Church of Scotland and Mthodist Church
Saint Andrew’s Scot Church
General Introduction
St. Andrew’s Scot’s Church is a unique local ecumenical partnership between the Church of Scotland and the Methodist Church of Great Britain.
Ministers come alternately from the Church of Scotland and the Methodist Church. Over twenty nationalities are present within the congregation, comprising many different Christian denominations. Services are open to all; they are in English and they are celebrated in the Reformation tradition. Sunday worship is always followed by a time for fellowship, friendship and refreshment.
The church is committed to mission and social action and reaches out to vulnerable families, immigrants and refugees in Malta, and to HIV/AIDS communities in Zambia. It has developed an “International Centre” where English language classes are taught and from where a regulated non-profit financial institution whole-owned by the church called Malta Microfinance (www.maltamicrofinance.org) is run. The church has also opened a Foodbank.
Signs, Symbols and Sacred Texts
The Empty Cross is the main symbol of the Christian faith in a risen Saviour. Bread and wine are used in the celebration of Holy Communion. Few other signs and symbols are used as the Methodist and Reformed traditions do not regularly use icons, statues, or other symbols. The only sacred text used is the Bible. The writings of many great theologians are valued, but only the Bible is held as sacred.
Major Festivities
All major Christian festivals are celebrated: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost. For many of these the Church joins ecumenical celebrations through Christians Together in Malta.
Attire for Ministers
General attire for ministers is a clerical shirt. For worship services, ministers would either wear a clerical shirt or a cassock.
Brief History
A Methodist Church has existed in Valletta since 1824, when Rev. John Keeling founded the first non-Roman Catholic Church in Malta. A Presbyterian church has existed on the current site since 1843 and the present building was completed in 1857 through the efforts of a Presbyterian minister, the Rev. George Wisely during a time of strong British military presence.
The two congregations joined together in the 1970s after the Methodist building (situated next to the Argotti Gardens) was forced to close. The full story of the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches in Malta can be found by clicking here: http://website.lineone.net/~peterbidmead/index.htm
Contact Information
- Church: Saint Andrew’s Scots Church, 210 Old Bakery Street, Valletta, VLT 1451.
- Website: https://www.standrewsmalta.com/contact