun.
- Our services are also recorded and made available online. You can find dates, and join in with the online services, here.
What happens during church services?
- People come together to pray, hear and engage with stories from the Bible, and sing. In our reflections, we think about the relevance of the Christian faith in our life today. Services are usually led by our minister, and sometimes by members of the congregation or visiting ministers. Hymnbooks are provided in the churches, and the minister or service leader guides through the service: you don't need to be familiar with the 'running order'.
What should I wear?
- Whatever you feel comfortable in - there is no dress code.
Where should I sit?
- You can sit anywhere. There are no reserved seats. Most of our seating is on pews, with some chairs available in Yester Church, under the organ gallery. In Yester and Bolton Churches, there are also some seats upstairs in the galleries, although we usually all fit downstairs.
Is there wheelchair access?
- Yester Church (through the door on the Haddington Road side) and Saltoun Church (through the main door) are wheelchair accessible, though regrettably, Bolton Church is not (something we're trying to address).
Can I use a hearing aid in the churches?
- Yes, we have an induction loop system fitted into the sound system in all churches.
Can children come to church?
- Children are welcome at all services. On the first Sunday of the month, we also have a Sunday Club, for children of preschool and primary school age, during the main service. We also have Messy Church, and offer a Summer Holiday Club.
Can you pray for someone or a situation close to my heart?
- Yes. There are prayer corners in all our churches, where you can leave confidential prayer requests. You can also send us a request, which will be treated confidentially. Our Prayer Group will include all requests in their prayers.
What do you do besides services?
- We have a number of groups and activities that we offer. Just have a look here to find out more.
What is the Church of Scotland?
- The Church of Scotland is a reformed Presbyterian church, with parishes in every community in Scotland (being the parish church means that we also offer pastoral care and family services to all people in our geographical parish, rather than only to our church members). Our members come from many different backgrounds.
- The vision of the Church of Scotland is to be a church which seeks to inspire the people of Scotland and beyond with the Good News of Jesus Christ through enthusiastic worshipping, witnessing, nurturing and serving communities.
- We also work ecumenically with other Christian denominations, especially locally, and other faith groups.
- You can find out more about our Presbyterian structure, and our national work on the Church of Scotland website.
Can I visit the churches to have a look around?
- Yester Church is usually open during the day, between Easter and late October (though not currently, due to the covid situation). Saltoun and Bolton Churches can be accessed on request - please contact us to arrange.
I would like to get married/ have a baptism/ arrange a funeral in one of your churches, but am not a member of the church. Is that possible?
- We aim to offer family services that are personal to you, and all marriage and funeral services are planned collaboratively by the couple or family and the minister.
- In the Church of Scotland, we offer baptisms for children and adults, usually as part of one of our Sunday services.
- Funerals, thanksgiving and memorial services are usually arranged through a Funeral Director, however you can also contact us directly.
Can you help me in researching my ancestors' connection with the local area?
- To a degree, yes - however, any records that are more than 50 years old are kept at Register House in Edinburgh, where they can be accessed.
I would like to enquire about purchasing a burial plot in the graveyard.
- In Scotland, all cemeteries are owned and managed by the local authority. For all our churchyards, you would need to contact East Lothian Council to discuss your enquiry.