Reports to the General Assembly of United Free Church of Scotland

United Free Church of Scotland

2004 Reports Index

COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AND ADMINISTRATION
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2004
INTRODUCTION

The issues that confront the Church in Scotland today are many and varied, as are the responses to them, both from within and beyond the Church. For some, the present Church scene is no more than a catalogue of problems, pushing the traditional structures of the Church to breaking point, yet others might see in this opportunities to do things differently. Often our thoughts may focus on the many difficulties we see in our local congregations, yet there are also many good and encouraging things happening. We wonder about the future, but whatever it holds, the Church of tomorrow will surely be quite different from the institution with which we are so familiar. This uncertain and complex picture is reflected in the range of matters the Committee has dealt with over the past year. Much of the work of the Committee has been concerned with implementing the very significant decisions taken at last year’s General Assembly. The discussions with the Church of Scotland, the new arrangements for the General Assembly and the review of the Standing Committees of the Church have taken up much of the Committee’s time. There were also concerns raised by the Committee on Ministry and Home Affairs with regard to the current shortage of ministers and students for the ministry, a matter which questions the viability and nature of our Denomination. The consideration given to this forms the basis of a discussion paper which appears as an appendix to this report and which it is hoped will be given careful consideration by this year’s General Assembly and, following that, by Kirk Sessions.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2004
Following the decision taken by the General Assembly of 2003 to change the format of the General Assembly, the Committee’s first priority was to find a suitable venue in Edinburgh for 2004. Some of the officials of the Committee visited the John McIntyre Centre at Pollok Halls of Residence, Edinburgh University. This seemed to meet all our requirements at an affordable price, a view endorsed by the whole Committee when it met and it was unanimously agreed this should be the venue for the business sessions of the General Assembly.
It had been agreed that the opening and closing sessions would be most appropriately held in a church. Given that there would be many changes in the format of the Assembly, there seemed to be value in meeting for those sessions in our usual Edinburgh venue of Leith: Ebenezer. The Committee is again grateful to the Kirk Session of that congregation for allowing their premises to be used for this purpose. The Committee noted that the Women’s Home and Overseas Committee had taken the opportunity to look again at their own meetings and have decided to meet this year in Davidson’s Mains Parish Church which, from all reports, would seem to be an excellent venue. We wish the ladies well in this new location and are confident that their meetings will continue to be very successful.
In planning the outline order of business for the Assembly, the Committee noted that the example given in the Supplementary Report to last year’s General Assembly had been received without any negative comments. It therefore seemed sensible to stick not only to the letter of last year’s decisions but to the spirit in which it was brought to the Assembly, and to use that as a guide in planning the business for the General Assembly 2004. However, it is only when something that looks good on paper is put into practice that it is really tested, and the Committee will want to evaluate how the business of this year’s General Assembly is executed before deciding on the details of the format for the General Assembly of 2005.
The General Assembly will open with a Communion Service and the election of the new Moderator. It is, of course, expected that all Commissioners will attend, but it is hoped that, as is usual on such occasions, many visitors will be present also. Visitors from other Churches will be received privately by the Moderator on Thursday evening and be formally welcomed to the Assembly on Friday morning. A small reception will also be held on the Friday evening.
The Committee on Business and Administration will report to the Assembly on Friday and two of the other Committees will give major presentations during Friday and Saturday.
This year the two Committees selected are the Committee on Overseas and Inter Church Affairs and the Committee on Ministry and Home Affairs. Two other important parts of the Assembly, a visit from a representative of the Scottish Bible Society and the report of the Women’s Home and Overseas Committee will both take place on Saturday morning.
On Saturday afternoon there will be a new feature of the General Assembly when there will be opportunity to hear news from some congregations. Three very different situations, one from each Presbytery, will report on new developments in which the congregations are involved.
The closing Praise Rally will be back at Leith: Ebenezer, during which the Moderator will give his address. It is hoped that transport from Pollok Halls to Leith can be coordinated so that, anyone who has a problem getting from one venue to the other can be assisted by those with extra space.
This is a new venture, unanimously agreed by last year’s General Assembly, and although there will be aspects of it which might be improved in future years, it is to be hoped that the plans outlined here will help to produce an interesting and encouraging General Assembly.
JOINT WORKING GROUP
The Report of the Joint Working Group of the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church of Scotland appears as Appendix 3 to this Report. The Report of the Group will be presented to the General Assemblies of both Churches. The Working Group will resume preparation of a Covenant between the denominations immediately after the General Assembly. Additional comment on this matter is found in the Report of the Committee on Overseas and Inter Church Affairs. The Committee is deeply grateful to all those involved and in particular to Rev. Sheilagh Kesting for her work as secretary to the group.
NEW COMMITTEE STRUCTURE
The General Assembly 2003 instructed the Committee to review the Standing Committees of the Church and to report to the General Assembly 2004. A working group was appointed to carry out this task and they in turn had the benefit of ideas presented by the Way Forward Group, as well as the reports from the discussion groups at last year’s General Assembly. The proposals from the Committee aim to produce a more flexible structure placing fewer demands on those serving on committees, particularly conveners.
It is proposed that the present Standing Committees continue until the end of August and are then replaced by eight new Committees each with a specific remit.
The suggestion for these remits is as follows:-
Administration and Finance Committee
Administration
1. All matters connected with arrangements for General Assembly.
2. Nominations for those to serve on Assembly committees and on other bodies in consultation with other committees as appropriate.
3. Special Aid.
4. To be responsible for the selection, employment, training, deployment and supervision of office and other staff employed by the committee.
5. Ensuring coordination between committees takes place.
6. Responsibility for Child Protection issues.
7. Publications.
Finance
1. Manage the central funds of the Church.
2. Consideration of grants to congregations to assist with property.
3. Allocation of Target in consultation with Committees.
4. Ensuring compliance with relevant legislation throughout denomination.
Ministry Committee
1. To select candidates for the Ministry.
2. To set the course of study for students.
3. To advise on the academic content of a student's course.
4. To be responsible for non-academic elements of ministerial formation.
5. To determine if a student has fulfilled all requirements and notify the appropriate Presbytery accordingly
. 6. To be responsible for the selection, employment, training, deployment and supervision of Pastors.
7. To be responsible for the continuing professional development of ministers.
8. To consider the future development of Ministry within the denomination.
9. To deal with all Ministry related Schedules (Central, Home Mission and Church Extension Funds).
10. To bring forward proposals for Stipends and Salaries.
11. To be responsible for the selection, training and supervision of Readers.
12. To liaise with Presbyteries regarding the viability of congregations.
Youth Committee
1. To develop the Christian faith of young people by way of camps, conferences and events. Where appropriate, these are to be coordinated in partnership with presbyteries.
2. To provide training and resources to youth workers and leaders.
3. To initiate and coordinate outreach events for young people where appropriate.
4. To have responsibility for the Youth Assembly.
5. To be responsible for the selection, employment, training, deployment and supervision of any staff employed by the committee.
Evangelism Committee
1. To encourage and support evangelism within the life of congregations.
2. To promote cooperation with other local churches and agencies.
3. To identify and promote suitable methods and tools to aid the work of evangelism.
4. To be responsible for the selection, employment, training, deployment and supervision of any staff employed by the committee.
Christian Education Committee
1. To encourage congregational development and personal spiritual growth by providing resources, events and training. Where appropriate, this is to be done in cooperation with Development Coordinators and the relevant presbytery committees.
2. To help equip people to integrate faith and life in everyday experience.
3. To be responsible for the work of the Development Coordinators and Elder Trainers.
4. To be responsible for the selection, employment, training, deployment and supervision of any staff employed by the committee.
Church & Society Committee
1. To have a watching brief on the wide range of issues which come under the heading of Church and Society.
2. From this to identify topics on which it is felt the UF Church needs to be better informed and/ or to take a position/ make representation. The initiative may be taken by the committee or by the General Assembly in remitting matters to the committee.
3. Wherever possible this will be done in cooperation with other Churches and agencies through:
a. Receiving & sharing information and publications.
b. Representation on these other groups where this is felt to be appropriate, bearing in our mind our limited resources in personnel.
Overseas Committee
1. To continue to develop links with the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa according to the Memorandum of Association.
2. To be responsible for the receiving and sending of overseas personnel.
3. To communicate with and support UF members working in mission overseas.
4. To foster and build links with overseas agencies and churches where appropriate.
5. To provide information to committees, presbyteries and congregations in respect of overseas matters.
Ecumenical Relations Committee
1. To work with and build relationships bilaterally and multilaterally with other Churches in Scotland as authorized by the General Assembly.
2. To coordinate work with Action of Churches Together in Scotland.
3. To coordinate work with other ecumenical agencies and organizations in Scotland and beyond.
4. To coordinate work with Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.
5. To coordinate work with the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.
6. To coordinate work with the World Council of Churches.
The membership of these Committees will be - Convener, Vice-Convener, a representative from each Presbytery and one or two others. This will mean committees with six or seven members. The exceptions to this will be the Ministry and Administration and Finance Committees, which will be slightly larger. Ministry will, in addition to the above, include the Adviser of Studies and up to three nominated members. The Vice-Convener of Administration and Finance will serve as Convener of the sub-Committee on Finance. This Committee will also consist of the Principal Clerks, the General Treasurer and two nominated members. The Women’s Home and Overseas Committee will continue to have a representative on the Overseas and Ministry Committees.
Conveners will be appointed for four years, Vice-Conveners for two years, Presbytery nominees for two years and nominated members for one year. Only in exceptional circumstances will Conveners have their term extended to six years. All other appointments would be renewable.
All committees will be required to meet at least twice a year and will probably meet on at least one other occasion. Committees can choose to meet in a venue other than the Church Office at a time convenient to the members. However, should they choose to do so, the Administration and Finance Committee must be notified and it is the responsibility of each committee to ensure that an accurate minute is kept of all meetings.
It was also agreed by the Committee that the paragraphs of Deliverance of Quinquennial Visitations should be passed to the Ministry Committee for information only. The Committee has no authority to interfere in Presbytery decisions but it may be helpful to that Committee to know what the decisions of Presbytery are.
A co-ordinating forum will consist of all Conveners, Vice-Conveners, Presbytery Clerks, and the National and Presbyterial Development Coordinators.
The forum will meet at least twice a year for co-ordination and setting of budgets and will be chaired by the Convener of Administration and Finance. The Administration and Finance Committee will be empowered to call additional meetings to discuss any matters concerning the Church as a whole.
TELEPHONE AND VIDEO CONFERENCING
The Committee explored the possibilities of using modern communications technology for meetings of committees or sub committees. Some members of the Committee have had experience of meetings which use various forms of new technology and had mixed views on its merits. It is clear, however, that the Church would not wish to exclude people from the committees of the Church because they did not have access to such technology. Clearly for the limited use the Church would make of such facilities, value for money had to be considered.
Limited use might be made of telephone conferencing and officials of some committees and some sub committees already do some work using e mail.
It is hard to see how the Church could justify spending the amount of money video conferencing would cost, given the limited use that would be made of it.
COMMITTEE ON MINISTRY AND HOME AFFAIRS
A letter was received from the Committee on Ministry and Home Affairs in September relating to a number of matters concerning Ministry and the implications of the present situation for the future of the denomination. The Committee posed the question ‘Does the United Free Church desire and seek a trained ministry?’ The Committee was quite definite that the answer was ‘yes’, a view shared by the Committee on Business and Administration. It is not clear, however, if this is the view of the wider Church and, if it is, what is felt about the implications for the future viability of the denomination. Accordingly, a discussion paper with input from both Committees appears as Appendix 4 to this report. Time will be given for group discussion on this paper during the General Assembly and thereafter it is intended for discussion by Kirk Sessions. Kirk Sessions are asked to report back to the Administration and Finance Committee by 31st December 2004.
SPIRIT OF LIFE
This event, which was held in Bannockburn High School in August 2003, was very successful. A total of 220 adults, 24 children and 28 teenagers attended which is an increase in the number who attended the comparable event at Lendrick Muir the previous year. The group who, under the leadership of the National Development Co-ordinator, organised the event have been working on 'Spirit of Life Unlocked', a similar event to be held again in Bannockburn High School on Saturday 28th August.
NATIONAL AND PRESBYTERY COORDINATORS.
The General Assembly of 2002 appointed Rev. A. M. Ford as National Development Coordinator on the basis of one day a week for a period of two years. At the same Assembly it was agreed to appoint, also on a one day a week basis, a Presbytery Development Coordinator in each Presbytery. The Committee is very grateful to Mr. Ford and to the Presbytery Coordinators, Mr Andrew Scott, Rev. Stephen Matthews and Rev. Colin McAulay for all their work. These appointments have brought great benefit to the Church and those involved are doing an excellent job. The Committee is therefore happy to recommend the continuance of these appointments on the same basis for a further two years.
STEDFAST
The Committee has a continuing concern about the viability of Stedfast in its present form. It is not easy for a small denomination such as ours to sustain such a magazine both financially and in terms of the amount of material available. The Committee is grateful to the editor Rev. J. A. M. Mc.Fie for all the effort he puts in to Stedfast. A small group, including the editor, is looking at all possible options and any conclusions will be reported to next year’s General Assembly.
PRAYER UNION
The Committee continues to appreciate the excellent contribution the Prayer Union makes to the life of the denomination. The well produced booklet is widely used throughout the Church and a very valuable aid to individuals and congregations in their devotions.
HANDBOOK
The Committee decided to continue the practice of producing a handbook every second year and a new edition was accordingly published in March 2004 at the cost of £3 per copy.
CHILD PROTECTION
Criminal Record Checks were introduced for all new youth leaders and for ministers, others who serve as congregational child protection coordinators and those involved with camps, from the beginning of February. These checks are carried out on all those who work with the young in a voluntary capacity and on anyone whose job is likely to bring them into contact with children or young people and as such many of those working with the young will be familiar with these checks.
The Committee continues to be grateful to Mr John Skinner the National Child Protection Co-ordinator and to the Presbytery Co-ordinators for doing this very important task.
PRINCIPAL CLERK
It was with regret that the Committee received a letter of resignation as Senior Principal Clerk from Rev. John C. Allan. Mr. Allan has earned the respect both within and beyond the United Free Church for his work as a Principal Clerk over many years and the whole Church will wish him well in his retirement.
Rev. Martin Keane will continue as a Principal Clerk but with a vacancy created by Mr Allan’s retiral the Committee recommends that the Rev. Colin Brown be also appointed as a Principal Clerk, Mr Keane to be known as Senior Principal Clerk and Mr Brown to be known as Junior Principal Clerk.
CHURCH OFFICE
The Committee was asked by last year’s General Assembly to consider the possibility of selling the Church Office. Many serious issues are raised by this suggestion, not least, the question of finding other suitable premises at an affordable rent. It was agreed that the sub committee on finance would at least begin the process of investigating the possibility. The matter will then be referred to the General Trustees.
The Committee would wish to record its appreciation of work the office staff do throughout the year. A great deal is asked of them but they are always ready to help wherever they can and work extremely hard in the service of the Church.
QUINQUENNIAL VISITATION
Visitations were made during the year to the following congregations:
East Edinburgh: Corstorphine, Leith: Ebenezer, Gorebridge
West Duntocher: West, Glasgow: Darnley, Knightswood, North Woodside, Shieldhall & Drumoyne; Greenock: St Andrew Square, Largs
North Aberdeen: Northfield, Cunningsburgh, Lossiemouth, Sandwick
MODERATORIAL VISITATION
Thanks are expressed to the Moderator, Rev D Mackenzie and to Mrs C Mackenzie for all the work carried out for the Church in the course of the past year. Their visits to congregations have brought great encouragement and their participation in various meetings of other denominations has provided a valuable link with our sister Churches.
East Burntisland: Erskine, Dysart, Edinburgh: Blackhall, Corstorphine, Portobello; St Ninian's.
West Bellshill: St Andrew's, Fort William; Glasgow: Langside & Shawlands, Shieldhall & Drumoyne; Kilmaurs: Maxwell and Kilmarnock.
North Aberdeen: Northfield, Forglen, Cunningsburgh, Dounby, Lossiemouth, Newport, Tayport, Sandwick, Westray
The Moderator also represented the denomination at the Assemblies of the Baptist Union, Church of Scotland and the Synod of the United Reformed Church. Rev C C Brown represented the Church at the Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church and Rev J A M McFie represented the denomination at the Assembly of the United Reformed Church.

In the name of the Committee,
COLIN C BROWN Convener
GARY J A BARCLAY Vice-Convener
GRAHAM G BROWN Vice-Convener
JOHN O. FULTON Secretary

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