POTTERGATE NEWS - Alnwick, St James

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It was a good paper which will need to be studied in all congregations. Sadly, amazingly, there was no discussion. 2. 'Visioning Church', another major report of a consultation on what church life will look like in the next ten years. Various suggestions emerged, at the moment only suggestions: • more flexible forms of worship • abolish 'membership'!!! • streamline organisation -e.g. abolish Church Meeting!!! • do we actually need trained ministers?!!! 3. Vision4Life The major URC development from Catching the Vision. It is an imaginative programme designed to help congregations renew their life. Phase one has excellent material on the Bible. 4. Finance No surprises to hear that there has been a major drop in investment income. Therefore there will be few grants or loans in the foreseeable future. Are we lucky or are we lucky! Two Training posts were due to be filled - Youth and Children`s work, and Training and Development. There is only money for one, maybe not even that. Synod asked no questions. There was no debate. 5. On a positive note - the Keld Resource Centre will be up and running again this summer. It is available for local churches to use for retreats/retreats-cum-planning sessions/holidays. All these items were major business - and there was more. What was discouraging was the air of inertia among those present. Important work is being done. There's a need for more active response. I'll not be able to attend the meeting on October 17th - Who will go for us? Alasdair Pratt.
Although the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan is only part of the 5% Christian Community, with its 220,000 members and 1,220 churches it punches well above its weight in direct influence in political, medical and educational institutions in the island. It is almost unique in mission history in that it has been a self-governing Church from the very beginning. When in the Did You Know? The General Secretary (left) and the Moderator (right) of the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan mid-19 century Thomas Barclay a Scottish Presbyterian Missionary was sent to Taiwan he made it quite clear that the small nucleus of Christians must be in charge of their own affairs and establish their own form of Presbyterian worship. More than one and a half centuries later they are one of the most dynamic, well-organised Churches in South-East Asia, whose highly trained theologians and scholars can be found all over the world in leading church positions. The Taiwanese people have always regarded their linguistic and historical links to be with Amoy in Fukien province, but like many island people they have been subject to oppressive rule by numerous invaders. Over the centuries Portuguese, Dutch, Japanese and then the mainland Chinese regime of dictator Chiang Kai-shek have tried to tame and then persecute the Taiwanese people but they have bounced back. Always at the forefront of resistance has been the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan. Its network of well-established schools, universities, colleges and hospitals has offered a constant supply of well-educated resistance leaders and this has gained the respect of the majority of non-Christian Taiwanese.
Page 1 and 2: POTTERGATE NEWS July 2009. Issue nu
Page 3 and 4: What is Happening in the URC? visio
Page 5: Missioner and Fresh Expressions tea
Page 9 and 10: churches in Northern Synod with a m
Page 11 and 12: Guide Coffee Evening Wednesday 1 st
Page 13 and 14: Church Walks Dunstan Steads Walk Ju
Page 15 and 16: intended to begin my Church 'retire
Page 17 and 18: However here in the North East ther
Page 19 and 20: Coffee Rota July 5 th Liz Spence, J

POTTERGATE NEWS - Alnwick, St James

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