(Photo: Church of Scotland)
Polwarth Parish Church in Edinburgh is charting a new course with its latest acquisition, a vibrant canal boat named “All Aboard.” The church aims to utilize this unique vessel to enhance its mission outreach activities within the local community.
Previously co-owned with the social charity People Know How, the 60-foot boat had been inactive since November due to the charity’s dissolution. Now under the sole ownership of the church, there are plans to breathe new life into the boat by integrating it into community outreach and mission work along the Union Canal, which links Edinburgh to Falkirk.
To support the operational costs, which are described as “substantial,” Polwarth Parish Church is hosting a coffee morning fundraiser. Community members and supporters can also contribute or engage with the project through their website.
According to Dawn Purves, a member of the All Aboard management board, “It is with great joy and delight that Polwarth Parish Church has taken full ownership of the canal boat and we’re desperate to use it again for mission outreach and to bring the wider community together.”
The boat’s appeal is evident, having hosted nearly 1,000 visitors in the months leading up to its temporary disuse. Purves added, “We are looking forward to once again welcoming a wide variety of groups that support the wellbeing, wholeness and development of others and using it as a congregation to share the Good News of Jesus Christ to people of all ages.”
Polwarth Parish Church envisions the canal journeys as a source of peace and tranquility, particularly for those facing mental health challenges. The boat will serve as a venue for diverse activities, whether docked or navigating the waters, aligning with the church’s mission to extend a welcoming hand as per Jesus’s teachings.
The church plans to engage neighboring church groups by offering the boat as a space for Sunday School, Bible studies, and prayer sessions, furthering its mission to connect with and support the wider community.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
