This week the Presbytery Office has been migrating from one IT network connection to another. This required an update to our internet router configuration. And if you think I understand any of that, you'd be wrong. The deadline had originally been the end of September, which meant there was no hurry. However, earlier this week it was announced that everyone needed to migrate by the end of August. A mild panic set in but thankfully the IT Support team (with the help of Peter Johnston) came to the rescue and we're all sorted. A seamless transition as the little black box's lights keep on flashing.
Sometimes part of life or indeed, parts of an organisation, can appear to be like a black box. We see stuff going in and coming out, but we don't know what is going on within. There can be a lack of transparency, and that can be detrimental to building trust.
Within our Presbytery, we aspire to be value-led. One of those values is integrity, and we have described it in this way:
We will be honest and transparent in word and action; building trust throughout Presbytery.
As a Presbytery we are tasked with many many decisions - about people, about buildings, about money, about priorities. And we find ourselves responding to the decisions of others - congregations, Kirk Sessions, the General Trustees and the General Assembly. As a consequence, it is really important that we understand how decisions are reached and how proposals are developed. Meetings can be our opportunity to ask questions of committees and conveners - to hold each of us to account, with grace.
There are times when matters are taken in private because confidentiality is a factor. In those instances, integrity can often be even more important. How we handle the most challenging situations in our shared life will impact the level of trust we build together.
We won't always get things right. But we can be honest about that and hopefully learn from our mistakes.
Following the Service of Union at Aberdeen South on Friday night, our next Presbytery meeting is on Saturday 7th September. Please do register if you are planning to attend (onsite or online).
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/september-presbytery-meeting-tickets-976121946017
We need a good indication of numbers for catering purposes. The papers in the dropbox will be updated soon with supplementary reports. And this is your reminder that if you want an item of business moved from fast track so that it is discussed at the meeting, please be in touch with me.
Rev Stella
