Weekly Church news from the pews and around our organisations and groups.
WINTER CHRONICLE
Articles, News, Stories, Memories etc should be with Alan Mathde by 12th November.
Preferably by email to hello@bellshillcentral.church
The printed version will cover December, January and February. Please make sure any events taking place are included.
Wow! I think we’ve finally recovered from such a wonderful day with our Celebration Service, Communion and Celebration Lunch.
We thoroughly enjoyed sharing in the happiness with our guests, including Mary Hernon (depute Lord Lieutenant), Steven Bonnar MP, Rev Alan Mckenzie, Rev Jim Zambonini, Rev Iain Murdoch, family members of Rev Albert Thomson and many more.
A hugg thank you to our locum Minister, Rev Margaret Rose, our Session Clerk, organist for organising the service. A massive shout out to our hard working and committed fundraising and social team for their wonderful Celebration lunch. We were utterly spoiled!
On Saturday 21st October, we held our Anniversary Open Day. The remnants of Storm Babet could not dampen our enthusiasm!
We welcomed some familiar faces and old friends to browse our displays and exhibitions.
We were thrilled to have Profession Robin Webster give us a fascinating presentation on his father’s work, and on our own fine collection of Arts and Crafts stained glass windows.
It was a delight to have our oldest member come along, Sadie Nisbet, to view our displays and reminisce on many happy memories. Sadie can vaguely recall Rev Esson Gillon, who was our minister prior to 1942!
Tuesday night, the presbytery voted to defer action on the draft plan presented by the Mission Planning Action Group (MPAG).
Among many issues raised, the most significant problem was the decision made by the MPAG to dissolve three congregations in the presbytery, including Quarter Parish Church, just outside Hamilton. These decisions were unexpected and which no justifications or rationales were provided. There were a number of rulings without explanation, a pattern which was repeated throughout the entirety of the 148-page report. Over and again, decisions were made by the MPAG that often bore little resemblance to the planned intentions of the local clusters. In the end, this proved unacceptable to the presbytery.
A countermotion was presented and debated at length which, when finally passed had the effect of deferring the Draft Mission Plan until such time that the MPAG was able to provide justification for their decisions. In effect, the presbytery asked the MPAG to ‘show its workings,’ and the manner by which their decisions were made.
The convener of the MPAG promptly resigned, leaving the committee without leadership and arguably redundant.
What happens next? In the short term, nothing, but the decision of the presbytery will not be well-received by the General Assembly. Presbytery mission plans were to be completed by December 2022, meaning ours was already 9 months late. Tuesday night’s decision will likely put final passage of the Plan well into 2024. Presently, the Presbytery Clerk will be conferring with the Principal Clerk of the Assembly seeking advice as to ways forward.
The Draft plan presented will remain the starting point for ongoing discussions until the presbytery either takes it forward or devises a new plan. In the meantime, congregations across the presbytery will not be allowed to seek or call a minister and property work will be limited to keeping buildings wind and watertight. In effect, our ministry will remains paused until the plan is finally passed at some point in the future.
We are encouraged to continue working with cluster partners in local Mission and outreach, as we continue to seek God’s will and direction whilst being Christ filled and centred and a witnessing, worshipping community.
BELLSHILL: CENTRAL PARISH CHURCH OF SCOTLAND 