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 2024-2025 is Sure Foundations.

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 2024-25 is: The reason we serve.

Strategies

From 2024-2027, the work, worship, and focus of the Guild falls under the strategy: Let us build a house.

All four of the projects supported by Guild members from 2025-2027 relate to the theme of the three-year strategy. The new project partners from January will be:

  • Bear Necessities: Build my church Bulgaria, supporting the community in Sliven in Bulgaria to build a church which will provide a place of worship as well as community activities and provide theological training to lay members.
  • CrossReach: Playful beginnings, supporting children with additional support needs and parents struggling with the early years of parenthood to have the support they need for a positive start.
  • Release International: Operation Hope, supporting the Christian community in Upper Egypt by providing practical and pastoral support.
  • Scottish Bible Society: Bibles for Bairns, supporting every new child born in Scotland whose parents want it, to receive a bible and other reading resources over the first five years of their life.

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 1960s the Guild has supported projects and raised more than £7.5 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 areas are as follows:

North West

Caithness, Lewis, Lochaber, Lochcarron and Skye, Moray Firth, Moray, Orkney, Ross, Ross/Tain, Sutherland.

West

Bute, Cowal, Dunbartonshire, Glasgow City Group, Glasgow East, Glasgow North, Glasgow South, Glasgow West, Hamilton South, Hamilton North, Inverclyde, Lanark, Paisley, South Argyll.

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, Stirling & Clackmananshire, Falkirk.

South East

Berwickshire, Dunfermline & District, Edinburgh, Esk Valley, Kirkcaldy area, Lothian East, North East Fife, Roxburghshire, Upper Tweed, West Lothian.

South West

Annandale and Eskdale, Ayr & District, Irvine and Kilmarnock, Nithsdale, North Ayrshire, Machars, Rhins, Stewartry.

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:
  1. Inter-faith Group on Domestic Abuse
  2. ACTS Anti-human trafficking Group
  3. World Day of Prayer
  4. 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