During General Synod, the Information and Communication Board presented a new ‘welcome’ video, telling people something of who we are and how we as a church can be with the people of Scotland in the complexities of their lives. You can watch the video here
A series of videos will be produced from this ‘welcome’ video over the next few months; highlighting people, places and activities featured in the ‘welcome’ video.
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A new online magazine and forum – pisky.scot – was launched by the church’s Information & Communication Board at this year’s General Synod. Pisky.scot is designed to be a forum for information, articles, the proactive curating of blog posts from across the Scottish Episcopal Church and beyond, and the telling of our stories through word, image, sound and video; and will hopefully provide a challenging yet safe space to encourage dialogue and debate.
We are looking for contributions from across the church to pisky.scot so please get in touch with Aidan Strange, Digital Communications Co-ordinator to share your thoughts, views, stories, videos, images. Aidan can be contacted at AidanS@scotland.anglican.org
Items can also be submitted directly to pisky.scot under the ‘submit a post’ menu item.
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As most readers will be aware, a key part of this year’s General Synod was the second reading of the proposed change of the church’s Canon on Marriage (Canon 31). Following a range of contributions from a number of Synod members, General Synod voted in favour of altering the church’s Canon on Marriage to remove the definition that marriage is between a man and a woman, and add a new section that acknowledges that there are different understandings of marriage which now allows clergy to solemnise marriage between same sex couples as well as couples of the opposite sex. The revised canon also stipulates that no member of clergy will be required to solemnise a marriage against their conscience.
The voting was in three ‘houses’ of General Synod, namely Bishops, Clergy, Laity and required a two thirds majority to pass. The voting results were:
For Against
Bishops 4 – 80% Bishops 1 – 20%
Clergy 42 – 67.7% Clergy 20 – 32.3%
Laity 50 – 80.6% Laity 12 – 19.4%
Responding to the voting outcome, the Most Rev David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church said “This is the end of a long journey. There was the Cascade Process involving people across our church – the Doctrine Committee paper which explored whether a Christian understanding of marriage could extend to same sex couples. We have studied, thought and prayed.
“In the life of the church, end points are often also starting points. This is a momentous step. By removing gender from our marriage canon, our church now affirms that a same sex couple are not just married but are married in the sight of God. They can ‘leave and cleave’. They can express in marriage a commitment to lifelong faithfulness to one another and to the belief that a calling to marriage is for them too a calling to love, forgiveness, sacrifice, truth. A new chapter opens up – inclusion has taken a particular form. But this same decision is difficult and hurtful for others whose integrity in faith tells them that this decision is unscriptural and profoundly wrong. For them this new chapter will feel like an exclusion – as if their church has moved away from them.
“So the journey which we now begin must also be a journey of reconciliation.
“Every faith community must face the issues which are bound up with human sexuality – in their own way and in their own time. Others will arrive at answers different from ours. And the Anglican Communion, which is embedded in our history and to which we are passionately committed – the Anglican Communion will have to explore whether its historic commitment to unity in diversity can embrace this change.
“I have said this many times before: a vote in General Synod changes the canonical position of our church. But it cannot lay to rest the deep differences which this question exposes in this and every other faith community.
“The new Canon itself affirms that there are differing views of marriage in our church. Nobody will be compelled to do anything against their conscience. We affirm that we are a church of diversity and difference, bound together by our oneness in Christ. We shall carry forward in our life two honourable and historic understandings of marriage – one which sees the marriage of same sex couples as an expression of Christ-like acceptance and welcome – and another which says that the traditional view of marriage is God-ordained and scripturally defined.
“That is the journey. That is now the calling of this church. We must and we shall address it with truth, graciousness and acceptance of one another.”
The College of Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church will now adopt pastoral guidelines and principles to enable clergy who so wish to be nominated to the Registrar General for authorisation to solemnize weddings of same sex couples.
There has been widespread media coverage of General Synod’s decision to amend the Canon on Marriage – this included an interview with the Primus on BBC Radio 4 Sunday Programme on Sunday 11 June – you can listen to the interview here
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General Synod this year highly commended a joint report Climate Change Action and Fossil Fuel Investments from the Church in Society Committee and Investment Committee on Climate Change Action and Fossil Fuel Investments and, highly conscious of its responsibilities as a Christian Church, passed the Motion which:
A) Calls on all members, congregations and Dioceses to develop approaches consistent with a low carbon economy;
B) Encourages the Church in Society and Investment Committees to work with and as part of the Church Investors Group as a means of informing and setting the Scottish Episcopal Church’s policy on investment in an era of climate change and helping small investors to implement such policies;
C) Seeks to follow the example of other churches in restricting its direct investments in companies deriving over 10% of their revenues from the extraction of thermal coal or tar sands;
D) Asks for an annual meeting with the Scottish Episcopal Church’s Investment Managers, currently Baillie Gifford, at which the means of agreeing any limits to investments in companies with a poor environmental profile and encouraging the use of targets and processes suggested by the Church Investors Group might be discussed;
E) Seeks to put in place a mechanism, which would allow the policy of the Church Investors Group on voting at company meetings, to be put into effect;
F) Encourages the Scottish Episcopal Church Pension Fund Trustees to follow similar approaches.
The Investment and Church in Society Committees will continue to work together in implementing the recommendations of the report.
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At last year’s General Synod members welcomed the establishment of Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees (SFAR) – an interfaith body seeking to co-ordinate the work of Christian churches across Scotland, Interfaith Scotland, the Muslim Council for Scotland and the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities in their support of refugees. Through its Church in Society Committee, the Scottish Episcopal Church provides grant funding to support the work of SFAR. The offering made during this year’s opening Synod Eucharist was also in support of SFAR – a total of £1,339 was raised. More information about SFAR can be obtained from its website at: http://www.sfar.org.uk/
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The Rev Canon Lisa Eunson died on 17 June 2017, aged 63. Lisa was Rector, St Ternan, Banchory and Kincardine O’Neil since 2006 and was the Diocesan Placement Coordinator (2008-11) and the Provincial Lay Learning Network Convener (2015-17). In 2014 Lisa was made a Canon of the Cathedral Church of St Andrew, Aberdeen. Further details can be read on the Aberdeen & Orkney website https://aoepiscopal.scot/lisa-eunson-rip/
The funeral of Rev Canon Lisa Eunson will take place on Saturday 1st July at 12 noon in St Ternan’s Church, Banchory. All welcome. The service will be followed by a private service of cremation.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Green Shoots Trust by contacting trustee Ken Elliott at kmdelliott@aol.com.
Louise Counsell has asked if any thoughts/occasions/happenings/quotes particular to Lisa could be sent to her for inclusion in a song she is writing about Lisa. Louise can be contacted at louisecounsell2017@outlook.com
The Rev Nick Bowry was ordained Priest at St Clement, Mastrick, Aberdeen on 17 June 2017.
The Very Rev Dr Graham Forbes CBE, retired as Provost at the St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh on 10 June 2017.
The Rev David Smout died on 26 May 2017, aged 80. David served in non-Stipendiary Ministry, St Ebba’s, Eyemouth (2003-2017).
The Rev Richard Cornfield was appointed Pioneer Priest at Mustard Seed, Edinburgh on 25 May 2017, having previously served as Associate Rector St Paul’s & St George’s, Edinburgh. Mustard Seed is a new community of Mission based at St Margaret’s, Easter Road, Edinburgh.
The Rev Russell Ingham died on 8 May 2017, aged 78. Following a Chaplaincy in St Mary’s Cathedral Glasgow from 1964-69, he became Warden of St John’s Youth Centre Tuebrook in the Diocese of Liverpool from 1969-71, he then became Rector at St Mary the Virgin, Port Glasgow and Rector at St Andrews All Saints Saint Andrews from 1977-91 before becoming Vicar at Ruislip St Martin London 1991-94 and Chaplin at Ankara Diocese Europe from 1996-00. He retired in 2004.
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The Bishop of Edinburgh, the Rt Rev Dr John Armes, has appointed the Rev John Conway as the new Provost of St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh. John Conway has been the Rector of St Martin of Tours, Gorgie/Dalry in Edinburgh since 2001 and will take up his new role as Provost in September.
Commenting on his appointment, John Conway said “The Cathedral, with its prominent location in the centre of Edinburgh, its wonderful liturgies and excellent music, and its wider role in the life of our cosmopolitan city, is a central focus of our Diocese and our common mission to respond in faith to God. Working with the Bishop and the Cathedral team I relish the opportunity to build on and develop those roles.
“The Cathedral is also the spiritual home of a flourishing congregation, faithful members mingling with the curious who are maybe simply passing through. Some of the members of the Cathedral may have been around long enough to remember me from my time as Cathedral Chaplain. I look forward to seeing and serving them again, as I get to know the whole congregation, and help us live out our calling to serve our city and our Diocese.”
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In March 1974 a small group of Scottish Episcopalians met in
St Paul’s Cathedral, Dundee, for a celebration of the Eucharist in Gaelic. After the Service it was decided that a Gaelic Society of the Scottish Episcopal Church should be formed. The Society extends a welcome to all and any enquiries regarding joining it should be made to the Secretary, the Very Rev Emsley Nimmo on alexander306@btinternet.com
A Gaelic Mass will be held in St Andrew’s Cathedral, Aberdeen on Saturday 24 June at 3.30 pm – to celebrate St Moluag,founder of the Diocese of Aberdeen 566AD.
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The Archbishop of Canterbury’s advisor for Peace and Reconciliation, Sarah Snyder, will be the keynote speaker at the Mothers’ Union General Meeting on Saturday 30 September, 10.30am to 3.30pm, at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC).
Mothers’ Union are extending the invitation to all church members and friends to attend this meeting. The theme of Peace and Reconciliation will be echoed throughout the day I discussions and presentations. Cost £15; purchase on line. Further information from Hilary Moran at hilary.moran@btinternet.com
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The Primus, the Most Rev. David Chillingworth, speaks on Radio 4’s the Sunday Programme about the Scottish Episcopal Church’s decision to amend its marriage canon and allow nominated clergy to conduct marriages of same-sex partners.
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We are a congregation in a long established church dating from 1869, in the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney. We are located on the Main Street of the village of Alford, some 25 miles west of Aberdeen on the A944.
