Presbytery of Europe - Congregations

Congregations

The Presbytery has 12 congregations in Europe, 2 outside Europe, plus associated congregations. Whilst appreciating their close links with Scotland and the Church of Scotland, all seek to provide English-language Reformed Christian worship and pastoral care to people of all nationalities. Scots are thus a minority at almost all the congregations.

The Presbytery meets at one of its congregations on a six yearly cycle. The "sanctioned charges" of the Church of Scotland in continental Europe (determined by an Act of the General Assembly) are:

• Belgium - St Andrew's Church, Brussels
• France - The Scots Kirk, Paris
• Gibraltar - St Andrew's Church, Gibraltar
• Hungary - St Columba's Church, Budapest
• Italy - St Andrew's Church, Rome
• Malta - St. Andrew's Scots Church, Valletta
• The Netherlands - English Reformed Church, Amsterdam
• The Netherlands - The Scots International Church, Rotterdam
• Portugal - St Andrew's Church, Lisbon, Portugal
• Spain - The Scots Kirk, Costa del Sol (Fuengirola)
• Switzerland - The Scots Kirk, Geneva
• Switzerland - The Scots Kirk, Lausanne

Most of the congregations are very long-established. Some are also joint members of the Church of Scotland and the local Reformed Church (notably in the Netherlands and Belgium.) The Scottish Reformer John Knox was minister of the Geneva congregation prior to his return to Scotland.

The Presbytery is also exploring ways of establishing links with other existing English-speaking Reformed congregations. Associated congregations have now been developed at Bochum and Regensburg in Germany, other locations are also being investigated. There is also a close link with the English-speaking congregation in Turin, which was formerly served by a Church of Scotland minister.