Monday 3rd March 2025
A church by the sea
Helen Nathan
At Strathclyde House, our housing scheme in Skelmorlie, plans are taking shape for a church plant in the Home Kitchen café, with our Scheme Manager Tina McKeown and husband Ryan taking on roles as on-site pastors
The café at Strathclyde House already has lots going for it – wide-angle views across the shifting waters of the Clyde (occasional seal included, even dolphins if you’re lucky), an expansive menu featuring everything from a full Scottish breakfast to a cheesecake of the day, and friendly staff who are happy to chat.
In 2025, God-willing, there will be a significant new development. Plans are in motion for a church plant at the café to help serve local Christians, including those living at Strathclyde House, and reach the wider community with the gospel.
Previously leased to another owner, the café space became available last summer. Our Scheme Manager Tina and her husband Ryan are part of Home Church Scotland in Kirkintilloch, about an hour’s drive away. They knew the leadership were looking to set up a Christian café for outreach and mentioned the space to their pastor, Dave Brackenridge.
“I was immediately interested,” says Dave. “We don’t want to be a church that stands still Lots of churches in the area are closing and we wanted to do something that would stem the flow. When I heard about the café space I felt it could be a great location not just for Christian outreach but also a church plant.”
After prayerful consideration, Home Church took on the running of the café in August 2024, renaming it Home Kitchen, with a view to eventually holding a weekly service on a Sunday.
“Our hope is that it’s going to really beneficial both for the local community and also to our residents at Strathclyde House,” says Tina. “With a church on their doorstep, they’ll be able to get there very easily.”
Indeed, news of the church plant has been warmly received by residents. Margaret, 95, says, “I’m not able to go out to church anymore so having the church come to me is wonderful.” The church’s non-denominational stance and the informal café setting also appeal. Maureen, 78, says, “I’m delighted that it’s happening and everyone can come together in a neutral venue.”
For Ryan, the launch of the Home Kitchen has marked a new chapter too. Leaving behind his career as a landscape gardener, he has become the café’s manager. “For a long time, I’ve felt a call in my heart to be more involved with the spread of the gospel,” he says. “If it was just about running a café and making profits I wouldn’t have been interested, but there is the potential for this to be so much more. A successful café means there is somewhere to share Jesus. The motivation is completely different.”
He’s been surprised by how many have a Christian faith of some kind. “They may not have been to church for years, and they may even have had a bad experience, but many people have a belief and are receptive to a chat. It brings home to me the need for us to be welcoming and encouraging, creating a safe space where people can explore faith.”
As the months have gone by, Ryan and Tina have felt a call to become more deeply involved. “We’ve been praying about how God could use us. It’s become clearer that we’re not just meant to attend church services,” says Ryan.
Under the oversight of Dave Brackenridge, Ryan and Tina will become on-site pastors, a role which will include preaching and leading services and Bible studies as well as looking after people pastorally.
To help them prepare, plans are in place for them to start a preaching course. “I do get nervous speaking in front of people,” says Ryan, “But God’s hand in this is so clear.”
A recent encouragement has been the Christmas carol service, with members from Home Church, residents from Strathclyde House and people from local churches and the local community all coming along. Early 2025 has also seen the launch of an Alpha Course, the start of a weekly Bible study and the live streaming of services from Home Church in Kirkintilloch.
All being well, the first Sunday service will take place in the café on Easter Sunday. We’re excited to see what the next months will bring and look forward to updating you with developments. Please do be praying.
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Find out more about Strathclyde House
From Bangor to Skelmorlie, via Arequipa
Strathclyde House
Strathclyde House is an independent living housing scheme set in beautiful, landscaped gardens with large terraces that look directly across the Firth of Clyde to the islands of Bute and Arran.
