INTRODUCTION

The Committee has met on six occasions since the rising of the last General Assembly and has sought to address the ever-expanding range of issues which falls within its broad remit. Although much of the business for which it is responsible may appear comparatively mundane, the Committee is aware that its decisions have an important bearing on the ongoing life of the Church as it seeks to fulfil its God-given role in an ever-changing world.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1999

Details of the arrangements for the 1999 General Assembly are contained in the Outline Order of Business in Appendix 1. The Committee wishes to record its appreciation to the Minister and Kirk Session of St. Paul's Church of Scotland, Milngavie for their generosity in so readily agreeing to make their commodious premises available for that purpose.

As has been the practice in recent years, Saturday afternoon will be devoted to a series of Workshops to be held in Douglas Academy. The Planning Group, under the leadership of the Rev Jan Cross, is to be congratulated on the variety and quality of the menu on offer. The concluding session of the Assembly will once again take the form of a Praise Service when it is anticipated that the Rev Dr Alfred M Merriweather will be the speaker.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2000

The Committee has given further careful consideration to the location of the General Assembly in June 2000 and wishes to recommend that it be held in St. Leonard's-in-the-Fields and Trinity Church of Scotland, Perth.

In view of the declining level of support, the Committee, in consultation with the Planning Group, is of the opinion that the current practice of holding Workshops during the period of the General Assembly should be discontinued. In reaching its decision the Committee wishes to acknowledge the valuable contribution these events have made over the past seven years and plans to develop an activity at a time and place outwith the proceedings of the General Assembly.

The proposal to discontinue the Workshops in their present form led to a review of the programme of the General Assembly itself, and while it is recommended that the length of the Assembly should remain unchanged, it is proposed, with effect from the General Assembly 2000 to discontinue the Practice of holding a Moderator's Reception on Thursday evening; to introduce an Open Forum (lasting for approximately 1 hour) at the close of business on Saturday morning at which members of the Assembly and others would have an opportunity to explore further a significant issue related to the earlier report; to provide a buffet lunch at which the Moderator would have an opportunity to circulate and meet those present; and, following the Praise Service at 2.30 p.m., to close the Assembly not later than 4.30 p.m.

STATUS OF APPENDICES IN REPORTS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The Committee gave consideration to this matter and, in particular, to the question of their possible amendment by the Assembly. Following consultation with the Principal Clerks of the General Assembly it was agreed that the purpose of appendices is to provide additional background information and that, if the matters under consideration involve changes to existing Practice, they must appear in the body of the Report and be identified in an appropriate paragraph of Deliverance.

CONVENTION 2000

Arrangements to mark the Millennium and the centenary of the formation of the United Free Church of Scotland are already well in hand. They will take the form of a Convention to be held at Stirling University from Friday 25th (evening) to Saturday 26th August. The theme will be 'The Challenge of Discipleship' and a provisional booking of residential accommodation and conference facilities for 350 has been made. The main speaker will be the Rev Tom Houston and the Committee is indebted to the Rev J G McPhee and his team who are actively engaged in preparing a varied and stimulating programme for what promises to be an inspiring occasion.

TRAINING DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

In accordance with the decision of last General Assembly, the Rev M J Marsden took up his appointment as the Church's full-time Training Development Officer on 1st September 1998, and has sought to develop a range of services to meet the needs of the Church. These have included visits to Presbyteries and a growing number of congregations; conferences with ministers, pastors and office-bearers; the provision of suitable support materials to assist in elder-training, spiritual nurture and evangelism; participation in the planning of more extended initiatives of congregational outreach. In addition Mr Marsden has been involved in a variety of conferences and activities which has ensured that the denomination is able to benefit from those developments that are informing and inspiring current thinking and action in other Churches in Scotland and beyond. The Committee welcomes the added stimulus that Mr Marsden has been able to give to the ongoing life of the Church and would urge Presbyteries and congregations to make effective use of the material and human resources he has to offer.

CARE AND SUPERVISION OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH

Following the approval given by the 1998 General Assembly to the Report 'The Care and Supervision of Children and Young People in the Church', the Committee recognised the need to provide appropriate training for those involved in the implementation of its recommendations. A national training event for congregational and Presbyterial co-ordinators took place in December and was ably led by Mrs Gillian Scott, the Church of Scotland's National Adviser on Child Protection. This was followed by a meeting for Presbytery clerks and co-ordinators and, more recently, by an extended programme of visitation to individual congregations. The Committee is indebted to the Revs A M Ford and C C Brown and all who assisted them in promoting these important initiatives. The Committee will continue to monitor the Guidelines and to make such adjustments as may be considered necessary in the light of experience and informed comment.

THE WAY FORWARD GROUP

The Way Forward Group has been engaged in a survey of the courts of the Church and has discovered in its research and deliberations that at one time the most important court was the Presbytery. The General Assembly did not always meet, and the Presbytery assumed an authoritative function within its bounds. The General Assembly met on an irregular basis and was called if necessary. Today the Presbytery has given way to the General Assembly which in the contemporary United Free Church is governed by committees whose reports form the substance of the business transacted. How that is affecting the effectiveness of either court is being considered by the Group.

The Group considers that too much time is being absorbed by matters which have only small bearing on the present need of the Church for a new vision and a new impetus to growth both in grace and in numbers. Thought is being given as to how this can be acceptably changed while still remaining Presbyterian. There is an awareness that some of the changes which have been proposed could well take away the basic Presbyterianism which has been the strength of the Church over the years. Nevertheless the Group considers changes are necessary for the future life of the Church but is proceeding with thoughtfulness.

The Kirk Session is considered to be the most crucial of the three courts since it is here that the faith of Christ is worked out amongst the people. Observing and listening to ministers and elders the conclusion has been reached that too much time is given in Session meetings to the unimportant issues. Elders have to be set free to pray over and discuss and to reach decisions which will relate to action on the subjects of Evangelism, Growth, Prayer Ministry, Community and Church Pastoral Care, Acts of Mercy etc. It has been noted that these subjects are rare matters for discussion in some Session meetings and the leadership aspect of the Kirk Session is often lost.

The Group is convinced the General Assembly must give it more time before the final Report is presented to the General Assembly and a paragraph in the Deliverance makes that formal request.

READERS

The Committee is pleased to report that 22 persons who successfully completed the course have been appointed Readers of the Church. Their names are listed in the current Handbook of the Church and congregations are encouraged to take advantage of their services.

STEDFAST

Despite a falling membership, the circulation of the Church's magazine has remained reasonably constant at 2053 copies per month. Great credit is due to the Editor, the Rev D R Beatty who, despite recurring illness, has continued faithfully to oversee the preparation and production of a worthy publication. It was, therefore, with regret that the Committee received a letter from Mr. Beatty requesting that he be relieved of the editorship of Stedfast with effect from the rising of the General Assembly, or, at latest, December 1999. In the knowledge that Mr. Beatty's health continues to give cause for concern, the Committee considered it had no alternative but to accede to his request and to make a recommendation to that effect to the General Assembly. In so doing the Committee wishes to place on record its deep appreciation of the long and faithful service Mr. Beatty has rendered the Church during the eleven years of his editorship.

The Committee is pleased to report that the Rev J A. M McFie has indicated his willing-ness to assume the duties of editor and the Committee recommends that his appointment take effect from 1st January 2000.

At this time of transition the Committee considered it appropriate to initiate a review of Stedfast and is currently exploring possible changes in the format and publication of the magazine.

PRAYER UNION

The Prayer Union Committee, under the enthusiastic leadership of Mrs W G Billows, was greatly encouraged by the highly favourable response it received to the redesigned 1998 Prayer and Study Guide. The Committee is to be commended for its 1999 publication and for the new features it has succeeded in incorporating into a now familiar pattern. Both content and format serve to underline the value of focused and sustained prayer and the importance of personal devotion in the everyday life of God's people.

CHURCH HANDBOOK

The Committee wishes to record its appreciation to all who were responsible for the preparation and production of the 1999 Handbook and to commend its use throughout the Church.

THE INTERNET

A United Free Church Website (www.ufcos.org.uk) has been set up with Churchnet UK. It is anticipated that it will contain basic information about the Church and significant extracts from Reports approved by the General Assembly. Material emanating from congregations may also be hosted on the denominational site and congregations wishing to become involved are asked to consult the Rev M C Keane. The Committee is presently engaged in the preparation of guidelines which it is hoped will be of assistance to congregations in selecting suitable content for inclusion on such a website.

VOICE OF YOUTH

As requested by the General Assembly the Committee gave some initial consideration to the suggestion that the Youth of the Church should be given a place within the work of the General Assembly. It was the Committee's view that this was a matter which should be explored within the context of that broader review of the structures of the Church being undertaken by The Way Forward Group, and that Group was asked to consider it as part of its remit.

CHURCH HYMNARY REVISION COMMITTEE

The 1999 Report of the Church Hymnary Revision Committee is included for information in Appendix 3. It will be noted that the consultation process on which the Committee embarked has proved more cumbersome and less effective than was anticipated, and the lack of response from Presbyteries and Kirk Sessions on this occasion appears to confirm that impression. The main focus of attention this session has been hymns concerned with the Life of Christ and the Holy Spirit, and the desirability or otherwise of the CD ROM and MIDI facilities. It is the Committee's intention to complete the process of selecting and editing material by the year 2001.

CHURCH HYMNARY TRUSTEES

The annual Report of the Trustees is contained in Appendix 4.

QUINQUENNIAL VISITATION

Visitations were made during the year to the following congregations:-

East Alloa:Moncrieff; Bo'ness:Craigmailen; Gorebridge; Leith:Ebenezer

West Duntocher: West; Glasgow:Darnley, Knightswood, North Woodside, Shieldhall and

Drumoyne; Greenock:St Andrew's Square; Largs; Moffat:St Mary's.

North Aberdeen: Northfield, Torry; Cunningsburgh; Dounby; Ferryden; Montrose:Knox's;

Sandwick.

MODERATORIAL VISITATION

Thanks are expressed to the Moderator, Rev J C Allan, and to Mrs Allan for all the work carried out for the Church in the course of the past year. Their visits to congregation have been a great encouragement to our membership, and their participation in various meetings of other denominations has provided a valuable link with our sister Churches.

East Dunfermline, Edinburgh: West, Leith:Hermitage, Leith:Ebenezer, Gorebridge, Sauchie & Fishcross

West Dalreoch, Glasgow:Candlish-Wynd, Cathcart, Croftfoot, Darnley, Drumchapel, Knightswood, North Woodside, Partick, Greenock:St Andrew's Square, Largs, Lochwinnoch:Calder, Moffat:St Mary's

North Aberdeen:Torry, Auchterarder, Balintore, Boddam, Cunningsburgh, Dounby, Sandwick, Westray

The Moderator has also represented the denomination at the Assemblies of The Baptist Union of Scotland, the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Congregational Church and at a meeting of the Synod of the Methodist Church.. Rev J G McPhee represented the denomination at the Assembly of the United Reformed Church and Rev A M Begg was our representative at another meeting of the Synod of the Methodist Church.

PRESENTATION AND CONTENT OF FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS

Full copies of the accounts for 1998 are available to Commissioners from the General Secretary. This report contains the Balance Sheet, Statement of Financial Activities and a summary of the various funds held by the Church and salient comments upon them.

LAW REFORM ACT (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) (SCOTLAND) ACT 1990

We still as yet await the response to our request for designated status under the Act. However the implementation of the procedures by Presbyteries in scrutinising congregation financial statements continues.

STIPENDS, SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Further discussions with the Inland Revenue regarding the handling of Ministers and Pastors expenses took place which has resulted in a dispensation from the Inland Revenue with respect to Car, Travel and Vocational expenses. The first full year of the new system for handling expenses has been successfully completed. An estimate of expenses is submitted to the Office at the beginning of the year which is then deducted from the gross stipend and paid as expenses. It is then adjusted to the actual expenses at the end of the year. This has meant increased work in the office but the outcome has enabled Ministers and Pastors to receive more accurate expenses payments.

AUDITORS

The audit of the 1998 Financial Accounts was carried out as agreed by the new auditors Moores Rowland. A merger of firms means that the Office will shortly become Scott Moncrieff.

THANKS

The thanks of Committee are expressed to the General Treasurer, the Office Staff and Mr Peter Dick for all the work they have carried out over the past year.

TARGET RECEIPTS AND ALLOCATION 1998 AND 1999, AND PROPOSED TARGET 2000

The response to the Target has again been very encouraging with over 98% received. The Committee is very grateful for those Congregations who contribute to the Target by monthly standing order and would encourage the other Congregations to consider this method of contributing to the Target.

The Committee gave careful consideration to the Target for 1998 and recommend that congregations be asked to contribute at the rate of £18 per member as at 31st December 1999. This is the same as the current figure and if the Congregational Rolls are lower at the end of the year it will actually mean a reduction in Target income.