Ministers Gather for Worship and Fellowship

Friday February 28 2025

Church of Scotland ministers from all over Scotland gathered in Edinburgh for a time of worship, prayer and encouragement yesterday (Thursday).

The National Ministers Conference brought together over 200 parish, assistant, interim and transition ministers in the conference centre at Murrayfield Stadium.

“Ministry is a wonderful calling, a wonderful life to live, but in recent years it’s been profoundly challenging,” said the Rev Tommy MacNeil, minister at Martins Memorial Church in Stornoway and Convenor of the Faith Action Programme Leadership Team.

“We are in the midst of numerical decline, financial decline and the heart behind today is to get ministers to remind them that God has called them; that He’s not called them ultimately to be successful but to be faithful. Whatever situation they might be in, be it good, bad or indifferent, to trust Him and to believe that there are greater days ahead for them and for the Church.”

The Moderator of the General Assembly, the Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson opened the conference with a contemplation of a career he might have had if he had not been called – and was disappointed that a recent online quiz to gauge what job he was suited for, failed to offer him joinery or carpentry.

“If it was good enough for Jesus, it’d be good enough for me,” he laughed.

The Rev David Cameron, convener of the Assembly Trustees, urged attendees to ‘be brave’.

“Be here with hearts and minds open to God’s Spirit,” he told them. “We must have a healthy, balanced view about the past, the present and the future of the Church.

"But coming to terms with the past and the present will mean a time of corporate grief. We need to let go of some of the traditions of the Church, we must have the courage to take risks, and embrace change with faith and courage.

“We are a community of ministers – each uniquely gifted. Let us share our stories of success and of struggle – but let us listen to each others insight and be open to learning from each other.”

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