As the title would suggest much of the Committee's time and energy are of necessity devoted to business that does not readily stir the imagination but provides the necessary context within which the Church must seek to fulfil its mission in today's world. Nevertheless the Committee has also sought to encourage and facilitate a variety of activities that are designed to enrich and inspire the corporate life of the Church and continues to provide opportunities for those entrusted with leadership roles to reflect on their shared concerns and responsibilities for the spiritual and material well-being of the denomination.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2001

Details of the arrangements for the 2001 General Assembly are contained in the Outline Order of Business in Appendix 1. The Committee acknowledges its indebtedness to the Minister and Kirk Session of Leith: Ebenezer United Free Church for once again making its facilities available to the Church for that purpose, and to the Salvation Army and St Thomas's Junction Road Church of Scotland for the provision of additional accommodation as required.

The Committee is satisfied that the Open Forum which was introduced last year at the close of business on Saturday morning was a welcome innovation and has invited the Committee on Ministry and Home Affairs to accept responsibility for a similar event this year.

The Open Forum will again be followed by a Buffet Lunch, and the concluding session of the Assembly will take the form of a Praise Service at which the guest speaker will be Rev Dr Sandy Roger, Principal of the Faith Mission College, Edinburgh. Proceedings are timed to end not later than 4.30 pm.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2002

The Committee believes that there is value in the Assembly meeting in rotation within the bounds of the three Presbyteries and is recommending a return to the Presbytery of the West in 2002. Several possible venues were considered but the Committee's preferred option is St Paul's Church of Scotland, Milngavie.

ACT 2OOO

Many months of sustained prayer and detailed preparation culminated in the memorable events of 25^th - 26^th August 2000. Reflecting on the attendance, programme and responses submitted by those present the Committee was satisfied that the major investment of time, effort and financial resources involved in staging such an event had been fully justified. Many commented on the encouragement they had received from their participation in a varied and well-balanced programme, and the experience of being involved in a vibrant gathering representing such a wide and varied age range. Much credit is due to the Rev J G McPhee, Rev M J Marsden and all who assisted them in translating what began as an ambitious dream into a tangible and inspiring reality.

In its desire to maintain and further the insights and experiences gained at ACT2000 the Committee set up a Follow-up Group consisting of representatives from Presbyteries and a cross-section of those who had attended the Stirling event. Its purpose is to promote and coordinate worship and study activities both at congregational and presbyterial level, thereby generating continuing and more widespread interest in these important areas of Christian experience and discipleship.

It is the Committee's intention to pursue the possibility of holding a similar event in 2003.

2001 – A FAITH ODYSSEY

As part of a three-year programme which it is hoped will build on ACT2000 and prepare the way for some such repeat event in 2003, the Committee is promoting a one-day non-residential event on Saturday, 25^th August 2001 at Lendrick Muir near Kinross under the title '2001 – A Faith Odyssey'. An enthusiastic team has organised an imaginative programme which will focus attention on significant features of the journey of discipleship, and, in so doing, carry forward the theme of ACT2000. The Committee is confident that this event will help to replace the workshops previously associated with General Assembly and provide a further opportunity to share in a worthwhile and enjoyable learning experience.

TRAINING DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

It was with great regret that the Committee received and accepted the resignation of the Rev M J Marsden from his appointment as the denomination's Training Development Officer with effect from 7 ^th May 2001 in order to accept a Call to be Associate Minister of Knox Presbyterian Church, Oakville, Ontario. During the five years that Mr Marsden has served the denomination in that capacity (the first two on a part-time basis), he has consistently sought to highlight the need for appropriate training in all aspects of the Church's life, and especially for those engaged in the work of the eldership. Many individuals and congregations have benefited from the stimulus he has brought to their thinking and practice, and his challenging and often provocative contribution to the Church's life will be greatly missed.

Faced with the prospect of the imminent withdrawal of Mr Marsden's services the Committee has sought to make alternative short-term arrangements to cover those initiatives in which he played a leading role, but careful consideration must now be given to the feasibility of proceeding to a further appointment.

WAY FORWARD GROUP

The Way Forward Group has met on several occasions since last General Assembly. Its first task was to review its statement on the Kirk Session in the light of responses received from Kirk Sessions. That aspect of the Group's work has now been completed, and, as previously agreed, the revised statement along with appropriate paragraphs of deliverance will be presented to the Assembly when the full report on the Courts of the Church is complete.

The Group, which has been greatly helped in its deliberations by the active participation of four additional elders, is now in the process of exploring the role and constitution of Presbytery as a Court of the Church.

ELDER TRAINING

Under the direction of the Training Development Officer elder training has increasingly become an established feature of the Church's life. The practice of holding an annual training day at Presbytery level is now the norm but there are plans to supplement these events by offering a menu of workshops which can be made available at the local level.

As a Church we are greatly indebted to those Elder Trainers – Mr G Banks (Presbytery of the East), Mr N Kyle and Mr G T Steel (Presbytery of the West) and Mr G M Smith (Presbytery of the North) – who have made a most valuable contribution to the development and implementation of the existing programme.

With the retrial of Mr George Smith it is clear that the new developments envisaged can only be effectively implemented if the current pool of trainers is increased, and it is the Committee's hope that there will be a good response to the TDO's recent appeal for elders willing to equip themselves to engage in this important ministry.

PRAYER UNION

The Committee is acutely aware that without the support of a praying people its best laid plans can never hope to realise their true potential. It therefore sees the Prayer Union, and in particular, those responsible for preparing and publishing the Prayer and Study Guide, as making an invaluable contribution to its work and to the witness of the whole Church. The production of such a booklet represents many hours of painstaking effort but the Committee is confident that the quality of the end product will continue to raise the profile of prayer and its importance throughout the denomination.

The Committee wishes to place on record its sincere appreciation to the Convener, Mrs W G Billows, and her team for their work and the level of commitment it involves.

STEDFAST

The publication of Stedfast continues to play an important role in the life of the denomination. The new and well-established format has commended itself to the majority of our members although some reservations have been expressed over the lapse of time between issues. The Committee is greatly indebted to the Rev J A M McFie for his invaluable services as editor and to the publishers both for the quality of their product and the timeousness of its publication. Circulation continues to hover around 2000 per issue and the Committee is exploring how the existing gap between income and expenditure can be more effectively bridged.

YOUTH ASSEMBLY

The second Youth Assembly was held at Lendrick Muir on 23^rd to 25^th March. The Committee was pleased to learn that 23 young people within the 16-25 age range attended and reaffirms its belief that such events are an effective way of broadening the participants' experience of Christian fellowship and of introducing them to current issues of interest and concern within the Church. The committee is pleased to note that two of those present will be attending the General Assembly and that one of them will be invited to speak.

The Committee welcomed the practical interest shown by the women of the Church in this venture and the generosity of the financial contribution made to it by the Women's Home and Overseas Committee.

FOOD HYGIENE / HEALTH AND SAFETY LEGISLATION

In response to requests for guidance from Congregations on the practical implications of Food Hygiene / Health and Safety Legislation for Church premises, the Committee issued a brief statement outlining the general requirements in respect of the provision of food and the structural requirements for kitchen premises involved in the preparation and service of food. In addition Congregations were encourage to seek the advice of their local Environmental Health Department and where they have taken place these consultations have proved beneficial.

CHILD PROTECTION

The group appointed to oversee the implementation of the Guidelines relating to the Care and Supervision of Children and Young People in the Church has continued to meet and identify areas of concern. It is anticipated that legislation requiring criminal record checks on all newly appointed persons working with young people will become effective later this year but that the cost involved in the case of voluntary workers will be borne by the Scottish Executive. The cost of such checks in the case of paid personnel will be the responsibility of the employer. However these requirements will only affect those whose employment post-dates the passing of the appropriate legislation.

REVISION OF THE CHURCH HYMNARY

The 2001 Report of the Church Hymnary Revision Committee is contained in Appendix ? In addition to the Plenary Meetings the Church's four representatives continue to participate in the time-consuming work currently being undertaken in one or other of the three sub-committees dealing with children's material, music and text. As the work in these sub-committees moves painstakingly to its conclusion the Committee is bracing itself for the final selection process that will determine the content of the new hymnal. Mrs R J Jackson, Mrs H Scott, Mr A K M Rankin and the Rev A D Scrimgeour continue to represent the United Free Church on the Committee.

CHURCH HYMNARY TRUSTEES

The Annual Report of the Trustees is contained in Appendix?. It should be noted that on this occasion the Church is being asked to state its position in respect of the forthcoming Fourth Edition of the Hymnary and a paragraph of deliverance is included for that purpose.

QUINQUENNIAL VISITATION

Visitations were made during the year to the following congregations:

East Blairlogie, Bannockburn: Murrayfield

West Clydebank, Dalreoch, Fort William

North

MODERATORIAL VISITATION

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

East Burntisland: Erskine, Dysart, Edinburgh: Blackhall, Corstorphine, Portobello, St Ninians,

West Clydebank, Fort William, Glasgow: Croftfoot, Langside and Shawlands, Millerston, Shieldhall and Drumoyne; Kilmaurs:Maxwell and Kilmarnock, Milngavie

North Aberdeen: Torry, Arbroath, Balintore, Boddam, Carnoustie, Cunningsburgh, Dounby, Newport, Perth, Sandwick, Tayport, Westray

The Moderator also represented the denomination at the Assemblies of the Baptist Union and the Church of Scotland, at meetings of the Synods of the Congregational Federation and the Methodist Church in Scotland and the Northern Congress of the Salvation Army. Rev A D Scrimgeour represented the denomination at the Assembly of the United Reformed Church and Rev J C Allan was our representative at their Scottish Synod with Rev J Creelman as our representative at the Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church.

In the name of the Committee,

A. DOUGLAS SCRIMGEOUR, Convener

GRAEME B BRUCE, Vice-Convener

JOHN A. M. McFIE, Vice-Convener

JOHN O. FULTON, Secretary