7th. June. 2021. Daily Devotion.
For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. ~ 1 Cor. 12:12
A Pastoral Letter from the Moderator of Fife Presbytery
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
We have recently celebrated Pentecost, the Day of Fire and tempestuous wind.
Our outgoing moderator, Very Rev Dr Martin Fair described his year in office as, a year like no other. His words are startling, because experiencing strange and disrupting times can be paralysing. In the teeth of such a violent gale, being cruelly tossed and turned is frightening, overwhelming. However, Martin’s repeated mantra in his barnstorming General Assembly sermon offers a different way – less paralysis and a call to loving arms, We have work to do!
This year’s General Assembly has taken decisions like no other. Assembly has agreed the numbers of ministries each presbytery can call. Fife Presbytery’s callings have moved from our current status of 58.5FTE ministries to an allocated 44.5FTE which includes Mission Development Staff, Deacons and Ministers of Word and Sacrament. Of our current 65 churches we have 15 vacancies and 11 guardianships.
Presbytery Planning will be called Mission Planning and all presbyteries must agree and submit their new Mission Plan to the Presbytery Planning Task Group (PPTG) and have it accepted by 31st December 2022. Below is a link to Life & Work’s summary of reports given and decisions made across the wider Church and I
commend it to you. Two further critical changes agreed at Assembly are that by 2025 the Church can afford 600 ministers (Not the current 700) and 60 vacancies at one time (not the current 299). We have work to do, which I suggest is work to make us ship shape for Gospel mission. The convenor of the Faith Nurture Forum Rev Rosie Frew said, We are draining the resources of the church – people, morale, finance – just to keep this broken system going. Our report offers us a chance to thrive, to lay down the burdens that are exhausting us.
Far from being paralysed and fettered, however Assembly heard a defiant and determined response and call in our new moderator’s sermon near the end of Assembly week. Lord Wallace’s text was from the Book of Acts 11, which describes the twin horrors of persecution against the Church following Stephen’s death, and a prediction of famine which went on to devastate the Empire during the reign of Claudius. Jim highlighted how Barnabas, Saul, Agabus and other disciples set to, energised and enabled by the Lord’s hand upon them they thrived because they responded kindly and compassionately. They supplied food and help, sacrificially, Each as they were able providing help for brothers and sisters living in Judea.
We too have been assailed by twin horrors. The devastating decline in the numbers of people attending church or seeing the Church as relevant. Is this not is a modern day form of persecution, a form of passive attack? Then the pandemic ravaged the earth, which is not dissimilar to the C1st famine plague. The message from scripture, the message from our two moderators is to shun paralysis and dismay in their vicious wake, to get busy, to discern new and on-going needs, and with the Lord’s hand upon us dream dreams and do greater things than we can imagine. Good news stories of fresh thinking and new practise are already growing locally. In the coming months it will be good to share these as living stones, living examples of what we may do. Building on the conversations and consultations which have taken place in past years, further opportunities to meet with congregations and work with you towards new goals are being planned: With the Lord’s hand upon us we will surely thrive!
Dear Friends, we are in the teeth of the gale, which is not a new thing for the Church of Jesus Christ! How we reform our mission and our love for God’s world together, is an old care and now it’s in our hands! Now, we are being trusted to harness the wind and feed the scorching fire already gifted for cleansing and refining. With such power, it is our calling to help re-new the earth and all God’s people, in the guise of the new Fife Presbytery family.
Blessings and peace in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Rev Jane Barron
Moderator, Fife Presbytery
A Prayer for a Spiritual Harnessing
Creating God,
You made everything; you are making everything.
Everything which breathes is a work in progress.
We are a work in progress.
Newly Born Christ,
A storm whips up and disturbs the comfortable sea.
We are afraid.
You are surprised.
Risky Wild Spirit,
Your energy fired a Genesis beam and lit the universe.
You are miracle.
Blaze the same in us, we pray. Amen.
