Presbytery Mailing 16/02/2024

Contents of Mailing:
Joint Event with FAPLT and S4G
Safeguarding Training Session List
Lossiemouth AV Day
Fraserburgh Language Cafe
Magnitude Festival
Shetland Offer
World Day of Prayer
Faith in Scotland’s Constitutional Future
Antisemitism Briefing
Anna Chaplaincy Event

Please find below a number of relevant pieces of information for distribution and consideration by Presbyters.

NENI Presbytery, along with the Faith Action Programme Leadership Team and the Seeds for Growth Committee will be hosting an event for Presbyters and local leaders of congregational life on the 6th of March, starting at 2pm and running until 9pm. The event will be hybrid, with the on-site portion being hosted by Fountainhall at the Cross Church in Aberdeen. Please promote this event to your congregations. Click here to download a flyer for the event and click here to be taken to the Eventbrite page to book your free ticket.

Please find below a list of the upcoming Safeguarding training sessions to be delivered via zoom:

Introductory Safeguarding Training

Advanced Safeguarding Training

Trustee Safeguarding Training

Please use the links provided to register. Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email with details on how to join the meeting.

Your commitment to safeguarding is highly appreciated, and these training sessions play a crucial role in creating a safe and secure environment within our community.

Thank you for your diligence in ensuring the safety and well-being of our congregations.

Best Regards,

Natasha Hepburn, Presbytery Safeguarding Contact

An AV Day in Lossiemouth is scheduled for the 2nd of March, click here to see an picture with details.

Aberdeen Interfaith has asked that we share information about a Language Cafe event in Fraserburgh as they are looking for volunteers to assist with those sessions. Details below.

I'm getting in touch  asking if you would be interested in volunteering for a Language Cafe in Fraserburgh. It would be good to meet up in person and discuss this. If you would prefer to attend rather than lead sessions, then please come along too, as we can discuss the type of language cafe you would like to see and be involved in. 

Wilfred has kindly allowed us to meet at the Fountain of Love church on Cross Street, the same venue that we had the You, Me and a Cup of Tea event.

I hope you can meet us there at 5pm on Thursday the 22nd February.

If you have any secondary school aged young people in your congregation and have wondered about taking them away to a youth event in the summer, this might be of interest.

Magnitude is a festival organised by SU Scotland. It’s happening on the 20th-24th July at Lendrick Muir, near Kinross. Magnitude is for young people of secondary school age to explore their faith, worship together and have a lot of fun doing so.

We know there are some churches who would love to take their young people away, but the prospect of organising this for a small group is a bit daunting. The CofS are hosting a ‘village’, so you can camp with and get to know groups from other churches and they’ll organise the catering, a marquee to gather in and a hoody for £35/pp on top of the festival ticket cost (£159-£195 depending on when it’s booked). This is being coordinated by Suzi Farrant, the national Youth and Young Adults Development Worker

If you’d like to find out more, they’re running a couple of info sessions on Thurs 15th Feb 8-9pm and Tues 20th Feb 10:30-11:30am- same content just at different times.

Zoom ID: 858 4455 9424

Passcode: 302003

Dear Presbytery Colleagues,

If you have visited Shetland before, then you know how beautiful it is. And if you haven't, it is surely on your bucket list. But we know how expensive it is to get here, and how hard it can be to find holiday lets. So you might be interested in this offer from Shetland Church of Scotland, which will at least sort out your accommodation.

We are always looking for pulpit supply , especially around the summertime. Meanwhile, we have a fully furnished manse in Lerwick, the ground floor of which also serves as our office. We offer this manse to colleagues on a self-catering basis for almost free - the only cost is taking two Sunday morning services for every week you stay! This offer is open to all ministers,  deacons, lay preachers, and MDS workers who are accustomed to leading worship. We do not expect you to do any other church duties, so the rest of the week would be yours. However, you will need to fund your own travel, and you will also most likely need a car on Shetland, whether you bring one on the ferry or hire one while you are here.

The manse has two double bedrooms and two single bedrooms, with an additional sofa bed in the living room, so you are welcome to bring family or friends. Friendly dogs are also welcome.  Please note that all the accommodation is upstairs, except for the kitchen/dining room and a shower room. We supply sheets and towels. There is no television, but we have good wifi, and plenty books and games.

So if this appeals for either a holiday or a retreat space - or somewhere to write that dissertation at last - then please do get in touch with me and/or  our Administrator Frances Richardson at the Parish Office. We'll be happy to answer any questions you have, and to work out dates that might suit. We do have some dates booked already, but still plenty of spaces left.

Blessings,

Fran Henderson

Shetland Church of Scotland

World Day of Prayer is coming up soon and there will be a number of Ecumenical Services held in Aberdeen City, click here or here for posters with details.

"Faith in Scotland's Constitutional Future" is a project of the School of Critical Studies / Theology & Religious Studies at the University of Glasgow, led by Professor Heather Walton and the Rev Dr Doug Gay. This is an ecumenical, non-partisan and politically/constitutionally neutral research project exploring how folk in churches relate faith to constitutional questions in Scotland.

As part of this project, twelve regional events for church members/adherents are taking place around Scotland. There will be an event at Kirkwall East Church (King Street Halls) on Saturday 9th March between 12:00 and 15:00. You and the members of your congregation(s) are cordially invited and very welcome to come. Admission is free. The organisers are very grateful to the Rev Julia Meason and the congregation of Kirkwall East Church for helping to facilitate this.

After video presentations from four Christians prominent in Scottish politics (two pro-Union and two pro-Independence) the discussion will involve listening respectfully to one another’s positions and arguments. This will aim towards relating this difficult and emotive topic to the common Christian faith of participants.
Click here for a poster for church noticeboards.

You are welcome at an antisemitism briefing for Christian leaders with the Board of Deputies, the Community Security Trust, and the Union of Jewish Students. Full details and a registration form are here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thecouncilofchristiansandjews/1141066

FAITH IN OLDER PEOPLE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ANNA CHAPLAINCY IS HOLDING AN EVENT ON WEDNESDAY 20TH MARCH 2024 BY ZOOM 10-12.30am

Practical approaches for spiritual care among older people- the potential of Anna Chaplaincy

There will be small group discussion and information about the specific training to become an Anna Chaplain.

Confirmed speaks include:

  • Rt Rev Sally Foster-Fulton, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
  • Professor John Swinton, University of Aberdeen, Chair of Divinity and Religious Studies
  • Dr Donald Macaskill, CEO Scottish Care

BOOKING FEE £20.00 - TO BOOK YOUR PLACE PLEASE CLICK here