FAITH IN ACTION

The second in a series of features which will offer updates from the Faith Action Programme.

Rev Dr Scott JS Shackleton

Head: Faith Action Staff - Ministries & Mission Support It is great to be able to welcome readers of Life and Work to the February article of the Faith Action Programme. I hope that you all enjoy the updates from those involved in this work and feel better informed by them. We will update our information each month as much as we can, due to the importance of the Faith Action Programme for the whole Church reform process. Every blessing to you all and when St Valentine’s Day comes, may you get many cards!

Very Rev Dr Susan Brown

Convener Faith Impact Forum Jesus was the most amazing communicator! He could preach. He could teach. He could chat over a meal or sitting on the wall of a well. He noticed those whom others failed to see and made those who felt low, feel as though they were worth their weight in gold! He could also say it like it was – which meant he didn’t fail to leave his mark on whoever he met!

Faith Impact Forum is following Christ’s example in reaching out in multiple ways to the people around us; from the rough sleeper and person in the pew, to the refugee, MPs and MSPs and governments, to world leaders, partner churches and organisations in every corner of the world. Through worship and mission, service and partnership, advocacy and listening and learning from, we hope actively to grow the faith of all of whatever age. To also grow people’s relationship with Christ, as one which affects all we are and do. These experiences, encounters and relationships deepen our faith roots, as we reach out and have others reach out to us.

These are the engagements with issues, that challenge us to ask the big questions about such things as; where is society going? How well are we caring for God’s creation? Who is it that matters? What is justice? Does science hold all the answers? What does it mean to live out Jesus’ promise that the last shall be first?

This is a journey we’re on – always! Let’s get moving!

Rev Angus Mathieson

Partnership Development Secretary The Faith Nurture Forum is delighted to have a group of experienced facilitators supporting the work of its Presbytery Mission Plan Implementation Group (PMPIG). Our facilitators all offer considerable gifts and experiences from a range of backgrounds. They have already been engaged with a number of Presbyteries and clusters of Presbyteries, accompanying them in the Mission Planning process and sharing lessons from across the country. They report back to the Faith Nurture Forum, hearing from different parts of Scotland about the issues, and find it a privilege to do so.

Introducing the Presbytery Mission Plan Implementation Group

Rev Dr Karen Katrina Campbell Convener, PMPIG

Ministry Karen was ordained in 1997 at St Giles’ Cathedral and called to be minister at Marchmont St Giles’ in 2002, helping build the Church Centre and to open the Butterflies Café, a base of mission and pastoral care for everyone.

Experience Karen is Vice Convener of the Faith Nurture Forum, having previously been Convener of Safeguarding. She has also served on the Board of Ministry and been Convener of the Candidate Supervision Committee.

Her experience also includes developing the Ministerial Review as a resource for the Church and serving on both the Edinburgh Finance Committee and the Deployment of Resources Committee. Karen has also co-written many of the Safeguarding papers as well as “A Theology of Marriage Report to General Assembly 2009”.

She was Moderator of Edinburgh Presbytery in 2014/15.

Rev Robin McAlpine Vice Convener, PMPIG

Ministry Robin was first called to Duntocher Trinity in the Presbytery of Clyde. In 2011, he was inducted to Bennochy Church in Kirkcaldy.

Experience Robin was a dentist before ministry called. He was also Regional Adviser in Mission and Evangelism for National Mission and in 2005, changed role to become Development Officer for the Mission and Discipleship Council. Robin has a Master’s degree in Church Consultancy. In serving on presbytery, he has been Business Convenor, as well as Depute Clerk, and from 2019-2021, served on the Strategy and Resourcing team for Kirkcaldy Presbytery. He is currently a member of Faith Nurture Forum.

Rev Shuna Dicks

Ministry Following four years of working for the Board of Parish Education, Shuna felt a call to ministry.

She studied at Aberdeen and her probationary placement was at St Giles, South & West Church in Elgin, followed by a call to Aberlour for eight years and Cults for four years.

Experience Before entering ministry, Shuna had a career in community development. More recently, her experience involved being Business Convenor of Moray Presbytery, Convener of Church, Society & International Relationship – Aberdeen & Shetland, the Local Authority ‘religious rep’ for Moray and Chaplain to 2nd Battalion 2

Highlanders Army Cadet Force.

Very Rev Dr Martin Fair

Ministry Though a former Moderator of the General Assembly, Martin is first and foremost, a minister. With thirty years’ experience in Angus, he has combined local ministry with full involvement in the regional and national work of the Church.

Experience Martin summarises his experience by saying he exhibits a passion for creativity and mission.

Mrs Barbara Finlayson

Ministry Barbara is an elder at St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, Edinburgh (SASGW), having served as Session Clerk and previously, of St George’s West. She also represents SASGW at Presbytery.

Experience Barbara is a member of the Faith Nurture Forum. Until the General Assembly of 2021, she was a member and Vice Convener of the Legal Questions Committee. Barbara retired in 2018, after over 40 years’ work as a solicitor. Separately, she chairs a small annuity and grant-awarding charity, based in Edinburgh.

Rev Mike Goss

Ministry Mike was ordained in 1991 to Dundee: Mains Parish Church (then a Priority Area), where he worked as part of a team with an excellent deacon. Since 2003, he has been the minister of Barry linked with Carnoustie.

Experience When in Dundee, Mike served as Convener of the presbytery’s Parish Reappraisal Committee.

After moving to Angus Presbytery, he set up and trained the first Vacancy Procedure Committee, following the 2003 Act. Mike then took on the role of Presbytery Clerk from 2009 - 2017. He has been a member of the Presbytery Planning Task Group from 2016 - 2020 and latterly, Convener 2020/21.

Rev Dr Alan Hamilton

Ministry Alan is the minister of Killermont in Bearsden, a north-western suburb of Glasgow. He and the congregation have been part of the Path of Renewal movement and are currently in the Growing Young Scotland cohort. Alan tells us that they know the frustration of trying to prioritise opportunities for mission with limited resources. Together with their neighbours in Bearsden, they’re trying to see Presbytery Mission Planning as a missional opportunity, but Alan admits it’s not easy!

Experience Alan has been a Convenor of Legal Questions and has also served two years on the Faith Nurture Forum.

Richard Lloyd

Ministry Richard started his Christian life as an Alpha participant in 1995 and was commissioned as a Parish Evangelist in the Diocese of Rochester in 2000.

Relocating back to his origins in Fife in 2002, Richard was ordained as an elder at St Columba’s Episcopal Church in Aberdour before moving to St Fillan’s for eight years, where he also became an elder. Richard also served as an elder at Dalgety Bay for a further eight years. He now worships at Queensferry Parish Church.

Experience Richard was a business consultant, specialising in change and leadership. More recently, he was a member of the Mission and Discipleship Council, and then the Faith Nurture Forum, along with being a Path of Renewal coach/mentor. Currently, Richard coaches six churches that are involved in implementing the Growing Young initiative. Richard says he is an ardent but failing Jesus follower.

Murdo Macmillan

Ministry Murdo is an elder at Auchterarder Parish Church and previously Session Clerk in Martin’s Memorial Church, Stornoway. He therefore brings experience of church in both a Highlands and Islands context as well as a rural central Scotland setting. Murdo is a member of the Faith Nurture Forum, and several related groups. He previously served on the Mission and Discipleship Council, Council of Assembly and Convener of the Finance Group, together with a number of national Church roles, broader than just finance.

Experience Murdo has a financial background in public practice as a Chartered Accountant in the Western Isles, and latterly in Harris Tweed. He also has non-executive experience in the NHS and the voluntary sector.

Anne Mulligan DCS

Ministry Anne served as a deacon in Cumbernauld for 13 years and then as a Chaplain in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for 27 years. Anne is retired and a member of Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church in Edinburgh, where she shares in the pastoral care of her congregation.

Experience Anne continues to be active in the Church, both nationally and locally, having served as Moderator of the Presbytery of Edinburgh and enjoyed visiting many of its congregations. Anne is a member of the presbytery’s Deployment of Resources Committee and is a former Convener of Pastoral Care. Anne has always taken pleasure in the training of students for various forms of ministry.

Rev Neil Urquhart

Ministry Neil has been the minister of Irvine: Fullarton Parish Church for 32 years. He tells us that the people of Irvine now face the major challenge of readjustment, which they are facing courageously and creatively.

Experience Locally, through the rebranded outreach ‘Fullarton ConneXions’, Neil has helped develop social enterprise and pioneering mission. He leads Irvine and Kilmarnock Presbytery’s Pioneer Ministry Implementation Group, which, by God’s grace, has recently mission mapped (identified existing mission and fresh opportunities for mission) and, using the Five Marks of Mission as criteria, affirmed and launched six (largely) lay-led pioneering projects. They now have a team of seven part-time mission pioneers (MDS) working in these situations.

Rev Fred Vincent

Ministry Fred is a minister of three rural congregations, Glenelg, Kintail and Lochalsh, in the Presbytery of Lochcarron-Skye. Fred states that he was welcomed to this place of fantastic people, twenty-six miles, door to door, between two churches and thirty or so Munros, in June 2021. Previously, Fred served on the Priority Areas’ team, with a remit for the General Trustees/Faith Nurture partnership initiative, Chance to Thrive, which focused on encouraging ‘life in all its thriving fullness’ by developing church buildings as appropriate resources for holistic mission.

Experience Fred has a background in consultancy, community development, and Third Sector management. He also has experience of whole-time hospice chaplaincy, with a skills base that includes research, strategic-planning and development, fundraising and capacity-building.

Ian Townsend Chair of the General Trustees

The vision of the General Trustees is “well equipped spaces in the right places”. We are confident this can be achieved through the Presbytery Mission Planning Act (PMPA). The PMPA Committee of the General Trustees will consider the draft plans and are working with each presbytery to assist them in using the Asset Management Building Audit Form to support missional objectives. We are pleased to be working closely with PMPIG to support our presbyteries.

Rev Dr Rory MacLeod Minister of Strath and Sleat

For our Gaelic readers Ciamar a tha bàs cànain, atharrachadh na gnàth-shìde misean ceangailte ri chèile? ’S e pàirt air lèth cudromach de eag-eòlas cultarail a th’ ann an cànan. Caill i agus bidh an dùthchas gu lèir air a lùghdachadh. Is e seo teachdaireachd a chuir rìochdairean mion-chànanan an cèill aig COP 26 aig deireadh na bliadhna chaidh seachad. Càite bheil mìsean a’ tighinn a-steach?

Am biodh ath-bheothachadh na Gàidhlige am measg fhreagairtean Albannach do dh’atharrachadh na gnàth-shìde; bu chòir don Eaglais cuideachadh a dhèanamh leis an oidhirp. Thàinig an Soisgeul do dh’Alba tro mheadhan na Gaidhlige, ’s thàinig leasachadh air a’ Ghàidhlig agus an Eaglais Albannach còmhla ri chèile. Nach bi e cothromach ma chuidicheas iad a chèile san àm ri teachd?

For further information visit: www.churchofscotland.org.uk