The Overseas Committee works under several portfolios:
Africa and Asia
These portfolios seek to assist projects, people and initiatives that come as a response to the call and challenge of Jesus:
“I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.”
Matthew 25:35-37
Projects must be seen as helping people to help themselves and to develop their own communities. They include helping disabled people with equipment and trained teachers, responding to disaster and emergency appeals, supporting health clinics dealing with HIV/AIDS and malaria, enabling churches to develop their work.
Overseas Companions
Every diocese in Scotland is encouraged to establish links with a least two overseas dioceses, from both north and south. Companionship raises many issues. The challenges come from differences, and relationships need to be built on mutual indebtedness and prayerful support of each other. Creating a spiritual community of people in partnership with each other is a world issue, and is not an optional extra. Grants are made available to assist visits and hospitality.
Justice, Peace and Creation
The Justice, Peace and Creation (JPC) Network is shared with the Church in Society Committee. It seeks to encourage congregations to take an interest in global issues which are important also here in Scotland. Fair Trade, climate change, slavery, debt in the developing world are some of the current concerns. Links to other large campaigning organisations extend the local into the global. We are alive to the initiatives in dioceses and open to changes elsewhere which influence what we do as a church and how we do it.
Education
Many of the grants awarded under this portfolio enable theological education. Applications vary, from PhD students in theology, to basic primary school instruction, from vocational training to ecumenical conferences. We always aim to benefit the church and the community not just the individual.
Overseas Committee grants fall into five categories:
- scholarships overseas in a number of established colleges and universities;
- support for educational programmes;
- fees to enable early schooling;
- assistance with cost of vocational training such as nursing and agriculture;
- equipping schools
The committee prefers to fund students in colleges near their homes, but also considers grants towards study in this country.
Small Grants
The Small Grants provision covers individual members of the SEC who intend to make a visit overseas for Christian service, such as during a career break, a short visit or a GAP year. It also provides small grants throughout the world primarily in countries not covered by the Africa and Asia portfolios.
