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General Assembly 2008: World Mission to look at 'scandal of poverty'

Scottish churches build links abroad

The Church of Scotland's World Mission Council will tell this year's annual General Assembly that "poverty which threatens human dignity is an offence in the eyes of God". (Deliverance 2)

"The Scandal of Poverty" is a major emphasis of this year's World Mission report. The Assembly will be asked to agree to "assure partner churches, in countries afflicted by extreme poverty, of the determination of the Church of Scotland...to share with them the human and material resources needed to strengthen their impressive commitment to ensure that the church represents good news to the poor." (Deliverance 3)

The Council holds with the view that faith-based organisations have a 'vital role to play' in fighting against poverty in the developing world. The Church plays its part in this fight through co-operative working with its partner churches across the globe. The World Mission Council made a grant of £20,000 to the Church of Bangladesh for relief and reconstruction work in the aftermath of Cyclone Sidr. (p.8, para 1) as well as providing some emergency assistance (£40,000) to the Presbyterian Church of East Africa during the turmoil that followed the elections in that country. (p.25, para 1) As well as this type of direct financial assistance, the Council assists with the organisation and finance of micro-credit schemes, in conjunction with local churches, in countries such as China and Bangladesh.

The General Assembly will be informed of the Council's work in facilitating links between presbyteries and congregations in Scotland and their fellow Christians overseas. These invaluable links involve exchange visits, as well as the congregations in each country offering each other support and assistance. The Presbytery of Lothian has now entered into a twinning arrangement with the Presbytery of the Eastern Himalayas, and this is just one of many examples.

In a twist on twinning, "a new initiative facilitated...during the year was the appointment of Andy Walker, a serving police officer with the Northern Constabulary and currently an Area Commander, to spend time with the Malawi Police Service." The Assembly will hear that: "Since returning to Scotland, Andy has secured sponsorship for two officers from Malawi to visit this country and... to build a major Victim Support Unit in a part of the country with a serious problem with domestic violence and abuse." (p.21, para 3)

On the Church of Scotland's Tiberias development, the World Mission Council will report that, during 2007, "the Hotel achieved a 67% average occupancy rate (against a budget of 64%) of which approximately 50% were individuals and groups from outwith Israel. Guests included 258 pilgrim groups of which 20 were from Scotland." (p.37. para 2)

The future of the Holy Land continues to be an issue of deep concern for the Kirk's World Mission Council, as it is for many million Christians throughout the world. (pp.29-30)

As part of its work for the future, the World Council is set to look at how it might best assist partner churches of the Kirk in parts of the globe where Christians are in a minority (Deliverance 5). Preparations are already underway for the centenary celebrations for the Edinburgh 1910 World Missionary Conference, and these will be further developed during the year ahead ( Deliverance 10).

Ends

GANR/01/03/08

Friday 11 April 2008

Notes to Editors:

A full copy of the report is available on our General Assembly pages online here.

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