Action of Churches Together in Scotland (ACTS)

Welcome to the ACTS Website

Formed in 1990, as Scotland’s national ecumenical instrument, Action of Churches Together in Scotland (ACTS) brings together nine denominations in Scotland who share a desire for:

Greater oneness between churches, as Jesus prayed, ’that they all may be one’ (John 17.21)
A growth of understanding and common life between churches
Unified action in proclaiming and responding to the gospel in the whole of life.

In its work ACTS seeks to enable the Scottish churches in their common life.

It encourages and resources encounters between them in which each participant learns from the other, where difference is explored and respected and where division is healed.

ACTS - enabling and resourcing churches in Scotland in their pilgrimage together

Acts

First Minister and Churches Address Common Concerns

On Thursday 17 May 2012, First Minister Alex Salmond met with senior figures from ten Scottish Churches to discuss current issues facing society and the Church. These included sharing serious concerns about fostering, kinship care and child poverty; despite some significant progress the present economic reality means that there remain real challenges in achieving targets and improving standards across the country.

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Project News

Back to Church Sunday 2012

Back to Church Sunday will be held on 30th September 2012 and the team is busy preparing resources and encouraging churches to get involved this year. This year there should not be a clash with the September holiday weekend as for many that falls on the weekend of the 23rd September so 2012 presents a great opportunity to participate in Back to Church Sunday at the same time as others not only in the UK but around the world.

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Racial Justice News

Racial Justice Sunday 2012

The national Racial Justice Sunday Service, organised by ACTS and by Minority Ethnic Christians Together in Scotland (MECTIS), is to be held in Morningside United Church, Edinburgh, on September 9th. Between 18.00 and 18.30 the Edinburgh African Choir will present a programme of songs of praise as people assemble for the Service.

The theme for the Service will be “Growing Together in Faith” and the preacher will be Rev. Aftab Gohar, who is minister of Abbotsgrange Parish Church in Grangemouth.

You are cordially invited to attend the Service and, by doing so, to show your support for the Churches’ work to ensure that people of all races are treated justly by the society in which they live.

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Anti-Human Trafficking

Anti-Trafficking Group supports call for Anti-Trafficking Commissioner for Scotland.

The Scottish Churches Anti-Human Trafficking Group welcomes and applauds the Anti Trafficking Monitoring Group’s report, ‘All Change: Preventing Trafficking in the UK’ which was launched in Scotland on 4th May. The report offers an analysis of the progress made by the UK in complying with its obligations under the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking of Human Beings which came into force in the UK in 2009.

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The Trustees of ACTS (Action of Churches Together in Scotland) support this SCVO initiative to widen and inform the debate about the Future of Scotland by encouraging organisations across Scotland to share their concerns and reflections.

ACTS encourages its member churches and wider contacts to participate in this initiative - for the good of all in our society.

Prayer for Today

Take us from where we are, to where you want us to be;
make us not merely guardians of a heritage, but living signs of your coming Kingdom;
fire us with passion for justice and peace between all people;
fill us with that faith, hope and love which embody the Gospel;
and through the power of your Holy Spirit make us one.
That the world may believe, that your name may be enthroned in our nation,
that your church may more effectively be your body,
we commit ourselves to love you, serve you,
and follow you as pilgrims not strangers.

ACTS Commitment used at the Inaugural service of ACTS. September 1990