1. The Church Of Scotland Structure and Workings

2. The Middle Ages ReformationCovenanters National Church Disruption and Reunion The Church of Scotland today The Early Years History Iona

3. History The Early Years About 400AD, St Ninian began the first large- scale Christian mission to Scotland from Whithorn, converting many Pictish people to the new faith. The great heroic figure of the early story is St Columba, the Irish prince-in- exile, who crossed to the island of Iona later in the fifth century.

4. History The Middle Ages In the centuries that followed, as Scotland began to find its identity as a nation, and hundreds of years of tension with her English neighbours to the South began, the Church adopted the Roman, not Celtic, practices of work and worship. The papacy however allowed Scotland to be independent of England for church purposes.

5. History Reformation The Reformation in Scotland came to its head in the 1560s, John Knox is famous for head-to-head debates with Mary, Queen of Scots, the Catholic Queen who returned from France and tried to remain loyal to the Roman system. By the end of the 16th century, the Protestant Church of Scotland had developed into a Presbyterian Church, with a strong tradition of preaching and Scriptural emphasis.

6. History Covenanters The Church of Scotland was a key player since it was reformed in the 16th century. It was not all plain sailing from then on, however, especially after the crowns of Scotland and England were united in 1603. Attempts by Charles I and Charles II to control the Kirk met with protest. Many years of struggle continued amongst factions with different views. Known as the Covenanters they continued to proclaim their faith, even resorting to holding open- air services.

7. History National Church The succession of William and Mary to the throne in 1688 changed the situation, and the Revolution Settlement of 1690 finally established the reformed, Presbyterian Church as the National Church of Scotland.

8. History Disruption and Reunion Controversy and division were common in the Church between 1750 and 1850, when there was considerable concern about the Church's relations with the State. The largest division was the Disruption of 1843, a major split which saw about one third of the Kirk break away to form what came to be the Free Kirk.

9. History Disruption and Reunion The next 90 years were spent removing the causes of division, and reuniting several Churches, all of them Presbyterian, so that today the Church of Scotland is the largest Protestant Church in the country

10. History The Church of Scotland Today The process of reunion gave the Church of Scotland an opportunity to resolve once and for all how it wanted to govern itself and how it wanted to relate to the state. Today the Church of Scotland lives in the creative tension of serving a nation, offering the ordinances of religion and also providing a prophetic Gospel voice through parish ministry and national engagement of many kinds.

11. History Women in The Church Women were only made eligible for ministerial ordination in 1968, one year after a group of six women made a ground-breaking appeal to the General Assembly for them to be allowed to be fully ordained ministers of word and sacraments. This was only two years after women were permitted to be ordained to the office of the eldership. The first woman elder in the Church of Scotland was ordained on 19 June 1966.

12. History The Church of Scotland’s Governing System. The Church of Scotland's Governing System is Presbyterian which means that no one person or group within the Church has more influence or say than any other.

13. History The Church of Scotland. Karl Barth, a German theologian, coined the Latin phrase, Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda. It means that the reformed Church is always reforming and changing, always in a state of flux and today is no different.

14. History The Church of Scotland. The emblem of the Church of Scotland is the burning bush set on the saltire of St Andrew. This relates to the episode in the book of Exodus where Moses encounters the living God in the desert.

15. History The Church of Scotland. The burning bush also symbolises the living presence of God within the life of the Church.

16. History The Church of Scotland. The Church’s motto: Nec tamen consumebatur translates as not however consumed.

17. Presbyterian The Church of Scotland's governing system is Presbyterian which means that no one person or group within the Church has more influence or say than any other.

18. History The Church of Scotland. Presbyterian governance means government by Presbyteries as opposed for example to government by Bishops in an Episcopal Church or by Congregations in a Congregational Church.

19. Church of Scotland Government is Organised on the Basis of Courts. National Level The General Assembly. The General Assembly consists of around 400 ministers, 400 elders, and members of the diaconate, all representing the presbyteries. District Level The Presbytery of Ardrossan. Presbyteries consist of all the ministers in the district and an equal number of elders. Elders representing congregations and balancing elders. Local level, St. Columba’s Parish Church the Court is a Kirk Session. Kirk Sessions oversee the local congregation and its parish, and consist of elders presided over by a minister.

20. The General Assembly Is the superior court of the Church and is responsible for Church policy, organisation and discipline of the Church is made up of mainly of ministers and elders who are commissioned by the Presbyteries on a rota basis. In both the Presbyteries and the General Assembly there should be an approximately equal number of ministers and elders to prevent the clergy from being in a dominating position in the Church.

21. The General Assembly The General Assembly progresses its work through the Councils of the General Assembly:-

22. The General Assembly The Ministries Council The Mission and Discipleship Council The World Mission Council The Church and Society Council The Social Care Council The Council of Assembly

23. The General Assembly These councils are responsible for different areas of the church’s work. Here is a quick summary of the areas of work covered by the Councils of the General Assembly

24. The General Assembly Supporting a variety of ministries for the Church, from the first stirring of a 'call' through to retirement. Ministries Council :-

25. The General Assembly Promoting an overall focus for mission and developing resources for congregations. Mission and Discipleship:-

26. The General Assembly Internationally to share the gospel, support theological education and encourage holistic ministry World Mission Working:-

27. The General Assembly Engaging in the national, political and social issues affecting Scotland and the world today. Church and Society:-

28. The General Assembly (CrossReach) Offering services in Christ's name and specialist resources to further the caring work of the Church to people in need. Social Care Council:-

29. The General Assembly Setting priorities among the councils and committees, and taking the necessary administrative decisions between General Assemblies Council of Assembly:-

30. The General Assembly The secretariats of the Councils of the General Assembly along with the legal department and other central functions are based at the Church of Scotland Headquarters in 121 George Street, Edinburgh.

31. Presbyteries The middle tier of the government of the Church of Scotland are the Presbyteries of which there are 45.

32. Presbyteries Ardrossan Presbytery is one of three in Ayrshire along with Ayr and Irvine and Kilmarnock. Most of the presbyteries are in Scotland, but England is one presbytery as is Europe and Jerusalem.

33. Presbyteries The Presbyteries are made up of representatives of Kirk Sessions within the bounds of the Presbytery. As with the General Assembly the aim is to balance the number of ministers and elders.

34. Presbyteries The role of the Presbytery Clerk is to keep the minutes of the meetings, to offer advice on legal matters and to ensure that proper procedures are followed.

35. Presbyteries Has 21 charges within the bounds. Some of these are linked so there are more than 21 congregations in the presbytery. Ardrossan Presbytery :-

36. Presbytery - Charges Ardrossan: Park Ardrossan and Saltcoats: Kirkgate Beith Brodick linked with Corrie l/w Lochranza and Pirnmill l/w Shiskine. Cumbrae linked with Largs: St John’s Dalry: St Margaret’s Dalry: Trinity Fairlie linked with Largs: St Columba’s

37. Presbytery Charges Kilbirnie: Auld Kirk Kilbirnie: St Columba’s Kilmory linked with Lamlash Kilwinning: Mansefield Trinity Kilwinning: Old Largs: Clark Memorial

38. Presbytery Charges Saltcoats: North Saltcoats: St Cuthbert’s Stevenston: Ardeer linked with Stevenston: Livingstone Stevenston:High West Kilbride Whiting Bay and Kildonan

39. Presbytery Ardrossan Presbytery is responsible for the pastoral oversight of the charges and the supervision and discipline of congregations and ministers within the bounds.

40. Presbytery Like most Presbyteries Ardrossan Presbytery conducts much of its business through committees which are responsible for particular areas of the work of the Presbytery.

41. Presbytery The Presbytery committees are: Business Committee Nominations Committee Vacancy Procedure Committee Appraisal Committee Ministries and Superintendence Mission Committee Finance Property and Stewardship Church and Society

42. The Kirk Session The Kirk Session is the lowest court of the Church.

43. The Kirk Session The Kirk Session is moderated, or convened by the minister of the congregation.

44. The Kirk Session The minister and elders decide what the priorities of the congregation should be, in accordance with the laws of the church.

45. The Kirk Session Congregations have certain freedom in making decisions but they are subject to the decisions of the Presbytery and of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

46. The Kirk Session Kirk Sessions mainly operate under one of two forms of Constitution:- The Unitary Constitution The Model Congregation.

47. The Kirk Session Means that the Kirk Session is responsible through its committees for all areas of the work of the local church. The Unitary Constitution:-

48. The Kirk Session There is both a Kirk Session and a Congregational Board within the congregation. Under the Model Constitution:-

49. The Kirk Session The Congregational Board deals with the property and finance of the congregation. The Kirk Session are responsible for the mission, Christian Education and the worship of the Church.