Starting a 'new model of Church' was high on the agenda at Scotland's first Fresh Expressions vision day.
Christians travelled from across the country to attend the event at Renfield St Stephen's Church in Glasgow. The day, hosted by David Currie and Alan McWilliam of the Church of Scotland, looked at how emerging churches are developing to reach those who find it difficult to connect with traditional church life.
Fresh Expressions encourages new forms of church for a fast changing world, working with Christians from a variety of denominations and traditions. The initiative has helped establish new churches and congregations in skateparks, leisure centres, schools and among people who find it difficult to engage with more traditional forms of church.
Methodist Minister Andrew Roberts and Rachel Jordan, of the UK Fresh Expressions team, also contributed to the day's programme which included multi-media interactive learning, worship, and prayer.
The day focused on the challenges faced in Scotland, and looked at two areas where different ways of 'doing' church had offered opportunities to reach people in new ways.
Delegates - who included members of the Quakers, Church of Scotland, and Methodist Church - were inspired by stories from fresh expressions of church being developed in Glasgow Harbour and Annan.
David Currie, Church of Scotland's Emerging Church Development Officer, said, "The first vision day in Scotland was fantastic, with folk coming from Perth, Garelochhead, Oban, Leith, Kirkcudbright and Glasgow to find out more about how to start a 'new model' of Church.
"The Church of Scotland has made significant funding available to communities all over Scotland who are prepared to plant and develop these 'new models' of Church for a changing Scotland. Funding of £1.5m over a 5 year period (from 2009 – 2013) means that £300,000 a year will help towards either equipment or personnel. This will enable a variety of alternative models of Church to take seed.
"Training in community building, mission and building a team are vitally important, and in Scotland there is now an ecumenical group meeting to look at these issues. The Scottish mission shaped ministry Steering Group has representatives from the Church of Scotland, the Scottish Baptist Union and the Salvation Army. As well as the vision day we have run several mission shaped intro courses and the first Scottish mission shaped ministry courses will run in Glasgow and Inverness next year."
Fresh Expressions Director of Training, Andrew Roberts, said, "It was a marvellous day in Glasgow, and we are delighted that mission shaped ministry will be available in Scotland in 2010. This will mean that msm, as it's known, is now available across the UK."
More information about vision days and mission shaped ministry can be found at www.freshexpressions.org.uk/training.
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