Ministry REPORT OF THE MINISTRY COMMITTEE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2011 INTRODUCTION This has been another busy but encouraging year for the committee. They firmly believes that a trained ministry is essential to the life and work of the church and has endeavoured through Pathways to Ministry to ensure that those seeking ministry opportunities within the United Free Church are suitably trained and equipped for the roles they would seek to undertake. ENQUIRERS Throughout the year there have been a number of enquiries regarding Pathways to Ministry. It is encouraging that there are currently two enquirers undergoing short placements, the purpose of which is to allow the minister to explore with the enquirer their sense of call to ministry, make an initial assessment of any strengths and weaknesses and report back to the committee. Following these placements the enquirers, in consultation with the committee, can then decide whether they want to make a formal application to the committee and consider which path they would want to follow. The committee is indebted to ministers who assist them by providing placements for enquirers and attachments for students. STUDENTS During the course of this year the committee has recognised two students as candidates in training for the Ordained Ministry of Word and Sacrament. Mr Nathan Owens is a member of Drumchapel UF Church and is in the second year of a B.A. degree at Highland Theological College. Mr Martin Paterson is a member of Uddingston: Park UF Church and is about to begin a three year BD (Min) degree at Glasgow University. PART TIME APPOINTMENTS The committee appreciates the commitment, faithful service and continuing contribution to the life and work of the church by all who serve our congregations on a parttime basis. Ministry Assistants During the year two new appointments were made. Rev Alastair Keddie is now serving at Arbroath on a 2 day per week basis. Rev William Buchan is serving at Perth on a 3 day per week basis. Pastors This year Mr George Banks tendered his resignation as a Pastor within the United Free Church. The Committee would take this opportunity to express its sincere thanks to Mr Banks for the valuable service he has given to the congregation at Corstorphine where he has served since 2000. Ministers Following retirement in December 2010, Rev Graeme Bruce was appointed as Part Time Minister to the congregations of Montrose and Ferryden in January 2011 on a 3 day per
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Ministry week basis; and Rev Patricia Johnston is now serving as Part Time Minister to the congregation of Bellshill on a 4 day per week basis. Rev Andrew Begg resumed his appointment at Tayport on a 2 day per week basis. PROBATIONERS The committee was pleased to note that the Rev Ann Deacons had been Ordained and Appointed to Croftfoot. READERS The committee envisages that Readers will continue to exercise the same ministry function under Pathways as operates at present, viz. preaching and the leading of worship. The change comes in terms of the way Readers will engage in ministry formation training, and the method to be used in their deployment. It is not the committee‟s intention to impose this new framework in any retrospective form, so current Readers are under no obligation to undertake any additional training, unless that is their voluntary choice. Reader candidates will be subject to the same process under Common Point of Entry outlined in the original Pathways document, which applies equally to applicants for all three ministry pathways. It is the committee‟s view that presbyteries should take up a new responsibility for the training and deployment of Readers. Candidates will be interviewed by presbytery, and hopefully space will be made available for Reader candidates to engage in a short church placement within the denomination. The reason for this is that the committee intends to make it possible for Readers to be involved in local situations of team ministry. Overall and final responsibility for the preparation and approval of Readers will remain with the committee. The training will have academic and practical aspects. Academically Reader candidates will be required to complete satisfactorily four modules of study, drawn either from the access course in Christian Theology at Highland Theological College or the certificate course in Christian Studies at International Christian College. Two of these modules must be in Biblical studies to prepare for the core function of a Reader‟s ministry. The committee is keen to promote holistic methods of ministry training across Pathways. Reader candidates will therefore also undertake mainly in-house training relating to the history and ethos of the United Free Church, our methods of practice & procedure, as well as practical issues in preaching like voice production. It is also our intention to carry on with the excellent Reader‟s Study Day. The committee is hopeful that Reader candidates will be able to combine with Ministry Assistant candidates for the delivery of much of this training. The training progress of each Reader candidate will be reviewed by the committee on an annual basis. After appointment it is hoped by the committee that Readers might be available to serve in a team ministry context, serving in a cluster of UF congregations. This will be overseen by presbyteries, and would be a new departure for the church. The committee has made recent efforts to meet with presbytery representatives, who obviously have a much clearer view of ministry needs on the ground. In the past Readers have been contacted informally by individual congregations about preaching and leading of worship. There is no reason why this should not continue, and the committee is very grateful to Readers for this excellent ministry. However our vision now is that Readers can and should be deployed in more creative ways, allowing them to exercise a more focused ministry role within the United Free Church of Scotland.
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Ministry ENGLISH BIBLE EXAM The purpose of the English Bible Exam is to ensure students have gained a comprehensive knowledge of the Bible and as such the exam continues to be an important part of preparation for Ministry. The content of the Bible exams has been reviewed and the committee is pleased that Mr John Cross has agreed to set and mark the English Bible Exam papers. ADVISER IN PROFFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Rev David Cartledge has served as Adviser in Professional Development since 2005. The role has been to assist ministers to continue the development of their ministry through appraisal and continued study. Ministers have been met on a three year cycle and Mr Cartledge has indicated his desire to be relieved of this task on the completion of this second cycle. The committee wishes to record its appreciation of the extremely important and beneficial work Mr Cartledge has done. The committee will in the year ahead review this area of professional development and report back to next years General Assembly. SABBATICAL LEAVE The committee would encourage all involved within ministry to consider taking up opportunities for ongoing study that would continue their professional development, expand their thinking and enrich their practice. The committee would further suggest that ministers give serious consideration to Sabbatical Leave and remind them that this provides an opportunity to develop areas of interest that might benefit them, their ministry and their congregation. CONDUCT OF SACRAMENTS At last year‟s General Assembly the Panel on Doctrine report provided a doctrinal basis for the United Free Church‟s position on those who should be authorised to conduct the sacraments and how this should affect our current practice. The report of the Panel which was accepted by the General Assembly was that, „Except in exceptional circumstances, it was only those who had been set apart and ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament who should be authorised to conduct the Sacraments.‟ The Ministry Committee then had to consider what might be regarded as „exceptional circumstances‟ and in light of that what then should be our practice. Meetings were held with representatives of the Ministry Committee, Administration and Finance Committee and the Principal Clerks to discuss this matter. Careful consideration was given to the current shortage of Ordained Ministers and the subsequent strain on Interim Moderators and it was agreed that this created an exceptional circumstance. With the intent to remain true to the doctrinal position of the denomination while addressing the current situation it was agreed that the following paragraph of deliverance be presented to General Assembly. “Except in exceptional circumstances, it is only those who have been set apart and ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament who are authorised to conduct the Sacraments. Where there is difficulty in providing sufficiently those so set apart and ordained, a Presbytery may also nominate an elder appointed to serve as an interimmoderator of the congregation to preside at the Lord‟s Supper. Before being so authorised these elders must satisfactorily complete a course of instruction provided by the Ministry Committee. Such authorisation must be granted annually and the names of such elders intimated to the Ministry Committee which shall include the names in the report of the Committee to the General Assembly. Any elder who ceases to be a bona-
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Ministry fide elder within his own congregation, or whose appointment to serve is cancelled or not renewed by the Presbytery, shall not be permitted to preside.” Pastors who have already been authorised to conduct communion within the congregations to which they have been appointed will continue to be so authorised and included in a list presented by the committee at General Assembly. CONFERENCES The committee arranged three conferences this year and are indebted to all who assisted with these events. The In Service Conference for Ministers and Pastors took place in September 2010 at Scottish Churches House, Dunblane. The main theme of the conference was “Jesus Christ – the only King and Head of the Church”, and sessions were led mainly by our own ministers. Rev Joe McPhee gave two very insightful theological reflections on the theme. The following sessions then explored how this could be applied in various aspects of ministry. Rev Jim Neil sensitively explored how our understanding of Christ affects Pastoral care, Rev Albert Bogle challenged us to think about the nature of Meetings and Courts of the Church, Rev Archie Ford and Rev Colin Brown helped us reflect on how we engage with the community Arrangements are underway for the 2011 conference, to be held 20 – 22 September, at Gartmore House. Rev Hector Morrison, Principal of Highland Theological College is to be the main speaker. The committee would encourage ministers and pastors to set this time apart in their diary and make every effort to attend the conference as fully as possible. In addition to the main sessions, the conference offers the opportunity to spend time together, enjoy warm fellowship, and encourage one another. The Spring Conference for Students and Pastors was held at Scottish Churches House, Dunblane, 15 – 16 March 2011. The theme this year was Pastoral Care. Rev Gary Barclay led a session on Worship and Pastoral Care. Rev Archie Ford led two very practical sessions. Firstly on Pastoral care – What are we doing? Followed by Funerals and caring for the Bereaved. Dr Marion Carson, Lecturer in New testament and Pastoral Care at the International Christian College, Glasgow, led two thought provoking sessions on how we use the Bible (appropriately and inappropriately) in Pastoral Situations. We are indebted to all our speakers for their insights and help in the practical issue of caring for others. A study day for Readers was held at St Ninians UF Church on Saturday 30th October 2011. Very helpful contributions were made by Rev Jim Neil who spoke on „Preparing for Worship‟, and Rev Ian Boa who spoke on „How to read the Bible‟. In the afternoon there was discussion led by Rev Douglas Scrimgeour and Rev Jan Cross on the role of Readers and how they are being utilised and whether there is a more effective and satisfying way of using them. The Church has been very well served by Readers and the committee greatly appreciates their continued contribution to the provision of and conduct of worship in various congregations throughout the year. MINISTRY DEVELOPMENT WORKER Since his appointment as Ministry Development Worker in 2009, Rev Alexander Ritchie has fulfilled a considerable amount of work in identifying available and appropriate courses to meet the varying requirements of training for Pathways to Ministry. Leaflets outlining ministry opportunities through Pathways to Ministry are currently being produced. The first leaflet gives general information on Pathways while a second leaflet provides more information on the Ordained Ministry of Word and Sacrament. The committee hopes to have
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Ministry these leaflets available for General Assembly. The committee greatly appreciates the work Mr Ritchie has accomplished and would seek to extend this post for a further year. CONVERSATION WITH PRESBYTERIES The committee found last yearâ€&#x;s meeting with representatives of presbyteries to be most helpful and informative. A further meeting has been arranged by the committee to meet with representatives of all presbyteries. Once again the aim of the meeting will be to outline the work of the committee, survey the current ministry situation throughout the presbyteries and the impact this has on congregations, and facilitate discussion on ministry needs and possible patterns of ministry. CONCLUSION Throughout the year, the committee is engaged in a considerable amount of work that is both demanding and time consuming. Grateful to all who have contributed in helping the committee the support of the office staff is greatly appreciated. The committee would express its thanks to Rev John Fulton and Mrs Helena Jarvis for all their valuable help and guidance.
In the name of the Committee GARY J A BARCLAY ALEXANDER RITCHIE JOHN O FULTON
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Convener Vice-convener Secretary