City on a Hill Edinburgh

Though sin marred the perfect world God has created, His pursuit of humanity never ceased. Redemption through the Seed of Promise begins to unfold in the compelling story of Abraham.

In this message, Pastor Pete examines Genesis 3, describing the fall of man as the saddest moment in history. Shaped by Satan's subtle deception and humanity's gullibility, this event brought sin into the world and helps make sense of its brokenness. At the same time, however, the Fall sets the stage for understanding God's plan of salvation for mankind.

Pastor Pete opens our God Story series with The Origin, a message affirming that God eternally exists and created the universe out of nothing. He emphasizes that mankind matters, as people are made in God's image and are the pinnacle of His creation. He concludes by showing that the story of Genesis, and all of Scripture, ultimately points to Jesus as Lord.

What does it really mean to have a healthy heart? In this message, Pastor Pete reflects on Proverbs 4:23, reminding us that just as physical health depends on a healthy heart, so does our spiritual well-being. Life flows from the inside out and we need to guard our hearts diligently, knowing that everything we do is shaped by what is within.

Why are friendships becoming increasingly difficult to make and maintain? And what wisdom does God's Word offer for building healthy, resilient, and long-lasting friendships?

What does it take to make wise decisions in life? Pastor Pete teaches that good choices come from relying on the Word of God, listening to the Holy Spirit and seeking guidance from trusted leaders and people around us.

How can a person truly gain wisdom? Pastor Pete draws from the book of Proverbs to highlight that wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, and is expressed through awe and reverence towards God, a heart filled with love and obedience to Him, and a life lived for Him with humility and courage.

Pastors Adedoyin and Duncan sit down to reflect on the meaning of Christmas — from personal traditions and quick-fire questions to deeper reflections on the birth of Jesus, the incarnation, and what it means for our lives today. Together, they explore why Christmas matters, how it shapes our faith, and how we can respond with hope, joy, and trust in Jesus this season.

John's Gospel opens not with a manger but with a bold declaration – the eternal Word who was with God and was God had stepped into the world. Pastor Pete shows how John, having witnessed Jesus' life, death and resurrection, realised that He was truly God. This message invites us to engage with the great truths of Christmas as John presents them in Chapter 1 – the Word became flesh and the wonder of Jesus' life and mission.

Isaiah 9 speaks of external threats to Israel and the internal corruption of their hearts. These are challenges that mirror the worries and concerns of the world we live in and the darkness in people's souls today. Pastor Pete shows how the coming of Jesus brings hope. The darkness of our hearts can only be overcome when we connect and stay connected with Him.

Pastor Pete reminds us that God not only sees the future but has already secured it. From Romans 8, he unpacks the golden chain of salvation – those God foreknew, He predestined, called, justified, and glorified. Though glorification is still ahead of us, Scripture speaks of it as already done, assuring us it is guaranteed.

The heart of Pastor Pete's message is that God saved us to bring us into His family, choosing us to become His children. It emphasises the incredible truth that adoption was always God's plan A – through Jesus Christ, we are made sons and daughters and co-heirs with Christ.

In this message, Pastor Adedoyin dives into the incredible truth that although humanity's relationship with God was shattered by sin, Jesus came to restore it fully. Through His perfect life, death, and resurrection, we become a new creation – brought back into God's presence and freed from the sin that once separated us. As people reconciled to God, we're invited not only to believe this good news for ourselves, but to share it boldly with others as ambassadors of His love and restoration.

Pastor Pete's message unpacks the meaning of justification. Through the Cross, Jesus took our guilt, not only declaring us justified, but also crediting us with His righteousness – this is a gift we receive when we place our faith in Him. Our eternal standing is secured, and we are welcomed into heaven not by what we have done, but by what He has done for us.

In Part two of ‘The best news ever' series, Pastor Paul look at the biblical theme of ‘Redemption' - what it means, what it looks like and the freedom it brings us.

How can God's justice and love meet? At the heart of Pastor Pete's message is that propitiation is the act by which Jesus, through His sacrifice on the Cross, bore God's righteous anger against sin and evil. In that moment, God's justice was fully satisfied and His wrath turned away, allowing His love and mercy to be shown towards mankind.

Pastor Jessica highlights the importance of the Apostles' teaching in the early Church and encourages us to be fully devoted to Jesus, and to be wholehearted in our commitment to His Great Commission and Great Commandment.

Jesus has given us a clear vision to love God, love people and to make disciples. Join us as we unpack this vision – it sets out our destination for the next season. We also include an important finance update from the past year.

In Part 1 of our Vision series, Pastor Pete shares ‘We are City on a Hill' – a message exploring the meaning behind our name, drawn from Matthew 5, and our calling to shine brightly as a welcoming church. We celebrate how God has worked through us in the last few years, shaping our influence and preparing us for what's ahead.

Pastor Pete unpacks 1 Samuel 31, where God's rejection of Saul and his death left the nation of Israel in mourning and despair. Yet, God had already prepared a new king in David, pointing us forward to the greater King, Jesus, whose kingdom is coming and who brings true hope to our dark and despairing world.

How did David get through the worst day of his life? Pastor Jude shows us how David's response can guide us when we face our own hardest moments and how we too can find strength, hope and faith in God in the darkest of times.

David, out of fear, fell into compromise, trapped in enemy territory and by his own choices. But, as Pastor Pete pointed out, God in His mercy rescued him from himself – not because David was right, but because He is good and He delivers us even from the snares of our own hearts.

When Saul faced silence from God, desperation drove him to seek guidance from a forbidden source – a medium at Endor. His compromise exposed his contradictions and led to a devastating word of judgement. Pastor Sammy reminds us that in our own desperation, we must resist harmful solutions and instead run to the Living God. True freedom and lasting hope are found not in the occult or human schemes, but in repentance, trust, and the grace of Jesus.

In this special dedication message, Pastor Pete reflects on the purposes behind our owning The Diadem. First, the plan of the building is in the shape of the Cross and God's plan from the beginning is the Cross - the centre of everything we do. Second, its name points to Isaiah's words that we are a “royal diadem” in God's hand, a testimony of His grace in display. Third, it was originally named after St Aidan, whose apostolic legacy of training and sending out church planters calls us to be a hub too, for equipping and sending out in our own generation.

What happens when fear shapes our thinking? In 1 Samuel 27, David's fear led to a season of compromise and costly decisions. But Pastor Pete calls us to guard our thoughts, to reject fear-driven decisions and to hold fast to God's Word, trusting His promises above our fears.

Through all the turmoil of his life at the hands of Saul, David still chooses to honour, bless and forgive the king who curses him.  The challenge to us is – how do we bless those who curse us?

Today, Pastor Pete unpacks the story of David, Nabal and Abigail – a lesson on folly, wisdom, and the ability to listen. Nabal refuses to hear but David owns his folly and responds to Abigail's wisdom, showing that true wisdom is a heart willing to listen and to be taught.

Jesus calls those who depend on Him blessed—not the powerful, but those who know their need for God. In this message, Pastor Adedoyin reminds us that it's never about what we have, but always about the posture of our heart and our dependence on Him.

What do you do when the perfect opportunity to get ahead means compromising your convictions? Pastor Pete unpacks 1 Samuel 24, where David spares Saul's life, showing us what it looks like to trust God's timing and live with integrity under pressure. Through David's example, we are reminded not to cut corners, to honour leadership, and that ultimately, we reap what we sow.

In 1 Samuel 23, Pastor Duncan explores how David, surrounded by danger and betrayal, chooses to follow God's truth over anything else. Discover what it means to walk in divine access, encouragement, and providence—especially when life feels like a walk through the wilderness. This message challenges us to ask: Whose truth are we choosing to follow today?

In today's message, Pastor Pete unpacks how David, fleeing from king Saul, found true refuge in God, not in a cave. Unlike David, Saul offered false refuge by promising security to those who aligned with him, instead of God's chosen king – a picture of how the world also offers empty promises today. But David, having found grace in God, extended the same grace to those who joined him in the cave, pointing to the church's calling to be a true refuge for the misfits, the hurting and the disillusioned.

David is desperate and terribly alone. He runs and his faith lapses. But God's grace pursues him, provides for him and ultimately holds him fast. In this message, Pastor Paul encourages us to learn from David's struggles in our walk with God.

In today's message, we will explore the heart of true Christian friendship – a relationship grounded in honesty, vulnerability, love and selfless sacrifice. We recognise that Jesus is, in fact, our truest and most faithful friend – unfailing, ever-present and infinitely precious.

Pastor Pete unpacks Chapter 19, by showing how Saul's jealousy towards David reflects the deeper human rebellion against God's true, anointed King, Jesus. He reminds us that we are called to lay down our crown and refuse, like David, to take revenge. Instead, we are called to live as the Bible teaches us - by walking in the light and overcoming evil with good.

In 1 Samuel 18, Saul's jealousy turns a moment of national victory into a personal crisis, as he sees David not as a friend but as a threat. His story warns us that when we let jealousy lead, it blinds us to God's work and poisons our relationships.

In this message, Pastor Pete encourages us to overcome fear and speak boldly, assured of God's presence and purpose. Just as God assured Paul, we are reminded that He is with us, has many in our city and our obedience bears lasting fruit.

In a world where we face many battles and fears what helps us be courageous? We look at the famous account of David and Goliath to help answer this question.

God saw us long before we were born, just as He saw and knew David before he was chosen to be King. While the world chases image, our true worth lies in who we are inside, and ultimately, in who we become. Pastor Pete encourages us to invest in our inner life, so we become more like Jesus. 

Today's message wrestles with God's difficult command to eradicate the Amalekites. Through four different contrasts – human judgement vs divine justice, human regret vs divine ‘regret', partial vs complete obedience, and arrogance vs humility – Pastor Pete explores the weight of God's commands and the challenges they bring. Despite the hard message, it calls us to trust in God's wisdom beyond human understanding.

Today's message, delivered by Pastor Paul, centres on the story of Jonathan. In the face of overwhelming odds, Jonathan demonstrates remarkable courage. Trusting in God, he takes initiative and moves forward with faith and determination.

‘Fear not' is the most repeated command in the Bible, and yet many of us spend a lot of our time being afraid. In this message, Pastor Pete highlights the differences between faith and fear, encouraging us to be faith-filled believers, because faith sees a powerful God, trusts a powerful God, and moves a powerful God to act on our behalf. 

Pastor Pete unpacks Chapters 11 and 12 to reveal our spiritual vulnerability when we step out from under God's Kingship – whether by living in habitual sin, or by isolating ourselves from others. Although God is faithful to rescue us when we cry out to Him, we must remember that we have an enemy who is always on the prowl. To live spiritually victorious lives, we need to remain close to God, walk in continual repentance and stay connected to a community of believers.