The vision of the Whitekirk New Life Trust begins with wisely and lovingly joining the historic continuum of St. Mary’s Whitekirk. We join this flow in the 2020’s, respectfully guarding and cherishing the past whilst looking forward to a renewed, integrated and dynamic future. The vision of the Whitekirk New Life Trust is to be found in its very name: we aim to see the church imbued with new and vibrant life; deeply connected to its historic roots but flourishing in our day with new expressions of worship, prayer, pilgrimage, community, history and creativity in numerous forms.
To accomplish this vision, we must first acknowledge the centrality of healing in the history of St. Mary’s Whitekirk. The ancient anointing of the land and the church are inextricably tied to the well of St. Baldred in which the Countess of Dunbar found physical healing in the 1200’s. Over the centuries, the healing offered at Whitekirk was the source of its fame and fortune. Even in our day, people still come to the church as a place of rest and restoration for the soul. The healing available at Whitekirk should continue as an important part of the vision
The avenues of healing (in the broadest sense) that we envision for Whitekirk include:
The healing power of prayer and worship: A calm and serene space where people can come and pray, seek Divine guidance and be guided by those committed to a life of prayer as well as engage a new generation of those seeking a connection to God. A place where the worshipping life of Whitekirk church can continue.
The healing power of pilgrimage: A renewal of Whitekirk as a pilgrimage destination and as a new centre of pilgrimage connected to larger pilgrimage routes in Scotland and England (for example, Lindisfarne to St Andrews)
The healing power of history, encounter, relationship and community: A space where seekers can come and find St Mary’s ancient history, as well as listening ears, friendly faces and the blessing of human contact, through activities, creativity and Open days.
The healing power of the arts and music: St Mary’s is a church where beauty is cultivated in every sphere and where artists, musicians and those who love the arts are welcome.
Each of these avenues will involve potential trusted partners (in Christian terms: partners such as 24/7 Prayer Scotland, East Mountain UK, Discovery Church, Christian Heritage Edinburgh, British Pilgrimage Trust, etc) to develop in the context of the church. Each one is historically central to the life of St. Mary’s Whitekirk which is ripe for renewal and “re-envisioning” in the 21st century context.
St. Mary’s is also an important historical site and its long history must be remembered in “Heritage” days or similar events.
