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Minute of the Scottish Churches Industrial Mission SCIM Council held on Tuesday 6 May 2008 at Scottish Churches House, Dunblane.
PRESENT:
Mrs Cate Adams (Team of Chaplains), Rev Jan Adamson (United Reformed Church), Mr Donald Black (Rock Foundation, Stirling), Mr Pat Foley (Roman Catholic Church), Rev Gordon MacRae, in the Chair (Church of Scotland), Mr George McSorley (co-opted), Mr Lewis Rose (SCIM Co-ordinator) and Mr John Thomson (Secretary).
APOLOGIES:
Rev Andrew Jolly (Aberdeen Oil Industry Chaplaincy Trust), Mr Matt Smith (co-opted) and Mr Ted Wallace (Methodist Church).
82. OPENING DEVOTIONS
The Rev Gordon MacRae constituted the meeting with prayer.
83. MINUTE
The minute of the meeting held on 20 February 2008 was approved.
84. MATTERS ARISING
Area Organiser Vacancies
Lewis Rose gave an update on the recruitment process for both voluntary and full-time appointments and advised that interviews would take place on Friday 23 May for the vacant post of Tayside and North Fife Area Organiser.
Gordon MacRae reported that the Ministries Council of the Church of Scotland has started its own review and gave a recap of the rationale for this work. He added that a questionnaire has been sent to several companies who benefit from workplace chaplaincy and when the replies are received and analysed the Ministries Council will be in consultation with SCIM.
Lewis Rose referred to the situation with the full-time team which is under strength presently due to illness and vacancies. He urged consideration of additional appointments even when the team returns to the present full complement.
In response to a plea from Lewis members of Council agreed to be on call to provide some form of back up and support to the Team in the present situation which Lewis would co-ordinate.
This item stimulated further decision and the suggestion that the support structures for chaplains should form part of the Church of Scotland review. Comments made by members appeared to suggest that arrangements for support from within chaplains’ own denominations were inconsistent.
A question was also asked about the awareness of the Churches to the developments in workplace chaplaincy and again it was felt that the levels of knowledge would be varied. However it was noted that the circulation of the SCIM annual report is a tool for raising awareness.
It was agreed therefore to hold a longer and more focused Council meeting to explore all the issues and to ask the team to discuss these matters at its next meeting and bring suggestions to that Council meeting.
This meeting required to contain a clear agenda to be structured together with well prepared arrangements. A suggested timetable for the day was to begin with lunch, meet in the afternoon, a break and then an evening session with smaller group meetings.
It was agreed to invite all Trustees of the Industrial Mission Trust to this meeting.
85. SCIM CO-ORDINATORS REPORT
Copies of the Co-ordinator’s report has been circulated prior to the meeting and were in the hands of members (see appendix I).
Council noted the continued demand for workplace chaplaincy services and Lewis expressed confidence that personnel had already been recruited to these appointments and were also available in Scotland to fill these posts. However, Council did also note that there is no single consistent mode of recruitment and selection.
86. REFLECTIONS ON MEETING WITH TEAM OF CHAPLAINS
Comments expressed by both Council members and chaplaincy staff were that the meeting had not been a successful event caused in part by a lack of focus.
It was felt, however, that the meeting planned for December should be much better placed to explore the issues raised in discussion at item 84 above.
87. REPORT FROM THE TEAM
The team had observed that SCIM presently did not have a Vice-Convener appointed.
It was agreed unanimously to elect the Rev Jan Adamson to this position.
The team had also noted that in the past individual team members had reported to the old Church and Industry Committee on a rota basis and it was agreed that this arrangement be reinstated.
88. IMA CONFERENCE – JUNE 2008
It was noted that the programme for this event had been included as an appendix to the Team Co-ordinator’s Report.
89. CORPORATE CALPABLE HOMICIDE
Council members noted the papers which had been circulated prior to the meeting.
Lewis Rose referred to the International Workers Memorial Day Lecture held in Dundee last month which had been well received.
The speaker’s topic had been “A Diverse Scotland” which had made a number of references to corporate culpable homicide.
In addition reference was also made to a disability report and Lewis Rose agreed to send a copy to the Secretary for onward circulation to Council members (see appendix II)
90. DATES AND VENUES OF REMAINING MEETINGS IN 2008
Wednesday 20 August at the Total E & P UK Company Offices in Aberdeen.
Lunch followed by meeting at 2pm.
Wednesday 3 December: NB a change to earlier notified date, venue to be agreed.
The meeting was closed with the saying of the Grace together.