Picture by Derek Fett

Monday May 23

General Assembly 2016 - Monday

Members of the Church of Scotland have been called upon to respond to climate change and other environmental problems.

The convener of the World Mission Council, the Rev Iain Cunningham, said that climate change was: “Symptomatic of a deeper more spiritual malaise, a lack of respect for the Earth which is our only home. Sometimes it seems like we are trashing our own living room.

“If the only motivation is fear for the future those of us who are richer and better protected will always find ways of avoiding the issue or at least protecting ourselves. Those of us who are poorer and less protected will continue to suffer.”

He added: “I encourage every member, every congregation, every presbytery of the church to do something. Do something to show we care for the creation God has given us, do something to show we care for the people we share this world with, do something to demonstrate our caring with practical love and action.”

Mr Cunningham was able to announce that the total raised for the Let Us Build a House appeal, helping in the reconstruction of Nepal following last year’s earthquake, now stands at over £151,664.40. “UMN [United Mission to Nepal, World Mission’s partner organisation] has already begun training stonemasons and building infrastructure, and it is hoped house building can begin soon.”

Malcolm Ramsay, a mission partner based in Nepal, told the Assembly that ‘the question is not whether another big earthquake will come, but when’ and that it would be tremendously reassuring to the population that the new houses being built were earthquake resistant: “On behalf of all those people and on behalf of UMN I’d like to thank everybody who has given anything to that project.”

The Convener accepted a motion instructing the council to prepare a report on what the Church of Scotland can learn from, and how to respond to the rapid growth of Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Assembly also heard of a new relationship with GKS (the Christian Church of Sumba) in Indonesia and a tripartite agreement with churches in Mozambique and Malawi.

During the CrossReach debate, convener Dr Sally Bonnar warned of ‘real challenges ahead if the Church is going to continue to be a successful and well-regarded provider of social care’, with increasing pressures caused by austerity cuts, the organisation’s pensions deficit and pressure to deliver the new Scottish living wage.

Dr Bonnar accepted an amendment from Gordon Pennykidd, a deacon from Livingston, instructing the council to work with the Council of Assembly so it can pay the living wage to all employees as soon as possible. Mr Pennykidd said that it was ‘becoming embarrassing, and hypocrisy at the highest level in the church’ that, four years after the General Assembly instructed all Church of Scotland employees should be paid the Living Wage, CrossReach staff are still receiving less.   

Klaus Buwert pointed out that CrossReach has more full time equivalent posts than the Church has ministries posts. He described CrossReach as ‘the church’s best-kept secret’ and called for congregations to be made more aware of the organisation’s work.

The convener of the Panel on Review and Reform, the Rev Graham Duffin, highlighted the work of the Path of Renewal project, under which congregations are being helped to develop a missional culture. He said that initial feedback had been positive, and the next stage of the work would be exploring how the whole church could benefit from the experience of the pilot congregations.

Discussion of the Panel’s report focused on how best to use the talents of all members of the church, with various calls to consider the roles of Ordained Local Ministers, the eldership, readers and young people. The Theological Forum was asked to consider whether people who aren’t ministers could be authorised to administer the sacraments; and Mr Duffin accepted an amendment calling for the panel to look at how best to enable sacramental ministries in areas of work, such as Fresh Expressions, where ordained ministers may not be directly involved.