ASSEMBLY TRUSTEES

The Rev David Cameron asks how the church can engage with a population that is indifferent to religion.

THE Church of Scotland has the privilege and responsibility, as a national church, of speaking into wider society. We can be and need to be more effective in bringing hope to a new generation using every means possible at our disposal. There is a challenge for us to look to our own parishes and presbyteries in this present time and hope for, pray for, and work for better communities. Our communities need our churches right now. We are needed to help show a better way, where we work locally, regionally and nationally to speak into society under the gospel imperative of loving our neighbour, acknowledging our dependence on God and on those to whom we are sent.

Our Presbyterian values are being tested, not by internal strife alone but by a secular society indifferent to our structures and traditions. As members of Christ’s church, we share a unique identity as the people of God. When we recognise the blessings inherent in this identity, we are compelled to cherish it and invite others to share in it.

Our current need is for creative and visionary leadership to envision a multitude of possible and preferable futures, particularly for our presbyteries and congregations. The past is becoming the province of fewer and fewer people, while the future is open to all. Our emphasis must be on the local church, fostering and supporting a missionary movement where presbyteries and congregations engage confidently with their local contexts.

Progressing the mission of the church is something that we all share in wherever we are based. We carry the sacred message of Christ, whether we are involved in administration, committee structure, senior management, anywhere on the staff the roll, Presbytery, Kirk Session, Sunday School, Youth Groups, Guild, Chaplaincies; or community service activities such as, Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Scouts, Boys’ Brigade, choirs, lunch clubs, nurseries, food banks, recovery hubs, coffee mornings, playtime, prayer time, and pastoral care. The most influential pulpits with the greatest reach are unlikely to be in church buildings or official offices but in the everyday places where life happens—in our kitchens, workplaces, bowling clubs, hairdressers, nursing homes, pubs, football parks, dance classes, supermarkets, homes, food banks, and homeless shelters. These are the places where Christ’s love must be evident and where our mission truly takes root.

How do we resource these alternative pulpits for our congregations to become the hands, feet, eyes, ears, and voice of Christ in a secular Scotland? A Scotland that is indifferent to religion and in this current age will have limited if any awareness of the General Assembly, our presbyteries or an office block in George Street, Edinburgh – but is still deeply in need of Christ’s mission and our message.

The path ahead requires accelerated action, a streamlined, more dynamic responsive organisation, and empowered local leadership enabled by decentralising decision-making wherever possible. With expectancy and hesitancy, these needs for the future often mix uncomfortably in a time of transition as we prepare to plan for, encourage and empower forms of leadership to a new generation.

“ Our Presbyterian values are being tested, not by internal strife alone but by a secular society indifferent to our structures and traditions.

Healthy churches enrich their communities, becoming the beating heart that heals, does good, and contributes to the common good. If our congregations are not at the core of our reform efforts, all our discussions and plans will be in vain Paul reminds us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

This hope is not a passive wish, but an active trust in God’s faithfulness. It empowers us to face the future with confidence, knowing that God is already there, preparing the way. ¤

The Rev David Cameron is convener of the Assembly Trustees