Presbytery plans

Just before Christmas, Edinburgh Presbytery dropped its presbytery plan consultation document (2022 – 2025) on its congregations. For many this was the first time they felt the enormity of what might be the result of the Radical Action Plan.

Aside from Edinburgh’s plan, my major concern is the direction being taken.

John Knox fought for a church and a school in every parish, the 19th century provided every town in the country with several presbyterian churches many of which are in prominent sites at the centre of communities. Thanks to climate change, the Covid pandemic and a realisation that the nation’s health has been deteriorating through a lack of exercise we now have more people walking and cycling than we have had for decades, we also have councils talking about 20 minute neighbourhoods and shopping local; all activities bringing communities together.

Physically at the heart of almost all of these communities is a Church of Scotland.

Society is changing and beginning to realise that community matters. At the same time mental health services are now under more pressure than ever and the established connection between mental and spiritual health should not be ignored.

The church has assets in a great many communities but in the main they are under used. Church halls tend to be used sporadically during the week and churches only for a few hours a week – the large, closed door frequently being the most visible aspect of church life. These assets can not only be a source of revenue they can provide spaces for a wide variety of community activities; opportunities to spread Jesus’ message of love and care.

What we need is a plan that works with the existing and emerging community structures, a plan that recognises the value of the buildings which are all within walking distance of the communities they serve and often in a prominent position. The plan needs to look for ways to make full use of these assets for the good of the gospel and the community.

Instead of agonising about the shortage of ministers and attempting to cut our cloth to fit, consign the notion of one minister one congregation as the gold standard to history and recognise the vast resource that exists in the church membership. At present lay people lead services, take funerals, visit the needy etc but on a very small scale in relation to the need and the resource available. We need to take this much further and have an energetic programme of enabling our resources rather than constraining them.

Another parallel, this time going back to our founder. Jesus attended the synagogue faithfully, he studied the Bible and debated with the scribes and pharisees, but the core of his team were ordinary people.

Change is never easy, but it is achievable if the vision is clear and positive.

Martin Petty, Edinburgh

Buildings note

It was good to read in February’s Life and Work of the appointment of the Rev Ian Murray to support the new Presbytery of the North East and Northern Isles in buildings matters. Ian brings a great deal of experience to this task and will make a valuable contribution to church life there.

I don’t think the appointment can, though, quite be described as ‘trailblazing’. Glasgow Presbytery has had a Buildings Officer now for around fifteen years! Through the expertise generously given by successive Building Officers Jim, Lesley, John and now Mike, Glasgow has been at the forefront of offering a Presbyterywide resource to provide much-needed insight into repairing, improving – and, indeed, building – better equipped places in the right spaces.

Our experience over a decade and a half suggests Ian has a significant contribution to make. We in Glasgow, as elsewhere, wish him well.

Dr Grant Barclay (Rev), Interim Presbytery Clerk, Presbytery of Glasgow

Remembrance recollection

I’m writing on behalf of the Guild of South Parish Church, Girvan.

During Remembrance Week when we held our Guild meeting, we had a little service using material from Life and Work.

We used the Moderator’s prayer, the Guild Conveners’ letter, the poem Flanders Fields and the article about Poppy Scotland.

I found all the articles very helpful.

Also that afternoon we remembered a William Jackson, born about 1828 and died 19.8.1876 in Girvan. He was a pianist, cellist and composer of the Bonnie Lass of Ballochmyle and the Dear Little Shamrock.

Some of our members attended the cemetery that afternoon to pay our respects.

Marion B Love, Guild President, Girvan: South

Buildings proposal

Most churches were built to accommodate congregations that were much larger than they are today.

When children leave the family home, the parents often ‘downsize’ to a smaller house.

When two churches are united, instead of closing one set of buildings, would it not be better to reduce the size of both sets of buildings? eg closing the sanctuary and retaining the halls, or making the sanctuary a multi-purpose facility and disposing of the halls.

The sale of surplus buildings could provide a valuable source of income to adapt the remaining building for a more diverse use. Church buildings are an important community resource.

Many community groups depend on church buildings in order to carry out the service they provide for the community.

Buildings are also an important asset for congregations in serving and making contact with their communities.

Ian A Moir (Rev), Retired, Edinburgh