This meditation was
written by the Rev. Douglas Nicol, secretary of the Mission
and Discipleship Council of the Church of Scotland.
We all know the challenge of ensuring that our Christian faith
is passed on from generation to generation. We also know how
we can all chat over a good cup of coffee. With this in mind
the Council has launched Cosycoffeehouse to encourage congregations
in their work with young people. Congregations all over Scotland
are setting up Cosy (Church of Scotland Youth) Coffee Houses
using kits that include publicity materials, fairly traded coffee,
tea, and hot chocolate, T-shirts, aprons, and menu cards with
controversial quotations to get the conversation flowing. Many
kits have been purchased, and where two or more are gathered
over a cup of coffee, issues are discussed and faith is shared.
We sometimes share the story of a boy who says to his mother,
“Remember the vase that you told me has been in our family
for many generations—passed from one to another?”
Before his mother can respond, the boy blurts out, with tears
in his eyes, “Well, Mother, this generation has just broken
it!”
This amusing story has a point to it. The Christian faith
in Scotland has been lovingly passed on for many generations,
ever since the days of Columba and Ninian. We are often challenged
with the thought that our generation risks failing to effectively
pass on the gospel. Cosycoffeehouse was developed with that
in mind. Please pray with us that God will use it for his purposes.
In 1985 the Rev. Malcolm Scott asked the General Assembly of
the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) to establish a committee
on peacemaking. In spite of nearly twenty years of civil conflict
in Northern Ireland, the resolution was voted down. However,
Malcolm, believing peacemaking to be both a biblical mandate
and a necessity in Ireland, brought a similar resolution the
next year. It was narrowly agreed that a temporary group develop
a report for discussion. More members began to see a denominational
peacemaking focus as a faithful response to the gospel. In 1990
a permanent Assembly committee was set up to educate the denomination
and to call the church to constructive action.
PC(USA) mission co-worker Doug Baker was on this committee.
As well as writing reports, the committee began organizing conferences
and asked each congregation to appoint a peace agent to keep
this mandate before them and encourage practical steps for peace
at the local level. With others Doug develops conferences and
training events, particularly for peace agents. Time and again
when he meets them, they are downhearted about the inability
to get large numbers from their congregation to become involved
in initiatives. His standard reply is “Begin now and do
what you can with the few you have. Others will be drawn in.”
In 2005 funding was secured to appoint two full-time peacemaking
officers in the PCI, Laura Coulter and Deborah Erwin. In March
2007 a discipleship training course was launched for use in
congregations. |
