Report of the Synod of the Methodist Church in Scotland, 13th September 2025
On 1st September 2025 the six circuits which formerly made up the Scotland District merged to form the Scotland Circuit. As you might imagine, this involved a number of extra meetings around the start of the connexional year and lots of work behind the scenes, so it was decided that Synod would aim to be as concise as possible. This was aided by our meeting on Zoom which removed travel time, and also helps with our desire to move towards Net Zero.
The business of the meeting was therefore conducted efficiently, from welcomes to new members and officers to the election of Conference Representatives, with reports from various areas of the life of the District.
The Chair, Revd Mark Slaney, informed Synod that he has been designated as President of the Methodist Conference for 2026, and work is ongoing to determine how any impact on the District of his absence will be mitigated. He also reflected on his sabbatical earlier this year which had involved many conversations with church leaders and others across Scotland, and reflection on Scotland’s history, how it impacts Scottish society today, and the part the church can play within it.