General Assembly 2022

Thomas Baldwin considers some of the reports to be debated at this month’s General Assembly.

GENERAL TRUSTEES

The General Trustees (GTs) report that in 2021, 28 churches (some with halls), 26 manses, a further separate hall, nine glebes and eight other properties were disposed of. This leaves the GTs with 1276 churches, 770 manses, 1096 halls and 330 other properties, and 12,500 acres of glebes.

The report says that the employment of a Presbytery Buildings Officer (PBO) in the North East Presbytery Cluster has proved ‘of enormous benefit to the congregations involved, as well as the Trustees’, and that PBOs have now also been appointed in the presbyteries of Clyde and Fife. The GTs, who are funding 50% of the costs of the PBOs for an initial three years, are in discussions with the other reformed presbyteries to encourage similar appointments.

The Board records its thanks to the national office staff, to Presbytery and congregational Fabric Conveners and others ‘who have worked tirelessly through these difficult times’. The report notes that site visits have not been possible due to Covid-19 restrictions, and warns that any effects of this will only become apparent when restrictions have been lifted.

The deliverance also reminds financial boards and presbyteries of the ‘duty to provide a habitable manse and to keep it in a good state of repair and decoration’.

THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND GUILD

The Guild marks its 135th anniversary this year with a report that acknowledges the challenges of the past year, but celebrates ‘the many ways in which the Guild members, individually and collectively have taken their lights out from their proverbial bushels and shone for all to see in the past year. The report is written with boldness and assurance about the role of the Guild at its core whilst recognising the significant challenges the Guild has faced particularly in terms of income from capitation fees, loss of income for the current projects and the continuing challenge of meeting with post Covid-19 restrictions’.

The report laments the loss of ‘a number of groups’ that have not been able to restart post-pandemic, but praises the Guilds changing their patterns of meeting (from evening to afternoon or winter to summer) to enable groups to restart, and the ‘innovative ways’ members have kept in touch with each other during lockdown. It also says ‘we have welcomed a significant number of new members across the year, which is a source of great encouragement’. Two new Guilds have been established, at Newmilns and Newport-on-Tay.

At the national level, the Guild has been working with the eating disorder charity BEAT, and the Christian fostering/adoption charity Home for Good. ‘By shining a light on these important issues and responding to need in practical and financial ways, the Guild has demonstrated Christ’s love in action’, says the report.

Internationally, the partnership with Guilds in Malawi continues to grow and develop. A project providing solar lighting into church secondary and primary schools has so far added 172,800 study hours for students and community members.

Despite the challenges of Covid-19, the Guild raised a final figure of £587,155.38 for the six partner projects from 2018-2021. The total raised by the Guild Project Partnership Scheme since 1969 now stands at £7,347,490.52, which the report describes as ‘a remarkable total and testament to the outward looking nature of Guild members’.

HOUSING AND LOAN FUND

The Housing and Loan Fund provides support with housing for retired ministers, their widow(er)s and former spouses and civil partners, either by letting houses at below-market rates or providing loans on favourable terms for the purchase of property.

This year’s report shows that 17 new and three updated applications for support were approved in 2021. At year end the Fund had 183 tenants and 99 borrowers. 16 houses were sold during the year and eight bought, giving a net income of over £1.4m, and four houses were being marketed or prepared for sale. Due to the Fund’s healthy financial situation, rent has not been increased this year. In response to changes in the housing market, the Trustees have agreed to raise the maximum value of a house the Fund will purchase, or give a loan towards, by £20,000 to £220,000.

The Trustees urge ministers within five years of retirement to approach the Fund if they think they might need its assistance, and also say they welcome an initial approach from those within five to ten years of retirement. The report also emphasises that the Fund is able to help those who are already retired, should their circumstances change.

COMMITTEE ON CHAPLAINS TO HM FORCES

The Chaplains’ Committee invites the church to thank those who serve as chaplains, but in particular this year recognises the service of those involved in the Armed Services’ response to Covid-19, and in the withdrawal from Afghanistan last year. On the latter, the Committee states that it ‘is sure that the whole Church is grateful to personnel, including chaplains, who responded quickly and expertly to the desperate situation in Kabul in the summer of 2021. Whether in theatre recovering people and equipment, or in military establishments in the UK dealing with the difficult questions posed by veterans of operations in Afghanistan, their families, and the bereaved, chaplains rose to the kind of dramatic challenge that stretches every skill in ministry, all the while dealing with their own feelings, memories and questions’.

It also records ‘less headline-grabbing challenges’ for military chaplains including work in South Sudan and on NATO/UN deployments.

Making the regular plea for eligible ministers to consider service as chaplains, the report admits that there is ‘a constant slight tension, in a Church with a ministry shortage, between the recruitment needs of parish ministry and those of Service Chaplaincy’, but argues ‘the Church gains far more than it loses, over the long term of a minister’s career, by encouraging the discernment of God’s call to serve as a chaplain’.

PENSION TRUSTEES

The Pension Trustees report that all the Church schemes under their management are more than fully funded. The impact of Covid-19 on the valuation of the schemes has been excluded, ‘in line with industry practice’ but will be reviewed when more information is available about the lasting impact of the pandemic.

The statutory increases in payments across all the schemes were 3.1% for benefits accrued between April 6 1997 and April 5 2005, and 2.5% for benefits accrued since April 6 2005. The discretionary increases were 3.1% on pre-1997 service in the Ministers Main Fund, and 4.9% on all benefits in the Widows and Orphans and Contributors Funds.

The Trustees report that they have reviewed and updated their position on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors, and that their policy is for the schemes’ assets to have the highest ESG rating available.

The report also states that the schemes’ low risk investment strategy has kept its funding positions ‘mostly immunised’ from market volatility caused by events in Ukraine. ¤ More reports next month.

The General Assembly takes place online from Saturday May 21 and will be webcast at www.churchofscotland.org.ukwhere you will also find Assembly documents, full reports and speeches.

Visit www.lifeandwork.orgfor daily reports during the Assembly, and a summary of the key decisions which will be available for free download from June 1.

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