Mission Consultancy
The Rev David EP Currie is Senior Adviser in Mission and Evangelism for the Church of Scotland. The Kirk Session recently agreed to invite David to "journey" with the congregation for about a year as an external "observer/facilitator" with a view to helping us review our mission.
David introduces himself:
Hi there. My name's David Currie, one of the Church of Scotland's Advisers in Mission and Evangelism. After working for a while with Rolls-Royce Ltd. in Hillington then East Kilbride, I became minister of East Kilbride West Kirk from 1983 to August 2000, at which time I took up my present post, working with local congregations all over Scotland - Edinburgh, Hamilton, Hawick, Dumfries, Dunbar, Glasgow, Drymen, and even Fort William!
Many of the conferences I run at local church, Presbytery and national levels are to do with helping folk come to terms with the "Church Without Walls" report and also to think through the challenges surrounding "Emerging Church" issues (i.e. if some people will never come to our style of Traditional Church on a Sunday morning, how can we begin to think about and develop ways of sharing something of God's love with them where they are?).
If you're interested in these issues this may a good opportunity to mention some of the things I've been involved in editing and writing recently -
First, I've edited a series of booklets on some of the major Church Without Walls issues - Transforming the Local Congregation, Prayer, Discipleship, Partnerships, Worship, etc. £5 for the set of 7 is good value!
I've just recently completed my Study Leave Report giving some practical examples of "Emerging Church" in New Zealand and Scotland - "Albatross" (£2) is already raising lots of interest.
It's not available till April this year, but Peter Neilson and I have co-authored a book about helping others to faith - "You're an Angel! - Being Yourself and Sharing the Faith."
However, my real interest over the next few months is getting to know yourselves and working with you. I'm hoping to attend worship and other activities and take time to chat with some folk about what they think the church should be doing in your community in Carluke.
I'm really excited about this opportunity of getting to know you as a congregation, and as we get to know each other over the next few months I pray that God's Spirit of love and power will challenge, support and direct us as we move into a new phase in the life of our church.
Wishing you God's richest blessing and looking forward to meeting you.
David
The aims of the consultancy are -
- to assist St John's in reviewing its mission
- to make recommendations for developing mission
- to help St John's through the process of development
The arrangement is not be a formal contract, but proceeds on the basis of certain agreed activities. David will attend various worship services, contributing to some, and meetings of the Kirk Session and Board of Management. He will talk with team leaders and other key personnel and, in general, will familiarise himself with congregational life. Although arrangements after 31 May are still provisional, David hopes also to visit the Summer Holiday club.
The consultancy will be brought to a conclusion at a Kirk Session conference in November 2005, at which recommendations will be made. Subject to his availability, David will be on hand to help us make progress on agreed points.
A substantial donation will be made on the basis of travel expenses, plus an appropriate amount to acknowledge time spent with St John's, up to a maximum of £1000.
