Listening church

THE Church of Scotland has launched a new project which is hoping to hear from people across the Church on their experiences of faith and Church during the coronavirus pandemic.

The newly launched project, which started in November and runs until Easter, aims to capture some of the unique experiences and lessons learned during this time.

Introducing the project, Dave Kendall, the Church of Scotland’s chief officer, said: “With buildings closing and some worship services moving online, we have had to quickly adapt to a time like no other for our Church, society and the world.

“The coronavirus pandemic has affected all our lives and it is important that we, as a Church, listen to one another’s experiences and share what we have been learning.

“Of course, each experience will be unique, but there is no doubt that there will be some shared themes for many of us and perhaps there are things that we need to be learning together.

“We want to hear from everyone from across the Church; people of different generations, living in different circumstances in every corner of the country and further afield.”

Steve Aisthorpe, one of the Church of Scotland’s mission development workers and an experienced researcher, who is part of the working group on the project, said: “During these last months I kept thinking how, at such time of enormous challenge and profound opportunity, it is vital that we reflect, pray and share what we are experiencing.

“We need to find ways to listen and learn together and not just rely on anecdotes and assumptions.

“The Listening Project will provide a way for us to bring our own contributions and to hear from one another. Gathering experiences and insights from people throughout the Church will enable us to identify recurring themes and discern what we are learning.

“We can then share these themes and some of the stories behind them with all concerned for the wellbeing and future of the Church.”

The Listening Project is being organised by a working group of staff from the Church of Scotland administrative offices, with some external support, and overseen by a steering group headed by Mr Kendall and including representation from the Assembly Trustees, Forums and other relevant departments.

The first step in the project is a short survey, after which the Listening Project working group may re-contact some participants for further details (either through an interview or by making a fuller contribution in writing) and to seek their consent to share their experiences either fully or anonymously.

“The Listening Project will provide a way for us to bring our own contributions and to hear from one another.

The results will then be compiled into a final report and published through the Church of Scotland website and social media channels. The identities of participants will be kept confidential, and you can withdraw consent at any time.

If you are interested in taking part, you can complete the Listening Project survey at https://bit.ly/32xU4W5. If you are unable to use Microsoft Forms, you can request an alternative form from ListeningProject@churchofscotland.org.uk. This is also the address for any questions. And if you or anyone you know would like to arrange for someone to help participate, call 07966 286617 and leave a message.

This article appears in the January 2021 Issue of Life and Work

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