Mission and Discipleship
Council |
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RESOURCES
On this page you can find our about:
Resources Booklet
Future Focus: a way forward
for congregations
Eldership Information
Being Single Being Christian
2009 Year of Homecoming
Mission and Discipleship
Highland Consultation Report
Mission and Discipleship E-news
Cairngorms Christian Centre, Kincraig
You're an Angel
Holy Communion Essays
Holy Communion Symposium Speeches
Seeing the World as Others
see it
Office of Session Clerk booklet
Webcast highlights of the Rural
Church Conference
Art 4 God Project
Archived
Investigate - Luke through Lent resources
Relations With Other Faiths
Highland newsletter - Lengthen
and Strengthen
Hope 08
Resources Booklet
The Mission and Discipleship Council's main remit is
resourcing congregations. A Resources Booklet has been
made, detailing, both alphabetically and departmentally,
what is available from all areas of the Council's work:
Education and Nurture; Mission and Evangelism; Worship
and Doctrine; Church Art and Architecture; Publishing;
Scottish Storytelling Centre; Life and Work and St Andrew
Press.
| Resources Booklet 2008/2009 |
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Future Focus: a way
forward for congregations
Future Focus is a facilitated resource. General
information is available to download below, but to request
a facilitator please contact the
Mission and Discipleship Council at the Church Offices
in Edinburgh.
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Eldership Information
The Eldership Working Party, as part of the Mission
and Discipleship Council, has the responsibility for
the development and support of the Eldership within
the life of the church. Current resources available
for download are:-
| Adult Training and Leadership Development
2009: outlines what opportunities are available
for training both locally and nationally |
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| Rediscovering the Eldership: reflects
briefly on the biblical and historical background
of the Eldership, from biblical times to the present
day |
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| WHO ME?: is intended to give a brief
explanation of the tasks of Eldership for new and
prospective elders |
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| The Office of the Session Clerk: updated
for 2009 |
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| The Role of the Clerk to the Board:
updated for 2009 |
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| Session Clerks' Residential Conference:
30 October to 1 November 2009 at Carberry,
Musselburgh - booking form and programme |
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| Elders Moderating
Kirk Session Meetings: training session for
2009 |
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For further details on the work of the Eldership Working
Party please contact:
Robin McAlpine
Regional Development Officer (Elder Training and Leadership
Development)
Mission and Discipleship Perth Office
Arran Business Centre
Arran Road, Perth, PH1 3DZ
T: 01738 630514
E: manddperth@cofscotland.org.uk
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Being Single Being Christian
| A resource for congregations |
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Mission and Discipleship
Highland Consultation Report - April 2007
The Mission and Discipleship Council arranged a Highland
Consultation in Stornoway in April 2007. A report on
the gathering can be downloaded here:
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Mission and Discipleship E-News
You can download the popular Mission
and Discipleship E-news publication here which
offers a vast array of information and contact details
for those involved in mission and discipleship including
conferences and events, resources and trusts details.
Download the latest issues of
E-news:
If you would like to receive E-news directly from the
council as soon as it becomes available, email
Sheila Reeves to be added to our distribution list.
In order to satisfy data protection legislation, by
emailing us you agree
to the following:
"I consent to the central agencies of the Church
of Scotland holding my name and email address and
processing this information for the purposes of contacting
me from time to time about the work of the Church.
This information will only be used for church-related
matters, and will not be passed to any outside individual
or agency."
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Cairngorms Christian Centre,
Kincraig
The Mission and Discipleship Council owns an outdoor
centre in Speyside which is ideal for retreats and for
youth group weekends. Opened in 1976, it has been operated
since April 2007 by a group of local Christians from
local congregations. Full details can be found on the
Centre's
website which will open in another browser, and
enquiries regarding bookings can be done by clicking
here or on 01540 651373.
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Evangelism resource: You're
an Angel
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You're An
Angel: Being Yourself and Sharing Your Faith has
been written by the Rev Peter Neilson and regional
development officer David Currie. |
A best-seller, the book provides a guide to "being
yourself and sharing your faith". Peter and David
have practical experience of working within a Scottish
context and in this book they share their ideas on evangelism,
which are helpful and adaptable.
Reviews
"Peter and David have written a marvellously encouraging,
reassuring and above all honest account of Christian witnessing
today. It's honest, and so it's full of hope. Because
these guys understand that when it comes to evangelism,
Christians have nothing to fear but fear itself. Be an
angel, and read it!"
The Rev Paul Bayes, national mission and evangelism
adviser, Archbishops' Council, Church of England
"You're an Angel will
be an answer to prayer for any Church looking for resources
that will both encourage and equip members to share
their faith in everyday situations. It is theologically
well grounded and deeply rooted in the authors' own
experience of God, and presents an honest picture of
the challenges as well as the opportunities offered
by a post-modern generation."
John Drane, author of The McDonaldization
of the Church and Do
Christians know how to be Spiritual?
"As we struggle with the great commission in this
Post Modern age, there will be a corporate sigh of relief
from all who read this book. David and Peter, through
their own rich and diverse experiences and naked honesty,
have given us permission to express our own feelings
of doubt and inadequacy as evangelists. The theme of
God's love for us, and of His desire that we 'be ourselves'
as we reach out, is reiterated throughout and this,
alongside practical and applicable strategies for bringing
our faith to the world outside our churches, should
greatly encourage and equip us to 'be an angel' wherever
God has placed us."
Fiona Marks, Alpha Scotland director
How to purchase a copy
You can buy your copy of You're
an Angel, published by Covenanters Press, on Amazon
priced at £11.95.
Please note that this link will take you out of the
Church of Scotland website and open a new browser window.
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Holy
Communion
Here, some people share from their particular
perspective and experience, some thoughts on aspects of
Holy Communion which have contributed to the under-standing
of the Task Group on Worship and Doctrine. The ideas here
are offered to promote thought and understanding of an
important aspect of our worship life together.
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Holy
Communion Symposium Speeches
The following speeches were part of the recent Symposium
on Holy Communion and the Renewal of the Church, held
in Dunblane in September 2007.
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Seeing the
World as Others see it
This resource has been produced to accompany the report
from the Worship and Doctrine Task Group's working group
on same sex relationships that was considered by the
Church of Scotland's General Assembly in May 2007. Click
here for the "Resourcing Churches" website,
which will open in another browser. You will be able
to download the document, Sexuality Resource, in colour
or black and white.
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The Office of Session Clerk:
booklet
The full Office of Session Clerk
booklet, written by A. Gordon McGillivray, is available
to download on our extranet site, which hosts an array
of resources and information for those already familiar
with the Church, such as staff, office bearers and those
in the ministries.
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Art 4 God Project
| Art 4 God is a partnership
project between the Mission and Discipleship Council
and artist Fiona Campbell. The project looks at
the use of images in the worship and mission of
the Church. |
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Visit our dedicated Art 4 God Project pages on our extranet
site to download a range of resources and take part in
our questionnaire to help shape worship resources for
the future.
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Investigate
– Luke throughout Lent resources
What will you say to those who suggest that the Church
is boring, irrelevant with nothing to say in a world dominated
by the internet, emails, mobile phones, MP3 players, multiplex
cinemas and satellite television? During Lent this year
the Mission
and Discipleship Council will release a series of
seven sermons with accompanying powerpoint presentations
which will seek to assist congregations to consider in
detail the message of Luke’s Gospel in the context
of Sunday worship. These are available to download below.
Worship material for the 21st century
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The series is entitled Investigate
– Luke throughout Lent and will be
contemporary in its application while remaining
faithful to the Gospel’s primary purpose of
exposing individuals to the transforming love of
Christ. |
The idea behind this initiative is to help resource
colleagues involved in parish ministry by providing
material which will seek to teach Luke’s Gospel
with an evangelistic edge to it.
Sunday 25 February begins Lent when we will look at
the calling of the first disciples (Luke 5:1-11) and
will finish on Easter Sunday, 8 April, by looking at
the transformation of the two disciples on the road
to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35). The presentations provide
a visual dynamic to the teaching aspect of this series.
Included with this material is a brief explanatory section
which will introduce you to what we are seeking to achieve.
Our prayers for this series is that God will graciously
open up the hearts of those who are listening to the
Gospel while deepening the faith of those who are seeking
to follow Him each day.
Investigate - Luke through
Lent printed material
| Publicity flyer
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Introduction guide (should be used
alongside the sermon material)
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| First Sunday in Lent sermon
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Second Sunday in Lent sermon
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Third Sunday in Lent sermon
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Fourth Sunday in Lent sermon
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Fifth Sunday in Lent sermon
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Sixth Sunday in Lent sermon
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Last Sunday in Lent sermon
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Accompanying powerpoint presentations
Investigate
– Luke throughout Lent: first Sunday
in Lent
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Investigate – Luke
throughout Lent: second Sunday in Lent
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Investigate – Luke
throughout Lent: third Sunday in Lent
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Investigate – Luke
throughout Lent: fourth Sunday in Lent
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Investigate – Luke
throughout Lent:
sixth Sunday in Lent
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Investigate – Luke
throughout Lent:
sixth Sunday in Lent
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Investigate – Luke
throughout Lent:
last Sunday in Lent
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Click
here for a link to the Christian Aid website, which
will open in another browser, for a virtual tour of
Jerusalem.
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Relations With Other
Faiths
The Mission and Discipleship Council's
Inter-Faith Support Worker, Iain Stewart, writes a monthly
newsletter, giving information on different religions
and events worth visiting. Click
here to download the newsletters.
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Highland Newsletter - Lengthen and Strengthen
The Mission and Discipleship Council's
Regional Development Officer, Steve Aisthorpe, is based
at the Council's Inverness office. Steve writes a quarterly
newsletter with information predominantly for his remit
of the Highland area. The newsletters give various information,
as well as event dates and reading recommendations.
Click
here to download the newsletters.
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Hope 08 Scotland
Hope 08 provides churches of all shapes
and sizes throughout the UK with a fresh opportunity
to work together across their communities over a twelve
month period. It is relevant for urban or rural churches,
irrespective of tradition. David Currie, Regional Development
Officer of the Mission and Discipleship Council, is
the Scottish contact for Hope 08 Scotland in his capacity
as National Mission Consultant for the church. Click
here for a link to the Hope 08 website.
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2009 Year of Homecoming
'You welcomed me as if I were an angel'
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2009, the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, has been designated by the Scottish Government as a 'Year of Homecoming' during which our country will reach out to all those around the world with an interest in, or affinity to, Scotland. |
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Hospitality and welcome are at the heart of Christian life, and Scottish Churches, including the Church of Scotland, have agreed to be an official partner of Homecoming Scotland 2009, taking as their theme text for the year,'You welcomed me as if I were an angel' (Galatians 4:14).
The Church's Visitor and Tourism Strategy group is working closely with Scotland's Churches Scheme to encourage congregations to welcome visitors and tourists in new and old ways, in 2009 and beyond. The Scheme's website, Sacred Scotland, launching at the beginning of 2009, features churches from all over Scotland that welcome visitors.
In 2010 the international dimension of the Church will be celebrated with the centenary of the 1910 Edinburgh World Missionary Conference and the 450th anniversary of the Scottish Reformation.
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To find out more about how congregations can be involved in Homecoming and the Scottish Churches Scheme, see our resources page.
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