Cornerstone No. 193, page 10
Report on the General Assembly of the Church of
Scotland
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland took place in Edinburgh
between the 19th and 25th of May. It was my privilege to attend for the second
time and it was a fascinating week.
The opening on the Saturday morning is full
of ritual pomp and circumstance as the new
Moderator is elected and takes their place at
the head of the table. This year’s Moderator
is a familiar face of the International
Presbytery through her time as Convenor of
the Mission Council. The Very Rev Susan
Brown, minister of Dornoch Cathedral, was
interviewed in the May edition of Life and
Work. She is passionate about her Highland
ministry in Dornoch. It was only fitting that a
woman should be elected as Moderator in this
50th year of the ordination of the first woman
in the Church of Scotland.
The second part of the opening ceremony is
the Commission of the Lord High
Commissioner, this year the Duke of
Buccleuch, Her Majesty’s representative
during the General Assembly. The business of
the GA then started in earnest. I will not
explain here all that was debated, but the
sessions, although fascinating, could be long!
On Sunday there was the traditional Worship service in St Giles’ Cathedral,
where the Moderator delivers the sermon. In the afternoon, “Heart and Soul” is
held in Princes Street Gardens, where different councils, congregations and
charities gather to exchange information and fellowship with the public and
each other. The weather was good and the public came in great numbers. At
the end of the afternoon, large numbers gathered at the stage to sing hymns,
a very inspiring moment!
Monday morning is the Communion Service of the General Assembly and this
year I was asked to be an Assistant in the distribution of the elements. There
were 44 of us! And some 500+ commissioners! We were required to attend a
rehearsal and the whole procedure was carried out with precision! It was deeply
moving to share the gifts of Christ with so many.