"On the Road"
Council of Assembly
Come and join On the Road!
What is it?
On the Road is a process designed to enable the national Councils, who exist only to support the local Church in its mission and ministry, to plan well for the future.
The Church of Scotland is getting back 'On the Road' this year to share what we have learned from listening to church members and to hear your feedback and ideas on our report.
Who is it for?
These events are an open invitation to everyone connected with the Church. Whether you are a regular worshipper, or an occasional attender; whether you take a leadership role in your local Church or simply drop in from time to time – ‘On the Road' wants to hear from you. The Council wants to listen to folks from every background and every congregation: don't leave it to someone else – come and have your say!
Where and When is it?
Location Date Time Venue
- Glasgow 11th November 2017 14.00-16.00 Renfield St Stephen's Church
- Dundee 16th November 2017 19.00-21.00 The Steeple Church
- Inverness 18th November 2017 14.00-16.00 Inverness East Church
- Edinburgh 23rd November 2017 19.00-21.00 St Andrew's and St George's West Church
Find out more and book your place at www.churchofscotland.org.uk/ontheroad.
The Council very much hope you can join them – and look forward to seeing you at the event of your choice.
Hope Within
Prisoners Week, 19 -26 November 2017
This year’s theme suggests nobody has to look far to find hope, it’s on the doorstep, it’s closer than we think.
Hope Within highlights the gifts, talents and potential within prisons, within communities, and within ourselves.
Prisoners Week is an initiative of the Churches that aims to stimulate discussion, highlight concerns and share hope, in prisons and communities across Scotland. It takes place in the third week of November and offers a time to remember all who are affected by crime: people in prison, people who have been hurt by the actions of others, those who work in prison, families and the wider communities in which we live.
The National Launch Service for Prisoners Week will take place at 18.30 on Monday 20th November in St Margaret’s, Drip Road, Stirling FK9 4UA, followed by refreshments. The Service is ecumenical and all are welcome. Local community and prison events also celebrate the week.
On the website www.prisonersweek.org.uk there are resources, worship reflections from the Christian and Islamic traditions, a calendar of events and details of organisations that offer support and advice.
A PDF can be downloaded from the website which invites people to identify the hopes they have for themselves, their friends and family, their community, people in prison and all those affected by imprisonment.
Prayer Pastor Training
Inverness Street Pastors are holding a Prayer Pastor Training event at Smithton Free Church on Saturday 18th November from 09.30 till 16.00.
Les Isaac started Street Pastors 15 years ago and his wife Louise Isaac will be coming to Inverness to present the Prayer Pastor Training so it is very exciting, exclaim the Pastors.
As there is a workbook with the training and they have to be printed, the organization know if you, or anyone from your Church, will be attending?
Please let Robyn Teago at robyn@loveinverness.org know by Friday 3rd November. Also if you would like further details then please email Robyn for them.
LUTHER 500
A COMMEMORATION OF THE REFORMATION
IN INVERNESS AND NAIRN
Venues:
- Nairn United Reformed Church, Crescent Road, Nairn IV12 4NB
- Ness Bank Church, 1 Ness Bank, Inverness IV2 4SA
- Old High Church, Church Street, Inverness IV1 1EY
Tuesday 31st October 2017
- Ecumenical Evening Service led by Professor Bill McBryde; homily by the Right Rev Hugh Gilbert, OSB, Bishop of Aberdeen, at Nairn URC at 7.00 p.
Tuesday 7th November 2017
- John Calvin – The person, his approach and his influence on Scotland. A seminar by Professor Bill McBryde, at Nairn URC at 7.00 p.m.
Thursday 9th November 2017
- John Calvin – The person, his approach and his influence on Scotland. A seminar by Professor Bill McBryde, at Ness Bank Church, Inverness, at 7.00 p.m.
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP OF HEALING (Highlands)
There is much sickness of body , mind and spirit around us, and the Christian Fellowship of Healing offer ‘ministry of healing’ to meet the needs of those afflicted with sickness. They do this, they say, because in the Old Testament God was active in the healing and deliverance of his people. In the New Testament healing and deliverance was an important part of the ministry of Jesus and His followers.
Christian Fellowship of Healing believe that Jesus intended his Church to be a healing church and they hold meetings to encourage people to explore the ministry of Divine healing. There are monthly meeting for healing in St. Stephen's Church in Inverness on every 2nd Sunday. Recently, they claim, the Lord has been pouring out his blessings of help, healing and deliverance.
Aware of the reported high number of young men in the highlands who take their own lives, Christian Fellowship of Healing have arranged for a day when there will be teaching on, and offering of, the ministry of deliverance . That meeting will be led by Rev Jim Rettie and held in the Baptist Church at Balloch, on Saturday 18th November, from 10:30 am till 4 pm. Bring own lunch, they say and there is no charge, but donations will be welcome.
Jim Rettie can be contacted on 01463 798896 or at jarettie@aol.com.
Home for Good
Lucy Smith from Home for Good writes:
"I lead the work in Scotland for Home for Good. Home for Good a Christian charity whose vision is a home for every child who needs one, where they can grow, develop and thrive. Home for Good believes that churches are ideally placed to provide foster carers or adoptive parents, and that the wider church family can make a real difference in supporting families who foster and adopt, by providing loving and welcoming communities for them.
"Part of what we do is provide resources to churches in order to help them support families. This includes articles and videos, booklets and training opportunities, and we encourage pastors to keep fostering and adoption on the church agenda.
"One of the ways in which we encourage churches to discuss fostering and adoption is through Adoption Sunday. On this day we ask churches to stand alongside vulnerable children and the families who support them. Adoption Sunday will be on 5 November this year. Home for Good provides churches with a variety of resources to use, at no cost. This year churches can choose between two short videos (one lasts for 2 minutes, the other lasts for 4 minutes), and we will also provide a short prayer and will send out coasters to congregations.
"If churches want to spend devote more time during the service to the theme of fostering and adoption, then more resources will be available, including a video of Krish Kandiah (our founder) preaching on the Good Samaritan (because the theme is radical hospitality), sermon notes on the same, resources for children’s and youth ministries, interview notes (if a pastor wanted to interview someone from their congregation), worship song suggestions and other songs for the service.
"I’d like to stress that using the additional resources is not obligatory, it’s more that we want to cover as many bases as possible, giving pastors the flexibility to use as much or as little as they choose to, as they stand up alongside vulnerable children and the families who look out and care for them. In addition, there is no financial outlay required, although if churches wanted to provide Home for Good with a small donation, then of course we would welcome that!
"We’re asking churches to sign up over the next few weeks, to help us with the logistics of issuing real and virtual resources in good time. Because the autumn term can be really pressed with other commitments, such as welcoming new and returning students, running Alpha courses, Remembrance Sunday, and getting ready with preparations for Christmas, if churches wish to mark Adoption Sunday but 5th November doesn’t work for them, then we’d still be delighted to provide them with resources, as much as is required. It would still be really helpful if churches could to sign-up, though, and fill let us know the dates that they would wish to celebrate it (again, to help with our logistics).
This link takes you to the Adoption Sunday page of our website. It includes a taster video for Adoption Sunday, a link to sign-up.
In addition, this article gives some great examples of the real impact that support from churches gives to families who foster and adopt.
With very best wishes
Lucy
Lucy Smith - Scotland Lead, 07557 884239"
Inverness Foodstuff - Request for Volunteers
As you are aware, this project was established in 2015 and provides hot meals on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Drop-in Centre at Ness Bank Church for those who are homeless and vulnerable. The Drop-in Centre also has the services of the Highland Council Benefits Team, the NHS Dental Team, the NHS Harm and Reduction Team together with Community Nursing Staff. We also provide IT Training, Arts and Crafts, and Board Games.
“We are hoping to extend the project and open on Saturday afternoons for soup, sandwiches, IT and board games and are looking for volunteers to staff this,” the Drop-in Centre say. If you are interested and can spare a few hours each week, fortnightly, or monthly they would be delighted to have your help. For further information please contact Agnes Fraser, Volunteer Manager, on 07521145539 or email invernessfoodstuff@gmail.com
World Mission Resource Days
The World Mission Council is planning to hold 4 Resource Days for Church Ministry Workers in November 2017. The aim of these events is to showcase World Mission resources and opportunities available for people working in ministry. Also to highlight conference, workshops, pilgrimages and other gatherings throughout the world that individuals and groups from congregations can go to as the Church of Scotland representative.
Details of the events are as follows:-
- 1 November 2017 – Old High St Stephen’s Church, 24 Damfield Road, Inverness, IV2 3HU
- 8 November 2017 – The Renfield Centre, 260 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4JP
- 9 November 2017 – St Andrew’s & St George’s West Church, 13 George, Edinburgh, EH2 2PA
- 21 November 2017 – Torry St Fittick’s Parish Church, 11 Devanha Gardens East, Aberdeen, AB11 7UN
Please email agrahame@churchofscotland.org.uk to register. Please remember to include which of the 4 dates you wish to attend.
It is claimed that this is an event not to be missed, you will leave with new ideas, information and resources of how to engage and inspire yourself and others in the life of the world church and how this can enhance and excite your congregation or group.
