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Mission and Discipleship Council May 2018

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Mission and Discipleship Council May 2018 Report of the Mission and Discipleship Council...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... MISSION AND DISCIPLESHIP COUNCIL MAY 2018 Proposed Deliverance 12. Instruct the Mission and Discipleship Council and Ministries Council to bring a joint report from the Joint The General Assembly: Emerging Church Group to the General Assembly of 2019, bringing recommendations on the future strategy 1. Receive the Report of the JECG. (Section 5.5) 2. Instruct Kirk Sessions to explore how the fresh vision 13. Instruct the Mission and Discipleship Council and for eldership outlined in section 2.3 applies to their Ministries Council to seek an extension of their particular local context. (Section 2.3 and Appendix I) partnership with Fresh Expressions until 30 September 3. Instruct Kirk Sessions to consider how the aspirations 2020. (Section 5.6) outlined in the report shape their ongoing ministry and 14. Urge Kirk Sessions to use the resources listed in engagement with children and young people in the Appendix VI and to promote their usage in the wider parish. (Section 2.5 and Appendix II) congregation. (Section 5.10 and Appendix VI) 4. Urge Presbyteries and Kirk Sessions to engage fully in the Year of Young People initiative. (Section 2.6) 29 5. Urge Kirk Sessions to use the Conversations in Worship resource within a Kirk Session meeting in 2018. (Section 3.2) 6. Encourage Kirk Sessions to draw on Pray Now (including the sections on How to Pray/How They Prayed) for fostering the congregation’s prayer life. (Section 3.3) 7. Instruct the Council, in collaboration with the Theological Forum, to develop creative, instructive and grace-filled pathways for the spiritual development of children and young people in order to support congregations in welcoming them to the Lord’s Table. (Section 3.6) 8. Commend the Weekend of Invitation to Presbyteries and Kirk Sessions and encourage congregations to think of ways of developing a culture of invitation. (Section 4.2) 9. Urge Kirk Sessions and Presbyteries to consider ways in which congregations can more effectively support Christians from minority migrant communities living and worshipping in their neighbourhoods. (Section 4.3) 10. Urge every congregation to actively promote Life and Work, the magazine of our Church, as a tool to encourage, inspire and resource. (Section 5.2) 11. Instruct Kirk Sessions to explore what opportunities exist for a fresh expression of church in their parish. (Section 5.5) Volume I Reports The Church of Scotland General Assembly 2018 01 Report of the Mission and Discipleship Council...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Report a new Learn publication on Understanding Our Faith (https:// goo.gl/nJXn4p). It takes people on a journey through seven 1. INTRODUCTION core issues of Christian faith, equipping them to understand 1.1 The Mission and Discipleship Council’s calling is, and communicate their faith more clearly and with increased individually and together, to follow Jesus and to encourage confidence. In the Foreword, the Very Rev Dr Derek Browning, and equip others to do the same. This year has seen the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Council increasingly focus its work around the theme of Scotland writes: ‘Faith is thought and prayer and discipleship. Going forward, this will increasingly be the lens contemplation put into action. To understand our faith better through which we will be viewing all our work: are we helping requires constant questioning and wondering and imagining. people to follow Jesus and to grow in faith? Wherever we gather to contemplate what and why we believe, part of the process of belief must lead us to authentic 1.2 This year our report is deliberately built around the action that demonstrates what we believe, and how it has proposed themes within the Council of Assembly’s Strategic transformed us and may, even in a small way, transform the Plan: Active Discipleship; Worship; and Connecting with world in which we live.’ A Learn ‘Understanding Our Faith’ Communities. In each of these sections we are asking: Are we conference was held in November 2017, attended by over 100 offering the chances for people to discover the love of God? people. A copy of the presentations from the day are available Are we supporting people to grow in faith, individually and at https://goo.gl/PPZGfP. collectively? Are we finding out where God is already at work and joining in? 2.3 Elders as Disciples 2.3.1 Elders continue to play a vital but changing role in 1.3 This is an exciting journey, but it is also a challenging the life of the church at every level. Alongside teaching elders, one. It is not just travelling forward in faith which is easier to ruling elders are front line leaders who point others to Jesus say than to do. It is also about leaving behind much of what through their words and example. Over the last three years has felt safe and secure. Think of those young fishermen at the Eldership Working Group of the Council has brought to the edge of Lake Gennesaret, barely adults themselves, just successive Assemblies, a renewed and developing vision for finding their feet. Yes, there was the excitement of following the eldership focused deliberately around the promotion of a Jesus but there was also the uncertainty of leaving behind discipleship culture at individual and congregational levels. much of what they and their families had known. 2.3.2 Most if not all of us can think of an elder who through the way that they live their lives point others to the 2. DISCIPLESHIP transforming love of God. These are people like Agnes, who 2.1 The Council could spend a great deal of time seeking people have always recognised as a woman of deep and to agree the perfect definition of discipleship; however, our persistent prayer. Or like John, whose wise leadership has led calling is not to define discipleship but to be disciples. In our many young people into a living faith with God. Or like Pat, work we have adopted the definition, which will be enriched whose ability to overcome great sadness and suffering has by experience, from the Anglican Consultative Council which pointed others to Jesus. states: “Discipleship is a God-ward transformation which takes place when individuals and communities intentionally, 2.3.3 Elders have a critical leadership role in the sacrificially and consistently live every aspect of their daily life development and delivery of this vision that is primarily in commitment to following Jesus Christ. It is a lifelong, focused on local contextual mission and distinctively whole-life reorientation which will have challenging concerned with the discipleship of God’s people. The elder’s implications for our self-identity, our belonging within role is multifaceted and Kirk Sessions take the lead role in community, our belief systems and our daily behaviour.” practical and pastoral duties, fulfilling trusteeship obligations and encouraging others to faithfully follow Christ. The 2.2 Learning About Our Faith Council is committed to supporting and equipping elders to In order to grow as disciples, we need to deepen our be disciples, and in turn, enabling our elders to support others understanding of what we believe and who we believe in. Last associated with the church community to faithfully follow year, as part of that deepening of faith the Council published Jesus. Appendix I details some of the support that is currently 02 Volume I Reports The Church of Scotland General Assembly 2018 Report of the Mission and Discipleship Council...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... provided for elders, along with materials the Council is in the whereby an elder can continue to be actively involved in the process of producing. These are grouped under the broad life of a congregation, without the associated obligations of headings of ‘call’; ‘preparing to serve’; and ‘ongoing support trusteeship that come from being a member of the Kirk and development’. We are asking the question, ‘What does it Session. The Council understands that the Legal Questions look like in practical terms for elders to take a fresh approach Committee, following its consultation on membership of to promoting a discipleship culture?’ church courts, has identified other associated aspects, such as the notion of elders being appointed to serve on Kirk Sessions 2.3.4 There are many examples of where this is already for fixed terms and the granting of sabbatical leave. The happening. For example, in Arbroath St Andrew’s: ‘The Kirk Council looks forward to working with the Legal Questions Session has deemed it to be important that new, younger Committee to address these important aspects associated people are brought into leadership circles even while overall with the eldership. eldership numbers are being reduced. To this end,
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