Running order for Scottish Women’s Bible Convention 2022
9am Doors Open and bookshop open
10am Session 1
11.15am Break and bookstall open.
12noon Session 2 – Seminars
1pm Lunch
2pm Session 3
3pm Finish. The bookstall will remain open.
Please bring your own lunch, or visit local cafes to get something. If you have your own keep-cup, please do bring that along.
On arrival at the Scottish Women’s Bible Convention, everyone will need to sign up for their seminar. To avoid long queues, we’d encourage everyone to have decided beforehand what they’d like to sign up for. Below are the seminar description with links to the post from the seminar leader sharing more about the topic.
Karen Soole, from Lancaster, will be leading a seminar called Liberated: How the Bible exalts and dignifies women. Equality for all people is a foundational principle in our culture and embedded in our law. However religion is often blamed for promoted inequality especially towards women. What are we to do when the world says the Bible’s view of women is utterly abhorrent? What are we to make of passages that make us fear they might be right?
Amy Wicks, from Glasgow, will be leading a seminar called ‘What is church?’. It’s easy to think about church in terms of things that we do – church is where we hear from God’s
word, where we sing, where we do community. But what actually is the church? We’ll be looking
at what God says about the church, and how that shapes our relationship with church and the
people in it.
Carrie Sandom, from Tunbridge Wells will be leading a seminar called God’s sovereignty when hard times strike. Life often takes an unexpected turn – redundancy, financial difficulties, health crises, broken relationships and sudden bereavement – but does that mean God is no longer in control or that He no longer loves us? Is He punishing us for something we did in the past? These are questions that often come into our minds, whether we’re the ones going through a hard time or seeking to help others who are. How does God’s word help us to understand these trials and what comfort is there for those who are struggling?
There are now only 3 sleeps until the Scottish Women’s Bible Convention. I hope you are all as excited as the planning committee. To make the most of the day there are a few things which we thought it would be useful for you all to know.
Please do get in touch at scottishwomensbibleconvention@gmail.com if you have any questions. Also, do remember in your prayers our speaker and the seminar leaders as they finalise their preparations.
On Monday, we like to draw your attention to certain aspects of the Scottish Women’s Bible Convention. For the next few weeks, we’ll be telling you a bit more about the range of Seminars that are on offer.
What is the seminar about?
Equality for all people is a foundational principle in our culture and embedded in our law. However religion is often blamed for promoted inequality especially towards women. What are we to do when the world says the Bible’s view of women is utterly abhorrent? What are we to make of passages that make us fear they might be right?
Who is the seminar for?
This is for every woman! It aims to give us confidence that God is good for women. However, it is also aimed to help us explain that truth to our friends.
Why is this area important?
Through church history some things have been taught that have undermined women. We can fear that the bible rather than being liberating is in fact the cause of oppression. We can especially struggle with some of the teaching in the Old Testament or feel trapped by stereotypes.
It is important for us in our walk with Jesus to be confident in God’s love and the value he places on women.
It matters for our friends who come from a feminist perspective and are suspicious of the bible. As we grow in confidence in the bible we will be able to share the gospel more confidently with those who fear the bible is sexist.
Besides your seminar, what one thing about the Scottish Women’s Bible Convention are you looking forward to and why?
I’m really looking forward to being with my Scottish sisters in Edinburgh – wonderful fellowship in a
beautiful city!
Tickets can be purchased from Eventbrite here
On Monday, we like to draw your attention to certain aspects of the Scottish Women’s Bible Convention. This year we are pleased to have the charity Home For Good come and join us on the day. We asked Duncan Shelton to tell us about their work and their participation at the convention.
In which part of Scotland do you live?
I live in the beautiful West End of Glasgow around Finnieston that I believe, is home to some of the best coffee shops and parks in all of Scotland!
What is the purpose of Home for Good?
Home for Good has a bold vision to find a home for every child who needs one in the UK through fostering, adoption and supported lodgings for teenagers, and we believe the Church has a crucial role to play. We inspire individuals and families to open their homes to children and young people, and we equip the Church to wrap around them in support.
How are you going to be involved in this year’s SWBC?
First of all, we’re excited to be sharing more about Home for Good in a Q&A on the mainstage at some point throughout the day where you’ll hear more about Home for Good, our heart behind what we do, and why it’s so important! We’ll also have a stand open throughout the day where we’ll have resources available, including our Home for Good book written by our founder, Krish and Miriam Kandiah, bible studies and a few activities to get you thinking about the care community in your local area. At the stand, you’ll be able to ask further questions and explore how you can actively participate in the vision of Home for Good!
How is the work of Home for Good relevant to SWBC attendees?
This year’s SWBC topic is so relevant to the work that Home for Good. Scotland occupies the second highest number of looked after children away from home in the UK with over 10,000 children and young people. This number is at an all-time high. Home for Good believes that each one of us has a part to play to ensure that every child and young person in Scotland, no matter their background or upbringing, experiences the safety, love and sense of belonging that they deserve. No matter what part you choose to play, we believe that together we can make a transformational difference in our local communities and to society.
What are you most looking forward to about the event and why?
I’m most looking forward to engaging with you all on a topic that is so close to the heart of Scotland right now. The Scottish Government are currently in the process of implementing the changes that were recommended to them after the Independent Care Review was concluded in a report named The Promise. We are right at the beginning of seeing those changes and Home for Good are working hard to be part of those changes as well. The more we talk to people and listen to the stories of those that are care experienced, the more we raise awareness of the needs of the care system and the exciting changes happening within the care system right now!
Tickets can be purchased from Eventbrite here
On Mondays we like to draw your attention to certain aspects of the Scottish Women’s Bible Convention. We asked our speaker Rachel Sloan to share more about what she will be speaking on.
What are you speaking about at the Scottish Women’s Convention and why?
As believers we know and rejoice in the fact that through Christ, God forgave us, redeemed us and justified us. But the blessings of the gospel do not end there. Theologian Trevor Burke explains, “God does not only justify people and then leave them destitute with nowhere to go – he adopted them into the warmth and security of his household.” God has another blessing for us. We have been given new status – daughters of God and now have a permanent intimacy with God as our heavenly Father.
Through exploring Ephesians 1 and Romans 8 my prayer is that we will see afresh the wonderful privilege of being adopted as daughters, with God as our father. As we do, we shall see we can live as a daughter in freedom, rather than a slave to fear. We enjoy God’s tender love knowing he carefully provides for all our daily needs. We have hope for the future knowing that we will one day receive a glorious inheritance which will never perish, spoil or fade.
Besides speaking, what one thing about the Scottish Women’s Bible Convention are you looking forward to and why?
Being able to gather with so many women to sing God’s praise is wonderful. It is also such a blessing to meet friends who I haven’t seen in a while.
Tickets can be purchased from Eventbrite here – Tickets
On Monday, we like to draw your attention to certain aspects of the Scottish Women’s Bible Convention. For the next few weeks, we’ll be telling you a bit more about the range of Seminars that are on offer.
What is the seminar about?
Its easy to think about church in terms of things that we do – church is where we hear from God’s
word, where we sing, where we do community. But what actually is the church? We’ll be looking
at what God says about the church, and how that shapes our relationship with church and the
people in it.
Who is the seminar for?
Anyone who is part of a church or looking to join one, anyone who wants to be encouraged by
thinking about God’s plan for the church, and anyone who wants to grow in their love for the
church.
Why is this area important?
It’s a simple idea, but what you think something is drastically affects how you relate to it. God’s
view of the church is bigger and more glorious than we might dare to believe. When we start to
think about church the way God does, it has a huge impact on the way we relate to our church,
and the people has placed there.
Besides your seminar, what one thing about the Scottish Women’s Convention are you looking
forward to and why?
I moved to Scotland less than a year ago, so I’m looking to meeting some new people and hearing
your stories about how God is at work in your local church.
Tickets can be purchased from Eventbrite here
Meet Rachel, our speaker…from Edinburgh.
Can you tell us a little about yourself including your family, what you do etc?
I moved to Edinburgh when I was 13 and loves the city so much I stayed ever since! I enjoy coffee shops, reading, gardening, and am developing a love for running. I completed the Edinburgh Half Marathon this year and quite enjoyed it!
Since 2012 I have worked at Charlotte Chapel as their Women’s Ministry Coordinator. Since September 2020 I went part-time there and started working at the FIEC as their Director for Women’s Ministry. This role involves promoting gospel work carried out amongst women and by women in FIEC churches, alongside equipping and encouraging women’s workers.
Before being in full-time ministry l trained as a Primary School teacher and taught Primary One (Reception) for four years. I then went on to complete the Ministry Associate Programme at Chalmers Church in Edinburgh.
Which two or three Christian books apart from the Bible have most influenced your faith?
I remember the first time I read Pilgrims Progress and how struck I was by how it so beautiful articulated the Christian life. Hole in our holiness by Kevin De Young really got me thinking about the importance of pursuing holiness. I think my generation can shy away from holiness from the fear of seeming legalistic. But this book challenged me to see that holiness is becoming like Jesus. And I should be longing to see this my life more and more. Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortland was a wonderful book from last year. I really appreciated digging deep into what the Bible has to say about Jesus’ heart towards me.
What lessons have you learnt that you would want to pass on to a younger Christian version of yourself?
So many! But I think the one that has a great influence on so much of life, is the importance of rooting my identity in Christ and rejoicing in the fact I am a child of God. This truth profoundly changes how I see myself. I can worry less about what others think of me, my relationship status, if I am successful or the circumstances of my life. Instead I can rest in the fact I am a child of God who loves me and cares for me.
Tickets can be purchased from Eventbrite here – Tickets
On Monday, we like to draw your attention to certain aspects of the Scottish Women’s Bible Convention. For the next few weeks, we’ll be telling you a bit more about the range of Seminars that are on offer.
What is the seminar about?
Life often takes an unexpected turn – redundancy, financial difficulties, health crises, broken
relationships and sudden bereavement – but does that mean God is no longer in control or that He no longer loves us? Is He punishing us for something we did in the past? These are questions that often come into our minds, whether we’re the ones going through a hard time or seeking to help others who are. How does God’s word help us to understand these trials and what comfort is there for those who are struggling?
Who is the seminar for?
Anyone who has been through hard times in the past or wants to know how to be prepared for them in the future – as well as for those who are seeking to support those who are currently experiencing trials.
Why is this area important?
We cannot escape the challenges of living in a fallen world and God doesn’t promise that we will, but we can prepare for them and understand why the Lord may be taking us through them.
Besides speaking, what one thing about the Scottish Women’s Bible Convention are you looking forward to and why?
Hearing God speak to women who are hungry for His word!
Tickets can be purchased from Eventbrite here
On the day of the convention we are hugely grateful to those who have helped in the past to steward and serve tea and coffee. To help this year’s convention run we are looking for about 18 people to serve in this way. If you think you could do this, then we love for you to sign-up to one of our free tickets available on Eventbrite. You would need to be available from 8.30am on the day.
scottishwomensbibleconvention.com 