Guide to ministry |
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MINISTRIES IN THE CHURCH
Ministry within the Church of Scotland takes a variety
of forms. These include ministers ordained to the ministry
of Word and Sacrament - both full-time and auxiliary -
deacons, readers, elders and chaplains. They are supported
in their role by around 2,000 professional and administrative
and support staff who help the Church deliver practical
services to communities throughout Scotland and worldwide.
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Ministers of Word and Sacrament also
work closely with elders and deacons in caring for
their community. Readers also play their part as
members of the Church who are principally concerned
with the ministry of the word and the conduct of
public worship. |
Readers can be 'attached' to a congregation, exercising
a pastoral role.
Our ministers carry out their duties to the Church's
600,000 members. There are many more people who are
not actually members of the Church of Scotland but who
are welcomed by the Church to worship God, take part
in the life of the local congregation and benefit from
the love, care and spiritual guidance of our ministry
team.
Most ministers of Word and Sacrament
are recognised for their distinctive roles within the
Church, which include:
- the celebration of the sacraments - the Lord's
Supper (or Holy Communion) and baptism;
- preaching;
- chairing meetings of the kirk session, which has
responsibility for the spiritual issues within a congregation,
and guiding the session in its discussions;
- conducting funerals and offering pastoral support
to those who are dying and to people who have been
bereaved;
- conducting weddings and helping people prepare for
marriage.
Some of these functions are also performed by deacons,
elders and readers.
The following provides an overview of the range of ministries
roles in the Church of Scotland:
Auxiliary ministers -
trained and ordained ministers who work in a voluntary,
unpaid capacity.
Chaplains - ministers
who serves in specialist contexts, such as hospitals,
prisons, the Armed Forces, universities and industry.
Click here to
visit our dedicated chaplains page for more information.
Deacons - are ordained
people, like ministers, working in a professional supportive
role in a parish or elsewhere. They do not celebrate
the Sacraments (such as Holy Communion and baptism).
Elders - are a group
of elected, ordained leaders. They give their time voluntarily
and, along with the minister, are responsible for the
spiritual and practical aspects of Church life, including
pastoral care, and for local church government. Being
an elder is a demanding but rewarding role - and important
part of the Church of Scotland in its team ministry.
Elders may also, with appropriate training, conduct
funerals, chair the kirk session, preach and lead worship.
Ministers of Word and Sacrament
- ordained men or women who, after special training,
have taken vows and been set apart for the task of leadership.
They are givers of pastoral care, supporting people
in need, distressed alone or affected by tragedy or
crisis. They also have an 'enabling' role in the Church
- encouraging developing a congregation of parish or
an institution ministry, such as industrial or armed
forced chaplaincy, through their leadership and vision.
Readers - a member of
the Kirk set apart by his or her presbytery for 'duties
principally concerned with the ministry of the word
and the conduct of public worship'. Recently their role
has developed; while still associated primarily with
worship and preaching, there are new opportunities for
the fully-trained reader. The keynote is flexibility.
Readers can be attached to the ministry team of a parish.
They will work with the minister, and share in leading
Christian worship and teaching. Readers can also be
attached to a group of linked parishes. They will preach
regularly in one or more congregations, and will share
in pastoral work associated with worship. Readers can
be used as chaplains in homes for the aged or assisting
in hospitals or schools. Readers can conduct funerals,
and share in providing pastoral care for the family.
Readers can still carry out their traditional ministry
of providing pulpit supply when ministers are absent
or on holiday or study leave.
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