Year Book 2013/2014
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Year Book 2013/2014 CONTENTS Statement of Purpose Page 3 Welcome from Convener Page 3 Council Remit Page 4 Membership Page 4 Structure of Council work Page 5/6 Presbytery Coverage of Mission Development Workers and Administrators Page 7 Presbytery Adult Trainers Page 7 Presbytery Representatives for Mission and Discipleship Council Page 8 Dates for the Diary 2013/2014 Page 9 What do we do to resource you in Mission and Discipleship? Page 10 Council Membership Details Page 11 Representatives from other bodies/Council teams/Groups Page 11/12 Committee on Church Art and Architecture Page 13 Council staff team details Pages 13/14 Scottish Storytelling Centre Page 14 Ministers’ Forum Page 14 Useful websites Page 14 2 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE Resourcing Christ’s Mission: to enable and empower people to engage in Christ’s mission through resourcing worship, witness and discipleship in the context of the changing contemporary culture of Scotland and beyond Specifically we will: Stimulate critical reflection and development of places and practice of worship = WORSHIP Communicate Christ’s message lovingly, effectively and relevantly = WITNESS Nurture and develop learning and growth within congregations and communities = DISCIPLESHIP WELCOME FROM CONVENER – REV COLIN SINCLAIR Dear All I am very glad to commend our Mission and Discipleship Year Book 2013/2014 to you. The purpose of this year book is three fold:- a) to remind you of the core purpose and vision of our work and all the different component parts that make up the whole; b) to inform you of the names and contact details and dates to assist effective communication; and c) to be a prompt for prayer for the staff and volunteers who make up the Department, that through our work the Church may be well served in the area for which we have been given responsibility. As in all year books, it is hopefully accurate at the date of production but names and details constantly change and if there are changes, gap or corrections please could you contact Eva Elder at [email protected]. Also if there are additional items we could include then do suggest them to us. Looking forward to working with you for this coming session Warmest Greetings Colin Sinclair Convener, Mission and Discipleship Council 3 COUNCIL REMIT The remit of the Mission and Discipleship Council is:- o To take a lead role in developing and maintaining an overall focus for mission in Scotland, and to highlight its fundamental relationships with worship, service, doctrine, education and nurture. o To take a lead role in developing strategies, resources and services in Christian education and nurture, recognising these as central to both mission and discipleship. o To offer appropriate services and support nationally, regionally and locally in the promotion of nurturing, worshipping and witnessing communities of faith. o To introduce policy on behalf of the Church in the following areas: adult education and elder training, church art and architecture, congregational mission and development, doctrine, resourcing youth and children’s work and worship. o To establish and support the Mission Forum with representatives of relevant Councils. o To encourage appropriate awareness of, and response to, the requirements of people with particular needs, including physical, sensory and/or learning disabilities. o To conduct an annual review of progress made in discharging the remit and provide a written report to the Council of Assembly. MEMBERSHIP o Convener o 3 Vice Conveners o 24 members appointed by the General Assembly (one of which will also be appointed by the Ecumenical Relations Committee) o one member appointed from and by the General Trustees and the Guild o Convener of the Committee on Church Art and Architecture The Nominations Committee will ensure that the Council membership contains at least three individuals with specific expertise in each of the areas of mission, education, worship, doctrine and publishing. 4 STRUCTURE OF COUNCIL WORK All the work of the Council will be undertaken in a collaborative way to ensure that the opportunities and needs of local congregations are resourced as effectively as possible. The detailed work of the Mission and Discipleship Council is taken forward by:- Church Without Walls In collaboration with Ministries Council we are encouraging new and pioneering ways of being church which are relevant and meaningful in Emerging Church local contexts, and learning from those who are re-imagining church for different people and spaces. We are partners with Fresh Expressions, and help facilitate the delivery of the Mission Shaped Ministry course in Scotland. The core work of the Mission Development team is to encourage congregations to look at mission, and to provide, or direct them to, Mission Development appropriate resourcing and training. One of the key tools used by the Mission Development Workers is Future Focus. This is a facilitated resource to help congregations look Future Focus afresh at their community, examine their congregational life and discern what it is that God wants them to be and do in the next phase of their life and witness. These conferences, held periodically throughout the country, are designed to encourage, inspire and equip congregations for their life and Equip events mission, and include workshops and speakers covering the breadth of the Council’s work. This project will make the key statistics from the 2011 Scottish Census available to congregations and presbyteries at parish level. The key Statistics for Mission drivers of this project are: Presbytery planning, parish profiling, mission planning and church tourism. Anam Cara is a Council initiative which works in the area of new and emerging spirituality, primarily in the context of having a Christian Anam Cara present at mind, body and spirit events. Congregational Learning Congregational Learning supports Presbyteries and Congregations in their commitment to mission and discipleship. By encouraging continuing Christian development we seek to grow educated, equipped and mature disciples. Through a network of learning facilitators, signposting of resources and regional and national gatherings we seek to nurture an ethos of faith seeking understanding that empowers all in the Church to grow in Christ as we worship, learn and serve together. Current areas of work include: o Support continuing Christian development in local congregations through resourcing, signposting and networking. Initially this support will be delivered through establishing a network of Learning in Congregation facilitators (LinC). o Developing Children and Young People through a variety of initiatives such as the National Youth Assembly and the youth reps at the General Assembly. o Carrying out specific leadership initiatives such as providing training conferences for Elders and Session Clerks; and, via a consultation process, developing proposals for future models, patterns and training for the Eldership. o Taking forward particular areas of interest or need for the Church through working groups focusing on interfaith, barriers to learning and congregations in rural contexts. Faith Expression This group seeks to develop new and existing liturgies found in Common Order. They are presently working on two versions of the service Liturgical Group for induction and ordination and beginning work on services of union and linkage. This is the most popular part of the Church of Scotland website and gives worship leaders and ministers some guidance and reflections on Starters for Sunday the lectionary readings for each Sunday - extra material on worship and particular seasons and events in the Christian Year is also website resource provided. Preacher’s Perspective This is a series of twelve articles written by preachers on how they preach. They are intended to be for those new to preaching as well as website resource those with experience and hope to provoke discussion and assist worship leaders in their understanding of their role. 5 This group is remitted to explore ways of developing the use of music for worship and witness and does so through the online magazine, Music Group Different Voices, and the provision of learning and networking opportunities. This book of thirty one daily prayers has been a valuable tool for private devotion over many years. It is an annual publication of prayers for Pray Now each day of the month which is prepared on a particular theme by a group from the Church, such as Time, Generations and Love. Resources This magazine has a history of over 130 years of service to the congregations of the Church of Scotland. It is produced monthly, with the Life and Work cover price per magazine set at £2 – subscribe at www.lifeandwork.org. Saint Andrew Press is the publishing imprint of the church. This area is now administered for the Council by Hymns Ancient and Modern. Saint Andrew Press Recent publications include A New Harmony by J Philip Newell; and George Mackay Brown The Wound and the Gift, by Ron Ferguson This is an exclusive publication devoted to issues which affect the lives and opinions of Ministers of Word and Sacrament within the Church Ministers’ Forum of Scotland DVD, PDF and resources The Council has many resources available for free or at a nominal cost – all available through www.resourcingmission.org.uk. Administration The team supports all of the work carried out by staff and Council. The Administration Team comprises the Administration Manager, five full-time Senior Administrators each assigned to a specific team (Congregational Learning, Faith Expression, Church Without Walls, Resources and Online Resources) and one part-time Support Assistant. CARTA The Committee advises congregations and presbyteries on alterations, renovations and re-ordering of church buildings, stained glass design, organs, furniture, communion ware, memorials, conservation and disposals. It should be consulted at an early stage. Scottish Storytelling Centre The centre is an award-winning public building designed by Malcolm Fraser Architects and is situated half way down the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.