The beginning of 2024 marks the start of a new chapter for the Church of Scotland across the north of Scotland with the creation of Clèir Eilean Ì, a single presbytery which will cover almost half of Scotland.
Clèir Eilean Ì – Gaelic for the Presbytery of the Island of Iona – held its first meeting online on Tuesday January 9, bringing together ministers, elders and others across an area which stretches from the tip of Argyll to John O’Groats and from the Western Isles to Moray.
As part of the wider reorganisation of the church to create a more sustainable kirk, and lay the foundations for future growth, Clèir Eilean Ì brings together nine former presbytery areas.
This will allow them to share resources and, for the first time, ministers and congregations across the region can call on full-time support staff to help in their mission of spreading the good news of Jesus.
Rev Doug McRoberts, who was confirmed as Clèir Eilean Ì’s first moderator at its inaugural session, believes this will make a big difference to the kirk across the region.
He said: "Every one of our previous presbyteries has been too small to have a full-time clerk, let alone any other full-time posts.
“Now that central resource will be available to everybody within the presbytery and the first three positions will be in place within the first month of the presbytery’s life.
“Beyond that, we are working with the church’s IT department in Edinburgh to allow our presbytery clerk to be genuinely mobile, allowing him to work anywhere in the area.
“This is about central church resourcing presbyteries which will in turn resource ministry activities and mission work on the ground.”
Taking on the key role of presbytery clerk is Rev Rory MacLeod, previously the clerk to the Presbytery of Lochcarron-Skye.
He added: “No other calling would have persuaded me to leave my charge of Strath and Sleat, which I love.
“My priority will be to get out and about so that all of our local churches feel supported and know that they are at the centre of Clèir Eilean Ì’s activities.”
The pooling of resources will also allow Clèir Eilean Ì to employ a full-time presbytery support officer, a full-time finance officer/treasurer, and eventually a full-time mission director.
Property issues will be looked after by contracted local property specialists across the presbytery area in an approach which has already been trialled successfully in Argyll, which faces similar geographical challenges.
Given the scale of the new presbytery, covering 40 per cent of Scotland’s landmass and including islands in both the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the four main business meetings held over the year will rely on the internet to keep everyone connected.
However, local representatives will be encouraged to gather together in designated hubs, allowing for in-person fellowship while connecting remotely with their peers elsewhere.
The first meeting began with an online communion and the opportunity to break bread together.
Covering the heartland of Gaelic, with the exception of the Isle of Lewis where the local presbytery voted not to become a part of Clèir Eilean Ì at present, the language will also be a special focus for Clèir Eilean Ì.
Mr McRoberts added: “People will be able to turn to our website and find details of where they can worship in Gaelic and find other aspects of ministry met for them in Gaelic. We will take that responsibility seriously."
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