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GA2018 25th May "General Assembly 2018 Daily Notes - Friday" - ( item  below )

GA2018 24th May "General Assembly 2018 Daily Notes - Thursday" - ( item  below )

GA2018 23rd May "General Assembly 2018 Daily Notes - Wednesday" - ( item  below )

GA2018 22nd May "General Assembly 2018 Daily Notes - Tuesday" - ( item  below )

GA2018 21st May "General Assembly 2018 Daily Notes - Monday" - ( item  below )

GA2018 19th May "General Assembly 2018 Daily Notes - Saturday" - ( item  below )

NEWS  9th May "Information and Prayer Points for the Forthcoming 2018 General Assembly" - ( item  below )

BLOG  9th April "Diverse Gender Identities And Pastoral Care - Where The Recent Church of Scotland Booklet Needs To Be Challenged - 1) "In The Beginning"  - ( article below )

BLOG  9th April "Transgender - Some Background Information on the Topic Before Exploring Further" - ( article below )

BLOG  19th March "Diverse Gender Identities And Pastoral Care" - ( article below )

To see the full list, visit the news page, the GA2018 page or the blog page. 

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General Assembly 2018 Daily Notes - Friday

Friday arrived with the prospect of home; however, the idea of putting the Mission & Discipleship report onto the last morning seems to have borne fruit with a full attendance.

For the second year in a row, the General Assembly was addressed by a guest from the Moslem community – this year Imam Sayed Razawi from the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society gave a humanitarian address to the Assembly.

Following this, the Nomination Committee reported, with a particular emphasis on the need to develop an IT and communication strategy to improve participation in committees and Councils from beyond the central belt of Scotland.

The big report of the day was from the Mission & Discipleship Council.  There was encouragement to look beyond the statistics of decline to see signs of renewal and growth taking place in some congregations.  Substantial resources are being produced to help with discipleship – which leads to mission.  The Convener encouraged us to think about the care of our souls – discovering faith – and to take courage for the future.

Much of the Deliverance focused on what Kirk Sessions and congregations might do to promote learning, discipleship and faith-sharing, and this was a positive major report to bring on the last day of Assembly.

This was followed by the report of the National Youth Assembly which was warmly received and drew a number of positive comments from Commissioners. 

And so the 2018 General Assembly drew to a close, with the differences and difficulties on the topic of Same-Sex Marriage continuing to pull the Church apart into separate groups, new challenges on the subordinate standards being presented for future Assemblies, but the major focus being the call to a more radical approach to the future strategies of the Kirk, locally, regionally and nationally.

As the Church struggles with the need to revitalise its life, our prayer must be that that life is rooted in faith, in prayer, in reliance on God and His word in the Bible rather than the idea that the Church needs to be more in step with what society thinks and wants in order to grow.

General Assembly 2018 Daily Notes - Thursday

There seemed to be a feeling on Thursday that Assembly getting longer and longer.  A certain weariness was discernible in the Commissioners as each day stretches late into the afternoon; the circulation breaks are really beneficial in helping us catch our breath and meet with other commissioners, but they are also adding to the length of the day.  So too are major and minor issues leading to concern and debate on the floor of the Assembly.

A case in point was the morning’s Committee on Chaplains to the Armed Forces report.  Normally a kind of ‘reviewing the troops' event, but several issues lengthened the debate.  The Registration of Ministries Act seems to continue to cause some Chaplains concern, although it was good to hear of the work and visits that George Cowie has engaged in to help with this and to provide training.

Presbytery Armed Forces Champions and continuing contact through email and Life and Work were the subject of several addenda to the Deliverance, along with a complex debate around Cadet Forces – the latter regarded as youth organisations rather than within the remit of the Committee.  The timetable was already running on by the time we had heard from Maj Gen Bob Bruce to close this section.

Crossreach – the Social Care Council – followed next.  In among the struggles to raise salaries in line with the Living Wage while maintaining pay differentials, and the necessity of closing buildings, this was still a Good News story of a huge level of care and support being given to communities across Scotland.  Dementia support and help for those dealing with loneliness and isolation were two areas of work highlighted by Commissioners.

The Theological Forum reported after lunch, and a question was asked about the responses to last year’s Same-Sex Marriage report.  Helpfully this was not ducked by the Convener and a reasonable level of detail was given indicating some of the concerns and challenges raised by some of the responding denominations.

Much of the report was on the issue of offering Communion to unbaptised persons.  The Forum’s report concluded that this should not be the normal order but may be offered for pastoral reasons in exceptional circumstances.  There was quite a bit of discussion on this, including the shocking admission from one Minister that she thought she may never admit anyone by Profession of Faith, which led to a new section instructing further work on Profession of Faith.

The next item was the Petition from a Presbytery to revisit the status of the Westminster Confession of Faith, led by a former Principal Clerk.  The Confession was scorned by some contributors to the debate, but others spoke in its defence and two commissioners suggested that its abandonment might lead to their departure. After a lengthy debate, the vote to accept the Petition to ask the Theological Forum to review the status of the subordinate standards was passed.  The Petition called for a response by 2020 but the Convener suggested that timetable may slip.  Meantime the Confession remains.

The remaining business would normally be fairly routine, but the Pension Trustees, initially reporting strong recovery in scheme funding, were immediately faced with a challenge from the Council of Assembly, suggesting that their Trusteeship be re-examined.  In a tetchy and lengthy debate which followed, deep suspicion of the Council’s motives was very evident among Commissioners, and eventually, the Council’s proposals were soundly defeated.

Several other small reports followed, but a further attempt to return to Carbon Fuel investments in a Trust report was again defeated.  This was another long day after which Commissioners sang the closing hymn and departed into the evening.

General Assembly 2018 Daily Notes - Wednesday

Wednesday was Church and Society day, so Assembly dealt with the various issues of our time.  A major discussion took place on disinvestment of Pension and Investment Trust funds from the oil and gas industry, but after a strong debate and two counter-motions, the Assembly decided to retain its investments for the moment in the belief that this gives the Church a stronger voice and to continue holding discussions.

After lunch, there was a brief presentation to school representatives and a school Chaplain to award excellence in school/Church relations and RME work.

A significant motion was on the horror of the killing of demonstrators inside the Gaza fence by Israel Defence Force soldiers using live rounds on unarmed demonstrators, and strong words were passed without argument.

The day was well on when a short report on the Registration of Ministries Committee led to a full discussion on the feeling of many Chaplains that they were being relegated to second-class ministers.  Given that training is required to move from parish to chaplaincy, it was difficult to see the problem in training being provided for the reverse process.

A strong and inspiring report from the General Trustees reminded us of the need to make sure we had the right buildings in the right places for Mission.  This was a well thought out report illustrating a Department that was well on top of its remit looking for the right way ahead for the Church, seeking to engage with Presbyteries and local congregations, and asking about whether maintenance needed to be taken out of local and brought into regional or national supervision.

Finally, the Assembly returned to the remainder of the Strategic Plan debate.  The rest of Robert Allan’s motion was accepted by the Assembly and now forms the basis for the challenge to Council of Assembly, Presbytery and Kirk Session to take the problems of the Church seriously and plan for a new future.

General Assembly 2018 Daily Notes - Tuesday

Assembly began with a complaint from a Commissioner about the poor attendance at the previous evening’s Youth presentations.  However, with a full seven days’ schedule and a very long day, evening events will always struggle to gain support from tiring members of Assembly.  There is a need to find more space, helped this year with the ‘circulation breaks’ mid-session.

The Ministries Council took up the morning and a good chunk of the afternoon.  The Convener gave a challenging and encouraging opening address, which was followed by fielding a forest of questions on subjects like Hub Ministries, tenure, the core of the work of Ministry and competency assessment.  Louis Kinsey tried to alter the first main section of the deliverance to focus on the priority of the Ministry of Word and Sacrament, but his counter-motion was defeated.

Just before lunch, Alistair May brought a multi-section deliverance highlighting the funeral service we offer without charges for the Minister and this was accepted.

Lunch was followed by the Celebration of the 50^th Anniversary of the Act permitting the ordination of women to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament.  A parade of ordained women processed up the Mound to the Assembly Hall and they were seated prominently, with addresses given by some of the first ordained women, Rev Margaret Forrester and Rev Jean Montgomery.

The Ministries Council report took some time to work through but there were no major challenges to the Council’s proposals, other than some serious questioning of the advisory nature of the new Presbytery planning figures.  It felt like there were no clear answers as to how the forthcoming shortage of Ministers would be addressed.

Late in the afternoon, the Ecumenical Relations Committee reported.  A question was asked about the diligence of the Committee in seeking to fulfil last year’s instruction about sharing the Theology of Same-Sex Marriage report with other churches and asking for responses.  It was clear that the committee had passed on some significant responses to the Theological Forum.

A number of contributors from other denominations took up a good chunk of time, and a certain weariness could be detected in the Hall, even before the Panel on Review and Reform reported.  Much of the Panel’s work has been on Path of Renewal, which shows some promise for local congregations although this is still early stages for this movement.

The Safeguarding Committee brought a consolidating Act to the Assembly which brings together legislation and Assembly decisions from previous years, and this was easily accepted before the afternoon concluded with the reports of the Iona Community Board and the Guild.

General Assembly 2018 Daily Notes - Monday

After communion at the start of the morning, the World Mission Council report was given on the theme of Inter-Faith relations.  In the comments at the start of the Debate, there were some excellent contributions from overseas delegates.  Kien Seng Lee from Taiwan spoke about the importance of the Great Commission and the need to remain in Christ and in His Word, with grace and love to clearly convey the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Assembly was reminded that “conversion is the province of God, but our conversation must be seasoned with salt.” Palestinian Christians reminded us of the struggle to continue their 2000-year witness to Jesus in the Holy Land.

Louis Kinsey raised the issue of Asia Bibi, condemned to death for blasphemy after imprisonment in 2010 for sharing water with Moslems.  Highlighting the way that senior government ministers who spoke out in her support had been assassinated, Louis successfully argued that the Assembly should instruct the Council to raise Asia’s case with Scottish and UK governments.

After breaking for lunch, we took up a special report on Lessons for Scotland from Christian Faith in Africa.  This was an excellent report highlighting the growth of the Church in sub-Saharan Africa, which is a great spring-board for congregations and Presbyteries to learn from their openness in evangelism, bible study, prayer, discipleship and testimony.  There were further excellent contributions from African delegates.

At this point, we returned to the Council of Assembly report to discuss the proposed Strategic Plan.  There were a number of substantial questions asked before a Counter-Motion was put by Robert Allan, instructing the Council to return to next year’s Assembly with a radical action plan for the next three years to achieve much-needed reform within our Church.

Speaking for the counter-motion, the immediate former Moderator was scathing in his attack on the published draft Strategic Plan.  Further trenchant criticisms were added, and after a contrite defence from the Convener, the counter-motion was approved by 439 votes to the Council’s 130 votes for the Strategic Plan.  There was clearly an appetite for substantial and urgent reform – the challenge will be getting the Assembly to agree its shape.

The debate on the future of the Church Offices was more muted after that, although there were some suggestions that perhaps moving to a fresh building might be the best way ahead.

General Assembly 2018 Daily Notes - Saturday

This week we expected much emphasis on women in Ministry as this is the 50th Anniversary of General Assembly’s decision to permit women to be ordained to Word and Sacrament.  It was therefore not surprising that the Rt Rev Susan Brown was elected Moderator today, and a procession up the Mound has been arranged for later in the week.

It was good to hear Elaine Duncan give an excellent Bible Society report again, telling the Assembly about one million Bibles distributed in Cuba over the last five years, and of an elderly Malawian Pastor so excited to get a complete Bible to replace the old tattered one that started late in Genesis and finished somewhere in 1 Corinthians.

A major part of the Legal Questions Committee report was the new Discipline Overture which replaces four previous Acts.  It’s a big piece of work which will require Presbyteries’ approval before returning again next year; though quite technical, this Overture deals with Ministries and congregational Office-bearers so will be important to get right.

An additional motion was included for the debate on conducting Same-Sex Marriages – interestingly this took a minimalist line of seeking to get the Assembly to instruct the preparation of legislation for the 2020 Assembly which would only permit individuals on application to conduct Same-Sex Marriages and to seek to provide protections for those who would refuse to take part.  An early attempt to depart from the matter was easily dismissed, but an early amendment from Peter White was approved which insisted that an Act be brought only if the Legal Questions Committee felt that the legal safeguards were sufficient.

The motion as amended was then debated with calm, clear contributions from both sides. Concerns were expressed that the consequences of bringing forward such legislation would be further pressure on congregations and Presbyteries to depart from the historical and orthodox Church of Scotland position on marriage and, inevitably a further challenge to the peace and unity of the church at all levels. The point was made that the theological case for same-sex marriage has yet to be made but suggestions that this should precede drafting of legislation were rejected. A number of Commissioners were concerned about the legal position that Ministers or others refusing to take part in such ceremonies would find themselves in, despite the previously mentioned amendment. In the end, the motion (as amended) was approved by 345 to 170.

The Council of Assembly had the task of taking up the end of a warm afternoon – reiterating the need for the Church nationally to pray and confirming that there will be another National Day of Prayer later this year. Along with this was a recognition that we are called to pray week by week as we “do less with fewer resources”. The convener ended her report by drawing attention to serious financial matters: a rising national deficit and falling income from congregations giving a warning for harder times ahead.  Other matters in their report will follow on Monday.