malcolm@disciplescotland.org.uk     





CourageSCOTLAND is to have its second meeting on Saturday the 27th of October.  Please e mail MALCOLM at DISCIPLESCOTLAND . ORG . UK for venue and more information.  The title of the afternoon is "Amazing Grace: The Bible Set Free" and will be the first in the series looking at what the Bible says about homosexuality and faith.

Courage Discipleship Groups are for ...

  • Gay and lesbian Christians who are seeking a safe place of friendship in which to reconcile their faith and sexuality and grow towards Christian maturity

  • Anyone from the gay community who is interested in finding out more about the claims of Jesus Christ - who he is, why he came and what that means for people today

  • their partners and friends, parents and other family members

Our focus is ...

  • a real relationship with God, possible through Jesus Christ

Our objectives are:

  • to work out our Christian discipleship together, in a way that is consistent with the teaching of Scripture, especially for those who are gay or lesbian

  • to dialogue with our brothers and sisters in Churches who find homosexuality difficult to understand or accept

  • and to communicate the Good News to all who do not know Jesus Christ.

Where and when?

  • Our Discipleship Group meets monthly (usually the third or fourth Friday of the month) in Glasgow.

  • These meetings are open to all Discipleship Group members, their wives/husbands/partners. Also open to supporting friends and church leaders by invitation.   If someone wishes to come who is not a member but is a friend/partner/relative of a member then a simple e mail letting us know you are coming - or a text - would be great.  If that is not possible don't let that be a reason not to come.  For Church leaders etc. wishing to come along please send an e mail with the reason why you want to come to malcolm@disciplescotland.org.uk at least 2 weeks before the next meeting. 

  • Members are welcome to arrive from 6.30 pm onwards, for supper at 7.00 pm. We aim to finish the meetings by 10.00 pm.

The main elements of a Discipleship Group Meeting are:

  • Fellowship over a meal

  • Worship, teaching and discussion (sometimes with a guest speaker)

  • Sharing and praying for one another in small groups (time permitting).

Costs

For the first meeting at least the meal element of the meeting will be a take away.  The cost is whatever you order! :-) The three choices are indian, pizza and chinese - of course you are free to bring and pick up your own.  There will be a freewill offering for donations if you desire to help with running costs.

Confidentiality

The Discipleship Group gives access to a forum where people are able to share something of their own journey and personal issues, if they choose. Also to pray for one another and share God’s grace with each other.

To ensure a genuinely supportive and safe environment, every member gives a prior signed undertaking that they agree to support the aims of the group and understand that no personal details shared in the group may be passed on to an outsider (which includes information about the venue).  This is an essential part of becoming a member and attending any group meeting.  No details given to Courage will be passed onto third parties.

How to join

For those who are interested in becoming involved in the Courage Discipleship Group, our first priority is to ensure that the principles of operation of the Group are fully understood and that commitment to confidentiality is agreed. Malcolm welcomes the opportunity to meet potential new members, normally before they sign up, to discuss the enquirer’s interest, to explain our aims and to ensure that membership is appropriate both for the individual and for the group as a whole.

If you are interested in knowing more, please write to the Courage office to request a Group membership brochure and form, stating briefly the reasons for your interest in the Group. Alternatively you may e-mail your request to malcolm@disciplescotland.org.uk, remembering to include your full name and postal address in the enquiry. The membership form can also be downloaded from this web site and printed out – there is a choice of formats: HTML (standard web page) or Adobe Acrobat PDF.

If you are happy to agree to our Terms of Membership, the next stage is to complete and sign the membership form and return it to the Courage office (or e mail it to malcolm@disciplescotland.org.uk).  This is based in Guildford, England.  The reason for this is that Courage already has the facilities set up in the Guildford office to accept and process the application forms.  Further information, including details of the meeting venues, will then be posted to you and your details added to our Group mailing list - which is again, confidential.

Please note that membership of the Courage Discipleship Group is not possible until the signed Group membership form has been received in the office.

Once you are a Group Member, you will also receive the Courage Newsletter (2–3 times a year) and other relevant information from time to time, such as changes to meeting arrangements, details of forthcoming retreats and conferences or other special events.  You will also receive the Scottish Newsletter - The Signal by either post or e mail, whichever you prefer.