‘Look up at the snake on the staff, not at the ones crawling round your feet’. Words spoken by the Rt Revd Sally Foster-Fulton (above) to the assembled company of Church of Scotland Deacons at their 90th Council meeting held in Queen Margaret University, Musselburgh last weekend – to which event four SEC Deacons had very kindly been invited.
In her reflection upon that story from Numbers and on the scripture which formed the theme of the Conference –Isaiah 43.1 – the Moderator urged Deacons to embrace ever greater levels of courage and confidence at a time when so much, both in the world and in the Church, feels fragile. ‘It is OK to feel afraid’, she said; ‘indeed, it is only natural at times. But God’s message is about not being afraid’.
The rest of the Conference, a packed 2-day programme of lectures, discussion and worship, focussed upon the ‘calling’ and ‘assurance’ inherent in the Isaiah verse. It was designed to help the company address their identity and vocation, to encourage them to be proactive in articulating that particular calling to others, especially those in discernment or at ‘apprenticeship’ level, and to reaffirm their sense of the ecclesial ‘legitimacy’ of this expression of ministry. Prominent members of the Faith Action Programme Leadership Team, the People and Training Team, and the Theological Forum – Kay Cathcart, Angus Mathieson, Liam Fraser and the Moderator – all assured Deacons of the value and need for their gifts and ministries within the whole people of God.
While many stories were shared of significant, faithful and highly effective community ministries happening in chaplaincy settings, listening services, care homes and homelessness agencies at local level, the overarching narrative was of the voice of the Church of Scotland diaconate not having been properly represented or heard hitherto within the higher courts of the church. But thankfully, the narrative was not all gloomy. Hope was also in the air, thanks to the General Assembly’s recent endorsement of the Diaconate Council’s plan to use endowment funds to create a part-time Development Worker post to research and shape proposals for the future of the Diaconate, and to bring these to a future Assembly.
The primary value of the two days was, as always in such conferences, the friendships made and the conversations held ‘in the gaps’. As well as learning much from their brothers and sisters, the four SEC Deacons extended an invitation to those in training for the Church of Scotland diaconate to audit a Common Awards module on Community Development in the autumn term, discussed some recent SEC thinking about the diaconate with Dr Fraser, and urged that any existing red tape as regards the mutual sharing of student placements might be cut. Indeed kept underlining the value of thinking and working ecumenically wherever possible ‘in practical and prophetic ways on the social, political and ethical issues arising from our shared participation in public life’ (St Andrew Declaration).
The photo shows, from left, SEC Deacons Susan Ward, Norma Higgott and Valerie Cameron
Photos courtesy of Val Cameron and Anne Tomlinson
