Council of Assembly

Our remit

The Council of Assembly has the authority to take administrative decisions between General Assemblies, co-ordinate the work of the Church’s central administration and take decisions about resources, finances and staffing.

This includes:

  • Providing guidance on management, organisation and administration, and advising the General Assembly on the relative importance of work being undertaken by its various agencies.
  • Recommending to the General Assembly the total amount of the Church's co-ordinated budget for the following financial year and how it should be allocated, and preparing an an indicative rolling budget for the following five financial years.
  • Distributing legacies and donations amongst the agencies of the General Assembly, and considering proposals on purchasing and selling property and other assets.
  • Determining staffing and resourcing requirements of agencies of the General Assembly, in line with the General Assembly's priorities, other than those serving in particular parishes or overseas.
  • Dealing with urgent issues arising between meetings of the General Assembly, which do not fall within the jurisdiction of the Commission of Assembly, presbytery or kirk session, and are not of a legislative or judicial nature.

Our membership

Convener -  The Rev Alan Greig, Minister at Kintore

Vice-convener - The Rev Dr Grant Barclay, Minister at Kilmarnock:  St Kentigern’s

Secretary to the Council of Assembly - Pauline Weibye

Members:

  • The Rev Donald Campbell, Convener, Panel on Review and Reform
  • The Rev Neil Dougall, Convener, Ministries Council
  • Iain Johnston, Elder at Glasgow:  Colston Milton
  • Elizabeth Fox, Elder at London:  St Columba’s linked with Newcastle St Andrew’s
  • Catherine Coull, Elder at Dundee:  Chalmers-Ardler
  • The Rev Richard Baxter, Minister at Kennoway, Windygates and Balgonie:St Kenneth's
  • Ann Bowie, Elder at Bellie
  • Stephen Brown, Elder at West Kilbride: St Andrew's
  • Donald Carmichael, Elder at Giffnock: Orchardhill
  • The Rev Ann Inglis, Minister at Lammermuir and Langton and Polwarth
  • Murdo Macmillan, Elder at Stornoway: Martin's Memorial
  • The Rev Christopher Wallace, Minister at Balmaghie linked with Tarff and Twynholm
  • The Rev Ian Galloway, Convener, Church and Society Council
  • The Rev Sydney Graham, Convener, Social Care Council
  • The Very Rev Dr Andrew McLellan, Convener, World Mission Council
  • The Rev Dr Martin Scott, Council secretary, Ministries Council
  • Peter Bailey, Council secretary, Social Care Council
  • Rev Ian Alexander, Council secretary, World Mission Council
  • Rev Ewan Aitken, Council secretary, Church and Society Council
  • Rev John Chalmers, Principal Clerk of the General Assembly
  • Iain Grimmond, General Treasurer of the Church
  • Janette Wilson, Solicitor of the Church

Contact for more information

Emailor contact us at the Church's offices in Edinburgh.

Meetings

The Council of Assembly usually meets on the third Monday of June, August, September, October, November, December, February, March and April. Unless otherwise stated, all meetings of the council will take place at the Church offices at 121 George Street, Edinburgh.

Related pages

Related documents