Wishing you all a Joyful Christmas and a year of God’s blessing in 2009

from all at the National Synod of Scotland

We are delighted to announce that a call has been extended to Rev Fran Ruthven, BA, MDiv, Mth,  to this post, and she has accepted.

The post is funded by Special Category Ministry of the United Reformed Church who have judged our project here worthy of support.

The post will be 80% based at Morningside United Church and20% at the Scottish United Reformed and Congregational College.

Fran is a highly experienced minister of the United Church of Christ in the USA. Her present post she has been in since 1994, working as an Interim Minister for the UCC in Massachusetts.  She has a special interest and experience in theological education and ministerial formation.

It is anticipated that Fran will begin her post here on 1^stMarch 2009 or soon after.

In September 2009 the Synod is giving 8 young adults the chance of a lifetime to visit one of the world’s most interesting countries, Cuba.

If you are aged between 18 and 25 (or know someone who is!) and would like to join us then read on.

Our plan is to travel to Cuba for 7-10 days in late September 2009 to visit our partners in the Presbyterian Reformed Church of Cuba and to explore the beautiful Caribbean island. Most the cost of the trip will be met by the United Reformed Church and through grants and donations, so the cost to each person should be minimal.
If possible we would like two people from each Link Group to travel with us.

Because we hope to meet most of the cost of this amazing opportunity we need you to do some work for us. We would like you to tell us why you should go. Tell us how you think the trip would benefit you and how you would tell others about what you see and learn. You can do this in any way you think best. You can write an essay, record a video or whatever you think would best tell why you should come with us to Cuba in 2009.
Send your creation to the Synod of Scotland, CUBA 2009, 340 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 2BQ by the end of January 2009. Don’t forget to include your name, date of birth, church and contact details.
You must be aged between 18 and 25 by 1 September 2009.

LIVING THE QUESTIONS EXPO, 28-29th November 2008

Renfield St Stephen’s Centre, 260 Bath Street, Glasgow.

Part of the Holy City ’sub WAYs’ programme 2008-09 http://www.holycity-glasgow.co.uk/
I’d like to extend a warm invitation to the Living The Questions Expo.
This will be a consultation for past users and a taster for future users.

Living the Questions is a DVD programme for both seekers and long-time church-goers convinced that Christianity still has relevance in the 21st Century. Providing a variety of flexible resources, Living the Questions helps people explore the future of Christianity and what a meaningful faith can look like in today’s world.

It features the likes of Marcus Borg, Jack Spong, Tex Sample, John L. Bell and many others. It’s radical in the way it re-examines the Biblical, historic and cultural sources of Christianity and has been stimulating much interest and enthusiasm over the last few years.

Holy City is hosting this gathering to share insights and experience about how it’s been used… and to create an opportunity for others to find out more. This also offers LTQ (and Saving Jesus etc) users to set up an informal network for mutual encouragement and support.

I hope this interests you and that you might join us in November.

LTQ materials are available in Scotland from the Iona Community’s Wild Goose Publications here: http://www.ionabooks.com/newsite/sections/home/homepage.asp

Or see the LTQ home site: http://www.livingthequestions.com/xcart/home.php

Scottish Youth Ministry is a new online space to join people from around the country to discuss work with young people.

Share you ideas, concerns, big issues and support with each other and even meet up with people near you.

Join up at http://scottishyouthministry.ning.com where you will be made most welcome.