Current work
Annual themes
Annual themes were introduced to encourage guilds to plan their programmes more effectively. These imaginative resources were introduced in the 1950s to give a focus for guilds but are sufficiently broad to allow for imaginative planning. The Theme for 2023- 2024 is New Wine, New Wine Skins .
Topics
Topics were a later introduction. They offer a chance to explore a particular issue of current concern, possibly leading to some local action.
Resource material for each theme and topic is prepared and circulated before each new session and training days are offered to help local leadership teams use the theme and address the topic in their local groups. Additional material and notes for speakers are available on our resources area.
Our Discussion topic for 2023-24 is: Looking after God's World.
Strategies
From 2021-2024, the work, worship, and focus of the Guild falls under the strategy: Look forward in faith.
All six of the current projects supported by Guild members relate to the theme of the three-year strategy. The current project partners are:
- Beat: Blether with Beat, suppporting people living with an eating disorder and raising community awareness
- Home for good: Finding a home for every child, supporting the Christians to be involved in adoption and fostering
- Pioneers: Chocolate Heaven, supporting the development of sustainable chocolate production in South East Asia
- Starchild: Finding the light in every child, supporting children with autism and other learning disabilities in Uganda
- Unida: Hear our voice, supporting and empowering women in Brazil through theological education
- The Vine Trust: Kazunzu Village of Hope, supporting the development of a sustianable village in Tanzania
Guild groups are free to choose to support any or all of these projects, both prayerfully and financially, while at the same time deepening their understanding of the underlying issues presented by each project. Guild projects have often been at the leading edge of the Church's work - addressing issues such as drugs, prostitution and AIDS, as well as support for training and initiatives for young people. Since the 1960's the Guild has supported projects and raised more than £7 million.
National Council of the Guild
The National Council within the Guild is made up of representatives from every Guilds Together group. The National Council is chaired by the national convener and has four National Vice Conveners.
The National Council is responsible for:
- The development of policy
- Relating to other Church councils and committees
- Appointing a general secretary
- Overseeing the work of constituent committees and working groups
- Participation in consultations for the Scottish Parliament
The Leadership Team
The National Leadership Team is made up of the National Convener and the four National Vice Conveners. They have oversight of:
- Work of the National Groups
- National Council Agenda
- Ambassadorial and speaking work
- Formulation of policy proposals for the National Council, including oversight of finance and staffing issues
- Financial planning
- Staffing
- Our CORE areas, communications & marketing, outreach, resources and events
- Support for our regional groupings
Regional areas
To allow us to better support Guilds at a Guilds Together level a National Vice Convener has responsibility for a regional area. These area as follows:
North
Caithness, Lewis, Lochaber, Lochcarron and Skye, Moray Firth, Moray, Orkney, Ross, Ross/Tain,Sutherland.
West
Bute, Cowal, Dunbartonshire, Falkirk, Glasgow City Group, Glasgow East, Glasgow North, Glasgow South, Glasgow West, Hamilton South, Hamilton North, Inverclyde, Lanark, Paisley, South Argyll, Stirling & Clackmananshire.
North East
Aberdeen, Angus East, Angus West, Buchan East, Buchan West, Dundee, Dunkeld and Meigle East, Dunkeld and Meigle West, Gordon, Kincardine and Deeside, Shetland, Perth & Kinross. .
Mid and South East
Berwickshire, Dunfermline District, Edinburgh, Esk Valley, Kirkcaldy area, Lothian East, North East Fife, Roxburghshire, Upper Tweed, West Lothian
South
Annandale and Eskdale, Ayr & District, Irvine and Kilmarnock, Nithsdale, North Ayrshire, Machars, Rhins, Stewartry, Guilds based in England.
Communications and Marketing
Oversight of:
- Newsletters, including e-news
- Social media
- Advertising and publicity
- Merchandising
Outreach
Oversight of the Guild's connections with other bodies, including:
- Guild representation on other Councils and Committees of the Church of Scotland
- Project Partnership Scheme *(see below)
- Guild representation on outside groups, including:
- Inter-faith Group on Domestic Abuse
- ACTS Anti-human trafficking Group
- World Day of Prayer
- Others as relevant from time to time
The selection of new projects will be considered by a sub group of the National Council with support from the Leadership Team for this purpose every 3 years.
Resources
Oversight of:
- Published resources, including the Theme and Discussion Guide
- Content of Resource Days
- Support of Resource Co-ordinators
Events
Oversight of:
- Annual Gathering
- Logistics of conference events, including Guilds Together Conveners' Conference, Past President and Conveners' Lunch, Project Co-ordinators' Conference, Regional Events
- Big Sing events, etc
- Guild Week