Iona Community at the General Assembly

Ruth Harvey at the General Assembly.

The Iona Community Board has presented its report to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Ruth Harvey, Leader of the Iona Community, and Tom Gordon, Convenor of the Iona Community Board, brought particular focus on the renewal of worship, the eradication of poverty, and work for peace.

In the report, Ruth said “Our modest Iona Community of around 3,000 Members, Associate Members and Friends, rooted in Scotland and located across the globe, remains passionate about the interface between contemplation and action; dedicated to working for peace with justice; focused on the needs of the poorest and most marginalised in society; engaged in finding authentic voices for worship”.

Inspired by our faith we pursue justice and peace in and through community

The escalation of war in central Europe along with the ongoing ‘nakba’ or catastrophe in Palestine remind us that the peace to which Jesus calls us is a costly peace. Ruth Harvey challenged the General Assembly to model that Christ-like peace which “askis those of us with power to share it, those of us with hope to articulate it, those of us with rage to focus it. We stand in solidarity with peace makers everywhere”.

Renewal of worship

The Community was delighted to welcome contributions from a new Associate Member and two members of the Worship Renewal Group to the General Assembly. Alex-Clare Young and Louise Taylor-Kenyan described their vision of the power of worship to renew God’s weary people.

Matt, one of our most recent Associate Members, describes stepping into the unknown when he took part in ‘The Big One’ protest with 60,000 others in London in April, protesting in the name of Christ for the survival of the planet.

To find out more about becoming an Associate Member of the Iona Community, take a look at our Members page.

 

 

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