The first day of General Synod started with the Opening Eucharist at which the Most Rev David Chillingworth delivered his Primus’ Charge.
The Primus’ Charge is available to read here
The Rev Dr Harriet Harris launched Grosvenor Essay No 10 – ‘The Church and Scottish Identity’.
The Grosvenor Essay No 10 is available to download here.
Mr David Palmer, Convener of the Standing Committee presented the Annual Report and Accounts of the General Synod of the SEC and gave an overview of Budgets and Quota.
The Very Rev Kelvin Holdsworth gave his final presentation as Convener of the Information and Communication Board and spoke of the ways communications have developed over the 16 years that he has been involved in church communications and how the I&C Board has responded to these changes.
The Rt Rev Dr Bob Gillies, Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney and the Rt Rev Dr Nigel Peyton, Bishop of Brechin presented a session on behalf of the College of Bishops by having a dialogue on Mission and highlighting that Mission is at the heart of who we are as a Church and what we do and that personal faith drives our sense of Mission. Bishop Nigel asked the question what it means to be a church committee in Mission and not just a business meeting. He also suggested that we should look closely at the Acts of the Apostles as they talk about a new church finding its way in a multicultural world – just as the Church today needs to do. The dialogue also referred to the suggestion that all churches should read and respond to their local context as one size does not fit all and churches and their communities vary considerably. Bishop Bob spoke of the importance of prayer for one another – in churches and elsewhere. There is much more to Church than worship on Sunday mornings!
A Rule 10 Motion was presented by Dr Beth Routledge. Voting on whether it was to be taken forward was voted on by ballot. As it failed to achieve the required two thirds majority the Rule 10 Motion will not be debated.
Business of the first day of Synod ended with discussions on the SEC’s relationship with other churches and a presentation by the Rev John Lindsay, Convener of the Inter-Church Relations Committee.
