Mission and Discipleship Council

Our remit

'Encounter' lies at the centre of the Mission and Discipleship Council's remit. We seek to provide opportunities that allow an encounter with the person of Jesus, offering an opening to respond to his call to discipleship.

The transforming nature of this encounter moves us forward to serve and share the Good News. Within the Council we are aware of the need to communicate effectively using a contemporary style that recognises our heritage within the history and life of the Church of Scotland.

We often focus on areas of need and through occasional resources, available to all congregations of the Church, we equip individuals for leadership and provide tools to explore what it means to be a Christian today and how to give expression to the faith within us. We hope these resources of people and material will provide a springboard to growth in our relationship with Jesus.

Our work

The work of the council is taken forward by these teams.

Congregational Learning

Helping our members with learning, discovering and moving deeper into their knowledge and experience of God, the team is responsible for Children's ministry, Youth ministry, Adult Christian education, Leadership development, Interfaith, Guild educational representatives, People with Learning Disabilities and Rural church.

Contacts

• Congregational Learning Team Leader: Fiona Fidgin, email ffidgin@cofscotland.org.uk
• Leadership Development Worker: Pauline Steenbergen email psteenbergen@cofscotland.org.uk
• Interfaith Development Worker: Iain Stewart email istewart@cofscotland.org.uk

Church Without Walls

Helping congregations engage meaningfully with their communities, share the Christian story with confidence, and respond creatively to shifting cultural trends. Find out more about Church Without Walls.

Contact

• Church Without Walls Team Leader: Lesley Hamilton-Messer, email lhamilton-messer@cofscotland.org.uk

Resources

Responsible for the church's award-winning magazine, Life and Work, the Commissioning Editor of Saint Andrew Press, the Kirk's  publishing house, and the monthly publication Ministers' Forum.

Faith Expression

Stimulating study and discussion of matters of faith and doctrine, both within the Church of Scotland and ecumenically. It also helps to provide a focus for worship resources and works with congregations to develop worship locally while helping to identify the emergence of patterns of spirituality and prayer for today.

Faith Expression Team Leader, Rev Nigel Robb, explains the remit of the group: "Lively and engaging worship reflects the historical faith of the Church in contemporary forms. It also provides opportunities for people to explore the meaning of their faith in a prayerful and reflective manner."

Contacts

• Faith Expression Team Leader: Rev Nigel Robb, email nrobb@cofscotland.org.uk
• Worship Development Worker: Graham Fender-Allison, email gfender-allison@cofscotland.org.uk

The Faith Expression area of the Council's work provides support for  doctrinal reflection and production of resources for the support of those who  are engaged in the leadership and development of worship in congregations.

Visit our worship section for resources including Common Order, which contains a wide range of services and prayers, Pray Now, daily prayer guide with meditations, and Celebrating Holy Communion, which includes a commentary on the various aspects of Holy Communion and a CD with a range of resources and materials for teaching and discussion.

In doctrinal areas, contributions have been made to several important reports on human sexuality ('A Challenge to Unity' and 'Being Single in Church and Society') and 'For of Such is the Kingdom of Heaven' - a joint report on the Theology and Proportionality in relation to the Safeguarding of children and vulnerable individuals in the Church.

Involvement has also take place in the promotion of ecumenical dialogue on doctrinal issues resulting in the ACTS publication on the Language of the Trinity and the Service for the Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows with the Roman Catholic Church.

Administration

Supporting the Council, the work and the staff team:

• Administration Manager: Eva Elder, email eelder@cofscotland.org.uk
• Senior Administrator, Congregational Learning: Lesley Cameron, email lcameron@cofscotland.org.uk
• Senior Administrator, Church Without Walls: Sheila Reeves, email sreeves@cofscotland.org.uk
• Senior Administrator, Resources: Fiona Skellett, email fskellett@cofscotland.org.uk
• Senior Administrator, Faith Expression: Anna Reid, email areid@cofscotland.org.uk
• Support Assistant: Anne White, email awhite@cofscotland.org.uk

Our membership

The convener of the Mission and Discipleship Council is the Rev Mark Johnstone. There are a further 23 members appointed by the General Assembly, one of whom is also appointed to the Ecumenical Relations Committee.

The director of Stewardship, the Rev Gordon Jamieson, is also a member of the council, as are members appointed from the General Trustees, the Guild, the Parish Development Fund and the Scottish Churches Community Trust. There is also a representative from the of the Committee on Church Art and Architecture. At least three of the members of the committee have specific expertise in each of the areas of education and nurture, mission and evangelism and worship and doctrine.

Contact for more information

To get in touch with the council email us at mandd@cofscotland.org.uk or contact us at the Church's offices in Edinburgh.

For queries relating to Church art and architecture or worship and doctrine email us at WorDoc@cofscotland.org.uk