The General Assembly 2008 Real time tracker postings archive: Session VI Tuesday 20 May 9.30am The Assembly was constituted in prayer. 9.53am The minutes from Friday and Saturday were presented to the Assembly. Rev Donald Macleod asked for the email address for Safeguarding to be made available. 9.56am The minutes were approved. 9.59am Mr James Gibson, convener, presented the report of the Committee on Chaplains to HM Forces. 10.18am Rev May Allison asked if a service is planned for territorial army soldiers returning home. 10.21am Rev Robert Knox commended the work of the chaplains. 10.24am Rev Stephen Blakey commented on the number of chaplaincy vacancies particularly in the army cadet forces. 10.29am Rev Colin Brockie spoke about recruitment of chaplains. 10.34am Rev Ian Gilmour commented that school chaplains can encourage schools to send messages to those serving abroad. 10.37am Rev Norman Faulds spoke about other ways to support personnel abroad. 10.41am The deliverance as a whole was agreed. 10.42am The convener invited Air Marshall Iain McNicoll, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Operations, to address the Assembly. 10.52am The moderator thanked the Air Marshall and thanked the Forces chaplains for their contributions. 11.01am Mrs Morag Mylne, convener, presented the report of the Church and Society Council. 11.20am Rev Cogitator Mapala asked about economic sanctions and whether they cause more hardship for the people in the country. 11.26am Rev James Aitken asked about making reports more accessible. 11.27am Dr Alison Eliot welcomed the report's content on Israel and Palestine. 11.33am Rev Norman Maciver moved an addendum to add a new section 2: Welcome the launch of the Gaelic Digital Broadcasting channel and instruct the Council, in co-operation with the Council of Assembly, to discuss with the Gaelic Media Council the significant place of religious programmes in its output. This was agreed. 11.35am Rev Helen Jamieson asked, in relation to section 4, that consideration also be given to children with special needs. 11.48am Rev Michael Goss welcomed the Curriculum for Excellence. 11.49am Mr Gavin Gerrard moved an amendment to section 5: change 'encourage' to 'instruct' This was not agreed. 11.53am Rev Stuart Davidson asked about encouraging the Assembly to recyle and measure its carbon footprint. 11.55am Rev William Holland asked about the climate change project at section 5. Mr Kyle McCormick commented that the Assembly should be using recycled paper, as the highest body in the Church. 12.01pm Rev Alan McKean stressed the importance of other issues facing local congregations such as poverty. 12.07pm A new section 5 was moved: congratulate the Boys' Brigade on their invaluable work among boys and young men and more recently girls over the past 125 years. This was agreed. 12.09pm Mr Kenny Maddock spoke about air transport in relation to section 6. 12.10pm Rev Andrew Moore moved an addendum to section 12: add 'in the light of the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ', and after 'capital punishment is' add 'now' Mr John McCulloch moved an amendment to the addendum to remove 'now' The Assembly voted against the addendum. 12.24pm Rev Mark Malcolm asked about churches using the proceeds from gambling. 12.27am Mr Glenn Liddal spoke about alcohol and drug addiction. 12.31am Rev Mike Sheppard moved an amendment for a new section 15: Deplore the construction of new casinos as tools of regeneration and urge Presbyteries to be pro-active in their opposition of any such developments in their area. This was agreed. 12.38pm The Assembly adjourned until 2.00pm. 2.00pm The moderator called the Assembly to order. The convener presented the winners of the Stevenson school prize. 2.06pm Rev Melvyn Griffiths asked about section 16 in relation to abortion. 2.11pm Miss Lindsey Martin moved an amendment to add a new section 17: Call upon HMG to improve funding for palliative care in order to aid practitioners in minimising the pain of the terminally ill. This was agreed. 2.13pm The convener invited Alistair Cameron, Chief Executive, of Scottish Churches Housing Action, to address the Assembly about section 17. 2.20pm Mr Hugh Crawford encouraged local churches to take part in the development planning consultation process. Mr Buchanan Grant asked if the church is providing sufficient support to the voluntary sector to help the homeless. 2.26pm Rev Bryan Kerr asked if the Council had considered working with local authorities in relation to affordable housing. Very Rev Andrew McLellan pointed out a link between crime and prison, and homelessness. 2.35pm Section 17 and 18 were agreed by the Assembly. 2.36pm Rev Patrica Watson spoke about the problems facing people who are homeless. 2.38pm Rev Shirley Fraser moved an addendum to section 20: 'and encourage fellowship with Iranian congregations in Scotland' 2.40pm Rev David Cameron asked for prayer for people in Iran and reported on his visit there. 2.48pm Section 20 as amended was agreed. 2.49pm Rev Mark Nicholas moved an amendment to section 24: 'Urge HMG to continue its opposition to any Iranian moves toward the manufacture of nuclear weapons.' The Assembly voted for section 24, and against the amendment. 3.00pm Rev Ian Cathcart asked for information which commissioners could take back to their churches on the Armenian Genocide in section 25, in order to raise this issue there. 3.03pm Mr Allan Boyack spoke against section 25. Rev Alison McDonald and Very Rev Sheilah Kesting supported section 25. 3.09pm The Assembly agreed section 25. 3.10pm Rev Jack Holt asked why, in relation to section 26, there was not a second deliverance to take account of what has happened in Burma since the report was produced. 3.12pm Rev Stephen Orchard spoke about the current position of Christians in Burma. 3.14pm In response to Rev Holt's comments, the Principal Clerk suggested adding to section 26: 'deplore the unwillingess of the present regime to allow access by aid workers.' This was agreed. 3.19pm Dr Bernard Sabella asked why there was no deliverance on Israel and Palestine. 3.22pm Rev David Cameron asked where section 12 of the deliverance on the death penalty would be distributed. 3.25pm The Assembly agreed the deliverance as a whole. The moderator thanked the retiring convener for her contribution. 3.30pm Mrs Carole Hope, convener, presented the report of the Legal Questions Committee. 3.45pm Rev Bryan Kerr asked about the new charitable status and involvement of trustees. 3.49pm Rev Andrew Jolly asked about training in Presbyteries. 3.52pm Rev Gregor McIntyre asked what information is used to confirm a geographical identifier for congregations. 3.54pm Rev Douglas McNab asked about the representation of elders, and about discussions with OSCR regarding the 1921 Act. 3.57pm Rev David Collins moved an addendum to section 3: after 'during adjustment procedures' add 'preferably before the induction of a new minister to the Charge'. This was agreed. 4.06pm Rev Howard Hudson asked about accounts in section 6. 4.07pm Rev David Clark commended appendix III in section 10. 4.11pm The Assembly agreed the deliverance as a whole. 4.12pm The Assembly adjourned until Wednesday at 9.30am.