PEOPLE in later life could find a new calling as preachers under a move by the Church of Scotland to raise the upper entry limit to becoming a minister from 55.
The Church's General Assembly, the annual gathering of around 730 senior Kirk figures in Edinburgh, agreed a motion to review the cut-off limit to being able to pursue a life in ministry as it was revealed one in five congregations currently has a locum providing pastoral care and guidance.
Read more: Stress of being a headteacher 'putting off women'
The Kirk has been moving to shore up dwindling numbers of worshippers but also clergy who can help the organisation fulfil its key tenet of providing national ministry, or territorial ministry, to every corner of Scotland.
Rev Dr Mary Henderson, below, who is in a ministry of linked parishes, raised the plan before a packed assembly hall, and her motion calling for a review into the age restriction was accepted without argument by the assembly.
The commissioners supported the move that was suggested would tap into the "wealth of experience out there".
In a brief statement to the assembly, she said the current limit is based on the premise of the Kirk expecting a ministry to last for a span of a number of years.
Dr Henderson, of Falkirk Lauriston linked with Redding and Westquarter, called on the assembly to: "Instruct the [Ministries] Council to consider the age limit for candidates entering full time training in Ministry of Word and Sacrament."
Read more: Stress of being a headteacher 'putting off women'
A Kirk spokesman said the current rules of appointment are that if someone wants to be a candidate for full time ministry of Word and Sacrament or the Diaconate they have to be able to "complete all their training, including a final probation placement by the of the year in which they turn 55".
The Church is also to pilot multiple-parish ministries under its plans to shore up the current 200-plus minister vacancies across the country.
Rev Neil Glover, below, convener of the Ministries Council, said that the so-called hub ministries plan was gaining momentum.
However, he said such hubs "must not simply be a means of keeping the show on the road, of trying to squeeze more ministry out of fewer people.
"Rather they must challenge us to change the shape of the Church patterns of worship, discipleship and mission."
The move came as the Kirk absorbed the stark warning from the Ministries Council report that falling minister and worshipper numbers must still be addressed.
Read more: Stress of being a headteacher 'putting off women'
Only 32 new ministers progressed through training this year, while 76.5 per cent of the 780 ministers currently in place are aged over 50, and membership has dropped to 360,000.
Former Moderator Very Rev John Christie, below, said that 20 per cent of congregations receive pastoral care from a locum who might not be a minister but a deacon.
He said: “The membership of the 200 club is certain to increase.
"We really do have an issue to face."
He also said: “This pattern is likely to increase in the next five years.
“The future is undoubtedly going to be challenging.”
Read more: Stress of being a headteacher 'putting off women'
Rev Scott Rennie, below, of Queen's Cross, Aberdeen, said: "It is quite clear with all the statistics facing us and also when you look at the needs of our communities that we need to move to a far more collegiate form of ministry, [with] teams of different people with different skills in different ministries.
"It may do the job of bringing us all together and it may also be good for us to work with people from different theological persuasions."
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel