The Rev Sandy Horsburgh reports on the signing of a new agreement between the Church of Scotland and Scottish Episcopal Church.

AN online conference to celebrate the adoption of the Saint Andrew Declaration by the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Episcopal Church is to be held in Edinburgh on Saint Andrew’s Day, November 30.

The Declaration states that each Church formally recognises one another as part of the one Church of Jesus Christ and it lays a firm foundation, through a series of Acknowledgements and Commitments, for our two Churches to work together in response to our common calling to minister to the whole people of Scotland. It was adopted overwhelmingly by both the General Assembly and the General Synod earlier this year.

The conference will hear from the Most Rev Mark Strange, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church and Lord Wallace, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Speakers will reflect on how we might better educate candidates for ministry in both churches by doing that together and there will be inputs from people leading ecumenical projects involving both Churches in different parts of Scotland. The aim is to stimulate lively conversations and generate fresh ideas for ecumenical cooperation.

The conference is open to everyone who has an interest in Scottish ecumenism and members, clergy and others involved in ministry of any kind in both the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Episcopal Church are particularly encouraged to attend.

A service to celebrate Declaration, during which it will be formally signed by the Primus and the Moderator, will be held in St Mary’s Scottish Episcopal Cathedral, Palmerston Place, Edinburgh at 4:30 pm on November 30. The service is open to anyone who wishes to attend and will also be live streamed.

Participation in the conference is free and those wishing to take part should register at saintandrewdeclaration.wordpress.com.