FOR those of you who don’t really follow what’s happening in church politics, get ready for a great deal of soul searching in our congregations over the next year, as kirk sessions begin to face the reality of what it means to be part of a presbyterian church.
Elders and ministers and church leaders are going to be faced with the challenge of dealing with the bigger picture, especially when it comes to defining the mission of the church beyond our individual congregations. The more profound question in doing so is, can we embrace the radical beauty and glory and enjoyment we are meant to experience in being, in the words of the Archbishop Temple “the only society that exists for the benefit of those who are not its members?”
Over the next few months we’re going to start hearing a great deal about the radical way forward. All sorts of suggestions relating to the restructuring of the church will be coming to the fore at this year’s General Assembly. Larger presbyteries, devolved budgets, a slimmed down executive in our central offices and perhaps, even a new location for what has long become known as 121.