Almost a hundred delegates took their seats in the Crieff Seventh-day Adventist church on Sunday, 7 October 2018, for the 10th Triennial Business Session of the Scottish Mission. The delegates met in order to look back at the past three years of ministry in Scotland and then to also plan ahead for the next three years.
At important events like these, you are likely to see important dignitaries as well. The church welcomed Councillor Dennis Melloy, provost of the county of Perth and Kinross.
Other guests included Pastor Patrick Johnson from the Trans-European Division and, Pastor Ian Sweeney, Mr Earl Ramharacksingh, Pastor Eglan Brooks, Pastor Richard Daly, Pastor John Surridge, Pastor Paul Lockham and Pastor Jacques Venter representing the British Union Conference. With such a handful of pastoral visitors, the work of the session was made easier, and the pastoral staff of the Scottish Mission know they have the support of a good team of individuals.
Pastor Paul Tompkins, President of the Church in Scotland made it clear that the Scottish Mission is growing, and that the members and staff are all looking for better ways to improve the service and ministry of the Church as a whole in Scotland. Grateful for the skills and commitment of his entire staff in the Scottish Mission Pastor Tompkins emphasised that the Church in Scotland is working hard to attempt to achieve at least half of another ministerial budget to employ a new minister over the next triennium.
The theme he presented for the next three years was: "It's time to be Devoted, Daring, Decisive. Working together to make Him known in Scotland." His report can be seen here.
Many useful discussions with questions followed the reports from the different sponsors who served Scotland in various ways in the past three years. The calendar in Scotland for 2015-2018 was a busy one, and the Scottish Mission delegates heard the highlights of events in each department with further meaningful events scheduled for the future.
The election of new sponsors and the executive committee, along with licence and credentials were also completed.
The various sponsors to serve the Scottish Mission between 2018 and 2021 will be:
Children's Ministries Mrs Ifeoma Victor-Igwe
Communications Pastor Jimmy Botha
Community Services Mr Jeremaya Phiri
Family Ministries Mr Tarzan and Mrs Priscilla Bhebhe
Health Ministries Dr Claudette Comerasamy
Men's Ministries To be assigned
Personal Ministries Pastor Rory Mendez
Pathfinders Pastor Njabulo and Mrs Mthoko Ndlovu
Student Ministries Pastor Gabriel Perea
Trust Services Pastor Paul Tompkins
Women's Ministries Mrs Margreth Mukisa
Youth Ministries Pastor Claudiu Popescu with assistant to be assigned
The Scottish Mission Executive Committee for the three-year period will have the following serving:
Pastor Paul Tompkins (Chair)
Mr Earl Ramharacksingh (Treasurer)
Pastor Paul Lockham/Jacques Venter (Secretary)
Pastor Jimmy Botha
Pastor Gabriel Perea
Mrs Lynn Retallick
Mr Charles Lethbridge
Mr Gibson Kabaso
Mr Moses Sichalwe
Mr Benjamin Bakina
Mrs Moyra Rodd
Mrs Ifeoma Victor-Igwe
With calendars busily being populated with events from all over the British Isles, the Scottish Mission staff will now swiftly get themselves organised for the next three years.
Pastor Tompkins is confident that the newly elected staff in the Scottish Mission is a team that understands the nature of the work to be carried out to share the message of God in Scotland in the age that we live in.
