7 April 2025

In our North Fife Cluster, we have established a series of four rotational joint services. The first was held in Balmerino in March. When I visited the Kirk Session at Newport recently, the elders told me about the strength of the singing in the kirk and how well everyone mixed at the hospitality in the church hall thereafter.

In these services, two things happen. Firstly, we let go of our own building and all the things which comfort and inspire us and travel on to another kirk, another parish, another way of doing things. Secondly, we realise that in travelling next door and beyond, we gain strength and inspiration in numbers and new friendships.

One of the most hopeful things which has happened recently in our Cluster has been the ‘Declaration of Friendship’ which has been established between  Leuchars St. Athernase and Tayport Church of Scotland and  the Kings Street United Free Church, Tayport.

Although they had a covenant dating back to 2006, the Presbytery Mission Plan invited them to explore the covenant between two similar congregations in Burntisland. We studied their covenant, made some changes and decided not to call it a covenant but a ‘Declaration of Friendship’.

When St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Tayport heard about the work we were doing, they asked to participate in this partnership too. An ecumenical service has been organised for May. The Episcopalian  Bishop is going to preach and the Declaration will be signed by all three congregations.

When I told some others about this, someone asked, ‘What’s the point of signing a Declaration?’ to which I replied, ‘What’s the point of getting married?’ Making vows and signing a Schedule are significant signs of a deeper commitment which grows as the years pass into something even more beautiful and strong.