Contents GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2021 Reports 1/1 Assembly Business Committee 2/1 Delegation of General Assembly 3/1 Assembly Trustees 4/1 Special Commission on the Effectiveness of the Presbyterian Form of Church Government 5/1 Legal Questions Committee 6/1 Ecumenical Relations Committee 7/1 Faith Nurture Forum 8/1 Housing and Loan Fund 9/1 Church of Scotland Guild 10/1 Theological Forum 11/1 Registration of Ministries Committee 12/1 Faith Impact Forum 01 13/1 Board of the Iona Community 14/1 Social Care Council 15/1 Safeguarding Committee 16/1 Committee on Chaplains to Her Majesty’s Forces 17/1 General Trustees 18/1 Church of Scotland Pension Trustees 19/1 Nomination Committee 20/1 Church Hymnary Trustees 21/1 Church of Scotland Trust 22/1 Church of Scotland Investors Trust Reports The Church of Scotland General Assembly 2021 Report of the Assembly Business Committee.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................01 ............................................. ASSEMBLY BUSINESS COMMITTEE MAY 2021 Proposed Deliverance Report The General Assembly: 1. THE VERY REV DR W MARTIN FAIR 1. Receive the Report. Very Rev Dr Martin Fair’s year as Moderator has been distinct. He was just the right person to 2. Approve the order of business for the first be the first to moderate an online General two days. Assembly and to lead us all in the time of the 3. Appoint Rev Colin Renwick to be Precentor Covid-19 pandemic. Throughout his year he has until May 2022. adapted, thrived and encouraged, and enabled others to do so. Prayer and reflection 4. Appoint Mr Roy Pinkerton to index the resources have been greatly appreciated by the verbatim record. whole church family and beyond, particularly by 5. Invite Commissioners to submit to the those leading worship who have been able to Procedure Committee via email: have occasional time off. While actual travel [email protected] by has been minimal, Martin has zoomed around Monday 24 May at 12pm, nomination(s) of cyberspace; engaging with ministers, Commissioner(s) to serve on the Selection congregations, Presbyteries, military personnel, Committee. ecumenical partners at home and abroad and many more. 6. Approve the Overture amending the Church Courts Act (Act III 2000) as set out His series: ‘It’s a Fair Question’ has been able to in Appendix C and transmit the same to open up conversations on significant issues Presbyteries for their consideration under facing the church, nation and the world. the Barrier Act, directing that returns be The Church is indebted to Martin for his sent to the Principal Clerk not later than dedicated service at this time, and we wish him 31 December 2021. and Elaine well as they adapt to their new 7. Pass as an Interim Act the text of the normal. Overture amending the Church Courts Act (Act III 2000) as set out in sections 1 and 2 2. THE PRECENTOR only (but not section 3) of Appendix C. The Committee is grateful to Rev Colin Renwick 8. Instruct the Committee to develop the fast for his willingness to be Precentor at the tracking of deliverance approval General Assembly. During Covid-19 constraints necessitated by online Assemblies and his work has been limited, and we hope that continue in future Assemblies. General Assembly 2022 will be one where we are able to gather and be led in praise. 9. Instruct the Committee to continue its work on General Assembly reform, including engagement with the Legal 3. PRESBYTERY REPRESENTATION Questions Committee’s work on the Church The Presbytery returns show that there are in Courts Act, reflection on the report of the all the Presbyteries 1,010 charges, whether Special Commission on the Effectiveness of vacant or not and that there are 173 other the Presbyterian Form of Church ministers (excluding retired ministers) who are Governance, and to share proposals with members of Presbyteries. Representation is Presbyteries for early consultation, prior calculated for each Presbytery in accordance to reporting to the General Assembly of with Act III 2000 and the total number of 2022. Commissioners is currently made up as follows: 10. Invite the Legal Questions Committee to 327 Ministers, 327 Elders and 21 Deacons. explore the feasibility of legislation enabling all or part of future General 4. AMENDMENTS TO STANDING ORDERS Assembly business to be conducted online, In light of this Assembly being held online, and report to a subsequent General changes are required to the Standing Orders Assembly with draft legislation if and these are set out in Appendix B. The appropriate. relevant section of deliverance is contained in 11. Urge the Scottish Bible Society to pursue the Report of the Legal Questions Committee. its ongoing efforts to address the challenge of global Bible translation and distribution. 5. PROPERTY 5.1. Moderator’s Residence 12. Support the Society in its desire to work in Following the annual inspection of the partnership with congregations to improve Moderator’s flat in January 2020, several minor people's experience of the Bible and its repairs and improvements were carried out. impact on their life. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the property was 13. Endorse the Society in its efforts to little used during the year. Repairs to the roof encourage confidence in the Gospel and in area have been completed, the costs being providing Scripture resources for mission shared by the other proprietors in the block. purposes. The motor of the external hoist is being replaced and a cover installed to deal with the 14. Commend the Society’s global outreach to problem of water ingress. the generosity of congregations and members. Last year’s inspection highlighted a number of more serious defects in this property, which has a dual purpose: that of providing a high- Reports The Church of Scotland General Assembly 2021 01 Report of the Assembly Business Committee.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. quality venue for official entertaining on the New Presbyteries Date of ground floor and as living accommodation for Formed Commencement the Moderator and family members on the upper floor. The latter aspect of the flat is far 1 Aberdeen/Shetland 1 June 2020 from ideal, since there is no kitchen, no study, only one living room and two bedrooms on the 2 Fife 1 January 2021 upper floor, which is inaccessible for anyone 3 Clyde 1 September 2020 with a mobility issue. It has therefore been agreed to review the long-term future of the Presbyteries currently Proposed Date Moderator’s residence, in terms of expenditure, in Discussion for Overture to accessibility and necessity. GA and Date of Commencement 5.2. Assembly Hall Since both meetings of the General Assembly 4 Aberdeen/Shetland, GA 2022 were held online and there were no external Gordon, Buchan, 1 January 2023 lets (apart from the Hall being used for the Kincardine & Deeside, New College Student Induction Week), there Orkney was little use of the Hall in 2020, but no and part of Moray reduction in net expenditure. Problems 5 Caithness, Sutherland, GA 2022 highlighted in earlier reports continue to cause Ross, Inverness, part of (possibly) concern: increasing repair and maintenance Moray, Abernethy, 1 January 2023 costs, a limit on the revenue that may be Lochaber, Lochcarron- (possibly) generated through short-term lets, and Skye, restricted disability access. To these must be Uist and Lewis added the cost of replacing critical items of equipment installed many years ago. As 6 Angus, Dundee, Perth, GA 2022 changes to health and safety regulations mean Dunkeld & Meigle, Summer 2022? that lift breakdowns due to water accumulating Stirling in the sump are costly to repair, a permanent solution is being sought, so that the Hall is 7 Edinburgh, West GA 2021 ready for use when the current restrictions are Lothian, with 1 January 2022 lifted. It should be noted that the University of discussions to be for Edinburgh is undertaking a major renovation of entered into with Edinburgh-West New College, designed to stop the spread of Lothian, Duns, Melrose Lothian fire and protect the fabric of their building. & Peebles and Jedburgh Wider reform under discussions Given the role of the General Assembly as the supreme decision-making Court of the Church of Scotland, the place where its decisions are 8 Glasgow Cumbernauld currently debated and determined may no charges have now longer be wholly fit for purpose. Since “a well- been transferred equipped space in the right place” is clearly as important for the Church as a whole as it is for 9 Hamilton and Lanark GA 2021 individual congregations, it has been agreed to 1 January 2022 explore options for the future of the building. 10 Ardrossan, Irvine & GA2021 Kilmarnock, Ayr, 30 September 6. PRESBYTERY DEVELOPMENT Wigtown & Stranraer, 2022 The work of Presbytery Development has two Annandale & Eskdale, strands. The first strand is the restructuring of Dumfries & the existing Presbyteries to form a smaller Kirkcudbright number of larger Presbyteries, with the aim of 11 Argyll and Falkirk establishing around ten new Presbyteries. This considering direction of major piece of work is being led by the travel Principal Clerk, who has been facilitating discussions and supporting dialogue between 12 The Presbyteries of groups of Presbyteries. The approach has been England, the that an outcome which best reflects Presbytery of the geographical and cultural connections is more International Charges solidly achieved by being shaped from the and the Presbytery of ground up rather than being centrally imposed. Jerusalem are Progress with this restructuring is set out as discussing what follows: Presbytery Reform means for them in their unique position. The second strand of Presbytery Development is concerned with exploring, encouraging and supporting ways in which Presbytery life will develop within the newly shaped Presbyteries.