FEATURE

Thomas Baldwin reports on the cancellation of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

FOR the first time in over 300 years, a General Assembly of the Church of Scotland will not take place in 2020.

The annual gathering of the Church was due to have been held in Edinburgh in the week beginning May 16, but was called off on March 17 as the scale of the Coronavirus Covid-19 epidemic was becoming clear.

Alternative arrangements will be made to allow urgent non-controversial decisions, and to confirm the installation of the new Moderator of the General Assembly.

The Principal Clerk to the General Assembly, the Rev Dr George Whyte, said: “We did not take this decision lightly but in the current circumstances it was the only choice we could make. Our Assembly would have brought almost a thousand people to a week-long meeting in Edinburgh including visitors from overseas and from other churches. It is a time when we can celebrate being the Church and make important decisions about our future but these are exceptional times and people’s health must come first.

“We were also looking forward to welcoming the Duke of Cambridge as the Queen’s representative but we are assured that Prince William will understand our unavoidable decision. We hope that he may be Lord High Commissioner on another occasion.

“In the meantime the Church will find alternative ways to make urgent decisions including confirming the appointment of our new Moderator, the Rev Dr Martin Fair, who will take up his duties in May.”

Dr Fair said: “Of course it’s hugely disappointing on a personal level, having spent the last six months preparing!

“I had been very much looking forward to the General Assembly and everything thereafter, believing that these are exciting times we’re moving into.

“But of course, the crisis has advanced so rapidly that the cancellation was inevitable.

“Now, in the big scheme of things, having the Assembly or not seems a trifling matter, and much more important is that the church locally and nationally focusses its attention on creative ways of continuing our ministry and mission, particularly in terms of supporting the most vulnerable.”

The Assembly would have been the first since the formation of the new Faith Nurture and Faith Impact forums, replacing four former councils. It would have included discussion on further changes, including Presbytery mergers, following on from last year’s approval of the Radical Action Plan and recommendations from the Special Commission on Structural Reform. Dr Whyte said that it was hoped to hold some sort of Commission of Assembly (a body consisting of around 10% of last year’s Assembly) process, without the need for a physical meeting, during the second half of April. This would be asked to pass ‘non-controversial’ matters including Dr Fair’s appointment, approving some new Presbyteries and making appointments to committees and trusts.

A second Commission of Assembly may also be held in the autumn if there is business that cannot wait until May 2021, depending on virus restrictions having been lifted.

We did not take this decision lightly but in the current circumstances it was the only choice we could make. Our Assembly would have brought almost a thousand people to a week-long meeting in Edinburgh including visitors from overseas and from other churches. It is a time when we can celebrate being the Church and make important decisions about our future but these are exceptional times and people’s health must come first.

It is believed this will be the first year that an Assembly will not be held since 1689, the year before the establishment of Presbyterian governance in the Church of Scotland.

Life and Work will cover any decisions made by the Commission of Assembly at www.lifeandwork.org, and in future magazines.