Scotland to host historic 2010 Christian Gathering

9/12/ 2009

A historic gathering of 250 Christian leaders from across the globe will take place in Scotland’s capital next year, organisers have announced.

Worldwide figures from the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical and Pentecostal churches, including the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, who will deliver a keynote address, are expected to attend Edinburgh 2010.

The five-day international, multi-denominational summit, commemorating the 1910 World Missionary Conference, will take place between 2-6 June at the Church of Scotland Assembly Hall on the Mound and the Pollock Halls, Holyrood Park Road, where it is hoped new perspectives for Christian mission for the 21st century will emerge.

The Rev Andrew Anderson, chair of the Edinburgh 2010 General Council, and minister at the city’s Greenside Parish Church, said: “This is a complex and challenging event to organise given the wide range of representation from the World Church, but it is immensely exciting and we have received already the kind of world-wide support and commitment that promises to make it really successful.”

He added: “This is a unique project bringing together in an unprecedented way the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Anglican and Evangelical Protestant Christians from around the world to work out a common vision for mission in the twenty-first century.

“All eyes will be on Scotland and Edinburgh next June which is a huge honour for us, and a great opportunity to do something of lasting good as together we witness to Christ today,” said Mr Anderson.

On the final day of the conference, delegates are expected to be joined by 900 local and international visitors for worship, with many more following the proceedings online.

To accommodate the huge demand, officials have already began inviting Christians all over the world to remember next year’s centenary and to participate in the exciting project in their local area.

There is already a global discussion set up on Facebook, Twitter and the Edinburgh 2010 website (www.edinburgh2010.org) as well as a youth writing and multimedia contest.

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