Saturday 18th of May 2019: Day one of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Edinburgh. Kirk Moderator installed at General Assembly 2019 Rt Rev Colin Sinclair has been installed as Moderator of the Church of Scotland’s 2019 General Assembly during Saturday’s opening ceremony. He takes on the year-long role from his post as minister for Palmerston Place Church in Edinburgh. “Let me thank you for affording me this singular honour at being appointed at the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland,” the newly installed Moderator told the Assembly. “For your grace, love, and forgiveness when I get it wrong, I thank all of you who have invested time into my life and my ministry. “It all started with a Scripture Union holiday, I little knew then how the story of Jesus and his life, death and resurrection would get under my skin and never get out. “I thank you to all who nurtured me in this faith. “I had no idea when Jesus said ‘Follow Me’ all those years ago, how exciting the adventure would be. “How it would take me around the world. And I thank You again – I pray I am worthy of the trust You have shown to me.” During the opening session of this year’s General Assembly, His Grace Richard Walter John Montagu Douglas Scott, The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, KBE, DL, FSA, FRSE, represented HM The Queen as the Lord High Commissioner to the Assembly. The Lord High Commissioner welcomed the new Moderator during his speech, saying: “I begin by offering warmest congratulations on your appointment and by wishing you a richly rewarding year in office. “Unlike your predecessor you have not had to travel far but for a year you will now be transported into a different world. “That you have the most wonderful family, all committed to the church, to support you, that there are legions of friends and colleagues here and across many lands, gained through the Scripture Union is testament to your powers of loving leadership and inspiration. “You are fitted indeed for this highest honour in the gift of your colleagues.” Following Colin’s election, retiring Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Very Rev Susan Brown, said “You and I first met a very long time ago, as students at New College together. “All throughout your years your commitment to the Scripture Union has continued, alongside all the other positions you have taken on. “You care passionately about communicating the Good News of Jesus Christ to all ages and all parts of the world. You like to see the impact Christ makes to all people. “This year, you will be asked to say much but I encourage you to listen, too, because you will hear so much. “My prayers are with You as you follow our Lord on this next stage of your journey with Him.” First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also attended the opening day along with Scotland’s Lord Provosts and distinguished visitors from around the world
Tuesday 9th of October 2018: Edinburgh Scotland. The Moderator Designate for 2019-20 is Rev Colin Sinclair. A Stirling University economics graduate who spent three years living out of a car in Zambia has been chosen to be Moderator of the Church of Scotland’s General Assembly for 2019. Rev Colin Sinclair, who is the minister for Palmerston Place Church in Edinburgh, will take on the year-long role of ambassador for the Church of Scotland in May 2019 at the General Assembly, succeeding the 2018-19 Moderator Rt Rev Susan Brown. He says: “I am honoured to be selected for this opportunity to represent the Church of Scotland nationally and internationally. “It will be a pleasure to encourage church members in their faith and to see the impact of their faith in communities across our country. “I have thoroughly enjoyed being a parish minister and despite the challenges we face I believe the Christian Faith is still relevant to Scotland. “Our message is still Good News and it still changes lives.” Colin grew up on the south side of Glasgow, the second son of Alex and Isobel Sinclair, who were “occasional churchgoers.” The family had an international outlook as his father had been a District Commissioner, first in Palestine and then in The Gambia, before returning to Scotland and working as a lecturer in management at Strathclyde University. It was as a pupil at Glasgow Academy, that Colin first became interested in the Christian faith. To escape getting into trouble after a prefect saw him taking the wrong staircase, Colin dodged into a darkened room where a Scripture Union camp video was showing.
Monday 21st of October 2019: The Moderator-Designate of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland (who will serve from May 2020-May 2021) Rev Dr Martin Fair was announced at the HQ of the Church in Edinburgh this morning
Saturday 19th of May 2018: General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Day One: opening Ceremony of the General Assembly. Right Rev Dr Susan Brown is elected to office in the presence of the Lord High Commissioner the Duke of Buccleuch and the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon.
The Rt Rev Colin Sinclair was installed as Moderator of the Church of Scotland’s 2019 General Assembly. He is pictured here with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and His Grace Richard Walter John Montagu Douglas Scott, The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, KBE, DL, FSA, FRSE, represented HM The Queen as the Lord High Commissioner. Other colourful scenes from past gatherings of the General Assembly. Pictures by Bill Heaney
By Cameron Brooks
The Church of Scotland will take an unprecedented step this week when the first virtual General Assembly will convene online.
More than 730 commissioners will take part in the proceedings remotely via the Church’s website on Friday between 7pm-9pm and Saturday from 9.15am to 5pm.
The meeting to discuss a wide range of “urgent” business issues to formulate official Church policy comes at a time of enforced change which has seen online engagement in church services dramatically increase.
The main items will see members being asked to reaffirm that racism is a sin, declare that Black Lives Matter and report to a future Assembly on the issue of racial justice and the legacy of slavery and the Church of Scotland.
The General Assembly is usually held in Edinburgh every May but was cancelled for only the second time in 330 years because of the COVID-19 lockdown which led to congregations redoubling their efforts, where possible, to support vulnerable people during the pandemic.
Strict social distancing and hygiene measures mean only a small number of representatives of the Church’s committees and councils will be in attendance at the Assembly Hall on The Mound to present reports.
The Church has permission to use the building under a business exemption and proceedings, which will be chaired by Rt Rev Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly, will be conducted in a safe and orderly way.
The only other people who will be in the hall will be a skeleton technical crew and commissioners – mainly ministers, elders and deacons – will be able to engage with discussions and vote online.
HM The Queen will not be represented by a Lord High Commissioner this year, but she will instead send a letter to the General Assembly.
The event is being held against a backdrop of fears that the Church’s total annual income, which is around £105 million, could potentially fall by an estimated £20 million this year due to COVID-19.
In their report to the General Assembly, the Assembly Trustees have warned people not to “underestimate” the challenges facing the Church.
They said failing to take action to reform is a “recipe for slow decline” and realistic presbytery planning would determine the shape and health of the Church over the next five to 10 years.
The Assembly Trustees, appointed by the General Assembly in 2019 to oversee radical reforms, are seeking approval for congregational Ministry and Mission contributions to be set at £38.1 million in 2021, an 18% reduction on the previous year.
They are also asking the Assembly to instruct Presbyteries to exercise “robust” oversight which will prepare the Church for revising down the number of charges, buildings and ministries across Scotland.
The Assembly Trustees have called for “realistic predictions” on the number of ministries that are needed and can be afforded in order to structure the local Church for mission and growth.
“Doing nothing is a recipe for slow decline, however, acting radically with foresight and focus could allow us to experience the growth that we long for and pray for,” the report said.
Commissioners, who also include youth representatives, are being asked to approve a call to review the costs of funding work with partner organisations in Scotland.
The Assembly Trustees noted that work on deciding the future of the Church’s national offices in Edinburgh has been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report said that a voluntary exit scheme for central service staff has produced an annual saving of £700,000.
The Faith Impact and Faith Nurture forums between them are expected to reduce expenditure by £4 million by 2021.
A spokesman for the Church of Scotland said: “The COVID-19 health crisis has affected income streams for all charities and the Church of Scotland is no exception.
“With church buildings closed over the last six months and activities curtailed, there is the potential for reductions in contributions from our congregations as well as in our trading activities and investment income which we rely on to carry out our vital work.
“To respond to the financial challenge facing us, a range of mitigating actions have been taken to maintain the income levels as far as possible, reduce our costs and accelerate our plans for structural reform.”
Commissioners will be asked to back calls to develop a strategy for the Church to transition both locally and nationally to net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
