INTRODUCTION

During this past year the Committee has taken the opportunity to take stock of its work in light of the current life of the Church and in recognition of the structural changes brought about by the establishment of the three Presbyteries. It has also attempted to look at possible new methods and initiatives which may further encourage growth within the Church.

Mission 2000

The Committee requested Kirk Sessions to assist it in identifying encouragements and proposed developments in mission within their congregations. A significant number of responses were received and these indicated the extent of their present and future work. Among those who responded there were encouraging signs. The Committee, with the agreement of the congregations involved, has begun to share these encouragements and plans with the wider Church through the pages of ‘Stedfast’. In so doing it is hoped this information will enable the Church as a whole to be aware of the growth and various new initiatives occurring within the Church.

Presbyteries

The establishment of the three Presbyteries was felt by the Committee to offer new opportunities to develop evangelism and work amongst young people .It is hoped the concentration of the resources of the Church into just three areas will enable relatively equal development in every Presbytery. Concern was expressed that the work and thinking needed to be better communicated across the whole Church. It was agreed to hold some of the future meetings of the Committee within the bounds of the Presbyteries of the East and North. These would be combined with seminars dealing with matters of concern and need in Evangelism and Youth Work. An initial meeting was held in the Presbytery of the East in November 1997 and it is hoped to meet the Presbytery of the North during 1988. It is further hoped that the relevant Presbytery Committees will have direct representation on the Committee on Evangelism and Youth to enable the best use of the Church’s limited resources.

YOUTH WORK

In consultation with other youth organisations and in contact with youth leaders and Sunday School teachers certain trends and more particularly needs have been identified and require attention by the Church at all levels if this crucial work is to be supported and helped to grow.

1. Listening to Young People In reflecting upon a considerable number of failed events, schemes, programmes and efforts many would agree a primary failure was that of “not listening” to the young themselves. A considerable amount of planning takes place with adult leaders attempting to reason for young people. The problem is exacerbated as the gap between the young and the Church widens and often leaders find they seem to be existing on different planets. It would seem that if the Church is to significantly reach into the world of the young both within and beyond the Church, then it needs to ask, listen and respond. This is not a desire to pander to the wild expectations of the young but to better understand their world with all its pressures and needs. It would seem sensible for the Church at all levels to further develop its communication with the young of the Church and outwith to widen its understanding and to work more effectively.

2. Communication It is clear there exists problems in effectively disseminating information to the correct people. One reason regularly given for poor attendance at events, courses and meetings is that the leaders and teachers targeted do not seem to receive the communication on time. The “youth contact” system is defective. It has been noted that those listed are not always involved in the work and information about future events is not passed on to the young people themselves. This problem can be faced by Presbytery Committees as well and it would seem that this practical problem requires attention. In these days of databases it should be possible to identify the correct people and communicate directly with them. Communication would be further developed with a quarterly Youth Leaders’ newsletter which was relatively successful in the past.

3. Support of Youth Leaders In a number of recent seminars one clearly expressed feeling was that of “neglect”. Many of our leaders and teachers feel once they have been appointed they are on their own. There is a need for the Church to express its support and care for these valued leaders in more obvious and practical ways. This support should involve identifiable and targeted prayer support with regular up-dates on progress and needs. The identification and provision of suitable training opportunities and the provision of adequate resources for the work are also required. The work among young people will advance when the present leadership feels valued , supported and better resourced.

4. Resources It is clear that in the western world the Church is not short of resources with which to work with young people of all ages. The problem is more often what to choose and how to use the material. The Committee and Presbyteries can assist the work of local youth leaders by providing a forum for sharing available resources and, more crucially, materials and methods which have been used and found to be useful. This forum can be an event where leaders meet to speak and share or a centre where available materials are accessible for viewing and trial use. There are also various groups and organisations which can provide hardware such as bouncy castles, parachutes etc. which can be made available at minimal cost. The sharing of such information can be of great assistance. The Committee is also willing to support Presbytery Resource Centres which may house, where appropriate, the materials mentioned above and such items as video players, screens, projectors etc. thereby enabling local groups to widen their activities. This would be developed according to the identified and expressed needs within a particular Presbytery. The Committee also would highlight the Scottish Sunday School Union Trust which gives grants to support certain aspects of work with young people. The aim is to provide where appropriate and better utilise existing resources to advance the work among young people.

Careforce

The Committee was pleased to be of assistance to the congregation of Leith:Ebenezer in its employment of a Careforce worker. The period of service is now coming to an end and the Committee is looking forward to the review of this project. The Committee is also aware that the congregation of Glasgow Cathcart are pursuing a similar appointment.

‘Orbit’

The Committee continues to be indebted to Mrs Netta Begg for her work in setting the ‘Orbit’ competition. There again was widespread participation and a very high standard of entry. It is a useful and effective way of conveying the reality of the wider Church to our young people. The Committee was delighted that Mrs Elizabeth Mackay of our Millerston congregation agreed to take on the role of marker.

Easter Scheme

The 1997 Easter Scheme raised the sum of £4,400 for the work of UNICEF amongst the street children of Brazil. Annually those who receive cheques for these worth-while causes express their thanks for, and amazement at, the significant monies raised. It is surely a great joy to be able to involve the young of the Church in the ministry to the poor and needy. The 1998 scheme is towards the work of TEARFUND in the city of Delhi in India. The ASHA Project is an established Community Development work which seeks to assist the poor of this city in respect of Healthcare, Housing and Employment. Again, our thanks are due to all who participate and contribute to these schemes.

Youth Night

In 1997 the Committee attempted to provide a contemporary Christian band to convey the Gospel to our young people. It was decided to sell tickets for this event and it was hoped a significant number of young people from within and outwith the Church would come along. The event was poorly attended and the Committee has reviewed the matter in some detail. It continues to be a considerable challenge to mount events of relevance and quality when the attendances of young people gives cause for concern. It has been no encouragement at all to be told that “if we had known this would be such a good event we would have brought more young people.” The 1998 Youth Night will be a good event. ACTS Drama are a well known Christian duo who communicate the Gospel with humour and challenge, in a relevant way. It is hoped all congregations will attempt to bring a number of young people to the “Night” and the Committee is convinced they will be more than glad they came and participated. Overnight accommodation is available.

CAMPS AND CONFERENCES

Easter Camp This event was scheduled for 13-17th April 1998 to be held at the Badenoch Christian Centre. It was to be led by Rev Gary Barclay and plans were well underway at the time of writing this report. The camp was for those young people between the ages of 12 and 15 years .The theme of the week was “LOVE IS ...”.

Pioneer Camp This camp is to be held at the Badenoch Christian Centre and is to be led by Miss Shelagh Coulter and her team. It will take place from the 26-28th June and it is hoped a good number of children between the ages of 9 and 11 years will attend.

Joint Youth Conference Due to dwindling numbers in past years and the failure of “The Event” in 1997 the possibility of an ecumenical joint event was explored. The Rev Gary Barclay and Mrs Elaine Tait attended planning meetings for this conference and the venture was set to take place from 13 - 15th March. The venue was Dunnolly House, Aberfeldy. The Scottish Congregational Church and Congregational Federation were also participants.

The Future of Denominational Conferences

The continued difficulties in organising these events and the struggle to motivate enough young people to attend highlights the need for a thorough discussion of this issue. It is hoped the General Assembly will discuss the matter in full and that congregations will consider the matter in advance. The reasons for the demise of these ventures is not fully known. There have been various concerns expressed in the past such as increasing costs, publicity, the programme, clashes of dates, school holidays and a reticence on the part of young people to attend. The Committee is aware that young people are attending other events and their own weekends away. It is important for the Committee to know if there is any further purpose in organising Denominational events or exploring more localised camps or conferences or none.

Working with Young People

The Committee has been involved in the preparation of the guidelines and policy documents in regard to “Working with Young People”. The Committee is pleased this will be presented to the General Assembly and hope it will be approved. It is apparent that Youth Leaders may need reassurance with regards to the guidelines. The Committee is aware of the further need for training and assistance which will be required by Leaders, Ministers, Pastors and Co-ordinators. The Committee will put such help into place as soon as possible.

Youth Work Support

It is recognised by the Committee that lack of finance, particularly in smaller congregations, can be a barrier to new initiatives in youth work. The Committee will be pleased to consider requests for financial assistance from congregations and Presbyteries in organising one-off ventures and longer term projects. It is hoped this offer of financial assistance will be taken up. Application forms for help are available from Church Office.

EVANGELISM

Training Development Officer

The Committee continues to be encouraged by the assistance to the work of mission brought about by the appointment and work of Rev M J Marsden. Although the work of the TDO has been restricted by being a part-time appointment significant contributions have been made in a number of situations. It was noticeable the Mission 2000 responses indicated the TDO had been of great help in the development of mission in various congregations. The TDO has also widened the scope of the Committee’s knowledge of groups and organisations involved in this work. These contacts have brought new insights and established numerous useful contacts. It is clear that a full-time appointment would have considerable benefit to the Committee and the whole Church.

Willow Creek

In the past the Committee has been represented at a number of events organised by Willow Creek. A number of ministers and members attended 2 seminars led by Rev Bill Hybels in the last 12 months. The Committee consider it would benefit from first-hand experience of the work at Willow Creek and agreed that Rev M J Marsden should attend a weeks seminar in Chicago in May. It is hoped that Mr Marsden will be able to report on this experience during the General Assembly.

Day of Prayer

The Committee is indebted to the Rev C Arthur Fraser for providing the material for this year’s Day of Prayer. It is hoped Ascension Day has provided a significant focus for prayer and worship. It is proposed that 14 February will be the date for the Day of Prayer in 1999 as this will be the Sunday at the beginning of Lent. The theme will be “Repentance”. .

Leaders Forum

In 1997, Mr Eddie Lyle of Youth For Christ provided a challenging presentation on the challenges of youth work in the future. These meetings have offered opportunities to explore various aspects of the life of the Church. The Committee continues to be encouraged by the level of support and participation. This year’s Forum will will be led by Rev Liam Golligher of Kirkintilloch Baptist Church who will share some insights from the experience of that congregation.

Elders’ Training

The Church is very fortunate to have the services of 4 dedicated Elder Trainers. The reorganisation of the Presbytery Boundaries has caused some delay in co-ordinating the various Elder Training courses but it is hoped to rectify this in the near future. The need for continuous development is of vital importance to the eldership of the Church. If the Church is to grow then the eldership of the Church requires to be clear in its vision, equipped for its task and on fire for the Lord. This programme can never be understood as a number of one-off courses but rather an ongoing process of growth and spiritual development.

Initiatives in Evangelism

As with youth work, the Committee is desirous of assisting local congregations and Presbyteries in the work of mission. It is the intention of the Committee to give financial support, where appropriate, to those Congregations and Presbyteries which seek to undertake new work and initiatives in evangelism and outreach. It is the belief of the Committee that finance alone should not be a barrier to reaching others for Christ. It is hoped this opportunity will be taken and that further exciting projects will be begun. As with the youth work initiatives, application forms are available from Church Office.

Conclusion

The Committee continues to seek to support the Church in its work of evangelism and in its ministry to the young. It is hoped that the Church will ever be mindful of its calling to “ Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” Mark 16 : 15

In the name of the Committee

ARCHIBALD M. FORD, Convener

GARY J. A. BARCLAY, Vice-Convener

MICHAEL J. MARSDEN, Vice-Convener

JOHN O. FULTON, Secretary