www.europepresbytery.net NEWS… Date: March 201 4 Use: immediate “A PRESBYTERY WHICH CARES FOR THE WORLD ” Rev Aaron Stevens, from Budapest, is the Presbytery’s new moderator – and, following the recent meeting in Gibraltar, looked back over his years as a minister in Europe. It’s given him an interesting perspective: “After being inducted, my first meeting of Presbytery was in Gibraltar seven years ago. Since then, we've added charges from Bermuda, Sri Lanka and Trinidad, and our university chaplain in Regensburg gained official employment status within the church in Bavaria. We've also established Youth Presbytery as a regular programme. “It was a joy for me, therefore, to return to Gibraltar and moderate a meeting in which the ministers from Bermuda and Regensburg reported as conveners of committees, as did the elder from Sri Lanka, and the Youth Rep reported on the fourth EYP. Perhaps the most moving moment was when our corresponding member from the Presbytery of Jerusalem spoke about the situation in the Middle East. "It is clear that ours is a Presbytery which cares for the world and is forward-thinking in its missional approach. As with other Presbyteries, we are facing tough questions, but I am sure that with openness and honesty we can discern the most effective way for us to be the Church of Scotland in our international context today." RELATING TO THE WIDER CHURCH… The crucial issue facing the presbytery is its future relationship with the Church of Scotland. Rev Jim Sharp, the Presbytery Clerk, reported on discussions between the presbytery’s working group and the central councils of the Church. He confirmed that everyone had agreed that this issue could not be rushed, and so any proposals will be put to the General Assembly of 2015. He outlined a number of areas which need to be addressed: • our future relationship with the World Mission Council, which no longer seeks to administer the presbytery, but continues to be a natural partnership for us; • our relationship with other councils, particularly the Ministries Council, on the question of future resourcing and potential contributions; • our relationship with the Presbytery of Jerusalem, which for political reasons remains a separate entity, but whose ministers should expect to find resourcing and support networks with us; • the financial relationship with the central church – the whole question of how appropriate it is for the Presbytery, which does not receive funding for its ministers or its mission from the central church, but which is being asked for increasing contributions to the central church, to reach an understanding of the most appropriate way forward; • the issue of Presbytery Planning. The Presbytery has already agreed to develop a new Presbytery Plan which will seek to address the presbytery’s needs against a realistic expectation of ministry and financial resources. One issue is, perhaps, simpler; in view of the presbytery’s current scope – 15 charges in 13 countries in three continents – it’s likely that it will become known as the International Presbytery! MISSION PROJECT 201 4 MISSION PROJECTS… The Presbytery’s Mission Project 2014 is “A Place at the Table” – the World Mission Council’s project to help Syrian refugees – and it was given a boost at the dinner held on the Saturday evening. Each table had a “Place at the Table” mat – and a total of €464 was collected. Every congregation has been asked to consider following in similar fashion… Rev Doug McRoberts reported on three previous Presbytery Mission Projects. Last year’s, to support the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza, has raised over €5,300 , and Rev Colin Johnston, from the Presbytery of Jerusalem, spoke movingly of how this would raise spirits among staff at the hospital. The 2012 project had a strong Gibraltar connection – the Vine Trust’s Jubilee Hope project is to send a floating medical and dental centre to Lake Victoria in Africa, and the boat, a former UK naval auxiliary vessel, was converted in Gibraltar. It’s now over 2,000 miles into its 8,600 mile voyage from Glasgow to Mombasa. And the 2011 project – OUT OF AFRICA… INTO MALTA – has matured into a major refugee mission, partnered by the Church of Scotland Guild, and supported by churches across Europe. Doug reported that, by the summer of 2015, it will have received some €250,000 – a result he described as “Astonishing – but it all really started when the Presbytery made it their mission project, the Spirit moved and the word spread…” NEW MINISTERS… Presbytery heard news of three young ministers who have all now been ordained and inducted to their first charges, and who all completed part of their training within the Presbytery. Two were attached to the English Reformed Church, Amsterdam – Julia Lewandowska, who’s now minister of Kirkwall East & Shapinsay in Orkney; and Michael Mair, who became the Kirk’s youngest serving minister at 25 when he was inducted in January to St. David’s Broomhouse, in Edinburgh. Will Stalder, who was attached to the Geneva congregation, has also accepted a call to become minister of Methlick in Aberdeenshire. The presbytery also had the unusual experience of meeting Malta’s next minister – before the current one has retired! The story’s on the last page… Contact: Doug McRoberts, 00356 21415465, [email protected] Presbytery in session… …breaking bread together… Calendar girls… “…hang on a minute!” Rev Rhona Dunphy’s Prayer Calendar has gone global – we heard 300 guilds in South Australia share it… and Amy Lester confirmed the “…holy garments for Aaron your brother… shall European Youth Presbytery – celebrating its be upon Aaron when he ministers…” (Exodus 28) fourth birthday – is a firm calendar fixture now! But every little helps… THREE NEW MINISTERS... Will Stalder (& Courtney & Auggie!)… Julia Lewandowska… Michael Mair… …USA, via PoE, to Aberdeenshire… …Poland, via PoE, to Orkney… Scotland, via PoE & EYP, to Edinburgh FAREWELL GIBRALTAR… SEE YOU ALL NEXT OCTOBER IN BUDAPEST … FAREWELL… DOUG McROBERTS, Malta Rev Doug McRoberts was at his final presbytery meeting – at least as a serving minister! He’s retiring from St. Andrew’s Scots Church, Malta, this summer, and will move with Lesley back to Inverness. But Doug has already said he wants to remain a member of the Presbytery of Europe, and will continue as its publicity officer. Presbytery elder Ian McLeod paid tribute to Doug’s ministry – not forgetting Lesley’s Doug & Lesley McRoberts contribution to the life of St. Andrew’s Malta: “When Doug first arrived in Malta five years ago, he was told by some that finances were in a bad way, and the church had maybe ten years’ life left. It was also suggested by some that they expected him to minister only to ageing expat Brits. He found a different call, and a different way. So did we all.” Ian recounted highlights which included a “Building Church” programme, and said “We really began to explore New Testament worship patterns. Doug & Lesley led us in enjoyable ventures like our Family Passover Feast – now a firm St. Andrew’s tradition – and they led a tour of the Holy Land. And, of course, Doug led us in developing OUT OF AFRICA… INTO MALTA. As the presbytery would see for itself when Malta hosted the October 2012 meeting, this is now making an impact on the infrastructure of Malta’s still-growing refugee crisis. In one remarkable weekend in November 2013, we not only had the Guild Convener, Marjorie Paton, cutting the ribbon opening the Crypt project, but we had the President of Malta, George Abela, launching Malta Microfinance at the European Commission’s Centre in Malta, describing it as “groundbreaking, pioneering work among refugees and Malta’s poorest.” “I asked Doug for three favourite memories. He said ‘Easy. The communion service when tears openly flowed as our Africans sang of their joy to be there, while the bread and wine were shared. Dancing to gospel blues music on a boat on the Sea of Galilee, under the Scottish Saltire and the Maltese flag. And marrying Walter and Lillian Donmilic, refugees from Nigeria, on a summer Sunday morning in the middle of our main service of worship.’” …AND WELCOME… Rev Kim Hurst, a Methodist minister from Cumbria, will be Doug’s successor in Malta – where the ministers alternate between Church of Scotland and Methodist, under the congregation’s unique partnership. Gibraltar was Kim’s first experience of a Church of Scotland presbytery, which she said she thoroughly enjoyed – and the Presbytery had the unique experience of meeting the outgoing and incoming ministers together! She will also be Malta’s first-ever full-time woman minister Rev Kim Hurst… Malta-bound from any denomination. .