The Rev Bryan Kerr describes the work of two presbyteries in response to a call last month from the Very Rev Albert Bogle for presbyteries to consider the use of ‘Christian celebrants’.

FEATURE

IF most of us were charged with creating a Christian presence within the communities across Scotland, I suspect few would come up with our present one size fits all, minister dependent model of church. There can be no doubt that communities have experienced many positives due to a minister living and ministering within a parish. On the flip side it has meant that in many congregations the people of God have, at best, struggled to find ways to use their God given talents, and at worst have been able to sit back and never develop those said gifts.

Innovation within the Church can often be driven by fear and crisis, but as a denomination we need to be more bold in accepting that innovation is at the heart of our faith journey. In 2013 the presbyteries of Lanark and Hamilton began to develop an idea that within every parish there should exist individuals who could lead worship, individuals who could provide pastoral care and lead funerals and individuals who could think and plan new forms of mission.

It was a bold plan that was born partly from a need to do things in a new way and partly, if being honest, to address some of the issues around long term vacancies and staffing reductions our Church still grapples with. It was a plan for which support was sought from central councils of the church.

The presbyteries felt that if a little resourcing and finance could be sent our way then the plan could really develop.

Perhaps the plan was too radical, too innovative, but it was clear the presbyteries were on their own. The idea was simply too important to be derailed by a lack of support from beyond our boundaries.

Working collaboratively the Presbyteries first developed a scheme to appoint, train and authorise worship leaders from within congregations. By the end of 2018 over sixty individuals will have been authorised by the two Presbyteries and they are having a profound impact on the life of the congregations of which they are members.

In last month’s Life and Work, the Very Rev Albert Bogle posed a challenge to the Church. He suggested “the General Assembly … agree that presbyteries could appoint Christian celebrants to conduct weddings and funerals.” To have people conduct weddings will take a change in the law, but to have people conducting funerals and journeying with our communities in a time of grief all it takes is a little imagination.

Once again the presbyteries of Lanark and Hamilton have developed a scheme to identify, train and authorise individuals from within congregations to lead funerals in the name of the Church of Scotland. Whilst It is true that anyone can conduct a funeral in Scotland, if the Church is to have confidence in those who conduct in its name then we need to train and develop the gifts and skills of individuals called into this form of service.

Once trained, individuals will be authorised and given the title “Funeral Celebrant (Church of Scotland)” and will be encouraged to introduce themselves as being from their particular church or parish.

The course will consist of training on pastoral care as well as providing the necessary skills and confidence to be able to carry out a Christian funeral service.

After the course is completed each individual will work in a six-month practical placement to gain the necessary skills for conducting a funeral and providing care to the bereaved. When an individual has successfully completed all parts of the training and authorisation process they will work with a parish minister. In our scheme only the parish minister (or Interim Moderator) can grant permission for the funeral celebrant to conduct a service on behalf of the Church, partly to prevent the overwork of our volunteers.

The burden of payment for such a service will lie with the congregations rather than the families. It has been agreed, in line with the Ministries Council report to the General Assembly in 2016 that a celebrant will be entitled to keep a gift of thanks from a family up to the limit of the pulpit supply rate, with the balance being paid by the congregation.

Along with the worship leaders already appointed, the Funeral Celebrants will ensure that the Church of Scotland can continue to provide support and care to all who request it within our parishes. It may be a surprise to some that two presbyteries could work so well together, but more of a surprise may be that the plan to appoint Funeral Celebrants within our presbyteries was agreed unanimously by both.

We believe that God is speaking … and we need to share that with Scotland. The Church is still here, and still willing and able to care. 

The Rev Bryan Kerr is minister at Lanark: Greyfriars and clerk to Lanark presbytery