The General Assembly |
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SPEECHES AND BIOGRAPHIES
Conveners of each council and committee present their
reports to the General Assembly, and brief
biographies of the conveners and their speeches
are published here during the Assembly.
Please note that some speeches and convener biographies
may not be made available online. All speeches are embargoed
and should be checked against delivery.
Assembly Arrangements
Committee (Support and Services Council): the Rev A David K Arnott
| Rev David Arnott is Convener of the Assembly Arrangements Committee and
Business Convener of the Assembly. He is currently minister at St
Andrews:
Hope Park linked with Strathkinness and formerly served as minister at
Netherlee Parish Church in Glasgow Presbytery. |
Rev David Arnott, convener
|
Mr Arnott is a former Senior Director of Assessment Conferences and a former Convener of The Committee on Education for Ministry and he also served the Board of Ministry as joint convener for one year. He is a regular presenter on BBC Radio Scotland's Thought for the Day.
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Central Services Committee
: Stewart Roy
Stewart was educated at Kilmarnock Academy then Glasgow University where he studied Modern Languages. He worked in University Administration, first in Glasgow University, then Warwick, and finally Strathclyde. He took early retirement in 1999.
Stewart and his wife have been members of Jordanhill Parish Church since 1977. He was ordained as an elder in 1981 and served as Clerk to the Congregational Board from 1983 to 2001. As a member of Glasgow Presbytery he has served on the Presbytery Council, Communications Committee, Ministry and Stewardship Committee, and is currently on Superintendence and Education for the Ministry. He is Secretary for the New Charge Commission in Robroyston.
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Chaplains to HM Forces: the
Rev James M Gibson
James Gibson, convener of the Church of Scotland's Committee
on Chaplains to HM Forces will deliver the committee's
speech.
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Church and Society Council: the
Rev Ian Galloway
Ian Galloway has been a minister for more than thirty years. He has served as the Church of Scotland's National Youth Adviser, as Warden of Iona Abbey and for the past twelve years has been parish minister of Gorbals in Glasgow. |
Rev Ian Galloway,
convener
|
He founded, and chairs the Board of, Bridging the Gap, set up to work jointly with the local Catholic church to tackle sectarianism through forging relationships across divides in the community. Ian has served terms as Convener of the Council of the Iona Community and Chair of Glasgow Council for Single Homeless. He is married, has five children and plays in a ceilidh band.
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Church Hymnary Trust: George W. Penrose
George Penrose, chairman of the Church Hymnary Trustees, will deliver the Trust's speech.
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Church of Scotland Trust:
Robert Brodie
Robert Brodie is the chairman for the Trust and will deliver the Trust's speech.
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Council of Assembly:
the Rev Alan Greig
| Alan is minister at Kintore in the Presbytery of Gordon. A former Mission Partner in Zambia, he has served as a member, Vice-Convener and Convener of the former Board of World Mission. He was then Convener of the World Mission Council in its first year following the restructuring of the central administration. |
Rev Alan Greig, convener
|
He became Vice-Convener of the Council of Assembly in 2007 and its Convener in 2008. He is married to Ruth, and has two grown-up sons.
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Ecumenical Relations Committee: the Rev Alan D Falconer
| Alan is currently the minister at St Machar's Cathedral in Aberdeen. His first ministerial role was as assistant in St Machar's until 1974, when he left to go to the Irish School of Ecumenics in Dublin acting successively as lecturer, senior lecturer, and Director. |
Rev Alan Falconer,
convener
|
He then joined the World Council of Churches in Geneva in 1995, where he was Director of the Commission on Faith and Order, negotiating the resolution of the churches' historical theological differences.
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General Trustees: Rev Dr James Jack
The Rev Dr James Jack is vice-chairman of the General Trustees.
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Guild: Elizabeth M Dunn
Elizabeth Dunn lives in Lenzie, Glasgow, and was born and educated in Glasgow. Her career background is in design, manufacture and retail, becoming Sales Director and travelling the world. In 1990, Betty was given the MBE for services to the Export and Textile Industry. |
Elizabeth Dunn, convener
|
Betty has a husband, Ian, and 3 grown up children. Heavily involved in her local church as an elder, Betty is also former convener of her local Guild Presbyterial Council, and has also served on the Guild's Finance and General Purposes Committee.
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HIV/AIDS Project: the Rev Dr Robin
Hill
| Since 2004, Robin has served as minister
of Gladsmuir and Longniddry in the Presbytery of
Lothian. He trained in public international law
and has a doctorate in aviation terrorism. Before
entering the ministry, he was editor of Life &
Work for five years. He is married to Ailsa. Their family is completed by Katie
and Michael. |
Rev Dr Robin Hill, convener
|
Robin enjoys playing mandolins and saxophones
and very much likes relaxing on the Isle of Arran.
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Housing and Loan Fund: J G Graham Lees
| Grahame is a member, and an Elder, in Dunblane Cathedral Church of Scotland and Convenor of its Worship Group. He has also been Vice-Chairman of the Judicial Commission of the Church of Scotland, Vice Convenor of the Board of Practice and Procedure of the Church of Scotland, and Convenor of the Personnel Committee of the Church. |
J G Graham Lees, chairman
|
He was appointed a Trustee of the Housing & Loan Fund in 2003, and became the Chairman of the Trustees in 2008.
Grahame recently retired as Senior Partner in the rural legal Firm of McLean & Stewart, Solicitors, at the end of March this year and is now a Consultant with the Practice. He is married, and has two grown up daughters and a son, and has lived in Dunblane since 1972.
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Investors
Trust: Isobel J Hunter
Isobel was an Investment Manager with Ivory and Sime for ten years and was in a
senior role with Adam & Company Investment Management for over sixteen years. She was appointed a Trustee in
2002, Vice-Chairman in 2003 and Chairman in 2008.
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Iona Community Board: Stewart SmithStewart Smith is the acting convenor for the Iona Community Board.
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Legal Questions Committee (Support
and Services Council): Carole Hope
| Carole is dual qualified
as a solicitor in Scotland and England, a WS and
a partner in an Edinburgh legal firm where she deals
with succession, tax, trusts and charities. |
Carole Hope, convener
|
She
is an elder in St Giles Cathedral, and a board member
of the Franco British Lawyers. Carole is married
to an advocate and her interests include singing,
music and travel in France.
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Ministries Council: the Rev
Graham Finch
Graham Finch was born
and brought up in Falkirk, educated at Laurieston
Primary and Falkirk High Schools. Studied mediaeval
history at St Andrews and divinity at Aberdeen.
Served as probationer minister at St Giles in Edinburgh
from 1975 to 1977, and was minister in Sanday and
North Ronaldsay in Orkney from 1977 to 1983, Stonehaven
Fetteresso from 1983 to 1989 and since 1999 he has
been
|
Rev Graham Finch, convener
|
minister at Cadder in Bishopbriggs. Graham is married
to Louise, a primary school headteacher in Clydebank and
they have a son and a daughter. His interests include
include following Falkirk Football Club, watching sport,
playing golf, music and reading.
Ministries Council speech: |
[.pdf]
|
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Mission and Discipleship
Council: the Rev Mark Johnstone
| Mark has been the minister at St Mary's Parish Church, Kirkintilloch, since 2001. He was born and brought up in Drumchapel,Glasgow, and studied at Glasgow University. He was minister at Denny and Chaplain at Stirling Royal, Falkirk Royal and Strathcarron Hospice. |
Rev Mark Johnstone, convener
|
He
then moved to the United Church of Canada in North Toronto. Mark was vice convenor of the Mission and Discipleship Council, and convenor of the Education and Nurture Task Group. with responsibilities for the educational and nurturing work with children, youth and adults of the church.
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Nomination Committee: the Rev Colin Sinclair
Colin has been a minister at Palmerston Place Church, Edinburgh since 1996, and was previously a minister in Ayr from 1982 - 1988. He is
Chair of the International Council of Scripture Union
and was the General Director of Scripture Union from 1988-1996.
|
Rev Colin Sinclair, convener
|
He was training officer for Scripture Union Zambia from 1974 - 1977. Colin is married to Ruth, and they have four children aged from 25 to 13.
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Panel on Review and Reform:
the Rev David S. Cameron
| David Cameron was
born in Glasgow and brought up in Barrhead, East
Renfrewshire. In 1980, he embarked on a career in Civil Engineering, moving to Commercial Management 10 years later. A graduate of Glasgow University, he served as Probationer Assistant at Sandyford (Thread Street) Church in the Presbytery of |
Rev David S. Cameron, convener
|
Paisley and was called to Laigh West High Kirk, Kilmarnock in 2000.A further union with Grange Church in 2009 resulted in the congregation of New Laigh Kirk being formed. He is married to Laura and has two sons and a daughter.
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Parish Development
Fund: the Rev Dr Martin Fair
| Martin Fair was born
in Johnstone in 1964 and raised on the South Side
of Glasgow. He was educated at Thornliebank Primary
and Woodfarm secondary schools before going on to
pursue an Arts and Social Science degree in Politics
and Geography at Strathclyde University. Following
his |
Rev Dr Martin Fair
|
graduation, there followed a period of employment as a
youth worker with the Church of England in Leeds, before
his return to Glasgow to commence training for the Church
of Scotland ministry. He studied at Glasgow University
and completed his BD in 1989. Married to Elaine, and father
to three sons, he has been minister at St Andrew's Church
in Arbroath since 1992. In free time, he loves mountaineering,
football and golf and listening to music and collecting
classic films on DVD. He completed a Doctor of Ministry
degree at Princeton Theological Seminary in 2004 and,
in terms of his ministry, is passionate about preaching
and breaking down barriers between the church and wider
community.
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Pension
Trustees: W John McCafferty
W John McCafferty is chairman of the Church of Scotland's
Pension Trustees will deliver the trustee's speech.
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Safeguarding
Committee: the Rev John
Christie
| John Christie was born in Glasgow
in 1947 and graduated in Biology from the University
of Strathclyde and is a member of the Institute
of Biology, he taught science in Glasgow, Tiree
and Inverness before being called to full time ministry.
John also graduated from the University of Glasgow
with BD (Honours) in New Testament and Systematic
Theology. |
Rev John Christie, convener
|
John was minister of Hyndland church, Glasgow for 14 years
before joining the Interim Ministry team and served in
Old Cumnock Trinity church, Kilmacolm Old Kirk, Arisaig and the Small Isles linked with Mallaig St Columba and Knoydart, now North West Lochaber, currently John is interim minister in West Kilbride: St Andrews and Scots Kirk, Lausanne. John served on the former Board of
Parish Education, which he convened from 2001 to 2005,
with a particular interest in those with learning difficulties
and commitment to the development of readership. John
also served on the Joint Boards
Group for the Safety and Protection of Children
2001 to 2005, and was appointed convener of Safeguarding
in 2005. He is the Moderator Designate for the General Assembly 2010.
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Social Care
Council: the Rev Sydney S Graham
| Syd has recently retired as minister of Iona linked with Kilfinichanen, Kilvickeon and the Ross of Mull and was previously minister at Auchterhouse, Murroes and Tealing. He was ordained as an auxiliary Minister in 1987 whilst working as Depute Director of Social Work for Social Planning and previously Child Care for Strathclyde Region until 1993. |
Rev Syd Graham, convener
|
Syd obtained an M.Phil in Urban Policy at Glasgow University in 1995 and his BD in 1996, and was Vice President of the Association of Directors of Social Work. He has served on the Ecumenical Relations Committee, was appointed Vice Convener of the Social Care Council in 2007 and Convener in 2009. Syd is married to Edna and has two sons, Peter in Veterinary Medicine, and Alastair who is an MSLO and has in addition to his family, Abbie, a flat coat retriever.
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Special Commission of the Third Article Declaratory: the Very Rev Alan D McDonald
| The Very Rev Alan McDonald is the convener of the Special Commission.
He is a former Moderator of the Church of Scotland General Assembly, and currently a minister at Cameron
linked with St Andrews: St Leonard's. |
Very Rev Alan McDonald, convener
|
He was previously minister at Aberdeen: Holburn Central and Community Minister
at Edinburgh:Drylaw, Muirhouse and the Old Kirk (Pilton).
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Special Committee on the Review of Charity Governance: the Very Rev David Lacy
| The Very Rev David Lacy is the convener of the Special Committee.
He is a former Moderator of the Church of Scotland General Assembly, and has been minister at Kilmarnock: Henderson Parish Church since 1989. |
Very Rev David Lacy, convener
|
He was ordained at St George's West, Edinurgh, in 1976, and inducted to Knightswood: St Margaret's, a charge which subsequently united with Netherton: St Matthew's.
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World Mission
Council: the Rev Colin Renwick
| The Rev Colin Renwick was born in
Perth, Scotland and was educated at Breadalbane
Academy, Aberfeldy, Perthshire. In 1984 Colin graduated
from Glasgow University with a bachelor of music
degree and then in 1988 graduated from Aberdeen
University with a bachelor of divinity degree. |
Rev
Colin Renwick
|
From 1988 to 1989 Colin was an assistant minister at Trinity
Church in Rothesay, Isle of Bute, and then in 1989 went
on to become minister at Maybole Old Church, Ayrshire,
Scotland where he spent seven years. In 1996 he became
minister at Jordanhill Parish Church, Glasgow, Scotland
where he continues to be a minister. Colin was a former
vive convener of the Panel on Worship and a member of
the committee to produce CH4,
he became a member of the former Board of World Mission
now the World Mission Council in 2001 and he was also
a convener of the Middle East Committee. Colin's interests
include music, walking, reading, travel, cooking and ornithology.
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Professor Mona Siddiqui
| Mona Siddiqui is Professor of Islamic Studies and Public Understanding at the University of Glasgow. You can also watch her address on our webcast pages. |
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