Priority Areas
The Priority Areas Committee is one of the four main areas of the Ministries Council. It is responsible for the support, development and coordination of the Church's work within its poorest 58 communities. A list of these communities is available to download at the side.
A particular focus of the Committee's work is to increase the confidence of local Christians within priority areas. Its work falls into three inter-related areas:
- Engaging the Wider Church and Society - raising awareness of poverty across the country
- Developing New Models of Church Life - supporting fresh models of church life in Scotland's poorest neighbourhoods
- Developing New Models of Community - helping people of faith to address the causes and symptoms of poverty
It is not unusual for a minister within a priority area to regularly have two or three funerals in a week, and the Priority Areas Committee has been involved in producing Ritual and Remembrance resources for funerals, memorials and remembrance services.
Priority Areas Staffing Fund
This fund gives grants of up to £45,000 over a three year period to part-fund the employment of additional staff in priority area congregations undertaking community work. This fund also supports congregations which are on the Priority Areas Supplementary List. The Priority Areas Staffing Fund is managed by the Parish Development Fund on behalf of the Priority Areas committee. For information on how to apply, visit the Parish Development Fund.
Contact for more information
To find out more about our work, please email us at priorityareas@cofscotland.org.uk or contact us at :
Church of Scotland Ministries Council, Glasgow offices, 759a Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8DS, Telephone: 0141 248 2905
The Priority Areas team
- Alex Bauer, The Glen Kin Experience; email: alex.bauer@glenkinexperience.co.uk
- Shirley Billes, Worship Development (Sessional Worker); email: shirley.billes@blueyonder.co.uk
- Paul Chapman, Volunteer (Poverty Truth Commission); email: paul@faithincommunityscotland.org
- Ally Hunter, Youth tutor and Development Worker; email: a.hunter@ymca.ac.uk
- Gayle Irvin, Volunteer (Coaching and Women’s Leadership Network); email:gayle@faithincommunityscotland.org
- Martin Johnstone, Priority Areas Secretary email: mjohnstone@cofscotland.org.uk
- Noel Mathias, Ministries Support Officer (Priority Areas); email: nmathias@cofscotland.org.uk
- Lynn McLellan, Senior Administrator; email: lmaclellan@cofscotland.org.uk
- Muriel Pearson, Convenor; email: priorityareas@cofscotland.org.uk
- Kat Watts, Administrator; email: kwatts@cofscotland.org.uk
- Russell McLarty; email: rmclarty@cofscotland.org.uk.