December 2010/January 2011
MECTIS LAUNCHED
Sunday 12 September 2010 was a very significant day in the life of the Christian Church in Scotland. It was on that day that a service was held to launch Minority Ethnic Churches Together in Scotland (MECTIS). The launch event took place in the Wellington Church, Glasgow with the resident minister, Rev. Dr. David Sinclair, leading the service. A very challenging and encouraging sermon was delivered by Rev Dr Larry Pickens of the United Methodist Church in America and member of the Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches. The WCC Executive Committee was meeting in Scotland during that week. One of the Scripture readings was read by Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary of the WCC.
The leaders of MECTIS were introduced, receiving the right hand of fellowship from representatives of ACTS Member Churches. Rev Colin Brown, Principal Clerk of the General Assembly, extended the hand of fellowship on behalf of the Moderator of the United Free Church of Scotland. Everyone enjoyed the enthusiastic singing of the Scotland African Massed Choir.
Church. The general aim of MECTIS is to enable and support minority ethnic Christians in Scotland in their partnership and work with other local and national organisations in order to grow together in faith. They also seek to work with the established churches and to represent the voice of Minority Ethnic Churches to authorities to challenge exclusion and racism.
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MECTIS is comprised of more than forty minority ethnic Christian groups worshipping in Scotland. Included among these are the Scottish Asian Christian Fellowship, African and Caribbean Christian Fellowship, Singhalese Fellowship, Iranian Church, Russian Fellowship and the Korean
Of the few hundred representatives from minority ethnic and established churches present at the launch event, most agreed that the birth of MECTIS presented exciting possibilities for Christian unity and unified social action in Scotland.
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