LETTERS

Cuts concern

I agree with the concerns of Professor Doug Gay, expressed in the August Life and Work, that the future plans of many Presbyteries to reduce church costs are ‘too severe and too disruptive’. I write as one who a few years ago spoke at the General Assembly in support of Professor David Fergusson’s report concerning the need for change and restructuring of the church, but the massive reduction in the number of churches and ministers now being proposed by many Presbyteries will, I believe, have a major negative impact on the Church of Scotland’s membership, and its role in today’s and tomorrow’s Scotland.

That is certainly my fear for the two Presbyteries I know best – Sutherland Presbytery where I ministered for 21 years, and the Perth and Kinross Presbytery where I am a member. I cannot for example see how four ministers are to effectively minister to the needs of one of the largest and most remote geographical parishes in Scotland. As well as the spiralling fuel costs involved, many hours of the ministers’ time would be spent in their cars.

Our present Bankfoot Church in Perthshire, which replaced the old church destroyed by fire twenty years ago, is one of the best designed and equipped churches in Scotland. Visiting ministers are very envious of our church set-up. At present our congregation is linked with the neighbouring churches in Stanley and Luncarty, both growing residential communities.

Recently, in one week our interim minister had four funerals in the Bankfoot parish alone, yet in the proposed Presbytery plan the three linked charges are to be given only 0.3 of a minister, 0.1 for each parish!

There is no doubt that elders and Church members have a major role to play in the health, growth and outreach of a congregation, but I have found that without the encouragement, support and input from the band leader, the dedication of a congregation’s band of helpers too often fades.

Instead of church growth, there is often an acceleration of decline in church attendance and membership. For the future good of our national church, I believe with Dr Gay that there needs to be considerably more thought given to some of the proposed Presbytery cuts.

The Very Rev Dr James Simpson, Bankfoot

Too earthly minded?

We had to smile when we read in Martin Fair’s article, ‘so heavenly minded, you’re no earthly good (or use)’ (August 2022). Although this was often quoted to us years ago (as young folk), maybe the reverse might be more appropriate: ‘so earthly minded, you’re no heavenly good’. Food for thought?

It has often been assumed that many church leaders don’t need to come to biblical and theological study – they’ve done all that before. Are we in the danger of running the church as a business, raising money, having concerts, choosing committees, working at dozens of other tasks (all good in themselves) rather than studying the foundational documents and enquiring more closely about the Jesus they are supposed to be following and teaching others to follow?

Dorothy Mackay, Aberdeen