The Scottish Episcopal Church is firmly committed to mission in Scotland today.
In 2011 the General Synod approved the Whole Church Mission and Ministry Policy. This challenged the church to reshape its life in the cause of mission and growth.
A key element of the Policy is the understanding that the key focus for mission is in the leadership of the bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church in their dioceses.
Across the church, this has become the key dynamic of the life of the church. It has led to strategic planning for mission in congregations.
There is a new focus on the support of clergy and on the development of partnership in ministry between clergy and laity.
A further major development has been the major re-organisation of the Theological Institute of the Scottish Episcopal Church (TISEC) which is responsible for the training of clergy and Lay Readers. This has now become the Scottish Episcopal Institute (SEI) as of August 2014.
The new training body which will emerge will be ‘formation-led’ – placing the spiritual and professional formation of the future clergy at the centre of its thinking. It will also place the training of clergy at the heart of the formation of the whole people of God.
In a deeply secular society, it is easy for churches to become preoccupied with their institutional life and concerns.
The Scottish Episcopal Church has been determined to lay foundations for future growth, bravely reshaping almost every aspect of its life in the cause of mission and growth.
