Church of Scotland General Assembly

Chris Hoskins — Thu, 21 May 2009 10:13:32 +0000

I’m a youth representative at the Church of Scotland General Assembly (GA) this year. This will be the 6th and final time I come as a youth rep. I’ve always found GA to be an inspiring week. I love the passion that often comes out, hearing about stuff the Church is involved in, having an opportunity to take part in debates concerning the future of the church…..I love so much about this week. The way the youth reps as a group bond is awesome, I’ve never been in a group where there were any major fallouts between youth reps, despite vastly different people having so many vastly different opinions.
I’m excited for this year. We all met together in person for the first time last night, and we seem to be getting off to a good start as a group! There’s a great mix of people, theologies, personalities, oldies and newbies. It’s awesome. Definitely a place where friendships are forged and strengthened. Today is the first day of official business, so should be interesting. I’m hoping to put out at least one post a day on my blog talking about things that are happening here, and I shall be on twitter where you can follow the GA by using and searching for #GA2009. You can also watch it live online here.
Pray for the assembly, that Gods will prevails, that Grace prevails, that respect prevails.
Some words that describe how I feel being back here at the GA:

Trepidation
Excited
Joyful
Privileged
Awed
Sad

At our evening worship session, Mark Cameron was challenging us to think about ‘why’ we are here. What is it God has in store for us this week? For me, I think it will be a place of healing, healing from some of the things I haven’t let go of from the past few years. I also think it will be a place and a time of being inspired, or perhaps RE-inspired in how I perceive the Church, locally, nationally and globally. I hope I’ll be able to offer some wisdom I may have gleaned from my previous experience at assembly and be able to share it with the youth reps. I hope I’ll be able to form good relationships with the group as well, and strengthen old friendships. I hope to contribute something meaningful to the assembly. Whether it’s through something I say in assembly or to someone else who then speaks at assembly.

Peace Out

Wheres the Grace?

Chris Hoskins — Wed, 06 May 2009 10:42:19 +0000

I’ve been wrestling with blogging about this for a while, I want to avoid bringing any more negative attention to this issue, but its been in the papers, radio and bbc website now, so most folks will probrably have heard something about it.
I’m talking about Queens Cross Parish Church and theirMinister Elect: Scott Rennie.
Scott is openly Gay and living with his partner, and was honest enough to be upfront with Queens Cross before starting his post. This led to a group of Ministers dissenting and challeging the call.
But I don’t want to go into the issue of sexuality, I want to talk about peoples attitudes when they address the issue of sexuality.
Whenever the issue of sexuality is discussed, Grace and Love always seem to be the first things to be forgotten. It is so easy to judge people for their stance on it(and I’m aware thats also what I’m doing here!).
I have to admit, I struggle with the issue. Not because I am Gay, but because of the people I know (on both sides of the issue), my belief in what the Bible is and how that informs my life and beliefs. Yes, the Bible has passages that call homosexuality a Sin, I can’t ignore those. But what I also cannot ignore what the Bible teaches about treating people with Love, with Grace, with Dignity. I cannot inore the example Jesus set in accepting people and loving them no matter what (and I take this into account in all situations, not just when encountering someones sexuality!). I try to live my life accepting people for who they are and trying to love them like Jesus would. I know I don’t always(if ever) attain this, but I have to try.
I genuinely face this issue with confusion, or is it fear? I find it hard to make a decision to condone or condemn practicing homosexuals in ministry. I don’t know if this is because I am confused about what I believe that God teaches us through the Bible about it, or if it is fear of potentially losing friends over the issue. I hope it is confusion, I hate the idea of fear controlling any part of my life, and theres still that part of me who doesn’t want to hurt people through my beliefs.

So thats me, where i come from, don’t judge me too harshly on what I’ve just said!

What about some of the stuff going on in Scotland just now? This is where I will probrably come across as extremely judgemental!
I don’t see a lot of love and Grace in the more publicised comments about this issue. I find it ironic that the media seems to be criticising the Church for how judgemental it is. Whenever this issue, or any other negative publicity for the Church pops up in the media, so many people (often with no Church connection!) jump on the bandwagon and use it as an excuse to dump on the Church. I hate that. Where are these people(media and naysayers) when the Church is doing incredible work? And then theres the people in the Church. The people who feed the negativaty by being horrible about and to each other. Something I’ve noticed coming from both sides of this argument. People woh support Scotts call spreading rumors about the ministers opposing it and people unconnected with the opposing ministers starting a petition ‘in their name’. I am so glad that not everyone is like this, there are people, from either ‘camp’, that are calling for this to be dealt with graciously and lovingly. These are the people I agree with and have respect for.

I still don’t know what to think, I expect this is something I’ll struggle with for my whole life. So for me, I guess the only way forward is to keep struggling onwards and just trying to love everyone as i think Jesus would.

In the meantime, here are some other blogs where you might get some good insight on the issue:
Bridging the Gap
Measured Words
A blogging backlash
Not in my name

Peace Out (I hope)

Endure Fort» Grace

Church of Scotland General Assembly

Wheres the Grace?