Saturday May 21 2016

Event: Council of Assembly


Place: Quaker Meeting House


Time: 12.30 – 2pm


All are welcome to join the Council’s Fringe event hosted by the Stewardship and Finance Department. Learn more about the national Church’s financial results for 2015; the proposed indicative budget for 2017 and an analysis of the state of congregations’ finances. There will be a question and answer session and a sandwich lunch will be provided. Please email your questions to amacintosh@churchofscotland.org.uk in advance.

Monday May 23 2016

Event: Church of Scotland Housing and Loan Fund for Retired Ministers and Widows and Widowers of Ministers

Place: Senate Room


Time: 12.45pm to 2pm


Ministers and their spouses are very welcome to come along to a brief presentation detailing the assistance offered by the Housing and Loan Fund. Thereafter there will be an opportunity for questions, and also to make individual appointments to discuss personal situations with regard to retirement housing.

Light refreshments will be provided.

Event: World Mission Council


Place: St Columba’s by the Castle


Time: 12.30pm to 1.45pm


We are the Voices for the Earth: Come and hear the voices from the World Church as they share some of the ways in which their churches seek to care for creation in their own context. Sharing their vision will be Rev Thomas Kodakcy, Head of Eco- Congregation Network in the Reformed Church
of Hungary, Mr Durga Upadhyay, Climate Change Advisor for the United Mission to Nepal and Rev Andrew Chulu, Congregational Learning for the United Church of Zambia.

Also on display will be some excerpts from the “Every Picture Tells a Story” exhibition which explores the stories of HIV positive asylum seekers and refugees in Scotland; this research was funded by the Church of Scotland HIV Programme. Snack lunch provided.

Event: Mission and Discipleship Council: Learn publications

Venue: Augustine Centre, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh (sanctuary)

Time: 12.30pm to 2pm, buffet – 12.30pm, presentation – 1pm

Hear about the experiences of those engaging in learning and development through their use of the Learn publications Exploring Faith, How will our children have faith? Eldership and Learning Disabilities: A discussion starter.

Event: Invisible Church


Venue: Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street

Time: 5.30pm to 7.30pm, buffet at 5.30pm, presentation 6.30pm

The Mission and Discipleship Council warmly invite you to join them for the official launch of the important new publication, The Invisible Church: Learning from the experiences of churchless Christians. Hosted by the Council’s Convener, the Rev Colin Sinclair, this will include a presentation
of edited highlights from the book and an interview with its author, Steve Aisthorpe. There will be opportunities for questions and discussion as we share refreshments. The Moderator has described The Invisible Church as “dealing with one of the most significant issues of our time ... At once hopeful and challenging”. Like the book itself, this gathering promises to be engaging and encouraging.

Tuesday May 24 2016

Event: Church and Society Council

Place: St Columba’s by the Castle

Time: 12.30pm to 2pm

The Church in Europe: an exploration of the Church of Scotland’s work with other churches in the European Union and how the EU referendum might change things.

Event: CrossReach (Social Care Council)


Place: Augustine Centre Studio, 41 George IV Bridge

Time: Lunchtime


Supporting Communities


With almost 150 years of experience in providing high quality social care services, the Church of Scotland is truly at the heart of communities. CrossReach can support local churches to develop social care initiatives. Come along and have your say – tell us what your church is doing, tell us what your church would like to do and tell us how we can walk alongside you (buffet lunch provided).

Event: Alpha Scotland in association with Why Believe? from the Mission and Discipleship Council

Venue: Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Street, Edinburgh (hall)

Time: 12.30pm to 2pm, buffet – 12.30pm, presentation – 1pm

Up and down the country, parish churches have seen churchgoers and folk from their communities explore questions of life and faith in a friendly, open and informal environment. Congregations have been revitalised and newcomers welcomed into the faith and integrated into the church.

For congregations looking to explore questions of life and faith with their members and folk from their wider communities, 2016 presents a new opportunity through 1) the launch of The Alpha Film Series, an engaging documentary-style resource filmed across the globe, and 2) the first ever Global Autumn Alpha Invitation, fronted by the adventurer and TV presenter Bear Grylls. From its beginnings as a short discipleship course in an Anglican parish church, today more than 29 million people have attended Alpha in 169 countries.
It is run in every part of the worldwide church
and has been embraced by all denominations.

Come, have lunch, sit back and watch Episode 1 on the big screen, and pick up your free starter pack with everything you need to run the Alpha Film Series.

Wednesday May 25 2016

Event: Wish you were here – postcards from Go For It

Place: St Columba’s by the Castle


Time: 12.35pm to 1.50pm


Come and relax over lunch and be inspired by the stories of some of the projects that Go For It has funded. Through photographs, video and in conversation you will find out about the potential of Go For It to support your congregation to make a difference. Lunch and free resources provided.

Event: Places on the Way (Mission and Discipleship Council)

Venue: Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Street

Time: 12.30pm to 2pm, buffet – 12.30pm, presentation – 1pm

How can art and architecture enhance local worship and outreach? How can we reshape the places where we gather? How does any of this ‘re- member’ our Lord?

Come to this part-conversation-part-exhibition hosted by the Committee on Church Art and Architecture, the General Trustees and the people of Glasgow: St George’s Tron. You will hear (and see) how some café-conversations, a few paintbrushes and the second most famous painting in the world of the Last Supper are being used to ‘Let Glasgow flourish...’

Thursday May 26 2016

Event: Church and Society Council


Place: Quaker Meeting House


Time: 12.30pm to 2pm


The Council hosts a networking lunch for school chaplains.