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Next issue . NEW MINISTRY AND GLASGOW & GALLOWAY ITEMS for the June issue may be MISSION WEBSITE submitted up to Monday 17 May A NEW website will feature re- as ordinary running text (not leaf- sources related to ministry and Diocesan News lets, adverts, posters or PDFs, please) to the editor, Susi Cormack mission. ISSUE 95 – MAY 2010 Brown, c/o the Diocesan Centre, There is a lot of excitement and 5 St Vincent Place, Glasgow G1 2DH, activity around in these areas of our A chance to change the rules or [email protected]. diocesan life, and this site will pro- Diocesan News Service is published vide another vehicle for sharing THIS issue of Diocesan News comes out in the run-up to the first UK 10 times per year by the Scottish Epis- good news and best practice. General Election in five years. copal Church, United Diocese of Glas- On these pages, Revd Dr Ann So it‘s timely to take stock of how we, as Christians, choose to be stewards of our voting power. It is a seriously under-rated privilege, yet it would have seemed gow and Galloway (Scottish Charity Tomlinson, the Ministry Develop- ment Officer, intends to share news an asset of immense value to those who first heard Jesus‘ parable of the talents (‗to Number: SC013925). Views expressed the third servant he gave a chance to change the rules...‘). are not necessarily those of the editor. of what‘s happening across the Diocese in the fields of ministry-for Whether we have any party allegiance or none, we all have a major opportunity -mission, and also circulate reviews now to make candidates listen a little more acutely when we tell them what we Youth Week deadline of materials, books read, courses want done for the sake of peace, justice and loving kindness. THE application deadline for this attended, sermons given or heard. We can lobby politicians on our doorsteps, at their surgeries, and in writing. We year’s Glen ’10 SEC Youth Readers will also be able to can go to hustings meetings and let them know who will hold them to account if Weeks is 7 June. download training materials for use they get into power. The Youth Weeks happen at individually, in congregations or Using our democratic leverage doesn‘t need to stop when the polling booths Glenalmond College, Perthshire, each across Regions. close either. Our freedom to put our views to those who govern gives us a summer when young people and In the next two months, for in- continuing right – and responsibility – to speak up for those who have no voice. leaders from all over Scotland gather stance, two such resources will be ‘Ethics Election’ together for six days of sports, being published by the Diocese swimming, arts and crafts, workshops, Also in this issue . Faith think-tank Ekklesia is calling for under the auspices of the Education this to be an ‗Ethics Election‘. In the fun events, worship and making A shack in the Easter garden friends. Action Group – one for Vestry following pages you‘ll find articles about some of the election issues that Participants may attend either week members and another on ways of Stewardship at election time matter from the perspective of the commencing 1 August or 8 August. growing a culture of welcome in The Youth Weeks are open to our charges. Both are being written Glen ’10 youth week deadline Mothers‘ Union, Companion Dioceses, Church in Society, and our Steward- anyone in secondary education up to, in response to specific requests Mother love in the polling booth and including, July 2010; also under- ship Action Network. It makes thought from members of the Diocese. -provoking reading. I hope it will 18s who have left full-time education. A manifesto for trade justice Ann says: ―Do use these new stimulate prayer and action too. It is suggested that each participant pages to comment on what you pays £110 and his/her vestry pays £90. Kirk says no to Hunterston coal Whoever is voted into power has tough read, and please feel free to offer choices in store. Radio4‘s Moneybox Contact Diocesan Youth Officer Resources for voting Christians Christian Okeke (0141 221 5720; suggestions on ways in which I can newsletter reported last month that the [email protected]). support your charge or Region in Primus calls on voters to UK‘s debt is expected to pass the To download an application form becoming more mission-shaped. oppose Trident replacement £1trillion mark by the end of the visit scotland.anglican.org. Visit md.glasgow.anglican.org. coming year. So in 2011/12 the UK DIOCESAN NEWS – PAGE 12 DIOCESAN NEWS – PAGE 1 From page 1 will have borrowed an estimated £24,333 for each of its 45million adult citizens. And that doesn‘t even take account of personal debt! Tackling our debt burden—the figure is expected to grow by half as much again within five Bishop David in joint church years—without cutting aid or services to those in need is a tall order. It will be no easier re-stimulating our economy without breaking our vital Climate Change call to drop new Trident plan pledges. Inevitably there will be cuts, sacrifices and hardship cases. We‘ll see the effects among our own neighbours here in our diocese, as well as across the land. MOST Revd David Chillingworth, the Scottish Episcopal Primus, wants voters to tell Westminster candidates to invest in the poor and And that‘s the perfect storm in which our new Bishop, Gregor Duncan, takes the oppressed instead of a replacement for Trident. office following his consecration on 23 April. In a joint letter to the UK Government, Bishop David and seven other Theologian Karl Barth told Newsweek magazine: ―I always pray for the sick, the Scottish church leaders said: poor, journalists, authorities of the state and the Church – in that order.‖ Whatever order you choose, please do include Bishop Gregor in your prayers as he enters this ―At Easter, Christians of all traditions express their shared belief that God new ministry among us. Susi Cormack Brown, editor so loved the world that he sent his son Jesus Christ to suffer and die as a man. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead demonstrates that security New children’s Meet and learn comes from faith in the vulnerability of God in Christ and not in any human ANN Glenesk, who became creation. ministry group Mothers’ Union diocesan presi- ―Christian moral reasoning leads us away from violence towards loving THE Diocesan Children’s Minis- dent last month, says: “One of relationships with others. try Network is set to hold its my first tasks is to meet and ―Violence is expressed in threat as well as in deed. The indiscriminate first meeting. learn from the existing members nature of nuclear weapons makes it impossible to justify them as weapons This new group has been formed to of the MU. of war as their effect cannot be considered as either limited or proportion- look at, and advance mission among, ―I will be arranging visits to ate. Therefore, the very possession of nuclear weapons is unjust and thus branches, churches and meeting up children of primary age and under in wrong. Churches have often expressed this concern. our Diocese – what we do with chil- with Diocesan members. dren in the church, and how we might ―Meantime I would welcome con- ―Christ came for the whole world and the security of the whole world is go about outreach to them. tact from members who are not in Christ‘s concern. these two categories and from anyone At present, the group members are: ―Nuclear weapons by their very existence undermine the security of the who has suggestions on how the mis- Judy Page (convener), Anne Jones whole world and are inconsistent with the traditional theories of just war. (Diocesan Child Protection Officer), sion of the MU within the diocese can Anthea Clarke, Wendy Petrie and be developed.‖ Contact her on ―We believe that tackling injustice, poverty and inequality would lead to a Wilma Keenan. [email protected] or c/o safer world for all. At a political level that transformation means choosing The group is working to arrange Diocesan Centre, 5 St Vincent Place, to spend money on changing the lives of the poor and oppressed and not on regional meetings of clergy and lay Glasgow G1 2DH. nuclear weapons. people with children‘s interests at heart, to talk about how we may nur- HE diocesan Mothers‘ Union ―All of us have a political choice in the next few weeks. ture the faith of the children in our T extends everyone an invitation ―We call upon all people of goodwill to make it clear to candidates of all various local communities, and invita- to its Festival Service, at which the parties that we should choose life over death and the alleviation of poverty tions will go to churches. Chaplain, Secretary and President will over the replacement of Trident.‖ The first meeting will be in Ayr- be commissioned by +Gregor. The shire at St Ninian‘s Troon, Monday 17 service is on Saturday 15 May at The full Easter appeal joint letter, and a list of all eight signatories, can May, 7 for 7.30pm. 11am in Holy Trinity, Ayr. be read at: scotland.anglican.org/index.php/news/ DIOCESAN NEWS – PAGE 2 DIOCESAN NEWS – PAGE 11 Northcott, professor of Ethics at the the initiative for a greener faith. There ‘Tough Choices’ looks at today’s big questions University of Edinburgh.