“45 % of our congregations are less than 20 in number when they gather on a Sunday.”
Anne Parkhurst retires from the Overseas Committee. She is replaced by Duncan McCosh.
Retirement Homes. As usual Braeburn is in a good state,whilst St Serf’s does not seen able to produce projected figures to help make decisions about the future. It seems to be that the homes will be transferred to an ‘arms length body’.
Dialogue between people of different faiths.
For the first time, an Imam & a Rabbi were invited into Synod to have a discussion. There is a motion to encourage clergy to try to get ministers’ fraternals to invite interfaith representatives into their meetings.
Rabbi David Rose spoke of the fact that we all face issues in common drugs youth work, environmental issues. Imam Muhammad Sajjad spoke of us being neighbour. Jesus spoke the truth when be spoke of loving the Lord your all with ill your heart and your neighbour as yourself. We must as neighbours, neighbourliness is part of the love of God.
Gill Young spoke of the need to become ordinary neighbours rather than living in separate communities. One of the answers was to eat together. The mosque door is open to everyone.
Marion Chatterley asks whether the time has come to work on joint action and not just talking.
Anne Parkhurst mentioned the Jubilee Scotland movement as embracing different faiths.
Ian Fergusson asked whether the other faiths were offended by Christian symbols such as the cross. Answer was that the Muslim hijjab needs to be respected in a tolerant society, just like the cross.
Tin Reed spoke about how he used to believe that interfaith meant watering down our faith. Contact with other faiths, especially Muslims from the Gambia had led him to change his mind. The motion passed with overwhelming support.
Nancy Adams spoke of an upcoming Conference on work amongst older people. She then spoke to Motion 20 giving assent to the Common statement of the Churches regarding the Bicentenary of the Act abolishing the North Atlantic Slave Trade. This also condemns forms of slavery that exist today.
The motion is carried with overwhelming support.
People chairing synod need to understand the difference between something passing unanimously or passing nem con. Perhaps this will be included in the development day for synod chair people next year.
Ministry Development Committee. Judith George spoke. Interestingly, she spoke of clergy having skills. This is a complete turnaround from the days when TlSEC students were told that they were not engaged in a skills based course.
Lewis Smith spoke for the Home Mission Committee. They have now taken on the brief of the Retreats Committee. An apprisal of Journey of the Baptised is to take place. An independent pesos has been appointed to engage in this review. The identity of this person was not revealed.
Bishop David spoke of a changing shift to thinking about the Diocese being the place of focus for mission rather than the Province.
Bishop Elect, Mark spoke on the Provincial Youth Network. Is there a danger of the PYN being a separate network from the Province? They we now trying to work with all the Boards and Committees to ensure that it is as integrated as possible.
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