Thomas Baldwin previews some of the reports to this year’s General Assembly, which takes place from May 18 to 24.

MINISTRIES COUNCIL

The Ministries Council states that its report ‘bears witness to a… Council which is changing, seeking to change more, wanting to implement changes it first conceived of decades ago, struggling to find the right resources for change, wishing that change would happen more quickly, determined not to lose the reason for change’. The number of applicants for all types of ministry in 2018 was 49, down from 78 in 2017 but more typical for the two years before that. However the number accepted for full-time ministry of word and sacrament (FTMWS) was up, from 13 to 16; and there was also an increase in applications accepted for Ordained Local Ministry (OLM), from five to 10.

The Council has commissioned a review of its discernment and assessment processes, which produced ‘a number of recommendations’ to ‘alleviate any barriers or delays in the process’. A key recommendation is removing compulsory attendance at a Vocations Information Day as a first step, to be replaced by ‘an individual Discernment Conversation’. There have also been changes to the Probationer Conference programme, which the council says have resulted in ‘very positive’ feedback from probationers. The report expresses concern about financial hardship among candidates and probationers, some of whom it says are living below the poverty line. Three candidates this year were unable to start training because of the lack of financial support. The Council seeks the support of the Assembly to work with others, especially the Council of Assembly, to provide adequate financial support to trainee ministers.

The Council also brings changes to the age limit for completion of ministry training, which is currently 55. The proposed change retains the expectation of 10 years’ service following training, but takes into account changes in the state retirement age.

Last summer, across all stages, there were a total of 51 candidates for FTMWS, 16 for OLM and one for the diaconate. The Council notes that this is about a quarter of the level in the 1980s, and yet in that time the number of training providers has actually increased to five. It asks for permission to bring a proposal to the 2020 General Assembly to reduce the number of providers for initial training to just one or two.

The report also includes a lengthy section on the Council’s Priority Areas work. The deliverance affirms the work of the Priority Areas Committee and the Chance to Thrive project, and encourages congregations to work with communities to challenge poverty and to use resources developed for Challenge Poverty Week. The Council is instructed to work to ensure ‘learning from Priority Area congregations’ is incorporated into the delivery of the forthcoming Radical Action Plan for the future of the Church.

The Council reports that the Hub Style Ministries Project has completed its first year of operation, with six presbyteries involved. It states: “Though the initiatives all display relevance to their situations, it is too early to assess their overall effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability.” It promises that the work will be publicised to the wider church. The Council also commits to a report on the progress of the Pioneer Ministry Pilot project next year.

The Go For It fund awarded 21 grants totalling over £850,000 in 2018. The total awarded since 2012 is now over £6 million. Ministerial stipends and salary scales rose by 2% in 2019.

MISSION AND DISCIPLESHIP COUNCIL

A significant proportion of the Mission and Discipleship report is devoted to the future of the church’s engagement with young people, with the National Youth Assembly in its current form ending this year. It states that the proposals are based on three key principals: young people need community, to participate, and to be empowered.

Among the proposals are an annual series of weekends, three for young people of secondary school age and two for the 18-30 age group, to take place in different parts of the country. It also envisages regional events, run by presbyteries or groups of presbyteries, and ‘a larger-scale residential experience’ to be run in partnership with other organisations.

It also suggests:

• the creation of a Church app for smartphones and tablets, which ‘would provide a direct channel of communication with young people’ and foster ‘a sense of Church of Scotland identity’

• the formation of a Children and Youth Committee, with ‘a significant proportion of young people serving on it’

• resources for congregations to encourage the involvement of young people in decision making

• a co-mentoring scheme which would offer young people ‘the chance to team up with those currently serving on councils/committees’

The Council proposes that the Legal Questions Committee ‘consider different models for youth representation at the General Assembly’, and that the same body consider the possibility of reducing the minimum age for the Eldership to 16. Mission and Discipleship also reports on two successful conferences, one on eldership and one on pastoral care. 600 people attended in total and the feedback was very positive. A further elders’ conference is to be held in June and follow-up conferences on pastoral care are also being planned.

There was also a day conference held by the Learning Disabilities Working Group, which marked the completion of the group’s work. The Council states that ‘the needs of those with learning difficulties will continue to be addressed within the context of the Council’s own remit’.

Two Rural Resourcing Roadshows were held in 2018, and eight new rural resources have been developed. Rural Event Resource Boxes have been developed and are available for rural congregations needing equipment to run events. The Council announces plans to investigate new ways to resource the Church through the Pray Now resources, but the usual book of 52 prayers in one volume will not appear in 2020.

Subscribers to Life and Work are thanked by the Council ‘for their gracious loyalty and support’, after the magazine delivered ‘a higher than anticipated contribution’ of almost £36,000 in 2018. ‘The work of the wider Church benefits from this’, the report adds.

SOCIAL CARE COUNCIL

Reporting in its 150th anniversary year, the Social Care Council states that while the way it delivers its services over the years, ‘the challenge of need remains acutely present’ – in the number of children in Scotland living in poverty, in the absence of specialist perinatal mental health services in most of the country, in the increased death rate due to drug overdoses and the growing number of people with dementia, among other things.

The Council, reports that progress on the recommendations aimed at making CrossReach’s operation sustainable continued through 2018, including the completion of the series of closures identified during the 2017 business strategy review. The Council continues to warn that the National Care Home Contract does not meet the costs of looking after people in residential services.

More positively, last August saw the opening of a new education campus, CrossReach Erskine Riverfront. Care Inspectorate reports continued to be positive, with 96% of the CrossReach services inspected achieving a grade of at least 4 (‘good’); and a service user survey showed widespread satisfaction with services, with more than 99% agreeing that the Service respects them and treats them fairly.

CrossReach is also focussing on recruitment and retention of staff, an area of concern in the social care sector. Among the initiatives are a partnership with the Prince’s Trust, which offered work placements for young people leading to permanent employment; and the first steps into offering staff the opportunity to undertake Modern Apprenticeships.

MORE SUMMARIES NEXT MONTH

The General Assembly of 2019 runs from Saturday May 18 - Friday May 24. Life and Work will provide regular updates from the General Assembly at www.lifeandwork.org and through Facebook and Twitter, along with comprehensive coverage in July’s magazine.

Full reports will be available on the General Assembly section of the Church of Scotland website, along with daily papers, conveners’ speeches and a webcast of proceedings.