Elie Kirk  

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Faith and the Church of Scotland

FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY

Central to the Church of Scotland is our love and worship of God through following the teachings and examples of Jesus Christ. The pages below will help you discover more about our beliefs, aims, spirituality and international community of worship.

OUR BELIEFS

The God we believe in showed his love for the world in Jesus Christ, and his concern that all should value and treat each other with justice, regardless of status or influence.

We also believe that God does not wield power from a distance or make inflexible rules, but moves amongst people as a spirit, challenging pride and violence, offering strength, comfort and peace.

Christians, as followers of Jesus Church, respond to the generosity and love of God by giving thanks in worship and on behalf of the whole world. They do this by singing praise, seeking to know God better and sharing in the struggles of the world through prayer.


Congregations of all ages give thanks to God through worship

People who are baptised become members of Christ's 'body', the Church, following the pattern of his life in acts of service and sacrifice and by what they say and do, inviting others to share the new life he offers both to individuals and communities.

OUR AIMS

The Church of Scotland aims to worship God by following the teachings of Jesus Christ.

We express our love for God by our love and practical care for each other and for those we live with and encounter in our daily lives.


The Church of Scotland works with communities worldwide

At the heart of our work to achieve these aims is one of the largest organisations in Scotland that has a pivotal role in Scottish society and indeed religion throughout the world.

Church of Scotland parish churches play a crucial part across a range of communities, from remote villages to deprived urban areas where shops, banks, schools and other institutions have disappeared.

Pastoral care of parishioners is an essential part of Christ's calling to the Church, particularly in times of need. As part of their caring task, local churches also aim to resource and run projects relating to groups such as asylum seekers and unemployed people.

HOW WE WORSHIP

Worship within the Church of Scotland is for everybody, regardless of age, nationality, status or ability.

The parish minister is responsible for leading worship. Increasingly, church members including deacons, elders and readers are involved in both planning and helping to lead worship.

Regular services of worship are at the heart of the life of the Church, but congregational life often also includes prayer groups, Sunday schools for children, youth groups, the Guild, social activities and support groups for people facing problems.

Patterns of worship vary from church to church and this generally means that people can find a place of worship where they feel comfortable.

Music is an essential part of the Church's worship and this, too, takes a wide variety of different forms.

Preaching is central to the Church of Scotland's way of worshipping God. The preacher - usually the minister - will share a message drawn out of a passage from the Bible. Preaching aims to help people interpret and apply the Bible's teaching to modern life today.

Holy Communion, also called the Lord's Supper, is open to all those who love the Lord Jesus Christ and have made public profession of faith.


Young people pass the shared cup of Holy Communion