United Irvine Podcast - Ep7: Rosie McLean

Welcome back to United Irvine Church podcast.

And we have the pleasure and privilege of having Rosie McLean with us this morning.

Rosie, how are you?

I'm good, thank you.

And what's the summer been like for you?

It's good.

It's good to get back on my bike and get out in the sunshine.

Uh walking away through most of it, but it's nice to see it.

Something other than rain.

Excellent, yes, indeed.

And we've got the historical question.

If you could travel back in time and meet someone in history other than Jesus, who would it be or who would they be?

I'd have to go with David, not King David, Child David.

I'd love to go back to David.

Or Teenager David.

Teenager David, yeah.

Yeah, when he's out in the wilderness with his the sheep, he's full of heart, he's full of song.

I would love to have sat there and just watched and listened to him.

Um obviously somebody else with a lot of heart with William Wallace.

Oh yes.

I would love to go back because he just he was just full on heart for Scotland.

So yeah, I'd I would jump back and forth.

I would And when you see William Wallace to see uh Mel Gibson, who'd you who do you see?

I do actually, yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, he played that really well.

He played it well, didn't he?

He did, he played it well.

As you say, with lots of heart.

And Rosie, we have been getting to know you at uh Fullerton Connections over these nine years or eight years maybe, or you tell us how many years has it been in and and what brought you, what drew you in?

Uh well I'd never heard of Fullerton um or connections at all.

Um it was a a while back, nine years ago, I lost my husband, he passed away, um, and I was lost for a long time.

Um, and it's strange to say that it was just off off by hand, I just started watching this film, and it was a Christian film.

I had no idea.

And I loved it, and I started watching more, um, and they were all true stories, and a lot of them had music in them.

So that led me to Christian music, and I just started listening to Christian music.

I did it started at through COVID, so I did start watching some churches online and I wasn't too keen.

But I started singing in my work at night time, and it was the Christian songs, and there was a lady in my work who goes to Fullerton, um, a colleague, Elaine, and she heard me singing them, and she asked me if I went to church, said no.

And so she explained about the alpha course, and I said, Well, I'm quite happy to give that a go.

So she gave my name over to Joan and Alan Campbell, and I started that.

Absolutely fantastic.

I'd do it again if I could, loved it.

Um, everything just seemed to fall into place, and then Joan offered to bring me into connections after it opened up after COVID, um, which was very nervous, nerve-wracking.

But yeah, I went and just haven't been able to get rid of me since then.

So I just started volunteering and with tea duties, the crash, uh, grubbing gospel.

I absolutely loved that.

Did some volunteer caretaking and before long I was offered an evening job there, uh doing cleaning and caretaking.

Um, and then just went through there and it just kind of exploded.

And I love the church, I love the people.

It's it's not like the churches that I can remember through when I was small at school.

It's not like the churches I seen online where I just uh it just reminded me too much what I didn't like about going in the younger days.

Um about going into Fullerton, it's a very diverse people.

It's relaxed, it's fun, use the word informal, it's really I enjoy going, I love it.

Um and yeah, I've just never left, started doing all the grow groups.

Um that was before I started full in full time, uh where I became the three C's, the catering, cleaning and caretaking.

Um that's been going on for a while now.

So yes, you skip my foot in the door and you just couldn't get rid of me after that.

And it's wonderful, it's wonderful.

You've got such a heart for people and for uh connections and what it's all about, uh helping people experience the love of God and come closer to Jesus, which is marvellous.

But tell us a wee bit about you know the steps into the church.

Did you watch things online first to to test and see what you might be letting yourself in for?

How how was that?

Because it's it's quite daunting for for folk coming around.

You was it alpha first or it was alpha first.

That was a great step.

It was that's uh an amazing step.

That's something I'd tell everybody do the alpha course first.

Um or even going to church, but still focusing that first.

It explains so much.

A lot of things I didn't know before, a lot of questions were answered.

Um it's a safe space for curiosity and questions.

Very, very space, yeah.

Um and Joan and Alan, they are amazing at presenting that, absolutely amazing.

Um you just you f you feel wanted or just straight off the back.

Um no matter who you are, uh what shape, form or size you come in, you're just you're accepted.

And it's a great feeling.

Um and I just wanted more, more and more.

I came into uh connections the first time with Jonah, she was showing me about, and it was very nerve-wracking.

Um sorry, into Fullerton, and it was just one of the buildings where it looks it's like the TARDIS, very small in the outside, and it just develops into all these rooms.

Um so I was very bewildered to begin with, but as I started meeting people, they were fantastic, they were great.

It was it was as if I'd known them for years.

Um and yeah, I really desperately wanted to be part of that.

It felt like that's what I'd been looking for since I lost Barry.

It was it was something missing and that just that that feeling was fantastic.

If I could give it away, if I could just give it away to people, I would it's amazing.

And and and was faith, hope, this this fresh love, was it uh was it something that you caught or or or are you were taught or both or was it w were there moments or a moment where you thought, right, I'm committing here, I'm stepping in?

I think it kind of crept up in me.

Um I mean I've given very uh diverse background.

I've got you know Catholics and uh most of my my family.

Um but we never really practice anything.

Um I was baptised in the church and brought up that way, but I wasn't we weren't practicing, so it was it wasn't a daily life thing for me.

Um so when it did happen, but for years and years I read lots of different books.

It's as if I was searching for something.

Back then I didn't realise that looking back, definitely searching for something.

Um I look I read a bit a lot of religious history, things like that.

Um but my husband was an atheist, um, so I had a lot of his impact in my life as well, which is why I don't think I kinda stretched out any further than that.

But yeah, it definitely crept up on me before I realised that's it, that's what's missing.

I don't feel the way I used to feel, like a longing for something.

Um I felt I felt good, I felt great, I felt for the first time since losing him, I felt at peace, um content.

So there's a peace, a calming, an assurance that everything's gonna be alright, yeah.

And a purpose.

Yeah, it it's one of those feelings where you just smile, just because that's how you feel, you just smile, you can't help but smile, and you know that there's so much more down the road for you.

And it's like you just can't wait to grab it, you just can't wait to see what's next.

Um so I just dived in and just kind of went with the flow.

And I meet so many people every day.

Um they're amazing, absolutely amazing.

Um we have like our usual volunteers at um down at Connections, and they are the best people you'll ever meet.

They're amazing.

Still need more if anybody's fancies.

Um we don't down at Connections to help out.

But I'd say the pupils are a big part of that.

Um meeting them, talking to them, being there for them, listening to them, it's it's me.

It's I feel like I'm at home.

You love being there.

Yeah, I I used to always feel like that at the school when I worked there.

I was a nurture practitioner and that's what I felt when I was helping the kids, I felt like that's that's me.

That's I couldn't see myself doing anything else.

Um so it was a big step going to full and full time.

Um but it didn't take me long to find that no, this is just another part, another part of what I used to do.

I'm just I'm still here for people, I'm still chatting to them, still listening to them.

It's doing what I can.

It's you're sharing the love, sharing the love of Jesus.

It's great, and you you put a message at the on the board and the way in for folk to see.

Yeah.

It's great.

Some tell us some of the messages that you've put up there.

I've I usually jump between just encouraging messages, um, make people smile, a lot of visuals, little cartoons or air drawings, um, and then a lot of Christian messages.

Basically, it's to make people some people come through your doors and they're they're not in the best place.

So for them to see that straight off, to say that they matter, they're loved, they're welcome.

Um tell them it's alright to feel like that, it's okay not to feel your best.

Um sometimes just to get that wee smile from them when they read it and when they look at it, is that's all it's needed.

Um I've started started to to branch out and give the let the volunteers put messages up, and that's a two-way thing.

The volunteers are they're feeling really well, really good about it, about putting that up there and making other people feel the same way.

So it's like a two-way thing.

So and I think everybody thinks that it's it's there for me.

It's not if anybody wants to put anything up on that board, any message for the week for everyone to look at, they're more than welcome.

Uh it just has to be positive, encouraging.

Yeah.

So you you you you embody you you know very much it it's it's you as you say, uh connections.

You're you're you're you're a people person, you love meeting people, you love sharing and bringing folk on, and and your purpose and and faith, hope, and love in Jesus has has drew drawn you out in that.

You're you're you you've got a servant heart, you've so so you so you sound as if you're you're buzzing.

I am, I really am, yeah, and I've still got to wear some costumes, which is the best bit about it.

I saw you in a Pudsy Bear type costume or my big bears, yeah.

Yes, I like costumes.

Yeah, it's just another way to make people smile, isn't it?

Absolutely.

But I'm sure that you know you've described your your your bereavement and your loss and and you came off your bike as well, and you broke your your your hands.

Yeah, oh my goodness.

Uh you've been through a lot as well.

That was worth it though.

Come on, butterflies.

Well tell tell me, tell me.

How is that worth it?

Because you you won't be looking about you when you cycle now, yeah.

Well, that's what you do.

Um I've got a lovely butterfly.

I just should have been focusing where it was going instead of in the butterfly.

Uh but the strange thing is when I've been back in my bike after my second operation, I haven't seen any butterflies in the way to work.

Yeah, I've seen hedgehogs, but no butterflies.

So still time.

For you, though there's that that that involved a lot of p patience and perseverance as well, and and things are not entirely straightforward for you even now, I suspect.

No, not at all.

No, I'm still healing.

Um I'm I'm very grateful to like um Ashley and Esther on that because they let me come back way too much.

You're the coordinators at Connections or have been.

Yes, uh-huh, they are, sorry.

And they let me come back before I should have really been back.

Um because that's where I wanted to be.

That's where I wanted to hang out.

Um so for I'd probably say mental health purposes, not being stuck in a house.

So I would go over, they would just tell me not to do anything.

Um so I started going online and looking for online courses um to better understand the groups that were coming into connections, uh, because we have a lot of support groups and they're absolutely amazing.

They really are.

The people the courage they've got is huge.

Um so I started trying to learn a wee bit about what they were going through so as I could understand them more.

And so it was absolutely fantastic.

That time I had coming into connections, seen all my friends, uh seen all the groups, um, and been able to get all this new information before I really properly started back was fantastic.

So I would never have found that information out if I hadn't a fellow of my bridge.

So see, there's a purpose.

Yeah, you're finding opportunities through it all.

God works together, all things for the good of those who love him.

Yes, yes, and he loves us so very, very much.

He's the great recycler.

Brilliant.

And how has your faith, hope, and love in Christ impacted your family?

What what have they noticed uh what have they noticed or how has it influenced you in that realm?

Well, my family's they're they're very happy.

They're they're quite happy.

My mum my mum used to say something to me um years ago, um, that she says, I lost this the the smile in my eyes when I lost Barry.

She says you you you smile, but I can see in your eyes you're not really.

Um I'd like to think that's that's all that's all there.

Um I think she's she's probably a lot more content now because she knows um I'm a lot more content, more at peace.

Um I mean she moved towns to come uh to be close by to make sure we were all right.

She she didn't tell me till much later that um Barry asked her to make sure I was okay.

Um so she's always been there and sh she she understands and we can talk about a lot of things because um my mum was raised a a Catholic, so we can talk about a lot of things um and I can see it affecting my family a wee bit because my nephew I've had him into church um he believes on his own wholeheartedly in Jesus.

Um he's just been going through heart surgery and he's took all the wee bits and bobs that I've gave him um in with him, his wee prayer blanket, everything in with him, uh, to get him through that.

And that hopefully he's gonna be back at church real soon.

Um I've had my daughter asking me questions, so I'm hoping it's all sleeping in because you know me, I'm playing my Christian music, I'm quite upfront to answer any questions that they ask you.

You're very open about your face, yeah.

So I'm hoping that that's all gonna seep in there.

Plus, uh God knows me.

He knows I ask him every night to help get my family closer, especially my kids.

And your grandkids and my grandchildren, yeah.

So I know he's working on it.

Yeah, yeah.

You trust him into his care and and you you love them.

I do, yeah.

There there's a wee um it's the Proverbs, Proverbs 3, 5 to 6, I think it is, um, first popped up not that long ago when I had to make a big decision at work um about the voluntary redundancies, unfortunately.

Um but there was a book in my bookcase that fell down, and they never ever do that.

And I picked it up and opened it up at the ribbon, and it was Proverbs 3, 5 to 6, and it was trust in the Lord with all your heart and not lean on your not your own understanding.

Um so that got me through that decision at work, and that's just something that keeps coming into my head constantly.

Whenever I feel like I need to make a decision, I just keep that in mind and I follow that, yeah.

So I'll leave it all up to him.

Yeah, trusting in the Lord, he's able, yeah.

Definitely, yeah, that's great.

And uh tell us about you mentioned voluntary redundancies there, it's been quite tough at connections lately with us having to uh budget with uh increased costs and not as much funding from trust funds coming in uh and not as many volunteers as we used to have.

Uh tell us we were about about how that's been working.

Well, it was a big impact to start with.

We'd we never we never seen it coming.

Um and we were when it first started we were always kept updated and it all throughout.

Um and it was a big decision.

We we had all of us we had to all think about the situation, about where we went from there.

And there was a lot of a lot of worry, uh just constant, a lot of what do we do?

Do we stay, do we volunteer volunteer to go?

And we're all a family down there.

I mean we're all we all think eat one another.

So there was also that side of it, um, well if I take it, will that make sure my friends are okay?

So there was a lot of that going on.

And unfortunately we did lose some really good people.

Um hopefully not altogether.

They still come in and visiting.

Um but we did lose three people that were part of the always will be part of the Connections family.

But that put us through quite a put us through quite a s a lot of stress and worry.

Um we're now at the other side of the redundancies and we're we're still hoping that we'll get a lot more volunteers.

And th we have had volunteers coming in, they're been fantastic, they're amazing.

Uh but we still need a lot more.

The staff that are left, we feel we do feel the the loss of the other members of staff.

We do feel that, um, and I suppose we will do for a while.

Um we're trying to pick up in all the the extra bits that's needing covered round about.

The gaps, yeah.

Um but we're getting there, we're a strong bunch, and we will get there.

As long as we've all got the same goal in mind, um, and we all work at it as a team, then we will get there.

Uh change isn't always bad.

Mm-hmm.

And the people that have left are doing fantastic just now.

I've kept up with 'em and they're really enjoying what they're doing.

That's good.

And there's a great atmosphere in connections, uh, that people feel I think even when just when they walk in the door sometimes, there's just that sense that that there's there's a peace, there's a Presence, God, God's presence.

I'm sure many people have said that to me.

And if people were listening to this and thinking, well, how could I maybe join in?

What are the volunteering roles that that people can join in with?

Well just about anything.

There's a cafe which is on three days out of the week.

There's always roles in there.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, yeah.

Yeah, uh 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock are open.

Um there's the the cleaning.

Um we've not we need a lot of people to help out there.

Caretaking, there's uh some nights that we're really struggling to get people into caretak.

Um even just coming in and just helping out wherever they can.

If it's a wee hour here or there, that's absolutely fine.

If they want to come in and welcome everybody on the door, that's absolutely fine too.

Uh so there's so many things, and I know there's probably a lot of people out there that's sitting thinking, oh no, that's not for me, I probably couldn't help.

Yeah, you could.

Even just coming in and chatting away to everybody, anything would help us out immensely.

And we do have the best volunteers in Scotland, I know we do.

Yeah, yeah.

And and thinking about the journey into faith, hope, and love in Christ, and church community.

Um, you know, you talked about that yearning, you talked about Alpha being a huge help and answering questions and helping you closer to to Christ.

Uh, you talked about home groups as well, that uh we have seasons of growth in autumn and uh in spring, where we encourage folk to join together in groups.

You've been involved with some of them, and you've been involved in a uh a grow group as you said as well, that's especially helping and encouraging people to understand who we are in Christ.

You learned more about your spiritual pathways.

You mentioned worship in particular, there's one of them.

Uh that that that you just love uh praise music and and joining in.

And uh you you clearly have taken responsibility for your walk with God, and that's always what we're wanting to encourage folk to do is to is to take seriously and and discipline ourselves in the walk when in the way with Jesus.

What what help what are some of the disciplines and I imagine including uh joining with God's people in praise uh that that have helped you and helped you to grow and to go with Jesus?

Well, the the groups are certainly a great big part of that.

Um always joining in wherever you can.

Sometimes work can it makes it harder, but they're always a great, great help because you're there with other people thinking the same thing as you want to ask the same questions as you.

Uh they're amazing.

Um the Bible apps keep me going every morning.

Uh I have the Bible app and I have my Bible sitting down the stairs now because I would always try and get into it and read it before, and life would take over, work would take over, and I would never really get a chance.

Um just now I'm studying outside of work, so I've got it sitting there right next to my study books.

So when that gets too much, close that, open my Bible, and I've started reading a lot more of that, which is working out fantastic.

Um for me, a lot of it of it is outside, just going out walks, going out hikes, just being outside.

For me, it makes me feel closer to God.

I love the outdoors.

Um, I've still got this great big dream outside church.

Yes.

Yes, never know what might happen.

Forest church or something like that.

Yes, yes, can you imagine it?

It would be amazing.

Um so I might see that dream in my lifetime, you never know.

Um but yeah, that brings me closer to God than anything else.

And then it's the music.

Um I know that might not be the same for other people, but the music is the same.

It's it's amazing.

It lifts your heart.

It does.

Draws you out.

Food for the soul, they say.

But yeah, it's amazing, and that plays a big part in it.

I do watch a lot of documentaries and a lot of films.

Christian um explains a lot of things to me that I I didn't know before or I thought I knew uh until I watched it.

And then there's the books.

Uh whenever I got a chance, I've got a lot of books I read.

Um What's So Amazing About Grace, um The The Leap Over a Wall, I love that book.

Um things like that.

And Connections has lots of books for people who just to pick up and go and have a real look at at their own leisure, bring it back.

Um so I think it's just constantly searching, constantly learning.

Um you never get to that stage where you sit and think, right, that's me.

You don't you you keep going, and through life you do have those down times where you think, no, this there's far too many bad things happen, this can't be right.

Um but you've got to keep looking up all the way up.

You've got to keep that in mind, um, that it will it's all for a purpose, that it will all work out, and it does, and I didn't realise that at the beginning, but it does, it always works out.

Um he's that's that's his job, he's he's pretty good at that.

So it does work out.

It's good.

God's pretty good at his job.

Yes, he's very good at it.

And and maybe one last question uh your your hopes and dreams and aspirations for for Fullerton, for for Fullerton connections, which of course is a a place and a people.

Yeah.

Uh-huh.

It's like churches are a people, not a place.

Um to be honest, it might sound a wee bit too much, but I think we're on the verge of something.

The way I look at it is we're on the verge of something amazing.

Uh we're just struggling to get there.

But it's like a I pray every night and I say to them, help us shine our light.

And it's gonna happen.

We are gonna be the biggest light shining on this side of Scotland.

We just need other people to think the same way.

Um they put everything else aside and just think, you know, love, peace, um God, Jesus, all that, put that all together and we can do something absolutely amazing if we all just get together and get stuck in.

So I can see I'm not entirely sure what it is yet, but I can see something amazing coming.

We just as long as we all have that same goal in mind, we're we're gonna get there.

Yeah.

So I do understand that some people are a bit weary, but we'll get there.

Yes.

Oh, that's so hopeful and aspirational and prayerful and and amen, sister.

Yeah, thank you.

It's lovely to hear.

And uh thanks so much for sharing with us and joining with us.

And friends, uh, make sure you look out for our podcasts.

Um, follow us, subscribe to us, United Riven Church Scotland, and uh look out for the next podcast.

Thanks so much, Rosie.

Bless you.

Thank you.