Minister’s Message 9 February
Dear Friends
Let me update you on some of the outcomes of united Kirk Session meetings since the turn of the year.
We have agreed that the following Teams will be established to oversee different areas of the life and mission of the united parish.
The Worship and Discipleship Team will support the organisation of Sunday and Midweek services, prayer groups and housegroups but will also develop activities that have to do with training and the deepening of faith. The Fellowship and Pastoral Team will oversee the pastoral care of the congregation and will support and develop congregational groups. The Youth and Families Team will (unsurprisingly) seek to develop strategies for growing the church for a new generation while the Outreach and Community Team will be involved in outward-facing aspects of church life and in the sharing of the Christian message with our neighbours. And to ensure that the mission of the church is appropriately resourced and supported, there will be a Service Team with sub-committees for Administration and Communication, Finance and Property.
Each team will be convened by an elder but membership of the teams is open to all interested members of the congregation. It may also be that some members while not wanting to serve on a 'committee' would like to be associated with the work of a particular team and to support the work of the Team in practical ways. Please pray about the role you might play going forward.
Sunday services between now and the summer will be weekly at Fossoway (9.45am), Kinross (10.30am) and Orwell (10.30am) with monthly services at Cleish (first Sunday of the month at 11.15am) and Portmoak (last Sunday of the month at 3pm in March and 6.30pm from April to June) with a review taking place thereafter. You are welcome (and encouraged) to attend one of the other churches from time to time just as those from elsewhere are welcome in Kinross.
I need to report, sadly, that the Rev Beverley Stevenson will be retiring at the end of February from her role as Locum for Cleish and Fossoway and as Interim Moderator in the vacancy for the second parish minister. Rev Marc Prowe, one of the ministers in the Carse of Gowrie Kirk will become Interim Moderator from 1st March and will lead the process towards finding a new minister. Steps are being taken to find Locum cover until the vacancy is filled. The Presbytery Advisory Committee will be having an initial meeting with the Kirk Session on 26th February to set the vacancy process going. As has already been mentioned, this will involve the election of a Nominating Committee of members from all the churches so please consider who from Kinross might serve on that committee.
With all prayerful good wishes.
Alan
Rev A.D. Reid