After nearly a year as minister at Tranent Parish Church, the Rev Katherine Taylor says she has been overwhelmed by the welcoming nature of the public.

Katherine moved to Tranent last year when she was appointed as the minister of the church on October 28.

She then had to deal with the struggles of running church operations during the pandemic.

But Katherine said it had been the welcoming nature of the public that had helped make her task much easier.

She said: “It’s been great getting to know people from Tranent and people in the church as well over the last year.

“Everyone has been very welcoming to me and it’s been fantastic to get to know all the people associated with the church.”

The Covid-19 pandemic saw many churches forced to shut their doors during lockdown, with many services having to be held online through video calls.

Tranent Parish Church is now open to the public again and Katherine says that attendance at services is continuing to grow, with an average of about 60 people attending on a Sunday.

She said: “People are coming back now, which is nice to see. I still run an online service for those who can’t make it but we’re seeing more and more people coming back now.

“The church is a welcoming place for all, for those who follow Jesus already or for those who aren’t sure.

“I think, particularly at this moment coming out of the pandemic, community is very important, and the church offers an opportunity for people to come together as a community.”

Services run at 11am every Sunday, with all members of the public welcome to attend.