The national ecumenical body Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) has produced resources to help churches and Christians in general to prepare for the election. These materials do not support a ‘Church’ view or party line, but aim to help Christians engage with a range of important issues facing our country, however they may decide to vote.

There are guidelines for local churches, Churches Together groups or Christian organisations thinking of organising a hustings meeting, as well as a document entitled Faith in Politics covering a range of important policy issues, such as children and young people, criminal justice, the economy, education, environment, health, migration and poverty.

• Visit the CTBI  website for full information.

Spring 2010: who would Jesus vote for?

International Christian College in Glasgow is running a six-week series of evening sessions aimed at debating some of these issues – from whether Christians should vote through to issues such as environmentalism, political parties or Scottish Nationalism.

Whether you have a view or not on some of these issues, this will be an opportunity to explore the different avenues and prepare ourselves in advance of the media hype and the ballot papers.

• More information.

Churches unite against nuclear weapons

Priests, ministers and pastors from six denominations have joined forces in Scottish Clergy Against Nuclear Armaments (SCANA), a new pressure group which aims to place Trident at the heart of the General Election campaign.

• More information.

Pope Benedict

Pope Benedict is expected to address tens of thousands of worshippers at a major open air event at Glasgow Green during his stay in Scotland on September 16 and 17.

Confirming his visit to Scottish Bishops visiting the Vatican, the Pope stressed the importance of ecumenical dialogue.

“The Church in your country, like many in Northern Europe, has suffered the tragedy of division,” he said.

“It is sobering to recall the great rupture with Scotland’s Catholic past that occurred four hundred and fifty years ago. I give thanks to God for the progress that has been made in healing the wounds that were the legacy of that period, especially the sectarianism that has continued to rear its head even in recent times.

“Through your participation in Action of Churches Together in Scotland, see that the work of rebuilding unity among the followers of Christ is carried forward with constancy and commitment. While resisting any pressure to dilute the Christian message, set your sights on the goal of full, visible unity, for nothing less can respond to the will of Christ.”

Cardinal Keith O’Brien, head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, told the Pontiff: “For many reasons this period in history may be seen as a challenging time on the journey of Christian unity. Nonetheless we are committed to the ecumenical dimension of the life of the Catholic Church in Scotland, not least through our membership of the ecumenical instrument known as Action of Churches Together in Scotland, or simply as ACTS.

“Later this year we will share in the centenary celebrations of the Edinburgh Missionary Congress of 1910 which is regarded as the beginning of the modern ecumenical movement. This year also marks the 450th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation in Scotland. The Reformers insisted upon the primacy of the Sacred Scriptures. It is more important now than ever that Christians allow themselves to be renewed by the Word of God as indispensable for the unity of the Church.

“Ecumenical engagement must also extend to ensuring that the Christian tradition of faith and morals is articulated, promoted and defended.”

Rev Francis Babatunde

A Glasgow-based pastor from Nigeria has been appointed as the new racial justice officer for the Scottish churches.

Rev  Francis Babatunde Alao working until recently with Heart for the City, an outreach arm of the Scottish Episcopal Church based at Maryhill.

He is senior pastor of Glasgow International Christian Church, the worshipping community of Heart for the City, which meets at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Ordained in Nigeria in 1996, Francis has degrees in religious studies and social ethics from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and in marketing and management from Glasgow Caledonian.

Since coming to Scotland, Mr Alao has been passionate about networking churches and Christian organisations, and is particularly keen on bridging the gap between the established and emerging churches in order to find new opportunities for engaging in God’s mission.

Francis is married to Becky, a gospel singer who recorded her first gospel album in 2009. They have three children.

• Full story plus contact details at Action of Churches Together in Scotland (ACTS).

International Christian College in Glasgow is running a six-week series of evening sessions aimed at debating some of these issues – from whether Christians should vote through to issues such as environmentalism, political parties or Scottish Nationalism.

Whether you have a view or not on some of these issues, this will be an opportunity to explore the different avenues and prepare ourselves in advance of the media hype and the ballot papers.

Topics for the sessions, which begin on 15 February 2010 and are run in conjunction with the Evangelical Alliance Scotland and CARE for Scotland, are:

• Would Jesus vote?
• Breaking up Britain: how to be a Christian nationalist?
• How should/can Christians engage with politics?
• New heaven and a new earth – why care about the environment?
• Are Christians always right(wing)?
• Jesus Manifesto: living counter-culturally

Full details are available on the International Christian College website.

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Right Reverend Bill Hewitt (centre) with Rev John Humphreys, Synod of Scotland Moderator of the United Reformed Church; Father Chris Boles SJ, representing Cardinal Keith O'Brien, Scottish Catholic Church; Leslie Stevenson of the Religious Society of Friends; and Dr William Reid, representing Rev Lily Twist, Chair of the Methodist Church of Scotland.

Scottish Clergy Against Nuclear Armaments (SCANA), a new pressure group which aims to place Trident at the heart of the General Election campaign, was launched at Holyrood today.

Those taking part included representatives of the Church of Scotland, Roman Catholic Church, Religious Society of Friends, United Free Church, United Reformed Church and Methodists.

A Church of Scotland spokesman said: “For a long time the Christian community has led the way in challenging the morality of nuclear weapons. This upcoming General Election offers an opportunity in a way that has rarely been seen before to challenge the philosophy that nuclear weapons are necessary for modern warfare.”

The Moderator of the Kirk’s General Assembly, Right Reverend Bill Hewitt said: “There is a real chance that the renewal of the Trident system, which is due very soon, could be overturned if enough political pressure is applied. Especially, at a time when voters are asking hard questions about how we best use our tax revenues for the benefit of the maximum number of citizens.”

The initiative also includes a specially produced post card for members of congregations to send to prospective candidates and MPs in the run up to the election, urging them to put nuclear weapons and Trident at the forefront of their campaign.

• Find out more about the Trident postcard campaign.

The Rev John Humphreys, the Rev Lily Twist, and the Most Rev David Chillingworth signing the Statement.

A partnership between the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Methodist Church in Scotland and the United Reformed Church’s National Synod of Scotland has been sealed by church leaders at a special service at St Ninian’s Episcopal Cathedral, Perth.

The partnership agreement was signed for the SEC by the Most Rev David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church.

He said: “Our General Synod has whole-heartedly welcomed this developing relationship with our partner churches.

“Many relations of this kind are aspirational in character. What makes this relationship so encouraging is that it is rooted in work which we already share in training and mission development. We look forward to a further sharing of resources and ministry as together we address the mission challenges of our times.”

Joining Bishop David in the signing of the Agreement were the Rev Lily Twist, Chair of the Methodist Church in Scotland, and Rev John Humphreys, Moderator of the United Reformed Church, National Synod of Scotland.

• Full story at the Scottish Episcopal Church.

Sixteen placements are available, offering volunteers the chance to become involved with a wide variety of work throughout the city.  At present, they are comprised of parents and past pupils of St Aloysius’ College, parishioners and students, both Catholics and non-Catholics.  All need to be committed to the Ignatian principle of service for others, combined with prayer and reflection.

“To date, volunteers already recruited have a wide range of life experiences,” says GJV Co-ordinator Lindsay Renucci. “Some are students; others have busy careers, whilst others are not working or retired.  All bring precious gifts and talents to share with those less fortunate.”

Once a month, volunteers will come together at the Ignatian Spirituality Centre and be led in small groups in spiritual reflection by Father Tom McGuinness, the Director of the Centre.

“Reflection is an important part of understanding our faith in greater depth and how that faith may be used to benefit the wider community,” explained Lindsay. “Although Ignatian in ethos, it is important to state that GJV is an ecumenical volunteer programme, welcoming all those with an active Christian faith.”

• Full story at Independent Catholic News.

Rev Alan Donaldson

The Council of the Baptist Union of Scotland has appointed Rev Alan Donaldson, currently senior Pastor at Dumfries Baptist Church, to be the next General Director of the Baptist Union of Scotland.

The Union’s convenor, Jacqueline Primrose, said: “Alan was in the printing industry, trained for ministry at what was then London Bible College and the Scottish Baptist College and subsequently has been Youth Pastor, Assistant Pastor and Senior Pastor at Leven Baptist church and has been Senior Pastor of Dumfries Baptist church since 2006.

“Alan comes too with a whole range of other ministry experience, having worked as both an evangelist and project manager for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

“We are excited by the potential of this appointment and are looking forward to this next chapter as a union of churches. Alan has significant youthful energy, a passion to relate to the churches, a proven gifting in strategic leadership, a commitment to baptistic practice, a wide range of interests outside church life and a real heart for a new level of engagement to be found among us in our being a missional movement.

“Alan is a Denny boy, well known among the ministers, well read and forward thinking. We were deeply impressed in both interviews we had with him by his creative approach, his own spiritual depth and his transparency.

“Please pray for Alan, his wife, Ruth, and their family as they make this transition. Pray also for the Dumfries church as they adjust to this change.”

A new national strategy unveiled later this week will call on Kirk leaders to help vulnerable youths in the country’s poorest areas, whether or not they are Church members, as part of a wider engagement with Scottish communities.

In a new strategy document to be launched in Glasgow on Wednesday, Church leaders write: “The ongoing debate is whether the Church in the so-called ‘Post-Christendom’ age now occupies a place on the fringes of society along with other organisations in the third sector. Does this leave the church in a position of irrelevance, which is ‘out of touch’ with the people around it?

“Or is this a good thing because of the fluid and flexible response the Church can then make to be a force for good, transforming from and with the margins of society?”

Whichever position is accepted, the document notes, “a firm and necessary grasp of the sociological and spiritual realities will always be a starting point for Christian ministry”.

In this spirit, the Kirk will renew efforts to engage with troubled young people in 58 “priority areas” across the country – of which 38 are in Glasgow.

Church leaders have stressed the new focus is not a “recruitment exercise” intended to convert children and teens but rather a programme to “promote personal and social development” and give youths a voice in society.

• Full story at The Herald.

Very Rev Dr Gregor Duncan

The Very Rev Dr Gregor Duncan has been elected the new Bishop of Glasgow & Galloway in the Scottish Episcopal Church.

He succeeds Dr Idris Jones, who had served the diocese as Bishop for 11 years.

Gregor Duncan is currently Rector of St Ninian’s Church, Pollokshields, and Dean of the Diocese of Glasgow & Galloway.

The Most Rev David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, said: “Gregor has faithfully served the Scottish Episcopal Church and the clergy and people of Glasgow and Galloway for many years.

” He is widely respected and admired for his faithful pastoral care and the strength of his spirituality.  I am delighted that he has now been chosen by the Electoral Synod to serve as bishop of this Diocese.”

• Interview with the Bishop elect.