The General Assembly 2008 Real time tracker postings archive: Session III Friday 16 May 9.30am The Assembly was constituted in prayer. 9.52am The report of the Business Committee was presented by Rev Bill Hewitt. 10.00am Rev David Court, convener, presented the report of the Social Care Council. 10.20am Mr Andrew Michie asked if there are any other ways to communicate with young people. Rev Douglas McRoberts asked for reassurance that the counselling service will be continued. 10.22am Rev Allan Wilson asked if there are any plans to offer help to ministers in providing support for families affected by dementia. 10.25am The Assembly agreed the deliverances. 10.27am Rev John Christie, convener, presented the report of the Safeguarding Committee. 10.45am Rev David Cameron asked if there would be any detail on how congregations could provide constraints and monitoring regarding perpetrators of sexual abuse. 10.52am Rev Gordon Savage asked about the delay in receiving disclosure certificates. 10.53am Rev Ian Cathcart stressed the importance about getting information to parishes as quickly as possible. 10.55am Rev James Robertson asked about prison chaplains. 11.00am The Assembly agreed the deliverance. 11.01am Rev Bill Brown, convener, presented the report of the Ecumenical Relations Committee. 11.16am Ms Nicola Whyte asked how congregations will be involved in the celebrations of the centenary year of John Calvin in 2009 and expand their understanding of his legacy. 11.19am Rt Rev Stephen Platten asked how the Church will encourage a cross-fertilisation of ideas with other churches during the centenary year. 11.27am Rev John Shedden, regarding section 3, stressed ecumenical relations depend in individual willingess to co-operate. 11.31am David Alexander moved a new section 5: Instruct the Committee to explore with the Convenant Monitoring Group the development of an appropriate protocol to cover the movement of congregations and ministers between denominations, and report to the General Assembly of 2009. 11.36am The Assembly agreed the new section 5. 11.37am The Assembly agreed the deliverance. 11.38am Rev Maxwell Craig, convener, presented the report of the Iona Community Board. 11.50am Rev Ian Gilmour asked if the associates and friends of Iona are increasing in number. 11.52am The Assembly agreed the deliverance. 11.54am Mrs Ann Bowie, convener, presented the report of the Church of Scotland Guild. 12.11pm Rev Peter Donald marked his appreciation of the work of the Guild. 12.12pm The Assembly agreed the deliverance. The moderator thanked the retiring convener for her contribution. 12.15pm Rev Albert Bogle, convener, presented the report of the Church Without Walls Group. 12.31pm The Assembly adjourned for lunch. 2.00pm Rev Monika Redman asked about bringing the National Gathering to the General Assembly. It was asked if DVD of the National Gathering would be distributed, and could it be taken to places across the country. 2.07pm Rev Hugh Conkey asked if the resources mentioned in section 8 could be available for congregations. Rev William Brown asked about involving and linking with other churches. 2.09pm Rev James Jack asked if more money could be available to help congregations in poorer areas for future events. 2.15pm Mr Donald Carmichael moved an amendment to section 5 - 'to try to ensure that finance is in order' to replace the current 'to ensure'. This was agreed. 2.18pm Rev Martin Scott suggested it would be better not to have had an appeal for money to cover costs. 2.23pm Rev James Jack moved an amendment to section 6: to urge the planning group to seek additional funding from the national Church to facilitate future national events. The Assembly voted for this. 2.30pm The Assembly agreed the deliverance. 2.31pm Rev Martin Fair, convener, presented the report of the Parish Development Fund. 2.51pm Rev Ranald Morrison asked how the Fund determines who receives resources. Rev Gavin McFadyen asked about using GSI for demographic information. 2.55pm Rev Bryan Kerr asked about funding projects in rural areas. 2.57pm The Assembly agreed the deliverance. 2.58pm Mr Christopher MacKay, chairman, presented the report of the Church of Scotland Trust. 3.06pm Mr John McCulloch asked about the accidental ommission from the Year Book of the Holding Trust Fund. 3.09pm Miss Margaret Nutter asked about the property situation in Pakistan. 3.10pm The chairman moved an amendment to Section 5 : Reappoint Mr W F Stewart Lynch and Rev Alan L Dunnett and appoint Mr Angus W Bethune as members of the Trust from 1st June 2008. The Assembly agreed the amendment. 3.11pm The Assembly agreed the deliverance. The moderator thanked the retiring chairman for his contribution. 3.13pm Rev Bill Hewitt invited Dr Francis Moto, the High Commissioner of Malawi, to address the Assembly. 3.27pm The moderator thanked Dr Moto for his address. 3.29pm Rev Colin Renwick, convener, presented the report of the World Mission Council. 3.47pm Very Rev David Lacey asked what improvement in staffing and resources in World Mission Council have been made since 2006, and what further improvements are planned. 3.51pm Mr Kenny Maddock asked if information could be made available for students going overseas in summer. 3.53pm Rev Peter Rae asked what support is being given to the presbyterian church in the Bahamas and what relationship will it have with the Church of Scotland. 3.54pm Rev Elijah Obinna asked for clarification on the bursary arrangements for the Faithshare project. 3.57pm Rev Bernard Sabella commented that churches everywhere should address the challenges of society, and thanked the Church for the work being done in Israel and Palestine. 4.02pm Rev Jerome O'Brien asked what happens when deliverances recommend appealing to Her Majesty's government and what effect do they have. 4.04pm Rev Michael Goss asked how sustainable is the work being undertaken at Tiberias. 4.05pm Rev Lisa-Jane Rankin asked about the Convenant established in Trinidad. 4.06pm Mr John McGhie moved an addendum for section 3: Add 'and good governance' after '(and) climate change.' The Assembly agreed the addendum. 4.16pm Mr John McGhie moved an amendment to add a new section 4 and renumber: Urge Her Majesty's Government to ensure that much of the burden of debt cancellation does not fall upon the international development agencies but is funded through significant increases in replenishments of all of these institutions. The Assembly agreed the amendment. 4.27pm Very Rev Andrew McLellan moved an amendment to section 4: Delete 'so far as it is able' The Assembly agreed the amendment. 4.36pm Rt Rev Samuel Azariah suggested an amendment be made to section 5 about support for churches in minority status, and this was moved by the convener. The Assembly agreed to the amendment. 4.49pm Very Rev David Lacy moved an addendum to section 8: Add 'and instruct the World Mission Council to provide the necessary level of twinning support staff within its department and to seek any additional finance' The Assembly agreed the addendum. 5.04pm Rev Alex Buchan moved an addendum for a new section 10 and renumber - Instruct the World Mission Council to arrange on occasion of the centenary of the 1910 World Mission conference in 2010, for the General Assembly to 'wait on the Lord' in corporate prayer to ensure the Holy Spirit comes on all future missionary activities. The Assembly voted against the addendum. 5.10pm The convener moved an addendum to add a new section 12: (a) express outrage and urgent concern in regard to the extreme privation and suffering being inflicted on the people of Zimbabwe; and encourage all who work for justice, peace and reconciliation in that beautiful country. (b) salute the courage of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference in together standing up for the dignity of the people and condemning the abuse of political authority. (c) call on HMG, as a matter of urgency, to use its influence in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to work for a political solution to Zimbabwe’s crisis which will swiftly bring an end to the violence and intimidation being endured in many parts of the country and which will enable the will of the electorate to be freely expressed and fully respected. (d) assure the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, and particularly the Presbytery of Zimbabwe, of the love and prayerful support of the Church of Scotland at this uniquely trying time in their history; and encourage them in all their efforts to “overcome fear by faith” and contribute to the resolution of Zimbabwe’s crisis. 5.24pm Rev Melvyn Griffiths called for the Assembly to pray. 5.26pm The Assembly voted for the addendum. The moderator called the Assembly to prayer. 5.31pm Mr Kyle McCormick moved an amendment for a new section 12 - Urge the council to communicate information gathered abroad to local congregations and government and to encourage action at a local and national level The Assembly agreed the amendment. 5.32pm The Assembly agreed the deliverance of the report and the supplementary report. 5.33pm The Assembly was adjourned until Saturday morning at 9.30am.