Appeal for new national assessors to support the Kirk's discernment process
Published on 9 October 2024 1 minute read
There can be few roles that combine both enormous privilege and weighty responsibility than that of our national assessors.
And right now, we're looking to recruit new ones to complement our existing team.
In a nutshell, our national assessors are charged with making decisions regarding those who have come through the Church's Discernment Process and are ready to be assessed at Local Review, and National Assessment Conference to be considered for one or other of the Church's ministries.
It's of huge encouragement to the Church that, despite present challenges, good numbers of men and women – each with their own unique story – continue to present themselves in this way, having sensed what they believe to be God's calling upon their lives. But it's right and proper that the Church plays its part in assessing such people both in terms of the strength of that call and suitability for ministry. Prayerfully and diligently, the national assessors handle that task.
Might you have experiences and gifts that would make you suitable for the role? Would like to play a part in this vital ministry? We're inviting you to get in touch and to do so now.
Upon request, we can send you a Person Specification document that will help you to decide if this could be you and after that, we'd love to see you at our upcoming Information Session which will be held online on 18th October 2024 from 1000-1200, followed by an initial in-person training session on 8-9 November 2024.
We strive to find balance in terms of ordained and non-ordained people and across genders and, in general, a mix of people from different background.
Although being a National Assessor is hugely interesting and a worthwhile task, it can also be a demanding one, in terms of the hours worked, and the pressure under which reports have to be written. It is useful to consider that:
- Assessors serve for a period of six years
- Assessors need not be members of Presbytery
- Assessors have to be broadminded, flexible, perceptive, able to work as part of a team, have the acuteness and sensitivity to ask appropriate questions and follow them through
- People whose daily work involves skills of assessment might make good Assessors
Interested? Send an email to Angie McNabb at amcnabb@churchofscotland.org.uk. Let's get this conversation started.
