Lesley Cumming, a long term Friend of Scotland’s Churches Trust and leading volunteer in our nationwide church recording project, reviews the recently published book “Stirred by the Storm”, which explores some of the difficulties currently confronting the Church of Scotland and suggests new and innovative ways to meet and overcome these considerable challenges. 

This book, sub-titled “The Church of Scotland: the end or the end of the beginning” is written by two retired Church of Scotland ministers, Rev Bill Clinkebeard and Rev Ian Gilmour. The authors write candidly about the crisis confronting the Church of Scotland and the state of the world today. They acknowledge the frustration felt by members, elders and ministers over the Church of Scotland’s rationalisation and discuss how to deal with a lack of ministers, the union of congregations and the closure of buildings. 

They are concerned about the loss of community, heightened by the pandemic, and say “a much higher value needs to be put onto community and much greater effort needs to be put into forging healthy communities”.  They write about a future in which churches might be organised more on a local level able to respond to the needs of the community in which they situated. With the shortage of ministers lay leadership is seen is important.

About church buildings they write: 

“We, too, really appreciate the wonderful selection of older church buildings which enhance the architectural heritage of our land.  They provide comfort, continuity and character. Steeples, pews, stained glass windows and graveyards all embody important parts of a community’s story. They mark wars, the successes and struggles and well-lived Christian lives.”                             Bill Clinkenbeard and Ian Gilmour

However, both authors acknowledge that hard and painful choices will have to be made about buildings that cannot be adapted to 21^st century, but stress that these decisions should be made actively by the church in collaboration with the appropriate heritage bodies.

The book also abounds with watery metaphors: three possible forms of church in the future are labelled “icebreaker congregations”, “lifeboat congregations” and “tenders”.  Each chapter is summarised with “a view from the bridge” followed by two questions for discussion as the book is intended for individual and group use.

The authors have been “stirred by the storm” but have hope for the future and include examples of “new voyages” where alteration of buildings, changes in worship patterns and engagement with local communities have led to church growth.

Thanks to Lesley for this review of “Stirred by the Storm” by Bill Clinkenbeard and Ian Gilmour. Copies can be bought at the Cornerstone Bookshop, St John’s Church Terrace, Princes Street, Edinburgh. All profits from its sale will go to support the international charity Water Aid.