The Church of Scotland Unincorporated Councils and Committees Annual Report and Accounts 2016 The Church of Scotland Unincorporated Councils and Committees Trustees’ Report 2016 – 01 Portobello and Joppa Parish Church, Edinburgh contents Go For It, Trustees’ Report Rev Susan Brown, Dornoch funding change in church and community 02 | Foreword 04 | Overview 06 | The Year in Brief 10 | Objectives and Activities 12 | Achievements and Performance 34 | Accountability 40 | Financial Review 47 | Auditors’ Report 49 | Financial Statements 83 | Reference and Administrative Details The Scripture quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council St Michael’s Parish Church, Linlithgow of Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 02 – The Church of Scotland Unincorporated Councils and Committees Trustees’ Report 2016 Foreword Letter from Dr Sally Bonnar: Convener One of the joys of my first year as Convener of the Council of Assembly has been the opportunity to meet people from congregations across the country and talk together about where God might be leading our church into the future. membership, lack of children and thousands of church members and young people and low numbers those who are associated with them. being recruited to Ministry of Word Some of this work is traditional, and Sacrament were expressed, some scarily contemporary, but it amongst others. However, we all demonstrates the love and care did not meet with despair and of the God we worship, the creative despondency! It would seem that the Word of Life. I hope in reading this creative Word, the Christ whom we report that you will take time to worship, is still very much at work consider all that work and give within our church. This report tells thanks to the God who has the story of how that creative Word enabled it. Dr Sally Bonnar of Life has been manifest in the past year. In worship, learning, giving, Dr Sally E. Bonnar The Council has been On the Road caring and participating, the people Convener, Council of Assembly from Shetland to London and 14 of God as gathered in the Church other places in between. We have of Scotland have witnessed to the been hearing from nearly 1,000 creativity and generosity of that people how they think the church Word in their lives, in their churches should be engaging in meaningful and in their communities. congregational life and worship, enhancing the discipleship of our folk Much of this work is supported by and working effectively in Christian the Unincorporated Councils and witness within our communities. Committees (UCC) of the Church, In contrast to how we might have ably assisted by a group of dedicated imagined, these conversations were staff at the national church offices marked by enthusiasm, excitement, in Edinburgh. But first and foremost thoughtfulness and creativity. To this Report is about the work enabled be sure, the concerns about falling and undertaken by hundreds of In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without him nothing was made that was made. (John 1: 1-3) The Church of Scotland Unincorporated Councils and Committees Trustees’ Report 2015 – 03 On the Road event, Renfield St Stephens, Glasgow 04 – The Church of Scotland Unincorporated Councils and Committees Trustees’ Report 2016 Overview The Church of Scotland is the local congregations and their work. refugees, engaging in fund-raising national church in Scotland. It has Thousands more feel an attachment activities or supporting local been embedded in the social fabric of to the Church, perhaps for family community and care centres. Scottish public life for more than 450 reasons, because they attend services We have also benefited again during years, though it traces its roots back or even recreational events in church the year from the support and hard to the beginnings of Christianity in premises, or because they appreciate work of the 560 people who serve on Scotland. The Church was structured the care which the Church can provide the various bodies which comprise to function through the parish system for them. Within the Church, there the Unincorporated Councils and as a central part of the wider social are over 750 ministers of Word and Committees of the Church of and civic framework of Scotland. Our Sacrament serving in parishes and Scotland. This provides the Church vision is to be a church which seeks to chaplaincies. Our work is supported with access to a wide variety of inspire the people of Scotland through by around 2,300 paid professional and expertise and experience from many enthusiastic worshipping, witnessing, administrative staff, the vast majority walks of life including education, the nurturing and serving communities. working in CrossReach, our social care At the same time, we have always law, property, business and social arm, with 200 or so in the Church’s services. Such varied input is given been critically engaged with both national offices and another 100 Government and society at large. completely voluntarily as part of each attached to parishes. The leadership individual’s Christian commitment. It The Church continues to contribute of worship, overseen by our Parish involves a generous, even sacrificial to the ministry and mission of Jesus Ministers, is supported by over 400 giving of time and talent and for that Christ both in every part of Scotland Readers, Deacons and Ordained Local the Church is deeply grateful. We itself and further afield. It does so Ministers. Around 30,000 Elders do not seek to put a monetary figure in changing and often challenging also provide local leadership on a on the value of this: rather we view circumstances. We continue to voluntary basis. it as absolutely fundamental to the believe, however, that our life Much of what the Church does would fulfilment of the Church’s purpose together as a society can be changed of sharing the Gospel and enriching be impossible without the supportive and improved through the love and human life. work of these many thousands of grace of Jesus Christ. It remains our volunteers. In fact, the Church of clear priority to share that Good It would be remiss of us not to make Scotland has the largest number of News. some reference to the challenges volunteers for a charity in Scotland. which lie ahead in the coming year. As we strive to achieve our vision Their contribution can range from The trends which have shaped our and our overarching objectives, it occasional involvement to several world in recent years are likely to continues to be of great comfort, hours on a regular weekly basis. The continue with poverty and strife being solace and sustenance that we are breadth and depth of the activities an integral part of the lives of far too rich in resources and people. We have to which our volunteers contribute many of our fellow human beings. in excess of 350,000 members, with ranges from catering in lunch clubs War, violence and the devastation many more people involved in our and community cafes to welcoming which they reap will not be eradicated So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 10: 12) The Church of Scotland Unincorporated Councils and Committees Trustees’ Report 2016 – 06 Take a Pew, hosting vital conversations about the future of the Church in the short term and the Church of issues and we will continue to do so and vulnerable, the exploited, the Scotland continues with ecumenical in the years ahead. Much of what refugee, the sick, the prisoner, the partners to do all it can to support we have achieved is contained in this lonely – are the concern of Christ’s people through the consequential report. church and Christ’s people here in turmoil and suffering. The crisis Scotland. facing asylum seekers and refugees There are challenges too for the who have been displaced by conflict Church in relation to future financing The Unincorporated Councils and will continue to be one of the most of work. We achieved a positive Committees of the Church of pressing issues of our generation. The increase in funds in 2016, but this Scotland were responsible, in 2016, Church of Scotland has committed was only because of the increase for expenditure of just over £112 significant resources to helping to in the value of investments. Our million. As one of Scotland’s largest address this. budgeted expenditure in 2017 charities, it is entirely appropriate that is challenging, which highlights we report in detail on our finances Domestically, the future also the importance of finding ways to and activities and we hope readers continues to be labelled with increase our income in order to avoid will find the information they need uncertainty as we gradually uncover a deficit. in the pages of this document. We the consequences of the result of do our best to ensure that the time, the Brexit referendum and try to The overarching objective of the talents and money available to us anticipate the potential outcome Church of Scotland is to worship are used effectively and we welcome and implications of a possible second and serve God and to participate in scrutiny. This report offers a flavour independence referendum. At the Christ’s ongoing ministry. Much of of the impact of the Church’s work on same time as these political issues the resource of the UCC is devoted the people we serve in Scotland and hang over us, many of our fellow to encouraging, facilitating and further afield.