Church of Scotland’s ‘Life and Work’ Magazine to End After 146 Years

Longstanding Church Publication to Cease Amid Financial Struggles

The Church of Scotland is set to end the print run of its historic monthly magazine, Life and Work, which has been in publication for nearly 150 years. This move comes as a result of financial constraints and a steady decline in readership.

The decision was announced at the Church’s General Assembly in Edinburgh. Delegates were informed that the continuation of the 146-year-old magazine was no longer financially viable.

Despite its editorial independence, Life and Work has been a crucial communication tool for the Church.

Lynne McNeil, the magazine’s editor for over two decades, shared with the BBC the challenges faced by the print industry, mentioning a climate of “diminishing returns.”

McNeil highlighted that “Life and Work loses sales every time a church closes,” with current attendance figures averaging 68,160 weekly – a significant drop from the pre-pandemic numbers of approximately 88,000.

Rev Jim Stewart, head of the magazine’s advisory committee, remarked to the BBC about its role in “enhancing and strengthening” the Church’s influence in Scottish society.

Facing broader issues such as declining membership and church closures, the Kirk is already contemplating a successor to the magazine. Proposals are expected to be reviewed at the upcoming General Assembly.

The Church of Scotland isn’t the only institution facing these challenges; the Free Church of Scotland will also cease its bimonthly magazine, The Record, next year. Once boasting a circulation of 10,000, it has now dwindled to just 1,700.

The discontinuation of these publications signifies a major change in how Scottish churches will communicate and engage with their members in the future.