Kirk says ‘I do’ to changing reality

It has been a worrying time for the Kirk.

Plummeting numbers have been attending church services, with no obvious way to stem the worrying decline.

However, ministers have come up with an ambitious bid to reach out for more business – at wedding fairs.

Given statistics showing that the wedding industry is worth £10 billion annually, it could be seen as a logical step.

Former Moderator the Very Rev Dr John Chalmers backs the bold bid.

The number of ceremonies conducted by humanist celebrants exceeded the number of weddings conducted by Church of Scotland ministers for the first time last year, leading Mr Chalmers to confess the public is no longer “beating a track to our door”.

He is right to ponder upon changes in society – and the potential for them to impact upon the work of the Kirk.

People lead increasingly busy lives and the distractions are greater than ever.

For many a day of rest is no more than a myth, yet we all need time for quiet reflection.

The Kirk still has something to offer society, but the way in which it reaches out to people may have to adapt to a new reality.

Perhaps attendance at wedding fairs is one way for ministers to broaden what could be seen as the church’s waning appeal.