Celebrating the Guild

HUNDREDS of Church of Scotland Guild members and supporters will have a double celebration when they meet in Dundee later this month.

For Guild Week, established in 2003, is being relaunched in 2019 and will be officially opened at the annual Gathering of the Church of Scotland Guild at the Caird Hall in Dundee on September 7. Guild Week previously took place in November, but a decision was taken last year to move it to September.

During the week, Guilds across the country lead worship, share social events and tell the story of the Guild, with a celebratory ‘Big Sing’ which travels around the country. Guild members also provide resource materials for ‘Starters for Sunday’ on the Church of Scotland website.

The relaunch of the week is cause for celebration amid growing new Guild numbers, record-breaking fundraising and a new way of working.

Founded in 1887 by the Rev (later Very Rev) Prof Archibald Charteris, the seeds of the Guild were first sown within the pages of Life and Work by the eminent theologian and churchman who had founded the magazine in 1879. The Guild is one of Scotland’s biggest volunteer membership organisations, with more than 18,000 members and a motto taken from Acts 27:23 of ‘Whose we are and Whom we serve.’

But recognising the need for review and reform, the Guild has undertaken a major restructuring, designed to make it easier to bring people together and exist as a grouping and 2019 is set to mark the beginning of a celebration which not only gives thanks for the work of Guilds across the country, but marks a shift in structures and formality.

All changes were outlined in the Guild’s annual report to the General Assembly in May.

Guild General Secretary Iain Whyte said: “Celebrating is a big part of the Guild and moving Guild Week to coincide with the Gathering helps us to add to that sense of celebration.

“And for the Guild over the past 12 months, there has been much to celebrate.”

The Guild has reformed its structures and moved away from a model of a number of standing committees which meet and report to the full Guild National Council.

Instead, the National Council now has reports from its leadership team in the core areas of communications and marketing, outreach, resources and events.

Iain explained: “Whilst it is still early days, this move has allowed us to offer more efficient meetings and a greater chance to share ideas as well as prioritise and co-ordinate events and build on our strong links of fellowship.

“In turn, changing the name of Presbyterial Councils to Guilds Together has also played a part in efficiency but also in breaking down barriers as new groups which better reflect the diversity of an area and its reach have been formed.

“Research had shown us that the councils were simply another committee made up of representatives from local Guilds and the name was also misleading and perhaps a little archaic.

“Instead, we decided to move towards groupings that more accurately reflected where our Guilds are. We’re not under any illusion that a name change will solve problems, but it offered a chance for refreshment.

“The Guild once again is leading the way for the Church. We have some good examples of ecumenical parishes.

“Many have changed the geographical part of their names to reflect the change and some groups have come together so the change of name offers a new beginning.

“It is also about support and sharing good practice and pastoral care – as well as financial change. It’s also a chance for congregations and Kirk Sessions to fully engage with the Guild to support its work.

“Our underlying theme is that it is all about bringing people together to support, share, celebrate and communicate.”

Both Gathering and Guild Week will also celebrate plans to develop twinning links between different Guild groupings and church and prayer houses around Malawi, reinforcing a strong commitment to prayer which has existed since inception.

The Guild has developed renewed links with the country known as the warm heart of Africa and has developed links with the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian with funds from the Big Sings supporting the work of the Church in Malawi.

The final figure for the first year of fundraising for the Guild’s partner projects will be unveiled at the annual Gathering, but could be close to £250,000.

Guild projects have raised more than £5.1m since they were officially launched in 1997, although there is a legacy of fundraising work, reaching much further back in time.

The Gathering, which takes place from 10.30pm to 3.30pm, will this year feature a keynote address from Carolyn Boyd Tomasovic, who is rooted in the Church of Scotland but lives in Eastern Europe where she serves as managing director of the Ecumenical Women’s Initiative in Croatia. The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev Colin Sinclair, will also address the Gathering. The Dundee Community Gospel Choir has been invited to offer musical entertainment alongside worship.

The Gathering will mark the start of the year in office for National Convener Marian Macintyre, who will take over from Patricia Robertson. Both will address the Gathering.

Marian explained: “I am delighted to be helping to lead during this time of change and reform and to show the power and love of the Guild in transforming lives both at home and overseas.”

For later in the year, the now traditional Big Sing, which took place during Guild Week in November, has been moved to take place during Advent.

St George’s Tron Church in Glasgow will play host to three sessions of the Big Sing which will begin at 3pm.

Organisers hope folk will attend one of the three sittings – from afternoon to early evening and possibly combine a Christmas shopping trip with the opportunity to sing together. The sessions will run from 3pm, 4.30pm and 7pm and will take place on the first Friday in December.

Further information about the Church of Scotland Guild is available at www.churchofscotland.org.uk/serve/the_guild