Saturday May 18

Event: Council of Assembly

Place: Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge

Time:12.30-2pm

All are welcome to join the Council’s Fringe event hosted by the Stewardship & Finance Department. Learn more about how the Church’s Ministry and Mission is funded and some of the financial issues facing both the national and local Church. There will be a question and answer session and a sandwich lunch will be provided. Please email your questions to amacintosh@churchofscotland.org.uk in advance.

Sunday May 19

Event: CrossReach – the Church of Scotland’s Social Care Council Exhibition

Place: St Cuthbert’s Church (next to Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh)

Time: 1pm onwards (and all week)

Celebrate with CrossReach – the Church of Scotland’s Social Care Council. Having provided social care support for the people of Scotland since 1869, CrossReach is launching an exhibition that tells its story, in St Cuthbert’s Church (Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh). It will be open throughout the week of the General Assembly and will remain at St Cuthbert’s Church until around June 12 2019.

Monday May 20

Event: Pioneer Ministry – Put on the New Self

Place: Studio Auditorium at Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge

Time: 12.30pm to 2pm

The Pilot Pioneer Ministers work in five challenging and rewarding posts, all very different, as we are also different. In these unique callings the gospel remains the same. How do we genuinely spread the gospel beyond church, entirely with the unchurched? This event shares the highs and lows of our experience so far.

Event: St Andrews University Alumni

Place: Quaker Meeting House 1st Floor Library, 7 Victoria Street, EH1 2JL

Time: 12.30pm – 2.00pm

Sandwich lunch for all St Mary’s College (St Andrews University) alumni attending the General Assembly.

Event: Place for Hope

Place: Quaker Meeting House, 2nd Floor Meeting Room

Time: 12.30pm to 2.00pm

Come and meet some of our team who will share their experiences of peacebuilding and reconciliation, exploring what Place for Hope continues to offer the church and community. Sandwich lunch provided.

Event: Be Radical With Us

Place: Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh

Time: 12.30pm – 2pm

What could be more radical than directing your work and mission into your poorest communities? Developed by the Priority Areas Team and the Church’s statistician, we have produced “Deprivation Stats” for every parish, showing figures for different indicators of poverty, allowing people to see at a glance what their local area looks like. There are places for 40 people on a first come, first served basis. Sandwich lunch provided.

Event: Investing for positive change: The Church of Scotland, divestment and a zero carbon future

Place: St Columba’s-by-the-Castle

Time: 12.30pm-2pm

As climate change threatens the lives of millions of people around the world, especially those living in poverty, how should the Church respond? Sandwiches and tea and coffee will be provided. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options will be available

Event: Church of Scotland Housing and Loan Fund for Retired Ministers and Widows and widowers of Ministers Fringe Meeting

Place: Senate Room, New College

Time: 12.45pm

Ministers and their spouses are very welcome to come along to a brief presentation detailing the assistance offered by the Housing and Loan Fund. Thereafter there will be an opportunity for questions, and also to make individual appointments to discuss personal situations with regard to retirement housing. Light refreshments will be provided.

Event: Pioneering, fresh expressions and mission in Scotland

Place: Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre

Time: 6pm to 8.30pm

Come and join our host, Sarah Ross, and our panel of researchers, Sandy Forsyth, Liam Fraser and David McCarthy, for a bite to eat and some lively discussion as they explore new insights into mission and pioneering in contemporary Scotland.

Tuesday May 21

Event: General Trustees – News and Updates

Place: Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Street, Edinburgh (1st floor hall)

Time: 12.30pm to 2pm, buffet – 12.30pm, presentation – 1pm Come and meet the Presbytery Strategy and Innovation Committee (PSI) recently created by the General Trustees to enhance liaison and communication with Presbyteries. Representatives of Aberdeen and St Andrews Presbyteries will be in attendance to outline the methods they have adopted in considering buildings as part of their Presbytery Planning process. They will also report on the ongoing assistance and guidance offered by the PSI to the process.

Event: Participatory Budgeting

Place: The Quaker Meeting House 2nd Floor Meeting Room, 7 Victoria Terrace

Time: 12.30pm – 2pm Buffet lunch in the first floor Library, followed by event.

Twenty churches have now been involved in the Church’s Participatory Budgeting (PB) Programme, distributing over £100,000 to projects addressing inequalities in communities. In each case, the church facilitates the community to come together to decide how funds should be spent. Come and hear the experiences of Ministers who’ve run PB and join in the discussion on what PB means for churches. Buffet lunch in the first floor Library.

Event: World Mission Council – Stand up for what we believe in! St Columba’s by the Castle

Place: St Columba’s-by-the-Castle

Time: 12.30-13.45

For the Council, the Gospel story of the Walk to Emmaus [Luke 24] provides a paradigm for our work of building and sustaining connections with the world church, and of helping congregations, Presbyteries and groups build relationships beyond Scotland in a shared journey, a pilgrimage, in which, together, we can recover and share the spirit of confident discipleship. As we grapple with how we go forward as a church in contemporary Scotland, our interconnectedness with the world Church is a key opportunity for us to build links between local communities in Scotland and friends from around the world. And together, united in Christ, we stand up for what we believe. Come and hear stories of connectedness around the world. Snack lunch provided.

Event: COSEN@theGA

Place: Costa coffee shop, Hanover Street, Edinburgh

Time: 5.30pm to 7pm

An informal chance to meet, to chat over coffee, to network through the Church Of Scotland Evangelical Network (cosen).

Event: Church Service Society Annual Meeting and Address

Place: Greyfriars Kirk

Time: 5.30 pm (Speaker 6.00pm)

The Rev Dr Doug Gay, University of Glasgow: Renewing the Church’s Worship: adopting and adapting classic Reformed and ecumenical patterns and practices, as we face the challenge of reshaping contemporary worship in a diverse Kirk. All welcome but book for supper afterwards at 7.15pm: dgalbraith@churchofscotland.org.uk

Wednesday May 22

Event: New Mission and Discipleship Council Resources

Place: Studio Auditorium, Augustine United Church

Time: 12.30pm to 2pm

Come along for a chance to explore a number of new resources from Mission and Discipleship, for worship, congregational development, mission and children’s ministry.

Event: Struck by Lightning! Flashes of Inspiration from Go For It

Place: St Columba’s by the Castle

Time: 12.35pm to 1.50pm

Come and hear a series of “Lightning Talks”, five minute presentations telling inspiring stories of the work that Go For It funds. There will be an opportunity for networking and to discover how your congregation might be supported to make a difference, too. Lunch and refreshments provided.

Thursday May 23

Event: SPILL THE BEANS: Worship and Age Group Resources with a Scottish flavour

Place: Riddle’s Court

Time: 12.30pm to 2pm

Now in its ninth year, the Spill The Beans Resource Team continues to create imaginative and thought-provoking materials to assist worship leaders and age group leaders. Join us to meet members of the team and find out how Spill The Beans resources can enliven worship and lead you to explore the depth and breadth of the Scriptures. Lunch is provided.

Event: Pension Information for Ministers regarding their Defined Contribution Scheme

Place: General Assembly Hall

Time: 12.30pm – 2.00pm

A general awareness raising session to keep ministers informed about their current pension and the options available.