Posted Wednesday 19 September 2007
Group Convenor Rev Sandy Montgomerie reports on the Group’s activities during 2006 and 2007:
It has been an exciting year for Ecumenical Relations both at home and abroad. Here are some snippets to give you a taste of what’s happening and where.
St John’s, Dumfries, have agreed on a covenanted partnership and will become a Local Ecumenical Partnership (LEP) with the Methodist Church in Scotland. On 30th September this agreement will be signed in St John’s and will form part of the ‘Big Sing’ service being held that afternoon.
St Andrew’s, Irvine, continue the discussions in forming a LEP between themselves and the Church of Scotland. They have shared the building for many years and now the possibility of signing a covenant and constitution seems imminent. This commitment will deepen the ecumenical links that already exist between the two congregations. More good news soon we hope.
Drumchapel Churches Partnership are looking to future ministry in their area and have plans are well in advance for an Ecumenical Ministry Team.
We enjoyed the presence of the delegation from Gothenburg in January. The service at St Mary’s Cathedral inspired the visit and which confirmed the signing of a covenant within the Porvoo Communion.
Bishop Idris led a group to Gothenburg in May and we were asked to take part in discussion concerning the future of a Conference Centre run by the Gothenburg Diocese. They have plans now to develop this into a retreat centre and possibly a place of pilgrimage.
The Dean, with support from the ministry development group took part in an ordination at Gothenburg in June. Maria Liffe, one of the priests ordained that day will join the ministry team at St Ninian’s, Pollokshields in January for three months.
Another appointment has been made at Christ Church, Lanark, and Rev Dan Gafvert has joined us from Gothenburg.
Two Mothers Union representatives were invited in August to the Women’s International Gathering in Sweden. The subject of the conference was based on The World Council of Churches’ Decade to Overcome Violence, 2001-2010, and women from churches throughout the world joined with women from Sweden in this gathering.
On 2nd September the choir from St Ninian’s, Pollokshields, visited a parish in Gothenburg, returning the visit the Swedish choir had made last year to Glasgow.
Another invitation was extended in September to a Conference on Worship and nine people from Glasgow and Galloway set off for this five day symposium. They were joined by the choir from Holy Trinity, Ayr, who had been called upon to sing Evensong on the Sunday evening of the conference at the cathedral in Gothenburg.
Altogether a significant number of us have enjoyed the hospitality and energy of sharing with our friends in Gothenburg this year.
We must add the possibility of the links between our congregations and parishes in the Gothenburg diocese. Already there are seven congregations wishing to explore linking with our Swedish friends and the process for this has already begun, more good news of this development should appear soon.
If you would like to know more or have any ecumenical news to share, please do not hesitate to contact me at Sandy.Montgomerie@btinternet.com.
Category: Ecumenical Relations Action Network
