April/May 2020

With the 2020 General Assembly being postponed, the membership of the current Commission continue in their appointments until another General Assembly is held to appoint a new Commission.

The Rev Dr George J Whyte, Principal Clerk, said:

"There are some decisions which would normally be taken by a General Assembly and which need to be taken at this time, rather than wait until the next Assembly in 2021. We have characterised those decisions as "straightforward, time-critical and non-controversial". Papers have therefore been sent out to members of the Commission of Assembly asking them to approve certain items of business.

The methodology proposed is that if a member of the Commission agrees to these proposals they need take no action. If sufficient members request that a particular matter be discussed, the Clerks of Assembly will seek to arrange a virtual meeting of the Commission, to be held on Saturday 16 May 2020.

We hope in this way to keep the Church's business moving on as regards these important matters."

Proposed items of business

  1. Elect the Rev Dr Martin Fair (Arbroath: St Andrew's) as Moderator of the General Assembly 2020-2021
  2. Pass Acts uniting (1) the Presbyteries of Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, and St Andrews to form the Presbytery of Fife, (2) the Presbyteries of Aberdeen and Shetland to form the Presbytery of Aberdeen and Shetland, and (3) the Presbyteries of Dumbarton and Greenock & Paisley to form the Presbytery of Clyde
  3. Agree that membership of the Social Care Council will with effect from 1 June 2020 be reduced to 12 in accordance with a revised nomination process
  4. Make certain appointments to Standing Committees as proposed by the Nomination Committee, and to Trusts as requested by these Trusts
  5. Agree that the Ecumenical Relations Committee shall act on behalf of the General Assembly in the dissolution of Local Ecumenical Partnerships
  6. Amend the process for appointing the Committee to Nominate the Moderator and ask the Nomination Committee to populate that Committee, so that it can select a Moderator for 2021-2022
  7. Amend the Income Protection and Ill-Health Act (Act VI 2019) to reflect Income Protection provision commencing at 78 weeks rather than 52

Read the full report

Download the paperwork sent out to members of the Commission (PDF).

Minute of the Commission

Download the Minute of the Commission of Assembly (PDF).