Scottish Episcopal Church hosts welcome day for new clergy, leaders, diocesan staff
[Scottish Episcopal Church] Newcomers to the Scottish Episcopal Church and members of staff from the General Synod Office got together this month at Provincial Welcome Day in Edinburgh, to learn more about the church and how it operates, and to make useful contacts with others.
Each year, invitations are extended to the newly ordained; those newly authorized as lay readers, clergy or lay readers who have come to the province from outside Scotland; and new members of staff at diocesan offices. Among them this year was the Rev. Nicholas Bundock, the new bishop-elect in the Diocese of Glasgow & Galloway.
This year’s attendees were welcomed by the new secretary general, Dee Bird, who was also enjoying her first experience of Welcome Day.
After opening worship led by the Rev. Elizabeth Thomson, the gathering heard an overview of the history of the Scottish Episcopal Church, and its place in contemporary Scottish society, from Primus Mark Strange. The morning session also included sessions on provincial governance and the General Synod Office, the Scottish Episcopal Institute, the church’s Net Zero strategy, and safeguarding.
In the afternoon, Bishop Ian Paton guided the group through the history and development of Scottish Episcopal Church liturgies, then Claire Benton Evans, the provincial youth coordinator, gave a presentation on youth work, reminding everyone that young people are not the church of tomorrow but the church of today.
A networking opportunity then took place, to get to know others in similar positions in the church or to talk with GSO staff and establish provincial links, before the Rev. Anna-Claar Thomasson-Rosingh of the Scottish Episcopal Institute brought the day to an end with closing worship.
