MANY of our congregations have been highlighting the issues that surround refugees who are looking, and longing for a homeland.
During this year’s General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in May I met someone who was trying to do something very practical about the problem. He was on his way to London to speak with government ministers regarding some creative opportunities communities could offer to help integrate refugees into our society. In particular he believed churches had a unique role to play in ‘welcoming strangers’. He highlighted his perception that there are many people who have spare accommodation in their homes, who would be willing to house or partially house a family. Finding a home and a community to live in is part of what it means to be human.
This led me to think about the great responsibility congregations in the Church of Scotland have for the hundreds of thousands of people who have no real spiritual home. Research continually reminds us that we currently have a population of people who no longer go to church, but many retain a spiritual dimension to their lives. A great number of these people would define themselves as Christians and can remember a time when they were heavily involved with church activities.